The International Cast Polymer Association

finished products.At the same time, it is increas- ingly difficult to hire and keep skilled people who want to work in manufacturing.Howmanufacturers market their products is changing, as well.Most of our manufacturers still have showrooms, but they’re using the internet and more interactive websites to display their products, so buyers can get a really good, three-dimensional look at them.” Two of the most popular and widelymanufac- tured cast polymer products are cultured marble, stone, and tile, and solid surface products. Cultured marble, stone, and tile is a precise blend of polyester resin, catalyst, fillers, and pigments that are mixed together thoroughly and then cast, or placed, into polished molds that have been coated with a clear gel coat.The gel coat is formulated to achieve a tough, durable,waterproof, non-porous, and trans- parent surface which is very resilient and easy to maintain.The gel coat can also provide a glossy surface to the final product. The chemical reaction initiated by the catalyst causes the resin to become polymerized and harden, bounding the entire matrix together in a hard, strong mass.After several hours of chemical curing, the product is removed from the molds and trimmed, ground, polished, and inspected for any flaws. Cultured marble, stone, and tile is available in a host of colors and blended and veined patterns to complement any décor in both residen- tial and commercial buildings. Solid surface products consist of resin and filler but without a surface gel coat. Solid surfaces require a resin with higher strength and heat resistance. Solid surface products have many of the same ad- vantages of engineered or cultured products.How-