SepOct 2008: Letter to the Editor

SeptemberOctober 2008

The article “As Cast Stone Prices Fall, Will Quality Suffer?” printed in the July/August magazine was a thinly disguised attack upon the success of The Cast Stone Institute. While I do not know the author personally, I respect his right to proselytize for his organization, The Architectural Precast Association, but articles about our somewhat related products would better serve the industry if postured from a mutually respectful perspective.

The Cast Stone Institute has worked tirelessly over the last several years to achieve and maintain the credibility of its Producer Members. Key to that initiative has been a focus upon the long-standing Code of Ethics as well as the mandatory Plant Certification Program. To my knowledge, The Cast Stone Institute is the only association dedicated solely to the cast stone industry, and is highly regarded by Architects, Contractors, and many of our peer organizations. We maintain a respectful, co-operative relationship with several industry associations, all of whom are dedicated to the principal of providing quality product in a professional manner. I invite and encourage Mr. McGee to embrace that posture more attentively in the future.

On one point we are of a single mind – the Plant Certification process is a worthwhile measure of a producer’s commitment to service his customers’ needs. Producers of quality product, whatever it is, need quantifiable standards by which to measure their performance. Plant Certification alone, however, will not guarantee quality product. There must be an ownership commitment and a Code of Ethics to drive the necessarily constant initiative and dedication to produce quality product.