Plan now for CCIC 2008! CCIC 2008 will be held August 21-23, 2008 in Sacramento, CA near the birthplace of concrete countertops. Click here for the 2008 conference website.

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General Information for Attendees

Who should attend this conference?

Anyone who is serious about success in the concrete countertop business. This includes everyone from contractors who already have an established concrete countertop business to those who are just starting out. This conference is ideal for concrete countertop professionals because it brings together all of the essential products, experts and industry leaders, and concrete countertop-specific learning opportunities in one place.

If you are (or want to be) a concrete countertop professional, you cannot afford to miss this event.

What will I see at the conference?

  • The exhibits will represent all the types of products used to make concrete countertops, such as bagged mixes, grinding and polishing equipment, new exotic pigments, fiber optics and other cutting-edge products.
  • The seminars will be on specific, relevant topics that will help you succeed at concrete countertops. Our theme this year is "Raising the Standard", and we are putting together presentations about innovative, practical topics that will help you succeed. This year also features sessions for both "Getting Started" and "Experienced" contractors, as well as hands on demos.
  • This year features 10 hours of specifically scheduled demo time by exhibitors as well as "show and tell" opportunities for attendees. You will see a wide variety of products and techniques demonstrated.
  • You can also network with your peers. If you've been "going it alone", this is a great opportunity to meet other people in your situation and help motivate and inspire each other. You will have both informal and formal networking opportunities, through socializing at the welcome party and participating in networking roundtables.

Why should I attend?

You can't afford not to! This is a golden opportunity to talk to manufacturers, industry leaders and your peers. You will come away with loads of product, technical and business information. You will see new, fresh ideas and be inspired. If you've been "going it alone" or feeling frustrated, this conference will boost your knowledge and confidence, and help you see that The Possibilities are Endless.

More reasons to attend:

  • See exhibits of all the latest cutting edge products, in one place
  • See 10 hours of demos
  • Learn from industry leaders and your peers in 11 seminars for both Getting Started and Experienced professionals
  • Learn things you didn't know that you didn't know
  • Take the opportunity to show off your work in the Showcase or a Show & Tell session
  • Help shape a growing industry - raise the standard!
  • It will be fun!

Will there be demos?

Yes! This year there are 10 hours of specifically scheduled demo time, with a grand finale on Saturday. Exhibitors will be showing a wide variety of products and techniques. Scheduled demo times are:

Thursday, October 25: 10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Friday, October 26: 10:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 27: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Click here for details on all the exciting demos exhibitors have planned.

Plus, your peers (or you!) will be showing off their best work and giving insights into how they have been successful, at the Show & Tell sessions from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on Friday, October 26 in the Attendee Showcase.

How will this year be different from last year? I went last year, and it was great, but I'm not sure I have time to go see the same thing again.

Even though the feedback from last year was that the conference far exceeded expectaions, this year will be even bigger and better. We will have more exhibitors, more demos, more advanced seminars and more people! A few of the specific differences this year are:

  • 10 hours of specifically scheduled demo time by 6 companies
  • Larger exhibit hall. Last year was 19,000 sq ft, this year is 40,000 sq ft!
  • More exhibitors. There are 27 exhibitors this year compared to 15 last year.
  • More advanced seminars, about topics such as Admixtures, Concrete Countertop Mixes and 3-D work.
  • Seminars in separate classrooms with high tech audio visual equipment.
  • More time in between seminars, so that you have plenty of time to see demos and exhibits
  • Expanded Attendee showcase with Show & Tell sessions by your peers
  • Networking Roundtables and speed networking, to give you more opportunities to meet your peers

I have so many projects going on at that time of year, I'm not sure I have time to attend.

You can't afford not to take work when you can get it, but you also can't afford not to attend this conference if you are serious about concrete countertops. Plan ahead and set aside 2 business days and a Saturday for intensive, valuable countertop learning! Attending CCIC 2007 will help your business a lot more in the long run than spending a couple of days "in the trenches". Don't get caught up in the daily grind and miss this opportunity to invest in your future.

I do decorative concrete and countertops. Why should I attend this conference rather than an event that shows me several forms of decorative concrete?

Concrete countertops are countertops that just happen to be made out of concrete. While concrete knowledge is important, there is a whole host of other knowledge required for a successful concrete countertop business: kitchen and bath knowledge that applies to any type of countertop.

Decorative concrete events tend to treat countertops as an afterthought, lumping them in with stamping and acid staining, completely neglecting other aspects of countertops (templating, sinks, marketing, etc.) that are critical to your success.

This conference is specific and comprehensive. It brings together the real experts in concrete countertops whose reputation has been earned based on their work and deep knowledge.

If you are serious about your concrete countertop business, you owe it to yourself to attend this conference.

What will this event offer me that World of Concrete won't?

Specific, comprehensive, intensive information about concrete countertops, all in one place.

  • You won't have to walk 10 minutes between booths trying to find the concrete countertop stuff. All the booths are right there, with a complete range of concrete countertop products.
  • You don't have to pay $95 each for 2 general, high-level seminars about concrete countertops and concrete in the home. We have specific presentations about the hottest and most critical topics in concrete countertops.
  • Yes, WOC is in Vegas, and Vegas is a lot of fun. But there are plenty of fun things to do in Charlotte, NC. We worked very hard to select a site based on the "attendee experience".

The whole reason we planned this conference is that we felt there was no good venue for concrete countertop professionals to get information, see products and network.

World of Concrete is a great event, and in fact Jeff Girard was a co-presenter of the concrete countertop seminar at WOC 2007. That WOC presentation was a total of 3 hours and included only general information about concrete countertops. The presentations, networking roundtables, demos and show and tells at CCIC 2007 will be many hours of very specific information that you've probably never heard before. Don't miss them!

How much does the conference cost?

All discounts have expired, and the conference fee is $425. The conference fee includes all 3 days of seminars, exhibit hall hours, and the welcome party on Thursday, October 25.

Where should I stay?

Visit the travel information page for details on the official conference hotels and conference shuttle.

How do I register?

Pre-registration is closed. All registrations must be completed on site for $425.

To register on site, you MUST have one of the following forms of payment: cash, cashier's check, money order, Mastercard or Visa credit card. American Express and Discover cannot be processed, and company or personal checks will NOT be accepted - you will be turned away, no matter how far you traveled from.

Why is The Concrete Countertop Institute organizing this conference?

We simply felt that it was time to bring everyone together, given all of the new products and classes (not just our own) for concrete countertops in the past couple of years. There has never been a good venue for seeing all of the products and services now available to concrete countertop contractors, so we created one. This conference is about the whole concrete countertop industry, not about The Concrete Countertop Institute. It's about you, the endless possibilities, and raising the standard for the whole industry!

For more information about The Concrete Countertop Institute, click here.

Brought to you by The Concrete Countertop Institute