The History of ISFA
Prior to 1996, solid surface fabricators were extremely insular within their businesses. The trade lacked a cohesive resource for material information, business development strategies and networking opportunities. They worked with customers and manufacturers but most were guarded when it came to relationships with other fabrication businesses.
All of that began to change when a group of five fabrication business owners met informally with the publishers of SolidSurface magazine and formed the Solid Surface Advisory Board. Ultimately, this committee reached out to a broader group of business owners to see if uniting the manufactured surface fabrication industry was viable. The response was overwhelmingly positive.
  In1997, this group formed the International Solid Surface Fabricators Association (ISSFA). The association’s main goals were targeted toward education, business growth and promotion, improving industry standards, cooperation with suppliers, sharing experiences and coming together for the common benefit of the industry. These values are still the cornerstone of the association today.
The association realized tremendous growth in a short period of time. It was evident that solid surface materials and those who fabricated them needed representation and visibility. ISSFA created a trade show exclusively for solid surface fabricators. It was wildly successful, attended by nearly 2,000 fabricators and other industry professionals. By 2003, ISSFA had become a powerful network and influencer within the industry.
 By 2004, the association matured and expanded with full-time staff to foster growth in programming and resources for its members. In 2006, the association expanded its reach to include fabricators of quartz products. Although controversial at the time, ISSFA recognized that they needed to embrace a changing industry and support additional innovative surfacing materials that began to appear in the marketplace.
In 2008, the Board of Directors voted to change the organization’s name to the International Surface Fabricator’s Association (ISFA) to fully embrace the wide range of surfacing products available in the market.
Today, ISFA is globally recognized as a premier trade organization whose members benefit from networking with other industry professionals, programs to enhance their business performance, both group and onsite fabrication training and other offerings that differentiate them in the marketplace.
2022 marked the 25th anniversary of the association. ISFA is proud to support fabricators of all surfacing materials by providing meaningful experiences, training programs and other resources that continue to perpetuate success across the trade.
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