The beginning of a new year always means one thing: It’s Materials Handbook time! This directory includes an Address Index of suppliers,* along with materials and their definitions/descriptions. Use this guide as a reference tool and a handy way to find suppliers throughout the year. The searchable handbook is also online at www.ceramicindustry.com/materialshandbook, including spec sheets and other added functionality for key suppliers.

While our staff made every effort to contact the entire community of suppliers to our industry, we may have inadvertently missed some. If you are a materials supplier and would like to be included, please contact AnnaMarie McCann at (610) 436-4220, ext. 8518, or email mccanna@bnpmedia.com for pricing and additional details.

The annual “Raw & Manufactured Materials Overview” is one of our most popular articles every year. We compile information from market studies, technology reports and trend forecasts, as well as details from the U.S. Geological Survey, to provide a picture of the markets and opportunities for a number of materials used in our industry. As in past years, the Digital Edition version of this article includes many additional materials, as well as more information/charts for the materials included here. Be sure to take a look at the Digital Edition by visiting www.ceramicindustry.com/digitaleditions.

If you have any comments or suggestions for the coming year, I’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me at (248) 786-1704 or suttons@bnpmedia.com. Happy 2016!

*Company listings indicate paid advertising. Contact AnnaMarie McCann at mccanna@bnpmedia.com for pricing and additional details.