The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), the largest tile contractors association in the world, is announcing QEP as the first sponsor of the association’s 2008 Trailer for Education, an opportunity for the company to advertise their partnership with NTCA during NTCA’s educational and training stops around America in 2008.

As the first sponsor of NTCA’s Trailer for Education, QEP’s products, such as the new LASH system for spacing tile and minimizing lippage, will be demonstrated during the workshop program. The NTCA has identified lippage to be one of the top five most common industry related complaints when it comes to ceramic tile and natural stone installation.

QEP has emerged as the largest single provider of installation tools and accessories for the flooring industry in the world. Most recently, QEP has brought its share of innovation to the table with the LASH system for spacing tile, the Black Widow™ series of porcelain-cutting blades, and the Brutus™ diamond drill bit and hole saw with water dispersion systems. With its eyes set on continued growth for 2008, the company looks towards strengthening its partnerships through increased involvement with industry associations such as the NTCA.

“We are excited to be participating this year in the NTCA Trailer for Education, since we support all efforts to ensure that industry’s professionals are equipped with the proper training,” said Diana Chiodi, marketing manager for QEP. “The NTCA is an integral part in communicating to our audience effectively and we are pleased to be a part of its educational programs.”

Each year, NTCA reaches over 4,000 industry professionals through a variety of educational programs, including hands-on workshops, training seminars, and customized training programs, while traveling around the country in a state-of-the-art truck and trailer combination. NTCA has purchased a brand new F250 Truck to haul the trailer this year, with over 40 workshops planned. In addition, the trailer will be traveling to several of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation Certification Courses, as NTCA Training Director Gerald Sloan is one of the instructors of the certification exam.

NTCA is a non-profit trade association serving every segment of the industry, spearheading education for the professional installation of ceramic tile and allied products. For more information on NTCA, please contact NTCA membership director Bob Brown at bob@tile-assn.com, via telephone at (601) 939-2071, or visit www.tile-assn.com.