New Countertop Bracket Designs from Federal Brace

Charlotte, NC – August 3, 2010

Federal Brace, the designer and producer of quality countertop support products, announced the release of ten new styles in their countertop support and bracket family of products. These fresh new countertop bracket designs augment the large selection of countertop supports already available under the Federal Brace brand.

The company has added 5 new shapes to the gusseted L-shaped countertop support brackets. The Angeln, Pickett, Union Jack and Bellhaven countertop support all utilize the decoratively shaped gusset cross plate between the support flanges while their sister style, the Hagendoorn adds a plate gusset with a round rod gusset to provide a beautifully unique look.

Added to the elevated counter supports line is the San Juan countertop support. This wonderful design is a close relative to the company’s popular San Marino. The San Juan adds a round road gusset with it plate gusset to give it a unique and attractive appearance.

The Carrier Countertop Support Bracket is a design that utilizes the features of Federal Brace’s hidden countertop products while adding the strength of a support gusset that runs the length of the bracket. A short profile and tremendous strength are the unique characteristics of the Carrier Countertop Support.

Federal Brace has also released its first designs within an entirely new support application. The company’s new Enterprise Support, Foremont Support and Perrine Decorative Support styles are all part of the countertop mounted support brackets. The use of the brackets within this application type is to support an elevated bar directly from the lower countertop level. The brackets are mounted directly to the sub-counter and elevated a counter or bar on support plates at the top of the bracket.

All of these new styles of countertop support brackets will join Federal Brace’s current line of sleek and dependable brackets to provide the largest selection of decorative, solid steel supports available! “With this collection of invariably elite countertop brackets and supports, our customers have a greater option in the style they want, and also in the application in which they want to mount their countertops.” said Cathy Morgan, GM of the Federal Brace team.

Plan Ahead, Don’t Compromise

Charlotte, NC – July 6, 2010

One of the great influences for compromise in kitchen design and construction is lack of time. Countless homeowners have been forced to go with solutions that only barely meet their satisfaction because they either did not know what was required or procrastinated until it was too late to get the perfect solution to meet their design and functionality needs.

One area where this “no time – got to compromise” principle shows up is in the support of countertops. After investing thousands of dollars in their countertops most owners are never told that they need support for countertop overhangs. Well, they are likely told but not until the countertop fabricator shows up to run the templates or possibly when the installer shows up to put in the counters. This seriously limits the homeowner’s ability to select a desirable solution for supporting their countertops.

Countertop support brackets are more than just shelf brackets or standard decorative wood corbels. A countertop overhang is no small matter and true countertop brackets are designed to handle the load of the overhang. These types of brackets really constitute hardware in the kitchen and should be selected as such. You cannot pick up them up at the local hardware store or from large box stores because they are not carried. The countertop support brackets used to hold up stone counters are specifically designed for that purpose and are often made to order or when in stock require shipping to the customer’s construction site.

Cathy Morgan knows about the significance of delaying selection of countertop supports. The general manager of Federal Brace, a designer and producer of custom countertop support brackets says, “We hear daily from people looking for countertop supports having just learned that they need them for their countertop installation scheduled for the next day. Unfortunately, that leaves the customer limited to those supports that are stock and bearing overnight shipping costs in order to fill the need.” The additional costs associated with shipping overnight are one thing. But more unfortunate is the customer’s inability to take advantage of the full line of designer countertop supports available or the possibility of using the customization service provided by the company.

Bottom line - time is needed to select the right countertop support bracket. Homeowners are asked, months before they are needed, what type of knobs and handles they want on their cabinets. Why wait until the week before installation to ask what type of countertop support is desired? The answer is a bit simple. No one is sure whose job it is to specify the need for supports. The contractor will generally rely on the countertop fabricator. The fabricator may defer to the installer. Ultimately, they can all point to the problem with limited knowledge of the requirement standards.

Federal Brace is trying to eliminate this problem by educating the contractor and the customers. Their website boasts one of the most comprehensive resource areas on the topic of countertop support. Their customer service representatives are knowledgeable on solving the issue of timing as well. Cathy gives her pointers very concisely – “First, do not wait to hear that you need countertop supports. If you are planning a serving or seating area at your kitchen countertop you will likely need supports for the counters in that area. Be proactive and start your search early. 2. Do not compromise your desires because of timing. It is likely that whatever is put under your countertops will be there until they are removed. Make sure that it is a support that meets your needs visually and functionally.”

Metal Supports Noticed at Latest KBIS

Charlotte, NC – April 27, 2010

Offered through their website, the company’s complete line of contemporary metal support brackets and corbels made a solid impression at the show. “Our product line offers a viable alternative to the traditional support products offered in the market today. With our sleek Euro style designs and the sturdy construction built into every Federal Brace support, now designers and end users have the option to go metal – better yet - made in the USA metal.” said Cathy Morgan, General Manager of Federal Brace. The company focuses as its mission on building the U.S. manufacturing base while producing the “highest quality, most durable” countertop supports on the market today.

An appealing feature of Federal Brace’s countertop support product line is the confidence provided by use of the solid metal bracket under a solid surface countertop. While you would expect that a heavy duty countertop support might be bulky and industrial looking, Federal Brace’s countertop supports are in fact the opposite. The company displayed 17 different styles at their booth, from standard to elevated and hidden supports. The Brunswick style support was featured for KBIS’s Best In Show area where it garnered much interest and positive comments related to both its strength and style.

The company will expand its countertop support design offering in the coming months to over 40 styles.

Custom Metal Parts Leader Establishes Countertop Support Products Division

Charlotte, NC – March 5, 2010

Serving The Needs of Homeowners, Architects, Interior Design Professionals, Building Contractors and Countertop Installers, Federal Brace Offers Corbels and Brackets While Focusing on Supporting Jobs in the USA

Short Run Pro, a leader in production of custom metal parts, announces the release of Federal Brace, a division of the company focused on supplying the interior design and construction industries with high quality, made in the USA countertop corbels and brackets. The countertop support product line designed and produced by Short Run Pro is now marketed under the Federal Brace brand. All the popular corbel designs including Brunswick, Alpine, Streamline and Arrowwood along with helpful resources such as the bracket deflection calculator are now offered through the company website www.federalbrace.com.

Federal Brace also reflects the company’s commitment to Made in the USA products. All Federal Brace countertop brackets are manufactured in the United States. "In a time when creation of jobs is so vital to the U.S. it is important that companies commit to supporting those jobs. Short Run Pro and now our division, Federal Brace, are committed to growing the manufacturing base in the U.S.A. and creating jobs on production floors right here in our country." said Scott Toal, president of Short Run Pro.

Through use of internet technology and development of online systems, Short Run Pro works to simplify the custom products buying process from quote request through production to order delivery. Short Run Pro manages custom part orders through the production process to deliver a quality finished product to the customer’s door. All products manufactured to ISO 9001:2008 certification standards and made in the USA.

Federal Brace designs and produces countertop supports, brackets and corbels. Our selection of high quality countertop brackets is full of beautifully designed and quality manufactured countertop brackets and corbels. Federal Brace serves homeowners, interior designers, architects, builders (commercial and residential) as well as countertop installers and fabricators. All products manufactured to ISO 9001:2008 certification standards and made in the USA.

KBIS Show Booth

Visit our booth and see our countertop support products at the upcoming Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), April 16 -18 in Chicago.

Short Run Pro Releases New Online Countertop Bracket Design Center

July 28, 2008

Short Run Pro continues to widen its selection of countertop brackets and strengthen its presents in the countertop support products market. With the release of the company’s new online Countertop Bracket Design Center, Short Run Pro presents to designers, builders and homeowners the company’s most popular countertop support designs in one online location. The new online design center is specifically designed for the countertop support buyers and products used in supporting kitchen, bath and other countertop projects.

"Our new online Countertop Bracket Design Center supplies the online shopper with the information and product selection they desire while continuing the ease of modification, customization and online buying always experienced at www.shortrunpro.com.”, said Scott Toal, President of Short Run Pro. The Countertop Bracket Design Center provides the user with the ability to view support specification and drawings. It also allows for modification of the popular countertop bracket designs to meet project requirements.

Visit Short Run Pro's New Countertop Bracket Design Center at www.shortrunpro.com/CountertopBracketsDefault.aspx to view the full selection of Short Run Pro countertop brackets.

Our Countertop Brackets Featured in Countertop Business

September 4, 2007

Our Mother Company, Short Run Pro's hidden (L Bracket) and gusseted countertop brackets received a write up in this month's volume of Countertop Business Magazine. Noted in the article were the key advantages provided by our hidden, non-gusseted, counter top supports such as floating countertop appearance and increased leg room under the counters.