It helps countertops resist impact as well as water, stains and chemicals. Like the other ingredients that go into solid surfacing, it's costly and subject to frequent price fluctuations. Most ATH goes into the production of aluminum. When demand goes up, so do prices. That's also true of the petroleum-based acrylic and polyester resins that hold the ATH binder.
Every counter is really a custom installation.
All edges, inlays and feature strips must be created by hand. Fabricator Wayne Overton, of Quogue, New York, estimates that at least eight hours of hand sanding is required for an average-size counter.