FloorCoveringNews

St. Louis, Mo. – The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) announced its degree recipients at its Wood Flooring Expo in Dallas. The degrees were presented during an awards luncheon held on Thursday, April 4.  A total of 30 members earned NWFA degrees in 2012, bringing the total since the program began to 811.

NWFA degrees recognize individuals who have been members of the NWFA for a minimum of three consecutive years, and who reach specific levels of achievement in wood flooring education, personal accomplishment, and service to the industry.

Boca Raton, Fla. — Luxury vinyl tile supplier Raskin Industries was recently honored with a pair of ADEX awards. The company annexed a Platinum award for its innovative Elevations5 and a silver award for its Provence Woods line, part of the initial Elevations offering unveiled in 2012.

“Elevations5 perfectly complements our original 21 SKUs in Elevations,” said Michael Raskin, president and CEO. “We wanted to offer our customers the ability for a high margin due to its innovation and design.”

A new line of Coswick Portable Dance & Events hardwood flooring was made available to the general public following its debut at the 2013 WDSF European DanceSport Competition in Latin dance, which took place in Krasnodar, Russia, in April. The 600 square meters of custom-made, assembled flooring squares performed well under the feet of over 80 pairs representing more than 30 countries.

Atlanta — For the first time in its history, members of the Ceramic Tile Distributor’s Association (CTDA) recognized the one supplier who provides the most value its members and the ceramic tile and stone industry.

The inaugural CTDA Supplier of the Year Award was presented to Florida Tile at the industry’s premier event Coverings 2013 in Atlanta.

West Bloomfield, Mich. –– FCICA, the flooring contractors association, announces the election of three new members of the board of directors for the 2013 – 2016 term of office.  Jim Judd from Master Craft Carpet Service was elected to represent the contractor members, while Sonny Callaham of Royal Adhesive and Jason Spangler of Wagner Meters were both added to represent the associate members. 

Left to right: Steven Griffiths, national CSA sales manager, Armstrong; Teresa Lorimerk, senior procurement sourcing specialist, Target; Barb Laukhuff, recycling specialist, internal support, Armstrong; Lisa Cavataio, resilient recycle manager, Armstrong; Ann Reppe, senior environmental representative, Target; Christine Lothert, director assistant, Target; Denise Pidde, project coordinator, Target, and Ray Wheeler, commercial strategic account manager, Armstrong

Armstrong World Industries named Target as its 2012 Flooring Recycler of the Year. Armstrong’s award recognizes organizations that make significant environmental contributions by recycling VCT materials during demolition projects, resulting in waste reduction in landfill materials, transportation, and energy. Target received this award because of its commitment to waste reduction as demonstrated by efforts to reclaim over 1.2 million pounds of vinyl composition tile (VCT) from multiple stores throughout the United States in 2012. The award was presented to Target during a recent ceremony at its corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn.

Dalton – USFloors has achieved GreenGuard Gold Indoor Air Quality Certification for COREtec Plus engineered luxury vinyl floors, a patent-pending luxury vinyl collection the company developed and introduced at Surfaces 2013. GreenGuard Gold Certification (formerly known as GreenGuard Children & Schools) is the GreenGuard Environmental Institute’s most stringent testing requirement for emissions of formaldehyde, aldehydes, phenols, and other VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). COREtec Plus joins USFloors’ Natural Cork and Natural Bamboo products in the company’s portfolio of GreenGuard Gold Certified products.

Armstrong's Performance Plus line of Made in the USA engineered hardwood flooring uses proprietary acrylic-infusion technology to give it terrific strength while enhancing the wood's natural beauty.

Lancaster, Pa. — Three Armstrong Floor products – Performance Plus hardwood, Duality Premium Plus and StrataMax Better vinyl sheet – were awarded a prestigious Consumers Digest Best Buy designation as top-rated options for affordable kitchen makeovers. Best Buys in flooring are selected based on quality of construction, range of style options and exclusivity of species or design. 

Cartersville, Ga. – Shaw Hospitality Group won Best of Show for Flooring and Best of Competition for the Be Bold collection at the 2013 Hospitality and Design Expo and Conference (HD Expo).  Held annually in Las Vegas, HD Expo is the premier trade show for the hospitality design industry, bringing together more than 900 exhibitors and 7,000 attendees to Las Vegas each May. Presented by Hospitality Design magazine, the show is at the forefront of the newest and most innovative products and services, encouraging and sharing ideas, providing inspiration and connecting the industry.

Johnson Hardwood took a step back to study what consumers and designers are looking for and determined that bolder is better for new flooring trends; the company has added 7-foot long planks to their 2013 product line.

Consumers are looking to make bold statements with continuous pieces of hardwood that make spaces look longer, wider, and provide a less distracting flooring pattern. Johnson has reacted to this demand by creating the English Pub series that consists of 7-foot long by 7 ½-inch wide planks. Hand sculpted in the Johnson Hardwood product tradition, the concept is modern with a craftsman twist, taking the idea from reclaimed, naturally worn wood that has been refinished for modern day use. The English Pub series is available in a wide variety of rich colors and includes both maple and hickory wood species.

Winston-Salem, N.C.– All-Things-Wood.com, a cabinet, deck and hardwood floor refinishing contractor, has received official notice that they are the first home improvement contractor in the nation to be Made in USA Certified in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission requirements.

Lee Brown, company Visioneer, explained why they sought the recognition. “North Carolina lost 80,000 jobs to China in less than 10 years. Most of these were in the wood industries. So from the beginning our expressed values were to use both Made in America and child-safe green products for hardwood refinishing.”

Pictured from left to right: Richard A. Davey, Jr., secretary and CEO Massachusetts Department of Transportation and ILC trustee; Marcia Drew Hohn, director, ILC Public Education Institute; Chiang Li, winner in Outstanding Science/Technology Business; Rafael Guzman, winner in Outstanding Business Growth; Mahmud Jafri; Diane Portnoy, founder, president and CEO of the ILC, and Steven Grossman Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver General.

Dover Rug & Home, offering the largest selection of fine floor coverings and window treatments in New England, is pleased to announce company CEO Mahmud Jafri is the recipient of the 2013 Immigrant Entrepreneur Award, an annual awards program sponsored by the Immigrant Learning Center (ILC). Over two hundred people attended the awards dinner and reception held May 8, which featured ILC board trustee guest speaker Steven Grossman, Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver General, and master of ceremonies Richard A. Davey, Jr., secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Mike Sage

Salem, N.H. – nora systems announces the promotion of Mike Sage to the position of vice president of sales, North America. In his new role, Sage will manage the sales efforts in the United States, Canada and Mexico, including responsibility for more than 40 sales associates.

“Mike brings a wealth of experience to his new position, much of it gained in a career at nora that spans more than 13 years,” noted Andreas Mueller, president and CEO of nora and managing director of German-based nora systems GmbH. “As national sales manager, Mike contributed significantly to the company’s double digit growth in sales and the success we have experienced in recent years. We are excited to channel his proven leadership skills and extensive product knowledge in new directions to ensure the continued growth and success of nora in North America.”

Titusville, Pa. – HomerWood has launched a series of workshops created to enhance the skill set of its partner sales teams. Focusing on consultative selling and presentation skills and using HomerWood as the model, the program is designed to create, build and lead dynamic sales and support organizations and enhance the overall sales power of its distribution partners.

White Plains, N.Y. – Surtex, the leading trade show for the art and design market to be held May 19 to 21 in New York City, will hold a series of exclusive and timely presentations on color, texture and design trends for 2014-15. Eight top trend experts from Europe and the US will conduct a total of sixteen 30-minute sessions at the Surtex 2013 Trend Theatre, exploring the latest trends impacting industries as diverse as textiles, tabletop, home and accessories, apparel, paper, stationery, packaging and gifts.

Volume 26/Number 26; May 13/20, 2013

Similar to the difference between a boss and a leader, there is a distinction between someone who is a leader and someone who is a driver. A driver can be a leader, but it is someone who goes above and beyond a company or organization and works for the betterment of an industry or society. Remember Steve Jobs as someone who was both, but also think of Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel and how he helped change the fashion industry or Carroll Shelby in the automotive world.

In this issue, FCNews takes the first-ever look at some of the people who are “driving” the flooring industry toward a brighter future. This is not a Top 10 list or anything of the sort as next year we will present another list of industry personnel who deserve recognition for their efforts. Nor is it a list that says a particular person is better than another.

Rather it is a grouping of people from various sectors of the industry who are doing things to help change the industry.

By Matthew Spieler

Volume 26/Number 26; May 13/20, 2013

Taking home the 17th Best Overall Manufacturer Award of Excellence was Mohawk Industries. This was the third time Mohawk won top honors. Holding the custom-made trophy is Mohawk’s David Duncan. With him, are, from left, Floor Covering News’ Steven Feldman, publisher and editorial director, and Dustin Aaronson, associate publisher; Mohawk’s Ken Durning; Scott Humphrey, WFCA’s new executive director; Mohawk’s Jeff Lubinsky, and Mike Blick, president and CEO of FCNews.

Roslyn, N.Y.—Mohawk Industries not only reclaimed the Best Overall Manufacturer’s title in this year’s Award of Excellence balloting, four of its divisions were also honored as being the best in their respective categories of expertise, giving it the most trophies of any company in this year’s competition.

In addition to earning the Best Overall award for the first time since 2009 and third time in the competition’s 17-year history, the company’s Karastan, Quick•Step, Dal-Tile and newly acquired Marazzi divisions were also honored as the best. Karastan took home the Award of Excellence in rugs, Quick•Step in laminate, and Dal-Tile and Marazzi were each honored in the tile category—Dal-Tile for Group A and Marazzi for Group B.

Vittorio Borelli, left, vice president of promotional activities for Confindustria Ceramica, presented James Igoe, general manager of Mosaic Tile Company, with the 2013 North American Distributor Award.

After considering the work of hundreds of leading tile distributors across the United States and Canada, Ceramics of Italy is pleased to recognize Mosaic Tile Company as the recipient of the 2013 Confindustria Ceramica North American Distributor Award. The award is annually presented at Coverings to a prominent North American distributor in appreciation of its dedication to the promotion of Italian ceramic tiles in the marketplace. This year, Mosaic Tile Company, a valued partner for the past 40-plus years, joins this hall of fame list of distributors. With ten showroom locations on the East Coast, the company has distinguished itself as a leading resource for colorful, design-driven, large-format and eco-friendly tile.

The tile design artisans at Mediterranea have taken high-tech design of porcelain tile to the next level with pioneering a new series targeted squarely at the American marketplace.  Welcome to Bayside — a perfect combination of cement and stone that features cutting-edge design, yet has mass-market appeal.

Bayside is designed for the new age we live in, delivering a clean, more minimalist look sought after by architects and designers while offering a totally unique blend of graphics and colors that are poised to be volume sellers in the U.S. market.  Utilizing Dynamic HD Imaging inkjet technology to replicate cement and stone graphics, Mediterranea blends these two essential elements into one porcelain tile product, delivering a look never before seen in designer showrooms or grand estates.

Armstrong World Industries won two Web Marketing Association 2013 Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) awards: Best Manufacturing Email Message Campaign and Best Manufacturing Social Media Campaign. Both campaigns were elements of the 2^nd annual i2r (Idea to Reality) Design Competition, created and executed by teams from Armstrong Commercial Flooring, Armstrong Commercial Ceilings & Wall Systems, and eMarketing.

Aurora, Ill.—H.B. Fuller Construction Products Inc. is unveiling a refreshed and enhanced new TEC brand image. The new look includes an updated logo treatment of the brand name with a new design element, and a new tagline:  ‘Imagine. Achieve.’ The updates enhance the TEC brand to better reflect its values and identity. 

Kennesaw, Ga. – Invista Surfaces, a segment of Invista Performance Surfaces & Materials (PS&M) and maker of Antron carpet fibers, welcomes Hank Willis to its team.

Hank Willis joins Invista as Innovation Manager, Invista Surfaces, for its commercial-segment focused Antron brand. In this role, Hank will be an integral part of the team, providing strategic innovation opportunities as it relates to the development of new fiber offerings and product capabilities. His contribution will further create value for our customers and build upon the equity in the more than 40 year strong Antron brand.

LATICRETE, a manufacturer of global construction solutions for the building industry, announced that Troy Wicks has joined the LATICRETE Specialty Products Division (SPD) team as Technical Sales Representative. Wicks will be covering a vast territory that includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, and Canadian Provinces British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Commack, N.Y. — CBC Flooring is pleased to announce its Indelval rubber flooring brand as the newest line to become FloorScore certified.

A leading manufacturer of rubber flooring for high traffic areas based in Argentina, Indelval joins other CBC product lines including Sequoia, Wels Sheet, Halo luxury vinyl tile and EcoSpray adhesive in carrying the FloorScore certification.

“Indelval products have a high content of natural rubber harvested directly from rubber trees, a rapidly renewable resource. That alone results in valuable LEED Credits,” said Chip Braulick, director of flooring for CBC. “We are pleased to receive this third-party validation of this additional environmental benefit of our rubber flooring brand.”

CTDA, NTCA, TCAA and TCNA will host the fourth annual Total Solutions Plus, Oct. 26 to 29, in Bonita Springs, Fla. Total Solutions Plus integrates each association’s meeting into a single, industry-wide event, providing educational sessions tailored to meet the needs of distributors, contractors and manufacturers, unparalleled networking opportunities, and table top exhibits.

2013 Total Solutions Plus sponsorship opportunities allow you to gain important visibility and be an integral part of this industry event. Table Top Exhibitors at the 2013 Total Solutions Plus have the opportunity to maximize their company’s exposure to all conference attendees while increasing business sales!

Aurora, Colo. – Fuse Alliance is pleased to announce USFContract as the newest Fuse Alliance Preferred Supplier.

“Fuse Alliance is impressive with their professionalism and expertise in the market place; it is an honor to be included as an integral contributor to their organization,” said Mark Brunelle, USFContract’s national sales manager.  “USFContract and its sales team are committed to supporting the commercial flooring contractor business.  With this recognition of Preferred Supplier, USFContract and Fuse Alliance forge an outstanding working relationship to best supply and service the commercial market with products that contributes to the ‘green initiative.’”

Export, Penn. — Karndean Designflooring’s luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring products have become FloorScore certified in the resilient flooring category.

The FloorScore program, developed by the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) in conjunction with Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), tests and certifies resilient flooring and adhesive products for compliance with indoor air quality emissions requirements. Floors bearing the FloorScore seal are recognized as contributing to good indoor air quality in order to protect human health.

Florence, Ala. — Centiva is pleased to announce Delores T. Aaron Elementary in New Orleans as its Centiva Green School Innovation Grant recipient for the 2013-2014 school year.

With the destruction from Hurricane Katrina, Delores T. Aaron Elementary recently moved into a new a school. The $3,000 from the Green School Innovation Grant will help build an outdoor classroom with a local marsh environment containing native Louisiana plant species, as well as a garden space that will be harvested and studied throughout the year.

The Centiva Green School Innovation Grant is intended to encourage schools to develop creative, innovative, cost effective environmental projects that improve the environment; make schools a healthier place to learn, play, and work, and save money through reduced use of natural resources. This year the company received a total of 53 entries. Two commendation of excellence awards were also given to Highland Elementary in Milwaukee and Winchester Thurston in Pittsburgh.