FloorCoveringNews

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.

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.

Anaheim, Calif. – Scott Humphrey, CEO, World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), announced the U.S. Senate passed the Marketplace Fairness Act late in the afternoon on Monday, May 6, 2013. WFCA members reached out to their respective senators for weeks prior to passage, reminding them of how important the bill would be in restoring fairness and leveling the playing field for retailers nationwide.  The ensuing legislative victory was a 69-to-29-vote landslide with broad bipartisan support. 

West Bloomfield , Mich. – FCICA, the Flooring Contractors Association, is hosting its eighth webinar on Thursday May 16, 2013 at 11:00 am EST.  Ralph Frye will present  “Multi-Use Sports Flooring Options.” This webinar will include the standards for judging the performance and selection standards of synthetic sports flooring (interior court surfaces), a review of the more popular selections and an overview of the installation procedures for each.

Register today at https://www.fcica.com/events/fcica-webinars/fcica-webinars.  Registration deadline will be May 15, 2013 at 3:00 pm EST.

Armstrong Floor Products introduces new designs and colors to its popular FlexStep Good and Value fiberglass-back vinyl sheet floors to meet the changing needs of property managers, for both new installations and remodels.

The expanded line now offers enhanced wood and stone designs with greater depth, variation and definition in easy-to-maintain floors that can be installed anywhere in the apartment or condominium. The floor’s fiberglass construction has a cushion core for added comfort underfoot. These floors are particularly valued for their terrific resistance to stains and spills, and for ease of installation. FlexStep is an especially good choice for high-traffic areas such as kitchens and playrooms, or wet areas such as bathrooms and laundry rooms, since it is moisture resistant.  

For the seventh year in a row, Milliken & Company, a Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) member manufacturer, has been named to the World’s Most Ethical Companies ranking by Ethisphere magazine, a quarterly journal published by The Ethisphere Institute.

Headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., Milliken has been known as an “innovation company” since its inception in 1865.

Milliken CEO Joe Salley said the honor is highly prized by the company and its associates.“This enables us to continue to celebrate what we as a company have known for nearly 150 years; that acting ethically and with integrity is not only the right thing to do, but is the foundation of our success.”

The World’s Most Ethical Companies  highlights companies that outperform industry peers when it comes to ethical behavior. The institute uses in-depth research and a multi-step analysis to review nominations sent in from more than 100 countries and within 36 industries.

You can read more about this story in the Dalton Daily-Citizen in the article “Milliken makes list of World’s Most Ethical Companies.”

San Diego - Master craftsman behind DuChateau Floors’ hardwood flooring styles, Anthonius Goddijn, will relocate from Holland to the United States to train and spearhead the company’s manufacturing facility at its new international headquarters located ihere. With plans to open its doors by mid-summer 2013, the new facility will host the company’s grand showroom for its luxury hardwood flooring, its administrative offices, and a manufacturing and design workshop where Goddijn will spearhead the design and production of new flooring styles.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Michelle Miller

You’ve heard the saying, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” but have you ever applied that to association memberships?

When your company is part of an association, it’s an outward sign of your commitment to the industry. By being part of multiple associations, you’re not only giving back, you’re getting the multifaceted benefits from organizations that focus on different areas related to your business and the industry as a whole.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

 By Jim Armstrong

(First of two parts)

During one of my coaching webinars for floor covering dealers, I was discussing strategies to increase the effectiveness of their websites.

To hammer home what not to do, I Googled “Flooring Los Angeles” and opened the top three sites in the organic search. I showed how each site used the same formula: Business name at the top, tabs listing products it sells and contact information. I call these name, rank and serial number sites.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Kelly Kramer

Earlier this year I encountered a situation that you, as a retailer, may have already had happen to you. Or maybe it will never happen.

A customer called me to complain that the carpet we installed nine months ago in her home was getting large spots on it. Only twice before in my career—which has spanned over 25 years—had I seen this. My first thought was pooling, and as it turned out I was correct.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Lisbeth Calandrino

There was a time when your website was supposed to be the “end all, be all” to attracting customers.

Smart business people realized having a website wasn’t enough; they needed more content and contact with their customers.

Business owners are now writing blogs or having someone do it for them. The key is to keep a fresh presence for customers and keep your store on page one of the Google search. Very few people go past the first page to seek information—that’s why many companies pay to be on page one.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

Former chairman of Dodge-Regupol

Lancaster, Pa.—Arthur Byron Dodge, Jr., former president and chairman of the Dodge Cork Co. and later chairman of Dodge-Regupol, passed away April 18. He was 89.

Born June 13, 1923, Dodge was the son of Arthur B. Dodge and Marian Cochran Dodge. He attended East Junior High School (now Edward Hand) and one semester in high school at the newly opened J.P. McCaskey before his parents sent him off to boarding school at St. Andrews in Middletown, Del., where he flourished academically and as a member of the varsity rowing crew.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Matthew Spieler

America was built by manufacturing, and flooring companies such as Shaw continue to employ U.S. workers.

When considering the Made in the USA movement, one area discussed consistently is how it helps create jobs for American citizens. Since the recession hit its nadir—and energy and transportation prices began to soar—there has been a resurgence of companies either touting how they continue to keep their manufacturing in local communities or, in many cases, bringing back some or all of their production to U.S. soil.

While the flooring industry was one of the hardest hit by the economic downturn, manufacturers and suppliers are quick to point out they continue to do their part to keep American communities thriving by producing their goods domestically.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Matthew Spieler

Flooring manufacturers such as HomerWood have been honored for their environmental activities.

Few countries, if any, have as many laws as the U.S. regarding the protection of the health and safety of its people and the environment, from the federal level to local municipalities. In addition, green building rating systems have put a greater emphasis on how far a product travels, rationalizing the closer it is to the jobsite, the less energy required to get it there.

While some may complain about the abundance of regulations, the flooring industry, in many ways, has deemed these rules advantageous to producing products in the U.S.

Randy Merritt, president of Shaw Industries, said the company’s commitment to safety, health and the environment spans past compliance. “Our sustainability practices go beyond basic federal or state requirements. We aim to be an innovation leader, producing products that minimize waste, utilize renewable energy in production when possible and safeguard our natural resources. Shaw has recycled more than 600 million pounds of post-consumer carpet from 2006 through 2011, a major milestone for the growth of carpet reclamation.”

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Matthew Spieler

With production in Barnwell, S.C., Kronotex is able to check for quality control, something extremely important for producing goods under the Formica brand.

Dalton—Mohawk is hitting the road this year and taking its SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona with it. The mill will continue to prove SmartStrand’s performance attributes in the coast-to-coast “License to Spill” carpet showdown tour in partnership with the nationally syndicated lifestyle television show, “The Better Show.”

The tour, which will make at least 12 stops, will showcase the cleanability and performance of SmartStrand at festivals and home show events. Attendees are invited to spill everything from ketchup and Kool-Aid to wine and coffee on SmartStrand carpet to see if it will clean with just water or mild detergent. Mohawk will promote its local Floorscapes and ColorCenter members at each tour stop and encourage consumers to visit their nearest aligned retailers to take advantage of promotional offers.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Matthew Spieler

Marketing Made in the USA has become an important component to manufactuers’ promotional activities.

Style, performance and price are still the main drivers of consumer purchases, but as more Americans express a desire for domestically produced goods it is becoming increasingly important for companies that make their products in the U.S to market that fact.

Flooring is no different, and the industry is starting to take that message to heart with more companies making Made in the USA part of their marketing initiatives.

“Does the industry as a whole do a good job promoting Made in America? asked George Kelley, president and CEO of Kronotex, maker of Formica branded laminate floors. “No. Our job is to market this more aggressively. The Formica brand is celebrating 100 years of U.S. roots; we have to get the distribution and retail community excited and proud to emphasize Made in America as a positive when working with their customers. We strongly believe consumers are looking for reasons to buy American-made products.”

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Matthew Spieler

For companies like Armstrong, which has 14 U.S.-based factories, local production provides numerous cost benefits, such as greater speed to market.

One of the main reasons companies have cited for exiting the U.S. in favor of making or sourcing their products internationally is price, namely the cost of labor and regulations, which they say hamper their ability to effectively compete with products coming from countries that do not put a value on either.

While this is something with which it is hard to argue, many flooring companies point out the cost differential is not as steep as most think, allowing them to offer products and services equal to or better than those that are imported.

From left: Jimmy Setiawan, owner of Urbanfloor; Rachel Rueda, vice president; HGTV personality Carter Oosterhouse; Terry Ackerman, director of marketing, and actress Amy Smart.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Ken Ryan

When Lena Thomas, president of Corona Hardwood, a retailer in Corona, Calif., plays a word association game with the name Urbanfloor, the words “innovative,” “young,” “ambitious” and “unique” immediately come to mind, she said.

These attributes are what sets Urbanfloor apart from other engineered hardwood flooring companies, said Thomas, who has been carrying Urbanfloor since 2006. “I like to carry anything unique in my showroom, and they have a lot that is different from other brands,” Thomas said. “I look up to them. If Urbanfloor does something, it’s high quality and innovative.”

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Jenna Lippin

Spring is one of the most popular seasons for home remodeling and rejuvenation. As such, it is a time when manufacturers and retailers stage promotions with the intent of incentivizing the consumer to purchase.

One successful strategy is offering special financing, which allows consumers to spread their payments out over a period of one to four years. Not only does this boost foot traffic, it also drives higher average tickets. Customer satisfaction and referrals also increase when payment options are available.

Volume 26/Number 25; April 29/May 6, 2013

By Deena Bouknight

Nourison’s Julie Rosenblum and Alex Peykar flank designer Kathy Ireland who stopped by the mill’s High Point showroom to help launch her new line of branded flooring.

High Point, N.C.—Who could have known the chatter at the International Home Furnishings Market here would have been punctuated with Pinterest, blogging and iPads? In this age of rapid-fire technology, exhibitors and dealers alike were looking for the novel niche to net consumers. This year’s week-long spring show, held April 20 to 25, did just that.

High Point goes beyond the traffic-stopping, showroom merchandising as the primary way to garner attention. Instead, exhibitors used 21st century methods that retailers could then emulate in their own stores.

Dallas — Hanley Wood Exhibitions is proud to announce the promotion of Dana Teague to vice president. The former group director of Surfaces | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas will continue to have full P&L responsibilities for the two shows and will focus on launch opportunities, integrated initiatives and international development in the flooring sector.

Teague has been integral in developing innovative strategies to retain and attract key flooring manufacturers and grow increasingly successful events. Surfaces | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas is the second largest revenue-product property in the division and is ranked 60^th on TSNN’s 2012 Top 250 U.S. Trade Shows List. The combined shows span 341,419 net square feet of exhibit space and grew 4.1% in exhibit sales in 2013.

Teague has more than 20 years in the industry and has been with Hanley Wood for 13 years. She earned her CEM designation in 2012 and was recently named to Expo’s 2013 list of ExpoElite.

Surfaces Education Advisory Council

CONFIDENCE: During the first quarter, FCNews reported from the numerous markets, conventions and conferences that dot the start of the year a growing level of confidence in the industry—from the mills down to the retailers; even some installers were expressing optimism. It seems like this brighter outlook is not confined to the flooring industry as the National Federation of Independent Businesses’ (NFIB) most recent Small Business Optimism Index was up for the third consecutive month with business owners indicating plans to increase capital spending, inventory investment and hiring. Small businesses—defined as those with fewer than 500 employees—showing confidence is important as they account for about half of all private-sector jobs and 65% of all new jobs, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Washington D.C. — The North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) is pleased to announce DMX Plastics has joined NALFA as an associate member.  DMX Plastics is a leading manufacturer of moisture control products such as DMX 1-Step, DMX AG, DMX 5M and Corrugated Tubing.

“We’re excited to have DMX Plastics join NALFA,” said Bill Dearing, president of NALFA.  “The company is an innovator in moisture control products, a great fit for our goal of promoting and growing the laminate category.” 

Chris Zizza

C&R Flooring is proud to announce that its president, Chris Zizza, is a 2013 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. The National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) presents the prestigious medals annually to American citizens who have distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups while exemplifying the values of the American way of life. Past recipients include Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra, Martin Scorsese, Brooke Shields, Bill Clinton, and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

“This is an incredible honor,” Zizza said. “I am very aware of my roots and I marvel at the bravery it took for my grandparents to come to America for a better life for their family. With every opportunity that comes my way, I say a little thank you to them for bringing us to this great country.”

The Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA) has partnered with the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) to offer distributor members the opportunity to help encourage their contractor customers to become members of NTCA.  In doing so, CTDA will help increase professionalism of the industry and, of course, participation in industry events such as Total Solutions Plus (TSP).

Participating CTDA members will be asked to allow their order/sales desk and sales personnel to sign up contractors for the NTCA.  Your employees will process the application, collect the investment fee with check or credit card, explain the benefits of membership, and send the application to the NTCA for processing.