FloorCoveringNews

Extensive and interactive, the noraXchange helps building and design professionals address challenges they face in their jobs

Salem, N.H. — nora systems is proud to announce the launch of the noraXchange, an interactive online community for building and design professionals to share ideas and learn about a variety of topics. Updated monthly, the noraXchange is designed to help facility managers, architects, designers, installers and other building professionals address challenges and answer questions they encounter in their work.

Resilient certification garners industry-wide support

Kansas City, Mo.—Flooring installation training is on track to break records in 2012, according to Jim Walker, CEO of the International Certified Flooring Installers Association (CFI).

by Celia Payne

Call it retro, call it a throwback, but resilient continues to gain market share. What once may have been considered an outdated, cheaper alternative to the “real deal,” consumers are seeking ways to integrate the versatile faux looks into every part of their home.

Ask Eric Demaree, president of Carpet One, what he is most excited about for 2012, and he cites no specific new product or program. Rather, he is enthused about the fact he believes Carpet One members are taking market share. “Our members will probably grow this year two to three times the independent channel as a whole.”

Armstrong Commercial Flooring, manufacture of floor products with a focus on innovation, design and environmental sustainability, has been awarded NSF/ASNI 332 Gold Level certification for its Linoleum product line from NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides standards development, product certification, auditing, education and risk management for public health and the environment.

Dalton – Shaw Industries, recently announced a national sponsorship of the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway, a fundraising campaign that has raised more than $220 million in over 20 years for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of the world’s premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other deadly childhood diseases.

Commack, N.Y. — CBC Flooring’s top agents and distributors were honored at the company’s annual awards dinner held January 25 during the Surfaces trade show in Las Vegas.

Dalton—Shaw Industries has released dates for its 2012 winter markets. During these events, the mill will unveil a variety of introductions within the Anso nylon and ClearTouch brands along within the new HGTV Home Flooring by Shaw program. Tuftex will also display a variety of new carpets. And in the hard surfaces arena, new floors will be introduced in the Epic hardwood collection, as well as visuals in the solid hardwood, laminate, resilient, and tile and stone categories.

Marketing approach to be driven by style vs. lifestyle

New York—In an industry often characterized by a “sea of sameness” label, Raskin Global is daring to be different. And that difference extends from product to styling to marketing to the company itself. Like it or not, this is not your typical flooring supplier.

Salem, N.H. — Nora systems is proud to introduce noraplan unita, a unique rubber floor covering that integrates real granite chips into the flooring.

“With noraplan unita, facilities now have a floor covering that visually resembles concrete, yet offers the durability and performance of rubber,“ said Amy Bostock, manager, marketing and creative services at nora. “The floor’s sophisticated design will complement a variety of architectural designs – especially those that feature glass, steel and concrete.“

In a black universe, vinyl is the shining star. That was the assessment of Elias Wilf president Jeff Striegel, who like many of his brethren sees resilient products as the beacon of light amid the darkness. In recent years, many of the leading flooring distributors have increased their percentage of resilient offerings, from the high single digits to low double-digits.

Dalton—Featuring a fashionable silhouette design that catches the eye and positions the female buyer as its target audience, Shaw is introducing the 2011 “Dream It, Do It” fall promotion. This season, consumers will be enticed with numerous incentives noted LaShon McGinnis, the mill’s marketing manager.

by Steven Feldman

Bill Hall

Pebble Beach, Calif.–The Resilient Floorcovering Association (RFCI) converged on one of the most beautiful spots in the countryhere last fall to update members—both resilient manufacturers and their raw materials suppliers–on the key issues impacting the industry as well as the plethora of initiatives in which the group is currently engaged.

First and foremost is combatting a number of misperceptions about resilient flooring and its environmental impact. As well, it is in a constant battle with some groups as to issues such as de-selection and product avoidance.

For most, 2011 has been nothing to cheer about. Not that anyone really expected different. In fact, when compared to 2010, many said while there were some differences the end result was pretty much a mirror image.

Unlike previous years where manufacturers were just hoping the downward spiral would stop, officials in general are taking a different approach to 2012. To find out their plans, FCNews surveyed many of flooring’s leading suppliers to get their input on what the industry can expect over the next 12 months.

FCNews’ annual Executive Forecast is broken into the various floor covering categories and can be found by clicking the appropriate features: carpet, hardwood, laminate, resilient and ceramic tile.

By Ken Ryan

The shift toward resilient products in the flooring industry away from other hard surface offerings has created market opportunities for leading suppliers, as well as increased competition globally, particularly from China.

On the plus side, the soft economy has favored lower cost, performance value options like vinyl flooring in both residential and commercial segments; however, skyrocketing raw material costs have prompted some major manufacturers to pass along the increases, making for a rather volatile market as 2011 comes to a close.

LANCASTER, PENN.—Armstrong announced it will initiate a 4% to six 6% price increase in the United States and Canada on residential luxury vinyl tile, laminate, residential sheet and tile, and select commercial sheet products. In addition, a 2.5% increase on commercial vinyl composition tile, and a 3% to 10% increase on installation, maintenance and accessories (IMA) products, beginning with shipments on January 23, 2012.

DALTON—As flooring retailers throughout the U.S. begin preparing for the 2012 selling season, Shaw Floors is announcing the “Power Up” Winter Markets, a lineup of the company’s 2012 product, display and program introductions.

In a black universe, vinyl is the shining star. That was the assessment of Elias Wilf president Jeff Striegel, who like many of his brethren sees resilient products as the beacon of light amid the darkness. In recent years, many of the leading flooring distributors have increased their percentage of resilient offerings, from the high single digits to low double-digits.

New construction and printing technology continues to elevate the category. “Vinyl has always been a value product, and today’s product, with the new technology, is better than ever,” said Jeff Garber, vice president of sales and marketing at Ohio Valley Flooring, Cincinnati.

Back in the day, flooring adhesives were, well, were adhesives for flooring. The offerings in this segment were just as broad as the floorings available; basically, glue for carpet and the rest, with not much emphasis on the rest.

Nowadays, in the modern age of specialization—not unlike how in baseball relief pitchers have evolved into closers, seventh- and eighth-inning men, left-handed relief specialists (who usually face only one batter), and middle relief/spot starters—adhesives are produced specifically for each flooring segment on the market.

Since the economic downturn began the resilient category has been just that—resilient. Not only has the segment picked up market share it lost the previous decade, it has done so with technologically advanced products in an array of high end offerings.

Consumers may have become more cost conscious in recent years, but what they are most interested in is a product that provides great performance for the price. And manufacturers say this is a key ingredient as to why resilient has seen a surge in consumer acceptance.

Though the resilient category isn’t in the clear just yet, conditions are improving—as much as the flooring industry can improve in this economy. In this case, improving means 2010 may be the end to a consistent drop in category sales since 2006.

Though some buyers are looking for deals, choice flooring in the home adds a certain something beyond higher prices. That something is identified as the “wow” factor by Paul Mixon, manager of resilient business, Mannington. Beautiful floors that catch a visitor’s eye are not only good for the buyer, but ultimately for the retailer. A successful installation in the home is a great product display for new buyers. “This is the best kind of referral and will result in a motivated shopper who knows what she wants, where to get it and is ready to pay.”

High-end floors also help retailers distinguish themselves from other stores, particularly big boxes. “They send the message that a retailer carries only quality products and can be trusted because they only sell the best,” said Gary Finseth, director of marketing, Tarkett Residential. This kind of recognition is another way to generate referrals from satisfied customers.