Volume 26/Number 16; Dec. 17/24, 2012
The 16th Award of Excellence competition proved to be a sweet one for Shaw Industries as it was voted the industry’s Best Overall Manufacturer for the second year in a row, and fourth time in the award’s history.
The company’s environmental initiatives continue to be noticed by the industry as it once again received the Award of Excellence for Environmental Leadership, an honor it has won since it was first awarded in 2010. Shaw Living, the mill’s rug division, was voted as the industry’s Best Rug Manufacturer.
Randy Merritt, Shaw’s president, said, ”We are honored flooring retailers and contractors consider Shaw Industries a premier manufacturer partner. Our mission is to consistently provide the best quality products, the most innovative marketing programs, and the finest service available in our industry. Each of these awards, including the Best Overall Manufacturer, the Environmental Leadership Award and the Best Rug Manufacturer, reflect so positively on the incredibly talented and hard working Shaw team of associates that strive to serve our customers every day. So again, thank you Floor Covering News and the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) for giving our customers a chance to provide this recognition; and a huge thank you to our customers for this special award. All of us at Shaw pledge we will continue to focus on earning your support each and every day.”
These awards along with 10 other honors were presented at a gala evening reception and dinner.
Sponsored by FCNews and the WFCA, the Award of Excellence is a way for manufacturers’ customers—retailers, distributors, designers, installers, specifiers, etc.—to honor the companies they feel provide the best service, professionalism of sales force, management responsiveness, value, design, B2B, handling of claims and ease of doing business. In other words, those manufacturers they feel are most helpful in running successful, profitable businesses, whether it be a retail operation, distributorship, design center or installation workroom.
WFCA’s Tom Jennings said the Award of Excellence represents the highest honor a manufacturer can receive. “What’s unique about this award is it is the result of the manufacturers’ customers votes. There is no honor greater than to be recognized by those you serve.”
Roughly 5,500 total votes were cast this year from people across the country and from all parts of the industry—from installers to store owners and designers to distributors.
And the winners were…
A total of 13 Awards of Excellence were handed out during the dinner event.
The winners in the 16th annual competition were:
•Best overall
Shaw
•Environmental Leadership
Shaw
•Carpet
Group A: Mohawk
Group B: Beaulieu
•Resilient
Group A: Mannington
Group B: Johnsonite
•Laminate
Group A: Quick•Step
Group B: Formica
•Ceramic
Group A: Dal-Tile
Group B: American Marazzi
•Hardwood
Group A: Armstrong
Group B: Columbia
•Area rugs
Shaw