Award of Excellence 2023 winners announced

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Award of Excellence 2023
Mohawk took home the big award (Best Overall >$5B) in the Award of Excellence 2023 competition.

Garden City, N.Y.—In a repeat performance, Mohawk and Engineered Floors were the big winners in Floor Covering News’ 27th annual Award of Excellence competition, with Mohawk winning Best Overall in the over $5 billion category and Engineered Floors taking honors in the under $5 billion category.

Sponsored by Floor Covering News and Informa, organizers of Surfaces, 25 awards were handed out at the event, which was held last month at the Garden City Hotel.

In addition to Best Overall (over $5 billion category), Mohawk’s Aladdin brand won for Main Street Commercial and perennial tile winner Daltile, a Mohawk brand, claimed Group A for tile. Engineered Floors, meanwhile, was victorious in Group A for carpet. All were repeat winners.

EF took home the big award (Best Overall <$5B) in the Award of Excellence 2023 competition.

Best Overall measured suppliers in 10 categories—product innovation, design, service, ease of doing business, professionalism of sales force, training/education, handling of claims, digital tools, on-time delivery and credit terms. In the mega over $5 billion category, Mohawk edged Shaw. “We compete against the best in the industry,” said Jeff Meadows, Mohawk’s president of residential sales. “So, to take home Best Overall for the eighth time in a decade is an achievement that drives us to strive to do better. We are honored our customers recognize our products, service and commitment as contributions to their success and consumer satisfaction. We truly appreciate their support and would also like to thank Floor Covering News and Informa for bringing the industry together through the 27th annual Awards of Excellence program.”

Mike Sanderson, vice president of marketing for Engineered Floors, said of the company’s Best Overall victory in the under $5 billion category: “We are certainly humbled to have received this award for being the best manufacturer overall. We would like to extend our appreciation to the FCNews family and especially to all our valued customers who voted for us. At Engineered Floors, we believe that if you take care of your customers, everything else will take care of itself.”

Among the other winners were first-timers along with perennial champions, none more awarded than Daltile, which captured its 25th consecutive award in the Tile Group A category—far and away the longest streak in award history.

Benchmark of excellence

award of excellence 2023
Mannington was one of the Award of Excellence 2023 big winners, earning the trifecta with first-place finishes in Laminate A, Resilient Sheet and Commercial.

These awards have become the industry benchmark of supplier excellence since they are voted on by their customers—the flooring retail community.

With Mohawk and Shaw competing for Best Overall, the competition turned fierce among suppliers in other categories. As mentioned, Engineered Floors was a repeat winner in the Carpet A category, a win Sanderson credited to the company’s culture. “We thrive on competition because the beneficiary of good competition is our customer,” he explained.

Aladdin Commercial’s repeat victory in the Main Street category was both an “honor and validation” that its comprehensive Main Street program is helping customers win in their markets, according to Kelli Widdifield, Mohawk’s senior vice president of marketing. “We have built Aladdin Commercial into a one-stop shop for Main Street with industry-leading designs and technologies. Our curated collections offer solutions for any end-user application.”

Mannington was one of the night’s big winners, earning the trifecta with first-place finishes in Laminate A, Resilient Sheet and Commercial. “We are very proud to win three Award of Excellence awards this year,” said David Sheehan, senior vice president, residential product, Mannington. “We work hard to ensure our floors both look and perform beyond expectations. All these floors are both designed and made in the USA. Thank you to everyone who voted and to Floor Covering News [and Informa] for sponsoring the awards.”

Award of excellence 2023
Stanton was a double winner in soft surface, capturing top honors in the Carpet C category as well as area rugs.

Stanton was a double winner in soft surface, capturing top honors in the Carpet C category as well as area rugs for the second year in a row. “Stanton is very appreciative of our retailer support in selecting us as their favorite area rug manufacturer and favorite decorative carpet manufacturer,” said Mitch White, VP of sales. “As a manufacturer of broadloom, the win in the rug category truly underscores Stanton’s unique position in our space as a leader in style and design, which effortlessly translates to custom-sized rugs.”

In the Carpet B category, Tarkett, known for its innovative new fiber, Cloud 9, took home the hardware. It represents the first Award of Excellence for the company. “We’re honored to have received the Award of Excellence in the carpet category,” said Jason Surratt, president of Tarkett Home. “I would like to thank all the customers that participated in voting – their support of the hard work and efforts the Tarkett Home team has put forth with the development and launch of Cloud 9 products is overwhelming.”

FCNews’ Ken Ryan (left) and Informa’s Dana Teague (far right) present the Carpet B award to Jason Surratt and Lauren Schnakenberg.

The hot resilient category, where four awards were handed out, included first-time winner Beauflor, repeat winners Karndean and Mannington, along with the dynastic COREtec. In fact, COREtec has won the award for WPC/Rigid Core A since it became a category. “It’s an honor for COREtec to receive the Award of Excellence this year, yet again,” said Natalie Cady, director of product, samples and promotions. “These awards recognize innovation, and innovation is at the core of everything we do at COREtec. We’re thankful for our customers and know that without their confidence and support none of COREtec’s success would be possible.”

Karndean is another resilient flooring company with a track record of success, having captured top honors in the category five years running.

Karndean is another resilient flooring company with a track record of success, having captured top honors five years running. “We are humbled and grateful to be recognized by our retailer partners,” said Kathy Linden, vice president of marketing for Karndean, which won for the sixth consecutive year. “Nothing means more than having earned their trust in both our products and our people. As a family-owned business since the start in 1973, those relationships continue to inspire our commitment to innovation today. We also appreciate Floor Covering News and Informa for their leadership in sponsoring the awards. It was another first-class event, and we were honored to be there in celebration of our industry.”

Hallmark Floors took honors in the Import: Asia category.

The hardwood category returned three repeat winners, including Hallmark Floors, which took honors in the Import: Asia category. “On the occasion of our 25th anniversary, we are honored to receive the Award of Excellence and extend our sincere gratitude to Floor Covering News for recognizing us alongside our peers,” said Mark Casper, vice president of sales and marketing. “This award is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional service, fostering strong partnerships, promoting a positive company culture and treating everyone we encounter with fairness and respect. We are humbled and grateful for our customers’ acknowledgment of our efforts, which has helped us establish a solid foundation for success. The past three years have been a true test of our go-to-market strategy, and we are proud to have emerged as the best in our class. Most importantly, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all our specialized retailers and distributors who have played a critical, instrumental role in achieving this recognition.”

Anderson Tuftex was a repeat winner in the Hardwood (Domestic) category. “As a brand, we strive to be a design leader in hardwood by keeping artistic expression and high-quality materials core to our craft,” said Teresa Tran, vice president of Anderson Tuftex. “We are humbled and grateful to receive recognition from our esteemed customers and owe our success to their unwavering trust and support.”

Versatrim took home the gold in the new Moldings category.

The chief executive for first-time winner Versatrim in the mouldings category said he owed a debt of gratitude to its retail customers for their votes and continued support. “At Versatrim, our passion is to offer a full line of complementary products that allow people to enjoy the true beauty of flooring where they live, shop or work,” said Keith Medick, president/ CEO. “We accomplish this by working closely with our partners to offer ‘everything but the floor’ at the best value. We are truly honored to be the recipient of the 2023 Floor Covering News Award of Excellence.”

The feeling of euphoria was shared by Healthier Choice. “I’m extremely grateful for the continued recognition and support of our valued customers,” said Andy Stafford, VP of marketing. “Winning this award for the fifth time in the last six years is truly an honor. This achievement serves as a testament to the exceptional team behind the Healthier Choice brand, whose unwavering dedication has contributed to this success. I extend a heartfelt gratitude to our valued retail partners, whose ongoing support is integral to our mutual prosperity.”

Following is a complete list of the 2023 Award of Excellence winners:

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June 5/12, 2023

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