There are few names more well-known within the flooring industry than that of Dossche. Piet Dossche has achieved much-earned success within the industry, touting several unique innovations—even kicking off what is now the WPC segment of the resilient category back in 2012. But if you thought his reign had ended, you’d be wrong. Dossche is back in the game and not only with a new retail brand and product line but with his two sons, too.
International Flooring Company (IFC) is a new resilient flooring supplier spearheaded by Julian Dossche as president/CEO; William Dossche as executive vice president; and Piet Dossche as chairman of board. And while Piet brings with him decades of experience in product development, distribution, sourcing and innovation, his sons are providing a fresh perspective—and impressive credentials of their own to boot.
That fresh perspective is what will drive the flooring supplier’s go-to-market strategy, which will feature a technology-forward, consumer-centric approach. “When we started this company, we looked at how to differentiate ourselves,” Julian Dossche told FCNews. “And it’s not always product that’s going to get you there. It’s also about how you go to market; how you empower your customer base—and for us, that’s the specialty retailer. And we continue to see in this space that digitization of the experience is paramount.”
The go-to-market strategy will indeed feature heavy reliance on digital marketing to ensnare the consumer and direct her toward the brand’s retail partners. “If we only focus on the retailer and filling that retail space, that’s not going to be a success story for tomorrow,” Julian Dossche explained. “The new model is the consumer is our common customer. Us, as the manufacturer, you as the retailer—we go in this together. We go after that consumer together, and we make sure that consumer looks at us together in a new light.”
Piet Dossche agreed, noting the old ways of doing business are long gone. “If you are a retailer right now and you have that premier retail space, if you would still take in a display from a mill that doesn’t help you to capture that customer, I think you’re wasting your time.”
So how will the new company accomplish such lofty goals? One way is to partner with a powerhouse technology brand to help streamline the shopping experience. “Broadloom is our technology partner [and that’s] how we’re going to capture the consumer right at the beginning and guide her all the way through the process and end up with a win-win for all—a win-win for the retailer, win-win for us and a win-win for the consumer,” Piet Dossche told Floor Covering News.
New products, too
Now just because IFC is planning to go to market differently than most doesn’t mean it’s resting on its laurels when it comes to product development. In fact, the company is certain it will be providing the best WPC flooring available on the market today. The best includes a 25-SKU, WPC-focused lineup with the potential for 45%-50% margins, according to Julian Dossche.
But what’s truly exciting is the exclusivity. “We’re going to have selective territory exclusivity,” he explained. “Not only to make it worthwhile for the retailer, to give them some protection against price competition, but because the days of just cramming displays into the retail stores for the sake of capturing that retail space are gone. We are not going to play that game. Selective placement with protective territories will enable the dealer, in his or her area, to get the full margin that they’re looking for.”
