Floor covering distributors got their first glimpse of Icon—the latest collection under Inhaus’ signature Ceramin brand—at the annual NAFCD convention this past fall. Based on the early response to the new offering, Inhaus has moved forward full throttle with a large-scale national rollout now under way.
Billed as the next evolution of its popular, eco-conscious Sono/Sono Eclipse and Elandura rigid core lines, Inhaus’ Icon touts a host of both visual and performance upgrades. First, the wear layer boasts new texture that the company calls a “super matte finish.” Based on excimer technology that enhances the material on a microscopic particle level, the finish utilizes a UV curing process whereby the lacquer is hardened under UV lamps in an atmosphere of nitrogen as op- posed to oxygen. This method, according to Derek Welbourn, CEO, creates an extremely low-gloss—yet robust—finish that doesn’t mar or wear out easily.
“Icon is a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy market,” Welbourn told FCNews. “The core is double extruded, which makes it incredibly stable in hot or cold situations, and it’s even stable on uneven subfloors. It also uses 20% recycled material. It’s a really awesome product.”
Not only is it extremely durable, according to Welbourn, but it’s easy on the eyes as well. For instance, when looking at the product at a 45-degree angle with a front light source, the matte finish doesn’t “wash out” the visual.
The other key feature about Icon is it comes in a longer/wider format than its Sono or Sono Eclipse predecessors. Spanning 60 inches in length versus the former traditional 50 inches, the planks deliver a more impactful visual.
“Having trendy colors is just table stakes; with this product we’ve taken design to the next level,” Welbourn stated. “Not only is it 60 inches long, but it’s also 8 inches wide. It’s a really dramatic visual. And what we’re finding is when we put out the displays we get orders the same week.”
Don’t just take Welbourn’s word at it. Distributors who signed on to carry the line are equally impressed. “Icon is very exciting to us because it harmonizes cutting-edge technology with tremendous design,” said Scott Rozmus, president of Florstar Sales, a top-20 distributor. “While some suppliers are just now offering PVC-free floor covering, Inhaus has supplied German-made, PVC-free, Sono Eclipse for years. Icon is the latest extension in this family, offering longer lengths and absolutely fantastic design with updated colors generated via their digital printing technology. Even the pad is manufactured from the same PVC-free Ceramin compound as the core material.”
Alex Pearson, director of sales and operations for Pivot Supply, a Richmond, British Columbia-based flooring wholesaler, said he was similarly wowed. “The best part of Icon is it can be sold so many ways: on performance, design, health and even sustainability,” he said. “The product’s story does not rest on any one of these attributes, but rather the combination of them all. Our customers [run a wide gamut] but everyone can find something to appreciate about the Icon collection and the performance of our Ceramin products. In fact, in our first six weeks we have sold every color in the Icon collection and already have multiple colors that we are in the process of heavily restocking due to demand.”
Proponents also like the way the product goes down, citing its construction. “The locking system is solid and provides a great selling tool—from DIYers who talk about its simplicity to veteran installers who give us great feedback of how fast and secure the product installs,” Pivot Supply’s Pearson stated. “Icon is truly one of those products where you can have a floor that looks great and still host large parties in your house without worry.”
Florstar’s Rozmus concurred. “Icon offers solutions across the residential landscape, whether in new-home single or multifamily construction or in a remodeling scenario,” he said. “The product is easy to install and poised for success.”
Higher margin opportunities
All the features and benefits built into the new Icon line do more than just dazzle; they also translate into higher profit margins in a category where there’s a tremendous amount of competition and pricing pressure. With a manufacturer suggested retail price range of $4.59–$4.99 (un-installed), Icon gives both the distributor and the retailer a little more breathing room.
“Icon performs differently than anything else out there,” said Sean Landes, national sales manager at Inhaus. “It’s a different animal—the way we make it, with the mineral polypropylene core, gives it greater stability; it doesn’t expand. With all the rigid core fatigue we’re seeing out there, this is truly a separator. A lot of companies might position Icon between their ceramic and SPC categories. This is a brand new category that gives them more flexibility. It acts more like a ceramic tile than anything else, but you don’t have the expense of the total ceramic installation.”
Pivot Supply’s Pearson also views Icon as a separator in the rigid core category, which continues to face pricing pressures. “The product creates great margin opportunities for distributors,” he said. “Here at Pivot Supply we have seen great success in its full range of performance specifications and benefits. It is truly amazing to sell a product that answers the needs of customers but can also go beyond and provide them benefits that they might not have considered. Specialty retailers are desiring products that solve problems [typically associated with SPC], and Icon was designed to combat those problems.”
