As the whirlwind of economic uncertainty moves about the market, flooring retailers are searching for something increasingly elusive these days from their suppliers—product dependability and pricing transparency. To that end, Ultimate Floors plans to deliver on a promise of “robust” inventory and price certainty for its partners.
“Piggybacking off of our commercial glue-down LVT lines, we’re doubling down and investing heavily in robust inventory and have added SKUs of our Kero collection,” Ron Dardashti, managing partner, Ultimate Floors, told FCNews. “We plan to hold over 1 million square feet of 2mm-thick, 12-mil LVT that will better serve our partners across the country, thus ensuring peace of mind with ample stock and quick delivery times—along with insanely competitive pricing we are going to offer on truckloads and stock orders.”
Dardashti’s pledge to customers comes amid declining consumer confidence, which fell for the fifth straight month in April, dropping to its lowest level since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Uncertainty surrounding President Trump’s trade policy has pushed inflation expectations higher and weighed on the labor outlook. Trump announced a sharp increase in tariffs on Chinese goods on April 2, which led to escalation on both sides, eventually resulting in both the U.S. and China imposing levies of more than 100% on many goods from each other.
Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, said on April 29 that he expects incoming cargo volume from China to slide by 35% beginning the week of April 27 compared with the same period in 2024.
To allay fears, Ultimate Floors said it will strategically hold the majority of its inventory in Houston to allow for quick delivery to the lower 48 states. “Something I want to push very hard is the price consistency,” Dardashti explained. “By holding ample inventory, our focus is to help our clients succeed in these turbulent times with price consistency and clarity.”
Another huge advantage in this investment is the supply chain and quality of the product. As Dardashti explained, “Unlike most LVT that comes from east Asia, our lines are all manufactured in South Korea, known for its impeccable quality and attention to detail. When you hold a competitor’s 2mm LVT in one hand, and ours in the other, the difference in quality, finish and raw materials is striking.”
Ultimate Floors’ customers say they appreciate the company’s favorable position on inventory and pricing. “They have definitely protected us as far as pricing, which gives us a competitive advantage,” said Miguel Rangel, sales manager for Redi Carpet in San Diego. “Ultimate is willing to work with us on pricing. They are really loyal to us, which is fantastic.”
Maintaining price stability in an area that’s saturated with suppliers is a huge win for Murrieta, Calif.-based ProSource Wholesale, according to Jose Carrillo, showroom manager. He said he fields calls from many suppliers looking for his business, but “quite a few” of them have raised prices and/or announced inventory shifts. “Lead times have been getting longer, so we vetted those suppliers out,” he said. “On the other hand, Ultimate Floors’ stock seems spot on, which we appreciate. Ultimate Floors has taken care of us. They have been price competitive; they accommodate our needs and ensure we get products on time. And as far as communication with us is concerned, they’re doing a great job; they are very transparent, which we appreciate.”
