Los Angeles—Emser Tile announced it will absorb rising freight and transportation costs rather than increase prices on its tile and stone products for the remainder of 2026.
“Freight costs are a reality in our business,” said Jim Parello, president of Emser Tile. “They have gone up exponentially in the last year with less drivers available and freight companies dropping loads, charging more for routes they want to take, even if there’s a contract in place.”
The decision comes as transportation costs continue to rise across the flooring industry, prompting some suppliers to introduce surcharges or adjust product pricing. “At Emser, we don’t believe every increase needs to trickle down to the customer,” Parello added. “We’ve taken this stance in the past and doubled-down on it this time.”
By absorbing the additional costs, Emser aims to help customers maintain consistent pricing on existing quotes and bids while protecting their margins. “We made the decision to absorb these increases through the end of 2026 because keeping pricing predictable is important to our customers’ ability to plan, bid and grow their businesses,” Parello explained. “It’s an investment in the partnerships we’ve built and the businesses we support.”
The company is encouraging customers to consider Emser products for upcoming projects. It is also asking customers to explore opportunities to shift more business to Emser.
Emser sales representatives can provide information on current promotions and reduced pricing on select product lines. They can also help customers plan inventory for upcoming projects.
“At the end of the day, our success is tied to the success of our customers,” Parello said. “We’re willing to make investments like this because strong partnerships are about being consistent and finding ways to help each other grow.”
Emser offers 2027 price increase deferrals
In addition to holding prices through the end of 2026, Emser is offering customers an opportunity to defer scheduled 2027 price increases based on year-over-year sales growth.
Customers who increase their sales in either November or December will qualify for a one-month deferral. Those who achieve year-over-year growth in both months will receive a two-month deferral.
“Our price increase deferrals is another way to help support our customers,” Parello said. “It’s another investment from Emser into their business, and it allows customers to finalize projects at an old cost as they trickle into the new year.”
The initiative is intended to give customers additional time to complete projects under existing pricing while encouraging continued sales growth.
“Our goal is to be the easiest to do business with in our industry,” Parello said.