Volume 27/Number 24; March 31/April 7, 2014
By Ken Ryan
Adairsville, Ga.—When Peter Spirer first joined Max Windsor Floors as a consultant tasked with establishing the brand nationally, he saw something special in the company’s hardwood products and in the quality of the independent retailers that took on the line.
“I always believed the best judges of a company’s overall strength were its customers,” Spirer told FCNews. “These people see everything. If they give a product line space in their showrooms, it signals approval.”
When Max Windsor’s owners decided to sell in late 2013, Spirer (and two friends) jumped at the opportunity to purchase the company.
Spirer, whose career in flooring spans nearly six decades, during which he was an original inductee into the Floor Covering Industry Hall of Fame and twice served as chairman of the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), will be CEO of Max Windsor. Previously located in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., the company’s distribution center and offices have moved to Commerce, Calif., with corporate headquarters in Adairsville, Ga.
“There will be changes in emphasis which I believe will further enhance the franchise,” Spirer said.
The focus will be on “drilling deeper” with profit-minded retailers. “We will make a unique display statement on their floors and work hard at turning the complex hardwood category into a more comfortable experience for sales staff,” he said. “We have some fresh new ideas to convert shoppers into buyers.”
Spirer said his company’s commitment is to a one-step, direct-todealer system of distribution leveraging the Max Windsor brand name. The primary markets are coastal and large metro areas. “We know this model takes longer to establish, but we have confidence it suits our purposes best,” he explained.
“With our new marketing mantra of ‘drilling deeper,’ we will actually be reducing our dealer base, giving our dedicated Max Windsor partners some extra elbow room. Our strength is, and will continue to be, in the retail partnerships we forge.”
In the 1960s, iconic designer Halston coined the term “less is best” when referring to his fashions, which, Spirer said, also fairly describes the methodology Max Windsor will use in its market approach. “What does that mean in a practical sense? Less overhead, fewer SKUs, fewer dealers to service, faster turning inventory and less distribution conflict in the field. We will lead in the style side of the category by being more flexible and more willing to assume risk.”
New officers and key managers for Max Windsor Floors include returning industry veteran David Cicchinelli, vice president of marketing; Adrian Van Raalten, vice president of the Western Region; Brian Wang, vice president of operations, and Amanda Abercrombie, Eastern operations manager.