July 9/16, 2018: Volume 34, Issue 2
By Lindsay Baillie
Forbo Flooring Systems’ Marmoleum line, long utilized in commercial applications, is finding favor residentially. Retailers who report success selling the line cite various attributes, including the product’s updated visuals and, of course, the environmental story as major selling points.
“Marmoleum sheet flooring is our No. 1 resilient product by a wide margin,” said Curt Stiger, manager, Major Brands Floor Supply, Seattle. “We stock over 50 colors of sheet material, more than 25,000 square feet of Marmoleum tile and 10 colors of Marmoleum CinchLoc.”
Stiger is not alone. Jeff Lerner, owner of Floorcraft Carpet One, San Francisco, is also a believer. “Forbo has great existing looks and the company has added some innovative visuals to its collection,” he explained. “We love presenting Marmoleum to our customers. We tell them, ‘Here’s a product that doesn’t try to look like others. It just tries to look like itself.’”
For dealers like Stan Levy, president of A-1 Floor Covering, Los Angeles, the appeal of Marmoleum is its versatility. “Now consumers can get it in a couple of different looks and textures,” he explained. “It’s really an update from the looks they’ve had for years. Customers like the fact that it’s a green, natural product. And here in Los Angeles, it’s a big selling point when restoring the original look of homes.”
Consumers are gravitating toward the product’s green attributes for sure, dealers report. Unlike other resilient products, Marmoleum is made of all-natural ingredients such as wood flour, jute fiber and linseed oil. What’s more, the flooring product contains no plasticizers, phthalates, volatile organic compounds or toxic chemicals.
All of these qualities and so much more give dealers like Patrick Rutledge, general manager, Green Depot, Portland, Ore., full confidence in selling the product. “Marmoleum Click CinchLoc is where we have seen a big jump in sales. It’s super easy to install—just about any flooring installer can do it. The indoor air quality health aspect is the next biggest thing.”
But at the end of the day, the clincher for many dealers is the look. Marmoleum is available in more than 300 colors and patterns as well as 12 different structures. Consumers have the option of choosing modular formats or sheet products depending on their needs. A floating floor option, Marmoleum Click CinchLoc, is also available for the DIY customer.
“There’s something for everyone,” Green Depot’s Rutledge said, citing Marmoleum’s expansive color palette and range of options.
Sam Snow, owner of Eco-Floors in Portland, Ore., is in agreement. “Their line offers some great retro looks that work well in our market, where people are going for a period-correct kitchen or bathroom remodel. With such a big line of products, it can easily cover both residential and commercial applications.”
The fact that consumers are consciously seeking out more environmentally friendly products is also driving interest in products such as Marmoleum. As Mike Masucci, owner of Ted’s Flooring and Interior Design, Albany, N.Y., explains: “A lot of people are looking for that natural product. People who aren’t looking for linoleum often see the new colors and say, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen anything like it.’”
Service counts, too
Beyond the aesthetic and performance attributes, retailers who sell Marmoleum cite the top-notch support Forbo provides. “Forbo also conducts a school for our mechanics,” said Ron Codron, owner of Abbey Carpet of El Cerrito in California. “Consequently, we receive an important credential upon graduation, something many competitors fail to do. This gives us an edge.”
Eco-Floors’ Snow concurs. In fact, Forbo recently held an informal training at the retailer’s warehouse for both its in-house installation team as well as a few other local crews the company utilizes regularly. “Forbo has been a great company to work with in terms of support and customer service,” he stated. “It’s easy to tell the folks at Forbo take great pride in their products and want them to be successfully installed and truly enjoyed by the end user.”
