National Floor Trends articles from February 2006

National Floor Trends archives from February 2006

Surfaces: getting better all the time.(Editorial Comment)(Editorial)
February 1, 2006... If you are reading this at Surfaces, remember: Not everything that happens in Vegas has to stay in Vegas. In fact, much of what you see and do--at the show, at least--should make its way back to the home front. This is, after all, the one Vegas...

We asked retailers and distributors: 'where will the industry be in 2010?' Those on the frontlines of flooring say the next few years will bring transition, challenges and, yes, a nicer, much more extensive selection of products.
February 1, 2006... More consolidation, a worsening shortage of skilled labor, supply pipeline issues, uneasiness about the Internet replacing brick and mortar stores... these are just some of the curves expected along the road leading to 2010. But the forecasts...

What lies beneath: once seen as a commodity, carpet backing moves closer to the limelight.
February 1, 2006... Carpet backing, though left largely unsung, is an important piece of the carpet puzzle. A high-quality backing can help block moisture vapors that could ruin a luxurious carpet. The product can also be engineered to extend the overall...

With lake front property and hardwood floors, our dream house becomes 'our house'.(Wood or Wood Knot)
February 1, 2006... Every day of our lives we are faced with decisions. Some need immediate attention while others can be pondered for a while. Some decisions are reversible. Others will have a lasting affect on your life and the lives of others. As corny as it...

Surfaces: thinking globally, selling locally; International favor, new retail web tool, to highlight show.
February 1, 2006... This year's Surfaces is likely to reinforce two dynamics that are shaping the flooring industry: The suppliers are becoming more global and the retailers are becoming more local. And the evolving nature of the business will not be hard to spot...

Exhibitor list.(Directory)
February 1, 2006... Exhibit Hours: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wednesday, Feb. 1 9 a.m.-5 p. m. Thursday, Feb. 2 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Registration Hours: Tuesday, Jan. 31 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. ...

7 designs highlight Armstrong Natural Fusion vinyl floor line*.(Products)
February 1, 2006... Armstrong's new Natural Fusion vinyl flooring features seven designs in 35 SKUS combining the company's MasterWorks engineering with Variable Texture Technology. Patterns include bamboos, stones and exotic woods. Natural Fusion products are...

Shaw's Anso Visions carpets feature Anso Caress nylon*.(Products)
February 1, 2006... The Anso Visions carpet collection from Shaw offers a comprehensive selection of 28 styles from luxurious cut pile textures and cables to subtle cut-and-loop patterns. The collection showcases jewel and Berber tones, and features Anso Caress...

Origin and Century area rugs are the latest from Shaw Living*.(Products)
February 1, 2006... Shaw Living debuts the Origins and Century collections of olefin area rugs. Earthen Brown Cadence, from the Origins collection, features layered shapes and soft edges. Lancaster, part of the Century range, is an onyx classic Persian design....

Pergo intros Vintage Home, Accolade Tile laminate floors*.(Products)
February 1, 2006... The new Pergo Vintage Home Traditional Strip Collection features micro-beveled edges and narrow-width planks in three different lengths (15.8", 32.1" and 48.4"). The laminate flooring is offered in six decors--Lancaster, Northampton Oak and...

Modern Carpet Tools tape eliminates odor and hinging.(Products)
February 1, 2006... Modern Carpet Tools Ltd. introduces Concord 2000 capret seam tape, a patented, premium-quality, 3-inch carpet tape designed to eliminate seam hinging. Flat steel bars are spaced every 4 inches throughout the roll. The tape is smokeless and...

New 3M Scotchgard treatment exclusive to Mohawk Hardwood*.(Products)
February 1, 2006... Mohawk has added 3M Scotchgard Advanced Repel Technology, an exclusive stain protection, to its hardwood floors. The technology is engineered for superior stain resistance and easier glue cleanup after installation. The proprietary additive is...

Domco's Versafloor flooring is reinforced with fiberglass.(Products)
February 1, 2006... Domco has launched VersaFloor, a family of three fiberglass-reinforced products. They include Urbana, Habitat and Influence. Urbana offers traditional looks at a mid-range price point in 5 designs. Habitat is an entry-level price point...

Original and historic looks: Karastan's Persian Tapestry.(Products)
February 1, 2006... Featuring detailed characteristics of historic Persian rugs like palmettes, cloud bands, and leaf motifs linked by arabesque tendrils. Persian Tapestry is a new Karastan pattern rug. The colors include woodsy browns and greens, sands and terra...

Asian Walnut the highlight of GrandForest's exotic line.(Products)
February 1, 2006... GrandForest Wood Flooring Products offers solid and engineered hardwood flooring products. Flooring available includes a 3/4-inch thick solid hardwood line in three widths and random lengths, a 3 1/2-inch wide engineered line in random lengths,...

Max Windsor Floors adds new distressed wood designs.(Products)
February 1, 2006... Max Windsor Floors has expanded its solid hardwood flooring line with four distressed designs. Available in Autumn Maple, Midnight Maple, Southern Maple and Cherry, these floors feature distinctive distressing for Old World charm and character,...

Don't be shy ... expose yourself! (The value of free publicity for your store).(Showroom Management)
February 1, 2006... Advertising and publicity are very effective ways of getting the name of your business in front of the public. The difference is the price. You pay for advertising. Publicity is (almost) free. And I have always said that every marketing...

Avalon digs New Jersey.(Avalon Carpet Tile and Flooring )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Avalon Carpet Tile and Flooring broke ground on what will be the retailer's first store housed in a newly constructed building. The 25,000 square foot unit in Cape May, N.J., is set to open in April and will replace an established location...

BonaKemi's "dramatic growth": finish maker to open U.S. plant.(News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Swedish floor finish maker BonaKemi says it plans to open a manufacturing facility in the United States, likely in the Southeastern region. Once a final location is determined, plans call for the plant to be fully operational with in a year....

Milliken steps down as CEO; Allen named to lead company.(News)
February 1, 2006... Roger Milliken, CEO of textile giant Milliken & Co. since 1947, has relinquished his role as head of the Spartanburg, S.C.-based company. Ashley Allen, Milliken president and COO, has been named his successor. Allen, 62, becomes the first...

Industry veteran Ables opens GrandForest flooring company.(News)
February 1, 2006... Ken Ables, most recently vp of sales and marketing for NobleHouse Flooring Products, has opened his own company: GrandForest Wood Flooring Products. The Bardstown, Ky.-based hardwood flooring company's lines are currently distributed in...

Laminate maker Kaindl debuts U.S. luxury brand.(News)
February 1, 2006... One of Europe's largest producers of laminate floors, Kaindl, is coming to America. Though the company has been providing private-label products to U.S. flooring suppliers for nearly 14 years, Kaindl plans to officially unveil its own North...

Armstrong, MAPEI offer warranties on products through Pro Tile of NY.(News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Armstrong and MAPEI are teaming to offer dual warranties on specific products. Armstrong tile and stone flooring installed using MAPEI's warranted installation system will now result in an additional 10-year limited product warranty from...

Anderson Hardwood Floors.(People)
February 1, 2006... Anderson Hardwood Floors has hired Mike Beavers as senior vp marketing and merchandising, a newly created role. Beavers will oversee marketing and merchandising efforts for Anderson. Beavers holds more than 25 years' experience in the industry,...

CCA Global Partners.(People)
February 1, 2006... CCA Global Partners has promoted Krista Eliason to president of the International Design Guild. Eliason will oversee more than 100 Guild showrooms, catering to the luxury segment of the floor covering industry. Previously, she was the Guild's...

Couristan.(People)
February 1, 2006... Couristan has promoted Len Andolino to national sales manager for the residential broadloom division. Previously he was a residential sales manager for the company. A 20-year veteran of the industry, Andolino has also held positions with 828...

Crossville Inc.(People)
February 1, 2006... Crossville Inc. has named Laurie Grogan Lyza marketing manager. In this role, she will develop and coordinate product launches, as well as oversee marketing communications worldwide.

Dixie Group Inc.(People)
February 1, 2006... The Dixie Group Inc. has named Craig Lapeere president of Fabrica and vp of the Dixie Group. He succeeds Todd Vande Hei, who resigned in December. Previously, Lapeere was president of Dixie's Masland Residential Division. Daniel "Kennedy"...

Flexco.(People)
February 1, 2006... Flexco has promoted Melissa Quick to marketing coordinator. She will oversee all Flexco brand strategies, and work closely with the Flexco sales team and distributors. She was most recently national accounts customer service manager for Flexco....

Beno J. Gundlach Co.(People)
February 1, 2006... Beno J. Gundlach Co. has appointed Pat Summerville national sales manager. He will be based out of the Belleville, Ill., headquarters. Summerville holds 20 years' experience in the industry.

Laticrete.(Ron Nash of Laticrete International Inc. honored)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Laticrete salesperson Ron Nash has been recognized by Inland Northwest Distributing as its Outstanding Vendor Sales Representative for 2005. Nash's territory includes Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and parts of Washington. He handily exceeded...

Mullican Flooring.(People)
February 1, 2006... Mullican Flooring has added Kim Keys to the customer service department at the company's Johnson City, Tenn., headquarters. She will manage sales accounts for several territories. She has 18 years' experience in the hardwood flooring industry.

Kronotex USA.(People)
February 1, 2006... Kronotex USA has brought several new staffers on board its sales and marketing team. They include: Keith Wiethe, marketing manager; and Robert Tucci, Jr., senior regional sales manager for the Northeast. Other new sales managers are Craig Cady,...

Ceramic Tile Co.(People)
February 1, 2006... The Tile Council of North America has passed the president's gavel to Donald Olsen, president of Laufen/U.S. Ceramic Tile Co. He succeeds Svend Hovmand of Crossville. Olsen will helm the organization for the next two years with TCNA first vp...

TCA Team LLC.(People)
February 1, 2006... The Tile Council of North America has also tapped Philip "Jeff" Micalizzi to direct TCA Team LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the council. TCA Team offers pre-construction consulting and on-site inspections across the United States. Micalizzi...

Unique Carpets.(People)
February 1, 2006... Unique Carpets has hired Neal Cooper as director of merchandising and promotion, a newly created position. In this role, Cooper will be involved in promoting Unique's carpets and rugs. Prior to Unique, Cooper was vp of residential sales for...

Carpetland Color Tile dealers select new products, programs.(News)
February 1, 2006... At Carpetland Color Tile's annual product summit, held recently in Chattanooga, the flooring retail group approved the products and programs to carry in their stores for 2006. The timing of the summit, which was held Nov. 30-Dec. 1, was...

ABC's Extreme Makeover.(News)
February 1, 2006... On a recent episode of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the Johnson family of Medfield, Mass., was treated to Tarkett FiberFloor flooring as part of a remodeling of their home. The renovation was designed to offer better wheelchair...

Herregan hosts inspection clinics to certify Quick-Step retailers.(News)
February 1, 2006... Eagan, Minn.-based Herregan Distributors recently held self-inspection clinics for Quick-Step retailers. Dealers who participate in Quick-Step's Presidential program were invited to attend one of two clinics held in Green Bay and Steven's...

Mannington ups prices on vinyl, VCT following "significant cost increases".(Mannington Mills Inc., vinyl composition tile )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Citing "significant cost increases" in fuel and raw materials, Mannington Mills has raising wholesale prices on its commercial sheet vinyl and VCT products by between 5 to 8 percent. The move follows similar increases from other major suppliers...

Retail science, Spectrum Awards highlight Coverings 2006.(News)
February 1, 2006... Paco Underhill, best-selling author of "Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping," will kick off Coverings 2006 with a keynote speech that will draw on material from his book and his career as a retail anthropologist. His presentation is scheduled...

W.J. Grosvenor goes to Rockland: location is 11th in New England.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Floor covering tools and supply distributor W.J. Grosvenor & Co. has opened a branch in Rockland, Mass. With the addition, the N. Billerica, Mass.-based distributor now operates 11 branches in the New England area. Located at 273 Weymouth St.,...

Upcoming industry events.(News)(Calendar)
February 1, 2006... Alliance Flooring Inc. National Convention -- Las Vegas. (800) 261-6456. Jan. 29-31. Surfaces 2006 -- Las Vegas. (800) 547-3477, Feb. 1-3. Cevisama 2006 -- Valencia, Spain. 34/902 33 74 28, Feb. 7-11. Revestir 2006 -- Sao Paulo,...

Mannington Mills.(acquires areas of Hoboken Floors to expand)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Mannington Mills has expanded the territories covered by Northeast distributors Elias Wilf and NRF, to replace areas previously served by Hoboken Floors. Hoboken will no longer represent Mannington products after Feb. 9. The new business...

Gilford Flooring.(Distributor Appointments)
February 1, 2006... Pergo has added Gilford Flooring to its distributor roster. The Midwest wholesale distributor will serve Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky through three distribution facilities.

Pergo, Faus settle lawsuits; agree to share technologies.(News)
February 1, 2006... Pergo and Faus have settled their civil litigation suits in the United States, Sweden and Spain. Previously, the two flooring makers had clashed over various alleged patent infringements of laminate flooring technologies. The settlement calls...

Columbia takes the floor with Laura Ashley.(Columbia Flooring)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... With a new licensing deal in place, Columbia Flooring is set to roll out 50 SKUs of hardwood and laminate flooring under the Laura Ashley Home label. The brand name has also been used for women's wear, children's wear, home furnishings and...

Faus gives Bishop its blessing, mid-west dist. to offer 2 lines.(Bishop Distributing Co. to distribute Faus Group's products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Faus Group said Bishop Distributing, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., is now distributing the Fausfloor laminate flooring program. Included is the premium laminate flooring line, the Fausfloor Masterpieces Collection, and the more value priced...

Stainmaster leaves its mark, adopts 'more accurate' logo.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... In an effort to "more accurately convey its current brand image as a style and fashion leader" Invista's Stainmaster brand has adopted a new logo to be unveiled at Surfaces 2006. "When consumers think of our brand, they associate it first with...

Cevisama 2006: tile makers eager to stand out in a crowded field.
February 1, 2006... The twin engines that drive the tile market--creativity and technology--will be the force behind many of the 1,100 manufacturers presenting their latest creations at Cevisama 2006, Feb. 7-11 in Valencia, Spain. This year, more than 90,000...

Wanted: good tile help; Lack of qualified workers still plagues the construction industry.(Tile & Stone)
February 1, 2006... I would like to suggest a surefire way for building wealth and assuring long term success in the flooring business: create and maintain a well trained, highly knowledgeable workforce. In all my years in the ceramic tile industry, the need for...

A tall order: tough as nails flooring that is easy on the environment.(Resilient Answer Man)
February 1, 2006... While new entrees are the life blood of any product category, manufacturers involved in resilient flooring are constantly being challenged to produce products that add a new dimension or address a specific need. This has lead to the...

Starline Associates.(Products & Literature on display)
February 1, 2006... Starline Associates, Inc. delivers the best value for the money with Silent Blue[TM] Laminate Underlayment. Silent Blue combines closed cell construction, IIC 72, STC 73 ratings and waterproof technology eliminating the need for film and...

Carpet Shims.(Products & Literature on display)
February 1, 2006... Allow enough gap (check with flooring manufacturer for specifications) between the Carpet Shim and Tack Strip and the hard surface to tuck your carpet. Add a Universal Side Shim to the end of your installed Carpet Shim to eliminate the drop...

Modern Carpet Tools Ltd.(Products & Literature on display)
February 1, 2006... Concord 2000 tape new from Modern Carpet Tools Modern Carpet Tools Ltd. introduces its Concord 2000 peakless seam tape, a patented, premium-quality, 3-inch carpet tape designed to eliminate seam hinging. Flat steel bars are spaced every 4...