National Floor Trends articles from July 2007

National Floor Trends archives from July 2007

As the road dips and curves, we ask some experts for direction.(Editorial Comment)
July 1, 2007... What would you like to change about our industry? Installation? Marketing? Low ball pricing? Nothing? Everything? If you ask a dozen flooring folks this question you may get a dozen different answers. As part or a leadership roundtable that...

Flooring forecast: 'challenging'.(Business conditions)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] National Floor Trends assembled a panel of top executives in the floor covering industry and asked several questions about today's business conditions: * TODAY'S CLIMATE: How would you assess today's business...

WFCA retailer survey: 'Come back soon! ... Tell a friend!' Retailers become more sophisticated about selling, but the human touch is still their No. 1 technique.
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Woo them. Sell them. Sell them again. Sell to their friends. That, in a nutshell, appears to be the key for floor covering retailers battling through a slump in residential sales. On the heels of a year that is...

New and notable floors debut at NYC furniture show.(News: People/Places/Events)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A new vinyl floor covering that mimics the look of hardwood and can even double as upholstery were among the hot new items vying for attention at the 19th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York....

NFT's Tyler to present 'revolutionary' program.(News: People/Places/EventsIN)(Conference notes)
July 1, 2007... NFT columnist Warren Tyler and highly regarded consultant Paul Bumblauskas are planning what they describe as "a revolutionary training program for all areas of home decor." Set for Oct. 2-3 at the Tuscany Suites Hotel in Las Vegas, the two-day...

Ceramic Tile Institute releases three free tile reports.(News: People/Places/Events)(Report)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Ceramic Tile Institute of America recently published free reports on the basic product benefits and best installation techniques for specialty tiles. The three reports--on Concrete, Stone and Metal Tiles--were compiled to "help the ceramic...

Armstrong opens Pacific Northwest unit.(News: People/Places/Events)(Monte Asken appointed as sales manager)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Taking "a different approach in the region," Armstrong has opened a Pacific Northwest distribution business to cover six states including Alaska. The new business unit, Armstrong NW, will handle sales and distribution for residential products...

Proflex said that Best Tile Distributors of New England will distribute the company's full line of crack isolation, waterproofing and sound-reduction membranes.(Distributor Appointments)
July 1, 2007... Proflex said that Best Tile Distributors of New England will distribute the company's full line of crack isolation, waterproofing and sound-reduction membranes. Best Tile operates 20 showrooms throughout the Eastern U.S.

J.F. Bellini Co. said it has signed a distribution agreement with Tarkett Commercial.(Distributor Appointments)
July 1, 2007... J.F. Bellini Co. said it has signed a distribution agreement with Tarkett Commercial. The Las Vegas-based distributor distributor will carry the complete line of Azrock by Tarkett commercial flooring in southern Nevada and northern Arizona.

Robina Floors has added two new distributors: Shoreline Flooring Supplies and David Young Distributing.(Distributor Appointments)
July 1, 2007... Robina Floors has added two new distributors: Shoreline Flooring Supplies and David Young Distributing. Shoreline will offer Robina's branded wood collection in 23 branches across Florida. David Young will distribute Robina flooring in Texas.

Vitra buys Villeroy & Boch tile division; has $200 million annual sales, three plants.(News: People/Places/Events)
July 1, 2007... Turkish tile maker Vitra has acquired a majority stake in Villeroy & Boch, one of the industry's oldest ceramic tile brands. Plans call for Vitra to oversee all production and marketing of Villeroy & Boch's tile division, V & B Fliesen GmbH....

Upcoming industry events.(News: People/Places/Events)(Calendar)
July 1, 2007... Atlanta International Area Rug Market-Atlanta, July 15-18. (800) 285-6278. Hunter Douglas International Alliance Conference--Denver, July 25. (877) 407-3300. NeoCon Xpress L.A.-Los Angeles, Aug. 22-23. (800) 677-6278. CFI...

Shaw gets Southern exposure; floors used in "Idea Houses".(News: People/Places/Events)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pictured is an architectural rendering of a Southern Living magazine "Idea House." The publication selected flooring from Shaw to help decorate the three Idea Houses in Florida, Georgia and Arkansas. The Idea Houses...

Commercial carpets wins StarNet Design Award.(News: People/Places/Events)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The StarNet Commercial Flooring Cooperative recently honored Virginia retailer Commercial Carpets of America with a Design Award. Recognized for its work in renovating the Rockville Library in Rockville, Md., CCA...

Earth-friendly Atlanta rug market: Green Product Showcase launched.(News)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Atlanta International Area Rug Market is all about 'green" this year and will include the introduction of an environmentally friendly product section. The showcase, running through the second day of the July...

Flooring makers take top honors at recent Hospitality Design show.(News: People/Places/Events)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Milliken Hospitality and Shaw Hospitality Group were among the flooring makers recognized at the recent Hospitality Design Expo in Las Vegas. Milliken received the Best Product Design Award in the Flooring, Carpeting...

Wanke Cascade.(People)(Brian Radditz retires)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Flooring veteran Brian Radditz has retired as president after 30 years with the distributor Wanke Cascade. His decision comes just over a year after the Canadian distributor Buckwold Western purchased the 75 year-old Portland, Ore.-based...

Basic Coatings.(People)
July 1, 2007... Enos Farnsworth has been appointed vice president and general manager of Basic Coatings. He will oversee sales support and marketing for Basic's wood floor distribution channels. He has been in flooring more than 20 years.

Powernail Co.(People)
July 1, 2007... Powernail Co. has named Mark Weglowski as vice president of sales and marketing. He brings 16 years of industry experience to his position. Most recently he was vp of sales and marketing and operations for BonaKemi USA.

Mohawk Industries.(People)
July 1, 2007... James T. Lucke has joined Mohawk Industries as vice president and general counsel. He succeeds Sal Perillo, who is retiring. Lucke most recently served as senior vice president, secretary and general counsel of Spectrum Brands (formerly...

Bentley Prince Street.(People)
July 1, 2007... Bentley Prince Street has named Marc Cormier vice president of sales. He holds more than 15 years of experience in the industry, most recently as vp sales, Western region, for J&J/Invision.

Dal-Tile.(People)
July 1, 2007... Dal-Tile has appointed Dr. David A. Earl vice president of research and development. Previously he was an associate professor of ceramic engineering and materials science in New York. He has also served as president of ProCera Technologies.

Bonsal American.(People)
July 1, 2007... Bonsal American has hired Scott Springs and Amy Wright to help oversee the ProSpec brand. Springs joins as Western regional sales manager. His territory includes Arizona, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. Additionally, Amy Wright has been named...

Formica Flooring.(People)
July 1, 2007... Formica Flooring has added Rich Salter as Midwest regional manager. He will provide sales support for Formica Flooring distributor All Tile Inc. Most recently he was a regional sales manager for BR-111. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Florim.(People)(Bryan Lee and Marissa Vogl appointed)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Florim has expanded its sales team. Bryan Lee joins as East Coast regional sales manager. He worked most recently as commercial sales manager for distributor RA Siegel in Florida. Additionally, Marissa Vogl joins as marketing specialist for the...

Charlie Nielsen has joined W.F. Taylor Co.(People)
July 1, 2007... Charlie Nielsen has joined W.F. Taylor Co. as technical service manager in the company's Dalton, Ga. plant. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Laticrete.(People)(Brian Carlson and Lee Malmquist appointed)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Laticrete has named two new technical sales reps. Brian Carlson will cover the Southern California region. He holds experience as an outside sales representative with Tile Industry Sales Inc. Additionally, Lee Malmquist will serve the...

Faus in New Orleans: flooring in 'Idea Home'.(News: People/Places/Events)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Faus Group's laminate flooring was selected for Cottage Livingmagazine's Idea Home in New Orleans. Opened to the public last month, the Idea Home features some of the latest high-style products on the market,...

Green focus gives Tandus 'historic' contract for L.A. schools.(News: People/Places/Events)
July 1, 2007... Commercial flooring maker Tandus said it has finalized a five-year, $83 million deal to provide flooring for the largest community college district in the U.S. The agreement with the Los Angeles Community College District, which oversees nine...

With design as its focus, Decorative Carpets garners NFT award.(News: People/Places/Events)(Awards list)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is the first in a series of profiles highlighting the winners of the 2007 NFT Styling Excellence Awards. Entries were judged earlier this year by showgoers at Surfaces as well as by...

'We value a safe workplace': MAPEI sponsors contractor program.(News: People/Places/Events)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MAPEI said it will sponsor the National Tile Contractors Association's Contractor Safety Program. Launched last year, the program urges company to establish a safety committee and conducting monthly "Safety...

Top Tile & Stone honors for 'astounding installations'.
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] A glass mosaic church dome in Washington D.C. and a major renovation of the Getty Villa museum in Malibu, Calif. were honored with the 2007 Spectrum and Prism Awards. The Redemption Dome project at the Basilica of...

Anniversary in Alabama: NAFCO predicts "At least another 50 years".
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Proudly recalling its deep roots in the flooring business while showcasing some forward-looking initiatives, Tarkett's NAFCO kicked off its 50th year with a tour of its cavernous manufacturing facility in Florence,...

1 Wicanders cork flooring offers natural benefits.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wicanders offers a range of natural cork oak flooring, including the Series 1000 and Originals collections. The products feature several key benefits, including natural warmth underfoot, natural antimicrobial...

2 Couristan sets advertising push, new display for Recife outdoor rugs.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Couristan has launched a print advertising campaign and merchandising display for its Recife line of outdoor/indoor area rugs. The ads, slated to run in leading home design publications including Coastal Living,...

3 Preverco presents new retail display, and a way to spruce up old units.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Preverco has rolled out the Infocenter 2.0 retail display. The unit is designed to showcase up to 36 sample boards and 13 informational graphics. A back wall panel can feature up to 64 color swatches from the...

4 Johnsonite's iQ Construction tech aims to cut floor maintenance.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Johnsonite offers resilient flooring in the Tarkett Collection with special iQ Construction technology. Designed to virtually eliminate the need for stripping and waxing, flooring with iQ Construction can simply be...

Mohawk EasyChoice unit sorts carpets by category.(Products)
July 1, 2007... Mohawk has taken the wraps off the EasyChoice display unit. Carpets in the system are categorized by performance characteristics in four color-coded categories: Select, Preferred, Premier and Elite. According to Mohawk, this selection system...

5 Champion's Botticino Stone features natural stone looks.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Botticino Stone is new from Champion Building Materials. The ceramic tile uses Italian rotocolor printing for realistic textures and surfaces. Botticino Stone is designed for the "luxurious living room, grand lobby...

6 Brown-hued Casa Emperador is Questech's latest tile range.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Questech debuts Casa Emperador, a factory-sealed tumbled marble featuring the company's Q-Seal sealer and Ultra-Fresh mold inhibitor. Casa Emperador is offered in medium brown shades with light color veining. The...

7 New colors added to ECOstone flooring.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ECOsurfaces Commercial Flooring has expanded the palette of its ECOstone flooring line. Now available in 10 colors, including soft grays, warm beiges and bold charcoals, the resilient flooring line is made to...

8 Dodge-Regupol underlayment keeps sound on the 'QT'.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dodge-Regupol offers several sound control products in the Regupol-QT line, including Regupol-QTscu sound control underlayment. Designed for use with ceramic tile, vinyl, hardwood, stone and carpet, Regupol-QT...

MAPEI's Mapesonic SM can prevent show through.(Products)
July 1, 2007... MAPEI offers Mapesonic SM, a sound-reduction and crack-isolation sheet membrane for ceramic tile and stone. Designed to be applied to the substrate before the flooring is installed, Mapesonic SM is also formulated to prevent inplane cracks up...

9 Congoleum offers 'Tranquility' with new DuraCeramic style.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Congoleum introduces Tranquility, the newest addition to the company's DuraCeramic resilient flooring line. Tranquility features the look of polished crystal in pearl and blush tones. Available in 16" formats,...

10 W.F. Taylor's MS-Plus adhesive new for wood floors.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New from W.F. Taylor is MS-Plus Wood Flooring Adhesive, a Greenguard-certified product using Taylor's patented Meta-tec technology in an advanced formulation. The company notes that the moisture cure non-urethane...

11 Shaw's Anso nylon products now include recycled content.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Shaw said that all carpets made using the company's Anso nylon now contain recycled content. The move is part of an aggressive push for the company's Shaw Green Edge marketing initiative. The company has also...

12 Shaw Contract's Frame broadloom designed for corporate markets.(Products)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Frame is Shaw Contract Group's latest. The upscale broadloom collection features urban-inspired colorways for the corporate market, according to the company. The cut-loop products are made using Antron Legacy fiber....

Bengard's Vinyl Hatch Cover for ceramic, hardwood, laminate.(Products)
July 1, 2007... Bengard presents its latest flooring installation profile, the CM1157 Vinyl Hatch Cover. Available in 12' lengths, the profile is designed to bridge floors of equal heights to provide easy expansion. The CM1157 Vinyl Hatch Cover can be used...

If you are installing on concrete, get the hard facts.(Focus on Resilient)
July 1, 2007... Among the many questions we get from NFTreaders, there always seems to be a few regarding commercial flooring and the concrete that lies beneath. Specifically, installers and others in the trade wonder about the downside risk of installing...

Carpet Shims.(Products & Literature on display)
July 1, 2007... Discover The Underlying Difference! Carpet Shims are available in 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" x 8" x 32", and 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2"x 12" x 48". Add a Universal Side Shim to each end of the installed Carpet Shim to eliminate the drop off, which...

GE Money.(Products & Literature on display)
July 1, 2007... GE Money has fast, easy consumer financing plans that help flooring retailers like you increase their sales and profits. With GE Money you can: * Get paid sooner and increase cash flow * Focus on delivering product expertise and...

Questech.(Products & Literature on display)
July 1, 2007... Our Marble Isn't Afraid To Get Wet Luxurious tumbled marble with Q-Seal--water and stain resistant for life. To learn more about Questech's beautiful, worry-free Tumbled Marble tiles with Q-Seal and to find a dealer in your area, visit...

Starline.(Products & Literature on display)
July 1, 2007... Starline Associates, Inc. delivers the best value for the money with SILENT BLUE[TM] Laminate Underlayment. SILENT BLUE[TM] combines closed cell construction, IIC 72, STC 73 Ratings and Waterproof Technology, eliminating the need for film and...

Dodge Regupol.(Products & Literature on display)
July 1, 2007... Regupol QTsound control underlayment installs directly underneath the floor surface to greatly reduce impact sound. Engineered to provide the highest IIC (impact insulation class) rating improvement over any other sound control product...

Flor.(Products & Literature on display)
July 1, 2007... Inspired Modular Floorcovering We invite you to join FLOR's Trade Only Program. Get exclusive discounts on over 250 designs. Access to our full-size tile Loaner Library. Friendly Design Team Associates. Publicity of your work in the press....