National Floor Trends articles from June 2003

National Floor Trends archives from June 2003

Beware: hand wringing can blind you to opportunities for profits in commercial flooring.(Column)
June 1, 2003... Sure, today's commercial market is different than the past's go-go days. It's tougher, causing some people to get so caught up in swirling waves of pessimism that they are blinded to the abundant opportunities. They forget about commercial....

What's new and what's selling in today's commercial flooring market: award-winning interior designers share their insights.
June 1, 2003... Design firms are seeing a surge in the popularity of carpet tile for the commercial segment. More customers are requesting it. More designers are incorporating it in their projects. Manufacturers are increasing the design options and...

Its 'steady as she goes' for the vinyl flooring segment: exclusive new National Floor Trends market study reveals.
June 1, 2003... Few product sectors in the floor covering industry are as stable as the vinyl segment, according to three years of data compiled through exclusive research commissioned by National Floor Trends. Our just-released 2003 Vinyl Flooring Market...

Newman on branding: Stephen Newman, President and CEO of Witex USA, Inc., speaks openly about brand.
June 1, 2003... "How do you shop for products?" Each year, over 3000 new brands are introduced into the marketplace. Of these, however, less than 0.5% grow beyond their infancy into mature, readily identifiable brand names. What factors determine the...

Coverings 2003: showcases ceramic designs from around the world.
June 1, 2003... More than 26,000 people from across the world flocked to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., March 24-27 for Coverings 2003, the global exposition for the international tile, stone and flooring industries. Despite a 12.5...

Retailers Jeff Cowan and Ron Leach share 20 effective strategies to bust the big boxes:...
June 1, 2003... Ron Leach's Top 10 Strategies 1. MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION You never get a second chance to make a good one. To ensure that your store creates a good first impression, keep it neat, clean and attractive. Spruce it up regularly....

Brinkman files for Chapter 11 reorganization: new business model streamlines operations. (News).(L.D. Brinkman Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Multi-state distributor L.D. Brinkman Corp. of Lewisville, Texas, has filed for Chapter 11 reorganization, according to company President Jeff Sills. The filing, Sills said, was made because the company was not generating sufficient sales...

Amtico Marine resilinet flooring earns wheel mark certification. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Amtico Marine, a new resilient A flooring product developed for use on marine vessels, has been awarded the Wheel Mark certification by Lloyds Register in recognition of the product's compliance with Modules B and D of the Marine Equipment...

Florida Tile's Graham feted for service to tile industry. (News).(Tom Graham receives Service to the Industry Award from Ceramic Tile Distributors Association )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Tom Graham, vice president of sales for Florida Tile, has received the Service to the Industry Award from the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA). The award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated great dedication...

Board of directors established for DuPont Textiles & Interiors. (News).(Richard R. Goodmanson chairman)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... DuPont has announced the formation of a board of directors for DuPont Textiles & Interiors (DTI), which began operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont in February. As of May 1, the board was given full operating responsibility for DTI....

Tornadoes tear through nation: businesses prepare to dig out. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... A flurry of high-intensity tornadoes inflicted heavy damage on homes and offices in Missouri, Tennessee and Kansas on May 4. Parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Michigan also reported touchdowns. The Oklahoma...

Honeywell closes BASF pacts and creates honeywell Nylon. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Honeywell has completed two transacIltions with BASF in which Honeywell sold its engineering plastics business to BASF in exchange for BASF's Fnylon fiber business and $90 million in cash. For Honeywell, the transactions are the latest...

Rug, home furnishings events to converge in Atlanta in July. (News).(Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market and Atlanta International Area Rug Market)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and the Atlanta International Area Rug Market will converge in July for the benefit of retailers and manufacturers. The Gift & Home Furnishings marker will take place July 8 through...

NWFA elects 2003 board of directors. (News).(National Wood Flooring Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) recently elected its 2003 board of directors. The board consists of four officers and 11 directors, each of whom are voted into office by the NWFA membership to serve a three-year term. The new...

Domco Tarkett Commercial Helps Habitat for Humanity. (News).(and Vinyl Partners for Humanity)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Domco Tarkett Commercial recently D donated more than 4,000 square feet of vinyl flooring to Vinyl Partners for Humanity and Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Louisiana. The flooring was installed in five homes built in Plaquemine, La.,...

Tarkett Sommer seeks to acquire outstanding Domco Tarkett stock. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Tarkett Sommer has announced it will make an offer to the shareholders of Domco Tarkett to acquire all outstanding common shares of Domco Tarkett not already owned by Tarkett Sommer and its affiliates, at a price per share of $7.50 payable in...

Avalon Distributing changes name to reflect wood flooring. (News).(now Avalon Wood Flooring)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Avalon Distributing of Santa Ana, Calif., is now known as Avalon Wood Flooring. The company will now focus on wood flooring contractors and retailers. Avalon recently purchased back stock from a former shareholder, leaving President...

BiWood Flooring. (People).(Gene Brown named company president)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... BiWood Flooring has tapped Gene Brown, former vice president and general manager, to serve as company president. Brown, who brings 21 years of retail experience to his position, joined the BiWood team in 1988. Brown now leads the company's...

Bostik Findley Flooring Group. (People).(John E. Burgoyne III named hardwood product manager)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Bostik Findley Flooring Group has appointed John E. Burgoyne III as hardwood product manager with responsibilities for working closely with distributors and contractors to develop and market hardwood adhesives, cleaners, finishes, and sealers....

Laticrete International Inc. (People).(promotes Kenneth Cloud)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Laticrete International Inc. recently promoted Kenneth Cloud to director of sales, North America. In his new position, Cloud is charged with leading sales efforts of the Architectural Products Division. All of Laticrete's region managers now...

Vitra Tiles USA. (People).(Esin Aksan sales and marketing manager for US and Canada)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Vitra Tiles USA has appointed Esin Aksan as sales & marketing manager for the United States and Canada. For the past decade, she has worked with the firm's parent company, Turkish ceramic tile producer Eczacibasi Karo Seramik. Aksan is now...

Shaw acquires Georgia Tufters. (People).(Shaw Industries)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Shaw Industries has acquired Calhoun, Ga.-based Georgia Tufters Inc. from majority owners Jeff and Fredrick Brown. "Georgia Tufters has been a well-managed operation, with product lines highly complementary to our current offerings of...

Shaw Contract/Dupont Antron sweepstakes winner named. (People).(Melissa Boelter of Ellerbe Becket)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Melissa Boelter, an interior designer with Ellerbe Becket in Minneapolis, was recently awarded a week-long trip for two to Paris for winning a sweepstakes sponsored by Shaw Contract and DuPont Antron. The contest theme was inspired by Joie...

Morelock Wood adds two new distributors. (People).(Atlantic West Flooring Distributors and T&G Hardwood)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Morelock Wood Products has established distribution agreements with Atlantic West Flooring Distributors and T&G Hardwood. The two distributors now handle Morelock's high-end flooring, mouldings and accessories on a national level. ...

Drew Brandt named Oregon's Small Business Person of the Year. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Drew Brandt, owner of Portland, Ore.-based Intrepid Marble & Granite, has been awarded Oregon's 2003 Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The yearly award is given to a small business that the...

TCAA publishes Ceramic book to Celebrate 100th Anniversary. (News).(Ceramic Tile in 20th Century America)(Book Review)
June 1, 2003... The Tile Contractors' Association of America Inc. (TCAA) recently unveiled "Ceramic Tile in 20th Century America," a 264-page, oversize coffee table book published as part of the association's centennial anniversary. The book was authored...

It's 'knot' so bad the character hardwood craze takes off. (Wood or Wood Knot).
June 1, 2003... Hardwood flooring products have always shown an abundance of character. Successful hardwood flooring market leaders that I know also exude this distinguishing trait. One might even go so far as to say that the character of these individuals...

NWFA returns to its birthplace to host its 18th annual convention and trade show.(National Wood Flooring, Association)
June 1, 2003... Downtown St. Louis, the city where the National Wood Flooring, Association was established in 1985, recently played host to more than 2,800 wood flooring professionals for the NWFA 18th Annual Education Conference and Wood Flooring Expo....

MAPEI's Ultratop can emulate natural looks. (Products).
June 1, 2003... MAPEI has produced Ultratop, a self-leveling concrete topping designed for resurfacing and interior construction of horizontal wear surfaces in high-traffic areas. Ultratop offers a wide palette for designing unique floors suited for...

Karastan software invites users to 'Just Picture' design makeovers. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Karastan is now offering "Just Picture It" PC design software that enables a user to upload pictures of a home interior, and then select and drop images of more than 200 Karastan carpets and rugs into the picture. Just Picture It also...

VPI unveils ValuStat static-control vinyl tile. (Products).
June 1, 2003... VPI Floor Products Division is now offering ValuStat, a line of 2-mm solid vinyl static-control tile, in its domestic product lineup. ValuStat is manufactured in both Conductile (static conductive) and Statmate (static dissipative) resistance...

Coutour Edge Transition new from Johnsonite. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Johnsonite's Contour Edge Transition was developed to allow designers and end users to create winding or unusually shaped floor motifs with the assurance that the floor's edgings are protected. Contour Edge Transition is designed to bend easily...

NAC adds short-nap roller cover to cartons of membrane products. (Products).
June 1, 2003... National Applied Construction Products Inc. (NAC) has added a 9-inch short-nap roller cover to each carton of its ECB, Strataflex, SAM3, and Super SAM membranes. Production has begun to include bright yellow stickers on cartons that...

Midwest Products releases interlocking 'KwikDek'. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Midwest Products, a division of Midwest Padding LLC, recently debuted KwikDek, a decking component composed of exotic wood slats backed with a plastic grid that snaps apart and back together via interlocking tabs. Spacing between the slats...

Bayer develops stain repellent for use on carpets and rugs. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Bayer Chemicals Corp. has introduced BayProtect SSB, a patent-pending stain repellent specifically formulated for commercial and residential carpets and rugs. The product is designed to repel liquid spills and fend off the damaging effects of...

Mediterranean influences grace Formica's Mythix laminate line. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Formica Flooring has introduced the Mythix Collection, a laminate flooring product inspired by the stone tiles of Tuscany and the blue waters of the Mediterranean. The collection features large-format 16-by-16-inch tiles rendered to combine the...

Altro makes 'Impression' with its safety flooring. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Altro Impressionist II High Performance Safety Flooring is designed for durability and slip resistance, and is available in a range of 24 colors. Backed by a seven-year limited product warranty, Impressionist II High Performance Safety...

AAT details its product lines in new Spec Guide literature. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Advanced Adhesive Technologies Inc. (AAT) has published a new Spec Guide that provides detailed information on AAT's full range of products. Featured products include advanced seam tapes, underlayments, primers and sealers, and the...

Artistic Tile 'Magical' porcelain mimics the look of natural slate. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Artistic Tile's Magical Slate Porcelain line is a frost-resistant, glazed porcelain tile made to mimic the rich colorations and variations of natural slate. It is imported from Italy, and available in 12-by-l8-, 12-by-12-, 6-by-12-, and...

Tarkett Builder PLUS display provides showcasing options. (Products).
June 1, 2003... With the introduction of the Tarkett Builder PLUS display, builders now have four ways to showcase Tarkett floors to new homebuyers. The set-up allows builders to display from 40 to 128 Tarkett samples. The Builder PLUS unit can be set up...

Azrock introduces 10 new colors to its vinyl enhanced tile series. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Azrock, a commercial vinyl flooring brand of Domco Tarkett Commercial, has added 10 new colors to its vinyl enhanced tile (VET) series. The addition of these hues - which range from cool aqua and blues to warm reds and oranges - brings the...

Common tile installation problems: efflorescence, latex migration, mottled grout and more. (Ceramic & Stone Close-up).
June 1, 2003... A great many factors can adversely affect a tile installation and, as a result, negatively impact your reputation and bottom line. Fortunately, most of these factors and the problems they create can be easily mitigated. Let's examine some of...

Carpet Shim. (Products & Literature on Display).
June 1, 2003... New from Carpet Shims, Ltd Side Shims finishes transitions easily! Side Shims are used in conjunction with the Original 32" x 8" Carpet Shims to solve the height difference between carpet and ceramic or hardwood floors. Made of the same...

Basic coatings. (Products & Literature on Display).
June 1, 2003... The Best Just Got Better with StreetShoe XL! Basic introduces a new technology in water based finishes. The new StreetShoe XL is easier to apply and it is the toughest, most chemical resistant and fastest curing finish on the market. Only Basic...

Bostik findley. (Products & Literature on Display).
June 1, 2003... The Bostik Findley Flooring Group is pleased to announce the development of Hydroment Gold Coat [TM], a ready-to-use latex-based Anti-Fracture and Waterproofing Membrane specifically designed for use beneath thin-set ceramic tile and stone...