National Floor Trends articles from November 2004

National Floor Trends archives from November 2004

Are your installation costs a problem? Would you like to find a solution to your problem?(Industry Perspectives)
November 1, 2004... Are you sick and tired of high installation costs? Are you looking to reduce your labor costs? Are your installers costing you big bucks due to job failures? If you answered "yes" to any of these, look in a mirror. It might reveal that you're...

Manufacturers forecast the future of laminate floors: look for customizable patterns, increased surface realism and stronger seams.
November 1, 2004... Laminate is a constantly evolving flooring product. From glueless installation systems and micro beveling to embossed-in-register textures and joint-sealant advances, laminate is a bellwether of emerging floor design trends and technologies....

BHK Moderna Vision planks feature V-joint.(Gallery: Laminate)
November 1, 2004... BHK of America's. Moderna Vision laminate flooring is designed to capture the look and feel of a solid planked floor, with beveling at the sides to create a subtle V-groove between the laminate floor planks. The V-joint is then sealed with a...

Mannington expands its laminate plank designs.(Gallery: Laminate)
November 1, 2004... Mannington has introduced two new patterns to its Coordinations Collection of laminate plank. Canyon Slate and Golden Cordoba Cork both feature a modular look, but come in a plank format. In addition, Mannington has added Honey Spalted Maple...

Armstrong's Pacific Heights comes in strip, herringbone.(Gallery: Laminate)
November 1, 2004... Armstrong's Pacific Heights laminate in offered in two designs. Strip and Herringbone, both offered in 3 1/2-inch widths. Strip is meant to offer a realistic hardwood visual in a 4-foot-long strip. Herringbone, in a nominal 20-inch length,...

Mohawk's Harper's Mill features Sound Inhibitor II.(Gallery: Laminate)
November 1, 2004... Harper's Mill laminate, from Mohawk, is designed to sell at a premium price point with an embossed texture that closely follows the design and relief of wood graining, the company says. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In addition, the...

Wood Effect laminate is Alsapan's latest.(Gallery: Laminate)
November 1, 2004... Alsapan's Wood Effect laminate flooring is designed to emulate real wood with a precise, natural-looking appearance to provide the visual of a solid-wood parquet floor. Available in three oak patterns, Wood Effect features realistic texture and...

Kronotex unveils solid-wood look 'engineered' laminate.(Gallery: Laminate)
November 1, 2004... Kronotex's Engineered Flooring laminate collection is designed to mimic the look and feel of solid wood, featuring an embossed-in-registered surface with micro bevel edging on all four sides. The result is a matte finish and velvet touch with a...

Pergo creates premium line for specialty retail applications.(Gallery: Laminate)
November 1, 2004... Pergo recently introduced Vintage Home, the manufacturer's first premium design collection created exclusively for specialty retail applications. Vintage Home features TruWood Textures technology, for what Pergo claims is "an unparalleled...

Abet's Parqwood laminate comes in 10 wood-grain colors.(Gallery: Laminate)
November 1, 2004... Abet Laminati makes Parqwood, a wood-veneer flooring product with a protective overlay and textured laminate surface. Parqwood is available in 10 wood-grain colors including oak, maple, walnut, birch, ash, beech, American cherry, mahogany,...

New NFT market study released: ceramic/stone segment to continue double-digit growth.(National Floor Trends magazine)
November 1, 2004... The future of the ceramic tile segment continues to shine with a 16 percent increase projected in the next 18 months (chart 1), according to respondents of the just-completed Ceramic/Stone Tile Market Trends Study conducted by National Floor...

Orders' 'FunDays' deemed a great success by distributor.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Recently, more than 350 dealers participated in the Orders Distributing Co.'s "FunDays Giveaways" event. The day started off with a golf tournament attended by 200 members, then business came to the fore with the "FunDays Show," where...

Investor group agrees to purchase BP's Fabrics and Fibers business.(News)(AFFC Holdings Inc)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... AFFC Holdings Inc., a newly formed company sponsored by an investor group composed of The Sterling Group L.P., Genstar Capital L.P. and Laminar Direct Capital L.P., has reached an agreement to acquire BP's Amoco Fabrics and Fibers subsidiary...

Artistic Finishes reveals details of plant expansion.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Artistic Finishes has revealed details of a proposed plant expansion and recent capital equipment investments including a state-of-the-art moulding facility and improvements to the existing production line. A building adjacent to the...

Milliken provides carpet at Galatsi Olympic Hall.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Milliken Carpet made the 2,500 square yards of carpet seen in Galatsi Olympic Hall. It was designed, manufactured, packaged, and shipped to the time-strapped venue in 10 days, according to Milliken. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Milliken, one...

Q.E.P. acquires French flooring and specialty tools manufacturer.(News)(P.R.C.I. SA)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Q.E.P. Co. has entered into an agreement to acquire all of the shares of P.R.C.I. SA (PRCI), a French manufacturer and distributor of flooring and specialty tools to the wholesale and retail markets. Last year, PRCI had sales of approximately...

Flexco adds three new distributors.(News)(Boone Distributors Inc)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Flexco has added Boone Distributors Inc., L. Bornstein and Superior Products Inc. to its network of distributors. Boone Distributors, located in Lakeland, Fla., has been appointed to market Flexco's products throughout Florida. L....

MD-NOVA FCA raises charity funds.(News)(Maryland and Northern Virginia Floor Covering Association)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Due to a successful golf outing by the Maryland and Northern Virginia Floor Covering Association (MD-NOVA FCA), $7,500 was raised for the Believe in Tomorrow Foundation. Over the past three years, MD-NOVA FCA has raised more than $22,000 for...

Shaw regional events planned to focus on retailer profitability.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Shaw Industries has announced its schedule of regional shows to be held in January and February 2005. These events are designed not only to present new products and programs, but also to allow Shaw management and sales personnel the time to...

Columbia hosts its inaugural Distributor Council meeting.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Columbia Flooring recently invited distributor representatives from six North American markets to attend the company's first-ever Distributor Council meeting in Danville, Va. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Columbia executives shared new...

Mohawk announces regional dealer meetings for 2004-2005.(News)
November 1, 2004... Mohawk has announced a schedule of more than 40 meetings across the United States to introduce the company's newest products and programs, and to allow dealers to work closely with their representatives. Beginning in December and running...

Letters to the editor.(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Joe Grady's September 2004 column (Do It by the Book: Use the Right Backerboard for the Tile Application) incorrectly identifies the manufacturer for DensShield. DensShield [is] manufactured exclusively by Georgia-Pacific. Also, DensShield...

Upcoming industry events.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
November 1, 2004... CTDA Management Conference 2004 -- Cancun, Mexico. (800) 938-2832, Nov. 4-7. WSFCA Dinner Meeting -- Renton, Wash. (425) 885-0012, Nov. 9. Domotex 2005 -- Hannover, Germany. (609) 987-1202, Jan. 15-18. Surfaces 2005 -- Las Vegas....

Faus Group.(People)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Faus Group has appointed Traci Powell as marketing manager. Prior to joining Faus, Powell worked with Beaulieu Rugs and Oriental Weavers of America in various capacities, including design, sales and marketing.

Mullican Flooring.(People)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Mullican Flooring has made several personnel changes. Tim Crais has been named product manager, Kristen Crowder has joined the company's customer service department and Neil Wenger has been named Northeast regional sales manager. ...

StarNet Commercial Flooring Cooperative.(People)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... StarNet Commercial Flooring Cooperative has appointed Deb Esbenshade as director of member services. Her primary responsibilities include coordinating all membership recruitment, and creating and implementing an active membership training...

Sphinx by Oriental Weavers.(People)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Sphinx by Oriental Weavers has promoted Paul Pauluzzi to vice president of sales. Pauluzzi had been with Sphinx for more than five years as the Midwest regional manager, and was promoted to vice president of sales for his region in 2002. Blake...

Tarkett Wood.(People)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Tarkett Wood has brought on Bob McDonnell as a regional sales manager. He will be responsible for mid-Atlantic territory, servicing Derr Flooring and Superior Products. For the past eight years, McDonnell was with Kahrs International, most...

Key manufacturers announce hard-surface price increases.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Citing increased energy and raw materials costs, several prominent manufacturers--including Armstrong, Congoleum, Domco, Mannington, and Tarkett Residential--have announced price hikes for their hard-surface flooring products. Armstrong...

The latest ceramic design trends bask in the limelight at Cersaie 2004.
November 1, 2004... Nearly 100,000 visitors flocked to Cersaie 2004, the 22nd international exhibition of ceramic tiles and bathroom furnishings. That figure represented an increase of approximately 1.6 percent over last year's show. In addition to more attendees,...

Harvest Timber debuts Pioneered Wood plank.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Harvest Timber recently introduced Pioneered Wood Authentic American Plank Flooring. The product is meant to add heritage, character and warmth to any home with its comfortably aged look. It is available in the Signature Series--which includes...

Fritztile offers custom tile series.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Fritztile has debuted its Custom Tile CTN-500 and CTN-500 AM series, a 1/8-inch or 3/16-inch gauge flexible marble terrazzo tile. The CTN-500 series (available now in 23 colors) and CTN-500AM (available in 16 colors) is an alternative to...

Nagy series is Tau's latest.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Tau has introduced Nagy, a tile series available in 12-by-24- and 12-by-20-inch formats. Nagy is produced in White, Beige, Vision, Black, and Red colorations. In addition, the series is available with metal and wood listels. For details, circle...

APAC unveils its latest resilient flooring adhesive.(Products)
November 1, 2004... APAC recently introduced its newest offering, 564 White Universal Resilient Adhesive. The product is recommended for the installation of vinyl tile, homogeneous sheet vinyl, rubber tile, stair treads, vinyl plank tile, etc. The adhesive can be...

Lees' WovenSquare MTX line designed for contract interiors.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Developed to capture the vitality and energy of futuristic design, the WovenSquare MTX Collection by Lees is a high-performance textile that combines the comfort of carpet with the texture of hard surfaces, the company says. A modular woven...

Impronta Italgraniti's Almatec designed for vertical cladding.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Impronta Italgraniti's Almatec is a through-body porcelain stoneware tile available in large-format sizes as big as 48-by-48 inches. While Almatec is designed for vertical cladding, the tile can also be used for interior and exterior...

Sphinx expands sizes in its Warhol collection.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Sphinx by Oriental Weavers is expanding the size offering of its Andy Warhol Home Collection. Sphinx is adding special shapes including 6- and 8-foot rounds and 8-foot squares to the selection. The company is also offering a new Domestic...

Marble Systems unveils Tureks Stone Collection.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Marble Systems Inc. has released its newly packaged Tureks Stone Collection and marketing initiative, featuring a group of natural stone products backed by a comprehensive sales program and brand support system. The collection is available in...

Axminster's Heritage Collection is inspired by British galleries.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Axminster's new Heritage Collection is inspired by the British Galleries of London's Victoria & Albert Museum. The collection consists of two Wools of New Zealand brand broadloom styles--Heritage Twist and Heritage Velvet--steeped in the beauty...

Mohawk's Floorz store concept combines custom, in-stock operations.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Mohawk Floorz is a complete store concept that allows retailers to rapidly set up and open a new location with a unique market position, according to Mohawk. The Floorz store is based on three shops within the building. The Back Room...

828 International expands Cabana Joe's Maui Collection.(Products)
November 1, 2004... 828 International has expanded Cabana Joe's Maui Collection of rugs. The collection now encompasses 37 designs that feature palms, florals and tropical motifs. Included in the latest offerings are CJM-35, a black field bordered by island...

Spectrum Imports expands with Euroflor vinyl display.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Spectrum Imports, a division of Gardner Industries, has introduced Euroflor vinyl-backed sheet vinyl, now with a new display. Euroflor features an extra-thick premium vinyl back, a 10 mil high-performance wearlayer, and is available in more...

Robbins Hardwood unveils three collections for the fall.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Robbins Fine Hardwood Flooring is debuting three new collections for the fall selling season. The Gatsby solid hand-sculpted collection now offers a birch hand-sculpted floor, available in 5-inch wide planks in rich Coventry Brown. ...

Invista debuts accent rugs with Teflon rug protector.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Invista has released a line of fashionable accent rugs with Teflon rug protector. These rugs can be machine washed and, in just one cycle, allow for removal of most food and beverage stains, according to the company. The accent rugs with Teflon...

Parterre introduces its 2005 stone tile collection.(Products)
November 1, 2004... Parterre's 2005 stone tile collection combines sophisticated design with the durability of vinyl in a product fitting for any commercial space, according to the company. The new collection offers a spectrum of designs from old world styles to...

Maintaining your business and planning for future growth: the keys to success over the long haul.(Journal of a Start-Up Flooring Retailer)
November 1, 2004... If you've stayed abreast of the previous articles in my Journal of a Start-Up Flooring Retailer series, you're likely well aware by now of how exhausting it is to establish a new business from scratch. But even once it's established, the work...

Consumers need to understand hardwood flooring's sometimes idiosyncratic behavior: seasonal humidity fluctuation is the culprit.(Wood or Wood Knot)(Column)
November 1, 2004... Every hardwood flooring installation is intended to provide today's consumer with an everlasting investment. Even Wall Street on its best day will fall short in this endeavor especially when compared to the purchase of a quality hardwood floor....

Dust containment for safety and health: floor-finishing tips.
November 1, 2004... Hand in hand with the increasing popularity of hardwood floors today is greater consumer demand for products and procedures used in the finishing process that are both environmentally responsible and safe for the homeowner and contractor alike....