Kissimmee, Fla.—While there are indications the worst is over and business is starting to grow for the first time in over three years, members belonging to the Alliance Flooring network of groups were urged to focus on controlling their destiny and leaving a positive mark for when things really do turn around for the better.
“How do we leave our mark as leaders for when business comes back?” asked Ron Dunn, co-CEO of Alliance, which consists of franchise groups Car-petsPlus Color Tile, Carpet-land Color Tile, Floorco and Color Tile Outlet. “There is encouraging news on what appears to be going on in retail—hopefully it is not just a tease.”
Nonetheless, he noted that when business starts picking up over the long haul, “there’s going to be challenges.” The reason? “A lot of people here have taken a lot of costs out of their business, but when does the downsizing stop and when should you start investing back?” Read the rest of this entry »

As the information age speeds up instant gratification for everything from product information to bus schedules, flooring takes a cue. Messy, time-consuming installation processes have become as easy as clicking a remote control with mechanical lock technology.
Innovation captures market share, particularly in this economy, and companies like Välinge, Pergo, Unilin and Wilsonart are concentrating efforts to that end. From crossovers to other flooring categories to the development of commercial-grade products, laminate-minded companies are expanding on technology and performance capabilities to grow like never before. Read the rest of this entry »

Hardwood prices are on the rise, and it’s a simple matter of basic economics—supply and demand—as it relates to raw materials.
Essentially, hardwood lumber prices have been increasing dramatically since August. While this was somewhat expected coming out of a recession, it is the extent of these price hikes that have manufacturers reeling. Some say prices are up as much as 50% since last winter.
“We have seen this happen in the past as the economy comes out of a recession, particularly in the mid 1990s and early 2000s,” said Daniel Call, vice president, wood product management, Arm-strong. “In the 2000s, there was a 40% run-up in hardwood lumber prices over an 18-month period, and in the mid-1990s they went up about 50% over the same period.” The issue, he said, is that this time around the rate of increase is much more steep. “In the last six months, the average is already up about 25%. It’s much faster than past recessions and it’s not done climbing.” Read the rest of this entry »

Kennesaw, Ga.—In a move that will ripple through the industry, Invista has entered into an exclusive partnership with Lowe’s, making it the only major home center allowed to offer Stainmaster carpet in North America.
The multi-year agreement affects all 1,700 Lowe’s stores, which will soon offer an expanded selection of Stainmaster carpet. Approximately 1,976 Home Depot and 252 Menards stores in the United States will no longer be able to carry the brand.
The deal does not affect specialty flooring dealers or other smaller chains and buying groups. “Stainmaster carpet styles will continue to be offered by local Stainmaster Flooring Centers and aligned dealers in the U.S. and Canada,” said Steve Griffith, vice president of Invista’s residential flooring segment. Read the rest of this entry »

Patchogue, N.Y.—Nationally known speaker and author Jim Ackerman will be coming to the Long Island Floor Covering Association (LIFCA) on March 16 for two educational events on marketing, advertising and sales.
The first session is an “intensive four-hour seminar,” noted Joe Bianculli, LIFCA’s president, and will take place in Plainview, Long Island, starting at 1 p.m.
Ackerman said the class “is loaded with powerful, profit-proven principles, strategies and easy-to-use tactics for helping you quickly and dramatically grow sales and profits.”
In the evening, LIFCA will host Ackerman for a 90-minute talk and dinner in Hicksville, Long Island, about business opportunities in the current economy. “I assure you there are answers,” he said. “I assure you I have some of them, and I am excited to join LIFCA to share the secrets of prosperity, even in these difficult times.”
Registration for the afternoon session is $150 ($75 for LIFCA members); the evening session is $100 ($50 for members). The fee for both events is $200 ($100 for members).
For more information or to register, call 631.617.5059.

Movement picking up more momentum as industry initiative readies for next phase

A major milestone was recently reached by the Carpet America Recov-ery Effort (CARE)—250 members—indicating the movement is starting to gain real traction after eight years of hard work to put the voluntary effort into place.
In fact, over the past year, CARE has seen its membership double from where it has been over the previous eight years.
A significant increase in membership is a celebrated achievement for any organization. CARE, which relies solely on membership dues for funding, is particularly gratified to its new members who have joined in the past year.
This membership increase has been due to additional carpet manufacturers joining the organization, and from CARE’s new Aligned Dealer Program (FCNews, Jan. 11/18). Read the rest of this entry »

Deerfield Beach, Fla.—Mapei has signed an agreement to participate in the Global ReLeaf program with American Forests, the nation’s oldest citizen-based environmental organization.
“Environmental care is a fundamental part of the company’s philosophy, of our corporate commitment and industrial re-sponsibility,” said Luigi Di Geso, president and CEO of Mapei Americas. “For this reason, Mapei works continuously on the development of products in aqueous dispersion formats and those which are solvent-free.”
Foremost in these efforts, he said, is the Ultrabond ECO line, a range of products with low VOC emissions for the installation of flooring materials of all types.
To celebrate the introduction of urethane wood adhesives into the Ultrabond ECO line, Mapei is contributing $1 from each pail sold in 2010 to plant a tree via the Global ReLeaf program. Read the rest of this entry »

Chesterfield, Mo.—The Na-tional Wood Flooring Associa-tion (NWFA) will hold its annual convention from March 22 to 25 at the Gaylord National Convention Center in Washing-ton, D.C. Members can expect four days of exhibits, educational sessions and motivating keynote speakers.
The organization anticipates as many as 2,500 attendees. “We’re expecting good, steady traffic and have learned over the years that reduced numbers does not necessarily mean a down show,” said Ed Korzcak, CEO and executive director, NWFA. “Generally when companies tighten their belts and send only a few employees, it is the decision makers they send, which means just as much business is conducted.” Read the rest of this entry »

Dalton—USFloors, a manufacturer of unique and sustainable floors—specifically cork, bamboo and hardwood—diversified its product portfolio even further at Surfaces 2010 by breaking into the luxury vinyl tile (LVT) category and taking the wraps off a waterproof floor. This was in addition to expanding its hardwood and bamboo lines as well as unveiling a new cork product.
Not only was the company pleased with the response, but it was also satisfied with the attendance. “We had steady action in our booth and the quality of attendees was high,” said Piet Dossche, president and CEO. “Over-all, there was general optimism for the coming year that could lead to the release of pent-up demand, which makes us optimistic for 2010.” Read the rest of this entry »

St. Louis—In accord with the financial times, the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) is offering a new financial service for members. With the help of financial management firm B2B CFO, NWFA is giving small to mid-market companies the chance to better understand and control their finances, said Ed Korczak, NWFA’s CEO and executive director.
B2B CFO is a firm geared toward helping start-up, small and mid-sized businesses find financial clarity and set goals. Founded in 1987, the part-time CFO company services 43 states in the U.S. and is a place to outsource a chief financial officer for companies without an in-house CFO.
Through the association, there are three main offerings, the first of which is a financial hotline. NWFA members can call 800.422.4556 with any fiscal related questions including but not limited to topics like profit margins, establishing pricing, bank relations, understanding working capital, budgeting and forecasting, employee compensation and strategic planning. This is a free service to NWFA members, according to Korczak. Read the rest of this entry »