floorcoveringnewsvolume 31/number 14 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I December 19/26, 2016 I $2.00

NE

WS

PA

PE

R

DALLAS—If one thing was madeclear at the Solutions conven-tion here recently, it’sMohawk’s unwaveringcommitment to thesuccess of its retailerpartners. From a bevyof new innovationsspanning the entiresoft and hard surfacespectrum to refresheddisplays and digitalmarketing tools,Mohawk is workinghard to help retailersachieve their goals in2017 and beyond.

The three-day eventincluded extensiveshowroom hours,Mohawk University ses-sions, product demosand information sessions—all ofwhich explored the company’snew solutions, products and tools.

To complement Mohawk’snew product introductions was avast showroom highlighting thecompany’s latest displays.

Showcasing both hard and softsurfaces, the displays are

Continued on page 24

Solutions

Mohawk arms itsaligned dealers withtools for success

Max the rhino tested the durability and cleanability of Mohawk’s SmartStrand Silk Reserve.

Latest WFCA initiatives aim to support independent retail members Since its founding in 1959,

the WFCA had offered membersa one-tier approach. But as TomJennings, vice president of pro-fessional development, said, “Itwas a one-size-fits-all approach,and you know the saying—‘onesize fits all fits nobody.’ We havesome smaller dealers and someindividuals whodon’t have thedemand andneed for someof the serviceswe offer.”

Conversely, the WFCA haslarge dealer members whorequire the full menu of servic-es the association offers. Thethree levels, created under agood/better/best model, arecalled Sustaining ($295 peryear), Leader ($495) andAdvocate ($795).

Sustaining members haveaccess to all entry-level options,including signage on WFCAdealer locator, WFCA tradescholarship reimbursement, theassociation’s FinancialBenchmarking Report, WFCAUniversity, Public Affairs,Savings4Members business

services, compli-mentary accessto legal and busi-ness primers, a20% discount

on fcB2B programs and addi-tional scholarship reimburse-ments.

Leader level members get allthe Sustaining level benefits, aswell as unrestricted trade schol-arship reimbursements up to$500 and a 25% discount onfcB2B services.

Retailers at the Advocate

DALTON—The World FloorCovering Association (WFCA)has announced a series of initia-tives designed to benefit inde-pendent dealers. Chief amongthem is a three-tiered member-ship structure tailored to meettheir specific business needs.

level receive all the precedingbenefits as well as a 30% fcB2Bdiscount, CFI associate mem-bership, a 20% discount on allWFCA/CFI training programs,CFI technical services support,access to the CFI installer data-base and a company listing oncfiinstallers.org. The scope andbenefits of the WFCA AssociateMembership program will notchange under the new member-ship initiative.

“If somebody is serious abouttheir business and intends to usethe services, then the [Advocate]is the best one and works out tobe the cheapest,” Jenningsexplained. Perhaps the best serv-ice in the Advocate program, henoted, is access to CFI technicalservices, which is a hotline toCFI installers. “If [a dealer’s]

Snap a photo with yourSmartphone to link to ourfeatured site.

Year in review

The year 2016 was a wild one. Aside fromfeeling the effects of one of the most con-tentious and divisive Presidential elections

in the history of U.S. politics, retailers had tocontend with other pressing issues as well: atepid economic recovery, a ho-hum housingmarket, natural disasters and the impact of tum-bling oil prices on industry and wages. Despiteall that, many retailers told FCNews they feeloptimistic about the year as a whole as well as

the future of the country under a new adminis-tration.

Headlines that made the news include:Armstrong’s decision to separate its flooring andceiling operations along with its reversion toserve CCA through distribution; a new distribu-tion consortium emerges to challenge the tradi-tional wholesale model; and Shaw’s purchase ofUSFloors.

Complete highlights begin on page 12.

FCNEWS REVISITS THEUPS AND DOWNS OF 2016

By Lindsay Baillie

By Ken Ryan

Continued on page 15

floorcoveringnewsvolume 31/number 6 I fcnews.net I the publication more

retailers prefer I September 5, 2016 I $2.00NEWSPAPER

As the summer comes to a

close, retailers are

already looking to the

fall selling season and beyond.

After the rollercoast-

er ride of the first

three quarters, many

dealers are feeling

optimistic that 2016

will end on a high

note. Dan Mandel,

owner of Sterling

Carpet and Flooring

in Anaheim, Calif.,

described the first

eight months of 2016

as “evolving.” He is

confident the indus-

try has stabilized and

expects that growth will contin-

ue. “We are optimistic that the

rest of this year will be strong

and our forecasts for next year

look very promising as well. We

want to keep this going for as

long as we can.”Mandel is counting on hot

products to contribute to that

growth. From a category-specific

standpoint, he has seen a major

shift from soft to hard goods.

“Our business has really

changed this year, and we are

focusing more on luxury vinyl

Continued on page 10Continued on page 12

By Ken Ryan

Despite generally favorable e

conomic trends, the U.S. res-

idential carpet market has failed to gain any apprecia

ble

traction in the first eight months of 2016. The decidin

g

factors are not always evident: While the growth of hard su

r-

faces has certainly played a role in shrinking broadloo

m’s share,

there is vibrancy in the upper end of the market as m

ills push

MILLS SEE PATH

TO GROWTH VIA

STYLE, FASHION

Retail roundup

Dealers seek to finish the year on a high note

By Reginald Tucker

IN THIS ISSUE

FCNews taps newassistant editorPAGE 3

Exclusive interview:Karen MendelsohnPAGE 8

WPC overview:What’s new, improvedPAGE 14

Romancing ceramic,natural stoneTechnological advancements

are taking ceramic visuals and

textures to higher heights.

PAGE 16

Nebraska Furniture Mart is banking

on its massive inventory and high-traffic

locations to drive business.

Shaw’s ‘Doors Open’ style is 100% nylon and fea

tures the

company’s R2X technology for stain and soil resi

stance.

SPOTLIGHT

FCNews exclusive

Bravo: Distribution group poised to make its mar

k

ed supply products.

Until recently, Bravo Services

LLC (bravoservices.com) has

preferred to go to market quietly

while wielding a

very influential

stick in the mar-

ketplace. In

November 2015,

John Carney was

hired as executive

director with the task of taking

this consortium of master dis-

tributors to the next level.

“What he is starting to look

at are areas where we can use

our combined strengths and

knowledge,” said John Sher,

president of Adleta, a Bravo dis-

tributor based in Carrollton,

Texas. “He will drill down on

those things that will help not

simply the members but those

we buy from and sell to. We are,

in short, asking John Carney to

give us direction.”

Bravo Services was estab-

lished in 2000 by

12 U.S. master

flooring distribu-

tors with the idea

that one voice

could better serve

their customers,

leveraging their collective

strengths in sales, purchasing,

operations, logistics and trans-

portation.Soon thereafter, Shnier an

d

Buckwold Western were added

from Canada to form a North

American consortium of 14

master distributors whose sales

and service capabilities span all

50 U.S. states, 10 Canadian

provinces and three territories.

They comprise 14 of the

floor covering industry’s

most successful distribu-

tors, including top-ranked

Haines. Collectively they repre-

sent more than $2 billion in

annual sales of flooring and relat-

By Ken Ryan

Continued on page 20

The geographic footprint of

Bravo allows it to service floor-

ing retailers swiftly and effi-

ciently across North America,

often within 24 hours of order

date. Ed duDomaine, president

and CEO, Gesco/Shnier,

Canada’s largest floor covering

distributor located in

Brampton, Ontario, said the

size of the organization allows

it to leverage its assets and scale

in order to derive benefits for

each of its 14 members. “But

make no mistake, the benefits

don’t come to the group unless

they are realized first and fore-

most by its customers.”

Bravo has taken on the

responsibility of being a third-

party warehouse for its cus-

tomers, incurring virtually all

Carpet: State of the industry

Scan this QR code with your

smartphone to link to our fea-

tured site.

NEWSPAPER

40 Best practices for hiring

42 What’s in a name

48 Shop at home

52 Making most of business cards

55 Benefits of non-alignment

56 Digital marketing

22 Changing with the times

30 Retraining salespeople

32 Pros/cons of commissioned RSAs

34 Overcoming election year challenges

36 Selling to different customer types

38 Competing against big boxes

TAKING AIM AT

2016Retailers share successful strategies

volume 30/number 15 I fcnews.net I the industry’s preferred publication I January 18/25, 2016 I $2.00floorcoveringnews

fcnews December 19/26, 2016 I 3news

( IN THE NEWS)Floors & More buying grouphires VP of operations AUBURN, MASS.—Floors & More has appointedJeff Spirer, a 29-year industry veteran, to theposition of vice presi-dent of operationsand membership.Spirer brings a wealth of knowledge that willenhance Floors & More’s position in the floor-ing, kitchen and bath retail industry.

In this new position, Spirer—who mostrecently served as vice president of Beaulieu ofAmerica—will develop and build a team to findnew members, as well as lead member servicesactivities to keep the current membership wellinformed.

“[Spirer] is incredibly bright, hard workingand dedicated, which will allow us to morequickly realize our goals as a company,” saidVinnie Virga, CEO and founder.

INSTALL names winner of 2016CIM scholarship awardGLASSBOBO, N.J.—John Kasper of Groome FloorCoverings in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada,is the winner of the 2016 INSTALL CertifiedInstallation Manager (CIM) Scholarship. The$1,225 award provides the opportunity forKasper to complete the CIM training.

“We are delighted to continue our partner-ship with INSTALL to elevate installation man-agers’ skills through the scholarship program,”said Kelly Fuller, director of education, FlooringContractors Association (FCICA). “It speaks toINSTALL and its members’ commitment toimproving industry standards and their skill sets.”

Judges for the scholarship program includ-ed Fuller as well as John McGrath, executivedirector of INSTALL, and Tom Lutz, marketingdirector of the Michigan Regional Council ofCarpenters and director of INSTALL Michigan.

Kasper, a dispatcher with responsibility for15 installers, said, “Through this opportunity Iwill be able to improve my skill set to bettermeet project management needs of the jour-neymen as well as my company as a whole.”

The CIM scholarship program was devel-oped to provide installation managers withcontinued training and professional develop-ment opportunities.

NAFCD, NBMDA announcecooperative discount programCHICAGO–The North American Association ofFloor Covering Distributors (NAFCD) announcedthat as an added member benefit, all NAFCD

members could nowreceive a 50% discounton membership in the

North American Building Material DistributionAssociation (NBMDA) for a limited time. As partof the reciprocal agreement, NBMDA will beoffering a 50% discount on NAFCD membershipdues to all NBMDA members who join NAFCD.The new agreement is expected to grow mem-bership for both organizations and furthercements their long-time partnership.

“NAFCD and NBMDA are highly comple-mentary organizations, and there is growinginterest in firms belonging to both associationsas distributors continue to diversify their prod-uct mix,” said Kevin Gammonley, executive vicepresident, NAFCD.

CALHOUN, GA.—Mollie Surratt, seniordirector of public relations, social mediaand content marketing at Mohawk, hasbeen awarded PR News’ PR PeopleAward in the Digital CommunicationsLeader of the Year category.

The PR People Award presented byPR News celebrates the professionalsbehind the best PR and marketingcampaigns of the past year. Awardswere presented on Dec. 6 at the PRNews winter awards luncheon at theNational Press Club in Washington,D.C.

“We congratulate Mollie Surratt onthis well-earned recognition,” said EliseDemboski, vice president of creativeservices. “Mollie has helped developone of the most successful digital strate-gies in the flooring industry. Mohawk isthe largest flooring manufacturer in the

world, and it is people like Mollie whogive us strength in not only our marketingapproach but in our value to our aligned

retail partners.”Surratt is a pioneer in the practice of

strategic public relations in the flooring

SEATTLE—The International LivingFuture Institute has created Declare, a“nutrition label” of sorts for products thatprovides a clear, elegant and informative,third-party verified method to disclose aproduct’s ingredients. The first product toachieve a third-party verified Declarelabel (Declare 3PV) is the modular carpetline rEvolve, made by ManningtonCommercial.

Verified by GreenCircle Certified,rEvolve is a modular carpet backing sys-tem that combines with nylon 6,6 ornylon 6 yarn to create a vinyl alternative.It is constructed using non-vinyl thermo-plastic polyolefin containing a minimumof 35% recycled content by total productweight with a minimum of 10% post-con-sumer material.

“GreenCircle has always supportedILFI’s mission and is proud to be a third-party verifier for the Declare program,”said Annie Bevan, vice president of certi-fication services for GreenCircleCertified. “Our third-party verificationadds additional trust and transparency tothe Declare process.”

Mannington appreciates the recogni-tion. “Our company is committed todoing business in a way that respects thetransparency our cus-tomers are seeking,” saidDave Kitts, vice president,environment. “In additionto energy and environ-mental impacts, Declaremakes it easy for us to alsoshare information abouthealth and well being.Third-party validationunderscores that our com-mitment is far reaching.”

Consumers and speci-fiers alike are increasing-ly looking for transparen-cy in products, whether itis to verify point of origin,understand environmen-tal impacts or becausethey want to eliminateexposure to toxic ingredi-ents. That’s why the International LivingFuture Institute created Declare, a“nutrition label” of sorts for products

Mohawk’s Surratt receives coveted public relations award

that provides a clear, elegant andinformative method to disclose a prod-uct’s ingredients.

Originally envisionedas a voluntary program toaccelerate transparency inthe market as quickly aspossible, Declare nowprovides product manu-facturers the option for anadditional level of confi-dence—third-party vali-dation from trusted,impartial verifiers.

“Declare is designedto transform the buildingmaterials marketplacethrough transparency andopen communication,”said James Connelly,director of the LivingProduct Challenge for theInstitute. “We are chang-ing the built environment

one label at a time. These efforts are lead-ing to a transformation across the build-ing industry.”

Mannington earns industry honorsrEvolve product receives first third-party Declare Label certification

Mollie Surratt, center, senior director of public relations, social media and content marketing, Mohawk.

TIGARD, ORE.—Steve Frazier, the longtime director of market-ing for Contract Furnishings Mart (CFM), is retiring at the endof the year. “Frazier,” as he is known to most, has been theface of CFM for the past 20 years, helping build the companyfrom one location with six employees in Portland, Ore., tonow 13 branches throughout the Pacific Northwest and 145employees.

Bill Cogdall, CFM founder, hired Frazier in 1996 with thesimple instruction to “grow our business.” Frazier soonturned “this is how we grow” into his own signature line,which he repeated after every successful company event heput on.

Frazier, who is pictured here at a retirement dinner thecompany recently held for him, realized early on the impor-tance of participating in industry associations and support-ing local community causes. Today, CFM is active in 26industry groups.

( SNAPSHOT)Steve Frazier, longtime CFM marketing director, retires

industry. Under her public relationsleadership, Mohawk has enjoyed anabundant increase in media coverage.In addition to the PR People Award, shehas been recognized by the PublicRelations Society of America (PRSA)for her leadership on several communi-cations and public relations projects.Surratt joined Mohawk in 2013.

“Mohawk is known for its industry-leading innovation, its commitment tocommunity and its dedication to pro-ducing better and more beautiful prod-ucts,” Demboski added. “Mollieexhibits these same qualities in herstrategic planning and leadership. Shebrings new ideas to the table—alwaysseeks a quality fit for her campaigns—and as a devoted mother and wife, sheis committed to the well being of hercommunity.”

4 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roofSomeone laying some carpet he called bulletproof.As I drew out my head, and started to talk,Down the chimney he came with a shirt that said Mohawk.

This man called Lape claimed it the best carpet brandI knew in an instant it must be SmartStrand.Strong as an ox and soft as silkThere really is nothing else of its ilk.

One moment later someone else appearedHe was chubby and plump with a big white beard.He whispered to me, “I must confessCarpet is great but I prefer Anso Caress.”

He started talking PET, polyester and suchHe put in my stocking something called ClearTouch.He told me I’d find this carpet to be without flaw,What would you expect from a company like Shaw.

Out the window I saw a man of about 84I knew in an instant I’d seen him before.He’s made many impacts like opening storesAnd he continues today with Engineered Floors.

He keeps a low profile but still goes to work,The industry’s Goliaths he continues to irk.I have to say I’ve become a believer,The technology is PureColor, the brand Dreamweaver.

They all sprang to their sleighs, to their teams gave a holler,And away they all flew seeking out their next dollar.But I heard them exclaim as they drove out of sight,"Happy holidays to all, and to all a good night."

I want to wish all our readers a happy and healthy holiday seasonand a profitable 2017.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through our houseWe were thanking our advertisers, their support we can’t do without. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,For those who excel at marketing stand to gain the most share.

CEOs were nestled all snug in their bedsWhile visions of profits danced in their heads.Lorberbaum, Grizzle, Maier and BellWith plans for 2017 as a year to excel.

Then out on the lawn there seemed a clatter,I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.Away to the window to see what was wrong,Tore open the shutters and saw Jim Augustus Armstrong.

He was giving a webinar on the new-fallen snowTeaching floor covering dealers all they needed to know.When, what to my wondering eyes who else should appear?My good friend Piet Dossche, a true pioneer.

He was counting his millions after selling to ShawAn under-the-radar deal that was met with awe.I wonder if he got it all in one checkAll because of an innovation he called CORETec.

Once cork and bamboo, now WPC is his forteSo today one company owns both COREtec and Floorte.But some have made the choice to ignoreThey instead will focus on what’s next: rigid core.

That’s not to say LVT is old newsBut innovative products are what consumers will choose.While some turn their attention to what they call next-genWe’re still big fans of DuraCeramic, LockSolid and Vivero withDiamond 10.

Another man was frolicking so lively and quick,I knew in a moment it must be Mike Blick.He was up from Florida now semi-retired,Playing golf and living the life he’s always desired.

You never know who will visit on Christmas Eve

my take

Steven Feldman

floorcoveringnews

Copyright 2016 by Roel Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Material in thispublication may not be reproduced in any form withoutwritten permission from the publisher. The opinionsexpressed by columnists do not neces-sarily reflect the views of management.Single copy $2 U.S. subscriptions$25/yr. Canadian subscriptions $50 U.S./yr. Foreign viaair $200 U.S./yr,foreign via surface $100 U.S./yr. Printed in the U.S.A.

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Getting social with fcnews

fcnews December 19/26, 2016 I 5

JOHNSON CITY, TENN.—MullicanFlooring has partnered withScott Brothers Entertainmentas the exclusive hardwood floor-ing provider for their newestHGTV show, “Brothers TakeNew Orleans.”

The program is a new four-episode series featuring twinbrothers, business partners andco-stars Drew and JonathanScott. Drew is a seasoned realestate agent, while Jonathan is alicensed building contractor.The new show shadows the duoas they challenge one another toa residential renovation compe-

tition on a dilapidated two-unit,double-shotgun home in NewOrleans, which suffered exten-sive storm damage fromHurricane Katrina. With a time-line of four weeks and a budgetof $100,000, the duo will com-pete to restore the historicalhome to its original beauty.

“Mullican Flooring isdelighted to extend our partner-ship with HGTV to this newseries,” says Neil Poland, presi-dent, Mullican Flooring. “Weare honored to participate in theongoing, positive transforma-tion of the New Orleans com-

munity. Mullican has a historyof assisting communities withtheir relief and rebuild effortsfollowing a catastrophe, andwe’re pleased to play a role inthe continued rebuilding of thisextraordinary city.”

The show’s first episode,“Welcome to The Big Easy,”aired Nov. 23. The episode fea-tured a residential renovationproject that includes the instal-lation of engineered hardwoodflooring from Mullican’s newMount Castle Collection. OnJonathan’s 1,298-square-footside of the home, viewers were

Mullican exclusive supplier for HGTV program introduced to the 9⁄16-inchMount Castle Oak Ivory, whileDrew’s 1,227-square-foot por-tion features the 5⁄8-inch MountCastle Oak Natural.

A leading manufacturer ofquality hardwood floors,Mullican also recently renewedits commitment as the exclusivehardwood flooring provider forHGTV’s top-rated show,“Property Brothers,” (also co-hosted by the Scott Brothers)following a successful ninth sea-son that showcased productsfrom a number of the company’shardwood flooring collections.

news

L illian Rosenstock Roth-berg, co-founder ofLaticrete, passed away

Nov. 27. She was 91.Those who knew Rothberg

said she was the inspiration forthe values instilled in the family-owned company. She co-foundedLaticrete in 1956 with her latehusband, Dr. Henry Rothberg,who died in 2014. While oversee-ing office and administrativefunctions in support of her hus-band’s efforts to raise the bar intile and stone adhesives, she alsomaintained a home and raisedseven children.

Lillian and Dr. Rothbergwere married in 1946 and movedfrom Connecticut to SouthCarolina. Over the next decade,the couple—along with Dr.Rothberg’s two brothers—built asuccessful floor covering and fur-niture business. In 1956, hemoved his family back toConnecticut to be near one ofthe leading firms in syntheticrubber manufacturing, the USRubber Company (Uniroyal) ofNaugatuck. Working closely withthem, he developed the firstcommercially accepted, latex-modified adhesives for thininstallations of ceramic tile andstone, which was brandedLaticrete. With his wife as busi-ness partner, ProductDevelopment Company (laternamed Laticrete) was founded toturn the vision of a radical instal-lation method into the reality ofa global industry standard.

Outside of her professionallife, she was known for her keeninsights into human nature, pas-sionate concern for sociopoliticaljustice and love of literature. Sheand her husband took pleasure ininspiring young members oftheir growing family to achievegreat things. Their devotion tomentorship and education ledthem to contribute 20 scholar-ships to Dr. Henry Rothberg’salma mater, the University ofSouth Carolina’s School ofChemical Engineering.

Rothberg is survived by herseven children, Irene Rothberg,Henry B. Rothberg, DavidRothberg, Deborah Rothberg,Celia Meadow, Dr. JonathanRothberg, Michael Rothberg, 19grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Lillian RosenstockRothberg, 91

6 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

( CALENDAR)

D o you have at least twoyears of experience asthe lead installer setting

ceramic tile on a full-timebasis? In our definition, experi-ence refers to having fullresponsibility for substrateprep, layout, coordinating withother trades along with prop-erly installing underlayment,tile, grouting and sealant mate-rials.

If the answers to thosequestions are yes, then youshould consider becoming aCertified Tile Installer (CTI).The CTI designation identifiesthe professional installer whohas reached a level of proficien-cy to independently and consis-tently produce asound tile installa-tion that displaysgood workman-ship. Certificationis the validation ofthe skills and knowl-edge of the men and womenwho presently are installing tilesuccessfully in the UnitedStates.

The CTI program includestwo separate tests. The first isan online, open-book examtaken at home or the office asthe installer’s schedule allows.The second is a hands-on testthat is conducted at regionallocations across the UnitedStates. The hands-on portion ofthe test begins at 7 a.m. andmust be completed by 4 p.m.Installers should arrive at 6:30a.m. in order to get their toolsset up and be ready to start atthe appointed time.

The CTI program is strictlya test of the installer’s skills andknowledge and offers noinstructional classes. However,many installers who have com-pleted the CTI tests have saidthat reading and studying thewritten materials was veryvaluable and also assisted inthe completion of the hands-

on test. Installers have alsosaid the CTI Manual providedthe correct methods for tileinstallation, which may nothave been the way theyinstalled tile in the past. It’sworth noting that the CTI pro-gram is the only third-partyassessment of installer skill andknowledge recognized by thetile industry.

The CTI hands-on test isbeing offered at TheInternational Surfaces event(TISE) 2017 in Las Vegas onWednesday, Jan. 18, andThursday, Jan. 19. It is spon-sored by the Ceramic TileEducation Foundation (CTEF),which provides education and

installer certificationfor professionalsworking in theceramic tile andstone industry.

CTEF also offersthe Advanced

Certifications for Tile Installers(ACT). In order to take theACT certification tests, aninstaller must be pre-qualifiedby either being a CTI or a jour-neyman tile setter who has suc-cessfully completed the appren-ticeship program conducted bythe International Union ofBricklayers and AlliedCraftworkers (IUBAC).

ACT certification in eacharea is granted upon successfulcompletion of a written onlinetest designed to measure theinstaller’s understanding ofapplicable ANSI specificationsand TCNA recommendedmethods, and a field test con-ducted by trained, third-partyevaluators who assess theinstaller’s skills under real lifeconditions.

Registration is easy: Simplyvisit https://www.ceramictile-foundation.org/events, selectthe test date of your choice,make your payment and waitfor your study materials.

AL’S COLUMN

TISE offers certified training in tile

educating the industry (RETAILERS REACT)

?

““““

“Through November ourcommercial sales divisionis up just over 54% ondelivered sales. This isdirectly attributable tolarge healthcare and military projects.

“2016 started out great for us all the way up until September. From September, and leading up to the elections, foot traffic

slowed down. The election seems to have been the reason for that.Things have picked up since, and despite the slowdown we

are still hoping to have our best year ever.

—Dave Snedeker, Nebraska Furniture Mart

Omaha, Neb.

—Brad Millner, FlooringAmerica YumaYuma, Ariz.

—A.J. Boyajian, A.J. Rose Carpets & FlooringBurlington, Mass.

“ “

“ “

2016 was a tough year for retail in Houston. A lot of that is due to the continued low price for a barrel of oil.

The unusually ugly and uncivilized election was also unhelpful. It was a mixed-bag year for Roberts Carpet & Fine Floors, and

we will end the year with a small increase over 2015.

2016 has had some very promising months and a few months that were just plain flat. The second quarter felt like the economy was finally starting to improve, then July, August and early September were equal to the last three years. Starting in October we have seen

improvement again. Overall it will be a better year than 2015.

—Greg Miller, Henry’s Floor CoveringGreencastle, Pa.

—Sam Roberts,Roberts Carpet & Fine Floors, Houston

Flooring retailers reported a slowdown in business leading up to the Presidential

election but a strong finish to 2016 in general.

Howwould yousum up2016 froma businessstandpoint

2016 was a very successful yearfor Nebraska Furniture Mart.We had a double-digit increasein flooring and growth in all ourmain categories of carpet, rugs

and hard surfaces.

( REMEMBER WHEN...)

Jan. 11-14The Atlanta International Area Rug Market AmericasMart, AtlantaContact: 800.285.6278;americasmart.com

Jan. 17-20The International Surface Event Mandalay Bay ConventionCenter, Las Vegas, Nev.Contact: 224.563.3145/866.860.1975;registration@TISEwest.comtisewest.com/register

Jan. 23-24Flooring America/FlooringCanada Winter convention, PhoenixConvention Center, Phoenix.Contact: 314.506.0000;ccaglobalpartners.com

Jan. 25-26Carpet OneWinter convention, PhoenixConvention Center, Phoenix.Contact: 314.506.0000;ccaglobalpartners.com

Feb.8-10Abbey Carpet & FloorConventionOmni Atlanta Hotel, AtlantaContact: Glenn Phillips,800.873.2223gphillips@abbeycarpet.net

Feb. 24-28CarpetsPlus/ColorTile Annual convention, MarriottMarquis, Atlanta.Contact: 770.528.0222;carpetspluscolortile.info

March 4-8FCICAAnnual convention, SanAntonio, Texas.Contact: 877.TOFCICA;fcica.com

March 5-8Fuse AllianceAnnual conference, HyattRegency Downtown, Austin,Texas.Contact: 888.586.1198;fusealliance.com

Long before COREtecbecame the hitproduct in USFloors’portfolio, thecompany touted itsgreen offerings suchas cork and bamboo.Pictured in this June2003 photo is PietDossche, thenpresident of USFloors,showcasing some ofthe company’s greenflooring solutions.Dossche is nowpresident/CEO ofUSFloors.

BY SCOTT CAROTHERS

Scott Carothers, a 36-year ceramic tile industry veteran, isdirector of certification and training at CTEF. He is respon-sible for creating the Certified Tile Installer program and isinvolved in creating the Advanced Certifications for TileInstallers program and providing training to others. He hasserved as president of the NTCA, chairman of the NTCATechnical Committee and was named NTCA Tile Person ofthe Year in 2005 and Ring of Honor recipient in 2013.

8 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

employees who have the skillsthat match the new customers,which includes computerknowledge. The problem withhiring older employees is theirlack of computer skills andunderstanding the attitudes ofthe younger generation.”

Like Romano, Calandrinooffers a few proven tips on howretailers can nurture (and evenretain) this important demo-graphic:

•Provide educational oppor-tunities as often as possible.Gen Y is well educated andbelieves in learning and achiev-ing. Instead of having a boss,they are more likely to want tobe part of the process and wouldappreciate having a coach tohelp them achieve.

•Since they are team orient-ed, getting along with others is apriority. They want to collabo-rate and learn from others ontheir teams. They will workhard to make sure the team con-cept is efficient.

•They don’t expect to stay

This FCNews Retail Educationseries, sponsored by 3M, isdesigned to help specialty retailersbuild their business throughproven merchandising and mar-keting strategies as well as generalbest practices.

For Majorie Benson,owner of Friendly Floors,the key to hiring the right

salesperson lies in findingsomeone who is sincere. “Ibelieve sincerely wanting tomatch a product and installa-tion type to a consumer’s wantsand needs is the key to a suc-cessful, full-service flooringbusiness. I don’t hire ‘salespeo-ple’ types; I don’t want anyoneon our team who has the ten-dency to sell whatever is mostadvantageous to his or her ownpocket rather than what is bestfor the customer.”

Billy Mahone III, AtlasFloors Carpet One in SanAntonio, takes a similarapproach. “Over the years wehave put more of an emphasison interpersonal skills and pro-fessionalism and less on indus-try-specific experience. We havefound that you can teach newhires the floor covering busi-ness, but you can’t teach some-one to have a customer-centricattitude.”

On the other hand, at A.J.Rose Carpets & Flooring inBurlington, Mass., experience isa non-negotiable requirement.“We look for solid selling skillsand being able to connect withpeople. People like to buy fromsomeone they trust, so it isessential for our salespeople tobe likable and connect withpeople.”

Experts in the field of hiring,

training and recruiting believethe onus lies on the person orpeople making the hiring deci-sions—not on the candidate.David Romano, founder ofRomano Consulting Group andBenchmarkinc, advises retailersto follow a tried-and-true for-mula for not only hiring theright candidates but also retain-ing them if they turn out to be agood fit.

Step 1: Create an interviewagenda; Step 2: Zero in on thecandidate; and Step 3: Decidewhat to ask. While Step 1 isrudimentary and self explanato-ry, Steps 2 & 3 allow the inter-viewer to really drill down andget inside the interviewee’shead. “Before asking the firstinterview question, review thejob description—especially thehiring criteria as well as every-thing the interviewee has sub-mitted (i.e., résume, cover let-ter, online profile). This allowsyou to hone in on what you’relooking for in a candidate.”

This step, according toRomano, reveals informationabout the candidate’s back-ground, work experience andskill level. More importantly, itgives the interviewer the chanceto clarify what they learnedfrom the résume, profile or evenprevious interviews. “It pro-vides a general sense of the can-didate’s overall intelligence,aptitude and enthusiasm/atti-tude and whether he/she fits thejob. It also provides the capabil-ity to evaluate a candidate’smotivation to tackle job respon-sibilities, desire to join the com-pany and the ability to integrateinto the current work team.”

Above all else, Romanostrongly recommends owners orhiring managers pay carefulattention to the candidate’s

responses. “Don’t rehearse yournext question in your mind.Although you have your ques-tions written down, don’t hesi-tate to veer from those if youwant to reword or follow up onsomething, or even eliminatequestions that were already cov-ered.”

Broaden your horizons Some experts recommendretailers take the recruiting/hir-ing process a step further by tak-ing generational considerationsinto account. Just ask LisbethCalandrino, who for the past 20years has been consulting retail-ers on everything from hiring,training and recruiting to mar-keting and designing show-rooms. With respect to hiringand training, she believes it’simportant to focus on millenni-als as potential employees asthey represent the future.

“Companies used to rely onhiring salespeople who werewell versed in flooring; thesedays, companies are looking for

with one job until retirement.This group is considered mobileand is willing to move to anoth-er job if possible. They aren’t astied down as their predecessors.

•Take advantage of theirtechnological talent. Manycompanies are struggling withtheir social media presence.Since this is pretty much secondnature to millennials, learn asmuch as you can from them andput the strategies to work.

•Provide as much flexibilityas possible. These employeesare talented and capable ofworking alone. They are clearabout their positions. They tendto be very home and family ori-ented.

Regardless of the strategy orapproach, at the end of the dayyou have to hire based on theneeds of the business and themarket dynamics in your area.As Romano states: “Alwaysfocus on your business needsduring your interview process,and you’ll find the best new hiretime after time.”

S P O N S O R E D B Y R E T A I L E D U C A T I O N

Tried-and-true practices for recruiting, hiring and training

By Reginald Tucker

Hiring managers are encouraged to ‘go off script’during the interview process so as not to lose out onopportunities to ask critical follow-up questions.

10 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnewsresilient

Anatomy of a winning product

E a r t h W e r k s : P a r k h i l lThe EarthWerks Parkhill premium WPC collection hasbeen expanded to include six new SKUs of embossed inregister 7 x 48 planks featuring a 20 mil wearlayer aswell as six new 12 x 24 tiles. Suited to fit any décor,whether it’s residential or commercial, the Parkhill linefeatures 2G click installation and Tuff Shield for addeddurability.

Noval is: NovaCore, NovaCore XLNovaCore was introduced by Novalis as a high-perform-ance core (HPC) plank under licensed technology fromUnilin and USFloors. NovaCore is made in standard 6 x 48planks, and NovaCore XL comes in 9 x 60 planks. Bothhave 10-year light commercial and limited lifetime resi-dential warranties. NovaClic Fd technology aims to easeinstallation and conforms to irregular subfloors.

S h a w : F l o o r t eThe innovative flooring line uses high-definition printingfor a hardwood or tile look that is highly authentic. ItsFold N Go locking system is precision-engineered for aneasy installation. Its waterproof qualities make it idealfor high-moisture areas like basements, bathrooms andmudrooms. Floorté has been expanded with two newplatforms: Alto and Valore.

U S F l o o r s : CO R E t e c P l u s USFloors made its entry into LVT with COREtec and has since emergedas the pioneer in the burgeoning category of WPC. Recent iterationsinclude COREtec Plus, essentially a hybrid floor that combines the bestfeatures of LVT with the best features of laminate. COREtec Plus fea-tures a 1.5mm wear layer of virgin LVT, a 5 mm core structure, and a1.5mm attached cork underlayment for an overall thickness of 8mm.

D uC h â t e a u :A me r i c a n Gu i l d P r em i u m V i n y l American Guild, a new line of luxury vinyl plank and tile flooring fromDuChâteau, captures the natural beauty of wood and stone. Available ina variety of trendy visuals, the collection offers distinct colors, texturesand patterning in a durable, low-maintenance resilient flooring option.In addition, DuChâteau launches the Sovereign Edition (from the AtelierSeries), which features EIR technology and a ceramic-reinforced finish.

S ome products tout high-performance capabilities such as water-proof attributes and resistance to scuffing, scratching and heavy foottraffic. Others, meanwhile, focus on aesthetics—be they visuals that

aim to replicate natural materials such as wood and stone, or more abstractdesigns that draw their influences from art and geometry. These productsrun the gamut from more recent introductions to the resilient category to

existing products that have evolved and improved over time.The common denominator across the vast majority of these resilient

flooring products is the impact they have had on a category that contin-ues to reinvent itself through innovation and imagination.

Following are some examples of the qualities that define winningproducts.

fcnews December 19/26, 2016 I 11

A r m s t r o n g : V i v e r oThe award-winning Vivero luxury flooring featurespatent-pending Diamond 10 Technology for optimaldurability. The floor planks are 100% waterproof, are petand family friendly and easy to clean. Vivero offers twoflexible installation options and features the patentedIntegriLock System. Vivero offers four collections—Rustics, Exotics, Traditional and Stones.

A m o r i m :H y d r o C o r kAmorim, makers of the Wicandersbrand, recently took the wraps offHydroCork, an innovative productline that couples the top benefits ofboth LVT and WPC. UtilizingCorktech technology, HydroCorkfloors provide enhanced perform-ance acoustics that facilitate up to53% noise reduction. It also offersthermal qualities.

B ea u f l o r : P u r eBeauflor’s Pure plank and tile col-lection offers easy maintenance,exceptional sound absorption, is100% recyclable, 100% waterproofand features a polyurethane finishfor long-lasting protection. It caneasily withstand heavy loads andhigh traffic areas. Pure also incor-porates DreamClick, a 360° lockingsystem that is one of the strongestin the LVT market.

M o h a w k : S o l i d T e c hMohawk launches SolidTech, a luxury vinyl product thatcombines the strength and visual of real hardwood withthe durability and cleanability of luxury vinyl tile or lami-nate. Featuring thick, rigid construction, SolidTechplanks look and feel just like real hardwood. They are50% denser than average composite core flooring soSolidTech planks will not telegraph visual imperfections.

C o n g o l e um : D u r a C e r a m i cDuraCeramic, one of Congoleum’s legacy products, con-tinues to draw attention among consumers and through-out the industry. According to the company, the line wasranked the No. 1 hard surface product by ConsumerReports. DuraCeramic is not your run-of-the-mill LVTproduct. It is made with a limestone composite base andfortified with a polymeric resin for stability.

into the commercial space, usingthe J+J brand name and saleschannels to continue its growth.

Engineered Floors’ initialforay into the commercial mar-ket came a few months ago withthe announcement of its siteselection process for a state-of-the-art carpet tile facility inNorthwest Georgia.

Plans for this facility will beon the same scale and magnitudeas the other Engineered Floorsproduction sites in the area,according to James Lesslie, exec-utive vice president of sales andmarketing. Lesslie added that thenew production facility will giveEngineered Floors the flexibilityto manufacture a broad range ofother flooring products as well.

By Ken Ryan

DA LT O N—En g i n e e r e dFloors will acquire J+JIndustries, a move thatfurther strengthensEngineered Floors’ positionin the commercial market.

The closing is expectedto be finalized on or beforeFeb. 29 pending regulatoryand shareholder approvals.Once completed, themerged entity will employmore than 2,500 people andinclude over 4 millionsquare feet of manufactur-ing space, according to companyofficials.

“For over 60 years J+JIndustries has demonstratedstrong support for northwestGeorgia while producing com-mercial carpets of outstandingquality,” said Bob Shaw, chair-man of Engineered Floors.“They are a perfect fit to com-plement our residentiallyfocused manufacturing busi-ness.”

As such, Engineered Floorsplans to operate J+J as a separate,commercial division of the com-pany. J+J operates a 950,000-square-foot plant that also servesas its current headquarters.

Engineered Floors and J+Jshare similar values of commit-

ment to their employees, cus-tomers and communities. JimJolly, chairman of J+J, noted thatthese common beliefs and busi-ness practices “will facilitate thecombination of our two excellentcompanies. We are excited tojoin Engineered Floors and pro-vide the commercial expertiseand production to their rapidlygrowing residential business.”

Since coming out of retire-ment in 2009, Shaw has fast-tracked Engineered Floors tobecome a top three carpet manu-facturer. Engineered Floors iscompleting the construction ofthree large high-tech plants in theDalton area for the multi-familymarket. The deal for J+J willallow it to expand its footprint

12 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

2016JanuaryEngineered Floors ups commercialante via J+J purchase

floorcoveringnewsvolume 30/number 14 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I January 4/11, 2016 I $2.00

NEWSPAPER

DALTON—Engineered Floorswill acquire J+J Industries, amove that further strengthensEngineered Floors’ position in thecommercial market.

The closing is expected to befinalized on orbefore Feb. 29pending regu-latory andsha reho lde rapprovals. Once completed,the merged entity will employmore than 2,500 people andinclude over 4 million square feetof manufacturing space, accord-ing to company officials.

“For over 60 years J+JIndustries has demonstratedstrong support for northwestGeorgia while producing com-mercial carpets of outstandingquality,” said Bob Shaw, chair-man of Engineered Floors. “Theyare a perfect fit to complementour residentially focused manu-

facturing business.”As such, Engineered Floors

plans to operate J+J as a separate,commercial division of the com-pany. J+J operates a 950,000-square-foot plant that also servesas its current headquarters.

Engineered Floors and J+Jshare similar val-ues of commit-ment to theiremployees, cus-

tomers and communities. JimJolly, chairman of J+J, noted thatthese common beliefs and busi-ness practices “will facilitate thecombination of our two excellentcompanies. We are excited to joinEngineered Floors and providethe commercial expertise andproduction to their rapidly grow-ing residential business.”

Since coming out of retire-Continued on page 31

What will it take for 2016 to be a strong year for ShawIndustries? According to Vance Bell, CEO, andRandy Merritt, president, it begins with the econo-

my—specifically increased consumer confidence and spending,and better housing and construction. If those are trending on anupward trajectory, and the company can succeed in executingthe launch of innovative products and raising the bar in service,the year will meet expectations. FCNews recently sat down withShaw leadership for a wide-ranging interview. See page 20.

FOR SHAW, IT’S ALLABOUT ECONOMYAND EXECUTION

Engineered Floorsupscommercial antevia J+J purchase

By Ken Ryan

IN THIS ISSUE

FCNews again sponsorsTISE education programPAGE 16

Domestic LVT capacitycontinues to expandPAGE 28

MaxWoods/American OEM:The perfect partnershipPAGE 32

Cast your ballots nowCast your votes in FCNews’Award of Excellence competi-tion. Log on to fcnews.net andclick on the Award ofExcellence link, or visit ourFacebook and Twitter pages.

2016 brings ownership changes in distribution

returned to the game after a 16-year hiatus as the new owner ofT&L Distributing, a Top 20wholesaler based in Houston.

The purchase took effectDec. 29. Sandy Thomas, currentchairman of the board of T&L,will retain a minority stockhold-er position in the new T&LDistributing. In other moves,Jeff Thomas, who was presidentof T&L, has left to pursue otherinterests. Bob Eady, who servedas vice president of sales andmarketing, is now president of

In a union that combineslogistics strength with mar-keting muscle, Gilford

Flooring has acquired JohnsonWholesale Floors to createGilford-Johnson Flooring. Thejoint entity has distributionreach from South Florida toOhio.

“The culturesare similar, thestrengths are dif-ferent,” DennisCook, presidentof Gilford Flooring, toldFCNews. “Together it makes fora powerful combination. Welook at Johnson’s strength inlogistics and warehousing—theyare about moving product—andour strengths in marketing andproduct management.”

Cook said the talks to merge

Tom Karol, who for 10 yearsowned LDBrinkman—once the flooring indus-

try’s largest distributor—has

By Ken Ryan

Continued on page 45Continued on page 45

the two companies began morethan a year ago when he placed acall to Melinda JohnsonMcChesney, president of thecompany and daughter of DonJohnson, Johnson Wholesale’sfounder. Following a letter ofintent and due diligenceprocess, the deal was consum-

mated on Dec.31. Cook saidthere would bethree phases ofthe integration

with phase one already underway.

Jeffersonville, Ind.-basedGilford covers Indiana,Kentucky, Ohio and parts ofTennessee. Its top brandsinclude American Biltrite,Anderson Hardwood Floors,

Tom KarolScan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

Gilford takes on Johnson WholesaleLDBrinkman’sKarol returns,acquires T&L

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Shaw Industries’ Vance Bell, CEO, and Randy Merritt, president.

FCNews exclusive

FCNews1_4_11_ FCNews2_26_3_5.qxd 1/7/16 1:10 PM Page 1

NEWSPA

PER

40 Best practices for hiring42 What’s in a name48 Shop at home52 Making most of business cards55 Benefits of non-alignment56 Digital marketing

22 Changing with the times30 Retraining salespeople32 Pros/cons of commissioned RSAs34 Overcoming election year challenges36 Selling to different customer types38 Competing against big boxes

TAKING AIM AT

2016Retailers share successful strategies

volume 30/number 15 I fcnews.net I the industry’s preferred publication I January 18/25, 2016 I $2.00

floorcoveringnewsFCNews1_18_25_FINAL_ FCNews2_26_3_5.qxd 1/13/16 4:35 PM Page 1

( THE HEADLINES )Gilford takes on JohnsonWholesale

Crossville acquires DesignMaterials

Swiss Krono Group to invest$230 million in expansion

Earthwerks expands distribution with J.J. Haines

WPS enters the fray withSurfaces debut

ProSource celebrates 25 years, seeks to expand

Mannington rings in 100th year in grand style

Roy Lomas (CarpetContractors), 54

Mohawk expands Pergo into specialty retail, LVT

WFCA aligns with fcB2B to enhance e-commerce for flooring

Big Bob’s names Virga managing partner

Armstrong unveils Vivero

Simply put, behavioral eco-nomics provides a frame-work to understand the

real-world, decision-makingprocess. We’d like to believe weare all rational human beingsand, therefore, make logical deci-sions. In reality, nothing could befarther from the truth.

So how can behavioral eco-nomics help you improve yourprofit margin? A better under-standing of how and why con-sumers spend their money canhelp you persuade them to spendit on your products or service.

Everyone loves the word“free” (even though everyoneknows nothing is really free).Have you noticed how con-sumers react to the prospect of“free carpet installation” or howquickly they walk out the doorwhen they learn it’s not offered?It’s a fact that dopamine levels inour brain are actually measura-bly enhanced by the word free.When dopamine levels are

raised, we feel good and tend toact irrationally. This could bewhy consumers flock to takeadvantage of free items no mat-ter how ridiculous the actualpurchase terms seem to be.

For many people, instantgratification is more importantthan their own future. Feelinggood now is more importantthan paying attention to theirbudget or actual cost vs. value.People overspend when they arefeeling depressed, i.e., “This willmake me feel better.”

Following are some keypoints about behavioral econom-ics to remember:

1. Not all money is equal.This explains why 70% of lotterywinners go broke in seven years.Since they didn’t work to earnthe money and never actuallyfelt the money in their hands,they are willing to spend frivo-lously. This may also explain whypeople are apt to spend theirincome tax rebate checks onunneeded items. It’s not really“free” money; it’s actually theirown hard-earned dollars.

2. Financing takes the sting

out of the price. In fact, con-sumers are willing to pay moremoney for items when they candelay the pain. Financing mayactually increase costs in thelong run, but consumers tend tonot worry about the future whenthey can have the pleasure ofusing the merchandise now.

3. We gain more pleasurefrom a loss than a gain.Consumers give more weight toa cell phone carrier’s plan thatstates “unused minutes will belost” vs. a plan with “unlimitedminutes” available.

4. Each of us has a price wewill pay. Why did JCPenney lose marketshare when it changed towhole dollar pricing?The brain encodes num-bers so quickly it rarely

includes the second number. Thenumber 2.99 is actually regis-tered as “2” and 3.00 is encodedas 3. While it is true the actualdifference is only one cent, thebrain translates it as a differenceof one dollar.

5. Higher prices usually sig-nify higher quality. If you areselling better merchandise, showthe products first and then theprice. Tiffany’s displays itemswith large photos and uses verysmall fonts for pricing.

6. Remove the comma andthe price becomes less expen-sive. Phonetic length of yourprice actually affects buyer per-ception of cost. For example,$1,499: one-thousand four hun-dred and ninety-nine (10 sylla-bles) vs. 1499: fourteen ninety-nine (5 syllables).

7. We prefer bundling to indi-vidual pricing even if it costsmore. Car dealers offer packagesto new car buyers. Adding $300for leather seats is consideredfrivolous when compared todealer packages—even whenthose packages include less-desirable options.

lisbiz strategies

Use behavioral economicsto your advantage

CONSUMERS ARE WILLING TO PAY

MORE MONEY FOR ITEMS WHEN

THEY CAN DELAY THE PAIN.

LISBETHCALANDRINO

Lisbeth Calandrino has been promoting retail strategies for the last 20years. To have her speak at your business or to schedule a consultation,contact her at lcalandrino@nycap.rr.com.

Are you looking for toolsto grow your business?

Powerful business tools from Lisbeth CalandrinoWith over 20 years of experience in the flooring industry helping busi-nesses increase their market share and improve their bottom lines.

Training videosSix training videos for your floor covering team including “CustomerExperience Sold,” pretest and follow-up for $189. To view a FREE bonusmodule, visit http://bit.ly/1Dgtlwu, establish a free account and view “PriceMatters,” how to understand price objections and what to do about them.

New for the industry!Wondering how to get your customer contacts to work for you? If youwant customers to send you referrals, you must find a way to interactwith them 12-18 times a year. Who has time for that?

Followyourcustomer.com has time! Choose our automated email and printmarketing plan specifically designed for the flooring industry. Our libraryhas professionally written web content and eye catching graphic designs.Push the button and we’re capable of getting your email and print mar-keting campaign out to potential customers. For more info visithttp://www.followyourcustomer.com.

Customized training for your staffDo you want to get your staff motivated and excited about the new selling season ahead? Do you want them to sharpen up their sales and customer service skills?Not sure what they need? Schedule a consultation with Lisbeth to designa training program with your business in mind at http://lisbethcalandrino.com/.

14 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

LAS VEGAS—The InternationalSurface Event (TISE) was up10% in attendance this year, itshighest yearly increase in nearlya decade. But that was just anumber. What really definedSurfaces 2016 was the kind ofenergy and excitement thatmany attendees had not experi-enced for some time.

“Surfaces is alive andbreathing,” said Tom Lape, pres-ident of Mohawk Residential,which made a triumphantreturn to Surfaces. “It’s allabout energy and excitement,and we had plenty of that here.We were quite pleased with theturnout.”

Flooring dealers felt the pos-itive vibe as well. “I thought theshow was the best it has been ina number of years,” said JimMudd, president and owner ofSam Kinnaird’s Flooring,Louisville, Ky. “I thought havingMohawk and Armstrong and afew others back on the mainfloor again was absolutely great.”

For the second straight year,

TISE coincided with Design andConstruction Week, which fea-tured the co-location with theInternational Builder Show(IBS) and Kitchen & BathIndustry Show (KBIS). ForInforma Exhibitions, ownersand operators of TISE, Surfacesmore than exceeded expecta-tions. “The show was amazingon all fronts,” said AmieGilmore, show director.“Exhibitors blew it away withtheir fantastic new boothdesigns and fabulous new mar-keting campaigns. We booked arecord amount of space on sitethis year for the 2017 show.”

Exhibitors were almost uni-versally impressed with the traf-fic and the quality of theappointments. “My internalgauge on traffic is how often Ican step off the floor, andWednesday and Thursday I hadzero chance,” said Dan Phelan,vice president of marketing,Northwest regional VP, TheDixie Group. “We were definite-ly a destination over here.”

Dan Natkin, senior director,residential products for

Mannington, said the return ofArmstrong and Mohawk addedto the overall success. “I think itsolidifies the value of the show,”he said. “Our sales have beenthrough the roof. Almost doublewhat we did last year.”

Surfaces was not lacking forproduct innovations across allcategories. In carpet, for exam-ple, Mohawk offered dealersplenty of high-end goods in itsgrand return to Surfaces. Itshowed new collections andline extensions of its three car-pet fiber platforms—triexta,PET and nylon. Specifically,Mohawk introduced NaturalSurroundings, the next genera-tion of SmartStand Silk, featur-ing a lower-luster treatmentthat helps eliminate footprints.

The growth of hard surfaceshas re-invigorated the rug cate-gory, and in so doing has createdadd-on sales opportunities fordealers. Several mills unveilednew custom rug programs; inmany cases the rugs are cut toorder from broadloom.

In resilient, seemingly everyhard surface manufacturer is

end laminate,” said SamChesher, owner. “After the ‘60Minutes’ story and the addedcompetition in hard surface, onewould have thought this catego-ry would decline. Laminate hasbeen the most surprising catego-ry for us by far.”

Nick Freadreacea, presidentof The Flooring Gallery inLouisville, Ky., said the mostrecent report has had anotherimmediate impact in that con-sumers are asking questionsabout material bought at

attention. Others contendthe megastore may havedamaged the category foreverybody.

Eric Langan, owner andCEO of Carpetland USA, withnine locations in Iowa andIllinois, said while the numer-ous accusations againstLumber Liquidators aresevere and serious, “It’s myopinion that the vast majorityof the U.S. population isunaware of what that compa-ny has done and is doing. Iwould imagine the main-stream public is generallyunaware of the claims, accu-sations, penalties and finesthat Lumber Liquidators have

incurred since March. For thoseconsumers who are in the know,I anticipate they would avoidshopping at Lumber Liquidatorsand look to buy from an alter-nate source.”

At Carpet Wise FlooringAmerica in Longmont, Colo.,which is about 1,000 feet from aLumber Liquidators’ store, lami-nate flooring sales have soaredsince the news first broke. “Wehave seen a 32% increase in thiscategory, [particularly] in higher

2016FebruarySurfaces 2016 ‘amazing on all fronts’

Revised CDC report on Lumber Liquidator laminates finds elevated cancer risk

The Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention(CDC) recently

released figures showing thatpeople who purchasedLumber Liquidators laminateimported from China flooringwere about three times morelikely to get cancer than it hadpreviously calculated.

On Feb. 10 the CDCreported that formaldehydelevels in some selections of LumberLiquidators’ laminate flooringcould cause two to nine can-cer cases per 100,000 people.However, two weeks later theagency revised its estimate to sixto 30 cancer cases per 100,000people. (In addition to cancer,people exposed to the laminateflooring products in questionare also susceptible to increasedrisks of exacerbated respiratoryissues such as asthma and eye,nose and throat irritation, theCDC said.) The agency admittedit had used an incorrect value forceiling height, resulting inhealth risks that were lowerthan they should have been.

( THE HEADLINES )Mohawk, Google help flooring dealers capture today’s consumer Shaw to consolidate Tennessee operationsNFA annual specialty vendor showcase breaks records Roppe partners with William M. BirdMohawk launches BuzzLocal rating and reviews system Abbey Carpet convention: New programs optimize RSAsBest of Surfaces calls out leading products, booths at show McSwain wins WFCA Gold Standard AwardScott Roy named Gilford-Johnson president Shaw to directly supply Anderson hardwood Myers Carpet acquires Nashville Carpet Center Obituaries: Noury Pekar, 95Richard Capobianco, 78Jerry Weinrib, 86Sam Kinnaird, 84

Lumber Liquidators. “Some ofthe questions have been, ‘Howquickly can you get their materi-al out of our homes and havesomething else installed?’”

Lumber Liquidators said itsupports the CDC’s recommen-dations and it is “encouraged”that the agency is reviewing itsconclusions. The company alsorepeated that it has strength-ened its quality-assurance proce-dures, suspended sales ofChinese laminate and offeredfree air tests to customers.

floorcoveringnewsvolume 30/number 18 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I February 29/March 7, 2016 I $2.00

NEWSPAPER

LAS VEGAS—Against the back-drop of a positive outlook for2016, Abbey Carpet Floor &Home saw the highest percent-age of member-ship attending lastmonth’s annualconvention since2008. And to helpdealers ride thiswave of optimism,the group present-ed several newstrategies and pro-grams to cater totoday’s consumer,which ranges frommillennial to babyboomer.

“To stay aheadwe must worksmarter in order to take marketshare,” said Steve Silverman,Abbey’s president and COO.“Your customer continues to

change. You must target market-ing and advertising to focus ondifferent needs. To win you mustdeliver value to every customer.”

Keynote speaker Joe Bondi,vice president of Armstrong res-

idential flooring, NorthAmerica, explained the chang-ing consumer. “Arguably the

Continued on page 16

Abbey Carpet Floor & Home

New programs for optimizing RSAs,web-savvy shoppers

By Jenna Lippin

IN THIS ISSUE

Inkjet printing yieldsceramic design advancesPAGE 12

Exotic hardwood speciesholding their groundPAGE 14

2016 software introsfocus on streamliningPAGE 18

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Abbey president and COO Steve Silverman,left, with member Barry Lindgren, owner of

Abbey Carpet & Floor of Puyallup inPuyallup, Wash.

Revised CDC report finds elevated LL cancer riskOn Feb. 10 the CDC

reported that formalde-hyde levels in some selections of LumberLiquidators’ laminate floor-ing could cause two to ninecancer cases per 100,000people. However, twoweeks later the agencyrevised its estimate to six to30 cancer cases per100,000 people. (In addi-tion to cancer, peopleexposed to the laminateflooring products in ques-tion are also susceptible toincreased risks of exacerbatedrespiratory issues such as asthmaand eye, nose and throat irrita-tion, the CDC said.) The agencyadmitted it had used an incorrectvalue for ceiling height, resultingin health risks that were lowerthan they should have been.

The CDC testing stemmedfrom a report by “60 Minutes”last March that alleged LumberLiquidators was selling lami-nate flooring with levels offormaldehyde that exceededthose allowed in California,which has the strictest stan-

The Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention(CDC) recently released

figures showing that people whopurchased Lumber Liquidatorslaminate imported from Chinaflooring were about three timesmore likely to get cancer than ithad previously calculated.

By Ken Ryan

Continued on page 20

dards in the country.Specialty flooring deal-

ers said their laminatesales have increased sincethe original LumberLiquidators report, butsome remain skeptical asto whether consumers arepaying attention. Otherscontend the megastoremay have damaged thecategory for everybody.

Eric Langan, ownerand CEO of CarpetlandUSA, with nine locationsin Iowa and Illinois, said

while the numerous accusationsagainst Lumber Liquidators aresevere and serious, “It’s my opin-ion that the vast majority of theU.S. population is unaware ofwhat that company has doneand is doing. I would imagine

The CDC confirmed that laminate flooringsold by Lumber Liquidators contained

dangerous levels of formaldehyde, as firstreported by CBS’ ‘60 Minutes’ last March.

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

By Ken Ryan

W ith the still-hot luxury vinyl tile segment showing nosigns of extinguishing and the birth of WPC addingfuel to the fire, 2016 is shaping up to be another ban-

ner year for the resilient category.The major players—as well as some new entrants—are mar-

keting products that offer style and design along with water-proof properties, dimensional stability and ease of installation,especially those with floating options.

Following is a look at some of the latest selections in theresilient floating floor category. Coverage starts on page 8.

SUCCESS OF LVT,POTENTIAL OF WPC

FUEL SEGMENT

Resilient Floating Floor Guide

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

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By Ken Ryan

By Ken Ryan trying to come out withthe next big thing in LVT,which appears to beWPC, also known ascomposites, enhancedvinyl, engineered floor-ing, etc. While USFloors’COREtec is the leader inthe composite game, bothmajor and niche compa-nies are introducing theirown takes on the subcate-gory.

In the tile category,visuals continue toimpress with new trendsemerging in addition to uniquespins on old favorites. Woodlooks, for example, remain pop-ular without any hint of dimin-ishing. There was also anemphasis on products for verti-cal surfaces.

Not to be outdone, hard-wood introductions at Surfacescontinued to reflect the broader,industry-wide trend towardwider widths and randomlengths, combined with low-lus-ter matte finishes designed tobring out the natural character-istics of various wood species.

Another common theme acrossthe show floor was the applica-tion of double-staining process-es augmented by wire brushing.

Finally, in laminate, the“bigger is better” took on awhole new form this yearthrough thicker products withmany companies launching 14mil collections. Reclaimed andrustic looks continue toincrease in popularity with anemphasis on clean, contempo-rary textures. Gloss levels mir-rored the matte finishes seen inhardwood.

floorcoveringnewsvolume 30/number 16 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I February 1/8, 2016 I $2.00

NEWSPAPER

IN THIS ISSUE

NFA hosts record-breaking showcasePAGE 26

Virga reveals plans for Big Bob’s’ futurePAGE 32

How Tuftex stands outas ‘boutique’ supplierPAGE 34

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by a panel of retailers who wereinitially tasked with narrowingthe entrants in each category tofive finalists by the start ofSurfaces. Specifically, they wereasked to delve through all submis-

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

LAS VEGAS—The InternationalSurface Event (TISE) was up10% in attendance this year, itshighest yearly increase in nearlya decade. But that was just anumber. What really definedSurfaces 2016 was the kind ofenergy and excitement thatmany attendees had not experi-enced for some time.

“It was over the top for us,”said Keith Campbell, chairmanof Mannington, which cele-brated its 100th anniversary with

a constellation ofnew products andoff-the-floor events.

“Surfaces isalive and breath-ing,” said TomLape, president ofMohawk Residen-tial, which made atriumphant returnto Surfaces. “It’s all about energyand excitement, and we hadplenty of that here. We werequite pleased with the turnout.”

Flooring dealers felt the posi-tive vibe as well. “I thought the

show was the best ithas been in a num-ber of years,” saidJim Mudd, presi-dent and owner ofSam Kinnaird’sFlooring, Louisville,Ky. “I thought hav-ing Mohawk andArmstrong and a

few others back on the mainfloor again was absolutely great.”

For the second straight year,TISE coincided with Design andConstruction Week, which fea-tured the co-location with the

International Builder Show(IBS) and Kitchen & BathIndustry Show (KBIS). ForInforma Exhibitions, ownersand operators of TISE, Surfacesmore than exceeded expecta-tions. “The show was amazingon all fronts,” said AmieGilmore, show director.“Exhibitors blew it away withtheir fantastic new boothdesigns and fabulous new mar-keting campaigns. We booked arecord amount of space on sitethis year for the 2017 show.”

The one-floor layout wasgenerally positive although

LAS VEGAS—Six companies werevoted best of class in the fifthannual Best of Surfaces competi-

tion co-sponsored by FloorCovering News and Informa, own-ers and operators of TheInternational Surface Event. Theawards have become the bench-mark for product excellence andbooth design at the industry’spremier trade show.

The winners were:•Innovation: Mohawk’sSmartStrand Forever Cleanwith All Pet Technology •Style & Design: Stanton’sSound Waves from theRelaxed Collection•Technology: Armstrong’sVivero Luxury Flooring•Sustainability: Mannington’sLVT closed-loop recycling

program•Best Booth Design Over1,200 square feet: JohnsonHardwood•Best Booth Design Under1,200 square feet: WichkamThe judging was conducted

Surfaces 2016 ‘amazing on all fronts’Return of major players to show floor fuels excitement

Best of Surfaces calls out leading products, booths at showJudges recognize excellence at Premier show across six categories

By Ken Ryan

By Steven Feldman

From left: A refreshed Pergo brand emerged with a mascot bearingthe company name; excitement both on the floor and in the air withQuick-Step, and Max Woods highlights its Made in the USA message.

From left: FCNews’ Dustin Aaronson, left, and Steven Feldman, second left, present the Innovation award to the Mohawk executive team with the help of Informa’s Lauren Wells.

Continued on page 28

Continued on page 8

Surfacesrecaps

Carpet...........................12Resilient.......................14Wood.............................18Laminate .....................20Tile ...............................22

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The CDC testing stemmedfrom a report by “60 Minutes”last March that alleged LumberLiquidators was selling laminateflooring with levels of formalde-hyde that exceeded thoseallowed in California, which hasthe strictest standards in thecountry.

Specialty flooring dealerssaid their laminate sales haveincreased since the originalLumber Liquidators report, butsome remain skeptical as towhether consumers are paying

fcnews December 19/26, 2016 I 15

installers run into somethingthey are not comfortable withthey can call an 800 number andtalk to a CFI master installerwho most likely will be able towalk them through the neces-sary steps. It can save a claim, soit is well worth it.”

WFCA also announced newinnovations to its booth at TheInternational Surfaces Event[TISE] in Las Vegas in January, astreamlined, easy-to-navigatemember website and WFCAUniversity, an educational pro-gram designed to keep retailersat the top of their game.

WFCA’s online university isdifferent than many flooring-related curriculums, accordingto the organization, in that itsversion is more business focusedrather than product related.Modules include managinginventory levels, store expansion(where it might make sense)and creating a budget. There are40 modules in all. Jennings andDave Romano, founder ofRomano Consulting Group andBenchmarkinc and an FCNewscolumnist, worked on the onlineuniversity syllabus, which isgeared to the decision makers ofthe business.

Jennings said dealers wouldmake their annual fee back inrebates and discounts if they takeadvantage of all the servicesoffered. “Just because we are anot-for-profit doesn’t mean wecan’t make money,” he explained.“We can make money, we justhave to give it back.”

The new layout of theSurfaces space will showcase allthat WFCA has to offer its mem-bers using the organization’s SixPillars of Relevance and Success.The segmented areas, which arecolor-coded, include: research,education, member benefits,philanthropy, advocacy andtechnology. As visitors movethrough the booth they willacquire a complete overview onall of the ways that WFCAenhances the businesses and thelives of its constituents, theiremployees and their customersthrough targeted projects andprograms.

The WFCA is also renovat-ing its website. In an effort tosimplify and streamline commu-nications, the association hastransformed WFCA.org into asite geared toward both theindustry and consumers. Keycomponents of the consumersite have been folded into thenew site, which is intended todraw members in with newdesign and fresh content.WFCA.org will debut atSurfaces.

The organization also hascommissioned a redesign ofPremier Flooring Retailer, itsquarterly magazine.

Scott Humphrey, CEO, saidthe WFCA has made manychanges over the past few yearsto better suit the needs of inde-pendent flooring dealers whomake up the bulk of member-ship. “Some might say that wehave reinvented ourselves,” heexplained. “We see ourselves asthe voice of the independentflooring dealer. It is our goal tocontinually ensure the prof-itability of our members byevolving with the market andcreating the change our mem-bers say they need.”

Continued from page 1WFCA

CHICAGO—Dennis Cook, former CEO of Gilford Flooring,and Melinda McChesney, former CEO of JohnsonWholesale, were honored with Lifetime AchievementAwards from the North American Association of FloorCovering Distributors (NAFCD) in Chicago in November.

Both Cook and McChesney, who ran their respectivecompanies for many years, showed exceptional leader-ship and made outstanding contributions that led toexpanding the vision of the flooring industry. Cook, whostarted at a time when Gilford sold only wallcovering,guided the company’s entry into commercial and residen-tial flooring along with its geographic expansion into theOhio and Tennessee markets. McChesney took the reignsof Johnson Wholesale in 2006 and led the company fromthe spectacular growth of the housing boom through the difficult economic times of the recession.

Pictured with Cook is Heidi Cronin, president-elect of the NAFCD.

( SNAPSHOT)Gilford-Johnson executives receive Lifetime Achievement award

16 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

2016March

April

Armstrong to separate flooring, ceiling operations

By Ken Ryan

( THE HEADLINES )Coverings 2016: Game-changing technologies unveiled Amorim takes enhanced approach to composites Wood suppliers emphasize complianceEngineered Floors completes merger with J+J FlooringNWFA awards inaugural Wood Studies ScholarshipCrossville buys Contempo TileArmstrong Flooring looks to leverage company heritage NFA convention puts emphasis on recruiting, training WFCA headquarters relocated to Dalton Shaw completes $40 million expansion of hardwood plantMohawk to invest $100M in LVT plantStarnet conference: Members pursue growth opportunitiesHaines welcomes record attendance at 2016 SummitLumber Liquidators settles California clean-air claims

( THE HEADLINES )Belgium terrorist attacks: U.S. firms remain resoluteNew Gilford-Johnson CEO maps out plans FCA Network gives dealers a chance to thrive Tandus Centiva names Len Ferro new president Alliance Flooring highlights “Destination” program at annual convention

FCICA convention focuses on recruitment, project managementBold initiatives in store for Fuse Alliance membersHaines restructures management teamDomotex asia/Chinafloor draws record number of attendees NAFCD announces 2016 officers CFI graduates first class from new training schoolSwiss Krono U.S. marketing strategy hinges on investment, branding

NRF Distributors’ winter market connects retailers, suppliers Galleher opens new warehouse, learning center

“We didn’t have this specificdeal in our eyes but we had adesire to have an acquisition thisyear to get to critical mass,” Virgatold FCNews. “It is a very good fit.Our Floors & Kitchen model isalmost the same as the Floor toCeiling model.”

Virga added there “are somany quality flooring dealers inthis group and so muchuntapped potential in the Floorto Ceiling brand. With mem-

bers’ help and guidance, we aregoing to make some amazingthings happen.”

Appel said the synergybetween this group and BigBob’s “provides us with a won-derful springboard for awesomegrowth. We know that with thisgroup collectively workingtogether, along with our man-agement team’s commitment toexcellence, we will create atremendous amount of momen-tum toward continued success.”

The Floor toCeiling acquisition isthe latest in a series ofstrategic moves takenby Big Bob’s since Virgapurchased a control-ling interest in BigBob’s Flooring, effec-tive Jan. 1, 2016.

On March 1, Appel,Bill Hamad and JoeHamad—current own-ers of Touch of ColorFlooring in Harrisburg,Pa.—announced theirinvolvement in a group

that bought con-trolling interestof Big Bob’sFlooring Outlet stores. Thebuying group is nowFloors & More, underwhich Big Bob’s, Floors &Kitchens Today and Floorto Ceiling operates.

During a January 2016interview with FCNews,Virga predicted that with-in five years Big Bob’swould be “at least” thethird-largest buying groupfor flooring and kitchendesign in the country. “Byhook or by crook we are

going to get there,” he said.As for the rest of 2016, Virga

said the group is “definitelylooking” for more acquisitions.“We believe there are anotherfour groups that would make fora great fit in our organization.We’re looking to scale our groupso we can bring value to ourmembers.”

He added being able to helpmembers become more prof-itable or to improve their quali-ty of life “is what motivates ourteam each and every day.”

AUBURN, MASS.—Floors & More,which operates Big Bob’sFlooring Outlets as well as Floors& Kitchens Today, has acquiredthe Floor to Ceiling group. Thisconsolidation will add 60 storesto the expanding entity.

Vinnie Virga and ScottAppel, co-CEOs of Floors &More, formally announced theacquisition earlier this month.

Floors & More acquires 60-store group

LANCASTER, PA.—The officialseparation of ArmstrongWorld Industries’ flooring andceiling businesses takes effectApril 1, and the flooring sectorwill now be known asArmstrong Flooring Inc.(AFI).

Don Maier, the currentpresident and CEO ofArmstrong Flooring, will con-tinue in that capacity. During aMarch 10 conference call,Maier announced a “new,energized, motivated” manage-ment team consisting of JayThompson, senior vice presi-dent and CFO; Dave Schulz,senior vice president and COO;Dominic Rice, senior vice pres-ident, North AmericanCommercial; and Joe Bondi, sen-ior vice president, NorthAmerican Residential.

As part of the separation, MattEspe, who had served as CEO ofArmstrong World Industries, willleave the company.

Maier told investors duringthe call that the company ran intotrouble during the recession yearsfrom 2007 to 2009. The down-turn, he said, left the flooringbusiness “very inwardly focused”and “strategically misaligned withthe market.”

vinyl tile production to itsLancaster flooring plant, whichbegan last fall. “The investmentsare really beginning to takeeffect,” Maier said. “The results,particularly in the fourth quarter,

would indicate that we are reallymaking great progress.”

Armstrong Flooring’s stockwill trade on the New YorkStock Exchange under the tickersymbol AFI.

Maier said when he tookover in 2014, he found multi-ple conflicting business strate-gies that were hurting sales.With that, the business hadcut its spending on marketingto boost profits. But that weak-ened sales further, undercut-ting profits. Overseas, theEuropean flooring divisionwas draining managementtime and company resources.

“Frankly, recently we kindof lost our way,” he said. “Ourfinancial results have beenflat to declining. Volume,sales and EBITDA [earningsbefore interest, taxes, depreci-ation and amortization] haveunderperformed the market.”

Maier said he and histeam immediately got out of theEuropean flooring business, put arenewed emphasis on new prod-ucts and innovation, and madeother selective investments.

The spending includes the$45 million addition of luxury

floorcoveringnewsvolume 30/number 19 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I March 14/21, 2016 I $2.00

NEWSPAPER

HICKSVILLE, N.Y.—World FloorCovering Association (WFCA)CEO Scott Humphrey will bethe guest expert joining theFCNews Marketing Masterywebinar on April 21,speaking on the six pillarsof success for today’s com-petitive market.

“Heavy competitionfrom box stores and onlinediscounters present signif-icant challenges for floor-ing retailers,” said FCNewscolumnist Jim Armstrong,producer and co-host ofthe monthly webinars. “Dealerswho don’t have an aggressive planto overcome these challenges willfind their businesses increasinglyat risk. I’m excited to have Scottas our guest to speak on the sixpillars topic. It’s a message retail-ers need to hear.”

Some of the pointsHumphrey will address include:

•The results from the WFCAsecret shopper research andwhat they mean for retailers.

•An affordable strategyretailers can use to get a compet-itive edge over the box stores.

•A simple step retailers cantake to increase their market

advantages in their towns. •How retailers can reduce

their workloads and eliminatestress by using affordable toolsformerly only available to boxstores and other corporategiants.

There is no cost to attend thewebinar. To register, visit marketingmasterywebinar.com/FCNews.To join a future webinar as aguest expert, call Armstrong at877.887.5791.

By Reginald Tucker

The laminate category in 2015 was essentially a tale of twomarkets—imports from China were negatively affectedby the fallout stemming from the Lumber Liquidators’

formaldehyde fiasco, while U.S. and European manufacturersgenerally saw growth, in some cases by double digits in volume.

While the overall domestic laminate market was essentiallyflat in 2015 in sales, those U.S. producers who manufacturehigher-end goods outperformed the competition. Complete cov-erage of the category begins on page 22.

U.S., EUROPEANLAMINATE RUN AHEAD OF FRAY

WFCA’s Humphreyto join upcomingFCNews webinar

IN THIS ISSUE

Products unseen atSurfaces unveiledPAGE 12

Dealers praise Mohawk’sefforts as a partnerPAGE 16

Guide to carpet stainand soil protectionPAGE 18

Last chance to voteCast your votes in FCNews’Award of Excellence competi-tion. Log on to fcnews.net andclick on the Award ofExcellence link, or visit ourFacebook and Twitter pages.

New Gilford-Johnson CEO maps out planshigh-level position at Haines,the industry’s largest distributor,and he liked it there.

But it wasn’t longbefore Roy seized whatmany would call a dreamopportunity.

“Being president andCEO is one thing, but tojoin two companies thathave the reputation thatGilford Flooring andJohnson WholesaleFlooring have—and tobring those companiestogether—that is whatexcites me the most,” Roytold FCNews during theGilford-Johnson springevent here. “These are two com-panies that are going places.This isn’t a fixer-upper.”

What was once two mid-sized distributors has morphedinto a top 20 player with an esti-

mated $90 million in sales.Moreover, there is virtually nooverlap in the two companies’

territories and product portfolio,and they both bring strengths tothe table in the form of logisticsand warehousing, strong vendorpartners and well-respectedsales teams.

FLORENCE, IND.—Scott Roy saidhe always aspired to be presi-dent of a company, but when hewas first approached by an exec-utive search firm to run thenewly merged Gilford-JohnsonFlooring distributor (FCNews,Feb. 29/March 7), he was a bitskeptical. After all, he had a

By Ken Ryan

Continued on page 26

“Scale in distribution isimportant because it allows you toexpand,” Roy explained. “This is a

pure geographic expansioninto two of the strongestareas in the country: theSoutheast and Florida.”

While at Haines, Roystarted the Loyalty Clubin 2005 and helped growit into a successful incen-tive-laden program.Gilford has the GilfordAdvantage Program (GAP),which will be expanded toinclude Johnson Wholesaleretailers. “I believe in theloyalty retention program,and with the addition of

the Southeast we can explodethis thing,” he said.

The task of fully integratingGilford and Johnson is just nowbeginning. Roy plans to create

Scott Roy, president and CEO of Gilford-Johnson Flooring, addresses retailersprior to the group’s awards banquet.

State of the industry

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

Jim ArmstrongScott Humphrey

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

The multi-width/wide-plank trend in hardwood is now featuredin laminate. Pictured is Keystone Oak from Mannington.

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NEWSPAPER

PORTO, PORTUGAL—In a worldthat has become flooded withdifferent variations of water-proof flooring products, retail-ers are finding it difficultto find discernible differ-ences between the newoptions and names bywhich manufacturers arebranding them. The onecommonality: to grab theirshare of a market pio-neered a few years ago byUSFloors with its COREtecfranchise.

At the end of the day,the core of the category sur-rounds, well, the core. Andwith that, Portuguese corkmanufacturer Amorim isthe new shooter by virtueof Wicanders HydroCork,a truly differentiated productthat debuts at the highest endof the spectrum due to thefeatures and benefits providedby its cork core vs. the more

common HDF core. “This is a much better solu-

tion than [what has been brand-ed] WPC,” said Mario Pinho,vice president of sales, Amorim,which markets its products

under the Wicanders brand.While HydroCork’s vinyl toplayer offers the same realisticlooks as other WPCs and its coreContinued on page 8

Continued on page 16

By Reginald Tucker

A resurgent new home construction market combinedwith a return to raw materials pricing stability helpedpush U.S. hardwood flooring sales to $2.059 billion in

2015, a 6% increase over the previous year. In terms of volume,that translated to approximately 830 million square feet sold atthe wholesale level, Floor Covering News research shows.

HOUSING STARTS,PRICING STABILITY

HELP LIFT SALES

Amorim takesenhanced approach to composites

By Steven Feldman

IN THIS ISSUE

Big Bob’s parent buysFloor to Ceiling groupPAGE 3

Retailers share bestpractices for successPAGE 12

A sneak peek atCoverings 2016PAGE 20

Novalis extends reachInnovative LVT supplierreceives continued praise as itextends to commercial arena.

PAGE 22

Wicanders HydroCork is backed by a lifetime residential warranty

and is Greenguard Gold certified.

SPOTLIGHT

For many wood suppliers, compliance is king media coverage—and theensuing retailer/con-sumer backlash—is theopportunity it has afford-ed hardwood suppliersand importers to demon-strate their products doindeed comply with fed-eral guidelines andrequirements pertainingto consumer safety.

If it’s one thing thatboth suppliers and retail-ers stress, it’s the factthat not all hardwoodfloors are created equal.This not only applies tothe nuances of how spe-cific products are han-dled and treated duringthe manufacturing process butalso where certain species aresourced. To that end, manufac-turers are working closely with

retailers and distributors toensure they have the utmostconfidence in knowing theirproducts conform to regula-

Much of the recent talkabout a certain massmerchant and its ongo-

ing legal troubles surroundingflooring products that didn’tpass the formaldehyde sniff testhave mostly centered on oneproduct category: laminate. Butone positive aspect of all the

By Reginald Tucker

Continued on page 24

tions such as the LaceyAct.

“This is an area wherewe stand apart from therest,” said Doug Leigh, vicepresident, U.S. division,Triangulo Hardwoods, amanufacturer andimporter of tropical exot-ic species. “Since we arethe only manufacturer inBrazil that sources nearly100% of our productsfrom our own forest, thechain of custody and theLacey Act have been nor-mal operating proceduresfrom the start. As theowner of the forest, weare able to provide sourc-

ing information that only aprime supplier can issue.Additionally, Triangulo is the

Triangulo manages its own forests, giving the company greater control and

oversight as it pertains to quality and legality.

A return to stability in lumber pricing helped suppliers better control raw material costs in 2015.

Wood: State of the industry

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

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NEWSPAPER

CHICAGO—Coverings 2016, thelargest tile and stone exhibitionin North America, experiencedyet another successful year,delivering new trends,styles and designs.Exhibitors at the expo,held April 18-21 here,embraced the vibrant hostcity and noted a few differ-ences as compared to lastyear’s show in Orlando.

“I like Chicago becauseit’s in the middle of theU.S.,” said LindseyWaldrep, vice president ofmarketing for Crossville.“You get your West Coastpeople, you get your EastCoast people and you getyour international people.With Midway and O’Hare [air-ports] it’s an easy place to get inand out of.”

Donato Grosser, president,

consultant to Ceramic Tiles ofItaly, observed a differentdynamic of attendees. “InOrlando there are a lot of peoplein the business of tile includingbuilders, contractors and deal-

ers. At this venue we see morearchitects and designers.”

Waldrep also noted the daysContinued on page 25

By Ken Ryan

Whether it is to support the U.S. economy or a matter ofpatriotic pride, Americans are buying into the Madein the USA movement. The floor covering industry,

for its part, is right there to advance the cause. Manufacturerscontinue to move production to the U.S., creating jobs and sup-porting local economies in the process. At the same time, deal-ers are actively displaying their American-made products within-store signage and promoting the many benefits associatedwith buying domestically made products. Starting on page 12,FCNews highlights the many new developments in support ofthe Made in America movement.

‘MADE RIGHT HERE’BECOMES RALLYINGCRY FOR INDUSTRY

Coverings 2016

Manufacturersfocus on design,new technologies

By Nadia Ramlakhan

IN THIS ISSUE

Shaw increases capacityat Tenn. hardwood plantPAGE 3

Starnet: National accounts,tile are growth vehiclesPAGE 8

Haines Summit: Moreproducts, suppliers, spacePAGE 10

Selling creditFinancing programs not onlybring consumers into stores;they ultimately help floor covering retailers upgradethese customers and encour-age repeat business.

PAGE 24

Wonder Porcelain puts an emphasison mixed materials as Preeminent(shown) is framed with Ranch Wood.

SPOTLIGHT

National Floorcovering Alliance

Recruiting, training salespeople take center stageNational TV spot also in the works

Floorcovering Alliance (NFA) arenot absolved from the challenge.To that end, the group isentertaining the idea ofpartnering with an outsidefirm for help.

“There are no real solu-tions to this issue,” saidDave Snedeker, NFA presi-dent and division merchan-dise manager, NebraskaFurniture Mart. “A coupleof companies have reachedout to help us find the righttalent and do a better job oftraining. Hopefully we willhave a program to presentto members before the nextmeeting in the fall.”

Indeed, recruiting good sales-people—and then training

them—has been an issue for NFAmembers. For DeGraaf Interiors,Grand Rapids, Mich., training isthe bigger issue right now as

DeGraaf is fortunate in that itattracts salespeople from otherretailers in the area. “But it is verydifficult with the high demand of

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—Recruiting andtraining good salespeople is oneof the most pressing issues forfloor covering retailers, and the43 members of the National

By Steven Feldman

Continued on page 22

work right now to train peoplefrom green,” said Deb DeGraaf,co-owner. “The issue is whetheryou want to bring them in and

teach them your culture orwould you rather themcome in with experience.Due to lack of time fortraining, having themcome in with experience sothey can hit the sales floorrunning is preferred butprobably not always best inthe long run.”

While she is “absolutelya fan” of an NFA-spear-headed training program,she thinks it may be a chal-lenge to come up with

something that works for somany different people in differ-ent markets. “But if there is one

From left: Piet Dossche, CEO, USFloors;Darren Braunstein, Worldwide Wholesale;Michael Longwill, Airbase Carpet Mart; and

Michael Cometz, General Floors.

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

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2016MayFCNews presents Award of Excellence winners

fcnews December 19/26, 2016 I 17

GARDEN CITY, N.Y.—MohawkIndustries was voted BestOverall Manufacturer—one ofsix company awards—duringthe 20th annual Award ofExcellence dinner, held at theGarden City Hotel.

Reflecting the strength anddiversity of its product collec-tions, Mohawk also won BestCarpet Manufacturer (GroupA) and Best HardwoodManufacturer (Group A).Meanwhile, its Dal-Tile (BestCeramic Manufacturer, GroupA), Marazzi (Best CeramicManufacturer, Group B) andColumbia Flooring (BestLaminate, Group B) divisionsalso took home the hardware.

Brian Carson, president ofMohawk Flooring’s NorthAmerican division, was on handto receive the honor on behalf ofthe company. “I appreciate theoutstanding work of thousands

of Mohawk employees whosetalent and dedication earnedour company these prestigiousawards,” he said. “I am gratefulto our retail partners for theirresounding endorsement ofMohawk’s people and products.Honors like this reflect our abil-ity to deliver great products,exceptional value and superla-

tive service for our customers.”Dal-Tile’s win was its 18th

consecutive award in Group A,while Marazzi earned its ninthhonor in the Group B category.

Mohawk recaptured the topcarpet prize the company lastclaimed in 2014. Mohawk’s lam-inate award for the Columbiabrand follows five consecutivewins for the company’s Quick-Step laminate brand.

Shaw Floors garnered threeawards—Best LaminateManufacturer, Group A; theEnvironmental Leadershipaward, which the company haswon every year since it was firsthanded out in 2010; and itsTuftex high-end carpet divisionwon for Best CarpetManufacturer, Group B.

USFloors won for BestResilient Manufacturer, GroupB, on the strength of its success-ful COREtec composite productthat has emerged as the leader inthe LVT/WPC subsegment.

Armstrong Flooring wasvoted by its customers as the BestResilient Manufacturer, Group A.At Surfaces 2016 the companyintroduced Vivero, an LVT offer-ing with Diamond 10 technology.Meanwhile, Mannington won forBest Resilient SheetManufacturer, Group A. “We are

truly honored and humbled to bechosen by the retail communityas the best overall resilient manu-facturer,” said Dan Natkin, seniordirector, resilient products.

Mirage won Best HardwoodManufacturer in Group B, itsfourth consecutive year winningthe award and ninth time overall.

floorcoveringnewsvolume 30/number 24 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I May 23/30, 2016 I $2.00

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Continued on page 34Continued on page 8

By K.J. Quinn

I f the flooring industry were a motion picture, the commer-cial market is starring in two major box office attractions andfeatures a supporting cast that plays a key role in its success.

Carpet tile and LVT are the headliners reportedly capturing theattention of the A&D community and replacing broadloom andother hard surfaces in major end-use sectors, observers report.

CARPET TILE, LVT ARE THE SECTOR’SSHINING STARS

IN THIS ISSUE

CARE conference coversadvances in recyclingPAGE 7

NeoCon preview: New products galorePAGE 16

Beyond flooring:Eye on wall coveringsPAGE 22

HF Design fills a nicheThis specialty hardwood andlaminate flooring supplier istaking the road less traveled toachieve lasting success.

PAGE 26

SPOTLIGHT

Suppliers seize emerging opportunities on Main Street enterprises that areexperiencing an uptickin business activity.

Unlike the typicalcommercial segment,Main Street is frag-mented with many dif-ferent venues requiringa diverse productassortment. For manymanufacturers, thatrepresents a valuable opportuni-ty to fill a niche.

“These Main Street busi-nesses all have one thing in com-mon: They need a durable, beau-tiful floor that’s low mainte-nance,” said John Wu, presidentand CEO of Novalis InnovativeFlooring.

Novalis is among those com-panies seizing that marketopportunity with the expectedlaunch of Abberly and Davidson,

lines intended for typical MainStreet environments. Abberlywill be available in both direct-glue installations as well as afloating click format. Davidsonis a direct-glue installation thatpiggybacks on the design trendin concrete and rough timberlooks that complement the cleanlines, chrome, glass andmetallics that are popular today.

“Our aim is to bring excitingand practical flooring solutions

Small business has beenthe catalyst for the mod-est growth in the United

States following the economicdownturn. That trend bodeswell for a Main Street commer-cial sector that includes smallretail shops, cafes and other

By Ken Ryan

Continued on page 27

to the small businessmarket because webelieve the floor says asmuch about the qualityof the business as thelighting, wall coveringsor furnishings,” Wuexplained.

Novalis InnovativeFlooring is far from theonly manufacturer

looking to capitalize on theresurging Main Street market.For Shaw Floors, Main Streetprojects present an ideal oppor-tunity for flooring retailers todiversify their customer baseand meet the needs of local com-mercial customers. But it alsorequires them to have the neces-sary technical product knowl-edge to respond to customers’expectations and needs with the

Mohawk’sVisionary

Collection featuresvisuals ranging

from soft, organic,textile-inspiredlooks to natural

wood grains.

Interface’s newWorld Woven line

is a collection of planks and

squares influenced by

textiles sourcedfrom various

locales.

Contract: State of the industry

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

GARDEN CITY, N.Y.—MohawkIndustries was voted BestOverall Manufacturer—one ofsix company awards—duringthe 20th annual Award ofExcellence dinner, held at theGarden City Hotel.

Reflecting the strength anddiversity of its product collec-tions, Mohawk also won BestCarpet Manufacturer (Group A)and Best HardwoodManufacturer (Group A).Meanwhile, its Dal-Tile (BestCeramic Manufacturer, GroupA), Marazzi (Best CeramicManufacturer, Group B) andColumbia Flooring (BestLaminate, Group B) divisionsalso took home the hardware.

Brian Carson, president ofMohawk Flooring’s NorthAmerican division, was on handto receive the honor on behalf ofthe company. “I appreciate the

outstanding work of thousandsof Mohawk employees whosetalent and dedication earned ourcompany these prestigiousawards,” he said. “I am gratefulto our retail partners for theirresounding endorsement ofMohawk’s people and products.Honors like this reflect our abil-ity to deliver great products,exceptional value and superla-tive service for our customers.”

Award of Excellence

Mohawk brands capture six honors,including Best Overall

By Ken Ryan

FCNews5_23_30_ FCNews2_26_3_5.qxd 5/26/16 3:38 PM Page 1

( THE HEADLINES )Hardwood suppliers announce price hikes New training platform unveiled at NWFA 2016Beaulieu restructures workforce Spartan Surfaces unveils new headquarters Crossville celebrates 30th anniversaryEmpire Today, JC Penney announce test pilot program Recycling solutions take center stage at CARE conferenceWFCA, NAFCD team up on training initiative Mercier recognizes top distributors at NWFAWFCA turns attention to labor issues at annual board meetingGreater New York Floor Coverers Association presents scholarship awards

Bamboo Hardwoods partners with All Tile, NRF DistributorsQFloors expands operations, adds new personnelNAFCD, NBMDA extend agreement to combine conventions

By Ken Ryan

201618 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

June

JulyBy Steven Feldman

T he flooring industryin 2015 continued itsrecovery from the

prolonged recession. Whilegrowth rates pale in compar-ison to the mid-2000s hey-days, the industry last yearsaw increases of 4.4% in dol-lars and 3.2% in volume.This comes on the heels of3.6% growth in dollars and1.8% in volume in 2014compared to the respective5.5% and 3.8% growth ratesin 2013. Perhaps more sig-nificant is total industrysales surpassed the $20 bil-lion mark for the first timesince 2007, and volume is atits highest level since 2008.

When the dust settled, floorcovering sales in 2015 totaled$20.457 billion and 18.526 bil-lion square feet. While thesenumbers are well off 2006highs of $24.715 billion and26.36 billion square feet offlooring sold in the U.S., thesefigures represent the sixth con-secutive year of dollar growthand fourth straight year of vol-ume increases.

To put things in furtherperspective, floor coveringsales in 2015 hit the highestlevel since 2007’s $22.337 bil-lion and are up 26.4% from2009, when the industry bot-tomed out at $16.189 billion.

The good news doesn’t endthere. As mentioned previously,more floor covering was soldlast year in the U.S. than in anyyear since 2008. Unit growth isup 10.5% from 2011’s low point.

Also for the fourth consecu-tive year, every floor coveringcategory showed growth in dol-lars and all but laminate floor-ing in units with the resilientcategory continuing to be thelocomotive powering the indus-try and luxury vinyl tile the cat-alyst for this explosive growth.In 2015, resilient posted thelargest percentage gain of any

flooring category, rising 13.9%to $2.724 billion from $2.392

commercial sales increasedabout 2% while units weredown 1% in 2015 vs. 2014.

In wood, FCNews researchshows the segment generated$2.059 billion in 2015, a 6%jump over the year prior, withvolume totaling 815 millionsquare feet, a 5.8% uptick over2014. By comparison, in theceramic tile category, industry

experts estimated salesincreased 9.8% to $2.61 billionwith volume up 9.9% over2014 to 2.19 billion.That com-pares to a 6.2% dollar increasein 2014.

Finally, FCNews researchshows laminate flooring salesreached $1.137 billion in 2015,a mild uptick from $1.135 bil-lion in 2014.

billion in 2014. Since 2010,the category has increased astunning 58.2% and is nowat its dollar high point inhistory.

Despite an improvinghousing market, the U.S.carpet industry ended 2015virtually flat, with overallsales barely edging higherwhile volume fell. Overall,carpet sales in 2015 rose0.7% to $8.870 billion com-pared with $8.809 billion in2014. Volume (carpet andrugs), however, fell 1% to11.09 billion square feetfrom 11.21 billion squarefeet in 2014. Residentialcarpet sales fell by an esti-

mated 2% in 2015, while unitsinched up 1.5%. Conversely,

FCNews publishes 30thAnniversary issue

Anniversaries are celebrat-ed with numbing regu-larity by magazines,

including this one. But we hopewe’ve at least departed from thisnarcissistic tradition by lookingoutward rather than in, focusingon the progressive period withwhich the magazine’s life spanhas coincided.

Drawing the borders of his-tory is, to some degree, arbitrary,but it’s safe to say these last 30years have marked an era ofenormous growth in the floorcovering industry. So much haschanged, yet so much remainsthe same. This industry hasbeen, in short, reborn.Technology has a funny way ofdoing that. Many of the bonesremain in place—carpet is stillking, although its dominion is

not nearly what it once was, andvinyl remains a clear No.2,although the category is drivennot by 12-foot sheet goods butrather by a product that was bare-ly a concept when this magazinelaunched—but nearly every-thing else has changed. You needonly flip through the openingessay on page 6 written 10 yearsago by Floor Covering Newsfounder Al Wahnon, along withthe article penned by Ken Ryanon page 10 to see how differentthe industry looked and felt backthen. How in the world did weget from there to here?

In selecting what to feature inthis issue, we relied on a blend ofprose, following in the FloorCovering News tradition of con-stantly shifting lenses and tools.We have reprinted some signifi-cant articles from the past. Wealso conceptualized what webelieved to be some interestingstories. And we invited signifi-cant personalities from decadespast to write about the eventswith which they were mostintrinsically involved. We weregoing for perspective on this one.

To highlight some of thoseindividuals who made a differ-ence over the past 30 years, weattempted to reinvent the wheela bit. We asked random person-alities with knowledge of saidperson to pen a few paragraphs

on that subject. Just to be a littledifferent.

We also touch upon 30 inno-vations that have helped fuel thisindustry for the past threedecades while also paying hom-age to 30 difference-makingproducts. Maybe they were thefirst of their kind; maybe theywere top sellers for years; maybethey launched a category. Someare long forgotten. But not fornow. Consider this a virtual Hallof Fame.

Shifting gears, when westarted covering the floor cover-ing industry 30 years ago, we hadno idea our endeavor would endup being the epicenter of suchfrenzied attention. At the time,there was only one high-frequen-

cy publication serving theindustry. The founder of thismagazine left that behemoth tolaunch a publication of his ownthat would serve all retailers—especially smaller companies—which was, at times, an over-looked area.

That founder, Al Wahnon,left this earth a short timebefore this magazine’s silveranniversary, a short time beforehe could enjoy his dream ofFCNews becoming the premierpublication in the industry. Helaughed at me the day I arrivedin 2006 and laid out the blue-print for reaching the pinnacle offlooring trade publications. Hedidn’t believe we could take thismagazine to a place oncereserved for dreams. Believe.�

We’ve been in business for 30years because we’ve stayed trueto our mission of serving thefloor covering community hon-estly, fairly and independently.We’ve woven ourselves into thefabric of the place by advocatingfor our readers and illuminatingfor them the industry’s manyopportunities and challenges.

From the bottom of ourhearts, thank you for letting usin. For trusting the words con-tained within these pages. Fortaking the time to read thosewords. For letting us make a dif-ference.

( THE HEADLINES )Mohawk forms industry’s first partnership with YelpShaw eyes new digs for contract division in 2017NeoCon 2016: A&D community seeks design solutionsBamboo Hardwoods announces new ownershipCarpenter inks deal with neatfreak’s Everfresh brandStanton Carpet acquires Crescent Carpet Importers NWFA launches online university to enhance hands-on learningMullican Flooring featured on top-rated HGTV showMohawk ad campaign earns honorsRFMS event puts the fun back into training and education

( THE HEADLINES )New distributor Floorco targets Mid-Atlantic marketAmerican OEM backs NWFA green initiativeBeaulieu restructuring prepares for next phase WFCA acquires fcB2BGilford-Johnson reorganizes leadership teamElof Hansson inks deal with Ribadao Lumber

volume 31/number 3 I www.floorcoveringnews.net I the industry’s preferred publication I July 18/25, 2016 I $2.00

THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Gettingbetter with age

NEWSPAPER

floorcoveringnewsFCNews7_18_25 30thAnniv_ FCNews2_26_3_5.qxd 8/8/16 9:30 PM Page 1

Scoring Flooring: Industry up 4.4% in dollars, 1.8% in volume

floorcoveringnewsvolume 31/number 1 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I June 27, 2016 I $2.00

NEWSPAPER

square foot of all flooring was$1.11 in 2015, up about twocents from 2014 and about fourcents from 2013. The averageselling price is also up signifi-cantly from $0.98 in 2010 and$0.94 in 2006.

To put things in further per-spective, floor covering sales in2015 hit the highest level since2007’s $22.337 billion and areup 26.4% from 2009, when theindustry bottomed out at$16.189 billion.

The good news doesn’t endthere. As mentioned previously,more floor covering was soldlast year in the U.S. than in anyyear since 2008. Unit growth isup 10.5% from 2011’s low point.

(Editor’s note: FCNews doesnot include stone flooring in itsaggregate total, nor does itinclude ceramic wall tile. Inaddition, rubber flooring num-bers include sheet, tile, acces-sories and cove base.)

Also for the fourth consecu-

tive year, every floor coveringcategory showed growth in dol-lars and all but laminate floor-ing in units with the resilientcategory continuing to be thelocomotive powering the indus-try and luxury vinyl tile the cat-alyst for this explosive growth.In 2015, resilient posted thelargest percentage gain of anyflooring category, rising 13.9%to $2.724 billion from $2.392billion in 2014. Since 2010, thecategory has increased a stun-ning 58.2% and is now at its dol-lar high point in history.

Resilient now accounts for13.3% of the total flooring mar-ket in dollars and 17% in vol-ume after a 17% rise in units to3.145 billion square feet. In2014, resilient held a 12.2%market share, which was upfrom 11.9% in 2013, 11.2% in2012 and 10.8% in 2008.Interestingly, its market share involume had stayed around 15%

try sales surpassed the $20 bil-lion mark for the first time since2007, and volume is at its high-est level since 2008.

Why has the growth beenslow and steady and not morerobust? For one, housing hasnot led the recovery from therecession and is actually laggingthe economy. Also, in pastrecoveries there has alwaysbeen a period of strong econom-ic growth before it settles intonormal growth mode. That hasnot happened with this recov-ery. When the dust settled, floorcovering sales in 2015 totaled$20.457 billion and 18.526 bil-lion square feet. While thesenumbers are well off 2006 highsof $24.715 billion and 26.36 bil-lion square feet of flooring soldin the U.S., these figures repre-sent the sixth consecutive yearof dollar growth and fourthstraight year of volume increas-es. On an even more positivenote, the average price per

Scoring FlooringIndustry Stats for 2015

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

-13.8%*

4.7%*

$18.915$19.599

20.457

$17.380 $17.919

*Represents 2014–15 percentage change

Resilient Tile

Rubber Wood

Resilient

Laminate

Tile

Rubber

Carpet/Rugs

Wood Laminate

Carpet Rugs

3.2%*

16.734 16.980 17.639 17.956 18.526

(in billions of square feet)(in billions of dollars)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

T he flooring industry in2015 continued its recov-ery from the prolonged

recession. While growth ratespale in comparison to the mid-2000s heydays, the industry lastyear saw increases of 4.4% indollars and 3.2% in volume.This comes on the heels of 3.6%growth in dollars and 1.8% involume in 2014 compared to therespective 5.5% and 3.8%growth rates in 2013. Perhapsmore significant is total indus-

Continued on page 12

IN THIS ISSUE

By the numbersFCNews’ annual StatisticalIssue defines the flooringindustry in 2015 in terms ofdollars and units sold.

Carpet/Rugs .....................18Resilient ..........................22Wood ...............................30Laminate .........................36Ceramic...........................40

CommercialIncreased activity in key end-use sectors such as corpo-rate and healthcare is drivinggreater demand for carpet tileand LVT products.

PAGE 44

Total industry sales

$20.457 4.4% 18.526 3.2%

introductions.In 2017, Karastan will follow

up on its successful SpiceMarket collection in rugs withtwo news collections—Intrigueand Sovereign. Intrigue’s mod-ern and transitional rugs arewoven of Mohawk’s EverStrandyarn, a premium polyester pro-duced from up to 100% recycledcontent from plastic bottles.EverStrand is known for its softtouch, durability and stainresistance.

New from Karastan is WileMulticolor, which blends neu-

fcnews December 19/26, 2016 I 19

For many years the AtlantaInternational Area Rugmarket at AmericasMart

has been the premier venue fornew rug offerings, with theJanuary show serving as thelaunch pad for that year’s intro-ductions.

However, success bringscompetition and some execu-tives say the Atlanta show(Jan. 11-14) may have lost a bitof its momentum with theascent of the World Market inlate January in Las Vegas, justafter Surfaces, and the HighPoint home furnishings showin the fall.

“Up until last marketAtlanta has been the premierrug market,” said BlakeDennard, senior vice presidentat Kaleen Rugs, who said atten-dance fell precipitously at theJuly 2016 show. “We are hopingit comes back in January. Wedon’t want to go in with a nega-tive attitude. We hope for arecovery because traditionallyAtlanta is our premier rug mar-ket of the year and we havemade a big commitment to theshow.”

The Atlanta rug marketcoincides with the AtlantaInternational Gift & HomeFurnishings Market, scheduledJan. 10-17 at AmericasMart. Theintegration of home furnishingswith decorative accessoriesincluding rugs has been a grow-ing trend in recent years.Chelsea Peabody, strategic andmedia relations manager atAmericaMart Atlanta, saidshow attendees will see a con-tinued integration of rugs withhome décor and home accentscollections this year. To achievethat goal, organizers relocatedthe area rug “temporaries” areato Building 1, Floor 7 wherehome products are shown.

The Market atAmericasMart is a mix of per-manent showrooms and a tem-porary trade show. During theJanuary market there are 1,500showrooms plus more than3,000 temporaries. “Thereimagined temporaries presen-tation encourages rug retailersto explore the home décor col-lection and home buyers tosource trendsetting rug mer-chandise,” Peabody said.

The leading rug purveyorsuse the Atlanta Area RugMarket to showcase new trendsin design and manufacturing.Highlights this year includenew-to-market collections fromleaders including Karastan,Nourison, Oriental Weavers,

Momeni, Couristan and Loloi,which launched its ED BY EllenDeGeneres collection inJanuary.

Sam Presnell, owner of TheRug Gallery in Cincinnati, has ashopping list in hand when heattends Atlanta. “We will belooking for the next new thingand believe more saturation andyoung colors will lead the way. Ialso wish we had better selec-tions in wool machine wovenand hope we can find some newfresh things there. Machinemade is our No. 1 best-sellingtype of rug. Atlanta is the best

market to cover this type ofmerchandise and we will see alot of new intros in a very effi-cient way.”

Color and design will befeatured prominently in newintroductions, according toorganizers and attendees.

Kaleen will be introducingfive new collections, led by itssuccessful indoor/outdoorportfolio, and new shags.“Shags continue to do wellpretty much wherever we putthem up,” Dennard said. Atpress time, Kaleen was stillfinalizing the names for its new

area rugs

Karastan Wile Multicolorblends neutral colors ofcream, taupe and gold

balanced with bolder hues for a dynamic look.

Color, design take center stage at Atlanta marketBy Ken Ryan

Continued on page 23

20 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

2016August

September

Armstrong reverts to serving CCA through distribution channels

By Ken Ryan

( THE HEADLINES )Third-quarter reviews are mixed for flooring, home furnishings Dealers seek to finish the year on a high noteHanjin Shipping bankruptcy causes minor hiccupsMaxwoods relocates office, warehouse spaceTom Ellis appointed CMO, Beaulieu AmericaMohawk brings entire commercial team under one roofFCNews hires Bailie as assistant editor Carpet recycling stewardship program extended for another yearAbbey Carpet & Floor forms alliance with YelpCCA Global Partners taps new board members Mendelsohn tapped to take Mohawk marketing to next levelArmstrong initiative supports U.S. troops Raskin Industries appoints Rocha director of salesNew Pergo campaign targets millennials

tial stick in the marketplace. InNovember 2015, John Carneywas hired as executive directorwith the task of taking this con-sortium of master distributorsto the next level.

“What he is starting to lookat are areas where we can useour combined strengths andknowledge,” said John Sher,president of Adleta, a Bravodistributor based in Carrollton,Texas. “He will drill down onthose things that will help not

simply the members but thosewe buy from and sell to. Weare, in short, asking JohnCarney to give us direction.”

Bravo Services was estab-lished in 2000 by 12 U.S. mas-ter flooring distributors withthe idea that one voice couldbetter serve their customers,leveraging their collectivestrengths in sales, purchasing,operations, logistics and trans-portation.

Soon thereafter, Shnier andBuckwold Western were addedfrom Canada to form a NorthAmerican consortium of 14master distributors whose salesand service capabilities span all50 U.S. states, 10 Canadianprovinces and three territories.

The geographic footprint ofBravo allows it to service floor-ing retailers swiftly and effi-ciently across North America,often within 24 hours of orderdate. Ed duDomaine, presidentand CEO, Gesco/Shnier,Canada’s largest floor coveringdistributor located inBrampton, Ontario, said thesize of the organization allows

it to leverage its assets andscale in order to derivebenefits for each of its 14members. “But make nomistake, the benefits don’tcome to the group unlessthey are realized first andforemost by its customers.”

Bravo has taken on theresponsibility of being athird-party warehouse forits customers, incurringvirtually all of the invest-ment. “We are essentially abank, too, through creditservices, as well as an out-side marketing resource, whichincludes training,” duDomaineexplained. “Also, one of theprincipal value-adds today isbearing the great cost and risksassociated with importinggoods from afar.”

Retailers have told the groupthat its 24/7 online orderingplacement system is superior toall other in-market competitors.As a powerful network of dis-tributors, Bravo has the where-withal to go out and attract thebest manufacturers and, inturn, seek out the best products.

“The fact that we are well capi-talized allows us to search forsuitable products, take theneeded time and not rush tomarket,” said Allen Gage, presi-dent of Tri-West, Santa FeSprings, Calif. “We give ourcustomers the best of bothworlds being locally centeredwith superior market knowl-edge, yet nimble enough tomake changes quickly with anational influence.”

The true benefit to theretailer flows from the collabo-ration with Bravo members.

They comprise 14 of thefloor covering industry’smost successful distribu-

tors, including top-rankedHaines. Collectively they repre-sent more than $2 billion inannual sales of flooring andrelated supply products.

Until recently, Bravo ServicesLLC (bravoservices.com) haspreferred to go to market quietlywhile wielding a very influen-

New Bravo distribution consortium poised to make its mark

By Steven Feldman

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—Six yearsago Carpet One andArmstrong announced anagreement by which the man-ufacturer would serviceCarpet One members directlyas opposed to the traditionaldistribution model. The initia-tive was met with mixedreviews, but over time mostmembers felt the positivesoutweighed the negatives.

However, at the recent summer convention CharlieDilks, chief product officer,announced the group wouldbe “reverting” back to distrib-utor service model forArmstrong products. “This is amutual decision made betweenArmstrong and CCA. Six yearsago we were expecting consoli-dation. But wood is still frag-mented. LVT is fragmented. Wealso discovered the distributoris pretty good at providing serv-

ice at the local level. That mat-ters and is a separator.”

He added that the group feltthe Armstrong direct model wasnot sustainable from a competi-tive and economic point of view,noting that he is confident anypotential issues that could resultfrom the switch, such as pricing

and the volume would shifttoward higher quantities. Whatyou’ve seen over the past threeyears is dealers stocking less andless. It’s a cut order businesswith the expectation that thedealer be serviced in that man-ner. As a manufacturer, we arenot set up to do carton and pal-let orders. That’s why we havedistribution. We believe it willbe a better result for the cus-tomer and we can refocus our

energies on the things that real-ly matter, which will drive thebusiness for members.”

Bondi concluded by notingArmstrong is not necessarilyreverting back to anything. “Weare moving forward in the con-text of the realities of the marketand the dealers’ businessmodel.”

Despite all this, Dilks said85% of members would havepreferred the direct model.

and credit, will be dealt withduring the transition.

Joe Bondi, senior vicepresident for ArmstrongFlooring, told FCNews thatArmstrong can provide betterservice and support for thedealer by leveraging its distri-bution model. “We havebroader reach and coverage interms of sales and service sup-port, and we will have betterengagement with the distrib-utor for the dealers in termsof inventory, service, mer-chandising and training fortheir RSAs. That will allow usto focus our resources onproduct development, inno-

vation, programs and regionalpromotions, which make thosepromotions more relevant tothe individual members.”

What precipitated themove? “A look at the realities ofthe market,” Bondi said. “Whenwe went direct, we believedthere would be a consolidation

floorcoveringnewsvolume 31/number 4 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I August 8/15, 2016 I $2.00

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GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—Carpet Onecontinues to seek out ways to dif-ferentiate its members from thecompetition, and the recentsummer convention onlyserved to illustrate thatobjective. A revamped carpetone.com, designed toengage consumers at everystep of the purchase process,took center stage, withmore enhancements to theOne Stop Digital (OSD)marketing initiative playinga supporting role.

The Carpet One websiterelaunch is in response tochanging consumer shopping andbuying habits. “The way they con-sume media has changed,” saidJanice Jacobs, vice president ofmarketing. “Eighty percent of pur-chase decisions are made online.”In fact, she said customers todayare making 12-plus online visits

over the course of many weeksand generally four websites but onaverage are only visiting 2.4 stores(where most sales occur). “But theimpact of digital is what’s driving

customer expectations to new lev-els. They expect a seamless experi-ence between an online visit andthe physical store. It is so impor-tant today to have the best cus-tomer experience online. We haveto provide education. It is moreContinued on page 10

Continued on page 8

By K.J. Quinn

A fter a good start to kick off the year, many resilient floor-ing suppliers say they are cautiously optimistic about thecategory sustaining its current growth rate through the

end of the year. Industry observers and manufacturing execu-tives point to a variety of factors, including leading economicindicators, new product development trends and consumer buy-

SUPPLIERS TOUT VISUAL ATTRIBUTES,

FUNCTIONALITY

Carpet One Floor & Home

Relaunched siteseeks to engageflooring consumers

By Steven Feldman

IN THIS ISSUE

CFI conferenceextols professionalismPAGE 3

Mohawk enterscountertop marketPAGE 5

Women in Flooring:Flavia BaggioPAGE 16

Ceramic styling Global design trends areincreasingly cutting acrossgeographical borders as ever-changing consumer tastesimpact product development.

PAGE 14

Carpet One relaunched its website inresponse to changing consumer

shopping and buying habits.

The latest innovation in LVT—waterproof cores—is driving interest among retailers and consumers alike.

Pictured is Adura from Mannington.

SPOTLIGHT

Retail groups ramp up marketing objectivesFloors and More looks to leverage

social media tools, programs Digital initiatives dominate

Flooring America agenda

Ceiling, has big plans for theorganization. During thegroup’s inaugural meetingrecently, he expressed his goalto be among the top three buy-ing groups in the country overthe medium to long term. “This is just the beginning,”

said Virga, citing the group’sgrowth trends. Big Bob’s has 17members who own 39 show-rooms; Floor to Ceiling has 60members, each with a singleshowroom. While Big Bob’s isstill more so a cash and carrydealer, over 50% of its membersoffer installation today. Floor toCeiling, meanwhile, goes tomarket as a full-service retailer

MINNEAPOLIS—Vinnie Virga,group president of Floors andMore, which encompasses BigBob’s Flooring and Floor to

By Ken Ryan

ence, whose driving theme was“Building Buzz.”Indeed, there were plenty of

data points offered that suggeststhe digital evolution is trans-forming the retail flooring mar-ket. For example, researchshows the average person now

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—If youdidn’t know better youmay have thought youwere attending a technol-ogy summit rather thanFlooring America’s sum-mer conference with itsheavy emphasis on allthings digital.There is a reason for that,

according to Keith Spano, presi-dent of Flooring America/Flooring Canada, InternationalDesign Guild and The FloorTrader Group. “This is how wecommunicate today and weneed to embrace this,” he toldattendees during the confer-

By Ken Ryan

Continued on page 20

Resilient: State of the industry

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

Continued on page 19

Keith Spano, president of FlooringAmerica, addresses members.

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A s the summer comes to aclose, retailers arealready looking to the

fall selling season and beyond.After the rollercoast-er ride of the firstthree quarters, manydealers are feelingoptimistic that 2016will end on a highnote.

Dan Mandel,owner of SterlingCarpet and Flooringin Anaheim, Calif.,described the firsteight months of 2016as “evolving.” He isconfident the indus-try has stabilized andexpects that growth will contin-ue. “We are optimistic that therest of this year will be strongand our forecasts for next yearlook very promising as well. We

want to keep this going for aslong as we can.”

Mandel is counting on hotproducts to contribute to thatgrowth. From a category-specificstandpoint, he has seen a major

shift from soft to hard goods.“Our business has reallychanged this year, and we arefocusing more on luxury vinylContinued on page 10

Continued on page 12

By Ken Ryan

Despite generally favorable economic trends, the U.S. res-idential carpet market has failed to gain any appreciabletraction in the first eight months of 2016. The deciding

factors are not always evident: While the growth of hard sur-faces has certainly played a role in shrinking broadloom’s share,there is vibrancy in the upper end of the market as mills push

MILLS SEE PATHTO GROWTH VIASTYLE, FASHION

Retail roundup

Dealers seek to finish the year on a high note

By Reginald Tucker

IN THIS ISSUE

FCNews taps newassistant editorPAGE 3

Exclusive interview:Karen MendelsohnPAGE 8

WPC overview:What’s new, improvedPAGE 14

Romancing ceramic,natural stoneTechnological advancementsare taking ceramic visuals andtextures to higher heights.

PAGE 16

Nebraska Furniture Mart is banking on its massive inventory and high-traffic

locations to drive business.

Shaw’s ‘Doors Open’ style is 100% nylon and features the company’s R2X technology for stain and soil resistance.

SPOTLIGHT

FCNews exclusive

Bravo: Distribution group poised to make its marked supply products.

Until recently, Bravo ServicesLLC (bravoservices.com) haspreferred to go to market quietlywhile wielding avery influentialstick in the mar-ketplace. InNovember 2015,John Carney washired as executivedirector with the task of takingthis consortium of master dis-tributors to the next level.

“What he is starting to lookat are areas where we can useour combined strengths andknowledge,” said John Sher,president of Adleta, a Bravo dis-tributor based in Carrollton,Texas. “He will drill down onthose things that will help notsimply the members but those

we buy from and sell to. We are,in short, asking John Carney togive us direction.”

Bravo Services was estab-lished in 2000 by12 U.S. masterflooring distribu-tors with the ideathat one voicecould better servetheir customers,

leveraging their collectivestrengths in sales, purchasing,operations, logistics and trans-portation.

Soon thereafter, Shnier andBuckwold Western were addedfrom Canada to form a NorthAmerican consortium of 14master distributors whose salesand service capabilities span all50 U.S. states, 10 Canadianprovinces and three territories.

They comprise 14 of thefloor covering industry’smost successful distribu-

tors, including top-rankedHaines. Collectively they repre-sent more than $2 billion inannual sales of flooring and relat-

By Ken Ryan

Continued on page 20

The geographic footprint ofBravo allows it to service floor-ing retailers swiftly and effi-ciently across North America,often within 24 hours of orderdate. Ed duDomaine, presidentand CEO, Gesco/Shnier,Canada’s largest floor coveringdistributor located inBrampton, Ontario, said thesize of the organization allowsit to leverage its assets and scalein order to derive benefits foreach of its 14 members. “Butmake no mistake, the benefitsdon’t come to the group unlessthey are realized first and fore-most by its customers.”

Bravo has taken on theresponsibility of being a third-party warehouse for its cus-tomers, incurring virtually all

Carpet: State of the industry

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( THE HEADLINES )Specialty retailers look to shake off Presidential pre-election jittersNew Carpet One tools aim to help retailers better engage customersMullican announces multi-million dollar factory expansionCFI looks to raise the bar on professionalismPaul Cleary appointed CEO of Lexmark Carpet MillsMohawk moves into countertop businessFitz Flooring suddenly shuts its doorsSwiss Krono breaks ground on expanded laminate plant Flooring industry impacted by Louisiana floodsMohawk’s Lorberbaum named to “Most Admired CEO” list

fcnews December 19/26, 2016 I 21

2016October

( THE HEADLINES )NFA celebrates 25th

anniversary in grand style CarpetsPlus gets first lookat ‘Destination’ concept

Johnson Hardwood opensnew manufacturing plantin Vietnam

Karndean Designflooringgets a makeover

WFCA forms alliance withSavings4Members

CFI, Legacy Foundationaims to help veteransmake transition

Greenbuild show putsweight behind sustainable movement

Mohawk Hard Surface goes on the offensive

I4F wins court case; Unilin to appeal

Obituary: Bill Dearing, 75Fletco taps Anthony Miniteto lead North Americanexpansion

Engineered Floors continues to expand SAM facility

Beauflor expands distribution in Canada

Michael Halebian & Co. celebrates 85 years in business

By Ken Ryan

Dealers applaud Shaw’s acquisition of USFloors

F looring retailers praisedShaw Industries for itsacquisition of WPC pio-

neer USFloors, a move thatexpands Shaw’s reach into theluxury vinyl tile (LVT) and hardsurface markets.

Vance Bell, chairman andCEO, Shaw Industries, said thetwo companies share similarvalues and focus on innovation,style and design, and sustain-ability leadership. “CombiningUSFloors—the fastest growingcompany in the fastest growingsegment of the flooring busi-ness—with Shaw’s LVT positioncreates a significant opportunityfor the combined companies.”

Piet Dossche, CEO ofUSFloors, told FCNews, “Thegood thing here is the innova-tion and the branding will besupported by the incrediblelogistics and distribution freightsystem that Shaw has available.We’re combining their opera-tional excellence with the cre-

ativity and innovation thatUSFloors brings to market. It’s awhole new chapter forUSFloors.”

Retailers also applauded thedeal. Sam Roberts, owner ofRoberts Carpet and Fine Floors,with multiple locations in theHouston market, called it an“excellent” acquisition for Shaw.“COREtec is the gem in the

floorcoveringnewsvolume 31/number 10 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I October 24/31, 2016 I $2.00

NEWSPAPER

F looring retailers praisedShaw Industries for itsacquisition of WPC pio-

neer USFloors, a move thatexpands and bolsters Shaw’sreach into the luxury vinyltile (LVT) and hard surfacemarkets.

USFloors is regarded asthe leading innovator ofwood plastic composite(WPC) flooring, featuringits patented COREtec, aswell as cork, bamboo andhardwood products. Shawalready has a strong posi-tion in WPC with itsFloorte line, and is a leader inhardwood flooring with its Epicand Anderson brands.

Vance Bell, chairman andCEO, Shaw Industries, said thetwo companies share similar val-ues and focus on innovation,style and design, and sustainabil-ity leadership. “CombiningUSFloors—the fastest growing

company in the fastest growingsegment of the flooring busi-ness—with Shaw’s LVT positioncreates a significant opportunityfor the combined companies.”

Piet Dossche, CEO ofUSFloors, told FCNews, “The

good thing here is the innova-tion and the branding will besupported by the incrediblelogistics and distribution freightsystem that Shaw has available.We’re combining their opera-tional excellence with the cre-ativity and innovation thatUSFloors brings to market. It’s a

Continued on page 34

The commercial market pretty much carried the distribu-tion industry to gains in 2015. However, a drop-off incommercial activity has impeded growth for some of the

industry’s premier wholesalers in 2016. The residential marketremained essentially even year-over-year, although the contin-ued growth of LVT and the emergence of WPC as a potentialstandout helped buttress sales in residential.

FCNews’ annual top 20 distributors listing not only looks atthe industry’s leaders but also reveals the 10 highest-volumewholesalers in the resilient and hardwood categories. In mostcases, the information was obtained from the respective high-level executives. Coverage begins on page 12.

FCNEWS’ANNUALTOP 20 FLOORING

DISTRIBUTORS

Dealers applaudShaw’s acquisitionof USFloors

By Ken Ryan

Piet Dossche Vance Bell

FCNews exclusive

Mohawk Hard Surfaces goes on the offensive ucts—through both acquisitionand internal expansion—toinclude a full breadth of hard sur-face materials. In fact,ceramic is the largest prod-uct category in the compa-ny’s offering today, and italso maintains leadingpositions in hardwood,laminate, vinyl, stone andarea rugs.

In the 21 years since itsmerger with Aladdin, thecompany has grown fromunder $1 billion to $8.5 bil-lion. And ince 2013Mohawk has investedaround $5 billion with thegoal of delivering product innova-tions at a better value to its cus-tomers.

To execute those objectivesand initiatives, Mohawk relies on

a seasoned team of flooringindustry executives. At the helmis Brian Carson, who serves as

president of North Americanflooring operations with respon-sibility for all flooring categorieswith the exception of ceramic—aseparate business unit. Carson, a

To say that MohawkIndustries has dramatical-ly evolved over the past 20

years would be putting it mildly.Historically perceived as a carpetcompany, Mohawk has vastlyexpanded its portfolio of prod-

By Reginald Tucker

Continued on page 10

veteran of the wood flooring busi-ness, joined Mohawk about 10years ago—initially taking on

hard surface responsibili-ties and eventually expand-ing into soft surfaces.

A recent restructuringresulted in the appoint-ment of Gary Lanser to theposition of president ofMohawk’s wood and lami-nate business, whichincludes distribution of theQuick-Step and Columbiabrands. In this capacity, hewill drive the developmentof innovative productswhile overseeing the con-

struction and start-up ofMohawk’s new engineered woodand laminate plants. Lastly, DavidHolt, senior vice president, will

Mohawk continues to aggressively invest in the development of its hard surface

offerings, including its signature American Designer hardwood collection.

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

IN THIS ISSUE

I4F wins court case;Unilin to appeal PAGE 3

Michael Halebian & Co.stands the test of time PAGE 16

Industry veteran AnthonyMinite stages a comebackPAGE 5

The Mannington way You don’t stay in business for100 years without doing theright thing by your customers.

PAGE 8

SPOTLIGHT

them with additional salespeo-ple and management—whichalways equals even more dealersand the resultant smaller mar-gins—then the impact on theretail community might be rela-tively small. Shaw’s a great com-pany and can be an excellentpartner. For retailers, as always,it’s about achieving and main-taining a competitive position.”

deal. Its visuals and patents—combined with their brand newmanufacturing facility that isjust now coming on line—makethem extremely attractive. Theimpact on all of us will largelybe dependent on how Shawchooses to treat the acquisition.If Shaw keeps the currentUSFloors sales force and choos-es not to significantly augment

to be viewed as a positive. “Forany dealer who is largely unhappywith the current business statusquo—and retail floor coveringhas suffered another difficult yearin 2016 in many markets–I don’tknow what could provoke anexpectation of significant changeeventuating from a HillaryClinton administration. Lowertaxes, less regulation and pro-

growth government policies areall generally good for both smalland large business. I would thinkmost dealers would welcomechange that might alter currentbusiness realities.”

Nick Freadreacea, president,The Flooring Gallery inLouisville, has a wish list of whathe hopes can be accomplished.“Items that may be good for ourindustry would be the passage ofthe Marketplace Fairness Act,which would put brick and mor-tar stores on equal ground withthe Internet sellers; getting someclarity on how subcontractors areviewed by the various govern-mental departments; repealingthe new salary and overtime rulesand maybe even doing somethingthat will reduce healthcare costs.”

F looring retailersacknowledge that whileit is premature to know

what a Trump presidency andRepublican-controlled Congresswill mean for the flooring tradeover the next four years, the ini-tial returns point toward a morefavorable business climate.

Josh Elder, co-owner ofGainesville CarpetsPlus Colortilein Gainesville, Fla., echoed a sen-timent shared by many dealerscontacted by FCNews when hesaid it was “still too early” to sayhow the election will directlyimpact business. However, likethe others, he found some posi-tive takeaways. “Looking at theway the stock market has reacted

is a good sign,” Elder said. “It real-ly depends on the administrationTrump brings in, but I am opti-mistic the market will continueto rally which will increase con-sumer confidence and spending.That equates to business for us.”

Sam Roberts, owner ofRoberts Carpet & Fine Floors inHouston, believes the implica-tions for the flooring industry has

2016NovemberIndustry cautiously optimistic about Trump presidency

floorcoveringnewsvolume 31/number 12 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I November 21/28, 2016 I $2.00

NEWSPAPER

F looring retailers acknowl-edge that while it is pre-mature to know what a

Trump presidency andRepubl ican- contro l l edCongress will mean for theflooring trade over the nextfour years, the initial returnspoint toward a more favor-able business climate.

It did not go unnoticedthat on Tuesday, Nov. 22, thethree U.S. stock indices allbroke records, with the DowJones Industrial Averageclosing above 19,000, theS&P 500 closing over 2,200and the NASDAQ closingover 5,300. All were first-time highs, which may sug-gest that perhaps President-elect Trump will be good for theeconomy after all.

While some flooring dealersdid not want to speak on the

record about the next four years,others provided significant com-mentary on their hopes andbeliefs.

Josh Elder, co-owner ofGainesville CarpetsPlus Colortile

in Gainesville, Fla., echoed a sen-timent shared by many dealerscontacted by FCNews when heContinued on page 18

Continued on page 27

By K.J. Quinn

While much excitement in the U.S. flooring industrysurrounds innovations in LVT, the irony is most ofthese faux designs resemble a product requiring no

introduction: ceramic tile. The category is making some noise ofits own, as new digital printing technologies and larger formatsare driving pent-up demand in the residential market.

“Speaking with various manufacturers and tile distributors

HOUSING STRENGTH,BUYING TRENDS

BOOST CONSUMPTION

Retail roundup

Industry cautiously optimistic about Trump presidency

By Ken Ryan

IN THIS ISSUE

FCNews webinar:ICs or employees?PAGE 8

A look back at 2016 carpet innovationsPAGE 12

Donato Pompo answers readers’ tile questions PAGE 16

Resilient capacity risesThe influx of imports com-bined with increased statesideproduction is impacting themarket in tangible ways.

PAGE 22

Three U.S. stock indices brokerecords on Nov. 22, leading some to believe a Trump presidency might be good for business.

SPOTLIGHT

Congoleum CEO Moran retires; O’Connor named COOment firms are Congoleum’slargest stakeholders—willassume the roles of executivechairman and vice chairman,respectively.

“We are grateful to Bob forhis successful stewardship overthe past five years and we areconfident that, in Chris, we haveselected a strong leader at a timewhen the company is well posi-tioned for the challenges andopportunities ahead,” Venetissaid. “The pace of change isaccelerating, and Congoleumhas incredible potential to lever-age its long-standing commit-ment to quality, design and inno-vation to capture an increasingshare of the market segments inwhich it participates. Chris’insight, vision and executionaltrack record—along with thesupport of a terrific manage-

ment team—are exactly whatCongoleum needs as we enter avery exciting next chapter in ourover 100-year-old cor-porate history.”

O’Connor, whojoined Congoleum aschief financial officerin January 2015, will retain thoseresponsibilities in hisnew position. “I wasvery familiar withCongoleum from mytime as CFO at CMH,and I admired how Bob Moranled the company through somevery challenging conditions andbuilt one of the strongest leader-ship teams in the flooring indus-try,” he said. “I wanted to be apart of a company where Ibelieved the possibilities werelimitless, and I was thrilled

MERCERVILLE, N.J.—Congoleumhas announced the retirementof CEO Robert Moran, effectiveNov. 21. At the same time, thecompany’s board of directorshas appointed ChristopherO’Connor COO, effective Dec.1. Additionally, current boardmembers Peter Venetis andTom McKay—whose invest-

when Bob asked me to joinCongoleum as CFO in 2015. Theopportunity that lies ahead for

Congoleum is enor-mous, and the abilityto lead this nextchapter is both hum-bling and exhilarat-ing. The wholeCongoleum team isfocused on accelerat-ing the innovationand execution thatour customers needfrom us.”

Moran expressed confidencein the board’s choice. “Chris is abright and capable leader whohas contributed significantly toour success in a relatively shorttime. He will ensure Congoleumcontinues to execute on thestrategic growth plans and deliv-er long-term success.”

ChristopherO’Connor

Theoretical by American Olean is inspired by the modern, industrial look of cement.

Ceramic: State of the Industry

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

By Ken Ryan

22 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

( THE HEADLINES )New association formed todevelop WPC standards

Starnet positions for futureNAFCD plays off vibe of the‘Windy City’

Pacific Solutions tech conference educates

William Jopling, 64Irving Rich, 98Housing strength,buying trends boost ceramic consumption

Congoleum CEO Moranretires; O’Connor named COO

WFCA names new FCIF director

Investment firm acquiresEmpire Today

Stanton Carpet partners with Quad-C management

INSTALL, H2H partnershipbrings veterans to theindustry

Wickham teams up withAbraham Linc

Wanke Cascade names Rob Tarver president

MS International revampsdesigner showroom

Petition filed to combat illegal Chinese dumping

fcnews December 19/26, 2016 I 23

tral colors of cream, taupe andgold balanced with bolder huesof sapphire, aquamarine, citron,garnet, tobacco and spice.

Hypnotize Multicolorincludes bold blocks of colorand streams of space-dyed stria-tions to create a hypnotic effect.Karastan said the rug collectionis equally suited for spaces withcompeting colors or neutrals inneed of a jolt of vibrant energy.

Captivate Indigo isdescribed as a “blue blur” ofabstract artistry and a modernmuse in fresh hues of indigo,pale green, gray, aqua, black andneutral beige. From the

Sovereign collection Marquis isa transitional companion piecewoven with New Zealandworsted wool to achieve an heir-loom quality that is distinguish-ably exclusive to Karastan.

American Rug Craftsman, aMohawk brand, is introducingDestinations, a collection ofauthentically American styles—coastal, lodge and Southwestlooks—in contemporary colors.As with Karastan’s introduc-tions, Destinations is craftedwith EverStrand, providing therugs with the durability to with-stand the rigors of high trafficareas.

Oriental Weavers said it isintroducing 100 new rugsamong eight collections in 2017.

MORRISVILLE, N.C.—KronospanUSA has released its first pre-view of the new Bohemian col-lection of laminate flooringdesigns, which is just one of fivenew design collections to beunveiled at the 2017 Surfacestrade show in Las Vegas. Earlierthis month Kronospanannounced its plans to roll out acomprehensive laminate line in2017 (FCNews, Nov. 21/28).

“The Bohemian collection isa completely casual design thathas a distinct sense of style,” saidJeff Juzaitis, vice president, salesand product development.“Kronospan’s BohemianCollection includes a widerange of colors, species and tex-tures that range from earthy toelaborate. The collection speaksto a free-spirited nature withweathered grays, timeworn

brown oaks and sharp teaks.” Kronospan USA’s Bohemian

Collection contains 15 differentproduct SKUs ranging from8mm to 12mm in widths span-ning 125mm to 204mm widths.

Kronospan USA plans tounveil its entire new productcollection, with special atten-tion to its Made in the USAproducts and capabilities, atbooth #603 at Surfaces.

Among its signature launcheswill be Vintage Soul, where“modern classic styling meetsvintage soul,” and Boho Luxe,distinguished by deep jeweltones of sapphire, ruby andamethyst weaved alongsideturquoise, gold and copper.

Peabody said the big trendin rugs is floral patterns rangingfrom abstract to botanicalprints. “Textured rugs are alsotrending with some designsincorporating multiple tech-niques to create a sophisticatedtextural effect.”

The Atlanta market isn’tonly about a trade show. Retailbuyers and exhibitors will havethe opportunity to support com-munities in need during theevent including the secondannual Home for Hope day ofgiving that supports City ofHope and the annual Party onPeachtree, the single-largestevent benefitting Gift For Lifeand Young Gift Executives.

Blake Dennard, senior vicepresident at Kaleen Rugs, said

the January show has traditionally been the indus-try’s premier rug market.

Kronospan’s new Bohemian collection covers a wide range oftrendy looks and styles in various widths.

marketing mastery

(Second of two parts)

Iteach dealers a three-step sys-tem for achieving any goal intheir business or personal

lives. In Part I of this series I cov-ered the first step, which is toclearly define your “big rocks,” theimportant goals you have for yourbusiness. I also gave readers anassignment to write down twoor three big rocks they’d like toaccomplish in 2017.

In the second and final part Iwill cover the next two steps you’llneed to accomplish your rocks.

Step No. 2: Practice timeblocking. In my previous columnI explained the importance ofmaking time to accomplish yourmost important goals. A simpleyet highly effective method fordoing this is called time blocking.I’ve been using this strategy foryears, and I’ve taught it to hun-dreds of dealers. How it works:Time blocking entails makingappointments with yourself toaccomplish your big rocks. First,decide how many hours per weekyou want to invest in accomplish-ing your big goals. For argument’ssake, let’s say it’s four hours.Open your company calendar andblock out four hours in your

schedule. It could be a single four-hour block, or you could break itup into four hour-long blocks.

Treat these as real, unbreak-able appointments in much thesame way as you would view ameasure appointment for a$10,000 flooring sale—perhapseven more so. For instance, if youwere with a prospect, bidding ona $10k wood job, would youaccept phone calls, checkemails, send texts or play onFacebook? Of course not. Sodon’t do it during your timeblocks. Turn off your phone andemails. Hang a “do not disturb”sign on your door. Even better,do your time blocks offsite at acoffee shop or at home.

Step No. 3: Focus on

results-producing tasks. Let’ssay you’re currently workingMonday through Friday, andthat you spend Fridays workingthe sales floor. Let’s also saythat one of your big rocks is, “Iwill take every Friday off byApril 1.” You’ll likely have to putsome things in place to enableyou be able to take Fridays off,for example:

•Hire a new salesperson•Train the new salesperson•Implement an “ups” system•Implement marketing togenerate more prospectsFor argument’s sake, let’s say

you’ve time blocked Wednesdaysfrom 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. to work onthis rock. What are you going todo during this time? Results-pro-ducing tasks are assignments thatmove you directly toward your

big rock. In this example,you might dedicate yourfirst time block to theresults-producing task ofcreating a job descriptionalong with an ad to recruita new salesperson. Thenext several time blocksmight be spent developinga sales training initiative

or identifying a turnkey sales pro-gram and implementing it intoyour business. (Disclosure: Mycompany, Flooring SuccessSystems, has developed a turnkeysales system for dealers, so if youneed help with this, contact myoffice for more information.)

Your next several time blockswould be devoted to implement-ing an ups system. Your final timeblocks on this rock would be toimplement marketing strategies.

This same process can beused on virtually any goal youset for your business. By follow-ing these three steps—definingyour big rocks, time blockingand focusing results-producingtasks—you can make 2017 agreat year.

BY DEFINING YOUR BIG ROCKS,PRACTICING TIME BLOCKING

AND FOCUSING ON RESULTS-PRODUCING TASKS, YOU CAN

MAKE 2017 A GREAT YEAR.

JIM AUGUSTUSARMSTRONG

Jim Augustus Armstrong specializes in providing turnkey marketingstrategies for flooring dealers. For a complimentary copy of his book,“How Floor Dealers Can Beat the Boxes and Escape the Cheap-Price RatRace of Doom Forever,” visit beattheboxestoday.com.

How to make 2017 a huge success

Continued from page 19Atlanta market

Kronospan USA provides first glimpse of Bohemian collection

24 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

scaleable and interchangeable.“We have several different waysthat we show product and for thefirst time, from what we’re hear-ing from our retailers, with not atremendous amount of invest-ment they’re going to be able toposition their in-store retail envi-ronment in a really unified, con-sistent, one-notebook way acrosssoft surfaces and hard surfaces,”said Karen Mendelsohn, seniorvice president of marketing,Mohawk. In the past Mohawkhas had bigger fixtures that madeit look like the company was sell-ing merchandising instead offlooring but with these new dis-plays, “Product is hero,” sheadded.

Retailers have also picked upon this change. “I think [the newdisplays] will work well,” saidYolanda Donaldson of DonaldsonFlooring, Solano County, Calif. “Ilike the way they look. They don’ttake up a lot of room. I also likehow they’re more streamlined soyou can get more in your store.”

Looking at the hard surfacedisplays in particular, Donaldsonappreciates the new sample sizes.“I like that the boards are bigger

so people can get more of a lookat a big, long piece instead of a lit-tle square,” she explained.

Mohawk, known for its inno-vation in carpet, also introducedSmartStrand Silk Reserve, a prod-uct the company says has man-aged to make silk feel even softer.The new line comes in a better/best solid offering with a 50-colorpalette, multi-color offering,tonal offering and different pat-tern constructions.

Dealers like what they’re see-ing so far. “I’m really excitedabout the Silk Reserve, which is alittle bit different as far as thedenier of the yarn,” said SandraMolski, owner, Flooring & More,Janesville, Wis. “It’s even softer,which is just completely incredi-ble to me that they were able tomake silk even softer. But I’mreally excited about the loopsbecause they’ve got a lot of[tones]; the colors really hit themark with lots of gray whicheveryone is going for right now.”

In addition to the look andfeel of SmartStrand Silk Reserveis the product’s marketable story.With the tagline “Durability tothe Max” SmartStrand SilkReserve features Max, a 5,400-pound rhino as its mascot anddurability tester. Marketed as a

product that can stand up to themesses of a rhino, this producthas intrigued many retailers.

“They’ve done the rhino,they’ve done the elephant chal-lenge and recently there was aTough Mudder competition, sowhat the fiber offers is truly rev-olutionary,” said MichaelKundert, owner, The Pad Place,Sarasota, Fla. “Its ability tocleanup and its durability makesit definitely a winner. Everybodyis looking for these pet-proofitems. What could be more pet-proof than rhinos and elephantscompared to dogs and cats? Thistype of marketing will drive salestowards it.”

In keeping with its strategy topresent itself as a total flooringcompany, Mohawk introduced afull line-up of hard surfaces,including the company’s uniquerigid core SolidTech line.Mohawk has placed this productin its own category, stating that itis different from LVT. SolidTechutilizes Mohawk’s uniclic multi-fit technology and is available inthree collections: Galvyn,Revella and Vershire.

SolidTech and its marketingcompanion Doug the Pug excitedmany retailers with the product’sdurability and waterproof capa-bilities. Donaldson, for instance,believes this product will helpher business because customersseem to be interested in buying

Continued from page 1Solutions similar products. “I think it’s

going to work out really well,”she said. “This seems moredurable than the others.”

Other hard surface offeringsof note include new ceramic tileand laminate offerings. There arefive new ceramic tile collectionsincluding, Amelia Manor,Donovan Manor, Bartlett,Marianna and AccentStatements. These differentstyles incorporate wood, linearand marble looks.

From Mohawk’s new lami-nate offerings are four collec-tions inspired by modernEuropean palettes and reclaimedlooks. These collections includeReclaimed Spirit, WoodedVision, Artistic Creation andPainted Charm.

With respect to wood,Mohawk presented four newintroductions. Weathered Vision,Modern Vision and CoastalImpressions are 9⁄16-inch thick x 7-inch-wide, three-ply core prod-ucts made in the U.S. withMohawk’s TruFinish 50-yearwarranty. Vintage Vintique is a½-thich, 7-inch-wide productfeaturing TruFinish.

Lou Morano, president andowner, Capitol Carpet and Tilewith six locations in Florida,summed it up this way: “I thinkthe laminates and the hardwoodare probably some of their bestintroductions from the new

products that they’ve come outwith. The longer planks, widerwidths, styling and coloring alto-gether were some of the bestthey’ve had in years. I think we’regoing to do really well with themand they’re priced right.”

Sales support In an effort to help retailers at alllevels of business, Mohawk hasintroduced Omnify, a digitalmarketing product that createswhat the company calls “simpli-fied connected retail” and pro-vides aligned retailers with brandintegration (FCNews, Nov.21/28).

The platform provides whatMendelsohn called “omnichan-nel solutions” for retailers, whichwill enhance the customer’sonline, in-store and productexperience. Through this plat-form content is automaticallyupdated to a retailer’s websitewhich allows for seamless transi-tion of product and sales infor-mation between Mohawk andaligned retailers.

David Beebe, owner ofStoneridge Carpets in ReedSprings, Mo., embraced the con-cept. “We currently do every-thing that Omnify does, per say,through an advertising company.I think there’s a little savings forus and I think it’ll be done muchbetter. It’ll consolidate whatwe’re doing and do it better.”

Shown is Mohawk’s Steelgate SolidTech from its Vershire collection.

Mohawk’s new displays are interchangeable between soft and hard surfaces.

Mohawk’s Omnify provides retailers with integrated digital marketing solutions.

Calhoun, Ga.—MohawkFlooring is providing a newmarketing program for itsaligned retailers in 2017through a new program onHouzz, the leading platform forhome remodeling and design.As part of Mohawk’s HouzzPro+ Local Marketing Program,its retailers will have access toHouzz’s technology and market-ing capabilities to reach a local-ized community of homeown-ers searching for professionals,vendors and retailers.

As part of this program,Houzz will provide Mohawkaligned retailers with a suite ofmarketing services designed toheighten awareness andincrease exposure among thistargeted in-market demograph-ic. Retailers participating in theprogram will benefit fromenhanced directory placement,local photo stream exposure andother discounted servicesunique to Houzz, with full sup-port from both MohawkFlooring and Houzz.

“This new program withHouzz will provide our alignedretailers with access to Houzz’sproprietary platform, givingthem the tools they need toreach such an important demo-graphic,” said Mollie Surratt,Mohawk’s senior director ofpublic relations, content andsocial media. “We’re thrilled tobe able to provide our retailerswith a program that will getthem in front of homeownerslooking to purchase new floor-ing.”

Mohawk, Houzz work to link retailers with customers

ResilientSheet❑ Armstrong❑ Beauflor❑ Congoleum❑ IVC❑ Mannington❑ Mohawk❑ Shaw❑ Tarkett❑ Other________

Commercial❑ American Biltrite ❑ Amtico❑ Ecore ❑ Flexco❑ Forbo❑ Johnsonite❑ Parterre ❑ Roppe❑ Tandus/Centiva❑ Toli❑ Other________

LVT A❑ Armstrong❑ Congoleum❑ IVC❑ Mannington❑ Mohawk❑ Shaw❑ Tarkett

LVT B❑ Amorim ❑ Beauflor❑ Beaulieu America❑ Cryntel ❑ DuChateau ❑ EarthWerks ❑ Eternity❑ Karndean❑ Metroflor❑ Novalis❑ Raskin Industries❑ USFloors/COREtec❑ Other________

CarpetGroup A❑ Beaulieu America❑ Dreamweaver/

Engineered Floors❑ Mohawk❑ Shaw

Group B❑ Dixie/Fabrica/

Masland ❑ Godfrey Hirst❑ Kraus❑ Lexmark❑ Marquis

Industries ❑ Milliken❑ Phenix❑ Royalty/Moda❑ Southwind❑ Stanton❑ Tuftex❑ Other_________

Commercial❑ Bentley❑ Interface ❑ J&J/Invision ❑ Mannington

Commercial❑ Mohawk

Commercial❑ Pacificrest ❑ Shaw Contract ❑ Tandus/Centiva❑ Other_________

HardwoodGroup A❑ Armstrong❑ Mannington❑ Mohawk❑ Shaw

Group B❑ Alston❑ Anderson❑ Columbia❑ DuChateau❑ Eternity❑ Hemisphere

Imports❑ HF Design❑ HomerWood❑ IndusParquet❑ Johnson

Premium❑ Lauzon❑ Max Woods❑ Mercier❑ Mirage❑ Mullican❑ Preverco❑ Provenza❑ Satin Flooring❑ Somerset❑ Triangulo❑ Urbanfloor❑ USFloors❑ Wickham❑ Other_______

Area Rugs❑ 828 International❑ Capel❑ Couristan❑ Feizy❑ Harounian Rugs❑ Karastan❑ Masland❑ Milliken❑ Mohawk❑ Momeni❑ Nourison❑ Oriental Weavers❑ Stanton❑ Other_________

LaminateGroup A❑ Armstrong❑ Mannington❑ Mohawk❑ Pergo❑ Quick•Step❑ Shaw❑ Tarkett

Group B❑ Alloc/Berry Floor❑ Eternity❑ Inhaus❑ Kaindl❑ KronoSpan❑ Swiss Krono❑ Other________ Tile

Group A❑ Dal-Tile❑ Mohawk❑ ShawGroup B❑ American Marazzi❑ Bellavita❑ Crossville❑ Emser❑ Florida Tile❑ Florim❑ Mediterranea❑ MS International❑ Ragno❑ Stone Peak❑ Vitromex❑ Other_________

Cushion/Underlayment

❑ Carpenter❑ Diversified Foam❑ Fabricushion❑ Foam Products❑ Healthier Choice❑ InstaFloor❑ Leggett & Platt❑ Loxcreen❑ MP Global❑ Pak-Lite❑ Other________

Best OverallManufacturer

1._________________2._________________3._________________

26 I December 19/26, 2016 fcnews

Floor Covering News550 W. Old Country Rd.Suite 204Hicksville, NY 11801

FOR A QUOTE CONTACT

Nadia Ramlakhan

nadia@fcnews.net Call: 516.932.7860Fax: 516.932.7639floorcoveringnews

f c n ew s . n e t December 19/26

COMMERCIAL SALESMANWe are currently seeking to hire an experienced Commercial Flooring Salesman. Must have portableaccounts. We pay highest commission rate in the industry, 33% of gross profit plus benefits. We’re a26 year old family business in the Washington, D.C. area. Fun, relaxed place to work. We are the land

of misfit toys. Please respond to clovercarpet@comcast.net

SALES MANAGERS/AGENTSNature Flooring is looking to hire full time sales managers andagents to open territory and bring sales, must have customer

base. Currently looking for these areas: CA, VA, IL, MO, OH, MI, WV,GA, AL, FL, TX and surrounding States. Please email your resume

to: hr@nature-flooring.com

SALES AGENTSRhodium floors in West Hollywood is seeking on the road salesagents for their unique products, US wide. Amazing opportunity

for advancement. Please call Roy at 323.306.9999 or emailresume to roy@Rhodiumfloors.com

OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVESFERMA FLOORING is a growing importer and

national distributor for flooring of hardwood (solid &engineered), luxury vinyl & bamboo,

laminate based in New Jersey. We are looking for Sales Representatives covering territories of

NY, NJ, CT and MD&VA respectively for B2B sales. Relatedknowledge and experiences are required. Please fax resume to

732-225-5290 or email to sales@fermaflooring.com orhr@fermaflooring.com

CAREER OPPORTUNITIESBUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES CAREER OPPORTUNITIES CAREER OPPORTUNITIESBUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

1 CENT/SF FLOORING ESTIMATINGFast & Accurate - Callidus Takeoffs

commercialflooringestimating.com

WE HELP DEALERSPrivate labels, specialty mills & etc.

Call us now at 800-228-4632 www.carpetbroker.com

COMMERCIAL CARPET INSTALLERS NEEDEDHow would you like to work for one of the largest commercial carpet installation companies in the

country? Mastercraft Floor Covering specializes in Hotel and Casino work. Installers with aminimum of three years experience preferred. Must be willing to travel (travel expenses paid by the

company). Requirements include: Owning necessary hand tools. Excellent work ethic. Ability towork in a fast paced environment while maintaining quality. Reliable transportation. Work well with

others. Follow direction. Pay rate is $20.00 to $30.00 per hour based on ability and experience.Qualified applicants should email their resume along with three business references to

denna@mastercraftfc.com or contact Denna at 517.404.1028

DIRECT LVP5 mm lose lay, 20 mil wear layer $ 1.45

4 mm clic 20 Mil Wear layer $ 1.39EVA Padding .10

2 mm glue down, 12 mil wear layer .55Ask about our special container prices.

Call or email for your free samples:706-271-8023 • firstchoicelvp@gmail.com

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

CLOSEOUTS WE BUY IT ALL!Midwest retailer buying closeout inventories of

laminate, tile, carpet, hardwood, stone 1ST & 2NDSEmail your inventory to: jhamamy@factory-surplus.com

816-761-1777 X 10

NEW FLOORING AGENTCovering LA, MS, Mobile & Pensacola area.

Looking for all types of flooring and related products. Contact: mlgauthier13@hotmail.com

LOOKING FOR WORKSales Rep position based in Baton Rouge, LA.

Over 20 years experience in flooring sales. Call Mark at 225-505-9350.

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER IN MIDWESTD&M Flooring is seeking experienced and highly motivated

Regional Sales Manager in the Midwest.Must have strong relationships with key customers (Flooring

Distributors, Retailers, Builders, A&D etc.)-Health benefits

-IRA-Base salary + commission

-Earning potential $100,000 plusPlease email resumes to info@dm-flooring.com

www.dm-flooring.com

SALES/ACCOUNT MANGER POSITION AVAILABLE AT SHERLAND & FARRINGTON, INC.

One of the leading Flooring contractors in NYC is seeking experienced and motivated people tocover the NYC and tri state area. Responsibilities include business development by calling on end

users, architects, designers and contractors to achieve business relationships and sales.Knowledge of commercial floor covering products, estimating and installation methods required.

Portfolio of existing clients preferred. E-mail resume to Darren@sherland.com or call 212.206.7500

TERRITORY MANAGER FOR MIRAGE HARDWOOD FLOORSLocation: Texas (must reside in Dallas, Houston, Austin or San Antonio)

Territory Covered: Texas and Oklahoma markets.Job Description: Sell through distribution to retail, builder, and commercial markets. Experience in floor covering

sales required along with basic computer skills and working knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Overnight travel will be required with this position.Compensation: Competitive compensation package will be offered.

Please submit resume with complete job history included to opportunities@miragefloors.com

TERRITORY MANAGERSMinnesota/The Dakotas and Orange County/San Diego area

Godfrey Hirst, one of the most respected high end carpet manufacturers in floor covering, is seekingimmediate placement for Territory Managers in 2 territories: Minnesota/The Dakotas and Orange

County/San Diego area. This is an excellent opportunity for a floor covering sales person. These territoriesoffer great growth potential as well as a lucrative salary and commission structure.

Responsibilities include management of the territory, working with floor covering dealers by presentingthe company’s extensive product range through product knowledge presentations, follow through with

orders and a complete understanding of the territory.

If interested, please contact Nate at nate.sherman@godfreyhirst.com

PHENIX FLOORING IS GROWING AND IS SEEKINGCANDIDATES FOR A TERRITORY MANAGER POSITION

Territory: Central-Southern Virginia (Including Virginia Beach) - Richmond and RoanokeThis is an excellent opportunity for a knowledgeable, experienced Floorcoverings Sales

Professional to align with a rapidly growing manufacturer in an established territory. Phenix is a privately owned company based in Dalton Georgia which specializes in the

manufacturing and distribution of residential flooring to the nation’s top retailers. Benefits include:

•Health, Life, and Disability Insurance •401K with Company Match •Paid VacationCompensation:

•Base Salary plus Commissions •Paid Business ExpensesInterested Candidates may apply via e-mail to hmillsaps@phenixflooring.com

or by fax: 706-279-8284Phenix Flooring is an Equal Opportunity Employer

fcnews December 19/26, 2016 I 27

SALES PROFESSIONALS

Mercier Wood Flooring, theleading Canadian Harwood

flooring manufacturer, isseeking to hire a territorial

Sales Professional, preferablyfrom the Portland (OR) or

Seattle (WA) markets to coverthe North Western region of

the US. Dealer/Distributorrelationships and experience

is a must. Travel andovernights will be required.

Great position for a motivatedindividual looking for a career.

Please e-mail resumé towbondrowski@

mercierwoodflooring.com

MARKETPLACE MARKETPLACEMARKETPLACEMARKETPLACE MARKETPLACE

CAREER OPPORTUNITIESCAREER OPPORTUNITIES

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

WE BUY USED CARPETCUTTING MACHINES

407.509.3030

EZ CUT MK 10 FOR SALE

Located in SeattleCall Jim

206 306-0200

www.fidbox.net • 866-890-1986

PHENIX FLOORING IS GROWING AND IS SEEKINGCANDIDATES FOR A TERRITORY MANAGER POSITION

Territory: WisconsinThis is an excellent opportunity for a knowledgeable, experienced Floorcoverings

Sales Professional to align with a rapidly growing manufacturer. Candidates based in Milwaukee preferred.

Phenix is a privately owned company based in Dalton Georgia which specializes in themanufacturing and distribution of residential flooring to the nation’s top retailers.

Benefits include:•Health, Life, and Disability Insurance •401K with Company Match •Paid Vacation

Compensation:•Base Salary plus Commissions •Paid Business Expenses

Interested Candidates may apply via e-mail to hmillsaps@phenixflooring.com or by fax: 706-279-8284

Phenix Flooring is an Equal Opportunity Employer