Creative Flooring Solutions

Transcription

Vol. 62
No. 8
A Hearst Business Publication
April 22, 2013
$4
NWFA experiences
double digit growth
18
Creative Flooring Solutions
Canada’s retail brand powerhouse
By Janet Herlihy
In less than ten years, Creative Flooring
Solutions has grown into one of, if not the
largest, privately owned flooring company
in Canada, according to Scott Brookfield,
chairman and CEO of the diverse, on-themove operation.
Brookfield was a venture capitalist/
chartered accountant with a background in
construction and insurance when Wacky
Wheatley’s asked him to help find a buyer.
He liked the business so much, Brookfield
ended up acquiring the business.
Creative Flooring Solutions is now the
parent company of a trio of businesses that
dominate the Halifax/Dartmouth area of Nova
Scotia. Taylor Flooring, Wacky’s Floor Design
Centre and Hallmark Carpet One Floor &
Home were independent operations until each
was acquired by Creative Flooring Solutions,
resulting in a diversified flooring powerhouse.
In 2013, Creative Flooring Solutions
acquired a fourth company in Halifax —
RCCL (Ralph Connor Company Limited),
an all commercial flooring business — and
Hallmark Carpet One has moved to a new
location, which, at 10,000 square feet, is the
largest of any of Creative’s showrooms.
“It is located at the Atrium, a 200,000
square foot mall made up of furniture stores.
Hallmark is the only flooring store. We
designed it to have more space so it is not
crowded and has a very modern look. Hallmark will be our major residential renovation
brand, while Wacky’s and Taylor are more
builder focused,” Brookfield said.
Watch for Creative to continue to grow. “We
will do more expansion outside Nova Scotia,”
Brookfield predicted. “But, will stay in Atlantic
Canada. We’ll continue to improve and finetune our businesses.”
First, there was Wacky’s
In 2007, Creative purchased Wacky Wheatley’s operation from partners Mike Wheatley
and Larry Gumbley. “Wacky’s started in 1980 in
Bedford, Nova Scotia, as a large discount retailer
Continued on page 21
Canadian market focus
Coverage continues on pages 16 & 19
NFA looks to future
opportunities, branding
Courts sends ITC China dumping
determination for further review
“Business
is
getting
better,” Sam Roberts, owner,
Roberts Carpet and Fine
[Beavercreek,
Colo]
Floors, told FCW, during the
The National Floorcovervendor round-robin, where
ing Alliance (NFA) — 42
members visit each of the
of North America’s largest
group’s core vendors in one
dealers — met here April
4 – 7 for the group’s spring NFM’s Dave Snedekar meets with day. Roberts’ business is up
approximately 17 percent
meeting — an opportunity Congoleum at NFA.
versus a year ago, but margins
to discuss challenges facing
members such as tight margins and big box remain tight. “I’m hoping as business continues
competition as well as to propose new pro- to improve things will A, get better for specialty
grams like an NFA brand and a group effort to stores, and B, see margins improve,” he said.
The first quarter was quiet in Montana,
solve issues like an aging sales force.
Business conditions overall have improved according to Jon Pierce, general manager,
since last year. Most dealers are reporting busi- Pierce Flooring. “Then when the snow went
ness up anywhere from single to double digits. away, something happened. We’ve had a nice
Margins remain tight, even for these dealers — uptick in retail, in builder business, property
most report flat margins. A few said they are up management business and contract,” he said,
a little due to concerted efforts.
Continued on page 7
By Amy Joyce Rush
P e r i o d i c a l
By Kimberly Gavin
For breaking news updated each business day, visit us online at www.fcw1.com
fcw42213-pages.indd 1
The Department of Commerce (DOC) case
regarding the dumping and countervailing
of imported engineered hardwood flooring
from China was remanded to reconsider its
findings by the International Trade Commission (ITC) on March 20, 2013. The
Commission must file the remand results
with the court on or before Sept. 30, 2013.
The petition was initially filed with the
ITC and DOC November 10, 2010 by the
Coalition for American Hardwood Parity
(CAHP), a group of American manufacturers including industry leaders Shaw/
Anderson and Mannington claiming material injury by reason of below market value
multilayered wood flooring products being
sold on U.S. soil. The case also claimed that
the products were being subsidized by The
People’s Republic of China.
The hard-fought battle went to Washington in October of 2011 for a final hearing
and in November, a final affirmative determination was made. Also in October 2011,
the DOC determined separate rates, which
applied to the majority of Chinese imported
engineered hardwood, of 3.31 percent for
antidumping and 1.51 for countervailing. The
rates, which are currently being appealed by
both sides, are also subject to annual reviews.
To be clear, the court is only reviewing
the record that exists and is limited to the
specific issues that the Court of International Trade has directed the ITC to review,
according to Jeff Levin, counsel for CAHP.
“The commission conducts a ‘mini investigation.’ It’s a much different animal than
what went on first go around in fall 2011. The
ITC can’t just start over again. It is limited
to the re-examination of the specific issues
the court remanded on,” said Levin. “One is
whether the ITC correctly identified all U.S.
manufacturers of multilayered wood flooring
and one is whether or not the Commission
correctly and comprehensively evaluated
other economic factors that may have contributed to the injury aside from cheaply sold
products. They can’t collect new evidence.”
Levin further clarified that the ITC can’t
collect new evidence unless it finds that it
did not correctly identify all of the relevant
producers. In that case, he said, the ITC
would ask for the missing companies’ operational and financial data. “I do not see that
Continued on page 18
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4 News
Acquisitions, new programs
position J.J. Haines for future
By Mallory Cruise
[Alexandria, Va.] Acquisitions that expand
the company’s regional reach and market
depth, new lines added to its robust product
assortment and an all new private label program and web service were some of the key
initiatives that shaped J.J. Haines’ annual
Loyalty Club Summit held here April 8-9.
Technology was another important focus.
Through its acquisitions and smart business plans, Haines continues to grow, allowing the company to expand during this initial
stage of economic recovery. The acquisition
of Allied happened in January 2013 and the
company said it has more work to do.
“With Allied Products we now have a
supplies division; we will treat sundries and
supplies as separate but complementary businesses, and we will continue to look to make
more acquisitions in the mid-Atlantic and
southeast regions. Haines is strong financially. We are carrying more inventory and
can support the need for credit,” said Bruce
Zwicker, president and CEO.
Haines is also enthusiastic that economic
indicators are pointing to recovery. “The
forecast is bullish for the first time in six
years. I believe we are in the second inning
of the early stages of a multi-year recovery in
the housing sector,” added Zwicker.
New initiatives
Haines introduced a web-based benefit for
its customers called Web Service Lead Generation. Using zip codes and consumer locations, it can help drive traffic to a member’s
website using the Haines Loyalty Club portal
site. The company also enhanced its Haines
Connect customer portal by expanding the
tools it offers. Using the portal, members can
file claims, issue credit for mistakes and pay
bills online. The revamped portal also includes
information on new product launches.
“We are driving a big technology charge
with all customers including our Loyalty Club
members. One of the newest benefits to the
Loyalty Club program is a designated web
portal and SEO to drive traffic to a customer’s
store,” explained Scott Roy, vice president of
sales, marketing and customer service.
Jeff Shipe, president of
At Your Door Floor Store,
Derwood, Md., said he
benefits from the advanced The Haines executive team: John Coakley, Scott Roy, Bruce
technology Haines pro- Zwicker, Rosana Chaidez and Fred Reitz
vides. “Haines helps its
members grow business because it likes to stay delivering the latest products, colors and styles
ahead of advancements in technology. This new across all categories,” said Roy.
J.J. Haines also named its Retailer of the
portal is also a great way to gain product knowledge, and to reach the consumer and generate Year during its annual summit meeting. Gary
Hurst, president, and Elmer Stoltzfus, prinsales,” said Shipe.
Ranked No. 1 on FCW’s Top 25 Distribu- cipal, of Heritage Floor in Ronks, Pa., took
tor List, Haines continues to be the leader the top honors this year. A young company,
because of its product assortment, according Heritage Floors opened in 2010 during a down
to Haines’ Roy. The company has an entirely economy and accredits the company’s success
new private label collection in ceramic, hard- to its corporate culture and business strategies.
“We’re the strongest in residential remodelwood and carpet called Chesapeake that the
ing, and our installation sets us apart.We’re not
company will continue to expand upon.
“It’s about having the right product at the afraid to go the extra mile ,” offered Stotlzfus.
Hurst added, “We take the extra steps to
right time. Hardwood is currently experiencing
a big supply shortage but we are working hard ensure our success. We have a designer on
to have product available when needed. As we staff and a customer-friendly showroom, and
continue to grow, we need to ensure that we are treat everyone with respect.” FCW
China focuses on innovation, sustainability
By Raymond Pina
[Shanghai] China’s flooring industry is transitioning from a low-cost supply model to one
of innovation, higher quality and sustainability,
according to industry leaders at DomotexAsia/
ChinaFloor (DACF), held here March 26-28.
“We have great prospects for our flooring industry but we know there’s no future
success in continuing to pursue a low-cost
supply model,” said Sun Jian, director of
China’s timber industry management and
state forestry administration. “Like the rest
of China’s society, our flooring industry is
moving towards developing better use of our
raw materials as well as sustainable practices
and products. We’re pushing innovation.”
Last year, leading Chinese flooring suppliers began working in earnest with domestic
universities and international partners to
develop new technologies that would make
floors quieter, easier to install, safer and more
sustainable, according to Kelin Ye, vice chairman of the China National Forest Products
Industry Association (CNFPIA).
“Our industry is now seeing an outstanding level of collaborative research, particularly with leading brands in America, Canada
and Europe,” he said. “We’re seeing Chinese
manufacturers pursuing patents and other
intellectual property for the first time. The
quality is noticeably improving and we’re
developing national standards that are in line
with international standards.”
Wood flooring has been a focal point following the International Trade Commission’s
affirmative determination that imported
engineered wood from China was being
brought into the U.S. at below market value
and subsidized by the Chinese government.
“We shifted from commodity engineered wood to high-end products that are
intricately cut by hand, where every piece
is distressed to look like it’s 100 years old,”
said Sidney Shaw, owner of Shenzhen,
China-based Eton Flooring. “Instead of
using Chinese labor to make the cheapest
floor possible, we’re now using it to create
unique product that only a handful of suppliers are capable of making.”
A number of Chinese wood suppliers have
also begun incorporating jade and other
precious translucent stone inlays into their
products to appeal to affluent consumers.
“We source legally-documented wood
from Indonesia, jade from the Middle East
and use the latest machining equipment from
Germany. We do export to the U.S., but most
of our product is now geared towards the highend market here in China,” said Echo Liu, sales
manager of China-based Steinbache Flooring.
Similarly, Zhongshan City-based Prado
Flooring has integrated radiating heating
systems into their high-end wood floors.
“To create a product like this, you need to
know about flooring, structural engineering
and electrical engineering. You didn’t see
floors like this in China, or anywhere else,
even a year ago,” said Crystal Chen, international sales manager, Prado.
Transforming LVT
Chinese suppliers of luxury vinyl tile
(LVT) are exploring alternative chemistry
to replace PVC with natural ingredients like
corn, clay, wood flour and Green Tea. They’re
also leading the charge in the production of
mechanically locking, grip-strip, loose-lay
and groutable LVT formats.
“The LVT market that everyone knows
today, the one that is exploding with sales —
that is being made in China,” said Sid Lee,
general manager of Shanghai-based Jinka,
China’s leading OEM LVT supplier.
Jinka introduced Post Tile, a next generation loose-lay LVT featuring a pre-adhered
backer at this year’s DACF. The patented
technology combines the reliability of glueddown planks and tiles with the ease of looselay installation techniques, said Lee.
“You can pick Post Tile up and put it back
down a million times and it will work the same,”
he said. FCW
• FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY •
InterfaceSERVICES building earns LEED-CI Gold
[Acworth, Ga.] An InterfaceSERVICES facility
here recently earned LEED-CI Gold Certification. InterfaceSERVICES is the installation and
maintenance business unit of Interface Inc.
The interior includes 6,636 square feet
of offices plus a 26,977 square foot warehouse operation. Randall-Paulson was the
architectural firm of record for the corporate
campus, with Morrison-Hershfield consulting
on and overseeing the sustainability aspects
for Interface. InterfaceSERVICES took occupancy in May 2011.
“Interface founder Ray Anderson was an
early proponent of LEED, and among the
thought leaders who guided USGBC in the
development of this sustainability standard,” said Pieter van der Toorn, president of
InterfaceSERVICES. “So, we were compelled
to ensure that the design of this facility
would honor his memory, his legacy and his
vision for leaving the world better than we
found it.” FCW
InterfaceSERVICES facility earns LEED-CI Gold.
WWW.FCW1.COM
April 22, 2013
4/17/13 4:50 PM
Credit Series 5
Private label credit brings market advantage
By Amy Joyce Rush
Private label store credit programs are nothing new. Just about every major department
store provides them and most specialty
retailers in other categories promote them
bringing a level of store brand loyalty, ease of
purchase for the consumer and the opportunity to upgrade the customer. These opportunities hold true for flooring retailers as well.
“A solid consumer credit program is vital
simply,” said Kay Wiley, Shaw Flooring Network benefits coordinator. “When advertised
effectively, a financing offer can encourage
consumers to shop your store.”
Both Shaw and Mohawk offer their aligned
dealers programs from GE Capital. “It’s a win
for the customer and a win for the retailer
because if they are smart about it, they can up
sell you a better product,” said Mike Zoellner,
vice president, marketing services at Mohawk.
While the consumer gains additional
purchase power, dealers are able to offer
flexible payment options as well as value and
convenience, according to Shaw’s Wiley.
“Customers tell us they appreciate the ability to purchase the flooring they need and
want and spread the purchase into affordable
monthly payments without having to tie up
other lines of credit or use savings,” she said
Store credit programs, in fact, help specialty
dealers compete, said Mohawk’s Zoellner.
“The independent business can offer extended
financing at competitive rates that are usually
only available from large chains and home
centers. These rates level the playing field by
allowing dealers to advertise and promote at
the same level as the larger home centers.”
Both Shaw and Mohawk have negotiated
special terms for their aligned dealer networks and there are real financial benefits,
they reported, to utilizing these programs.
Explained Zoellner, “We have negotiated
special low rates for MasterCard/Visa processing with Chase Paymentech,” explained
Zoellner. “Most retailers just pay MasterCard/Visa processing through their local
bank and consider it an operating expense.
If we can save a retailer 1 percent, that goes
straight to their bottom line as profit. All of
these benefits include supporting in-store
merchandising and POS like signage, special
offers coordinated with Mohawk sales and
kiosks through our partner Versatile.
“The partnership with GE Capital and
Chase goes well beyond discount and
approval rates,” continued Zoellner. “Retailers and cardholders have access to a plethora
of online information. Between GE and
Mohawk University’s training program,
there are many opportunities for dealers to
learn how to sell with credit and successfully
advertise their current incentives.”
Yet often, these programs are underutilized
in the flooring business. “Businesses think
about private label financing as an additive
cost of doing business,” noted Zoellner. “In
these cases, retailers are forgetting that they
are already paying MasterCard or Visa to process that card. If a customer uses their store
card, then there is no MasterCard/Visa cost.”
Both manufacturers keep credit programs
at the forefront of conversations with aligned
WWW.FCW1.COM
of their marketing channels. “A consumer
needs to be able to see signage, door decals
and tent cards upon entering the store.”
An economic recovery makes credit programs more desirable. “Banks are telling us
people will begin using credit cards again —
at a more responsible level than before. As
retail sales go up, usage rates are going up,”
offered Zoellner. FCW
GE Capital
WE’RE NOT JUST BANKERS,
WE’RE BUILDERS.
At GE Capital, we’re not just bankers, we’re builders. Not only do we provide homeowners with financing
options, we bring you real expertise. For example, Brian Copps, Relationship Manager for the Shaw Financial
Solutions Program at GE Capital, brings nearly two decades of retail sales and financial management
experience to help flooring retailers drive sales, grow profits and take back market share. Jon Pierce of Pierce
Flooring values partnering with GE Capital to sell higher end products at affordable payment plans that led to
their double digit annual growth.
At GE, you can be sure that Brian and others like him are dedicated to the flooring industry and ready to help
build your business. Stop just banking. Start building.”
gogecapital.com
Jon Pierce
Owner,
Pierce Flooring
Brian Copps
Relationship Manager,
GE Capital
Credit is extended by GE Capital Retail Bank
© 2013 General Electric Company. All Rights Reserved.
FCNEWS Peirce Flooring 7.735x9.125 0912.indd 1
April 22, 2013
dealers. “Convention is our big face-to-face
push but we do something every other month
or so — outreach programs and campaigns to
sign up additional dealers plus every deal we
run, whether it’s a spiff of some kind or consumer advertising, we tie it to it,” said Zoellner.
Wiley added that for financing programs
to be successful, retailers need to make
customers aware of the options through all
•
3/4/13 12:45 PM
FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY •
4/17/13 11:29 AM
6 Software
Mobile programs offer business advantages
stated. “They can immediately get information, make notes, look up products on the
As the economic recovery brings some relief floor, generate a price, check samples out and
to the flooring industry, most dealers and when they’re through, click a button to create
contractors are still doing more with less. a file with all the customer’s information and
Smart phones and tablets are enabling floor- the quote to keep for follow up,” he explained.
People want to use mobile devices to
ing professionals to serve customers faster
from the showroom or any location with cell retrieve information and to update information. RFMS is working on two mobile apps to
phone service or a WiFi signal.
Software companies have been quick do just that, according to Wheat. Expected to
to develop programs that are designed to be available in June, the InstallerProMobile
app will allow installers to log
answer the needs of flooring
in from their mobile device and
retailers and commercial condocument the number of hours
tractors. This is a look at some of
on a job. Wheat noted, “The
what is available today.
installer can view schedules,
To serve the ever-increasing
addresses and work order details.
number of clients with smart
We initially wanted to give the
phones and mobile devices,
dealer a productivity system but it
RFMS has built SalesProMobile,
will also allow them to meet state
said Terry Wheat, of Wheat’s
wage tracking requirements.”
Carpet One Floor & Home,
InHomeSolution will put the
Tuscaloosa, Ala., and president Terry Wheat, RFMS
dealers’ RFMS data in the palms
of RFMS. It is a Cloud-based
data storage program that can run on any of their hands, Wheat said. “It will run on any
mobile device that is connected back to the mobile device and allow the user to create a
diagram of a home, associate a product from a
company’s server using web services.
“It makes the salesperson mobile,” Wheat core data base for the layout, get a price for the
By Janet Herlihy
consumer, take a
deposit by swiping
a credit card and
place the order,” he
reported. InHomeSolution will com- Dancik focuses on mobile apps for tablets.
pute sales tax and
at the click of a button, the order will be sent
Décor24 provides 24-hour online shopping
to the home office. It is being pilot tested and capabilities for customers, including product
will also be available in June.
search and the ability to place orders online. “It
Dancik International, Cary, N.C., predicts allows the customer to check pricing and availthat the mobile future will center on tablets ability,” Grady added. “And then they can view
for accessing information, according to Greg a detailed status of all open orders.”
Grady, Dancik director of sales. Dancik is
DancikRADAR is a way for executives and
focusing on programs for tablets to help its sales staff to access KPI (key performance
clients get the job done wherever they are.
indicators) while on the go, according to
SelectionSheetManager allows the retailer Grady. It is compatible with leading mobile
to work with a customer (consumer, home devices. “You can instantly analyze the profbuilder) and create an open-ended quote and itability of your products, customers, salesleave it open so the interaction can be tracked. people and locations,” he said.
“The customer can access the project via the
Pacific Solutions made the decision to focus
website whether it’s a kitchen remodel, or a new its programs on Apple-based systems in the
floor,” Grady explained.
1990s. Considering the popularity of iPhones
The program enables the RSA to create, and iPads, that was a wise decision, according
print, store and analyze customer selections to Don Kilbourne, vice president for the San
and includes a personalized appointment cal- Diego, Calif.-based software provider.
endar and pop-up reminders.
FloorManager, developed for residential retailers, and JobRunner, designed for
commercial flooring contractors, are both
“native and optimized for iPad and iPhone
use,” said Kilbourne.
FloorManager allows the dealer or RSA to
create and/or change orders, check job progress, material status, product costs and access
his/her entire management system anywhere
there is cell phone or WiFi service.
JobRunner features dual-path accounting
and project management for the most complex commercial and high-end residential
projects all within one system. It allows the
contractor to manage business details with a
portable showroom touchscreen, make job
site quotes, change orders and take signatures, Kilbourne explained.
FloorRight is estimating software to link
with SiteDraw mobile software, which creates
a CAD file of the building to be measured and
is especially accurate charting irregular
spaces. SiteDraw’s measurements electronically flow into FloorRight estimating software
for material layout and optimization. FloorRight information then links to FloorManager or JobRunner to streamline sales, operations and accounting. FCW
Pacific Solutions’ JobRunner program features
commercial project management.
WWW.FCW1.COM
April 22, 2013
4/17/13 1:11 PM
Software 7
FCW GUEST COLUMNIST
Technology’s new frontier will work for you
By Pam Bowe,
Executive director, Floor Covering
Business to Business Association
S
cientists predict that by mid-century
we will all be living in a world made
possible by technology — mixing traditional reality with virtually enhanced new
frontiers. Virtual reality has been in existence
since the late 90s and the Internet is barely out
of infancy having been born in the early 90s.
From mobile applications to the most innovative operational and inventory management
products, there are effective ways for retailers to
use new technology as a key strategic resource
to build stronger brands, extend store reach and
better understand customer demographics.
Today, the purchase of flooring is driven
by multiple desires. There is a desire to replace
long worn surfaces in the family home and
upgrade to materials more in tune with our
environment — empty nest transitions, retire-
NFA
Continued from page 1
attributing better business conditions in the
region to the oil and gas boom in Western
North Dakota, which has hit Billings, Montana “like a tsunami.” Pierce added, “It’s been
a grueling four or five years. We do see light
and we are geared up.”
NFA convention format includes a TwoMinute-Drill when members share best
practice or some operational information.
But this year NFA president, Phil Koufidakis,
also president of Phoenix-based Baker Brothers, asked each member to cover how much
business was up or down, how margins were
holding up, best promotion of the last six
months, and biggest challenge.
Darren Braunstein, vice president for
Worldwide Wholesale, based in Edison, N.J.,
reported that business slowed following last
fall’s Category 4 Hurricane. But, since December, business has been up double digits. “It’s
the benefit of pent-up demand,” he said.
Margins for the store remain “consistent”
though Branstein reported they have been
trying to get margins up. “The challenge is that
customers are shopping more. They have more
time,” he noted. One of the tricks in Worldwide’s box — as with many NFA members — is
private labeling. Braunstein said they have done
so with carpet for many years. Now they are
moving in that direction for hard surface.
Although the consumer is back in the
market, she has changed her buying habits,
said the group. “Lack of loyalty is compounded
by technology at her fingertips,” Pierce said.
“She’s more savvy and value conscious.”
April 22, 2013
WWW.FCW1.COM
ment/new family, aging in place, the desire to
put your home on the market and realizing
you are competing with newer properties. It is
a pent up desire for change. Competition has
heated up for each and every client dollar. New
furniture styles are modeled by celebrities on
TV, design magazines are filled with gorgeous
fabrics, finishes, lighting, kitchens and more.
Oh and then there is the Internet.
Today’s customer is under attack — a slick,
sexy, strategic and targeted attack designed to
bring more than a mere object into the home.
Today’s customer expects an experience. Is your
store giving them an experience? You should be,
and technology will enable you to do that.
Imagine you are showing the latest tile
product to Carmen Electra in your showroom.
Carmen is planning an event in the near future
and needs her flooring project completed
before then. It’s best we find product readily
available. You scan her selections from the
showroom floor into your smart phone, tablet
or other hand-held device. Using the Internet, you are connected to your supplier and
receive an instant status of availability. Enter
the amount of material, select the shade, select
the FOB point, place on hold, confirm pricing
and place the order. That is the experience
technology can bring to your customer and
that is the efficiency technology can add to
your sales staff, and that is the ROI technology
can contribute to your bottom line.
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest — social media
is a powerful tool and at the heart of that technology is the smart device. Imagine Carmen Electra
tweeting her flooring experience. Technology is
no longer an afterthought but a driving factor
in our culture woven through the daily fabric of
our lives and now poised to impact our business.
In today’s sophisticated multichannel
retail environment, the question is no longer
if new technology is necessary to create and
maintain consumer relationships but how far
technology can propel brands that stay one
Business is up double digits in 2013 for
Nebraska Furniture Mart as well, reported
Dave Snedekar, director of flooring. Margins
are up slightly over the past six months. Snedekar said his biggest challenge remains the
perception by consumers that big box stores
have the lowest prices. Nebraska’s marketing
department has started an advertising campaign to show that’s not so, he said.
Many dealers report that the private sale
is alive and well. Jim Mudd, president, Sam
Kinnaird’s Flooring, Louisville, Ky., said,
“They give us big dollars and profits.”
Jeff Macco, president Macco’s Flooring in
Wis., and Fla., concurred. “We have phenomenal success every time we run one.” Macco
said his business is up in the 20 percent range
for the past six months.
One of the biggest challenges mentioned
around the room is the hiring of competent
sales people. More than one NFA member
focused on the fact that the sales staff is aging,
and that replacing them is becoming increasingly difficult. “Personnel is my biggest challenge,” said Ian Newton with Flooring 101
based in Oxnard, Calif. “There is not a big
pool of qualified people to draw from.” Newton’s conclusion? “One solution is technology. It’s the key to training new sales people.”
Jerry Jones, owner, Cassity Jones Inc.,
Longview, Texas, said his employee challenge
is exacerbated by his location in an oil and
gas community. The boom in that industry is
attracting employees who might otherwise be
sales staff. “No younger people want to come
into sales,” he said. Jim Winn, president,
Carpet Distributors, and Roberts said specifically that their sales teams are aging and are
hard to replace.
Koufidakis said that the sales personnel issue
•
step ahead of their competitors.
These new Internet-driven technologies are
Web Services developed by members of the
Floor Covering Business to Business Association, and are being implemented throughout
the flooring supply chain. Mills, manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, multi-channel
networks, software developers and leading
retailers are now using this technology.
Web Services include real time services that
fcb2b-compliant suppliers offer to their customers. At first, basic inquiries are supported
and soon, transactions like holds, orders and
item catalog downloads will be accomplished
in real time. Today we can communicate
through computers, cell phones, tablets and
other devices using the Internet. Soon we will
be able to access and use the Internet through
contact lenses or glasses. Be ready!
__________________________________
Pamela Bowe MBA is recognized as an
authority on Emerging Technology. She combines real world experience in the flooring
industry with a thorough understanding of
technology. Bowe serves as executive director of fcB2B, the Floor Covering Business to
Business Association, www.fcb2b.org
was nearly unanimous and he proposed the
group put some resources toward looking at
what might be done as a group to find solutions.
Marketing ahead
Over the years, the NFA has developed
group buys that benefit the membership and
provide significant volume for partner mills.
The first major effort was a very successful
roll buy from Shaw Industries. Next came a
coordinated effort with Armstrong. Those
programs continue to evolve as the group
works on advantageous buys with a variety of
product categories and vendors.
A group brand may be next, according to
Koufidakis. “It just makes sense,” he said.
The exact name is under consideration
pending approval by the membership, but
the group voted unanimously to proceed
with the concept. FCW
4/17/13 4:13 PM
8 The Essentials of Stone
Marketing your new stone business
So you’ve decided to add natural stone to your product mix.
But how do you let the world know about your new category
expansion? FCW sat down to get some marketing tactics
from Irene Williams, a digital marketing and PR expert with
more than 20 years experience. Her firm, Msg2Mkt, helps
companies grow their brands in the digital marketplace.
Williams has plenty of ideas on how retailers can launch
their new segment successfully.
What is the first step to launching a new
stone segment?
Williams: When I first engage a potential
new client, I ask them two questions out of
the gate: “Who are your competitors?” and
“How are you different?” It’s imperative that
you have a solid awareness of the competitive
landscape and a detailed strategy for standing
out from the pack. Gain market intelligence.
Discover what your competitors are doing
right and wrong, and determine specific ways
you can outshine them. Be keenly aware of
both price points and customer support
found in your market observations. Because
stone is widely available from many sources,
customers may shop on price yet be won over
based on expertise, service, ease and imme-
media profiles, to displaying installed stone.
This goes beyond providing product samples,
slabs and swatches — as the goal is to “outshow” your competitors, including big box
retailers. The best approach for “show-andsell” is to display stone products in application, through in-store vignettes and high
quality photography and alongside other
Irene Williams
materials you offer to cross-sell. Capture
installation stories and testimonials. Make
diacy of delivery and other factors that aren’t it a priority to get photography of real-life
installations, as well as testimonials of cussolely tied to dollar signs.
tomers’ experiences.
How can you prepare your employees to
How do you get the word out about your
provide excellent customer service?
Williams: Your team is on the frontline, new segment to the community?
influencing shopping decisions on the show- Williams: The fastest way to increase sales
room floor. Provide the product knowledge, is to grow your business with existing
ideas and inspiration they need to become customers. Reach out to people who have
subject matter experts. Collaborate with your already purchased from you, letting them
team to create a comprehensive list of Fre- know the good news and inviting them
to be among the first to take advantage of
quently Asked Questions and Answers.
your expanded offerings. Email or direct
How do you prepare your merchandising? mail messaging can be effective for this
Williams: If your customers see it, you can purpose. Customers love to feel like they’ve
sell it. Dedicate adequate showroom space, got the inside scoop and may be motivated
as well as room on your website and social to take action as a result.
Are there other digital tactics retailers can use?
Williams: Use online tools and forums to
help make your store — and specifically, your
stone collections — findable through Internet searches. You must create content that
is rich with the key words and phrases your
potential buyers might type in while searching. Here are a few tactics to get started:
Google Places page: Updating or creating your Google Places page with proper key
words, latest information and images and
getting customers to post reviews will be very
helpful in boosting your store’s ranking in
Google search results.
Keep social media profiles/content fresh:
By populating Facebook pages, Pinterest
boards, Twitter news feeds and business blogs
with current content on a regular basis, you
propel your brand to be more easily found.
Update your website: Make sure your
website is updated with complete information about your new stone offerings. Be very
specific; use terms related to product offerings and directly mention all areas served —
including zip codes and town/neighborhood
names, as people often search with this level
of specificity. FCW
At last, the timeless grace of marble can be used on floors, walls and countertops. Presenting
Virtue, Crossville’s stunning new line of porcelain tile. Virtue captures the sumptuous qualities
of the world’s purest white marbles—Carrara, Calacatta and Statuario—in two finishes,
unpolished and a soft satin that mirrors marble’s classic luster.
Virtue’s exceptional range of sizes beckons creation of custom patterns that complement the
line’s singular white hue. And unlike real marble, Virtue’s porcelain surface resists staining and
scratching— in fact, apart from occasional cleaning, it’s virtually maintanence free.
Made in the U.S.A., Green Squared Certified and containing at least 4% recycled content,
Virtue is a beautifully responsible selection for your next design project.
Visit us at Coverings.
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Questions: 931-456-3136
CrossvilleInc.com
WWW.FCW1.COM
April 22, 2013
4/17/13 4:10 PM
4/10/13 3:56 PM
10 The Essentials of Stone
Arming your team
with the tools they need
Getting into a new stone business and acquir- resource for quality foundational information,
ing product knowledge can be a challenge. such as stone fact sheets, installation info resEducation and training is key to helping your toration tips. www.buildingstoneinstitute.org
employees grow sales and products
Marble Institute of America: The
Building Stone Institute: Since 1919, the industry association provides stone busiBuilding Stone Institute has worked on behalf ness knowledge. A web-based educational
of the quarries, fabricators, retailers, import- series offers skills and strategies training
ers, exporters, carvers, sculptors, restorers, on profit planning, marketing, insurance,
designers and installers. The organization is a product diversification and fabrication. The
Displaying stone for top sales
Mary Elizabeth Oropeza may call Mission
Stone & Tile, a “small company,” but the
Nashville showroom is big on style. From
hiring team members and building displays
to helping customers with the selection
process, each detail is designed to help her
clients create beautiful spaces while helping
her maximize sales.
After graduating with degrees in interior
design and business, Oropeza’s career began
with Architectural Granite in Austin, Texas,
where she learned the ins and outs of the
stone import business.
“It ended up being the best thing I ever
did,” Oropeza said. “They gave me such
freedom to travel and to meet people in the
industry on a worldwide level. I was in Italy,
Spain and Peru. They gave me the freedom to
University of Ceramic Tile and Stone:
association also provides myriad continuing
education courses, such as introduction to Donato Pompo founded the University of
stone design, trends, product selection and Ceramic Tile and Stone (U of CTS) to arm
industry sales people with the tools they need
maintenance. www.marble-institute.com
to grow sales in stone and ceramic products.
Natural Stone Council: The not- Expert trainers, who have years of hands-on
for-profit organization was formed to experience in the field, provide online, selfunite natural stone producers to actively paced courses. The Understanding the Basics
promote the attributes of natural stone of Natural Stone course includes industry stanin commercial, residential, government, dards and sales techniques, and is designed to
institutional, educational and all types give salespeople the tools they need in order to
of applications interior and exterior, and increase sales; give stone installers and fabricato proactively position natural stone as tors the knowledge of industry standards and
the premier construction material. The how to assist clients with selecting natural
oganization provides a lot of information, stone; and, give professional designers the
including material fact sheets of popular knowledge on how to select and specify natural
stone. www.uofcts.org www.uofcts.org. FCW
stones. www.genuinestone.com
expand my horizons.”
In 2006, Oropeza’s background in interior design, her
eye for sourcing new and unique
products, and her stone import
experience, prepared her to open
her own store. She plans to open
a second location in Chattanooga Mission Stone & Tile uses slat walls to display samples.
on June 1.
She built a niche by keeping items in stock available and also a little more affordable due to
that people were used to special ordering. “I the volume we were purchasing,” Oropeza said.
She hires only interior designers as sales
purchased things in bulk so that they were
people, who help to provide a high level of
customer service, including drawings, when
needed. “Many of our clients work with interior designers, so it’s easier for a designer to
talk with a designer,” Oropeza explained.
Her store merchandising also helps her
business shine. “The most important thing
we are doing is creating an experience when
you come to the store,” she explained. “When
people are shopping for tile and stone and
they are unfamiliar with how the process
works, it can be really overwhelming. One
of our interior designers will come in and
introduce themselves and find out what they
are looking for,” Oropeza explained. “Sometimes people want to browse, but we found
that if they have some attention right at the
ALWAYS ensure your
beginning, they can be directed to the areas of
installers are
the showroom, if they are looking for floors,
CTEF Certified Tile Installers! walls or showers, for example, and instruct
them on what they will see in each area.”
She created distinction between product
The ONLY
styles and types by using partitions and sheer
Tile Installer Certification
drapes between spaces. The strategy helps the
recognized by the tile industry customer absorb color, style and materials in
one area before moving on to another.
“Here in Tennessee, I like to consider our
showroom more cutting edge and a little more
contemporary, but we have clientele that are
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also more traditional and timeless,” she said.
For her new Chattanooga showroom, OroSignature Level Sponsors:
peza
said she plans to use more flexible displays
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and moveable walls in increase versatility. “All
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of our partition walls will be on wheels so that
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they can be moved and spread out on angles so
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HigH
ExpEctations?
FCW_HighExpect_Buildings.indd
1
PM
• FLOOR COVERING
WEEKLY10/9/12
• 3:24WWW.FCW1.COM
April 22, 2013
4/17/13 4:09 PM
Tile & Stone 11
Installers gain new certifications at Coverings
[Atlanta] Advanced Certifications for
Tile Installers (ACT), the new advanced
certification program coordinated by five
leading tile organizations, will certify its first
installers at Coverings, April 29 to May 2.
The new program certifies installers
embarking on some of the industry’s most
challenging installations: large format tile
installation and substrate preparation, mud
work, shower pans and membranes. Certifications will demonstrate the installer’s
skill in each of these four segments.
ACT will take industry training to a new
level, focusing on unique installation skills
required by architects, design professionals, specifiers, project owners, builders and
consumers to complete a successful project.
Leaders of the respective organizations
will present a seminar explaining the ACT
program and its requirements on Wednesday, May 1. For room and time information, go to coverings.com and click on the
“Free” conference program.
Following Coverings, ACT partners will
embark on several initiatives to launch
the program, including building of test
modules, material and curriculum development, logistics planning, marketing and
recruitment strategies and more.
Partners in the development initiative
are Ceramic Tile Education Foundation
(CTEF), providing training and certification for any installer; Tile Contractors
Association of America (TCAA), representing IUBAC signatory tile contractors;
International Union of Bricklayers and
Allied Craftworkers (IUBAC), whose
members are skilled tilesetters who have
completed multi-year apprenticeships as
well as other trained masonry craftworkers; International Masonry Institute, which
provides professional and technical training for union masonry contractors; and,
National Tile Contractors Association,
with membership open to all tile contracting companies.
Tile Council of North America (TCNA)
manufacturer members companies are
contributing to development of the modules and tests. Installers who wish to be
certified in these four programs must meet
one of two criteria demonstrating prior
training and commitment to professional
development. Eligibility is conferred by
completion of a Department of Labor-
approved apprenticeship program, as
offered by the union, or certification
through the CTEF Certified Tile Installer
program. Each ACT certification will be a
stand-alone unit, allowing the installer to
tailor training to meet individual or company needs. Completion of all four units is
not necessary to attain a higher level of
certification. FCW
Certifications will cover installation skills.
Silk
Marazzi’s luxurious Silk reveals
the true beauty of ancient, vein-cut
travertine in a modern-day glazed
porcelain tile. Reproducing the
striations and mineral deposits found
in natural travertine, Silk is a multisized, intricately colored line that
is complemented with mosaic and
decorative trim options.
WWW.FCW1.COM
Booth #2807
www.marazzitile.com
Scott Carothers, executive director of the
Ceramic Tile Educational Foundation discusses
certification at Surfaces 2013.
April 22, 2013
Visit us at Coverings 2013
•
4/17/13 4:42 PM
12 Tile & Stone
Setting the scene
By Tanja Kern
Merchandising tile is a careful dance within
the retail environment that balances the
beauty of a product with the education
needed to communicate a product’s key selling points. Tile manufacturers provide solutions designed especially for their customers.
Daltile took merchandising to a new level
with the opening of a Dallas design studio,
designed by Gensler, a global architecture,
design, planning and consulting firm. “The purpose of our new studio is to meet
the growing needs of designers, architects
and our other customers,” said Lori KirkRolley, senior marketing director for Daltile.
“We’re making our full range of product
options more accessible.” The 6,400-square-foot studio presents tile
in five vignettes: two bathrooms, a shower, a
kitchen and a fireplace, and features a mural
in the entranceway that demonstrates various
visual aesthetic options for using tile.
The studio features four 42 inch LCD touch
screens with visualization tools such as an
inspiration gallery of room scenes, an electronic
product catalog and a backsplash designer.
At the dealer level, Marazzi USA has had
success with its Premier Retailer Display, said
Judy Mevius, marketing communications
manager for Marazzi. Designed to fit in a very
slim footprint, it measures just 67 inches wide
by 78 inches high by 38 inches deep. The display is designed to hold a minimum of eight
Marazzi product lines. One oversize product
board gives a glimpse of the entire offering
for each series, plus multiple room scenes. A
second oversized product board shows a “real
life” grouted installation, utilizing field tile,
decorative accents and trim pieces.
Emser Tile’s new merchandising concept
called Design Made Easy simplifies the selection process in the showroom and online
through web tools.
For stone, MSI International has a readymade solution. “Setup couldn’t be easier,” said
Manny Llerena, director of sales and marketing. “All boards are shipped shrink-wrapped
in their individual columns.” FCW
Crossville’s new
merchandising
[Crossville, Tenn.] Crossville Tile will
roll out a new three-tiered marketing and
merchandising program at Coverings that
simplifies the product selection for consumers and helps dealers increase sales.
The result of eight months of market
research, in-field studies and focus groups, it
incorporates displays, promotional plans and
dealer education. “We are building this for
people who want to be truly invested in the
brand,” said Lindsey Waldrep, vice president
of marketing for Crossville.
The first tier is a 4’ X 2’ wing display. “It’s
the most efficient way to showcase a new line
for someone who is not familiar with it or
for those who do not know what they want,”
explained Waldrep.
A 4’ X 4’ footprint provides a wing display
and concept panels. “We discovered that a lot
of people think that Crossville only does field
tile, and they didn’t realize we offer all the
bling, or jewelry or accessories,” Waldrep said.
A large display system takes inspiration
from department store makeup counters. “You
go there and talk about your problem areas,
and you think about the different tools, the
colors and what outfit you may buy,” Waldrep
explained. “We have a great team of strong
women at Crossville who have had a huge
impact on how we designed this display, from
a function and from an aesthetic perspective.”
The displays focus more on higher end,
hybrid products that are right for residential
and Main Street commercial. It works well
for kitchen and bath design showrooms. FCW
Crossville’s new large-format display system
WWW.FCW1.COM
April 22, 2013
4/17/13 4:06 PM
13
I take the floor
BY
C
JONATHAN
If it’s free, you paid too much
arpet One president Eric Demaree
once told me that one of his father’s
favorite phrases after looking at the
“free” ads in newspapers was, “If it’s free, you
paid too much.” Amen to that.
And the corollary to that is from the
mouth of a former American Airlines CEO,
“An industry is only as smart as its dumbest
competitor.” Yikes, that hurts.
So let’s take a look at the corollary.
Actually I think our retail industry is pretty
smart. Except for the Home Depot/Lowe’s
labor giveaway and Empire’s recent “pay
for one room of carpet and get two more
rooms free” our industry tries very hard to
value installation and get a fair price for our
products. Just thank your lucky stars that
Joseph A. Banks (men’s clothier) is not
in the flooring business. They have a full
diet of outrageous savings, to wit, “buy one
suit get three suits free.” If anyone came
into the store and just bought something at
regular price, the sales person would probably pass out.
Back to Eric’s father and his charge that, “if
it’s free you paid too much.” Home Depot is
into its third year of free whole house installation for $39 or $79. It doesn’t really matter.
It’s basically free.
So the dialogue progresses like this, you
would hope, “Wow, you mean you will install
my 1,500 square feet of carpet for free? But
what is the quality of the installation?”
“Oh, well, it sucks; I mean, it’s free. Well
actually we still pay the installer regardless
of the promotion, so it won’t be all that bad;
but you are going to pay so much more for
the cushion, the carpet, moving the furniture,
taking out the old flooring and other things
I haven’t thought of but someone will when
you get the final bill.”
Regardless of how Home Depot and
Lowe’s pitch this silliness, every sales person
in a floor covering store needs to have an easy
to understand response. It seems to me that it
should always include:
“We don’t do cheap; we don’t do second
rate because we are in a hurry to get to the
next job, nor will we nickel and dime you
to death.”
“We are floor consultants. That’s all we do
and we know our business; we spend hundreds of hours on product training so we can
find the best floor for your needs.”
“We will happily bring samples to your
house for free. We will measure your floor
needs for free. We will review our installation
layout with our installation department to be
sure all aspects are done to our demanding
level. And, of course that is free.”
“Just so you know, we are going to use
April 22, 2013
TRIVERS
WWW.FCW1.COM
better installation products because that is
what this job requires. In the years to come,
you will be so happy we did.”
“We have yet to meet a customer who
took the bait and got ‘free’ installation and
then had a problem but didn’t complain
•
because she got it free. No, we know smart
flooring customers want a beautiful worry
free floor that her family will love. That
kind of free is priceless.”
“Lastly, we will give you one single price and
guarantee our installation and product. The
installation will be worry free; and use of your
beautiful new flooring will be worry free for
many years. That’s our commitment to you.”
OK, now you know why I’m not a sales
trainer but you must have a great rejoinder to
the insufferable silly “free.”
____________________________________
Jonathan Trivers, a regular contributor to Floor
Covering Weekly, is also the author of the
marketWise section of FCW’s Statistical Report.
When he’s not writing he’s talking — to flooring
groups throughout the country and Canada.
4/17/13 11:31 AM
14 Resilient
DomotexAsia launches
LVT programs for US
By Raymond Pina
[Shanghai]
DomotexAsia/ChinaFloor,
established 15 years ago as an exhibition to
highlight Chinese wood and laminate flooring, has become the world’s largest luxury
vinyl tile (LVT) convention with more than
100 vinyl floor exhibitors.
What’s more, leading Asian exhibitors
told FCW they continue to gain U.S. market
share despite companies like Amtico, Armstrong, Centiva, Congoleum, Mannington
and Tarkett increasing U.S. LVT production.
“The U.S. is a very big market for us; the
absolute biggest and it continues to grow,” said
Betty Shen, sales manager for Taiwan-based
Winton Tile. “Asian suppliers have a strong
position because of our advantage in labor. The
Europeans are strong competitors because of
their high level of automation, but we have a lot
of human and technical resources.”
As examples of their significant role in the
U.S. supply chain, leading Asian OEM suppliers said they are responsible for much of
the floating and groutable LVT making its
way into the U.S. market.
“Asians don’t get the credit for being
innovative, but it was Chinese factories that
made high-gloss laminate possible. Now we
are making all of the most popular LVT. If
you saw all of the LVT in Las Vegas during
Surfaces — only a small handful of those
exhibitors have factories in the U.S. China
and Korea are making the rest,” said Walter
Chan, export manager of Guangshan, Chinabased Huizhou Plastics.
Leading Chinese laminate floor suppliers
are also converting or adding production lines
for LVT. They said the U.S. LVT market offers
great opportunity and margins.
“Most countries have not seen the advantages
of LVT as readily as the U.S. has,” said Thomas
Baert, president and CEO of Shanghai-based
ChinaFloor, which added LVT to its laminate
and wood offering in 2011. “Americans truly
understand that LVT can go into more places
than laminate, wet places. It’s a thinner profile
so it easily fits under doors and cabinets. And
for landlords that don’t want to replace the
carpet every time they get a new tenant,
they realize they can pay a little extra,
put down LVT, and maintain it for more
generations of tenants. LVT is bigger than
we ever thought it would be. We had to
double our capacity two weeks ago.”
Power Dekor and Nature Flooring,
two of China’s largest laminate, wood Swiff-Train’s Carine Czohara and Jonathan Train flank
and bamboo flooring manufacture, also Winton-Tile’s Betty Shen at DomotexAsia.
expressed an interest in entering the LVT
category during DomotexAsia/ChinaFloors. are now emphasizing products that are sus“Two to three years ago these halls were filled tainable, innovative and of the highest quality.
“We’re now utilizing PVC without toxins
with wood and laminate and now everything is
LVT,” said Alloc general manager Bengt Rasin or heavy metals. You don’t see the difference
at this year’s show. “Companies that used to but you’ll feel the difference in the material
make laminate floors have exited the market when you touch it. That’s why we’re not
openly displaying it here at the show. But we
only to return as LVT suppliers.”
are showing it to our partners in the U.S. and
Europe because this is what they’re looking
Quality, sustainability drive LVT
Despite the large volume of LVT being for,” said Winton Tile’s Shen.
Americans who have been coming to Asia
exported to the U.S., Asian suppliers said
they don’t want to compete on price and to source product for decades substantiate
this move to better quality.
commoditize the category.
“I go to the same factory year after year
“The real competition hasn’t started yet and
nobody wants it to start. If we lower prices and each time I go there’s more automation,”
no one wins,” said Sid Lee, general manager said Jonathan Train, vice president of corpoof Shanghai-based Jinka. “We focus on being rate development, Swiff-Train. “Everything is
a good quality OEM manufacturer for brand improving over here. The better suppliers
understand what its takes to compete globnames. We want to maintain a low profile.”
Chinese suppliers in all categories said they ally and for the long run.” FCW
WWW.FCW1.COM
April 22, 2013
4/17/13 1:13 PM
Laminate 15
Selling laminate at a profit
By Raymond Pina
Specialty dealers embracing the latest in highly
characterized laminate flooring said they’re
reaping sizable profits from the category
because of its inherent durability and visuals
that closely mimic upscale wood products.
These new features include handscraping,
traditional saw marks, nail holes and knots,
occasionally in combination with beveled or
irregular edges and, most recently, multiplesized planks.
“Today’s upscale laminates bear no resemblance to the laminates I carried even three
years ago,” said Deb DeGraaf, owner of Grand
Rapids, Mich.-based DeGraaf Interiors. “I
have some sophisticated new laminates from
Armstrong, Mannington and Shaw that are on
a completely different level. People say laminate is dead but it’s my No. 1 category. It’s cut
into my real wood and tile business.”
Laminate floor sales have been heating up
as the housing market turns more positive.
Homeowners and property managers look to
laminate as a better overall investment than
real wood — even in upscale neighborhoods,
noted Sam Roberts, president of Houston,
Texas-based Roberts Carpet and Fine Floors.
“We’re not putting laminate into a lot of million-dollar homes but certainly into $400,000
homes,” he said. “There’s some nice looking
laminate going into beautiful homes these days,
especially if there are pets or children involved.
It’s going into a lot of game rooms.”
The challenge for dealers and consumers is separating today’s high-end laminate
flooring from earlier commoditized versions
readily available at home centers, online and
even bulk retailers such as Costco.
“The biggest challenge laminate faces
isn’t luxury vinyl tile (LVT), it’s this belief
that laminate is an inexpensive replacement
for real wood. It’s not easy to overcome that
sometimes,” said Sean O’Rourke, vice president of hard surfaces for Avalon Carpet Tile,
which has locations throughout New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Dealers have taken a number of different
approaches to overcome this obstacle. Carrying an entry level product as part of the
assortment helps to compete on price while
demonstrating quality differences. Carrying
name brands helps as well.
Do more with less
Successful laminate floor dealers are reducing the total number of suppliers they carry
down to three. “We were that store that carried
everybody; from Wilsonart to Mannington and
everybody in-between,” said Jerry Butler, owner
of Fred’s Carpet Plus in Torrance, Calif. “Now
we carry Quick-Step and Mannington for our
upscale business and Tarkett rounds it out with
some serious pricing on the mid- to lower end.
With those three, we cover
the entire spectrum.”
Dealers said, though, that
it is critical to offer a broad
range of product that can
appeal to the new generations of homeowners.
“We have a huge laminate Quick-Step’s upscale Dominion in Rustic Hickory
business and learned you
can’t show one or two styles; you have to have at compares what they get for a $3 laminate versus
least 10,” Butler said. “Our biggest classification a $1 laminate or a $3 piece of wood, the differwas piano-finished laminate but that tapered ence becomes obvious. “You’re getting the best
off. Now what are strong are rustic looks, acacia looking and highest performing floor from a
and handscraped visuals — the weathered look laminate at $3 a square foot,” he said.
is important here at the beach, too. You can’t
stay with what used to sell and complain about Brand power
Recognizable brands with a strong Internet
laminate. You can’t provide just 7mm and 8mm
product. You need to have the 12mm step up.” and social media presence bolster consumer
Your small selection of entry-level laminate confidence and justify a healthy markup.
“I do think popular brand names that
does more than provide a price point, it also
helps demonstrate the contrast in quality, style people trust do make a difference,” said Hoy
and design between these floors and better Lanning, CEO of distributor CMH Space
product, according to Jeff Card, manager of Flooring Products. “Names change. For a
while Pergo was an important name and now
Ontario-based Patti-Lynn Interiors.
“On cheaper products, you can push a Quick-Step has become a serious brand in
bobby pin right into the coreboard,” he said. laminate. When you have good brands price
“That catches people’s attention. And people is less of an issue; they can be a little higher.”
Mike Carr, owner of Sebring, Fla.-based
who walk into my store aren’t the Lumber
Liquidators type. Customers come into my Floors Direct, said his customer will pay more
store because they want something different, for Made in the U.S.A. “More people are interested in supporting American products and it
something nice and of high quality.”
O’Rourke noted that when the customer only costs an extra $10 or $15 to do it.” FCW
Mannington’s Restoration changes the game
[High Point, N.C.] Mannington’s Restoration Collection is being lauded for raising the
bar on laminate floor design. The company is
also credited with shining a light on protecting the collection’s unique designs through
copyrights, a move that is spreading throughout the industry, according to insiders.
Manufactured here and initially launched in
two oak visuals at Surfaces 2010, Mannington’s
Restoration Collection features embossedin-registered (EIR) nail holes, cross-floor saw
marks and other surface character traits above
and beyond cathedrals. Today, the comprehensive line contains rustic variations — occasionally with smooth gloss finishes — of oak,
hickory, walnut, chestnut and elm.
“So many of my customers are telling
me that Mannington’s Restoration laminate
is the best looking laminate they have ever
seen,” said Pat Theis, vice president of sales
and marketing for Minnesota-based Herregan Distributors. “Carpet Weavers’ owners
just told me Restoration’s new Saw Mill
Hickory is the best hickory they have ever
seen. We’ve never had a response to laminate
like this.”
Dan Natkin, director of Mannington’s
hardwood and laminate business, said that
Restoration’s level of realism is due to a combination of recent advancements in printing
technology and the award-winning experience of Mannington’s in-house design team
Mannington’s new Elmhurt combines rustic visuals with subtle gloss levels.
April 22, 2013
WWW.FCW1.COM
•
led by 30 year industry veteran Joe Amato.
“The new intros expand our Restoration
Collection in ways we didn’t think were
possible a few years ago,” said Natkin. “The
texture, the clarity, the color-play — it’s
all there. That’s why we manufacture our
laminate in the U.S.A. Between our style
team and manufacturing experience, the
capabilities are wide open. Though it’s getting harder to out do ourselves.”
In an effort to legally protect these designs
from being quickly copied, Mannington has
begun issuing “cease and desist” orders to
Chinese manufacturers and importers trying
to knock off Restoration’s unique designs.
Leading exhibitors at DomotexAsia/China-
Floor last month took note.
“Copyright infringement is absolutely a
problem. It’s so bad we have guards at the
entrance to our booth,” explained Thomas
Baert, president and CEO of Shanghai-based
ChinaFloors. “Mannington is doing the right
thing by protecting their designs and we and
a lot of others are doing the same now.”
Distributors appreciate both Mannington’s culture of creating leading designs and
its history of taking the necessary steps to do
what is right.
“When you go to Mannington’s website it
says it’s been doing business since 1915 and
that it’s conscious of the green aspect,” said
Jeff Striegel, president and CEO of Elias Wilf.
“Mannington is a company that gives a
damn. It’s not just a brand. There’s a philosophy behind that name.” FCW
The new face of laminate, like Mannington’s
Historic Oak, bears no resemblance to its predecessors.
4/17/13 11:28 AM
16 Wood
Canadian suppliers specialize in quality
By Mallory Cruise
Known for manufacturing high quality product, Canadian hardwood suppliers are delivering more design and style oriented hardwood
products to the market this year. A consumercentric focus on more textured surfaces and
oil-finished floors, industry executives said,
are just a few of the latest style, design and
market trends coming on strong.
Like in the U.S. market, the commercial
sector has been a growth segment for the
Canadian makers. “We see growth in the
commercial high rise. There is an increase
in the number of commercial specs that
involve wood flooring rather than other
floor coverings,” said Luc Robitaille, vice
president of marketing for Boa Franc, maker
of the Mirage brand.
For Canadian hardwood companies like
Mercier, their supply chain differs from
market to market. “Our business model is
different as we are selling directly to retailer
for the East Canadian market. We are selling through distribution for the USA and
Western Canada,” explained Michel Collin,
director of marketing at Mercier. But he said,
25 stories. 45,000 sq.ft.
of hardwood flooring.
The same outstanding
quality in every box.
That’s Mirage.
similar to the U.S. market today, Canadian
consumers are looking for the most valueoriented product.
Suppliers like Lauzon reported that a key
difference between the two North American
countries is consumption of hardwood.
According to Yves Myrand, vice president of
sales and marketing at Lauzon, the consumption of hardwood is higher in Canada than in
the U.S. at the expense of carpet.
“This is especially true in Quebec, the province where Lauzon is based along with several
other hardwood manufacturers. It makes
sense to situate the manufacturing close to the
raw material supply. From a macro-economic
perspective, there are different mortgage lending practices in Canada versus the U.S. so we
did not experience the housing bubble to the
same extent,” offered Myrand.
Canadian trends
In Canada, like the U.S., the big trends in
style in the hardwood market include wide
planks, color variations and texture, noted
Collin of Mercier.
There is also a growing demand among
consumers for character floors and color
variations, said Robitaille of Boa Franc.
“Hickory and white oak are certainly
among the ‘hot’ species which fit this trend.
So are our handcrafted oak and aged maple
products from the Sweet Memories Collection. Products with a textured surface
like our Imagine Collection are all the rage
among consumers,” he said.
Textured surfaces continue to be popular because they are sought after by builders as an upgrade product, said Myrand
of Lauzon, with more homes featuring
handscraped and wire-brushed floors. He
added, however, that while handscraped
and vintage looks are still popular, they
have hit the peak of distressing, and the
company has decided to focus on producing softer scraped products.
Handcrafted Red Oak, Carousel
“With over 45,000 sq. ft. of flooring to install, we needed a flawless product
and a partner we could count on — from the lobby to the 25th floor.
With Mirage we went straight to the top.”
Made in North America
Chad Durbin, LEED GA, Total Flooring LLC - Northern Virginia.
Mirage’s Inspiration Collection in red oak species and color nordic
WWW.FCW1.COM
April 22, 2013
4/17/13 4:04 PM
Wood 17
“Wire brushed is hotter and more sophisticated for urban markets and designers love
the matte (softer) look. Red oak is still a
popular choice among consumers and home
builders alike. However, white oak is incredibly trendy right now. It has a distinct grain
that when wire-brushed, offers a sublime
two-tone effect. We are also seeing a resurgence of Canadian maple — it is a very hard
species that can essentially be stained to any
color,” said Myrand.
New products
There is no shortage of new product
coming from Canadian suppliers this year.
For example, Mercier is offering a brushed
option in its Design+ program on red oak
and white ash species.
“We’ve added some new color options to
our Exotic Collection. We’ve launched 7 new
wood series in our Nature Collection. The
vibe among our customers for the new products in the Nature Collection is awesome,”
Collin said.
Lauzon recently launched two new flooring collections to its Designer Collection:
Urban Loft and Homestead. Urban Loft
features lightly textured, wire brushed white
oak in wider, longer planks with a low matte
finish and smoky color palette. The Homestead collection features a compilation of
character woods including hickory, red oak
and walnut with wide, beveled-edge planks
and soft scraped.
“We also introduced some new colors to
Line Art — a unique hardwood series that
takes traditional maple flooring to a whole
new level. In addition to its distinctive linear
pattern, Line Art is made of FSC certified
maple from Lauzon’s own sustainably managed forests,” Myrand added.
With one of the most impressive new
product offerings on both sides of the border,
Mirage launched 61 SKUs in January of this
year, said Robitaille of Boa Franc. The offering
includes a collection of textured floors called
the Imagine collection which contributes to
hiding the marks and scuffs of daily use. The
Imagine collection is available in three colors
and in old maple and old red oak. The company has also introduced a new comprehensive merchandising display system this year.
“We want to make sure we are providing our customers with the latest and most
fashionable products. This is why it resulted
in quite a substantial amount of products in a
conservative time,” said Robitaille.
Mirage is also offering a variety of new
colors this year. “We have also introduced a
new whiter white, named Nordic, and a new
grey called Platinum, and several additions to
the Alive and Sweet Memories Collections,”
added Robitaille.
Preverco recently launched a
number of new products. According to the company, with its new
launches, it wanted to create an
ambiance that would draw the
customer in, making the product
more fashionable and less technical. Preverco recently introduced a
new series of oil-based floors in
seven new visuals available in
white oak with varying lengths up
Station 54 is part of Lauzon’s new Urban Loft series.
to 7 feet long. FCW
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April 22, 2013
WWW.FCW1.COM
•
4/17/13 4:05 PM
18 Wood
Optimism spurs NWFA growth
By Mallory Cruise
[Dallas] This year’s National Wood Flooring Association’s (NWFA) annual Flooring
Expo, held here April 2 to 5, was the biggest
in five years thanks to a recovering economy.
“We have grown 30 percent from 2011 to
2012, and 20 percent between 2012 and 2013.
We added 45 new exhibitors and sold out
the show floor. We hope the darkest days are
behind us,” said Michael Martin, CEO and
executive director, NWFA.
The association has a number of goals to
be accomplished within the next two years
according to Rick Holden, chairman of the
board of NWFA. “We want to grow the
wood market as well as define the size and
responsibility of our board and committee.
We also want to reevaluate all member pro-
as NAFCD, WFCA, CFI, CRI
grams and series, and ensure
and NALFA — will allow memthe financial success of NWFA
bers to evolve by learning about
for generations to come,”
each other’s market.
Holden said.
Martin said that the associaAn emphasis is being placed
tion works hard to give memon collaborative efforts like
bers a reason to attend Expo
those forged with NAFCD and
every year.,“We focus on educaWFCA that offer members of
all associations new benefits
tion and relevant industry topics.
and educational opportunities.
We ask our members, ‘What do
“The most import thing
you want to know?’ ” he said.
NWFA can do is partner with Michael Martin
Under the theme Think
other groups and associations
Big, the NWFA challenged its
within both the flooring industry and the members to think of three big ideas to keep
hardwood industry. We’re more powerfully in mind during the show and to take back to
represented in Washington because of com- their businesses.
bined efforts,” said Martin.
Juan Farfan of Northwestern Hardwood
Joining forces and strengthening relation- Floors, Chicago Ill., who has won Floor of the
ships with other industry associations — such Year four times, noted, “We come to see new
products and designs, such as stained floors. We
also come for training, such as different types
of finishes and how to apply them.” Training is
another area of importance to the NWFA.
“What it comes down to is we have to
matter. On the technical side, we are offering
a vocational school to help provide installers
a career path,” said Martin.
Martin noted that the industry is facing
new challenges — a bout of price increases,
lumber shortages and new competition facing
saw mills. One result is a recently revamped
technical training program, Martin noted.
“We made centralized training more localized in order to help our members save costs.
We are offering one-day workshops that we will
also take on the road. Between the first quarter
of last year to the first quarter of this year, we
doubled the amount of individuals participating in our training programs. We are also offering more craftsmanship-based training in a
centralized location, with our headquarters in
St. Louis being the hub,” explained Martin. FCW
China’s wood industry faces challenges
[Shanghai] China’s wood flooring industry
is booming but undergoing dramatic change
as leading suppliers consolidate their power,
struggle with adopting sustainability standards and cope with rising labor and raw
material costs, according to industry leaders participating in the third annual Wood
Flooring Forum, held here, March 25.
“It’s safe to say our wood floor industry
grew 22 percent last year,” said Sun Jian,
director of China’s timber industry management and state forestry administration. “We
continue to benefit from broad American and
European markets but our labor resources get
ITC
happening as there are no other producers
out there that the ITC missed,” he added.
This process is just beginning and neither
side is clear about exactly where this review
will take the case. It was also ordered that the
parties must file a proposed scheduling order
on or before Oct. 31, 2013 for the submission
of comments on the remand results.
Both sides will participate in the process — the ITC will likely ask for commentary from both parties. “What typically
happens is that the Commission asks for
additional briefing from the parties and
puts together determination and sends it
back to the court and the court will ask for
briefings on remanded determination,”
noted Levin. “I’m quite confident that the
commission has more than enough on the
record to support initial determination
and reach the same conclusion.”
ally and as leading OEM exporters,” he said. negatively impact domestic sales.
“Society is paying a lot of attention to the
“As for smaller companies, they can either
adjust by producing more specialized prod- formaldehyde issue. It is forming a negative image of the industry and we need to
more expensive and limited day by day. We ucts or they can exit.”
solve this problem now. We have prepared
now need to shift our focus to China’s key,
national standards for hardwood which are
China’s green growing pains
large companies and building their brands.”
An increasingly green global market is also in line with international standards.”
China currently has 556 solid hardwood,
Don Finkell, chairman of the board for the
502 engineered wood and 98 bamboo floor making an impact. “Flooring companies are
manufacturers according to the latest figures experiencing more pressure importing tropi- Washington, D.C.-based Hardwood Federafrom the China National Forest Products cal wood because of the growing list of animals tion, noted, “We expect further action by U.S.
Industry Association (CNFPIA). However, and trees facing extinction, especially from custom officials to check that products
comply with environmental law,” said Finthose numbers are “declining dramatically” as Madagascar and Latin America,” said Ye.
While the CNFPIA is currently reviewing kell. “It would be good for China to get ahead
smaller factories find it increasingly difficult to
compete for lumber and employees in the face potential Chinese environmental regulations of the game. Right now, hardwood from the
of the nation’s growing mega mills, according of its own, hazardous levels of volatile organic U.S. is considered legal and at very low risk of
compounds (VOCs) found in inferior Chi- having originated from illegal logging; as well
to Kelin Ye, vice chairman, CNFPIA.
“China’s larger producers are busy region- nese wood products have already begun to as wood from Australia and Europe.” FCW
Legal counsel for the Alliance William
Perry feels otherwise, stating, “We are confident that the Commission, which includes
several new members, will see that when
all the economic factors are considered,
that imports are not a cause of injury to the
domestic industry. The Commission will now
have to use a higher causation standard and
consider the greater economic condition in
the United States, including the fall of the
housing market, on the U.S. industry.”
Root causes
Following the 2011 proceedings, both sides
began the appeal process. In addition, the
Alliance for Free Choice and Jobs in Flooring
took the whole case to the Court of International Trade in New York City in January
2013. While the CAHP appealed for rates to
be calculated higher, the mandatories on the
opposing side and members of the Alliance
appealed for lower rates, the current remand
is for injury only and does not affect rates.
Key points to be argued include the exclu-
sion of hardwood plywood from proceedings
and whether or not it was imports that caused
American suppliers material damage or if economic conditions were responsible.
The Court documentation dated March
20 stated, “On remand the Commission shall
reopen the record to identify domestic hardwood plywood manufactures and evaluate
whether they make product that is used for
flooring.” As a result, the Commission may
issue questionnaires to domestic hardwood
plywood manufacturers.
The court also ordered that the Commission reconsider the impact of the subject
imports on the domestic industry — whether
the presence of imports was indeed the cause
of injury or were the economic conditions of
the time the overriding factor.
“We appealed the case in its entirety. We
still feel the determination is missing several
points and they needed to be considered,”
Jonathan Train of distributor Swiff-Train and
president of the Alliance, told FCW. “This is
fairly unprecedented. We are proud that our
Alliance has stuck together and we have a
large support from the industry trying to
ultimately end this case.”
Since the initial filing and proceedings,
two of the commissioners have changed
— one on either side of the vote. And new
mandatories have been identified during
the annual review process: Armstrong
Wood Products Kunshan Co., Ltd.; Fine
Furniture; and, Nanjing Minglin Wooden
Industry, according to DOC documents.
Armstrong, which owns the Kunshan plant
and is the largest U.S. supplier of hardwood,
was not mentioned in the initial proceedings.
Armstrong said it was notified about a
month and a half ago that it was being
named a mandatory. According to Armstrong World Industries’ vice president of
hardwood products Milton Goodwin, “We
are prepared whatever the outcome. We
remain neutral. As a mandatory, we just
provide answers to their questions. We will
cooperate and we feel we will be treated
fairly by the Commerce Department.” FCW
WWW.FCW1.COM
April 22, 2013
4/17/13 4:44 PM
Carpet & Area Rugs 19
Canadian carpet mills evolve to meet challenges
to Mike Wagner, COO of Kraus. “We have
programs in place to ensure stock levels
Whether it’s partnering with U.S. companies, remain strong and policies are in place to
distributing hard surface flooring or offering guarantee the quality of our products.”
unique carpet products, carpet mills in Canada
have found ways to survive and prosper.
Tandus Flooring Truro, Truro, Nova Scotia
Tandus Flooring has had broadloom
manufacturing in Truro since 2000 when it
Beaulieu Canada, Acton Vale, Québec
acquired a Crossley plant
Part of the international
there, according to Glen
family of Beaulieu compaHussman, president and
nies founded in Belgium
CEO of Tandus Flooring,
by Roger De Clerk in 1959,
which became a Tarkett
Beaulieu Canada employs
company last year.
about 600 people at two
Tandus
had
also
manufacturing plants and
acquired Monterey Carpet
processes its products
in California in 2000 and
through two distribution
between 2002 and 2004,
centers. Since 1981, when
“We expanded capacity
its first plant in Stratford, Your Home Style program designed
Ontario began manufac- for Beaulieu Canada’s elite retailers. and consolidated production of both Crossley and
turing polypropylene fiber
and area rugs, Beaulieu Canada has grown to Monterey broadloom carpet in Truro.
The Truro plant, located about 60 miles
include three divisions — residential, commercial and rugs, according to Sophie Tanya northeast of Halifax, has both tufting and
Lupien, vice president of marketing for the Axminster weaving capacity, producing highend broadloom for the commercial market.
Residential Division.
The company is closely aligned with its sister Some of the tufted production is shipped to
organization, Beaulieu America. Karel Vercruyssen serves as CEO and president of Beaulieu Canada as well as president and COO of
the Beaulieu America Group. Beaulieu America
supplies fiber to Beaulieu Canada, which has its
own twisting and heat setting capacity.
In addition to manufacturing tufted broadloom, carpet tile and rugs, Beaulieu Canada is
also a flooring distributor of solid hardwood,
engineered hardwood, laminate, sheet vinyl as
well as vinyl planks and tiles across Canada.
By Janet Herlihy
the 1960s when foreign
Dalton to be made into
competition made that
carpet tile but all woven
industry untenable. The
broadloom is sold as carpet,
company converted to the
mostly to the high-end
new carpet tufting techcorporate market. Today,
nology and began manumore than 200 people work
facturing broadloom in
at the Truro operations.
1971. Groupe St. Georges
While Truro producbecame backward intetion serves the North
American and global mar- Tandus Flooring Truro manufactures grated to polypropylene
production in the 1990s.
kets, a majority of what tufted and woven broadloom.
Established as a subis made there is sold in
sidiary of Venture Carpets USA in 1972,
Canada, according to Hussman.
Venture had several owners until it was
Venture Carpets, St. Georges de Beauce, Quebec acquired by Groupe St. Georges Inc. AlexVenture Carpets has a venerable history andre Lacroix, owner of Group St. Georges,
that has adjusted to change in order to remain merged the two entities in 2004 under the
successful. “Out of the several dozens of carpet name Venture Carpets Inc.
St. Georges Carpets specialized in residenmills in the 70-80s, Venture Carpets is now
the last Canadian owned carpet mill left in tial polypropylene carpet while Venture CarCanada,” said Mathieu Lacroix, Venture’s vice pets produced nylon and commercial carpets.
president of marketing. The current company Venture added a carpet tile facility to its manwas created when Groupe St-Georges Inc. ufacturing capabilities in 2011. An Interface
plant had closed in Belleville, Ontario in 2009,
acquired Venture Carpet in 2003.
Groupe St. Georges was founded in 1928 leaving an experienced workforce. Venture
as St. Georges Woolen Mills by Édouard and partners invested in a new plant and new
Lacroix. It manufactured woolen fabrics until equipment in 2011. FCW
Demolition vs Renovation
Kraus Group, Waterloo, Ontario
Established as Kraus Carpet Mills by
Michael Kraus in 1959, the company has
gone through a restructuring in the past year
aimed at making it stronger for the future.
In March 2013, Kraus announced the
appointment of Steve Malinowski as president
and CEO. Most recently, Malinowski served
as president and CEO of Janes Foods, where
he doubled the business’ turnover, successfully increasing profitability and equity value.
In May 2012, a majority stake in the company was sold to Hilco UK, a British private
equity firm with other interests in the floor
and home products market. The sale set out
to strengthen the company’s balance sheet to
enable further investment in inventories and
new product development.
For 2013, Kraus has launched new products
in tufted broadloom and carpet tile as well as
in the hard surface categories — hardwood,
laminate, cork and luxury vinyl tile, which it
sources from around the world and distributes.
Along with product improvements, Kraus
is strengthening customer service, according
April 22, 2013
WWW.FCW1.COM
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•
4/17/13 4:06 PM
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fcwservices@hearst.com
Call: (516) 227-1407
Fax: (516) 227-1342
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territories and merchandising support. This
is your chance to TAKE IT TO THE MAX!
Email: fernando@maxwindsor.com
Max Windsor Floors
Sales Agent Wanted
Manufacturers of pre-finished solid &
engineer line looking for reps to help us
expand our reach.
Send resume to:
richmond@dyerichflooring.com
1:04 AM
Page 1
Creative
of carpet and vinyl,” explained Larry Woodland, vice president of operations and sales
for Wacky’s Flooring Group. “It ended up
with five locations in the Maritime Provinces
that were largely retail with a small commercial operation. Between 1980 and the
acquisition, we grew Wacky’s to be a complete retail operation that offered the best
prices on all types of flooring and window
treatments. We had decorators on staff and
a builder business. Scott Brookfield decided
the company had a lot of potential. He said
he wanted to double the size of the business
in five years and he delivered through both
acquisition and organic growth,” Woodland
reported. There are now seven Wacky’s
locations including Commercial Carpet
Centres. Woodland said, “Now Wacky’s is
known for our wide selections of flooring,
an educated staff including decorators, and
excellent installation services. Scott Brookfield encourages a fresh approach to explore
other opportunities. We have recently
added cabinets.”
with quality flooring and service, according to John Wells, Taylor’s general manager, who became a minority shareholder.
“Other companies focused on volume
and price so we attracted a quality demographic,” Wells said.
When Wells joined the business in 2001,
it had one store each in the sister cities of
Halifax and Dartmouth. Taylor opened its
Sydney showroom in 2005 and its fourth
store in Bridgewater, an hour’s drive southwest of Halifax, in 2006.
Hallmark: The third big brand
In 2012, Creative Flooring Solutions
acquired Hallmark Carpet One. “Taylor’s
four locations are high-end Mohawk Color
Centers and Wacky’s seven are aligned
Shaw dealers,” Brookfield explained. “I had
been looking for a business with a presence
in the Halifax marine industry and Cliff
Gaetz, the former owner of Hallmark, is
a player in that business. He was ready to
sell the Carpet One business and is now our
general manager. It was an opportunity to
acquire another brand that has good potential for growth.”
Taylor makes two
Taylor Flooring was Wacky’s biggest
competitor in the Halifax/Dartmouth area,
until 2009, when Creative Flooring Solutions bought Taylor Flooring from Robert
Taylor, who continues to lead the division.
Taylor is celebrating its 20th anniversary
this year.
Taylor’s brand strategy is that all 300,000
people in the Halifax/Dartmouth area
should consider Taylor to be synonymous
Strength in numbers
While each flooring brand serves a different market, there is strength in being part of
a larger organization. “We maintain three
separate companies in the region, but pool
resources for warehousing, purchasing,
installation and administration,” Wells
explained. “We have about 200 installers,
who are dispatched by a central office every
day. The biggest advantage is buying power
and the accumulated resource of all three
retail brands’ experienced staff.” FCW
Position Wanted
Agents Wanted
Dodd's Carpet, Inc.
Calhoun, Georgia
Seeking Agents to Sell
Promotional Goods & Specials
Submit information via e-mail to
hopelewis@comcast.net or
call [706] 625-1811
Moving to lower Keys of FL.
Have lived flooring all my life.Would be an
asset to local company's.
rheminger.toledo@gmail.com
Seeking a Sales Manager Position
Tile Setting Products Manufacturer in Texas
Email: martin.martinez@texrite.com
LARGEST FLOOR COVERING FRANCHISOR IN NORTH
AMERICA HAS OPENING FOR
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
Candidate must have experience in the floor covering industry. Responsibilities include
recruiting new franchisees and servicing current members with the best marketing and
merchandising programs in the flooring industry. Overnight travel will be required.
The territory is California, Arizona and Nevada.
Our proprietary programs help retailers become more successful while maintaining their
independence. From national advertising to aggressive turnkey sale events to a state-ofthe-art consumer website, to B2B programs to private label merchandising, we provide
the tools needed to succeed in today’s business environment.
Compensation will be discussed with qualified candidates; Excellent Benefits Package
including Medical Insurance and 401K.
Email Steve Mintz at SMintz@abbeycarpet.net with cover letter and resume.
All responses will be kept confidential.
4/17/13 4:12 PM
22 The Last Word
What does it all mean?
I
n November 2010, The Department of Commerce (DOC)
initiated antidumping and countervailing investigations on imports
of multilayered wood flooring from
China. Since then, there has been an
affirmative determination, appeals
and now a remand.
While I knew for certain that appeals would be filed, I was
frankly relieved that the larger process was perhaps over.
With friends on both sides, it was at times hard to watch the
deep passion coupled with high stress levels and even exhaustion. For them, I wanted it over. And also for the industry as
a whole, who together was battling a sinking economy.
Sitting alone on the press platform a year and a half ago
at the final hearing in DC, I felt the weight of the proceedings, wishing my friends on both sides well.
But here we are in the midst of a review and appeals,
both sides re-entering the battle ground. As in 2010 and
2011, FCW will remain steadfast in our coverage bringing
the simple facts and attempting to demystify the legalese
and subtle nuances of the case and its proceedings.
Indeed, there are lots and lots of facts and fine distinctions to be made — much of which the majority of the
industry isn’t aware of or simply doesn’t understand.
What I think everyone understands is that this case took
resources — financial, personnel, time. It disrupted the
flow of business of the companies involved on both sides.
And for those not directly involved, it caused confusion.
What many didn’t understand then and still don’t is that
the rates are payable by the importer of record only. There
isn’t the paper chain of seller and buyer that exists with
Lacey compliance. And, the rates go under annual review
so the money is held until final determinations are made.
This remand is a review of the case as is. Much has changed
since the petition was brought to the DOC. U.S. manufacturing has ramped up. Chinese manufacturers are making moves
to play in the high-end market and bring more specialized
product here. None of this is under consideration in this phase.
There are two important things now being considered.
Because imports were a large percentage of the U.S. hardwood market, does it follow that they were the cause of
injury to the U.S. wood manufacturers? Or was the weak
economy and housing market to blame instead?
Also in question is the exclusion of the hardwood
plywood market in the initial proceedings. Counsel for
the petitioners— the Coalition for American Hardwood
Parity — will tell you that it is a raw material and not the
same players or market. But the opposition contends that
it is part of the makeup of multilayered wood flooring and
should be included.
And so it continues with this round. FCW remains dedicated to bringing you solid reporting of the case. And we
wish both sides well.
— Amy Joyce Rush
FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
The Industry’s Business News & Information Resource
FCW Editorial and Sales Headquarters
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Columnists
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Chris Ramey Strategic insights (561) 876-8077 cpr@affluentinsights.com
Kermit Baker Beyond the numbers kermit_baker@harvard.edu
Ed Korczak As I see it ed.korczak@gmail.com
Marge Redmond Heard on Main Street marge@oldtownflooring.com
Christine Whittemore Flooring the customer cbwhittemore@simplemarketingnow.com
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Advertising
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Save the broccoli
Classified Ads
Stacey Iaccino (516) 227-1407 Fax (516) 227-1342 siaccino@hearst.com
I
’ve heard that in their quest to be environmentally
friendly, some people are foregoing the use of wood
products — whether it is paper products, hardwood for
flooring and furniture or many other uses. And certainly,
that’s understandable; we see Save the Trees and Save the
Planet bumper stickers and signs everywhere.
But I want to talk to you about the plight of poor broccoli. How come no one decries the terrible tragedy of this
noble vegetable? And tell me, where have all the planet’s
broccoli forests gone? Last time I saw a stand of broccoli
growing wild was … wait, come to think of it, I’ve never
seen broccoli growing wild.
Of course, this is all tongue in cheek. We have no need
to worry about broccoli — the reason is simple: we can
always plant more. Broccoli is a renewable resource that is
managed by farmers all over the world. We plow, we sow,
we reap in a never ending cycle that keeps broccoli on our
tables and in our bellies.
The same applies to much of the supply of hardwoods
used in this country for flooring. Most domestic growers
manage their forests responsibly — I even heard that there
are more trees in America today than there were 200 years
ago (although I suspect that has something to do with the
fact that 200 years ago wood was not only the primary
building material but also our primary energy source).
Yes, there is still a lot of environmental abuse going
on in the world with clear cutting of land, mismanaged
A Hearst
Business
Vol. 61
Publication
January
FLOOR
COVERIN
28, 2013
WEEKLY
A Hearst
Business
Publication
December
✓
SURFACES
G
No. 24
$4
FLOOR
Winter ma
rkets heat
up
By Janet Herlihy
2013
$4
4
G WEEK
LY
— Santiago Montero
Commercial
Vol. 61
Outlook
NAHB to DC:
By Mallory
Cruise
2013
Don’t derail
recovery
Rush
year looks
Supplement
to Floor Covering
Continued
Retail plan
ning
good
By Taryn Baum
tile
Dye Lab carpet
Shaw Contract’sGold award this year
won the NeoCon
carpet category.
for the modular
P e r i
o d i c
a l
P e r i
o d i c
a l
$4
and Michael
s
Interior Surface
award
earns Retail
PT2012.indd
11
solves
FloorFolio
sound issues
latest
Carpet tile’s ns
design directio
Bank of
Centiva gives
nia flair
India Califor
PM
9/18/12 2:07
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George R. Hearst Jr. Chairman
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FCW Inside
Sorenson
r:
Xavier Steyae
talks IVC
expansion
18
CFI inaugurate
Davis Award s
annual conve at
ntion
It’s been
roughly
two decades
World Wide
since
Web opened
public. When
its universe the
to the
By Kimberly
pany’s websiteconsumers click
Gavin
onto a comtoday, it
and because
is
of possibilities second nature,
nological
[Nashville
made by
advancemen
]
techThe
are greater.
ts, the expectations
Internationa
l
The first website
Floor CoveringCertified
Installfrom the
was created
ers (CFI)
flooring industry
in
held its 19th
the company. 1994 by Laticrete,
annual convention
according
Very simplistic,
to
was to provide
at
the Sheraton
its main purpose
Hotel and
nical bulletins, material safety data
Convention
sheets, techstraightforwa contact information,
where several Center
and
rd pieces of
hundred
information. other
Websites
installers
today
Bernie Madden
attended
purpose. “Eight are serving a vastly
seminars,
gets first
different
workshops
out of ten
award.
a company
consumers
and listened
on their website
check out
to keynote
the store.
speakers.
before they
to Jane Walker,
It’s not really
CFI principal, According
business,
an appointmentgo into
was bigger
and
“Everything
based
this year.”
where people the website is our
Walker said
new lobby
make a judgment
that from
are and what
workshops,
supplier events
about who
we’re
all events
we
Garcia, advertising all about,” explained
to
during the
convention
three-day
Gary
were
and marketing
Coles Fine
tant, she pointed full. But even more
Flooring
manager,
out, the number imporTodd Calloway,in San Diego.
ers under
of
40
installwas impressive.
interactive
manager
kept asking
at Shaw,
marketing
“Everyone
where we
“It’s important echoes these
people,”
sentiments. By Raymond
Walker said. got all these young
for us to
mation and
Pina
under 40s
Not only
provide
inspiration
infor- [Manchest
in attendance,
were the
research
for people
ers in their
“The retail
there were
their
er, N.H.]
who dealers
20s and 30s.
shopping
installThat research flooring purchases
kept pace
Flooring
experience
ing,” she
“That’s encouragare using
America
online.
with technology,
is more common
said.
has not
ever,” he
hand
best to teach “It’s because we’ve
said.
” said
today than devices to help increase held electronic “We’ve developed
done our
them what
an application Chiera. they
floors.com, “Through websites
customer
person can
sales and
their costs
don’t give
like Shawrelations
they browse
use in the
manage
the salesare so
labor away.
from their
compare
of contact
store to improve
online
money to
products,
initial point experience but
afford education.” Then they have
order samples, catalogs, installation all the way
also for
visualization
publish
the customer the
Tom Jennings,
recommend
and use
tools to see
and ultimatelythrough credit,
to vices
referral,
chairman,
ations online,
how their
to an online with before and
Inc., was
according
WFCA Serchoices
along
after photos
the keynote
Continued
to
the opening
speaker during
on page 17 president of marketingFrank Chiera, vice lation. We know
of
WFCA Leadership
people trust her instal- held
Flooring
and advertising, mendations
in honor
America.
the recomand referrals
of Chris Davis, Conference,
and friends
man and
of their
WFCA chairCEO who
10
family
a home center times more than
died earlier
Jennings
spoke of
they trust
this year.
how Davis
this weekend.” announcing they
goal as CFI:
had the same
have a sale
“to
ing installers encourage dealers
Introduced
and floorto work together
July 2012
America’s
satisfaction,”
during
for customer
summer
Flooring
he said. “He
convention
Fla., and
that this had
believed strongly
in Orlando,
available
to occur if
next month
loadable
achieve its
the
application
as
full potential.” industry was to
from iTunes a downing America’s
Maintaining
website, members and Floorthat momentum
up for the
continuing
who
Fast Phase
to
a free iPad,
II program signed relationship build those dealer/instaland
though the
received
s is a key
ler
equally well
focus for
forward aft
application
For breaking
CFI
er Davis’
news updated
iPhones and on Kindles, Android works One way
passing, Walker going
each business
CFI is
other handheld
tablets,
said.
day, visit
Davis Award, doing that is with
Celeste Carr,
us online
devises.
at www.fcw1.com
the Chris
given this
Floors Direct, owner of Ocoee,
fcw8202712-page
Madden,
year to
Fla.-based
principal
s.indd 1
signed up
of Madden-Mc Bernie
Interiors
for Fast
Phase II
of
Farland
is a high-endLeawood, Kan.
Continued
Madden
on page 4
flooring
business
who
Continued
Flooring
America
goes hig
h tech
FCWCommercial-SE
3:49 PM
2012
G WEEK
LY
The Tech
nology Iss
ue
for increase
12/17/12
4:42 PM
Publication
COVERIN
Changing
of websitesrole
e for future
1/18/13
Business
August 20/27,
FLOOR
on page 4
on page 47
A Hearst
Weekly
The momentum
that built
mode for
slowly in
2013. And
2012 is expected
“Our Commercial business, said
to push the
industry
flooring industry
executives,
business
tum into
continues
2013,” said
into a stronger
to see strong will be quite good
Randy Merritt,
optimistic
growth
by 2014.
growth and
but
president,
we expect
family businessdoes expect housing
Shaw. On
to continue
demand and
the residential
this momenmarket continuesis benefiting from
price levels
side, he remains
new construction
to continue
to be weak,
well for future
cautiously
to improve.
and is starting
but is expected
“Builder
flooring activity,”
to grow. Th
to improve
e residential and multihe said.
as the new
replacement
home market
improves.
This bodes
The National
depression
for four years,
[Dallas]
Association
in Oklahoma,
(NAHB)
one facet
Th
Howard said,
of Home
is keeping
of
the showroomse atmosphere was
homa division” said Roger Voge,
and as
a close watch Builders see recovery, the economy that
election
casual,
OklaBy Janet Herlihy
is beginning
scattered
Washington
president
it shouldn’t
in Irvine
ing & Decorating
for Star
to
, D.C., and on postitself for
take
and Grapevine, in hotels located
“We’re in
Floorpotential
.
readying
very interestingany more hits.
retailers,
Jinx Yoder,
changes
Texas, and
policy that
Most retailers
large
PET carpet
in legislation/ NAHB needs to
times and
could aff
and will show
told FCW
Dallas regional and small, attending the Paris, Texas, owner of Paris Tile
be at its most
the cant
ect housing
Additionally
members
store. We
that they
& Marble,
it at the front
improvemen
said, “Business
active and
engaged as
, NAHB
the People
in
saw signifi
flooring
will still
pleased with
t in 2012
of the
all even
is aggressively 2013. soon as
much as they
the government
have the
is picking
who wanted
and are expecting- the higher end
better sales
we get
the products markets were
best offering
can be. As
up.
to wait ‘til
of the year
of the market,
in 2013,
Shaw, Mohawk,
nomic recovery. to avoid derailing asking and Congress through this lame
and optimistic.
at
that farther
after the fi
but are
are back to
duck session about how events
but will move
an ecorst
into the showroom,”
Beaulieu
distributors
buy now.”
in the economyhesitant
Susan Adair,
the biggest gets back in earnest,
Right now,
affect business.
along
Aaron
including
it will
according
infl
he added.
of Adair’s
might Carpet, Pirner, owner
and BPI drew
of NAHB,
to Jerry Howard,
Swiff-Train, with Dallas, said,
said Howard. uence on the bottom have
Fine Floors
“I was surprised
NAHB’s
By Amy Joyce
is very optimistic. and CEO of
“Winter
T&L to
CEO
in
line,” 2012
policy is
product and dealers to see a wide
market is
wants the
that
us. I think
Rush
NAHB held
very firm
CAP, a CCA CAP
was still
2001-2003
important
range of
hear
it’s better
a
— it to
Global
tax cuts extended;
up and
not want
partner, operates
that the suppliers
down, but
Constructio about the latest programs.
address the webinar on Tuesday
than Surfaces
[Salem,
change to
it does
we are
current political
n is recovering
N.J.]
Dec. 2
16 locamortgage
LVT is a
tions; and,
tions housing
region and
Chuck Moreau,are not distracted.” in
interest deduc- in post-election
sell Grizzle A year ago, Rusvery, very
environmen tunate and have fordoes not
retailers
19 business
in the
hot prodwant tax
Washington
took the
uct and we
owner of
t
The housing
units (all
reported
been
sales as well.
rates to increase. Jerry Howard,
Manningto
helm of
Brazos Valley
flooring
. Alongside ahead,” said Peter
better retail Floor & Design,
continue
industry
“The builder
Jim Tobin,
n
with
to
our
has
Messin and around related)
Mills,
NAHB,
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ner, president
the
been
commercia
three locations
chief lobbyist
market is
College Station,
a familyin a state
owned
and David
l and residenstrong
Wichita,
of Messnearly 100-year-ol
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for ner
Crowe, chief
in
tial LVT
Kansas. “We
Texas area,
Carpet,
product lines.
company
economist
has been
Pittsford,
d
that was
good growth have had a
ahead of
We are
Continued
suburb of
Continued
a
grounded
projections
Rochester,
deeply
on page 3
on page 12
the market year. When
in tradition
N.Y.
point,” he
“Some of
at this
like the
our
said.
went down
and
rest of the
in ‘07 and
haven’t been competitors
Since
‘08, we started
industry,
then, he
was mired
able to invest
has invested
making
in a painfully
in their
his time
investments
recovery.
in
showrooms,
slow Russell
better people,
—
giving us
His job
integration, overseeing the
Grizzle
an advantage.”
An inviting
then and
now is to
a job made
tems, locations,better sysplot a path
For 2013,
because
easier
shoppers wood walkway guides
of careful
Messner
includes
training,”
for the future
through
Pirner said.
Carpet Town.
has
set a goal
growth in
due diligence before
that
“When
of a 6 to
new
at the same
company
things
the purchase
8 percent
started to
pursuing
values that
time to stay markets while
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that by attracting
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pany’s core
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a great
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start. “Th
Today, Grizzle
g our website market. And 2012
the 35 plus
share, starting position.
at’s been
he said.
For breaking
a big
was
to reach
year-olds.
points to
in 2011.
acquisition
news updated
In October,
year, it will
our wholesale great, with success
By
the Amtico
as
each business
have a young, the end of the
the company
and commercial mainly in
Manningto a strategic move
that both
day, visit
For breaking
also getting
Residential
fresh look.
us online
that
announced
n
the
news updated
at www.fcw1.com
involved
businesses.
remodel has
We are
while enablingto expand its global allows and the Amtico Mannington Commercia 12243112Pages.i
with social
changing
each business
been OK
He expects
our product
media and
too.”
reach companies’
day, visit
it to bring
sales forces
ndd 1
increases
l
mercial production
us online
Messner
across all
mix in showroom,”
mercial, new
its LVT
will carry
at www.fcw1.com
explained.
areas —
commercia
coming
both
housing and
1-28-13pages.in
onshore.
“We will
l products,
“We are
2013 will
LVT, sheet
remodeling. comdd 1
be selling
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be good
includand
more
because consumer “I think
the acquisition. current Manningto carpet tile, using
savings
the
n Commercia
Continued
l “Choices
on page 17
Continued
No. 16
September 2012
Kermit Bake
r
Housing to
increas
Publication
e
A Hearst Business
in 2013
Breakin
from the g free
downturn
Empowered
by 2012 growth
, next
By Amy Joyce
Acquisition
bring marke, product
t advantage
Mannington
’s Grizzle
sets cours
2012
COVERIN
Visit FCW
at
#S5761 & booths
#B3370
Setting the
Sta
for Recover ge
y
24/31,
Production
rt
To subscribe: call (866) 813-3752 or go to fcw1.com/subscribe
For reprints of articles: Wright’s Media (877) 652-5295
P e r i
o d i c
a l
No. 2
FCW
Vol. 62
forests, illegal and over-logging,
especially of exotic species around
the world. And it’s true that the
real environmental issues happen
in processing, manufacturing and
shipping of wood-based products.
And, of course, we should try to
limit our environmental impact whenever possible. Still,
for the most part, the wood and paper products we buy
here in North America are safe, recyclable, renewable
and sustainable.
So one crisis has been averted — broccoli isn’t going anywhere. Neither is wood as long as we make sure we’re buying
from suppliers that manage their forests as a crop is managed
— that is planted and replanted with an eye toward successive
generations and production. The key is a sustainable approach
that preserves the forests and keeps them productive.
Here at home, that is happening in a big way. North
American domestic species are alive and well, are growing just fine and in generally well-run and sustainably
managed forests. Many of the major manufacturers of
flooring are keenly aware of that and, to their credit,
many have pioneered the very measures and practices
that make and keep our forests “green.” So whether its
paper towels or hardwood floors, don’t worry, as long
as we’re acting responsibly, we can always plant more.
Trees as well as broccoli.
on page 6
8/22/12
3:40 PM
4/17/13 4:10 PM
Mary Bishop* worked
in her family’s
flooring business and
devoted herself to
her family. When a
Christmas Eve seizure
led to the discovery
of a grade III brain
tumor, Mary suddenly
had to focus on an
intense treatment plan which included
radiation, chemotherapy and
fighting
the tumor.
Good thing someone told
her about the Floor
Covering Industry
Foundation
g
in
lp
he
u,
o
y
c
am lp
i
f
nd
or
d
he
e.
a
h
n
e
s
p
s
a
er
op
s
eu
u
t
g
s
n
a
yo
nd
e
a
o
e
y
r
t
r
i
l
pl
t
u,
e
r
s
t
u
o
f
g
o
y
tr
n
n
r
pe
an
a
e
e
s
ry
w
’
k
t
r
h
v
t
t
a
u
n
e
I
w
s
u
M
“
n
t
t
bo
ha
yo
s
u
a
T
he
r
b
s
w
fi
,
e
ll
u
a
k
e
a
’s
yo
th
m
it
g
t
e.”
,
i
l
u
e
p
h
m
eo
r
p
Fo
ng
i
lp
e
h
l
e
fe
y
il
s
ines
Bus
ng
p*
i
o
r
h
e
s
v
rco
y Bi
lo o
Mar
F
ily
Fam
Do you know someone who could use our assistance? Let them know there’s hope.
For information or to make a donation, please call 714.634.0302 or visit FCIF.org.
*The FCIF treats all of its grant recipients confidentially. Mary wanted to share her story with the public but asked that we keep their identity veiled. Her name has been changed
FCIF_ad_2011_FCW_2.indd 3
9/26/11 2:41 PM
4/1/13 9:43 AM

Creative Flooring Solutions

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