Grant Promoted to General Manager of ATS

CARROLLTON, TEXAS—Gary Grant has been named general manager of American Tile & Stone (ATS), a distributor and marketer of ceramic tile, engineered wood, luxury vinyl, and natural stone products in North America. He replaces the retiring Robert “Bob” Hendon who served as ATS president for nearly four years following a 40-plus year career in the flooring products industry.

Grant has been in the building materials industry more than 30 years. Most recently, he was the general sales manager of American Tile and joined the company in 2013 as regional sales manager. From 2010-2013, he held the position of president and general manager of Lighting Unlimited. Prior to 2010, Gary was in several key management positions at Emser Tile, Oldcastle, Acuity Brands and Home Depot.

“I have spent most of my career striving to ensure that my employees and customers are the top priorities of my business,” Grant said. “At American Tile & Stone, we are fortunate to have some of best and brightest in the industry. I am proud to be leading such a great organization and look forward to a dynamic future.”

For more, call (972) 243-2378 or visit americantileandstone.com.

I4F Updates Online Presence

WILLEMSTAD, CURACO—Innovations4Flooring (I4F), a technology company providing flooring solutions, has launched a new set of marketing materials including an updated website and two new films available for free download on the company’s YouTube channel.

The revamped website incorporates industry updates and introduces new pages outlining the company’s strategic partnerships, innovations and patent strategy. Additionally, a new section on I4F and its one-piece drop-lock installation system provides manufacturers and installers access to the latest research and I4F test results. Information is split by consumers and the industry for increased relevance. First-hand industry news can be obtained by subscribing to I4F’s newsletter.

“We are excited to launch these new materials as part of our ongoing marketing strategy designed to support manufacturers, retailers and installers during this important transformation towards our advanced one-piece drop-lock system,” said John Rietveldt, CEO of I4F. “Our licensees can now view information relevant to them on-line and have a dedicated point of contact via the website. In a fast-moving industry, where new technologies are key towards the creation of high value customer propositions, staying up-to-date is critical. We remain committed to ensuring that our licensees and the global flooring industry have all the information necessary to achieve their goals.”

For more, visit innovations4flooring.com.

Allied Tile Relaunches LVT Business

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J.—Allied Tile, a company that manufactured solid vinyl tile in the U.S. for more than 40 years, has announced the relaunch of its Au Natural collection of luxury vinyl tile (LVT). Originally based in Brooklyn, N.Y., Allied Tile moved to South Plainfield, N.J., last year after the company closed its manufacturing facility to refocus its efforts as a LVT supplier and distributor. The family-owned business was started by Pete Gregor and is now run by his son Peter Gregor, who relaunched the business after his father’s passing last year.

“I am amazed at the changes in the LVT market the past five years,” Gregor said. “We stopped manufacturing our custom-made, solid vinyl tile last year in our Brooklyn, N.Y., plant, however, we still are continuing our Au Natural collection of LVT.”

Allied Tile’s flagship line of LVT is the Au Natural collection, which includes 102 SKUs and features woodgrain, stone, slate, metallic, cork, linear and solid colors. The company also fabricates and cuts floor designs in New Jersey, which pays tribute to the custom designs that were produced in Allied’s original factory.

Gregor said he is focused on supplying the architecture and design community, healthcare, retail, food service and corporate markets. “We also have a long history in the residential market through high-end flooring dealers; this is where we started over forty years ago,” he added.

For more, call or visit alliedtile.com.

M-D Pro Expands Sales Team

MISSISSAUGA, ON—M-D Pro, formerly Loxcreen Flooring Group, has added new sales talent to its team to focus on the growth of its Prova line of ceramic and stone installation products.

Mark Albonetti, Matt Bartkowski and Lisa Schaffer have joined the M-D Pro and Prova sales teams.

“This strategy was put in place to help service our existing customers in the U.S. while also providing new opportunities to gain additional business in the ceramic sector,” said Steven LaGrou, vice president of sales and marketing.

For more, call (800) 565-6653 or visit loxcreenflooring.com.

Mannington Mills Completes Sale of VCT Business to Armstrong Flooring

SALEM, N.J.—Mannington Mills has closed on the sale of its vinyl composition tile (VCT) business to Armstrong Flooring.

“Our long-term growth strategy is focused on investment in high-growth, high-profit markets and categories,” said Russell Grizzle, president and CEO, Mannington Mills. “The sale of the VCT business allows us to aggressively pursue those opportunities.”

Mannington Mills is a fourth generation, family-owned company with a strong U.S. manufacturing base. “Our successful history is based on growth through innovation and investment with a commitment to our valued distributor partners and customers,” Grizzle noted. “We plan to continue that into the future.”

According to Grizzle, Mannington Mills’ successful history is based on growth through innovation and investment with a commitment to its valued distributor partners and customers, and the company plans to continue that into the future.

For more, call or visit mannington.com.

Milliken Flooring Solutions Awarded at NeoCon

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Two Milliken flooring solutions took three accolades at NeoCon 2017: a Metropolis Magazine’s #MetropolisLikes Award, a BUILDINGS Product Innovations Grand Award and an Interior Design HiP at NeoCon Honoree Award. Spanning a range of audiences, the honors illustrate how Milliken flooring solutions provide both innovative design and unparalleled performance with meaningful advantages for architects, designers and end-use facility managers.

“We’re proving how building materials can move beyond surface-level aesthetics—and how doing so significantly benefits architects, designers and facility managers alike,” said Mark Strohmaier, vice president of marketing for the Milliken floor covering division. “It’s an honor to be recognized at NeoCon for elevating flooring’s role in design and functional problem-solving.”

Milliken’s Encryption Collection is the #MetropolisLikes winner and a HiP at NeoCon honoree; the Moraine Collection is the BUILDINGS Product Innovations Grand Award winner.

For more, call (864) 503-2020 or visit milliken.com.

Mohawk to Expand Dickson Operations

NASHVILLE, TENN.—Mohawk Industries has announced that it will expand manufacturing operations in Tennessee, adding a second plant near its recently built Dickson tile factory.

“I want to thank Mohawk Industries for choosing to expand in Dickson and for creating more than 200 new jobs in Tennessee and Dickson County,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. “Mohawk is a global leader in the tile industry and it means a great deal that a company of this magnitude has made the decision to expand in Tennessee. Mohawk’s investment in Dickson County brings us one step closer to our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”

According to the company, the second plant in Dickson will add 245 jobs at full capacity and is scheduled to begin operations in late 2018. Construction on the new facility will start in summer 2017. The plant will be operated by Mohawk’s Dal-Tile division, the largest manufacturer of ceramic tile in North America. Dal-Tile offers products under the best-known brand names in the industry: Daltile, Marazzi, American Olean, Ragno and Mohawk Ceramic Tile.

Since beginning operations in March 2016, the Dickson tile plant has produced approximately 100 million square feet of products for residential and commercial projects. The plant also recently opened an extensive customer showroom that details the business’s vision, history, products and processes. Dal-Tile sells through a network of more than 300 company-owned sales service centers, slab centers, design galleries and studios, as well as through independent distributors and leading home center retailers nationwide.

For more, call (706) 629-7721 or visit mohawkind.com.

New Consumer Flooring Website Launched

NEW YORK—Newly launched consumer flooring website, MyBeautifulFloor.com, is an informational and inspirational website designed to help consumers make sense of their many flooring options and guide them through to the purchase process.

The website offers Buyer’s Guides for each major flooring category along with information about trends, new products and lots of photos, including a Floor of the Day posted on site and across major social media channels.

“My goal is to help educate and inspire consumers, to share with them all the wonderful things we know about flooring and our industry and to show them how to create a beautiful floor for themselves,” said Santiago Montero, publisher of the website. “A floor that they’re proud of. A floor they want to show off to their neighbors. A beautiful floor they’ll love.”

Manufacturers interested in having their products featured as a Floor of the Day are encouraged to provide product information and photography.

For more, call (917) 482-3800 or visit MyBeautifulFloor.com.

Engineered Floors Launches New Websites and Expands Operations

DALTON—Engineered Floors has reinvented its digital presence by aligning all of its brands with a common creative theme.

The sites reflect the carpet manufacturer’s ability to satisfy carpet buyers at critical intersections: style and durability, form and function, comfort and quality, residential and commercial, tradition and innovation. Inspiration for the new websites came from many mediums, such as graphic and interior design, architecture and fine art. The site designs combine a dynamic color palette, thoughtful composition, and the geometric shapes reflective of the architectural blueprints and interior floor plans so familiar to the company’s customers.

“We are aware that buyers are increasingly doing their initial research online, so it was important for us to improve not only the aesthetics of our sites, but also the functionality and the consumer experience,” explains James Lesslie, executive vice president of sales and marketing. The company has streamlined the overall experience with simplified navigation, so visitors can quickly get the information they need, and there is extensive product information to help customers identify which brand and style is right for them. The sites also simplify the buying process by letting visitors easily save and share product preferences.

To continue to meet customer demand, the company recently completed the fifth phase of expansion to SAM. The plant now measures approximately 2 million square feet. In addition, Engineered Floors is on track to complete construction of its new carpet tile manufacturing facility in early 2018, according to the company.

For more, call (706) 625-4334 or visit engineeredfloors.com.

Arizona Tile Supports Gary Sinise R.I.S.E Program

TEMPE—Arizona Tile representatives recently partnered with the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment (R.I.S.E) Program to contribute their time and express their gratitude for U.S. Navy EOD1, Andrew Bottrell. The program focuses on constructing custom-built homes for severely wounded veterans.

A U.S. Navy EOD1, Bottrell attended Explosive Ordinance Disposal school in 2008 and was later deployed to Afghanistan in July 2011. He, along with his Navy Seal team were conducting combat operations when his vehicle was struck by explosives. Though he survived the attack, he suffered severe injuries that resulted in the amputation of his legs and left arm. His new home is intended to lessen some of the daily inconveniences he may have encountered in a traditionally-built home.

These “Smart Homes” are designed with modifications intended to improve the veteran’s ease of mobility as well as support their families and caregivers via custom-built features. First-responders and their families are also honored through this and other charitable Gary Sinise Foundation programs. Arizona Tile, along with other industry contributors, donate time, materials and/or labor toward the construction of these homes.

For more, call (480) 893-9393 or visit arizonatile.com.