In this month's publication of Floor Trends we take a special look at the industry optimism of the Surfaces Showcases as well as the growing popularity of engineered hardwood.
If there was any doubt as to whether the industry is starting to bounce back from the deep pit it fell in due to the Great Recession, one only needed to attend this year’s Surfaces, as both exhibitor and attendees expressed the kind of optimism and hope that had been absent for the last six-plus years.
When it comes to buying group conventions, they are generally about the organization showcasing new products, programs and services it has developed—usually in tandem with their member advisory boards—to help the membership differentiate themselves in the marketplace and become more profitable.
Keith Spano, president of Flooring America, said conventions take place in every industry and all levels and generally speaking they are generic affairs—generic businesspeople, suits and strangers getting together once or twice a year.
Glen Burnie, Md.—JJ Haines recently announced it has acquired fellow distributor CMH Space, based out of Wadesboro, N.C. Haines was already considered the industry’s largest distributor in terms of sales while CMH was No. 2.
Las Vegas—Attendees at this year’s Surfaces, voted QEP’s 900XT Pro Tile Saw the flooring industry’s Best New Product, among the myriad of introductions featured at the show’s “New Product Marketplace.”
While I admit the title of this column may seem a bit strange to our readers in Southern California and the Southwest, for everyone else around the country who has experienced a cold, snowy, miserable winter, you’ll understand.
Back about 30 years ago, a close friend introduced me to a small group of people at a party. He jokingly told the group an old cliché: “Be careful with Kelly he can sell ice cubes to Eskimos.”
Since bamboo’s initial introduction to the U.S. flooring market in the early 1990s, it has continued to evolve into different flooring formats, which has served to increase the product’s use and demand, especially in today’s eco-conscious flooring market.
In conjunction with the 2014 InterCork II campaign being launched by APCOR, the international trade body representing cork producers from Portugal, I would like to elaborate further on their efforts while extolling the many virtues cork flooring has to offer the independent retailer.
Oils and waxes have been used to protect natural materials from the effects of the environment—light, water, cats, etc.—in buildings and building materials for as long as such things have existed.
MP Global Products introduces QuietWarmth Film, a gentle radiant heat system designed specifically for floating wood and laminate floors that installs easily over a subfloor or acoustic underlayment.
Inspired by the captivating evening sunsets of Tuscany witnessed by designer Kevin O’Brian, Capel’s new Tuscan Sun rugs add the elegance of Italy to any room.
J+J Flooring Group’s Kinetext is an advanced textile composite flooring that combines key attributes of soft-surface floor covering with the long-wearing performance characteristics of hard-surfaces.
International Wholesale Tile has launched Flashback and Galapagos. Flashback from its Tesoro brand is an Italian porcelain tile featuring high definition inkjet technology (H.D.I.T) with the appearance of petrified wood.