Shaw Breaks Ground on Create Centre

CARTERSVILLE, GA.—Construction is under way for Shaw’s Create Centre in Cartersville, Ga.

Scheduled for completion in late 2017, the Centre will house the commercial division’s marketing, design and innovation associates—including its Patcraft and Shaw Contract teams.

According to the company, the Create Centre will offer a stimulating, storytelling environment that is a catalyst for growth and innovation across Shaw’s commercial business. Envisioned to inspire Shaw’s professionals, the Centre also will serve as a tool in recruiting new talent as the company continues to grow, according to the company.

“We find value in locating manufacturing, design, marketing and others in close proximity to one another—in the same region, the same state or in this instance the same county,” said Randy Merritt, Shaw’s president. “We’ve found that it sparks new ideas, greater information sharing, and more meaningful engagement with one another. The Create Centre will be an important tool in supporting our vision of growth for our commercial business including global expansion and domestic market leadership.”

The new workspace will provide a collaborative environment that facilitates the sharing of ideas; that ignites fresh thinking; that fosters Shaw’s culture of innovation, diversity and inclusion and that showcases Shaw Contract and Patcraft’s design and performance leadership.

Designed by architecture firm Gensler, the Centre is expected to be U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED certified and will feature ample daylight and open collaborative spaces.

“This building will be as beautiful as it is functional and sustainable, much like our own products,” said Brenda Knowles, vice president of marketing, Shaw commercial division. “We are committed to continuously providing clients with the best solutions for their projects and the Create Centre will provide the ideal setting for our talented team members to create, dream, collaborate and solve challenges.”

For more, call (800) 441-7429 or visit shawinc.com.

MIA+BSI Releases Updated Version of Dimension Stone Design Manual

OBERLIN, OHIO—The Marble Institute of America (MIA)+Building Stone Institute (BSI) has released the Dimension Stone Design Manual, Version 8.0.

Revisions and additions to version 8.0 include chapters about new restoration and maintenance, new tolerances and wet areas.

“The cleaning, maintenance and restoration chapters of the Dimension Stone Design Manual were the only two chapters that had not received significant revision in the past 10 years,” said MIA+BSI’s technical director, Chuck Muehlbauer. “This fact, coupled with the realization that the restoration sector of the industry is currently the fastest growing sector of MIA+BSI membership, made this project an essential improvement to our manual.”

Following the publication of version 8.0, MIA+BSI is working on the first-ever translations of the manual in Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin.. The launch of the association’s online Natural Stone Resource Library in 2015 now affords architects and designers easy access to this information.

For more, call (440) 250-9222 or visit naturalstoneinstitute.org.

WFCA Purchases fcB2B

DALTON—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) has purchased the Floor Covering Business to Business Association (fcB2B) and all of its assets.

“The WFCA has been a visionary supporter and a financial backer of fcB2B since conception” said Scott Humphrey, CEO of WFCA. He explained that the association’s mission is to enhance the business landscape for the flooring retailer. “Placing ourselves 100% behind a next generation initiative that will streamline business transactions—hereby increasing efficiencies and reducing costs—was a logical next step for us.”

Through fcB2B the groundwork has already been laid to move the flooring industry into the digital age. The task at this point is industry-wide adoption of the system. Once wide acceptance is secured, business transactions and the pace of doing business will be streamlined and new efficiencies will become the norm. It has been calculated that the fcB2B model could save flooring companies more than $20 million annually. Manufacturers could save about $12 million and independent dealers may save about $8 million.

“Technology is one of the six pillars on which WFCA’s foundation stands,” added Humphrey. He identified fcB2B as a key component of that pillar. “We recognize that our member constituents will not be able to compete and thrive in the 21st century business landscape without the proper tools to streamline transactions and keep pace with the market, fcB2B is poised to change how we do business and the WFCA stands squarely behind this initiative.”

For more, call (800) 624-6880 or visit WFCA-PRO.org.

Beaulieu Restructures Leadership

DALTON—The next generation of the Bouckaert family is getting more involved with Beaulieu America and planning the next phase of growth for the business, according to the company.

Part of this next phase was a restructuring of the company’s top leadership. Four new senior management positions have been created. First, Michael Pollard, founder Carl Bouckaert’s son-in-law, was recently named president. He will lead the development and execution of the company’s refreshed long-term strategy and manage talent. Second, Stan Bouckaert has moved from his position as director of hard surfaces to senior vice president of special projects. He will provide counsel on Beaulieu’s new business strategy to identify and capitalize on new opportunities for growth. Third, as COO, Mike Hoffman will be responsible for all manufacturing and distribution operations. Finally, Steve Hillis, president of Beaulieu Commercial, will also assume responsibility for the residential flooring side of the business. In his expanded role as president of flooring, Hillis will be responsible for leading all sales activities, resources and reporting for both commercial and residential functions.

In a related announcement, Beaulieu announced that CEO Karel Vercruyssen has announced stepped down from the company. Vercruyssen also acted as CEO of Beaulieu America’s sister company, Beaulieu Canada, since 2007.

We wish Mr. Vercruyssen great success on all of his future endeavors. His years of service to our family and his dedication to the continued success of Beaulieu were highly valued,” stated Carl Bouckaert, owner of Beaulieu America.

Added Pollard, “We will continue our efforts to increase efficiency and optimize operations, to ensure we are best positioned for this company to thrive for years to come and continue to offer excellent service and products to our partners.”

For more, call (800) 227-7211 or visit beaulieuflooring.com.

J+J Flooring Releases Sustainability Report; Kinetex Products Receive NFSI Certification

DALTON—J+J Flooring Group’s fourth annual corporate sustainability report, It All Adds Up, has been released.

The latest report covers the commercial flooring manufacturer’s social and environmental performance for 2015, including the company’s continued progress towards its 20/20 Vision, a set of conservation, resource reduction and environmental efficiency goals for the year 2020. The report also showcases the company’s sustainability commitment—one rooted in the belief that the greatest changes are often the result of consistent effort and investment over time.

“As I think about the nearly 60 years our company has been in business, one thing stands out: we are a company dedicated to putting our people and our values first and to leading by example,” said David Jolly, J+J Flooring Group president. “Knowing good business means more than a good bottom line; we’ve worked hard to ensure the core tenets of environmental and social responsibility have truly become an integral part of the lens through which we assess our performance and chart our course for the future.”

Russ Delozier, director of environmental innovation, added: “We believe sustainability is everybody’s job at J+J. This shared approach to sustainability and to the way we do business has helped our company make significant strides toward a more sustainable future and, in practical terms, toward the goals set forth in our 20/20 Vision. As our new report demonstrates, the progress we made along our sustainability journey in 2015 is a direct result of collaboration throughout our organization and to our collective passion for doing the right thing. It all adds up.”

The sustainability report follows the news of J+J Flooring’s Kinetex products receiving National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) certification as a High-Traction Surface.

As a credible third-party certifier, NFSI’s commitment to education, research and the development of standards reinforces J+J’s commitment to safety. A milestone for the Kinetex brand, having high-traction certified products enhances overall safety performance and is an added benefit to its portfolio of product attributes.

“We have an obligation to our customers to understand the role flooring might play in preventing slip-and-fall accidents,” said Keith Gray, director of applied research, J+J Flooring. “Since its introduction in 2012, the Kinetex brand has firmly established itself as a unique high-performance product in the textile composite flooring category and this NFSI certification elevates the product to the next level.”

For more, call 800-241-4586 or visit jjflooringgroup.com.

MacDonald Hardwoods Publishes Hardwood Customer Survey

DENVER—MacDonald Hardwoods has published its second Hardwood Flooring Customer Preference Survey.

The survey included 205 interior designers from across the country and yielded some surprising answers, according to the company. Of the surveyed designers, 155 of the 205 chose wide-plank flooring as their top preference and 117 preferred modern design, while 111 chose darker colored flooring. Engineered wood is the most popular option when a change of flooring is part of the design, with 48% of respondents choosing this option. Fourty-four percent of designers chose solid wood flooring and only 4% opted for laminate, or “other.” This year, 39% of designers would most often recommend solid hardwood floors for homes with pets, which is down from 76% in 2015.

The survey also indicated that social media plays a role in home design. According to survey results, 46% of designers reported that clients had supplied inspiration found on social sites like Pinterest.

For more, call 800-639-3006 or visit MacWoods.com.

Cleary Named CEO of Lexmark

DALTON—Paul Cleary has been appointed CEO of Lexmark Carpet Mills.

Cleary is an experienced executive, having spent more than 28 years in the flooring industry, including the last 14 years with Mohawk Group where he most recently served as senior vice president of commercial. He joins Lexmark with a wealth of leadership experience in sales and marketing, product design and business development.

“Paul’s knowledge and experience will allow Lexmark to continue its strong track record of product innovation and operational excellence and will accelerate several key growth initiatives,” said Todd White, co-founder and chairman of Lexmark. “I am extremely proud of the company that we have built together and am excited to watch its continued success under Paul’s leadership.”

For more, call (800) 871-3211 or visit lexmarkcarpet.com.

Armstrong Wins Consumers Digest ‘Best Buy’ Rating for Hardwood and Resilient Products

LANCASTER, PA.—Four Armstrong Flooring products received the Consumers Digest Best Buy Rating in the engineered hardwood and vinyl categories.

Armstrong is the only flooring manufacturer to have four of its products recognized with individual awards, including a clean sweep in the vinyl flooring category.

“We are honored that our products have been recognized by this trusted organization and that they are held in high regard by its readership,” said Joe Bondi, Armstrong’s senior vice president—North America. “As a benchmark of quality, recognition from Consumers Digest underscores the design, durability and performance of our innovative flooring lines.”

Armstrong products recognized by Consumers Digest as “Exceptional Value” are Performance Plus Hardwood (in the engineered wood category), Duality Premium Plus vinyl and StrataMax Better and Best sheet vinyls. The Consumers Digest Flooring Best Buy recipients are selected based on quality of construction, range of style options and exclusivity of species or design.

Selected as a Best Buy in the engineered wood category, Performance Plus is an acrylic-impregnated engineered hardwood offering superior durability and dent resistance. It is available in high and low gloss options.

In the vinyl category, Armstrong’s Duality Premium Plus flooring is a repeat Best Buy selection delivering a combination of features and an excellent warranty, according to Consumers Digest. The vinyl sheet flooring has a fiberglass structure for ultra-durability and 3D visuals for cleaner, sharper patterns, improved color clarity and improved embossing.

StrataMax high-performance vinyl flooring was named a Best Buy thanks to its strong warranty and its resistance to rips, tears and gouges. Both the Better and Best collections feature a base layer with 70% stone content that holds the floor down and adds durability.

Metroflors Aspecta Ten Receives Product Innovations Grand Award

NORWALK, CONN.—Metroflor’s Aspecta Ten Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) collection was selected as a Buildings’ Product Innovations Grand Award winner.

Winners were evaluated and chosen out of 63 submissions by Buildings’ editorial staff for innovation and sustainability features that they offer to building owners and facility managers.

“The Buildings Product Innovations Awards are an important gauge of technical superiority and sustainability in the contract arena,” said Russ Rogg, president and CEO of Metroflor. “We are proud that the editors have bestowed this accolade on Aspecta Ten with a spotlight on our ISOCORE technology.”

For more, call (866) 882-4407 or visit metroflorusa.com.

Fuse Spark Awards to Recognize Outstanding Member Designs and Installations

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIF.—Fuse Alliance’s new Spark Awards are a platform to honor the network’s most impressive flooring designs and installations.

“Our network is made up of some of the industry’s best and brightest flooring professionals and the Spark Awards further support our efforts to champion the positive impact they have on the built environment,” said Geoff Gordon, executive director of Fuse.

The awards program is made up of eight categories: Toughest Site Conditions, Best Branded Environments, Most Aggressive Timeline/Schedule, Greatest Space Challenges, Best Flooring Solution, Most Maximized Budget, Best in Show and Member’s Choice.

Awards are open to Fuse members only and must include flooring products from network supplier and there is no limit to the number of entries. Winners will be announced at the network’s annual conference.

For more, call (888) 586-1198 or visit sparkawards.fusealliance.com.

Flooring America/Flooring Canada Website Receives Communicator Award

MANCHESTER, N.H.—Flooring America/Flooring Canada has won the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts’ Communicator Award in the website category for its redesigned website.

“It’s fantastic to have been honored with an award of distinction from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts,” said Frank Chiera, senior vice president of marketing and advertising for Flooring America/Flooring Canada. “Our goal with the new site design was to address any growing needs that we might have as an organization while leveraging the most innovative design features to enhance the consumers experience when visiting the site, ultimately driving traffic to our retailers.”

Linda Day, executive director of Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, said: “Each year, our entrants continue to amaze by reinventing the ways we communicate and market in an ever-changing industry. On behalf of the entire Academy, we want to congratulate this year’s Communicator Award entrants and winners for their passion and dedication.”

For more, call (800) 435-6677 or visit flooringamerica.com.

Milliken Opens New Distribution Center

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Milliken has opened a distribution center in LaGrange, Ga., in its former administrative and design building.

According to the company, the 143,000-square-foot facility will help accommodate its growing product line, which now includes luxury vinyl tile, along with its traditional broadloom, modular carpet and entryway solutions.

“As Milliken grows in the market, it is important that we evaluate, and when possible, adopt our existing facilities,” said Jim McCallum, president of the global Milliken floor covering division. “With the repurposing of this facility in LaGrange, we are able to support the community and continue to make a positive economic impact. The Milliken Distribution Center is a key part of our company’s presence in LaGrange. We want to see the facility have the greatest sense of purpose and use.”

Milliken continues to operate multiple facilities throughout Georgia’s Troup County that include not only the manufacturing of floor covering but also technical and performance textiles.

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

NWFA Launches Learning Platform

ST. LOUIS—The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has launched its new educational program, NWFA University (NWFAU).

NWFA University is an online learning platform designed to enhance NWFA’s hands-on training programs. This e-learning initiative has launched with more than 50 courses that provide information and instruction for wood flooring professionals.

“The university is an initiative to interest the next generation of wood flooring professionals who grew up with and are familiar with technology solutions,” said Stephanie Owen, NWFA’s director of education. “In such a competitive industry, professionals need something that sets them apart from their competition. NWFAU is that resource.”

Currently, some of the program’s courses that are currently available include board replacement, concrete moisture testing, controlling moisture, estimates, evaluating the jobsite, From the Forest to the Floor, installation methods and considerations, installation safety, nail down, patterned floor layout and wood flooring types.

“What makes NWFAU a game-changer for our industry is that it makes training available when and where our members want it,” said Michael Martin, NWFA’s president and CEO. “The individual courses are 10 to 20 minutes in length, so they are easy to fit into a busy work and family schedule. A contractor, for example, could easily take a course, or even two, while waiting for a customer appointment. It brings the training to our members in a way that we’ve never done before.”

For more, call (800) 422-4556 or visit nwfa.org/nwfa-university.aspx.

Mohawk’s Lorberbaum Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

DALTON—Jeff Lorberbaum, chairman and CEO of Mohawk Industries, is the first flooring industry leader honored with the EY Lifetime Achievement Award in the Southeast U.S. Region.

The Ernst & Young award honors entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Award winners are selected by a panel of independent judges, most of whom are past Regional Entrepreneur of the Year award winners. The awards program is now global in scope, and during the past three decades, more than 10,000 emerging entrepreneurs have been recognized in 60 countries. The Lifetime Achievement Awards more selectively honor those individuals who have delivered extraordinary success in the field of business.

Lorberbaum joined Mohawk in 1994 after the company merged with Aladdin Mills, the carpet and rug company his parents founded in Dalton. Under his leadership as first CEO and then chairman and CEO, Mohawk has grown, with 2015 sales of more than $8 billion and more than 34,000 employees worldwide.

“I began my career in a small family business, which has grown into a large public company, and the success of both depended on talented, dedicated people,” Lorberbaum said. “I’m here tonight because of thousands of individuals who create, sell and deliver innovative flooring products to our customers around the globe.”

In his remarks, Lorberbaum explained that his success was an extension of the important work of many people within Mohawk’s business and that, even with the dramatic growth of Mohawk’s business, he always views success as being “halfway there.”

“Mohawk has become a successful business through the exceptional work of many people, but we remain dissatisfied with the status quo,” Lorberbaum said. “For us, entrepreneurship is not about celebrating what we did yesterday; it’s the excitement about what we can achieve tomorrow. All of us at Mohawk are proud of our past, but we’re more excited about our future. We continue to invest in the business at record levels, drive innovation in all product categories and develop programs and services that help our customers succeed. We’ve made great progress, but we’re still only halfway there.”

For more, call (800) 241-4494 or visit mohawkind.com.

W.F. Taylor Relocates to Dalton

DALTON—W.F. Taylor has relocated its corporate headquarters from Fontana, Calif., to Dalton, Ga. Taylor, which has executed a long-term lease for a new corporate headquarters at 800 College Drive, will continue to

“Today is an important strategic milestone for W.F. Taylor as the decision to move our corporate headquarters to Dalton reconfirms our commitment to the flooring industry,” said Dan Pelton, CEO of W.F. Taylor. “W.F. Taylor prides itself on being a leader of innovative, environmentally friendly adhesive products, and given that Dalton is the center of the floor covering industry, it is the perfect place for us to continue to drive our strategic growth and product innovation for years to come.”

W.F. Taylor was founded in 1977 by chemist Wallace F. Taylor. Today, Taylor continues to build upon its legacy of progressive environmental practices and product innovations that has made the company one of the leading manufacturers of floor covering adhesives and floor preparation products.

“We are thrilled that W.F. Taylor has chosen Dalton for their corporate headquarters,” said Rob Bradham, president & CEO of the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce. “Dalton is home to the carpet and floor covering industries, and I am excited to welcome this well-respected company as the latest addition to Dalton’s growing business community.”

Pelton added, “While we are truly excited about our future in Dalton, Taylor remains committed to maintaining manufacturing facilities on the East Coast and West Coast as it gives Taylor a strategic advantage in the market and ensures the company keeps its unparalleled ability to deliver innovative products that meet the needs of our customers across the U.S. and abroad.”

For more information, visit wftaylor.com or call (800) 868-4583.

FCLC Holds First Meeting of the Year; Elects Officers

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The Floor Covering Leadership Council (FCLC) conducted its first meeting of the year in Charlotte, N.C.

Fourteen volunteer representatives from flooring industry associations representing all sectors of the industry attended the meeting.

The two-year-old group’s initiatives, decided on in 2015, include improving communications between member groups and the industry, collaborating and sharing industry-wide professional training programs between member organizations and addressing needs and issues related to the installation crisis.

As part of its initiative to streamline communications and cooperation between organizations, members of each organization comprising FCLC provided a general overview and update on the state of their respective groups at the meeting.

Additionally, one of the most pressing topics for the group at the meeting was the need to address and resolve the installation crisis. Certified Floorcovering Installer’s Association (CFI), whose own mission is tied closest to this industry-wide issue, provided updates about the launch of its school, located just outside Dallas.

FCLC attendees also elected members to fill open positions for the 2017 to 2019 term:

• Chair: Michael Martin, National Wood Flooring Association
• Chair elect: Bob Blochinger, National Institute of Certified Floorcovering Inspectors
• Secretary: Kim Oderkirk, The Flooring Contractors Association
• Chair of communications: Kevin Gammonley, North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors
• Chair of training: Stephanie Owen, National Wood Flooring Association
• Chair of installation: Robert Varden, CFI

For more, call (800) 624-6880 or visit fclcouncil.org.

Editor’s note: For complete coverage of these and other industry news stories, visit our website at floortrendsmag.com, where you can also sign up for a free subscription to our daily enewsletter, TalkFloor.