Beaulieu Canada, a long standing Canadian flooring products manufacturer and distributor, is expanding its presence in the U.S. market under the brand Peerless.

Mario Bergamin, vice president, residential sales, Beaulieu Canada, has been meeting with industry leaders to inform them about the brand’s expansion and to clarify the fact that Beaulieu Canada is legally and financially independent and is in no way part of or associated with Beaulieu America, which closed its doors in 2017. After Beaulieu Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Engineered Floors of America purchased substantially all of Beaulieu’s operating assets.

Historically, Beaulieu America and Beaulieu Canada had a handshake agreement that they would not compete in the other’s markets, but they did share some products, Bergamin said. While Beaulieu America shutting its doors created an opportunity in Beaulieu Canada to enter the U.S. market, Engineered Floors owns the rights to the Beaulieu name in America. For this reason, Beaulieu Canada decided to enter the U.S. market under the brand Peerless.

Beaulieu Canada is the largest carpet manufacturer in Canada as well as a large supplier of carpet tile and hard surface flooring products, including laminate, luxury vinyl plank (LVP), wood plastic composite (WPC), stone plastic composite (SPC), engineered hardwood, and sheet vinyl.

“With more than 50 years of experience in the manufacturing, distribution and sales of floor covering products across Canada, the United States and the rest of the world, Beaulieu Canada is excited about exploring new business opportunities in the United States,” Bergamin said.

To help guide this growth, Bergamin recruited Greg Payne, former vice president of national accounts for Shaw Industries, as the Peerless Flooring’s vice president, national accounts. “A stalwart of the industry, Greg is well respected and liked by both his peers and customers alike,” Bergamin said.

Present in both residential and commercial markets, Beaulieu Canada already actively services independent retailers, buying groups, big box, hardware stores and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The company also provides custom design services and products for the commercial markets, including hospitality, senior living, government, corporate, public spaces, education and healthcare. Its major brands include Coronet, Peerless, Peerless Contract, Your HomeStyle and Beaulieu Canada.

To grow its U.S. business, Bergamin said that Beaulieu Canada will build upon already established programs it has with CCA Global’s Carpet One, Flooring America, International Design Guild, Pro Source and Floor Trader groups, along with a new program for CarpetsPlus/Colortile.

Bergamin said there are many reasons why Beaulieu Canada and Peerless offer retailers a competitive advantage in the market. The first is the U.S. dollar’s strength against the Canadian dollar. Second, Beaulieu Canada has extensive experience with hard surface container sales, which allows for even more competitive pricing on large products for stock purchases.

“Understanding that margin is on everyone’s mind, we feel strongly that Peerless Flooring will provide U.S. dealers with significant opportunities to make more money since our products will not be over-distributed as a result of Peerless providing opportunities for exclusive territories and products,” he said.

Beaulieu Canada manufacturers a variety of broadloom products, including solution-dyed polypropylene, polyester and nylon carpets. The company also has a partnership with Invista and is the only Canadian carpet mill to manufacture Stainmaster PetProtect solution-dyed products. In addition, the company has been sourcing and selling hard surfaces for the past 12 years, including more than 20 laminate collections, six LVP collections, three WPC collections, two SPC collections, 10 engineered hardwood collections and multiple sheet vinyl.

Along with development of residential business in the U.S., Peerless Flooring also seeks to expand its presence in the U.S. commercial market through the Peerless Contract division. The company offers Dye Injected Design capabilities and made-to-order custom rugs and carpets.

“Our team of designers are able to quickly respond to specific requests all the while bringing valuable advice to architects, designers and builders across North America,” Bergamin added.