Metroflor’s Aspecta Achieves JUST Label Certification

NORWALK, CONN.—The Elegant Home-Tech Company Limited facility in Zhangjiagang, China, which manufactures Metroflor’s Aspecta commercial luxury vinyl tile (LVT) product, has received the first-ever JUST label for a Chinese company and the first JUST label for a LVT flooring manufacturer.

“By accomplishing this, we have created a benchmark for our factory as well as the entire U.S. manufacturing sector sourcing from factories in Asia,” said Rochelle Routman, Aspecta’s chief sustainability officer. “The world is moving past the stigma of ‘Made in China’ because modern factories such as Elegant Home-Tech have made great strides in worker experience, quality control, and product and social transparency.”

The JUST platform was created by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) as an innovative way for organizations to be transparent about their entire operations beyond product ingredients. Rather than a certification program, JUST is essentially a nutrition label for socially just and equitable organizations. To receive the JUST label, Elegant Home-Tech Co. had to provide numerous policies for public review and be rated on a wide range of metrics including safety, diversity, worker benefits and community engagement.

Simon Xia, Metroflor’s general manager for China and liaison to Elegant Home-Tech, assisted the team in overcoming the language barrier and setting the documentation process of existing policies in motion. Xia worked with Francis Janes, ILFI’s JUST Manager, who walked him through the JUST parameters. This enabled Xia to evaluate and document transparency and social equity practices enabling the company to achieve the coveted label. 

For more information, visit justorganizations.com/just-profile/aspecta.

Ted’s Abbey Carpet & Floor Celebrates Industry Partners

ANNISTON, ALA.— Ted Gregerson, president of Ted’s Abbey Carpet & Floor, pulled out all the stops for his company awards banquet, held in May at the Gadsden Country Club in Gadsden, Ala. The annual banquet recognizes the company’s outstanding employees and installers, as well as its suppliers for Partner of the Year, Rep of the Year, and most notably this year, the Lifetime Partnership Award, which is equivalent to being inducted into the Ted’s Abbey Carpet & Floor Hall of Fame. More than 100 guests were in attendance.

Entertainment was led by impersonator Larry G. Jones and team members. Suppliers and all guests in attendance had the chance to win an array of prizes including TVs and top-notch electronics, cash prizes, sporting events tickets, outdoor gear like grills and lawnmowers. This year, the company kicked off the eventful day with a four-man scramble golf tournament and a bowling tournament for those who do not golf. 

For more information, visit shopabbey.com.

Shaw Floors Continues Support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Floors continues its support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a national sponsor and the exclusive flooring provider of the 2018 St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. 

Shaw will donating flooring for each of the 39 homes across 35 markets nationwide to be raffled away in support of the hospital. More than 120,000 square feet of carpet, carpet cushion, hardwood, luxury vinyl tile, ceramic tile and other Shaw Floors products have been donated for use in this year’s Dream Homes. 

Before the installation of Shaw Floors’ products, Shaw associates and partners gather in each of the Dream Homes to sign the subfloors, writing their best wishes for the patients at St. Jude, the scientists and doctors researching childhood cancer cures and the lucky families who will win the homes in the drawing. 

The St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway is one of the largest single-event fundraising efforts for the hospital. To date, 210 homes have been raffled away through this program, raising more than $350 million in support of St. Jude’s mission: Finding Cures. Saving Children.

For more information, visit stjude.org/dreamhome.

Spartan Surfaces to Host Open House

CHICAGO—Spartan Surfaces will host clients, colleagues and suppliers June 11 and 12 during NeoCon at its 162 W. Hubbard St. showroom for its second annual open house. On display will be new and existing Spartan products, as well as AVA by Novalis products—including the new NTRGE and SNRGY PVC-Free Sheet lines that are Red List free, compliant with California Prop 65 and provide stain, chemical and scratch resistance. In addition to viewing these product innovations, attendees are invited to enjoy food, drinks and relaxing spa treatments.

For more information visit, spartansurfaces.com.

Tarkett Donates $400,000 to Habitat for Humanity

SOLON, OHIO—In 2018, Tarkett donated a total of $400,000 of product to Habitat for Humanity in North America, the nonprofit housing organization, as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility initiative, Tarkett Cares.

The partnership between Tarkett and Habitat began during the 2017 hurricane season, with Tarkett donating $250,000 of Johnsonite and Tandus Centiva flooring earlier this year to help with Habitat’s disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts in Texas and Florida.

For 2018, Tarkett is supporting Home Builders Blitz at the Silver corporate partner level, donating $150,000 in product to the program to help build safe, affordable housing with families in need of a decent place to call home. The Home Builders Blitz is a week-long initiative each summer that enlists help from thousands of professional home builders who, working alongside Habitat homeowners, volunteer their time and talents to construct, repair, and revitalize homes.

Tarkett Cares encourages all employees around the world to spend up to two days a year of their work time on a charitable initiative and to share their time and expertise on a volunteer basis. Employees throughout North America have had opportunities to volunteer this time with Habitat during 2018, and many are slated to give back during the Builder’s Blitz.

For more information, visit tarkettna.com.