In a hotly contested race even tighter than the nail-biting U.S. presidential election of 2000, Mannington Mills and Mohawk Industries finished in a 1st place tie for coveted Best Service - Overall Best Product honors in the 2004 NFT Supplier Service Awards (SSA).

More than 54,000 SSA ballots were distributed in the January and February issues of NFT, and an unspecified number of votes were dropped into a ballot box at NFT's booth at Surfaces 2004 or submitted via an electronic ballot posted on the NFT Web site. Through a vote that encompasses all segments of the industry, the contest recognizes manufacturers whose service is considered the best of the best in the North American floor covering business.

In addition to the Best Service - Overall Best Product contest, voters chose top-perfoming suppliers in 10 other categories. The final results were as follows:

• Best Service - Residential Carpet
  1st Place: Mohawk Industries
  Runner-up: Shaw Industries/Queen/Tuftex

• Best Service - Commercial Carpet
  1st Place: Shaw Commercial
  Runner-up: Mohawk Industries

• Best Service - Rubber Floors
  1st Place: Johnsonite
  Runner-up: Flexco

• Best Service - Ceramics/Stone
  1st Place: Dal-Tile
  Runner-up: American Olean

• Best Service - Wood
  1st Place: Bruce Hardwood
  Runner-up: Mannington

• Best Service - Laminate Floors
  1st Place: Wilsonart
  Runner-up: Mannington

• Best Service - Training Programs
  1st Place: Armstrong World Industries
  Runner-up: Mohawk Industries

• Best Service - Area Rugs
  1st Place: Shaw Rugs
  Runner-up: Karastan

• Best Service - Resilient Floors
  1st Place: Armstrong World Industries
  Runner-up: Congoleum Corp.

• Best Service - Installation Products, Tools & Equipment
  1st Place: MAPEI
  Runner-up: All-Purpose Adhesive Co.