At last month's Surfaces in Las Vegas this much was clear: The industry is becoming stronger, faster and leaner-and everybody knows it. The show hit a homerun not because show organizers managed to outdraw all 16 previous shows or because there were more exhibitors than ever clamoring for attention. More and more, those who rely on retailer support are viewing the business through the eyes of the people who run the stores and sell to consumers.
The products and services created by this approach shed light on how the flooring business operates these days. Here, then, are a few observations based on what I saw at Surfaces