The Floor Covering Industry Issues Council (FCIIC) held its fall meeting in Chicago on Oct 25. Leaders of flooring industry trade associations convened to share information on an array of topics and explore opportunities to partner on initiatives that create value for their members and the overall flooring industry.

Installation standards and the importance of installer training were an important focus of the agenda. Participants were briefed on a cooperative agreement between two FCIIC participants -- the International Certified Flooring Installers Association (CFI) and the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) -- to launch a nationwide flooring installation training program beginning in 2014.  The program will feature hands-on workshops conducted in six locations across the U.S. by some of the most knowledgeable trainers in the industry. Students can receive instruction in installing carpet, as well as ceramic, resilient, laminate and wood flooring and inspecting carpet installations.  Another installation-related topic was an update by Patrick Winters, president of the Institute for Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), on the progress in developing a carpet installation standard, a process that involves the CFI, IICRC, and WFCA among other organizations.