Two years ago, in accordance with its increase in the amount of editorial coverage devoted to ceramic tile and natural stone, NFT initiated a market study to examine the impact that ceramic tile was having on the U.S. floor covering industry. The results showed ceramic tile ranking a surprising third in U.S. flooring sales, trailing only carpet/area rugs and vinyl floors, respectively.
Integrating the old with the new in an interior space can be a difficult task. It requires both the designer and installer to incorporate elements from new designs with elements in the existing environment. Ultimately, their goal is to create a seamless atmosphere, where the old cannot be distinguished from the new.
The doors to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans open May 21-23 for the Coverings International Trade Show and Exhibition, an event that has forged a reputation as the largest and most diverse trade showcase in the Western Hemisphere for the ceramic tile and stone industry.
At a recent kickoff meeting at the Hershey, Pa., Holiday Inn, Bayard Sales Corp. unveiled details of Road Rally 2001, the company’s two-week, mid-winter selling effort that sends forth 32 salespeople in 33 Winnebagos to visit flooring product dealers across the Northeast.
For some months now, NFT has been hosting a mixer of sorts for flooring industry professionals. Although this unique opportunity was established for the retailers, contractors, distributors, manufacturers, and design specialists who form the core of the magazine’s readership, no one has been barred from participating. The conversation is frequently helpful, often insightful, sometimes critical -— and always lively.
Major floor covering producers are integrating all types of floor materials into coherent cross-merchandising packages that can include rugs, carpets and hard-surface floors.
As we progress into the 21st century, the flooring industry finds itself navigating an era of limitless possibilities. Nowhere is this more evident than in the laminate flooring segment. Companies are melding burgeoning new technologies with ongoing style innovations to create floors that realistically reflect textures and designs that, just a few decades ago, would have been impossible to achieve.
Attendees of Surfaces 2001 were among the first in the industry to get up-close looks at the latest products the laminate floor segment has to offer. Time will tell whether some of the newest advances in laminate technology and styling will catch on in the U.S. marketplace. However, one aspect of this year’s product launches is undeniable: glueless laminate floors have arrived in force —- and it looks like they may be here for the long haul.
Brazil is home to the eighth largest economy in the world. The country's residential and commercial construction sectors continue to show strength, leading a number of international manufacturers of building, architectural and design products to place more importance on their dealings with the South American country.
The 2001 Surfaces Convention, Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2001, in Las Vegas kicked off with a Dixieland band filling the Sands Expo & Convention Center with jazz music that matched the up-and-down movement of the crowd. Attendees milled about on the upper and lower levels of the convention center, and the air was full of energy and excitement as people greeted old friends and made new ones. Everyone had come together for a common goal -- to celebrate and expand the success of the flooring industry.