National Floor Trends assembled a panel of top executives in the floor covering industry and asked several questions about today’s business conditions:
TODAY’S CLIMATE: How would you assess today’s business climate in flooring? What has been your approach to the challenges facing the industry?
OPPORTUNITIES: What long-term and short-term opportunities do you see in thee the big surprises?
GREEN STRATEGY: We hear so much about the green movement. Specifically, how has this translated to your day-to-day activities?
CHANGES: What change(s) would you like to see in our industry?
The Atlanta International Area Rug Market
will be getting more green this year with the introduction of the AmericasMart
Green Product Showcase. The showcase, running through the second day of the
July 15-18 market, will include more than 300 products, including eco-friendly
area rugs, furniture, apparel and gifts. In addition, more than 140 exhibitors
are planning to exhibit their latest handmade and machine-made rugs, many of
them environmentally sound.
From
adversity comes opportunity, but that’s only if you are prepared to expand your
horizons. Unfortunately for many
retailers these days, adversity has arrived in the form of lighter store
traffic, fewer leads, and customers who are suddenly hunting for bargains or
choosing lower profit items. Yes, the residential market has cooled, but keep
in mind there are other options available.
For
generations resilient flooring has lived up to its name. Whether in a sheet or tile
format, products included in this wide ranging category have earned a
reputation as practical, fashionable and-as the name suggests-highly durable.
For many homeowners and builders, resilient has long been the No. 1 choice for
kitchens, bathrooms, basements and other areas where the floor could be
expected to take a beating. While resilient flooring still holds sway as a
dominant area of flooring, its position is being challenged as never before.
It's here! NFT's ninth annual directory is the
industry's go-to guide for everything from listings of products to
compendiums of manufacturers, distributors and industry
associations/markets. Directories of sales agents, buying groups and
schools are also included. No matter what segment of the industry you
work in, this is the guide you'll want to refer to all year long.
We
heard a lot of positive feedback from readers after my column on terminology
(“Don’t Call It Linoleum If It’s Sheet Vinyl,” NFT January 2005). Of course there were some people who
suggested that I need to get a life. “Who cares if you call sheet vinyl
linoleum or call an underlayment a subfloor?” “Does anybody really use the term
‘substrate’?” My feeling is that if we have industry standard definitions like
those in ASTM F 141, Standard Terminology Relating to Resilient Floor
Coverings, then we should use them and educate our customers and colleagues
likewise. This way we all speak the same language and we’re not confusing our
customers.
Resilient
flooring makers are shaking things up. Across the category, manufacturers are
embracing designs that may turn heads and raise eyebrows. Not surprisingly,
hardwood and natural stone visuals are still the bread and butter of the
segment. Yet while manufacturers look to these natural materials for
inspiration, they’re also enticing consumers with outside-the-box designs -
including vinyl made to look like carpet, and even glass. In the process,
resilient makers are also shaking off the perception that resilient is still
widely regarded as that patterned kitchen tile from the ‘70s.
After
all these years it seems hardwood flooring is finally getting the recognition
it deserves. Increasingly, consumers are coming to fully appreciate that the
benefits of wood flooring go beyond the aesthetic. Environmental concerns,
long-term value and easy maintenance have all added to the appeal. At the same
time, the category is being advanced by the addition of exotic species, new
plank widths and glueless installation.
Do
you hire and train your own installers? Or do you outsource the work? The question can be vexing for floor
covering retailers – particularly those who see installation as an area where
they can distinguish themselves from big box competition. While the bottom line
may suggest that outsourced help may be less costly in the short-term, an
in-house staff ensures that the retailer has tighter control over the job. What
to do?
More
than 33,000 people from around the world who are involved in the ceramic and
stone tile industry are expected to descend on Chicago’s McCormick Place
Convention Center this month for what promises to be a memorable Coverings. The
April 17-20 gathering will mark the 20th anniversary of a meeting that has grown dramatically in
both size and stature over the last two decades.
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