More than 26,000 people from across the world flocked to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., March 24-27 for Coverings 2003, the global exposition for the international tile, stone and flooring industries.
Downtown St. Louis, the city where the National Wood Flooring Association was established in 1985, recently played host to more than 2,800 wood flooring professionals for the NWFA 18th Annual Education Conference and Wood Flooring Expo.
Few product sectors in the floor covering industry are as stable as the vinyl segment, according to three years of data compiled through exclusive research commissioned by National Floor Trends. Our just-released 2003 Vinyl Flooring Market Study confirms many of the projections and findings that emerged in the last two annual surveys of flooring retailers who handle the products.
Design firms are seeing a surge in the popularity of carpet tile for the commercial segment. More customers are requesting it. More designers are incorporating it in their projects. Manufacturers are increasing the design options and flexibility of their products, thus making modular patterns an attractive alternative to fixed colors and patterns.
In the first installment of this two-part report, National Floor Trends surveyed retailers and contractors nationwide to gauge their outlook on the residential and commercial floor covering markets. This installment details what’s really important in selecting suppliers; how suppliers rate; areas earmarked for investment; and most important industry issues.
More than 86,500 attendees flocked to Valencia, Spain, for Cevisama 2004, the 23rd International Trade Fair for Ceramics, where new ceramic products from top manufacturers were on display. The show, which took place March 2-6, saw an increase in attendance of 3 percent over the previous year, despite the current political unrest. Those who made the journey to Valencia were rewarded with a preview of some of the most innovative new products the ceramic tile industry has to offer.
More than 84,000 attendees filled the recently renovated Feria Valencia exposition center March 4-8 for Cevisama 2003, the 22nd International Trade Fair for Ceramics, where new ceramic products from almost 1,200 exhibitors were on display.
Resilient floors have been a mainstay of the floor covering world for so long that some in the industry take for granted the unique mix of benefits the product offers end users.
The image of the floor covering industry is clear. The consumer's expectations are defined along with changes in the commercial and residential floor covering business in 2003 and 2004.