Solutia‘s Ultron carpet fibers has named the winners of the
21st annual Doc Award competition. Named after Dr. Robert F. “Doc” Docherty, a
pioneer in the contract interior design industry, the award aims to honor the
best contract interior designs and carpet product designs featuring Ultron
fiber. The winning architects, designers and manufacturers were honored
recently at an awards luncheon in New York City.
There is a clear
consensus that 2009 will be a pivotal year for the flooring business, and
nowhere will that be more apparent than at the industry’s biggest show,
Surfaces. While the economic downturn may mean fewer new products vying for
attention, the top manufacturer execs assure that their newest generation of
flooring represents major advances in performance, style and sustainability.
Also high on the agenda of many showgoers will be a full slate of educational
sessions and seminars tailored specifically to the current market conditions.
Our exclusive year-end survey of 310 dealers and
contractors shows the effects of the severe real estate slump. The result: 70%
of retailers surveyed say their builder and new construction business was down
last year. The average fall off was nearly 40%.
A collective sigh of
relief may best describe the sentiments of the cork flooring industry these
days. At a time when many areas of flooring are struggling, cork is finally
shedding its niche product image and stepping squarely into the mainstream.
Manufacturers say the rise in popularity can be explained with one word: Green.
Karastan won two awards during this year's America's Magnificent Carpets Awards held earlier this month at the Atlanta Rug Market. Netting its 12th America's Magnificent Carpets award overall, Karastan was honored in the Power-Loomed $1,000+ and Power-Loomed $400-$1,000 retail categories. Specifically, the company was honored for its Eastport rug in the Original Karastan Collection as well as French Quarter in Bluestone from the Sierra Mar Collection.
The slumping economy
has led many in the flooring industry to conclude 2009 will be a
make-it-or-break-it year for them. Organizers of the Surfaces meeting scheduled
for Feb. 3-5 in Las Vegas say they are well aware of these concerns and have
responded with an agenda that addresses the challenges ahead.
Manufacturers of hard
surface flooring and installation products seem to agree: the number of
products marketed as environmentally friendly is skyrocketing. And, the
increasing demand for “green” products is presenting unique challenges.
Additionally, many manufacturers note creating green products is not
inexpensive, yet consumers often expect to see little or no price difference.
The World Floor
Covering Association (WFCA), the floor covering industry’s largest advocacy
organization representing floor covering retailers, contractors and allied
service providers throughout North America, has designed the perfect formula to
reach consumers in the market for new flooring.
Another ThermoSoft®
innovation simplifies electric floor heating! Until now, flooring dealers and contractors had to
worry about having the right system for the right floor covering. Not anymore.
W.F. Taylor will emphasize our well-established strengths in the flooring
industry. Taylor is the acknowledged technology leader in flooring adhesives
and we will pursue new business basing our efforts on the advantages of
superior performance adhesives.
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