One of the tile industry's prominent events is just around the corner. From September 26-30 over 90,000 visitors from around the world are expected to travel to Bologna, Italy to attend Cersaie 2006, the world's largest international exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings.
Editor's Note: As part of our on going coverage of communication technology in the flooring industry, we asked five leading software suppliers for an update on the progress being made.
National Floor Trends asked flooring industry leaders to discuss some of the issues that are topping their agenda these days-and how they are dealing with them. Although they agree that the spike in fuel prices is a major challenge, they make it clear that it is, by now, a well-established trend.
If you're a retailer looking for a hardwood manufacturer/distributor, it's best to start on the ground floor. There are six key criteria you should use to evaluate the category.
A New Orleans retailer was walking me through his store some years ago. We were talking about his retail group when he paused at a rack displaying samples of a rather ordinary looking "footprint free" textured carpet. "Warren," he said, "this is a perfect example of what the group does for retailers." He went on to explain that he'd had trouble getting $17.99 a yard for the carpet and that it was barely among the 20 top-selling products in the store. But that, he hastened to add, was before he signed up with a retail group.
Retailers love resilient. Apart from being a reliable money maker, they see the flooring category as a viable alternative to more costly hard surface options. It is also an area where sales people believe they can greatly influence customer purchase decisions.
In the world of commercial interior design, plain vanilla flooring is fast becoming yesterday's news. Contract specification is coming to life as a result of an evolving palette of colors that embraces, encourages and, yes, demands differentiation.
A mixed bag best describes the answers we got from retailers and distributors to the question: "What are the most significant highlights of the first part of the year and what's ahead for the balance of 2006?" As usual, we set no boundaries; answers include low points as well as bright spots.
In recent years, there has been ample discussion in the flooring industry about the heightened demand for manufacturer finished wood flooring products. There is no doubt that these products remain popular with consumers, particularly those who are remodeling their home and want to minimize mess and disruption.