With an eye toward feeding a “growing global appetite” for
environmentally friendly rubber and cork flooring, Dodge-Regupol has re-branded
as ECORE International. With roots that date back to the mid-1800s, the company
is widely known for its ECOsurfaces commercial flooring and Everlast
performance flooring, as well as QT sound control products and PuzzleTile home
gym flooring.
Domotex asia/Chinafloor will be celebrating its 10th
anniversary at its next show, set for March 11-13 at the Shanghai New
International Expo Centre. The show will include exhibits for a wide range of
flooring and accessories.
A recently opened terminal at Singapore’s Changi Airport
features more than 120,000 square yards of custom woven Axminster carpet from
Brintons in what the company calls the largest carpet airport installation in
the world. The carpet is used in multiple arrival and departure halls, meeting
places, waiting areas, lounges and retail shops, as well as a 66-room Transit
Hotel located within the airport. The Brintons flooring is set to see traffic
of up to 22 million passengers a year, and is part of an approach designers of
the terminal call “the ultimate feeling of hospitality.”
Formica Flooring has added Bayard Sales Corp. as its latest
distributor. Based in Philadelphia, Bayard will offer Formica Flooring
throughout Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and parts of Pennsylvania and New
York.
Kelly’s Carpet Omaha was honored as the 2007 Dealer
of the Year by Mohawk during the company’s recent Floorscapes convention in
Phoenix. Mike Hughes, president of Kelly’s Carpet Omaha, was chosen out of 11
finalists for growing his business, “promoting the store concept,” committing
to training, and excelling in “store standards, brand building, merchandising
and installation ideas and community involvement.”
The World Floor Covering Association said it has launched a
consumer ad campaign in partnership with Meredith Corp., publishers of Better
Homes & Gardens and a range of special interest publications
including Renovation Style, Kitchen Makeovers and Beautiful
Homes. The campaign, which is designed to “reach over 22 million
consumers,” will run in the company’s magazines, websites and newsletters now
through June 2008.
Zickgraf
Hardwood Flooring, a 75-year-old hardwood flooring maker based in Franklin,
N.C., has named Shaw Industries its newest distributor for hardwood flooring
products across the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. Effective immediately, Shaw
customer service representatives are available to answer questions and take
orders for the Zickgraf line by calling (800) 778-7701.
Carpet and rug maker
Stanton Carpet Corp. has purchased Antrim Carpets USA, an importer and
wholesaler of hand-loomed carpet and rugs from India. Plans call for Antrim’s
distribution and service center in Bristol, Pa. and Stanton’s Calhoun,
Ga.-based center to merge. However, Antrim will keep its name and company
founders Dan McGovern and Fran O’Neill will remain as Antrim’s principals.
Other terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Edge Flooring, a manufacturer of flooring that combined real
ceramic and stone tile on an interlocking laminate system, filed for Chapter 7
bankruptcy recently at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. Based in Dalton,
Ga., the company was purchased by Dallas-based private equity firm Hunt Special
Situations Group two years ago.
Alloc and Berry Floor have streamlined their North American
operations in a “unique, dual-brand, two-channel selling strategy” aimed at
selling residential and commercial products for both brands. Plans call for the
sister laminate flooring brands, which already share a facility in Racine,
Wis., to continue to produce and promote their products independently. However,
sales and customer service representatives will be “cross-trained” to support
both brands.
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