About 250 dealers recently attended a two-day Bliss by Beaulieu preview event in Atlanta as part of a slate of winter markets from the flooring maker. Beaulieu showed off new additions to the Bliss line including Bliss Flirtation, a "sophisticated" and "trend-setting" line available in 10 carpet styles and 288 SKUs. The company also rolled out its updated Bliss Healthy Home line, with zinc added to the carpet's Silver Release antibacterial protection.
Nick Di Tempora, former president of MAPEI Americas, spoke this summer at an exclusive masters program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's conference center in Dedham, Mass. Hosted jointly by the Entrepreneurs' Organization and MIT, the exclusive three-year program brings together 60 high-growth entrepreneurs for executive education.
Attendance was down, but the mood was generally upbeat, according to organizers of the recent Domotex 2009, held Jan. 17-20 in Hannover, Germany. The attendance at this year's show was about 38,000, a drop of 19 percent from last year's record-breaking 47,000 visitors. The number of exhibitors at the show also fell slightly: 1,394 this year compared to last year's 1,442. However, show organizers noted the "caliber of attending professionals" was high.\\
Following the resignations last week of Ken Freedman and Steve Ehrlich, Faus Group Inc. has given Gonzalo Frey, Faus' CEO, sales responsibilities and promoted Jane Little to director of marketing. Specifically, Frey will oversee sales for Fausfloor until he can name a replacement. Company veteran Little has been with Faus for seven years, most recently as merchandising manager
The show organizers of the yearly Domotex show, Deutsche Messe AG, said they will launch a new show dedicated solely to ceramic tiles. Called "fliesen/tiles," plans call for the event to be held every two years in conjunction with Domotex at the Hannover Exhibition Grounds in Hannover, Germany. The first fliesen/tiles show is set for Jan. 16-19, 2010.
The late Marvin Berlin, a visionary retailer who is credited with growing New York Carpet World from a two-store chain in 1967 to more than 250 stores in 17 states by 1996, will be inducted posthumously into the World Floor Covering Association's Flooring Industry Hall of Fame. His legacy will be honored during an industry dinner and induction ceremony coinciding with the WFCA's 50th anniversary, set for Oct. 2, 2009, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
StonExpo/Marmomacc
Americas has unveiled its newly redesigned website, www.stonexpo.com, which
features several upgrades including a portal system for attendees and
exhibitors called ConnectionPOINT.
Ken Freedman, director of sales for Fausfloor, and Steve Ehrlich, Faus' director of marketing, have resigned. They both said personal reasons led to their decision to leave the Calhoun, Ga.-based laminate flooring maker. Both Freedman and Ehrlich joined Faus about two and a half years ago.
Portugal-based Amorim Revestimentos, which makes Wicanders cork oak flooring among other products, has acquired a 25 percent stake in Dalton, Ga.-based USFloors. USFloors offers a range of sustainable flooring, including the Natural Cork and Natural Bamboo lines.
Installerpool.com will launch a new software program at Surfaces designed to help retailers find "good quality" installers in their area. With the software, retailers will be able to see how flooring stores rate an installer, view installers' schedules in real time, look at their resumes, and even view pictures of their work.
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