Elevated mortgage rates, regulatory burdens, and tariff concerns are driving up housing costs, with typical families now spending nearly 40% of income on mortgage payments.
The $33.4 billion flooring industry faces extinction-level events as Asian manufacturing dependency, workforce instability, and distribution disruption reshape the landscape. Winners embrace technology while traditionalists falter. The next 24 months will determine who survives the great consolidation—are you standing on the right side?
Founded in 1975 by Manu and Rika Shah in their Indiana basement, MSI has grown from a small natural stone supplier into a premier provider of flooring, countertops, wall tile, and hardscaping products in North America. Now family-owned with 3,000 employees and 50 branches, MSI continues expanding its product offerings while maintaining its founding values.
Ahead of National Tile Day on February 23, Daltile highlights tile's exceptional qualities including beauty, waterproof performance, cleanliness, sustainability, durability, and overall value in both residential and commercial applications.
Floor & Decor reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results as profits rose 28% to $47.5 million despite a slight comparable store sales decline, demonstrating resilience amid challenging market conditions. The flooring retailer plans continued expansion with 25 new stores in 2025.
Swedish flooring manufacturer Kährs Group saw Q4 2024 sales decline 11%. The company completed its Russian operations divestment and secured new bond financing while focusing on production efficiency and market expansion amid challenging conditions.
The CARE California Carpet Stewardship Program awarded 15 grants in 2024, supporting projects that will expand recycling capacity by 4 million pounds annually and improve collection infrastructure, including new rural drop-off sites and innovative research into sustainable applications for carpet materials.
Michigan's first dedicated flooring installation training center opens, offering career paths for high school students with hands-on training, job placement assistance and financial aid options.
The World Floor Covering Association announces the induction of Interface founder Ray C. Anderson (posthumously) and CCA Global Partners' Charlie Dilks into its 2024 Hall of Fame, recognizing their transformative contributions to the flooring industry.
James Pope, a graduate of the basic flooring installation program implemented by the Floor Covering Education Foundation and its education and training partners, attended Great Falls College in Montana where he completed the 10-week course. Here, he shares his experience in the program, the support he received along the way and his thoughts on his generation’s perception of the trades.