With continuing improvements to its printing technologies and the ability to produce more technically demanding designs, laminate flooring is now hitting an unprecedented area of growth. Manufacturers say this once-minor segment has seen a 20 percent increase in sales volume over the last year alone. And they're only just starting. The potential for continued growth has prompted flooring makers to devote more resources to the segment: Tarkett, for example, re-entered the laminate arena in North America last year; and Mohawk recently made headlines by purchasing laminate maker Quick-Step for $2.6 billion.
Christoff & Sons Floor Covering Inc., a flooring dealer in Jackson, Mich., shares many traits with other mid-sized floor covering retailers. The family-run, 6,000 square-foot store first hung out its shingle 26 years ago, and carved out a niche by bringing a wide range of flooring options to the small city.
Industry figures, U.S. congressmen and other dignitaries were among the nearly 1,000 well-wishers who recently gathered outside Roppe's headquarters in Fostoria, Ohio, to celebrate a half-century of growth and accomplishment in commercial floor making.
Cork flooring is finally easing away from its well established reputation as a dependable but uniform-looking floor covering used mainly in commercial environments.
For years, carpet makers didn't have to give much thought when asked to name the No. 1 color choice for residential settings. It was beige, more beige and various shades of beige.
Scattered throughout modern design centers, upscale showrooms, and a historic market square with its antique hardwood floor still intact, this spring's International Home Furnishings Market offered further proof that the unifying theme in all of home design is lifestyle.
