The economy and specifically the state of the recovery seem to be a favorite topic for many of us. Sometimes, with so many versions of the same economy being bantered about by so many talking heads, it’s tough getting a reading on a version that’s credible and convincing.
It has been several years since I last attended the Atlanta International Area Rug Market, and since I skipped Domotex Hannover this year I had a great opportunity to get back in the area rug sphere and check out firsthand how much the domestic rug business has changed over the past few years.
I guess the question now is how many will show up at Surfaces and the other market events this season. From my vantage point the early indicators lean toward overall traffic on the positive side.
It wasn’t so many years ago that the talk around the industry was if you were a distributor your days were numbered. The entire species was supposed to go extinct before too much longer. Well, if you attended the 2011 NAFCD convention in Nashville you know the news of the sector’s demise was a gross exaggeration.
We’re on our way back from a trip to Viken, Sweden, and Valinge Innovation’s Expo 2011 along with a chance to see the company’s new R&D Center. The trip couldn’t even be dulled by the assault of the mystifying Charles de Gaulle airport. What were they thinking anyway?
