Recently added articles from National Floor Trends:

China sets its sights on flooring (and what it means to you).(Editorial Comment)

Dec 01, 2006; Stewart, Al ... The hour was twilight and the swirl of bicycles was maddening. Red light. Green light. Nobody cared. The bicycles poured through the Shanghai intersection like a cresting river of tires and handlebars, each with a sullen face at the helm. If you are an American visitor trying to navigate ...

Fear! A salesperson's worst enemy.(High-Impact Retailing)

Dec 01, 2006; Tyler, Warren ... A current project has given me new respect for elite salespeople and a whole new perspective on professional selling after 47-years of experience and teaching. My observation is that the best salespeople have an aura of self-confidence. This, in turn, encourages confidence in them by ...

With fashion-forward floors, Surfaces '07 to lure designers.

Dec 01, 2006; Chmielecki, Michael ... In an industry that increasingly favors fashionable looks over cookie-cutter designs, it is no surprise that Surfaces is aiming to draw more designers and architects to the show. To that end, show organizers are offering a focused slate of events with an eye toward giving design ...

NFT tile and stone market report: rock steady and ready to roll.(Editorial)(Survey)(Statistical data)

Dec 01, 2006 ... The use of either tile or stone as a highly reliable flooring option may date back many centuries, but the segment in recent years has been getting an image makeover. Hard surfaces once lauded as highly practical and durable are increasingly being positioned as dramatic, sophisticated and ...

What retailers need to know about stone tile.(Guest Column)

Dec 01, 2006; Mintie, Arthur ... The beauty and performance of stone tiles is prized by many homeowners and builders, leading to its use in more projects than ever in both residential and commercial settings. This, in turn, has led to more questions about the techniques and nuances associated with the installation of ...

Invest in training rather than complaints.(Focus on Resilient)(Personal account)

Dec 01, 2006; Thompson, Ray, Jr. ... After 40-plus years in the flooring business, I have come to the conclusion that our industry is not really interested in the development of the installer. Sadly, most view installers as a liability and have no interest in seeing them grow to become a professional asset. When I started in ...

NAFCD honors young exec, elects new leaders at conference.(News)(North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors honors Jan Clinite with Future Leader of the Year award)(appointment of Christophe Freed, Al Maghes, Jack Lindenschmidt, Fred Reitz, Stephen Johnson, Tom Giancani, Steve Kerr, Brad Vollrath, David Williams, Art Layton, Steve Rosenthal, Jim Sturla, Robert Wagner, Daniel Kahn, Ray Mancini, Charlie Martin, Dennis Mohn and Terry Moorhead)(Brief article)

Dec 01, 2006 ... Jan Clinite, director of marketing and development for St. Louis-based Interstate Supply Co., was honored recently by the North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors. At its 35th annual meeting in Palm Springs, she received the Future Leader of the Year award, designed to ...

Outlets team-up for 'store within a store'.(News)(Color Tile Inc.'s partnership with Big Bob's Used Carpet Shops of America Inc.)(Brief article)

Dec 01, 2006 ... With a plan to offer hard surface products at discounted prices, Alliance Flooring's subsidiary Color Tile Outlet is partnering with Big Bob's Flooring Outlet. Color Tile has offered to sell their hard items such as laminate and ceramic together with Big Bob's Flooring's cash and carry ...

Mannington recognizes three women who 'Stand On a Better World'.(News)

Dec 01, 2006 ... Mannington says that its 2nd annual Stand On a Better World Awards program aims to recognize women who make a difference. With the announcement of this year's winners, it is hard to dispute that claim. Among the recipients of this year's awards are the founder of a relief organization for ...

New company UFloor plans surfaces unveiling.(News)(UFloor Systems Inc.'s office in north carolina)(Brief article)

Dec 01, 2006 ... UFloor Systems Inc., the North American subsidiary of German-based installation products maker Uzin-Utz, has recently opened its doors in Greensboro, N.C. Plans call for the company to launch three wood flooring installation product ranges at Surfaces, called Pallman, Sifloor and Uzin. ...

Domotex show features international businesses.(News)(Brief article)

Dec 01, 2006 ... A dedicated slate of flooring events is planned for the 2007 edition of Domotex, scheduled for Jan 13-16 in Hannover, Germany. Among the highlights are the Contractworld international architecture and design conference, the Floorforum showcase of contemporary carpet designs and textile ...

Hot topic: free Dec. 13 'webinar' to probe radiant heat flooring.(News)

Dec 01, 2006 ... How hot are electric floor warming systems? Amid growing interest in radiant heat flooring systems, National Floor Trends is presenting an exclusive, on-line forum that will explore this potentially high-profit category. A web-cast seminar, or "webinar" titled "Selling/Installing ...

Preverco and Valinge click with partnership.(News)(Preverco Hardwood Flooring's licensing agreement with Valinge Innovation )(Brief article)

Dec 01, 2006 ... Preverco Hardwood Flooring announced it has signed a licensing agreement with glueless click installation system maker Valinge Innovation for a new line of hardwood flooring. Using a customized piece of manufacturing equipment designed by the Swedish company, Preverco said it ...

Bona's 'logical next step': new Spanish tech support.(News)(BonaKemi USA Inc.)(Brief article)

Dec 01, 2006 ... Hardwood floor finish maker BonaKemi USA has launched a technical support line for Spanish-speaking users. According to Todd Schutte, Bona's director of training and contractor sales, the new feature is in keeping with BonaKemi's efforts to support its growing Hispanic customer base. ...

Details on product lines available at Loxcreen site.(News)(Loxcreen Flooring Group)(Brief article)

Dec 01, 2006 ... In what the company calls "a complete overhaul to keep its luster," Loxcreen Flooring Group has revamped its website at www.loxcreenflooring.com. The redesigned site includes streamlined menus, crisp graphics and an appealing new user interface, the company says. [ILLUSTRATION ...

Upcoming webinars.(Calendar)

Dec 01, 2006 ... "Selling/Installing Underfloor Radiant Flooring Systems" Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m ....

Kronotex USA's.(People)(appointments)(Brief article)

Dec 01, 2006 ... Several staffers have joined Kronotex USA's sales team. Shane Carpenter has been welcomed as director of national sales, Paul Zagorski as southeast regional sales manager and Ray Johnson as western regional sales ...

Beaulieu of America.(People)

Dec 01, 2006 ... Beaulieu of America has named Mark C. Clayton exec vp marketing. Clayton will head the total marketing effort for the company and will be ...

John T. McGrath, Jr.(People)

Dec 01, 2006 ... John T. McGrath, Jr. has been appointed as the new director of INSTALL. McGrath replaces James P. Schmid, the group's first director, ...

Mercier Wood Flooring.(People)

Dec 01, 2006 ... Mercier Wood Flooring has added Ron Miller to its sales representative team. Having worked in the wood ...