National Floor Trends back issues from April 2004:
Live by price, die by price; live by fashion, thrive by fashion.(Industry Perspectives)
Apr 01, 2004; ... I can't figure out why anyone beats the price drum instead of the fashion drum. After all, we're a fashion industry. It's fashion that attracts customers and clients. The residential and commercial markets buy fashion, not price. So how come so many sit fat, dumb and happy? They cling ...
NFT market study: imported products fueling growth & profitability for wood flooring.(National Floor Trends )(Cover Story)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Imports continue to garner an ever-increasing share of the wood floor products being sold to consumers, according to the just-completed 2004 Hardwood Flooring Market Study conducted by National Floor Trends magazine in conjunction with the market research division of BNP Media. And, our ...
Sales up but margins pinched: 2004 state of the wood flooring industry report.(NWFA Hardwood Dossier)
Apr 01, 2004; ... During the past decade, wood flooring has been one of the strongest-growing sectors of the U.S. floor covering market. Homeowners' growing preference for high-end hard-surface flooring has driven demand. Growth has been strongest in the residential-remodeling and new-construction markets ....
Execution: the key to making your business plan succeed.(The Journal of a Start-up Flooring Retailer)
Apr 01, 2004; ... As I mentioned in my last article (NFT, February 2004), the execution of the retail business plan often is more challenging than one would expect and one learns quickly that change is the rule rather than the exception. My personal experience confirms the unexpected challenges, hidden ...
Solarbrite debuts full line of Luxury Vinyl Flooring.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Solarbrite manufactures a full line of Luxury Vinyl Flooring that combines premium-quality vinyl tiles and the most advanced techniques in manufacturing, according to the company. Solarbrite offers collections that encompass stone, marble and wood designs, and color-coordinated tiles for ...
BurkeMercer LVT features stone look.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... BurkeMercer Flooring now offers a line of luxury vinyl tile. Stone luxury vinyl tile is offered in multiple colors and designs in six categories, ...
Forbo introduces multi-colored Selling Center Marmoleum Display.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Forbo's Selling Center Marmoleum Display incorporates multiple product colors. Each color in this display has a removable sample that customers can see and touch. Behind the removable sample is a permanent sample so that the display unit never looks incomplete. ...
Nafco PermaStone expands into modular collection.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Nafco's PermaStone Modular offers a variety of newly sized tiles that can be assembled into modular units. In the collection, seven tiles--two 16-by-16-inch, three 8-by-8-inch and two 8-by-16-inch pieces--comprise ...
Mannington's Garden Linen is inspired by freehand brushwork.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Mannington recently debuted Artisan Collection includes three resilient patterns inspired by the time-honored methods of stenciling, block printing and resist dyeing. Garden Linen, one of these patterns, is reminiscent of a freehand sketch done with a pen or wet ...
Azrock's Plaza Marble available in five colors.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Plaza Marble is a new, premium homogenous marble composite tile offered in the Azrock Better Flooring Solutions line. Plaza Marble is available in five colors--Copper Vein, Granite Gray, Java Brown, ...
Parterre Flooring launches Compete Sports Floor line.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Parterre Flooring Systems recently introduced its Compete Sports Floor line. The primary application for the product includes all wood and solid-color visual resilient gym floors. Compete Sports Floor offers superior shock absorption and safety, plus a urethane-coated surface for easy ...
Flexco revitalizes its Contract Vinyls.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Flexco has introduced a revitalized offering of Contract Vinyls to further expand design options for its high-performance product. Contract Vinyl is a 1/8-inch gauge solid-vinyl tile engineered to combine the durability of homogenous vinyl with outstanding design and performance for ...
Linoleum tile option now available from Tarkett.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Tarkett Specialty now offers its Linosom Linoleum in a versatile tile format, providing additional design options for architects and designers. This homogenous, through-patterned tile is available in a nominal 20-by-20-inch tile and ...
Domco beefs up its Rustic line.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Four additions to Domco's popular Rustic line include a mix of contemporary and traditional looks that complement the existing collections. Springdale is a 9-inch-square, tooled-leather tile bordered on all sides by a single row of stitching. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
EarthWerks releases two luxury vinyl tiles.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... EarthWerks has released two luxury vinyl tiles. Canyon Stone is a 16-by-16-inch, designer-dimension, luxury vinyl tile manufactured with EarthWerks' Tuff Shield finish. EarthWerks also ...
Armstrong adds patterns to Destinations collection.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Four new resilient patterns, spread over 18 SKUs, have been added to Armstrong's Destinations line. These patterns include tumbled marble, rustic brick and sandstone offerings ....
Amtico intros several new stone patterns.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Amtico has added several new stone patterns to its resilient flooring portfolio. Kasumi Stone, a Japanese stone, is replicated with a natural, cool gray tone. Both Australian Sandstone and Garcia ...
Spectrum Imports offers plethora of resilient options.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Spectrum Imports, a division of Gardner Industries Inc., now offers a wide range of resilient flooring options, including Sempresol, Euroflor and Eurotred vinyl-backed sheet vinyl, Peak Performance commercial vinyl ...
Congoleum creates Utopia sheet vinyl line.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Congoleum has introduced Utopia, a new sheet product that sports nine natural-looking designs in 42 colorations. Utopia features a 15-mil wearlayer, as well as the company's Scuff-Tuff natural gloss urethane wear surface, ArmorGuard product ...
Centiva launches new granite tile collection.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Centiva by International Floors of America Inc. recently introduced a new resilient product inspired by true granite stones. The five new colors in this collection represent the trend for ...
Johnsonite expands its color offerings.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Johnsonite has added 11 new hues to its spectrum of flooring colors. The new colors--Spa Blue, Citron, Daffydil, Dreamsicle, Mousi, Pansy, Raisin, ...
Roppe debuts SafeTcork Tile and Tread products.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Roppe Corp. has unveiled SafeTcork Tile and Tread products, its newest addition to the SafeTmax Flooring System. SafeTcork Tile and Tread products, which are composed of a blend of cork and rubber, are designed for interior use in high-traffic areas where slip hazards are a concern. ...
Metroflor solidity features tough, ceramic-type finish.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Solidity by Metroflor is a heavy-duty solid vinyl tile with a tough, scratch-and stain-resistant ceramic-type finish. The ...
Balta unveils new generation of Flexitec cushioned vinyl.(Resilient Floor Fashion Gallery)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Balta U.S. recently introduced its all-new Flexitec Generation II PVC cushion-backed sheet vinyl collection. The new Flexitec Generation II program builds on the ...
Safety flooring: a sensible choice for commercial environments.(Don't Fall Prey to Slip-Fall Litigation)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Slip-fall litigation is on the rise across the nation. The statistics may surprise you. According to the National Safety Council, slip-falls rank second only to motor vehicle accidents for workers' compensation claims. In fact, slip-falls account for 20 percent of time lost due ...
Mohawk showcases its latest products and services at Selections 2004.(People
Apr 01, 2004; ... In February, more than 800 dealers were treated to an up-close look at new Mohawk product offerings and turnkey programs during Selections 2004, Mohawk's annual ColorCenter dealer convention, in Orlando, Fla. At the convention, Mohawk introduced more than 60 new product assortments and ...
Selections attendees offer opinions on consumer habits, current industry trends.(People / Places / Events)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Mohawk's Selections 2004 dealer convention in Orlando, Fla., offered attendees the latest information on products and services available to ColorCenter dealers. Attendees learned of new hard- and soft-surface assortments, the availability of complete turnkey programs to retrofit their ...
Flooring America treats its members to 'Showtime' in Houston: host of new initiatives unveiled.(Flooring America)
Apr 01, 2004; ... During its Houston spring convention March 4-6, Flooring America unveiled a variety of initiatives mounted to build the Flooring America brand and differentiate members of the buying group from competing retail flooring operations. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Conducted ...
Healthier Choice Flooring ceases cushion manufacture for Mohawk.(News)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Healthier Choice Flooring has ceased manufacturing carpet cushion for Mohawk Industries. The company manufactured millions of square feet of residential and commercial carpet cushion for Mohawk per year under the trade name of Pristine Carpet Cushion, Mohawk's ...
RPA introduces regional RadFests.(News)(Radiant Panel Association)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... The Radiant Panel Association (RPA) will host regional RadFests April 16-17 and May 21-22 in Madison, Wis., and Loveland, Colo., respectively. RadFests are radiant heating get-togethers hosted by the RPA for contractors, builders, installers, designers, architects, engineers, and ...
World Floor Covering Association names WSFCA its Affiliate of the Year.(News)(Washington State Floor Covering Association)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Based upon the Washington State Floor Covering Association's (WSFCA) strong programs of industry training and education, social events and contributions, the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) named the organization its WFCA Affiliate Association of the Year. The award was ...
Kraus Carpet Mills subsidiary acquires Royal Scot distributorship.(News)(WG McMahon)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Canadian distributor WG McMahon, a subsidiary of Kraus Carpet Mills, has acquired a majority interest in Lemont, Ill.-based Royal Scot Floorcovering Distribution. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The two full-line distributors will form an operating ...
Siemerling tops Witex USA's restructured executive team.(News)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Hartwig Siemerling, former chief operating officer of Witex USA, has accepted the roles of president, CEO and board member of the company. Siemerling has been leading the operations of Witex since its doors opened in the United States in 1994. One of Siemerling's first decisions ...
Arson suspected cause of C & C Wholesale blaze.(News)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... The head of Dallas-based C & C Wholesale said arson is the suspected cause of a blaze that gutted the Houston branch of his 11-location distributorship in the late hours of Feb. 12. Company CEO Blake Christian said a break-in at the Houston branch was registered approximately one half hour ...
Wanke Cascade begins new educational seminars.(News)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Portland, Ore.-based distributor Wanke Cascade has begun conducting "First Tuesday" educational seminars at its three branches in Oregon and Washington on the first Tuesday of each month. Inaugurated in February, the seminars highlight one new product or product group each month, according ...
Former DuPont execs launch Inside Edge.(News)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Several former DuPont Flooring Systems executives have launched Inside Edge Commercial Interior Services, a commercial flooring services company headquartered in Minneapolis with an operations center in St. Louis. Inside Edge offers a direct-buy service model that supports the ...
Shaw to inaugurate semi-annual regional dealer networking events.(News)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Plans are underway to institute semi-annual regional dealer meetings of Shaw Flooring Alliance, an association of select Shaw Industries dealers. The regional meetings, which this year incorporate the theme of "Envision," are ...
Unilin Flooring to construct new plant in North Carolina.(News)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Unilin Flooring, parent company of Quick-Step Inc., announced that it plans to build a 600,000-square-foot laminate flooring manufacturing plant in Thomasville, N.C. The new facility represents an $80 million investment and a further commitment by the Belgian company to sell its products ...
Flexco.(People)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Flexco has appointed former sales manager Dave Przyborski to serve as Eastern regional sales manager. He now oversees territories in Washington D.C., ...
Impronta Italgraniti Ceramiche SPA.(People)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Impronta Italgraniti Ceramiche SPA has promoted Jerry Joyce to vice president/general manager of its United States division headquartered in Springfield, Va. Joyce, who joined the firm one year ago, is now ...
Todd Barton has been named West Coast sales manager for Penn Wood Products Inc.(People)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Todd Barton has been named West Coast sales manager for Penn Wood Products Inc. Barton is responsible for sales and marketing initiatives for the company's Pennwood-brand thin strip and custom plank hardwood ...
VPI.(People)(VPI's Floor Products Division)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... VPI has appointed Wes Hoover to the position of Southwest sales manager. Hoover, who has a strong background in sales and sales management, oversees all ...
Mattsson quits as head of Tarkett.(News)(Ulf Mattsson)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Sixteen-year company veteran Ulf Mattsson has resigned his positions as president and CEO of Tarkett Inc. to pursue other interests. Though his resignation is effective immediately, Mattsson will remain with Tarkett during a transitional period of unspecified duration to complete certain ...
Tight races, dead heats highlight NFT Supplier Service Awards results.(News)(National Floor Trends, floor covering industry magazine)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... In a hotly contested race even tighter than the nail-biting U.S. presidential election of 2000, Mannington Mills and Mohawk Industries finished in a 1st place tie for coveted Best Service--Overall Best Product honors in the 2004 NFT Supplier Service Awards (SSA). More than ...
Alloc.(Distributor Appointments)(NRF Distributors Inc)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Alloc has appointed Augusta, Maine-based NRF Distributors Inc. to serve as its latest distributor in the New England sales region. NRF now represents Alloc's entire family of laminate ...
Tarkett Commercial has added Hoboken Floors--New England Division, of Stoughton, Mass., as a distributor of Tarkett-label linoleum and Tarkett-label commercial luxury vinyl tile (LVT) for the Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island markets.(Distributor Appointments)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Tarkett Commercial has added Hoboken Floors--New England Division, of Stoughton, Mass., as a distributor of Tarkett-label linoleum and Tarkett-label commercial luxury vinyl tile (LVT) for the Maine, New ...
Alloc awards event recognizes its top-performing distributors.(News)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Alloc Inc. honored its distributor customer base during a recent awards ceremony. Distributors that earned accolades were Medallion Distributing for Best Overall Performance, Royal Scot Distributing ...
CARPET SHIMS.(Products & Literature)
Apr 01, 2004 ... With CARPET SHIMS and the NEW UNIVERSAL SIDE SHIMS easily eliminate the transition problem between ceramic tile or hardwood floors and carpet. No more double tack strips or floating floors with fillers. No need to build cardboard/VCT ramps or shake shingles. Simply cut the ...
Mullican Flooring: Mullican offers hand-sculpted Chatelaine Collection.(Products & Literature)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Mullican Flooring's new Chatelaine Collection is hand-sculpted from solid, 3/4-inch hardwood and is available in 4- and 5-inch widths of autumn maple, provincial hickory, golden maple, colonial walnut and ebony oak. [ILLUSTRATION ...
Tembec.(Products & Literature)
Apr 01, 2004 ... The Muskoka Architectural Collection was launched at Surfaces 2004 and is available now. This new collection consists of a 7-ply engineered product that is being offered in Maple, Ash, Oak, ...
Basic coatings.(Products & Literature)
Apr 01, 2004 ... The Best Just Got Better with StreetShoe XL! Basic introduces a new technology in water based finishes. The new StreetShoe XL is easier to apply and it is the toughest, most chemical resistant and fastest curing finish on the market. Only Basic ...
Artistic Finishes: Artistic Finishes intros 8-foot nosings with Tri-Guard Finish.(Products & Literature)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Artistic Finishes has introduced a full line of 8-foot stair nosings designed to accommodate most 3/4-inch floors. The new stair nosings are 3 1/2-inches wide, with a full 1 1/16-inch-thick nosing. They initially will be available in eight popular wood species. Additional species will be ...
DuraSeal: DuraSeal[R] introduces QuickCoat Penetrating Finish for wood floors.(Products & Literature)
Apr 01, 2004 ... DuraSeal now offers QuickCoat Penetrating Finish, an oil-based stain that provides exceptional durability and a 2-hour recoat time. Available in all existing DuraSeal colors and certified Minwax[R] shades, QuickCoat can be inter-mixed for endless color possibilities. ...
The well-planned showroom: what I learned from you at Surfaces 2004.(Showroom Management)
Apr 01, 2004; ... For the past few years, I've been asked to present seminars at Surfaces, Coverings and numerous other trade shows. While that puts me in a teaching role, it's not unusual for me to learn during my seminars too. This year's Surfaces show was no exception, as I received a lot of ...
Johnsonite launches Recess wall base line.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Johnsonite recently introduced Recess, a rubber contoured wall base designed with a recessed groove along the top. Available in more than 130 colors and finishes, Recess requires no painting or staining, according to Johnsonite. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
Waverly Lifestyle Collection features a range of area rugs.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Waverly's newly unveiled Waverly Lifestyle Collection was made possible through a licensing partnership with Nourison. Each rug in the line features a solid or color-pointed jute ground coordinated to the Waverly design and color palette, with 100 ...
Engineered Wood offering is Kronotex's new laminate.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Kronotex's new Engineered Wood collection of laminate flooring is designed to mimic the look and feel of solid wood. Engineered Wood features an embossed-in-register surface with ...
American Safety Razor debuts SmartEdge Smart Change knife.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... American Safety Razor manufactures the SmartEdge Smart Change, a fully retractable utility knife that cuts and trims, and includes a refillable dispenser that holds as many as five blades. The SmartEdge Smart Change knife, part ...
Progress Concepts Group is 'Sure' about its sealants.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Sure Seal Sealants, a product line from Progress Concepts Group LLC, has been developed so that it can be applied with a pump sprayer or simply sprayed onto grout lines 20 minutes after installation. Sure Seal dries ...
Dependable presents new line of hot-melt carpet seam tapes.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Dependable Chemical Co. presents a new line of hot-melt carpet seam tapes produced in 3- and 4-inch widths. These new tapes feature smoke-free and nearly odorless hot-melt technology, according to the company. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] High-performance ...
The new Red Label Collection is Wilsonart's high-end laminate.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Wilsonart Flooring has introduced the Red Label Collection, a high-end laminate product line encompassing 15 patterns divided among three main categories--planks, woods and stones. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] All designs in the line have been ...
Franklin International presents Titebond Moisture Control System.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Franklin International's Titebond 531 Moisture Control System has been developed to solve the problem of moisture transfer from concrete subfloors to wood flooring. It is designed to reduce the vapor within any concrete slab (up to 12 lbs.) to acceptable levels, the company says. ...
Parkway hardwood new from Shaw Hard Surfaces.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... The Shaw Hard Surfaces Division has introduced Parkway, a 3/8-inch engineered floor that features sliced-face veneers, micro-beveled edges and square ends. Parkway is ...
Durabond underlayment suitable for featheredges.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... The Bostik Findley Flooring Group's Durabond Duralevel 83P is a self-leveling underlayment that features an extended flow/heal time and high compressive strengths. Suitable for underlayments requiring ...
Mercier introduces Exotic Hardwood line.(Products)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Mercier Wood Flooring recently debuted its new line of Exotic Hardwoods. These exotic woods from South America feature long-lasting durability and rich colors, according to Mercier. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Offerings include Brazilian Oak (Amendoim), Brazilian ...