floorcoveringnewsvolume 30/number 25 I fcnews.net I the publication more retailers prefer I June 6/13, 2016 I $2.00

NEWSPAPER

Rarely do a few weeks passwithout the World FloorCovering Association

(WFCA) making some signifi-cant news, whether it is partner-ing with another flooring associ-ation or funding entities such asfcB2B or CFI. So it was no sur-prise that the recent WFCAboard of directors meeting inColorado Springs was themed:What is our next move?

Scott Humphrey, CEO of theWFCA, told FCNews that some-times the next move is to “walkaway from a deal; sometimes itis to double down and othertimes it is to consider somethingcompletely different than whatyou have been doing.”

Following are some high-lights from the meeting.

In January, the WFCAannounced a partnership withthe Floor Covering Business toBusiness Association (fcB2B)

through a financial commitmentthat included hiring a full-timeexecutive director, Phillip Zolan.WFCA has taken the next stepby folding fcB2B under theWFCA umbrella “as a way tosecure its future viability,”Humphrey said.

Over the past 15 years theContinued on page 11

By Ken Ryan

Some of the most noteworthy introductions from 2015—as identified by specialty flooring retailers and distribu-tors polled by FCNews—ran the gamut from silky, soft

carpets to new hardwood collections featuring advanced corematerials to waterproof WPC products fortified with cork back-ing. These products not only scored points on the style scale, butthey also perform well, respondents said.

Highlights include USFloors’ COREtec and Shaw Floors’Floorté, products cited by several retailers for their waterproofattributes and dimensional stability. But it was not all aboutLVT/WPC. Wood-look ceramic tile and carpets featuring soilprotection and stain resistance also drew rave reviews.

Turn to page 16 for a look at what retailers and distributorsdescribed as some of the “best introductions” from the past year.

A LOOK BACK AT THE HITSOF 2015

Labor, installation issues dominateWFCA agenda

By Ken Ryan

IN THIS ISSUE

Empire Today poised for a sale, sources sayPAGE 3

Surefire ways to makeyour website sizzlePAGE 6

Laminate stands firmagainst LVT onslaughtPAGE 8

No more ‘me-too’ in LVTLVT suppliers are applyinginnovation, creativity and mar-keting initiatives to createpoints of differentiation.

PAGE 14

Scott Humphrey, CEO of the WFCA, believes the group’s lobbying efforts are producing results.

SPOTLIGHT

Area rugs: State of the industry

Custom-cut programs, hard surface surge boost salesWhile carpet in general has

been flat to slightly up in the lasttwo years, rugs have bene-fited by trends exclusive tothat segment. “I’ve beenwith Couristan for 25 yearsand seen time periodschange,” said LarryMahurter, vice president ofmarketing and advertising.“Today hard surface is ele-vating the sale of area rugs;the pendulum has switchedback to rugs from carpet.For a good many years itwas carpet that led the way.”

Industry executives saythe improving economy hasbolstered the rug categorybecause consumers feel morecomfortable making purchases,particularly following a hard sur-face sale. These same experts also

note a shift in buying patterns tocheaper goods as consumers

today are less concerned aboutfiber type and are instead lookingfor color, pattern and texture.“Area rugs are selling well for usbut at a modest growth,” said

The U.S. rug business,which grew an estimated4% in 2015, continues its

modest pace in 2016, driven inlarge part by the growth in hardsurfaces and the popularity of cus-tom rug programs.

By Ken Ryan

Continued on page 23

Gerry Yost, director, area rugs andwindow treatments for Avalon

Flooring, a Cherry Hill,N.J.-based dealer with 14stores in three states. “Withso many options on whereto buy rugs—the Internet,furniture stores and otherhome accessory retailers—finding the right styles, col-ors and price points for ourcustomers remains a con-stant commitment.”

Indeed, merchandising,stocking and selling arearugs can be challenge forspecialty flooring retailerswho have to compete with

home centers, mass merchantsand catalog/online dealers—thelatter representing the fastestgrowing channel for rug sales.

The popularity of hard surfaces has helpedthe growth of rugs, which are often sold asadd-ons. Pictured is Karastan’s Euphoria.

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone to link to our fea-tured site.

board meeting centers on ‘next move’

fcnews June 6/13, 2016 I 3news

( IN THE NEWS)NWFA announces 2016 board of directorsST. LOUIS—The National Wood FlooringAssociation (NWFA) announced its 2016 boardof directors during its recent annual conven-tion in Charlotte, N.C.

The 2016 lineup is asfollows: Tommy Maxwell(chairman), MaxwellHardwood Flooring;Chris Zizza (vice chairman), C&R Flooring; CraigDupra (secretary), Installers Warehouse; JulieRussell (treasurer), Glitsa; and Jeff Fairbanks(immediate-past chairman), Palo DuroHardwoods.

The 2016 directors are Kevin Murphy,Mullican Flooring; John Wooten, CMH, a divisionof Haines; Jon Namba, Namba Services; DanNatkin, Mannington; Brenda Cashion, Swiff-Train; and Scott Sandlin, Shaw Industries.

NWFA Ex-officio directors are Jim Gould,Floor Covering Institute; Steve Brattin, SVBWood Floor Service; Lenny Hall, EnduranceFloor Co.; Jon Smith, Smith Flooring; KirkRoberts, Bona AB; and Mitchell Brown, French-Brown Floors. Ex-officio directors are appointedto serve for one year.

CFI convention offers education,networking opportunitiesGRAPEVINE, TEXAS—The annual CFI convention isset to take place here Aug. 3-5. This year’sevent includes a custom vinyl inset workshop,where leading technicaltrainers from Tarkett,Congoleum and Armstrongwill team up to present ahands-on workshop. Session attendees will beable to take home the custom vinyl insets theycreate during the workshop. Also on tap areinspection industry roundtable discussionswhere manufacturers, retailers, installers andinspectors will have the opportunity to pres-ent, answer questions and concerns and talkabout relevant issues.

In addition, Scott Humphrey, CEO of theWorld Floor Covering Association, will deliver apresentation: “Understanding How You AreWired – The DISC Behavioral Profile.”

Fuse Alliance to launch Spark Awards design program LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIF.—Fuse Alliance, a mem-ber-owned organization of professionalcommercial flooring contractors,announced the launch of the Spark Awards.The Spark Awards, a platform to honor thenetwork’s most impressive flooring designsand installations, are made up of eight cate-gories including Best in Show and Member’sChoice.

“We are thrilled to offer our members aprogram that really showcases the crafts-manship of their teams,” said Geoff Gordon,executive director. “Our network is made upof some of the industry’s best and brightestflooring professionals, and the SparkAwards further support our efforts to cham-pion the positive impact they have on thebuilt environment.”

Awards are open to Fuse Alliance mem-bers only and must include flooring prod-ucts from network suppliers.

Empire Today LLC, the privately held U.S.flooring and window treatment retailer,may be up for sale, according to publishedreports, which quoted sources.

Mercury Capital LP,the investment firmthat has owned Empirefor 17 years, has hiredinvestment bankMoelis & Co. to run anauction for the compa-ny, seeking to capitalizeon consumer demand for remodelinghomes, according to sources.

Empire has roughly $50 million in 12-month earnings before interest, taxes anddepreciation, the sources said. Based onthis, the company could fetch severalhundred million dollars in a sale, theyadded. The sources requested anonymity

because the sale process is confidential.Empire, Moelis and Mercury Capital alldeclined to comment.

Empire, whose competitors includeLowe’s, Home Depot and Floor and DecorOutlets of America, offers shop-at-home

services in more than70 U.S. locations,including St. Louis,Chicago, New Yorkand Los Angeles.

The Northlake, Ill.-based companyopened its first retail

stores last year in Fairfax, Va., andCommack and Westbury on Long Island.

In May, Empire announced a partner-ship with JCPenney to establish separateflooring departments in seven of itsstores—four in the Tampa market andthree in the Washington, D.C., suburbs(FCNews, May 9/16).

These store-in-store formats will beEmpire Today-branded and range in sizefrom 750 to 1,200 square feet. TheTampa stores are expected to be up andrunning by the end of this month, whilethe D.C.-area branches will be opera-tional by the end of July.

The proposed sale of one of the largestU.S. flooring retailers comes as homeimprovement spending has reboundedfrom a steep recessionary decline. Risingemployment rates and house prices haverisen, prompting Americans to makedelayed investments in their homes.

Empire Today’s origins date back to aplastic cover business that SeymourCohen founded in 1959. Cohen laterexpanded the product lines of EmpirePlastic Covers to include carpets.Mercury Capital acquired the company in1999 and changed the name to EmpireToday.

NEW YORK—Supporters and hon-orees of The Greater New YorkFloor Coverers IndustryPromotional Fund scholarship pro-gram gathered here June 2 at itsannual awards luncheon to dole outawards to three deserving highschool students.

This year’s students—one recip-ient of the Francis J.P. McHaleScholarship and two honored withthe Greater New York FloorCoverers Association Scholarship—join more than 80 award winnerswho have been bestowed the honorover the last 32 years to the tune ofmore than $1 million. Scholarships areawarded to children of members of Local2287 and contributing contractors.

“We are happy that this scholarshipaward can help make both [the parents’]road and [the student’s] road easier,” saidDavid Meberg, president of the group andcommercial flooring contractorConsolidated Carpet, who once againserved as master of ceremonies. “We know[the honorees will] make us all proud.”

The winner of the 2016 Francis J.P.McHale Scholarship was JosephKirkwood, whose father, John, works as aninstaller for Consolidated Carpet.Kirkwood is headed to James Madison inthe fall. He expressed his gratitude notonly to the association, but also toConsolidated Carpet. “I want to thankConsolidated and the floor covering unionfor giving my dad a great job. This hasplayed a major role in giving me the sta-

Investment firm said to be interested in selling Empire Today

bility to succeed in my academics.”The Greater New York Floor

Coverers Association Scholarshipwas awarded to Colin Sherland,future student at the StateUniversity of New York atBinghamton, and Nickel John, whowill be attending NYC College ofTechnology in Manhattan in the fall.

“The rising cost of education inAmerica creates a financial burdenwhen students graduate,” saidSherland, whose father is principalof full-service flooring contractorSherland Farrington. “I am happythat my financial burden has beeneased by the generosity of the asso-ciation.”John, currently attending the

Academy for Software Engineering inManhattan, is the son of Amelia John,who works in the accounting departmentat Consolidated Carpet.

The group also recognizes a co-hon-oree each year at the awards luncheon.The 2016 recipient was MichaelHalebian Jr., president and CEO of floorcovering distributor Michael Halebian &Co. serving the N.Y. metro area.

Greater New York Floor Coverers doles out annual scholarship awards

By Steven Feldman

By Ken Ryan

From left: David Meberg, president of the GreaterNew York Floor Coverers Industry PromotionalFund, with scholarship award winners JosephKirkwood, Colin Sherland and Nickel John.

GREENVILLE, S.C.—Aquafil USA was namedRecycler of the Year for 2015 by Carpet AmericaRecovery Effort (CARE) during the 14th annualCARE conference here.

Specifically, Aquafil was cited for its recla-mation of post-consumer carpet as a first step inthe Econyl Regeneration System that createsrecycled nylon 6 fibers from post-consumer car-pet in a continuous production cycle. Aquafil’sprocess transforms the nylon 6 back into rawmaterial without any loss of quality. Bob Peoples,right, executive director of CARE, presents theaward to Jim Lindsey of Aquafil.

( SNAPSHOT)Aquafil USA named CARE Vendor of the Year

4 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

ery. He solved each potential problembefore approaching the chain. Tyson Foodsis now the sole provider of ChickenMcNuggets and it supplies poultry productsto 88 of the top 100 restaurant chains in thenation. Question: What key problems doyour customers face when they come inlooking to buy flooring? Have the answersready before they walk in your front door.

2. Make your customer’s life easier.Every business has a “convenience quo-tient.” The customer calculates it by divid-ing his or her desire for fulfillment by thehassle and annoyance that must beendured to do so. Offer an extra measure ofuser friendliness and you have added valueto today's busy consumer. Here’s an exam-ple: Bill Kelley of Plymouth RockAssurance Co. noticed that the only thinghis clients hated more than getting in anautomobile accident was the claimsprocess. So he set out to make the processeasier on his clients. He got his own 1-800number so his clients could call him direct-ly from the scene. He would travel out tothe crash site, assess the damages, calculatethe costs of repair on his laptop and issue acheck to take to the auto body shop of thecustomer’s choice. Average time to receivethe check: 20 minutes. What can you do tomake your customer's life easier—some-thing that can be used as a differentiator?

3. Empower your customer withknowledge. This is frequently the most

cost-effective way to add value for cus-tomers. Often overlooked is the need forcreativity rather than large marketingexpenditures. Consider ways to shift yourfocus from selling product to selling solu-tions. As an example, Jim Miller of MillerOffice Systems in Fort Worth, Texas, holdscustomer seminars on avoiding carpal tun-nel syndrome. After attending, his clientshave a much better understanding of howto increase comfort and office productivitywhile reducing medical costs arising fromon-the-job injuries. Thinking about creativeways to educate your customers may bebeneficial.

4. Involve the customer in creatingvalue.Many salespeople fail to ask theircustomers what they value most in theproduct or service you provide, often rely-ing on what they think the customer valuesmost. Oftentimes they are wrong. TomMonaghan of Domino’s Pizza was a storemanger for the enterprise when it was justa small, three-man shop in Michigan. Tomstood at his counter every day for a yearand asked each customer one question:What do you want most in a pizza? It was-n’t more toppings or thicker crust—it wasfast home delivery.

Many of you do all of this every day.For those who don’t, think about it.

Y our customers are demanding morethese days and more often than notare looking for ways to pay less. At

the same time you're facing hungry com-petitors. You're constantly being challengedto differentiate yourself, as was the subjectof my last column on Applebee’s.

Many salespeople believe loweringprices is the only solution. But what buyersare actually looking for is better value andbetter solutions to their problems, ratherthan doing business with the low-costprovider. While your prices must be com-petitive, smart companies are focusing onvalue-added services to win customers.

Some time ago I listened to a speakernamed Robert Tucker from The InnovationResource consulting group who not onlyoffered some proven strategies to differen-tiate your selling efforts, but he gave solidexamples. Here are some of his ideas.

1. Take on your customer's problem.Powerful things begin to happen when yougo beyond merely trying to sell your prod-ucts and become the customer's consultant,problem solver, etc. As an example, DonTyson of Tyson Foods first sold the idea ofChicken McNuggets to McDonald’s bythinking about how adding chicken to itsmenu would improve its bottom line. Hestudied each potential objection.McDonald’s executives might have with theMcNuggets concept such as product devel-opment, manufacturing, shipping and deliv-

Four proven ideas to create differentiation

my take

Steven Feldman

floorcoveringnews

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Getting social with fcnews

fcnews June 6/13, 2016 I 5

B amboo Hardwoods hassigned distributionagreements with two top

20 players—All Tile and NRFDistributors—as the Seattle-based supplier of bamboo floor-ing expands a distribution net-work that already covers theWest Coast and key sections inthe Southwest and Southeast.

All Tile, based in Elk Grove,Ill., ranked No. 4 amongFCNews’ top 20 distributorswith 2015 revenue estimated at$182.5 million. All Tile distrib-utes more than 50 lines across14 Midwestern states stretchingfrom Wisconsin to Indiana.“[Bamboo Hardwoods] providesa quality product, excellentmerchandising and relevantproducts that fit nicely into our

MADISON, WIS.—Sergenian’sFloor Coverings, locally ownedflooring store and dedicatedmember of the Madison commu-nity for more than 86 years, hasmoved its distribution centerand warehouse, commercialsales division and administrative

offices to a neweast side loca-tion. The retailstore at 2805West Beltline

Highway will remain at its cur-rent location.

“The new location will fostergrowth for our company whilegiving us the opportunity toremain in Madison, which hasalways been home for us,” saidTom Sergenian, president. “Thisnew location will help us serveour customers in east Madison,Milwaukee and beyond. Plus,local customers will benefit frommore efficient distribution andwill enjoy improved customerservice as a result.”

The new location at 3812Kipp St. will provide the spacethe company needs in order toaccommodate growth. Sinceearly 2012, overall sales haveincreased nearly 60%, and thenumber of professional installerson staff has grown 30%, withmore than 50 presently on staff.

The commercial sales officeand library, administrativeoffices and distribution divisionswill vacate the current FishHatchery Road location andtransition to the new building onMadison’s southeast side thismonth.

product portfolio,” said SteveRosenthal, senior vice presidentof sales and marketing for AllTile. “We look forward to build-ing and growing the businesswith great new partners.”

NRF Distributors, based inAugusta, Maine, tied for No. 7on FCNews’ 2015 top 20 flooringwholesalers list with revenue at$149 million. NRF servicesmore than 3,000 retail storesacross all of New England alongwith accounts in upstate NewYork and western Pennsylvania.“Bamboo Hardwoods will bringa full line of bamboo including

engineered and they have agreat marketing team,” saidDeborah Giordano, vice presi-dent of the wood division forNRF. “They have the right prod-uct for the A&D community aswell.”

David Keegan, presidentand CEO of BambooHardwoods, cited both All Tile’sand NRF’s history in represent-ing top-quality flooring prod-ucts. “There is much upsidepotential for the bamboo cate-gory to become even moremainstream within these mar-kets,” he said. “These partner-

Bamboo Hardwoods signs two top 20 distributorsships will greatly benefit ourcollective growth for years tocome.”

Bamboo Hardwoods offers alarge selection of colors andstyles, with matching acces-sories and transition pieces tocomplement a wide array of res-idential and commercial décorstyles including engineeredflooring featuring strand-wovenconstruction. Moreover, itsproducts are FSC-certified.

news

By Ken Ryan

Bamboo Hardwoods offers a large selection ofFSC-certified floors in trendy colors and styles.

Sergenian’s relocates warehouse,distribution center

6 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

( CALENDAR)

What makes a great web-site? We typically con-sider pictures, videos,

words, content managementsystem (CMS), on-page and off-page SEO, call to action on thesite, etc. After years of workingin this field, we have identifiedsome key elements that Ibelieve make for a top-qualitywebsite.

ResearchThis three-step process helps toensure your website is alwaysperforming well:

•Google Analytics must beinstalled and reviewed regularly.Know the basics of your site—how many people are visiting,where they are coming from andwhat they are viewing. Are theythe type of clients you want?

•Ask yourclients andprospects what theywant or need onthe site. Don’t makeassumptions.

•Review other sites in yourindustry. Know what new fea-tures are available, what yourcompetition is saying and bestpractices for web design. Besure to stay current.

Planning and goal settingOnce you have completed yourresearch, create a plan for yoursite. Having an established planand determining the goals foryour website are imperative tosuccess. These elements ensureyou have measurable bench-marks to address as you regular-ly evaluate your site.

Integral parts of this plan areKey Performance Indicators(KPIs) for a website. An indicatorcan be as simple as tracking howmany people ask to sign up foryour newsletter or as sophisticat-ed as using Google Conversionsto create paths for specific con-tent within your site and thenestablishing a tracking system onconversions. Either way, youmust create a plan for your con-tent, keep it updated, set yourgoals and then evaluate whether

or not that plan is working effec-tively and efficiently.

VisualsThe best websites don’t have thebest words; they have the bestpictures and graphics that helpusers navigate through the site.In this day and age, visitors mustbe able to easily learn about acompany through pictures, videosand other visuals. Words oftenget lost during a visitor’s firstimpression of a site, so be sure toinclude powerful visuals thatclearly communicate your organi-zation’s message. These imagescan help increase the duration ofsomeone’s visit to your site. Theyalso help to engage the visitorwho is, in turn, willing to spendmore time online to find theinformation she is seeking.

ContentThere is one criticalquestion every web-site and marketingmethod must answer

for the consumer: What is in itfor me? If you are not able toanswer this question don’t botherbuilding a website. Prospects andcustomers want to know howyou are going to make their livesbetter. Are you saving themtime? Money? Stress?

SEOSearch Engine Optimization(SEO) is critical to the develop-ment of a quality website. SEO isalways changing; it is imperativeyou find the right partner to helpyou understand current trendsand your industry so you buildyour website to maximize howyou are found online. EffectiveSEO is crucial to the success ofyour site but it is important notto spend too much or too littleon these services.

Websites are constantlyevolving but some key ingredi-ents remain the same. Peoplewant to learn more about you,what services and products youprovide and if you are the type ofcompany they wish to do busi-ness with.

AL’S COLUMN

How to makeyour websitereally sizzle

educating the industry (RETAILERS REACT)

? The housing market is strong in north Atlanta,according to dealers like Enhance Floors &

Moore in Marietta, Ga.

Has the firsthalf of 2016met your

expectations

( REMEMBER WHEN...)

More than 400 flooring dealersturned out for NRF Distributors’Northeast Floorcovering Market(NEFM) held in Augusta, Maine, inlate March 2004. During the meeting, Jeff Lorberbaum, left,then president and CEO of MohawkIndustries, presented the mill’s2003 Distributor of the Year awardto Norman Pomerleau, founderand president of NRF Distributors.Lorberbaum is now chairman andCEO of Mohawk while Pomerleauremains president of NRF.

BY BARBARA BURGIE

As owner of Burgie MediaFusion, Barbara Burgie assessescurrent buying trends and employs the most effective mediamethods to help build brands. She has worked in advertisingfor the last 10 years, specializing in communication. Formore information about websites, content and digital com-munication, email her at barb@burgiemediafusion.com.

June 13-15NeoConAnnual trade show, TheMerchandise Mart, Chicago.Contact: 800.677.6278;neocon.com

July 11-13Flooring AmericaSummer convention, GaylordTexan Resort & ConventionCenter, Grapevine, Texas.Contact: 314.506.0000;ccaglobalpartners.com

July 13-15Carpet OneSummer convention,Gaylord Texan Resort &Convention Center, Grapevine, Texas.Contact: 314.506.0000;ccaglobalpartners.com

July 13-16Atlanta International Area Rug MarketAmericasMart, Atlanta. Contact: 800.ATLMART;americasmart.com

Aug. 3-5CFI Annual convention,Marriott Grapevine -Courtyard/TownePlace Suites Facility, Dallas.Contact: 817.251.9095;cfinstaller.org

Sept. 21Alan Greenberg MemorialCharity Golf Tournament Benefiting the Floor CoveringIndustry Foundation (FCIF)Barnsley Gardens, Ga.Contact: Paula Holt at 800.466.6984, ext. 1101;alangreenbergfcif.com

Oct. 5-7Greenbuild International conference,Los Angeles Convention Center,Los Angeles.Contact: 866.606.7765;greenbuildexpo.org

Nov. 1-3NAFCD Annual meeting, Hyatt RegencyChicago, Chicago. Contact: 800.383.3091;distributorconvention.org

“““ “

The first half of 2016 has beensluggish. Unfortunately, I don’tsee that changing much for theremainder of the year. It’s anelection year, and with every

election year brings uncertainty.We continue to expand our

wood-look tile offering but do sowith hesitation. Home centersand online merchants continueto push the prices downward.

—Elisabeth StubbsEnhance Floors & More

Marietta, Ga.

—Bobby MeredithFlooring America OKC

Oklahoma City

“ “

“ “

2016 has exceeded our expectations in retail and commercial flooring. Wehave been fortunate to work on some projects we were not anticipating in2016, so our workflow and backlog continue to grow, creating a demand forour team to seek creative solutions to meet these timelines and budgets.

Overall we have been very pleased with our spring season with both ourmetro and shore region stores. One of the indicators for me that con-

sumer confidence is strong is our business from customers with second-ary homes along the shore continues to pace positively. Store traffic inMay has been slightly off, but I attribute that to a mild winter in the

Northeast that brought customers out earlier than usual.

—Brian Witkin, Avalon FlooringCherry Hill, N.J.

—Carlton Billingsley, Floors and MoreBenton, Ark.

January and February were a littleslow, particularly carpet sales andinstallations. Once the weatherimproved in March, traffic has

been consistently busy. Houses areselling here in north Atlanta and the builders are buildingagain, so we anticipate this high level of business for the

remainder of the year.

“ “The first quarter has been a bit of an enigma. The first twomonths were better than expected and in early spring thingsslowed down. We did a financing promotion during April andMay, and that gave us a good shot in the arm. Currently we are

ahead of last year, which happened to be a strong year.

—Steve Weisberg, Crest FlooringAllentown, Pa.

8 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

Category pushes back against onslaught of LVTance and offers sustainabilitybenefits.”

Other observers represent-ing manufacturers that play inboth the laminate and LVTspaces agree. “Increasingly, con-sumers are recognizing the ben-efits of laminate flooring—par-ticularly the scratch resistanceand ease of installation,” said

Dan Natkin, senior direc-tor, residential products,Mannington. “Many con-sumers also like the envi-ronmentally friendly nature oflaminate. It’s bio-based andrenewable; more than 95% ofthe content is wood fiber.”

While some industryexperts attest to LVT’s

encroachment on lami-nate’s turf—even thoseexecutives who representcompanies that producelaminate flooring—theysay it has not derailed lam-inate’s forward momen-tum to the degree thatsome critics have estimat-ed. “We are continuing tosee the impact of vinyl,particularly LVT and nowrigid vinyl products takingsome of the space thatlaminate flooring hasoccupied in the past,” saidRoger Farabee, senior vicepresident of marketing,Mohawk Hard Surfaces,parent of Quick-Step. “Butthere’s an interesting thinggoing on: Everyone I’vetalked to in the domesticmarket saw growth last

year, including ourselves. Andin many cases it was significantgrowth.”

Likewise, LVT comes withits own merits. Considered bymany as the “rising star” of theresilient show, LVT sales grewby 8.4% in 2014—the mostrecent period for which officialestimates are available—accounting for 27% of resilientflooring’s total volume over thesame period. “We are still see-ing double-digit growth in LVT,”said John Wu, president andCEO of Novalis InnovativeFlooring. “More consumers arerealizing what a great productLVT is. Not only is it versatile,but it can be installed anywhereusing various methods.”

Other proponents of LVTattest to the product’s allure.“Across all sectors, many design-ers, consumers and variousother end users would neverhave considered LVT as anoption,” said Jonathan Train,president and CEO ofEarthWerks (FCNews, April11/18). “But with so many majorflooring companies now offer-ing the product, it has elevatedits exposure. People have a bet-ter understanding of its valuesand benefits.”

At the same time, laminateflooring’s performance is noth-ing to shrug off. While conser-vative estimates put the catego-ry’s growth between 3% and 5%in 2015—for an estimated$1.136 billion in sales and vol-ume shipped at 1.066 billionsquare feet—some believe thosenumbers do not accuratelyreflect what the category actual-ly did last year.

“Internally, we estimate theU.S. laminate flooring market issignificantly larger, at around1.24 billion square feet,” saidDerek Welbourn, CEO ofInhaus. “We see the home cen-ter/mass merchants as the dom-inant category in terms of vol-ume; however, they are limitedby the selection they carry. Highquality and diversity of product

mix is still much stronger withinthe specialty retailer channel.”

It’s this respectable histori-cal performance—as well as itsfuture prospects—that’s drivingmajor manufacturers to investheavily in the segment, despitethe fact that it is considered a“mature” market. Case in pointis Swiss Krono (parent compa-ny of the American Conceptsbrand) and its recentlyannounced pledge to investmore than $230 million to sup-port its U.S. operations in theform of a new HDF plant ($215million) in addition to a newflooring line ($15 million). Theexpansion will translate into a30% to 35% increase in itsflooring capacity with the num-ber of full-time workers expect-ed to increase from 150 today toapproximately 220 full-timeemployees in two years.Furthermore, this latest pledgecomes on top of a $30 millioninvestment the company madeseveral years ago to build amelamine resin paper treat-ment plant in Barnwell, S.C.,which started up in 2014.

“This is essentially going toallow us to move completelyupstream in our channels andreally control the supply chainin a way that we haven’t beenable to before,” said ZebPortanova, president and CEOof the company’s U.S. opera-tions. “It’s going to make us thatmuch more competitive andpull us closer to our customersin the marketplace.”

Laminate proponents pointto this optimism, as well as thecategory’s staying power, as theprimary reasons for the contin-ued support of the segment.“Laminate is an excellent valueto the consumer, providing herwith unmatched realism andproven durability at an afford-able price point,” Shaw’sNewton said. “Laminate willcontinue [to seize] a share of theflooring market but will alsocontinue being challenged asnew products are developed.”

Laminate flooring’s ease of installation andscratch resistance appeal to today’s consumer.Shown is Keystone oak from Mannington. Much has been made of

the rapid rise of luxuryvinyl tile (LVT) and the

subsequent impact the categoryhas had on competing hard sur-face flooring segments, namelylaminate. Despite LVT’s legiti-mate advancement, however,many laminate flooringmanufacturers and mar-keters feel there’s no needfor alarm.

“While we agree thelaminate category is expe-riencing competitionfrom other categories, wefirmly believe laminate isstill a very viable flooringoption due to characteris-tics only it can provide theconsumer,” said CarrNewton, vice president,resilient and laminate,Shaw Floors. “Morespecifically, laminate is anexcellent product forscratch and fade resist-

laminate

Realistic visuals in keeping withtoday’s style and design trends aredriving interest in laminate. Shown

is Designer Mix from Shaw.

By Reginald Tucker

10 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

Dear retail store owners,can we once and for allagree to ban the phrase:

“May I help you?” Not only isit a cliché, but as an openinggreeting it’s weak and feelsmore like a rhetorical ques-tion that usually elicitsresponses such as, “No thanks,I’m just looking.” Worse, itoften closes the door betweenthe RSA and the customereven before the meaningful,exploratory communicationprocess begins.

Truth is, the consumermight not know preciselywhich questions to ask at thispoint in the sale process.While the shopper may have ageneral idea as to the kind offloor she wants for her newhome or remodeling project,many feel that an overlyaggressive salesperson might“hound them” before theyhave had an opportunity toperuse the displays and sam-ples on the show floor. On theflip side, many retail sales

associates—many of whomwork on commission or otherrevenue-based incentives—are,by nature, very competitiveand look to seize an opportu-nity by making an introductionthat will eventually lead to asale.

The good news is manyshoppers who land at yourdoorstep have at least conduct-ed some online research aboutthe various flooring productsthat are available, how muchthey cost and where they canbuy them. Better yet, many arelooking to buy new flooringtoday, tomorrow, next monthor perhaps six months down

the road. So when they arriveat your store the trick is toquickly develop a rapport thatdoesn’t come off as insincere oroverly aggressive.

Following are some exam-ples of effective, alternativegreetings:

•“Welcome to(store name),thanks for theopportunity toserve you.”

•“Glad youstopped by (storename) today. Is this your firsttime here in our store?”

•“Thanks for visiting (storename), the home of fashion-able floors, my name is …”

•“Hi. Welcome to (storename), where we make homeslook beautiful. I’m…”

Today’s customers arepressed for time, and manyhave already looked around onthe web or shopped one or twobrick-and-mortar stores—including a home center ormass merchant chain. When

they come to a specialty store,they are likely there to buy.And given the fact that youprobably spend a lot of money,time and energy to bring cus-tomers into your store, youwant to make sure you give

each visitor or prospective cus-tomer a thoughtful, meaning-ful presentation on the prod-ucts, services and warrantiesyou have to offer.

When the customer walksinto your store, her actionsmight suggest that she’s “justbrowsing.” But what she’s real-ly saying is, “Hey, I really do

want to know more.” If shedidn’t want to see your prod-uct or hear your story, thenshe probably wouldn’t be therein the first place. So makesure the preliminaryencounter with the customer

is positive andmemorable for allthe right reasons.The ideal greetingwill present thesalesperson as aneducator and aprofessional who

can guide the sale to a desiredconclusion.

Remember, you are theflooring expert. You and yourteam are the ones who knowwhat factors the consumerneeds to consider when pur-chasing flooring. Convey thatmessage effectively and youwill see positive results.

The right greeting can make (or break) the sale

retail wisdom

MAKE SURE THE PRELIMINARY ENCOUNTER

WITH THE CUSTOMER IS POSITIVE AND

MEMORABLE FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS.

PAMI BHULLAR

Pami Bhullar is director of retail development for Invista/Stainmaster.He is known for his retail training expertise. A link to his Pami Talksretail presentation can be found online at:player.vimeo.com/video/158238429?autoplay=1

fcnews June 6/13, 2016 I 11

fcB2B team has worked to cre-ate a seamless digital programfor the flooring industry, andstudies showthe programcould saveflooring retail-ers and manufacturers signifi-cant time and money.Humphrey encouraged floor-ing retailers to embrace thistechnology. “Not utilizingfcB2B is like using a rotaryphone as opposed to a smart-phone,” he quipped. Nine newmembers have joined fcB2Bsince January; dozens more arebeing recruited.

CFIThe WFCA, which absorbedCFI as a standalone divisionlast year, has amended itsbylaws so CFI will have at leasttwo positions on the board.This is meant to give CFI avoice within the WFCA hierar-chy. Tom Cartnell, who has twoyears remaining on the board,is currently the lone CFI mem-ber. However, CFI will createan advisory council to choose asecond CFI member who willjoin the board during the nextboard rotation in January 2017.

Overtime lawIn a move with implications forscores of flooring retail owners,the Department of Laborrecently announced its biggestchanges to overtime regulationsin more than a decade, essen-tially doubling the salarythreshold at which workers areeligible for time-and-a-half ifthey work more than 40 hoursper week.

The final rule, as it is called,focuses primarily on updatingthe salary and compensationlevels needed for executive,administrative and professionalworkers to be exempt.Specifically, the final rule setsthe standard salary level at the40th percentile of earnings offull-time salaried workers inthe lowest-wage CensusRegion, currently the south($913 per week; $47,476 annu-ally for a full-year worker).Additionally, the final ruleamends the salary basis test toallow employers to use nondis-cretionary bonuses and incen-tive payments (including com-missions) to satisfy up to 10%of the new standard salarylevel. The effective date of thefinal rule is Dec. 1, 2016.

The WFCA, lobbying onbehalf of independent dealers,urged the Labor Department toadopt the southern data, whichin this case lowered the salary

threshold by $3,000 to $4,000.According to Humphrey, morethan 270,000 comments weresubmitted on this law, with thefinal rule included WFCA’s pro-posal to recalculate and lower

the minimumsalary require-ment, toinclude bonus-

es in salary calculations and tomake no changes to duty test.

The OT rule is one of sever-al actions being addressed bythe lobbying arm of the WFCA.There is the much-discussedemployee/independent con-tractor issue, which puts floor-ing installers and retailers at themercy of various government

agencies and their specificbenchmarks for what consti-tutes an IC vs. an employee;and the Marketplace FairnessAct, in which a state cannotrequire out-of-state online sell-ers to collect the sales tax owedfrom its customers who pur-chase flooring products. WFCAmembers, however, must col-lect the local sales tax, whichultimately affects the final priceon their products.

Humphrey noted theWFCA’s lobbying efforts aregaining influence. “It’s becausewe represent the mom andpops. The lawmakers see themom and pops on Main Streetas having real votes—they mat-

ter. The legislatorslook at Walmart asone vote. I want ourdealers to understandthe power of theirinfluence. We want toamplify their voices;we want to give themmore clout in themarketplace.”

In other news...Paul Pumphrey, now 90, is goingto Washington, D.C., to visit theNational World War IIMemorial. The trip was madepossible by the WFCA in recog-nition of Pumphrey’s contribu-tions to the association as well ashis military service. He served in

the U.S. MerchantMarines from 1943 to1945. He will be joinedby Humphrey and oth-ers who will go toWashington to meetwith lawmakers.

Pumphrey is theonly individual to haveserved as president of

both the Western FloorCovering Association and RetailFloorcovering Institute (laternamed the AmericanFloorcovering Association), thepredecessors of the World FloorCovering Association.Pumphrey, who regularly attendsWFCA meetings, is a member ofthe association’s Hall of Fame.

Continued from page 1WFCA

Paul Pumphrey

12 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

explained. At the same time, hebelieves you’re not going to winover a consumer today with justan adequate website. Weller saidit’s crucial to have a website withan exceptional user interface andfull product catalog.

This sentiment was echoedby Misty Hodge, director of digi-tal marketing at Shaw Floors.She said the main thrust behindShaw’s web presence is to sim-plify the process for consumers.“A lot of our feedback from con-sumers tells us that whetherthey’re starting a new home or aremodel, flooring can be confus-

trust. You want them to feel real-ly good about you, and your web-site needs to do that.”

In 2015 the average consumerwent to 12.2 websites beforedeciding which flooring retailerto visit, according to John Weller,vice president of marketing forFloor Force, a digital agency spe-cializing in the flooring industry.In 2014 that number was 4.7. “It’svery obvious the consumer’sexpectations are to find as muchinformation as possible online soit’s important for the retailer tohave the absolute best web repre-sentation as he can,” he

W ith more consumersspending hoursresearching products

on the web before heading intostores, it is more important thanever for flooring retailers to havean impressive online presence.

“Your website is really a 24/7digital equivalent of a storefrontor showroom,” said ChristineWittemore, chief simplifier atSimple Marketing Now. “Youwant your website to startanswering consumer questions,educating them and building

ing. We want to say, ‘Hey, don’tbe afraid; be inspired and let usinform you along the way.’”

To that end, a major focus forShaw is keeping the consumerengaged with the website. Thecompany takes note of abandon-ment rates (i.e., those leaving thesite) and uses “heat mapping” tounderstand how engaged con-sumers are with the page. Shaw’sweb presence is also fully respon-sive, providing the same experi-ence regardless of the deviceused to access the site.

In that same vein, mohawk-flooring.com was built with theconsumer in mind. According toAmy Lutz, director of digital mar-keting, the primary objective is toenhance the online consumerexperience and drive leadsdirectly to Mohawk dealers.“Leveraging search engine opti-mization best practices, we ensurethat consumers can easily findMohawk online,” she explained.“Once on the site, our interfacedesign helps ensure that con-sumers fall in love with our prod-ucts. The site positions Mohawkand its retailers as true partnerswith the consumer throughoutthe purchase life cycle.”

A holistic approach There are many companies thathave great websites, but if youdon’t have a smart marketingstrategy aligned to that websitethen it’s bound to fall short. Sosays Frank Chiera, senior vicepresident of marketing andadvertising, Flooring America.He recommends taking a holisticapproach when developing anddesigning an effective website.“Step No. 1 is to have a reallysmart overall digital marketingstrategy that’s layered on top ofthat website. So the website real-ly becomes a tactic that’s part ofa bigger plan.”

To ease the process for retail-ers, Flooring America offersmembers microsites that are fullycustomizable. “The websites are[owned] by the retailer and reallyfeel like individual websites,”

Chiera said. “But as you roll up tothe corporate level we’re makingsure all the conversion points—all the lead generation, all theopportunity to see the biggestROI from a digital media perspec-tive—are controlled by FlooringAmerica and Floor Traders corpo-rate to drive the most leads downto that store.”

What’s more, the onlineproduct catalogs featured onFlooring America dealers’ web-sites are automatically updatedto reflect current inventory. “Ifthere’s an addition or a drop, theretailer doesn’t have to worryabout it—the member knowsevery night we are going torefresh the product library withthe latest photos,” Chiera said.

Similarly, at Carpet One Floorand Home, members are given amicrosite that can be customizedby members. The platform alsofeatures interactive tools such as aroom visualizer and flooringguide. “We are able to provide ourmembers with analytics, digitalintelligence and guidance to helpthem maximize their digital mar-keting spend,” said Janice Jacobs,vice president of marketing.

Of course, this strategyextends to mobile devices.Experts agree that an effective,user-friendly website must alsobe fully responsive to ensure asmooth experience for browsers.“Today, if you’re in the websitebusiness and not launchingresponsive websites, you’re basi-cally an irresponsible websiteprovider,” Weller said.

No surprise then that moresites are being built with themobile experience in mind. “Weknow consumers increasinglyuse mobile devices as part oftheir shopping experience, so wedesigned mohawkflooring.comspecifically to make it easy tobrowse products and find aretailer while on the go,” Lutzsaid. “The site looks beautiful onany screen size, and it’s the exactsame content no matter thedevice. No limited experiencefor smaller screens.”

The key ingredients of a quality websiteBy Jana Pollack

technologyMohawkflooring.com,a fully responsivewebsite, was designed with

consumer browsinghabits in mind.

Shaw tracks website analytics to maintain its focuson keeping the

consumer engaged.

14 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

In a saturated market, suppliers seek to further difficult to create separationfrom the pack,” said RussRogg, president and CEO ofMetroflor. “A simplistic2mm gauge with a 6 milwear layer is very ordinaryfrom the perspective of con-struction and performance;with a basic product like thatit’s hard to create a lot of [dif-ferentiation]. It is not a plat-form on which you can offerlots of bells and whistles. Wetry to offer a good value forthe money with design,embossing, etc.”

Lindsey Nisbet, head ofproduct development andmarketing strategy atEarthWerks, specificallynoted the enhancements ofmore value-oriented prod-ucts. “There are more 2mmproducts that now have acoating, giving it better per-formance warranties andlongevity. There are many waysto value engineer as well asupgrade LVT. The product trulycan fit any market and appeal toso many decors. The designskeep getting better with moreproducts having registeredembossing and ‘outside of the

box’ colors and designs.”LVT leaders have cited style

and design as the No. 1 areawhere manufacturers can createsomething unique, keeping LVTout of the commodity productcategorization. Producers con-tinue to innovate when it comes

to visual appeal and realisticmimicking of materials likewood and stone, whether in aneffort to offer value options orto justify higher prices.

Paul Murfin, CEO of IVCUS—now part of the Mohawkfamily—specifically notedincreased realism as helpingthe status of LVT. And as itlooks more like the “realthing,” it is still more afford-able than hardwood. “I thinkconsumers are starting to reactto the visuals you can now getin LVT that you can’t necessar-ily get at an affordable pricepoint in real wood,” heexplained. “You’re seeingthings like embossed-in-regis-ter designs and larger patternrepeats so there are fewer rep-etitions in the planks them-selves. Different methods ofbeveling also help the productlook more attractive along

with varied gloss levels andsizes.”

Other major manufacturersare also benefitting from theselatest developments. “We con-tinue to push the envelope instyling as far as sizes, designs,etc., and that creates a very dif-

ferentiated product,” said DanNatkin, senior director, residen-tial products, Mannington.“For example, we’re launchingMeridian residentially whichcomes in a 6 x 48 plank, tilesand a new 6 x 18 brick format.It’s an example of a product youcan do so much with, that canextend across different roomswith different visuals and standsout from what is offered for$0.99.”

Jamey Block, vice presidentof product management forArmstrong Flooring, noted theimportance of taking advantageof LVT’s numerous selling pointsas well. “You need trendsettingdesigns, breakthrough installa-tion and performance features,and merchandising to educatethe consumer while making iteasy for the retailer,” heexplained. “Retailers want anestablished, seasoned and reli-able supplier to provide themwith a proven product that willbe here for the long term. Howyou prevent—or at least fore-stall—commoditization alldepends on your ability to inno-vate and how you differentiateyour offering from everyone else.”

LVT is arguably the hottestflooring category in themarket today as evi-

denced by the many manufac-turers currently active in thearena. With that, suppliers areworking hard to avoid com-moditization of the category byapplying innovation and cre-ative marketing strategies tostand apart from the pack.

“Everyone wants to get intothe LVT market because it’ssuch a hot category,” saidMichael Raskin, president andCEO of Raskin Gorilla Floors.“A lot of times companies thatare trying to get into the LVTmarket don’t really know how tomarket or position the productso they [compete based on]price. We give our customers[price options] but offer high-end patterns and colors. We putan effort into the marketing ofdesign.”

Some experts cite entry-level products as some of themost difficult to differentiate.“Depending on the specifica-tion or the grade/type of prod-uct, in some instances it can be

In a crowded field, suppliers are seeking to avoid commoditization.Shown is Metroflor’s new Engage

Genesis product, a composite offering.

By Jenna Lippin

resilient

Manufacturers are seekingto accomplish this goal whilemaintaining respectable mar-gins for retailers. Such is thecase with Novalis InnovativeFlooring, which is banking on awell-rounded marketing strate-gy coupled with making an LVTproduct designed to excel inevery facet of the category. “Webelieve the best way to [preventcommoditization] is by buildinga strong brand,” said John Wu,president and CEO. “Over thelast few years, we’ve beenfocused on doing just that in theAmerican market with ourNovaFloor brand. We are deliv-ering a true luxury vinyl andsolid vinyl floor line made withthe latest standards for quality,sustainability and unequaledstyling. We are also providingtop-notch merchandising, serv-ice and online brand support.”

Points of distinction Developments in LVT construc-tion also help products stand outfrom the pack. Rigid-core offer-ings (a term being used to referto WPC/composite-type prod-ucts) are creating a new platformfor showcasing LVT’s design andperformance attributes.

“When you think of per-formance, there is the exampleof rigid-core technology,”Natkin said. “It comes fromconsidering how we can launcha better mouse trap. Our AduraMax, for example, offers a betterconstruction while being quietand more stable with animproved backing.”

Metroflor’s Rogg expressed asimilar sentiment regarding thecompany’s latest LVT innova-tions. “With [composites] likeour Engage Genesis there areplatforms on which we canbegin to offer degrees of differ-entiation,” he explained. “Goodcolor and design is an attribute,along with very authentic regis-tered embossing. Our Isocoreconstruction is unique, pluswe’ve attached a high-qualityunderlayment to the bottom ofthe product and incorporatedUltra Fresh antimicrobial treat-ment. It is also offered in multiwidths and long planks insteadof standard sizes. With thesetypes of products we can offermany attributes that justifyvalue.”

IVC’s Murfin sees these rigidproducts continuing to affectthe LVT market. “As thesehybrid and rigid productsemerge in the marketplace thereis another way for the categoryto expand even more,” he said.“With more rigid products youget into things like click technol-

ogy. Ease of installation is anoth-er way to expand the categoryand avoid commoditization.”

The move toward makingproduct in the United States hasalso helped LVT slow down inthe race to the bottom, so tospeak. By offering product withshorter lead times and theappeal of being made in theUSA, consumers and other endusers are willing to pay a higherprice for better options. “Themove to domestic manufactur-ing really helps to restrain com-moditization,” Mannington’sNatkin noted. “We can provide

current offerings to see how wecan improve and increase value.It is important to add morevalue to the products you offer.”

Overall, LVT continues to bea viable product that remains inhigh demand. “Every productcategory goes through a lifecycle,” Natkin stated. “In thebeginning the product is priced

higher with early entrance inthe market and slowly but sure-ly some rationalization happensover time. I think this happensin every product category and toa certain extent it will happen inLVT in some segments. The cat-egory is still so young but someprice compression is alreadybeginning to level off.”

custom products now that youreally can’t get when sourcingout of Asia. And we can do itquickly, particularly on thecommercial side. This is allow-ing us to win more business.”

Raskin Gorilla Floors, withits domestic inventory and thenew FloorNation brand beingmade in the U.S., is takingadvantage of the benefits of pro-viding products made andstocked at home. “With the abil-ity to service the product [fromthe U.S.] we’ll be able toincrease turns for our cus-tomers and deliver large jobsquicker,” Raskin said. “We areactively investing in service andour designs, and looking at our

FloorNation from Raskin Gorilla Floors is its first domestically produced line. differentiate

fcnews June 6/13, 2016 I 15

16 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

The best flooring introductions in 2015, as cited byretailers and distributors, included some now-familiar brands such as COREtec from USFloors

and Architectural Remnants from Mannington as well assome under-the-radar products that took off once theyreached the retail showroom. The successful product roll-

outs from 2015 touched on some key trends—woodlooks, soft carpets, waterproof characteristics and stun-ning visuals. Following is an overview.

2015 intros hit the mark on style, performance

Creekwood by American OleanAbout the product: Creekwood provides the warmthand ambiance of natural wood flooring with the durabili-ty of a porcelain tile. Creekwood utilizes what AmericanOlean calls “reveal imaging” to create an authenticwood look on a porcelain body.

Architectural Remnants by ArmstrongAbout the product: This collection offers wood designs inspiredby reclaimed hardwood floors and repurposed wood elements inkeeping with the latest fashion trends.

‘CREEKWOOD HAS

BEEN A HOT ITEM

IN THE CERAMIC FIELD

FEATURING REALISTIC

WOOD-LOOK TILES.’—Michael Foulk

Foulk’s Flooring America,Meadville, Pa.

Modena by Emser Tile About the product: The Emser Modena porcelaintile brings rustic charm with its recreation of petri-fied wood. Modena is available in five colors thatreplicate the charm of old Italy in 6 x 35 tiles.

‘IT IS A HIGHER-END PROD-UCT WITH BEAUTIFUL WOOD

VISUALS. THE POPULARITYOF THIS ITEM IN THE DESIGN

COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO

HELP INCREASE SALES ON

THE RETAIL AND BUILDER

SIDE OF OUR BUSINESS.’ —Palmer Johnson, JohnsonCarpet One, Tulsa, Okla.

Forever Clean from Mohawk About the product: SmartStrand Silk ForeverClean has shown extraordinary durability inthird-party testing with the ability to retain itsbeautiful appearance after 60,000 footsteps.

‘I HAVEN’T SEENANYTHING LIKE IT

IN YEARS. IT IS AMONEY MAKER. WE

ARE BUYING BIG DYE

LOTS OF IT.’ —Phillip RabyThe Raby Co.,

Albuquerque, N.M.

‘ARCHITECTURAL REMNANTSLAMINATE HAS STUNNING

VISUALS. I THINK IT’LL BEGREAT FOR OUR MARKET.’ —Jeff Barth, Montana FlooringLiquidators, Billings, Mont.

Manor from Bamboo HardwoodsAbout the product: Manor is an engineered, strand-woven line ofbamboo flooring ideally suited for markets where a traditional-look-ing floor is preferred. It features a wire-brushed, handscraped tex-ture to provide that Old World aesthetic.

‘MANOR HAS BEEN A GREAT

ADDITION TO OUR LINEUP… IT HASTHE DURABILITY AND HARDNESS OF

STRAND BAMBOO BUT INSTALLS LIKE

TRADITIONAL HARDWOOD.’ —Mike Gallagher, Cronin Co.

Portland, Ore.

Maison by ManningtonAbout the product: Wider widths and longer planks define this collection,which combines premium sawn-faced visuals with handcrafted detailssuch as wire brushing, hand scraping, hand glazing and hand staining.

‘THIS NEW CATEGORY OF HARDWOOD

PRODUCTS HAS GREAT STYLING AS WELL

AS AN INTERESTING NEW ENGINEERED

CORE CONSTRUCTION. IT WAS ONE OFTHE MOST SUCCESSFUL LAUNCHES FOR

US LAST YEAR.’ —Darren Braunstein, Worldwide Wholesale

Edison, N.J.

Continued on page 18

18 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

An “on-deck” area isdesigned to keep the secondsalesperson in an alert status sohe can jump to the ups areawhen it is his turn. Many timesthe on-deck person is the onewho handles all incoming salescalls as this associate has accessto phones and a computer.

One helpful way to organizeshifts and floor positions is the“golf ball” method. You start bygetting different colored golfballs for each of your sales asso-ciates. At the beginning of eachshift you pull out the appropri-ate colors and load them intothe dispenser based on the upsrules. When a sales associateleaves to complete an estimate,takes a break or just needs toget caught up on quotes, his ballis removed until he becomesavailable.

Be sure to create frameworkfor the following:

•What constitutes an “up”•How to handle referrals•What to do during breaks•What happens when the

requested sales associate is ini-tially busy but later becomesavailable

•How to handle turnovers orassisting customers of othersales associates•Who handles all incomingsales inquiries•Protocol for when salesassociates attempt to takeover a sale from someoneelseI know it sounds like a lot

but if you take it piece by pieceyou will be just fine. If the issuecontinues to rear its ugly headand you are sure your system iswaterproof, you may be facedwith having to make a harddecision and terminate yourbiggest offender to send a mes-sage to the rest of the staff.Remember to be steadfast andconsistent.

dear david

DAVIDROMANO

David Romano is the founder of Romano Consulting Group andBenchmarkinc, a group that provides consulting, benchmarking, recruiting and software solutions to the flooring, home improvementand restoration industries.

Implementing a customerrotation systemDear David: I keep hearing about my veteransales associates “stealing” customersfrom rookies. These seasoned RSAssupposedly claim they know cus-tomers or have worked with them inthe past, passing off people theyview as “tire kickers” to rookies. Imet with my veterans and told themto cut this out but they all denied itwas happening. I find it hard tobelieve these rookies are not beingtruthful. There has to be some meritto what I am hearing.

Dear Enlightened Owner,You are in desperate need of agood “ups” and “on-deck” cus-tomer rotation system to helpevenly and fairly distribute salesopportunities. This can be con-fusing so let me explain a bitmore. An “ups” area is where thenext available sales associatemust be present to greet the nextcustomer. It is sometimes in theform of a desk, a designated areabehind a service counter, a podi-um or a table near the frontdoor. The intent is that within afew seconds a customer is greet-ed by someone who is preparedand eager to build a connectionand close a sale. The person atthe ups desk should not haveaccess to a phone or a computerin this space. You don’t want thegreeting associate to be tied upon a call or have his face behinda screen.

The good news is implemen-tation is pretty straightforwardand easy to carry out. Here iswhat needs to be done:

•Form a focus group of salesassociates to establish adraft of the rotation rules•Meet with the remainingsales staff to present therules and ask for input•Determine the best systemto notify sales associatesthey are the next up or on-deck for sales•Create a final draft of therules, hand it out to salesstaff and go over the poli-cies one more time•Designate “ups” and “on-deck” areas on the salesfloor•Spend a good amount oftime to ensure everyoneunderstands and is adheringto the system

Continued from page 162015 intros

Envique by Quick-StepAbout the product: Envique provides striking designs with deeply embossed tex-tures and ultra-realistic edges to achieve the look and feel of premium hardwood.

‘ENVIQUE ADDITIONS ARESTUNNING IN A WAY THAT PUSHES

LAMINATE FLOORING TO A NEW

LEVEL. QUICK-STEP’S OVERALLSTYLE DEPARTMENT

IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.’ —Sean O’Rourke

Avalon Flooring, Cherry Hill, N.J.

‘IT’S A REAL

IMPROVEMENT OVER

THE ENTRY-LEVELLVPS AND ADDS A

GREAT DEAL OF FIRM-NESS AND STABILITY

TO THE CATEGORY.’ —Nick FreadreaceaThe Flooring Gallery,Louisville, Ky.

MegaBond 5900 by DriTacAbout the product: Eco-5900 MegaBond is a pre-mium-grade, environmentally friendly pressure-sensitive resilient flooring adhesive that has beenspecially formulated to help minimize vinyl plankshrinkage and provide maximum bond strength.

‘ECO-5900 IS MORE INSTALLER FRIENDLY AND HAS MORE

MOISTURE RESISTANCE. IT COSTS A LITTLE MORE, BUTOUR CALLBACKS ARE SO MUCH LESS SO THAT OUTWEIGHS

THE SLIGHTLY HIGHER COST INVOLVED.’ —Frank Winters, Atlanta Floor Design Center, Atlanta

Floorté by ShawAbout the product:Floorté, an enhancedluxury vinyl plank fromShaw, comes in anarray of styles and col-ors—each with thedurability to withstandeveryday wear andtear.

fcnews June 6/13, 2016 I 19

PetProtect by Invista/StainmasterAbout the product: PetProtect carpet hasbuilt-in stain resistance that won’t wash off.It is made from SuperiaSD fiber, a solution-dyed nylon 6,6 polymer that resists fading.

‘PETPROTECT HAS BREATHED LIFE

INTO ARGUABLY THE BIGGEST

BRAND IN THE INDUSTRY,STAINMASTER.’

—Gerry Holden, London FlooringCanada, London, Ontario

Tigressa H2O by ShawAbout the product: This luxuriously soft carpet is engineeredto provide the ultimate in comfort, style, strength and durability.H20 includes a waterproof backing that won’t allow spills tosoak into the cushion or subfloor.

‘TIGRESSA H2O CARPET HAS GENERATEDSOME BUZZ DUE TO ITS REVOLUTIONARY

WATERPROOF BACKING. THIS LINE APPEALSTO CUSTOMERS WHO ENJOY THE WARMTH

AND SOFTNESS OF CARPET.’ —Billy Mahone III

Atlas Floors Carpet One, San Antonio

Mountain Homefrom WickhamHardwood Flooring About the product:The Mountain Homecollection offers anauthentic distressedlook handscraped byartisans in the tradition ofRenaissance-erawoodworking.

‘WICKHAM IS ABLE TO

MANUFACTURE AN

ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF

FLOORING BUT THEY

ARE SET UP TO OFFER

THE CONSUMER A LOT

OF FLEXIBILITY IN

TERMS OF WIDTH,SPECIES, GRADE,COLOR AND SHEEN.AND THEY OFFER

AMAZING PRICE

POINTS, WHICHALLOWS US TO BE A

LOT MORE AGGRESSIVE

ON THE STREET.’ —Craig Dupra, Installers

Warehouse Rochester, N.Y.

Continued on page 20

20 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

Alehouse Series by Johnson Hardwood FloorsAbout the product: Ale House combines traditionalelegance and modern style with its long, 7½-inch-wide engineered boards featuring handscraping,random wire-brushing and a dual staining process.Color options include light, medium and dark tones.

‘THERE IS JUSTENOUGH BRUSHING

AND HANDSCAPING TO

MAKE IT A UNIQUE,EASY-TO-MAINTAIN

FLOOR.’ —Lena Thomas, CoronaHardwood, Corona, Calif.

Pure from Beauflor About the product: Pure is a collection of luxury vinyltile planks featuring a 360-degree locking system. Itis available in a standard planks (8 x 52) and an XXLplank (8 x 72) as well as 24 x 24 and 12 x 24 tilesizes.

‘BEAUFLOR LVT FEATURES AREVOLUTIONARY

TECHNOLOGY THAT CREATES

THE MOST VERSATILE VINYL

AVAILABLE.’ —Owen Carpet Co., Dalton, Ga.

Dimensions3 from Citiflor About the product: Each color in the Dimensions3collection, a 12mm product, is available in three for-mats: classic plank, extra long and wide or randomwidth/length. Shown is twilight maple, one of nine col-ors available in the line.

‘FROM COLOR TO STYLE, THECOLLECTION IS RIGHT ON POINT.’ —Ken Miller, Certified FlooringDistributors, Pittsburgh

Flair Collection by MirageAbout the product: The Flair Collection is available in oldmaple and white oak and features natural character marks andrich color variations. In comes in 5-, 6½- and 7¾-inch widthsand sports Duramatt, Mirage’s ultra-low-gloss, durable finishthat contains anti-microbial agents. Both engineered and ¾-inchsolid options are available.

‘IT HAS THE APPEARANCE OF AN OIL

FINISH WITHOUT THE MAINTENANCE

REQUIRED FOR OIL.’—Shawn McCloskey, Haines

Glen Burnie, Md.

Element from Mercier Wood Flooring About the product: Wood’s natural imperfections and unique graincharacteristics are the focal points of the new Element line. The collec-tion comes in hard maple and hickory and features black and blondenuances designed to blend with any style.

‘MERCIER GIVES US A FIRST-QUALITYCANADIAN WOOD LINE THAT FITS ALL

POSSIBILITIES IN THE CONSUMER’SEVER-CHANGING LIFESTYLE.’

—Steve Flanagan, Jaeckle Distributors,Madison, Wis.

Caribbean Sea by ProvenzaAbout the product: The EcoTechCaribbean Sea Collection is a 12mm,high-definition, embossed, real boardeffect laminate with the look of a dis-tressed, chiseled and sculpted floor.

‘WHILE MANY BELIEVE THIS CATEGORY

IS DEAD, OR AT LEAST STAGNANT,THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LAMINATE

LINES FROM PROVENZA, ONE NAMELYCARIBBEAN SEA, THAT IS

SPECTACULAR. SOME OF US STILLLIKE THE THREE-DIMENSIONALQUALITIES OF LAMINATE AS AN

ALTERNATIVE TO HARDWOOD.’—Olga Robertson, FCA Network,

Shorewood, Ill.

Continued from page 192015 intros

Continued on page 22

22 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

Do you know how manycustomers are actuallyreading your store’s over-

all message? This is differentfrom how many customersunderstand your store’s messageor brand image. The first step isgetting it out there. There aretwo questions you need to askyourself: Are you going to theright prospect? If so, how do youknow she is reading your mes-sage? For example, if you run aprint ad in the local paper and itis left out in the rain, do thepages get peeled and read or is itsimply thrown away?

Is it best to send a message to10,000 people not knowingwhether or not they are readingyour ad or is it better going totarget 1,000 people 10 times whowill actually see it? The only pro-gram that can give you this infor-mation is an automated emailmarketing program—a programthat has a tracking feature toprovide valuable informationabout your customers.

“Tracking is not the difficultpart,” said Greg Incardona, vice

president of marketing serviceFollow Your Customer. “It’s ana-lyzing the results and thenadjusting your message toimprove your open rates. Anopen rate means your customeris actually taking the time tolook at your message. You maythink your message is the best inthe world but if it’s not evenopened it’s a waste of time.”

Another benefit of electronicmarketing is its cost effectiveness.You don’t have to print 10,000pieces of mail to determine ifyour message is good or bad; infact, you’ll probably never knowusing that method. The purposeof an automated marketing sys-tem is to drive customers to yourwebsite and ultimately to yourspecial offers. Once the customergets to your site, you have theopportunity to build some inter-action and a chance to sell her.

An automated marketingcampaign benefits your business

in other ways as well. It contin-ues to keep your valuable mes-sages in front of customers, giv-ing them a reason to return toyour store or to purchase productonline. You have more opportu-nities to interact with them onyour social media sites. Isn’t stay-ing in front of the customer whatyou are trying to achieve?

This is the age of the cus-tomer; the key is to figure outhow you will perfect your mes-sage and get it directly in front ofher. The ideal tool for this is anautomated marketing campaign.In contrast to a random emailblast, a campaign is consistent,personalized, timed and carefullythought out.

“It is not always easy for abusiness owner toplan marketing byhimself because ittakes so much time,"Incardona said. “Butan automated cam-paign is a mechanismthat will solve this

problem. Once the links andmessages are set up they auto-matically know where to go andwhat to do. For instance, if you’repromoting a financing offer youwill know how many customersyou have reached and how manyactually opened your email. Thisway you will be able to gaugewhether it was the deliverymethod or the message itself thatneeds to be changed. The key isto test again and again until youare able to adapt to what yourcustomers are expecting.”

An automated marketing sys-tem done by a professional canbe appropriately timed and sentat the right intervals (consistencyis like having another partner foryour business). The only workyou need to put in is determiningwhat you’re promoting and whatback links (websites and socialmedia pages) are important. Onceyou assess this information youcan better target your messages.

lisbiz strategies

Email marketing campaigns done right

ONCE THE CUSTOMER GETS TO YOURSITE, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITYTO BUILD SOME INTERACTION AND A

CHANCE TO SELL HER.

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Training videosSix training videos for your floor covering team including “CustomerExperience Sold,” pretest and follow-up for $189. To view a FREE bonusmodule, visit http://bit.ly/1Dgtlwu, establish a free account and view “PriceMatters,” how to understand price objections and what to do about them.

New for the industry!Wondering how to get your customer contacts to work for you? If youwant customers to send you referrals, you must find a way to interactwith them 12-18 times a year. Who has time for that?

Followyourcustomer.com has time! Choose our automated email and printmarketing plan specifically designed for the flooring industry. Our libraryhas professionally written web content and eye catching graphic designs.Push the button and we’re capable of getting your email and print mar-keting campaign out to potential customers. For more info visithttp://www.followyourcustomer.com.

Customized training for your staffDo you want to get your staff motivated and excited about the new selling season ahead? Do you want them to sharpen up their sales and customer service skills?Not sure what they need? Schedule a consultation with Lisbeth to designa training program with your business in mind at http://lisbethcalandrino.com/.

Continued from page 202015 intros

COREtec Plus from USFloorsAbout the product: Thepatented construction ofCOREtec Plus featuresUSFloors’ innovativeCOREtec structure,which is an extruded coremade from recycledwood and bamboo dust,limestone and virginPVC.

‘CORETEC REMAINSTHE SINGLE-FASTEST-GROWING CATEGORY

IN OUR STORE. THEWATERPROOF STORY

IS ONLY ONE OF THE

REASONS IT’S A TOP

SELLER; THE OTHERREASON IS ITS CORK

BACKING AND MEATY

MECHANICAL JOINT

WHICH PERMITS

INSTALLATION OVER

FLOOR CONDITIONS NOT

SUITABLE FOR MOST

LVT PRODUCTS.’—John Schnaitman,Schnaitman’s Flooring

America,Stroudsburg, Pa.

Lisbeth Calandrino has been promoting retail strategies for the last 20years. To have her speak at your business or to schedule a consultation,contact her at lcalandrino@nycap.rr.com.

Interwoven by Raskin About the product: Interwovenoffers great acoustics, cleanability,design and speed of installation.The G88 coating on the surfacemakes it is easy to clean and prevents edge fray.

‘THE ADDITION OF INTERWOVENADDS GREAT DESIGN FLEXIBILITY

TO THE RASKIN LINE. IT CANSTAND ALONE OR PAIR BEAUTI-FULLY WITH A PLANK OR TILE

FROM THE ELEVATIONS LINE.’ —Erin Cartwright Fernandes, E.J. Welch Co., Earth City, Mo.

fcnews June 6/13, 2016 I 23

Continued from page 1Area rugs

The speed to market has dramat-ically increased to the pointwhere a consumer can order arug from a domestic manufactur-er and have it delivered in a fewdays. This, of course, has bur-dened brick-and-mortar dealers.

“Unless the retailer hasdesigners on staff who valuetheir own expertise and chargefor their services accordingly,the consumer won’t spendmoney on a beautiful wool rug,”said Olga Robertson, presidentof the FCA Network, a buyinggroup representing nearly 60dealers. “The category has beenrelegated to the lowest commondenominator: disposable rugs.Specialty retailers can inventory$1 million in rugs in all shapesand sizes and invariably younever have the right rug. It’s anuphill battle between merchan-dising, marketing, sales trainingand competition. You can buy a6 x 9, 3 x 5 and 2 x 8 runnerpackage from a home centerthat’s in stock for $189 out thedoor. It’s tough to compete.”

Other retailers attest to thechallenges. Sam Presnell, presi-dent of The Rug Gallery inCincinnati, said flooring dealersneed to step up their game and“make them buy from you” in theface of all the different channeloptions. He said his business isup about 10% over the same peri-od last year but he knows that isnot the case for everyone. “I havebeen hearing rumblings fromdealers [covering] a wide rangeof geographical areas who aremissing their sales targets; I real-ly don’t understand why. The res-idential builder market is gettinghealthy again and existing salesare up all across the country.”

Executives noted that arearugs have shown some vibrancythanks to new technology, whichhas allowed manufacturers tocreate a fashion statement whilekeeping costs down. Furthermore,as hard surface sales continue toclimb—especially hardwoodflooring and LVT—area rugsoffer a natural add-on sale for

flooring retailers to capitalize onthe trend. It makes for a com-pelling sales opportunity for thespecialty dealer. “If you do nothave rugs on your floors, yourhome is just an echo chamber,”said David Duncan, senior vicepresident of marketing and salesoperations for Mohawk.

Custom rug trendsShaw Floors exited the rug busi-ness two years ago and yet isdoing well with its Cut A Rug pro-gram. One interesting aspect ofcustomized rug programs is man-ufacturers can benefit from rugsales without having to inventorymillions of dollars worth of rugs.The custom rug trend continuesto grow with a large movementtoward simplistic bound pat-terned carpets vs. traditionalrugs. “There are new programsavailable from our residential car-pet manufacturers that makebinding carpets into rugs simpleto order and deliver,” said DaveSnedeker, division merchandisemanager-flooring, NebraskaFurniture Mart in Omaha.

Mohawk’s custom rug pro-gram, called A Cut Above,launched April 1. The companyreports the number of retailersparticipating has exceededexpectations. “Our custom rugprogram is successful in partbecause of its connection to theKarastan brand, which has a longhistory of producing beautiful,quality rugs,” said Mike Zoellner,vice president of marketing serv-ices.

Heather Yamada, director ofconsumer marketing for ShawFloors, noted that Shaw’s Cut ARug program has been availableto retailers for some time,although it has never been a for-malized program until now.“There is a lot of energy and sup-port around the program likenever before,” she said, addingthat it’s a major initiative for thecompany. “Cut A Rug offers usthe unique opportunity to offerrugs while not having to be inthe traditional rug industry. It’s acustom approach that not every-one can offer and provides realbenefits for flooring retailers.”

At Shaw, the Cut A Rugprogram focuses on better-end styles such as Tuftex,Caress, its new St. Jude car-pet collection and productsfrom the company’s best-selling Anso Colorwall,Soft Shades and ClearlyChic lines.

Observers believe cus-tom rug programs areviable because consumerswant to use their imagina-tion in decorating. At thesame time, manufacturershave the technical know-how to create virtually anycustom rug a customerdesires. “We’re seeing a lotmore stores sampling ourproduct, for example,”Couristan’s Mahurter said.“We started seeing it in thefall of 2015 and it has con-tinued in 2016. Before (andthrough) the recession rug saleswere flat. That’s not the case anymore. We run two rug promo-tions a year, and the last two pro-motions have been our best interms of volume in the last sevento 10 years.”

The excitement surroundingthe category is opening upavenues for broadloom manufac-turers. Stanton Carpet, for

example, continues to proactive-ly seek new opportunities in therug business. As a supplier ofdecorative carpet across multi-ple categories, Stanton—whichwon an Award of Excellence inarea rugs in 2016 (FCNews May23/30) — offers fabrication on allproducts including basic serging,hand serging, cotton bound,linen, faux leather and patterned

fabric borders. “We offersquare-foot rug pricing onmost products and are cur-rently working on a newplatform to significantlystreamline the custom rugordering process with deepflexibility and accessibili-ty,” said Jonathan Cohen,CEO. “Many of our cus-tomers utilize our fabrica-tion services, which areperformed in our new dis-tribution center inCalhoun, Ga., and can turnaround most custom fabri-cated rugs in 5-7 business

days.”�Retailers said one trend they

are seeing is a swing back to tra-ditional rugs, albeit with trendycolors that give classic patternsa fresh look. “What the cus-tomer is looking for is stylish,affordable and easily change-able to adapt to the changingtrends in home décor,”Robertson said.

Sales are up 10% over the year-ago period at The Rug Gallery inCincinnati, which recently added hard surfaces to its mix.

Shaw’s Cut A Rug programallows retailers to

participate in the categorywithout having to commit to excessive inventory.

24 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

Some call it disruptive technology; others call itgame changing. Whatever the characterization,today’s software innovations are allowing floor-

ing dealers and installers the ability to access importantinformation in real time. The end result is a vastly

improved, seamless sales experience.What was traditionally done with graph paper, pencil,

digital camera, tape measure, calculator and even desk-

top computer can now be combined into one digital toolthat can be used on any mobile device and applied in theshowroom or in the field.

Following are the best technology introductions of2015 as cited by retailers and distributors.

2015 innovations change the estimating game

Mobile Order Entry by RFMSAbout the product: Ever sincesmartphones and tablets arrived onthe scene, RFMS has been workingto bring its software to the smallscreen. In early 2015, Mobile OrderEntry (MOE) was released. MOEcombines an easy-to-use yet powerfuldrawing and estimating applicationwith a simplified RFMS order entrytool specifically for the mobile device.

iOS mobile app from Measure SquareAbout the product: iOS mobile measuring app is ideal for installers,estimators and sales reps working on retail flooring jobs. The appcan measure all flooring types, add-ons and even labor.

‘USING MOE I CAN VISIT THE

JOBSITE, ADJUST THE ROOMSIZES AND, WHILE I’M THERE,MEASURE THE REST OF THE

HOME FOR A FUTURE SALES

OPPORTUNITY.’—JD Kennedy S&H DistributingGrapevine, Texas

‘MEASURE SQUARE HAS ENABLEDUS TO MAKE NOTICEABLE IMPROVE-MENTS IN OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.’ —Todd Simmons, Rite Rug

Columbus, Ohio

Web calendar by RollmasterAbout the product: The functionality gives installers, salespeople and staff the ability to view a job from anywhere, at any time and on any device.

‘I LOVE THE WEB CALENDAR; IT IS VERY USER FRIENDLY AND THE

CUSTOMIZING ASPECT FOR EACH USER MAKES IT EVEN BETTER.’ —Makaye Germershausen, Baltimore Carpets/Carpet Liquidators

Linthicum Heights, Md.

technology

By Ken Ryan

26 I June 6/13, 2016 fcnews

Floor Covering News550 W. Old Country Rd.Suite 204Hicksville, NY 11801

FOR A QUOTE CONTACT

Nadia Ramlakhan

nadia@fcnews.net Call: 516.932.7860Fax: 516.932.7639floorcoveringnews

f c n ew s . n e t June6/13

CAREER OPPORTUNITIESBUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES CAREER OPPORTUNITIES CAREER OPPORTUNITIESBUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

BITTERROOT VALLEY, MTFLOORING STORE FOR SALE

Small Retail Store for sale in Montana's beautiful Bitterroot ValleyContact Dallas for more details: candocarpet@outlook.com

1 CENT/SF FLOORING ESTIMATINGFast & Accurate - Callidus Takeoffs

commercialflooringestimating.com

WE HELP DEALERSPrivate labels, specialty mills & etc.

Call us now at 800-228-4632 www.carpetbroker.com

FLOORING BUYERChicago based closeout/discount retailer seeks a Buyer who

specializes in hard surface floor coverings (tile, hardwood, vinyl,laminate, etc.) for our growing chain. Must be creative at finding

unique and desirable products at incredible values bothdomestically and overseas, negotiate great deals, developstructure, and make wise decisions. Must have excellent

communication and organizational skills, thrive in anentrepreneurial environment, have the ability to expand job

responsibilities, suggests improvements, and collaborate withothers to generate ideas and improve processes. Send resume

to careersmje@gmail.com.

OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVESNaturally Aged Flooring is looking for several motivated Outside

Sales Representatives to grow and maintain our current customerbase. The qualified candidate should have three years minimumexperience as a manufacturer or distributor representative in the

hardwood flooring industry. Knowledge of local retailers andwholesalers is a huge plus. We are in need of representation in

MN, WI, IL, MI, IN, KY, TN, NY, PA, NJ, MD, DE, WV, and VA

For over 30 years, Naturally Aged Flooring has serviced retail andwholesale flooring accounts across the US and Canada. Our

company is built on a commitment to gain market share throughprofessional representation and unsurpassed customer service.

We offer a competitive base salary plus commission, carallowance, company provided iphone and ipad, travel expenses

and benefits. Please submit your resume to Mike atMike@naturallyagedflooring.com

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING A leading hardwood flooring manufacturer/distributor is seeking an Assistant

Director of Sales & Marketing with minimum 3-5 years of experience inflooring distribution to develop and deliver strong sales tactics and activities.

Competitive salary plus full benefit. Also we have immediate openings forsales representative for California territory. Please submit resume to:

hr777recruitment@gmail.com

REGIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGERSouth Texas VMI’S Premier Group Flooring Distributor has an opening for a

Regional Account Manager to build strong relationships with existingCustomers as well as recruiting new ones. He or she will work toward

achieving an assigned sales quota and will be responsible for acomprehensive, full cycle sales process. Comprehensive flooring Industry

Knowledge, Ability to travel and Solid industry networks. We offer CompetitiveSalary plus great benefits package. Send resume to

gilles@vmipremiergroup.com

GENERAL MANAGERDynamic and growing full service flooring installation

company adding a Retail Cash and Carry division.Seeking General Manager to help achieve

3 – 7 stores in next 5+ years.Position reports directly to ownership and is responsible

for all Retail Operations and Financial Performance.Aggressive Salary, Bonus and Benefits

package commensurate with experience.Successful Flooring and Multi Store Retail Experience required.

Please contact Patrick at patrick@wccv.com

RETAILS SALES POSITION NORTH OF CHICAGOServing Northern Illinois for over 50 years. Family owned business is growing. Have a Design

Background? Home Furnishing Experience? Love working with people?Then we want to talk to you. Competitive Salary & Benefits. Please send resumes and inquiries to

Jiskalis@iskalisfloor.com

OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVESFERMA FLOORING is a growing importer and national distributor

for hardwood (solid &engineered), bamboo, laminate and luxury vinyl flooring based in New Jersey.We are looking for Sales Representatives covering territories ofNew York, Philadelphia, PA and Delaware for B2B sales. Relatedknowledge and experiences are required. Please fax resume to

732-225-5290 or email to sales@fermaflooring.com orhr@fermaflooring.com

KITCHEN & BATH DESIGNERLooking for a change? New company getting into Kitchen & Bath Design. Serving Northern Illinois forover 50 years. Person must have 20/20 or kitchen pro computer experience. Competitive Salary &

Benefits. Please send resumes and inquiries to jiskalis@iskalisfloor.com

INSTALLERS WANTEDJones Tile Inc. is looking to hire both experienced and in-experienced commercial

VCT installers. We primarily dowork for the worlds largest

retailer. Our job scope includesboth demolition and installation

of VCT, PVC, pharmacy carpet, and entry tile.

Our crews work all across the US. Jones Tile Inc. currently

has about 20 crews and isconstantly looking to

expand our workforce.Contact: Kyla McDonald

573-346-3862

PHENIX FLOORING IS GROWING AND IS SEEKINGCANDIDATES FOR A TERRITORY MANAGER POSITION

Territory: State of Louisiana, and Southern Mississippi. This position must be based in Baton Rouge, LA.

This is an excellent opportunity for a knowledgeable, experienced Floorcoverings Sales Professional to align

with a rapidly growing manufacturer in an established territory.Phenix is a privately owned company based in Dalton Georgia

which specializes in the manufacturing and distribution ofresidential carpet to the nation’s top retailers.

Benefits include:•Health, Life, and Disability Insurance

•401K with Company Match•Paid Vacation

Compensation:•Base Salary plus Commissions

•Paid Business ExpensesInterested Candidates may apply via e-mail to

hmillsaps@phenixflooring.com or by fax: 706-279-8284Phenix Flooring is an Equal Opportunity Employer

DIRECTOR OF SALESDynamic and growing full service flooring installation company seeks Director of Sales to help

company achieve goal of dramatic growth over next 5 years and beyond. Position reports directly toownership and is responsible for orchestrating the overall sales efforts of the organization to meet

agreed upon gross sales and net margin goals for the entire company. A successful individual will dothis by setting the sales policies and strategy for the company, leading and managing the overall

sales efforts of the organization through Regional Sales Managers, and creating training anddevelopment programs for the growth and development of the sales staff. Aggressive salary andbenefits package commensurate with experience. Minimum 5 years experience in the flooring

industry required, preferably with demonstrated progressive sales leadership roles includingexperience managing employees remotely. Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of

experience and training required. Contact: Jason.Sherman@tocflooring.com

SALES REP, LONG ISLAND, N.Y.Excellent opportunity

with establishedflooring

distributor/importerto

service/grow our Long Island, NY

territory. Huge opportunity

with complete andgrowing

hard & soft surfacelines. Benefits:

Health, 401K, Salary plus Commission. Contact Nadia at

nadia@fcnews.net and refer to box

#430.

fcnews June 6/13, 2016 I 27

MARKETPLACE MARKETPLACEMARKETPLACEMARKETPLACE MARKETPLACE

KEY ACCOUNTMANAGER

Excellent opportunity withLeading Import Flooring

Manufacturer of Laminate, LVT, WPC for experienced key

account sales manager to cover both established and new wholesale distribution

markets. Candidates shouldhave significant experience

working with or for USdistribution management andsales reps in the hard surface

flooring category (5+ yearspreferred) and be willing to

travel the US market. Salary, bonus opportunity,

and expenses covered. Qualified candidates

should submit resume, including cover letter to:gphh2014@gmail.com

WE BUY USED CARPETCUTTING MACHINES

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