Bigger footprint plus technology drive growth

Transcription

Vol. 62
No. 21
A Hearst Business Publication
November 11, 2013
FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
The Industry’s Business News & Information Resource
$4
3
Frank Ready retires from Armstrong
Thomas Mangas fills CEO spot
Frank Ready
CMH’s fleet of trucks
T&L Distributing Co. is based in Houston.
The Haines team: Scott Roy, Mark Blakley, Rosana Chaidez,
Bruce Zwicker, John Coakley, Bill Piechowski and Fred Reitz
P e r i o d i c a l
Overview of CMH based in Wadesboro, N.C.
For breaking news updated each business day, visit us online at www.fcw1.com
11-11-13-pages.indd 1
Bigger footprint plus
technology drive growth
[Wadesboro, N.C.] Hard work; a willingness to adopt the latest technologies into
operating procedures, a focused product
offering and a string of strategic acquisitions
during the industry’s most trying period has
propelled CMH Space Flooring Products to
an estimated $200 million in sales this year,
according to key members of the close-knit
organization.
“Change is something many companies,
and most people don’t like,” said Hoy Lanning, president and CEO. “We’re always
looking for new and changing products and
looking for new ways to solve customer problems. This is how we create opportunities.”
“Our core philosophy of keeping the
customer serviced has not changed,” said
Wadesboro distribution manager Marty
Cox. “When I first started, it was not rare for
me to have to throw product in the back of a
pickup truck and drive it to South Carolina
— just to keep the customer serviced.”
Today, CMH provides a sophisticated UPS
barcode inventory system that’s linked to
its drivers who have GPS systems that adapt
to changes in schedules, traffic and weather.
“Somebody might have a competitive product; but nobody out services us,” said Cox.
Art Layton, CMH Space Flooring Product’s vice president of marketing, said it’s
that core attitude along with the advanced
technology that allows CMH to stay ahead
when it comes to service.
“We’re not trying to find six ways to say,
‘We can’t.’ We’re always working to find that
one way to say, ‘We can.’ We try real hard
to maintain personal relationships with our
customers and our vendors, to make things
work and to keep things fun," said Layton.
Founded in 1989 as a carpet cushion
supplier, CMH Flooring Products expanded
into the vinyl floor market with Congoleum
in 1991. In 1996, CMH Flooring Products
expanded its territory in the Carolinas with
Allison-Erwin and into Virginia with Canterbury — both regional Congoleum distributors at the time. Sales grew to $50 million.
Continued on page 16
11/6/13 4:28 PM
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Untitled-1 24
LACEY ACT
COMPLIANT
10/31/13 1:27 PM
News
Ready retires from Armstrong
Mannington laminate:
100% Made in America
Company makes executive management changes
[Lancaster, Pa.] After 30 years at Armstrong Flooring Products, Frank Ready is
retiring. Thomas Mangas will succeed Ready
as CEO effective Nov. 16, 2013.
Mangas has served as chief financial officer
of Armstrong since February 2010, leading
finance as well as information technology, global
business services and process improvement.
“I would like to thank Frank for his 30
years of dedicated service. His many contributions will be felt for years to come,” said
Matthew Espe, CEO of Armstrong World
Industries. “In Tom Mangas, we have a
well-seasoned leader,
whose global mindset
and customer focus
will enable our flooring
business to fully leverage recent investments
and have a bright
future. I am equally
excited to welcome Frank Ready
Dave Schulz as my new
finance leader. The ability to quickly fill these
positions from within is a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of our organization
Correction
Corrections
vitality and succession
planning processes.”
David Schulz will
succeed Mangas. Schulz
most recently served as
vice president, finance
of Armstrong Building
Products. He joined
Thomas Mangas
Armstrong in June 2011
after spending 14 years
with Procter & Gamble and the J.M. Smucker
Company in a wide range of finance leadership positions. FCW FCW
FCW
Smart marketing in the upturn
“This year, as we move out of the recession and the economy gets stronger, it is the
[New Orleans] Here in New Orleans last perfect year to focus on marketing,” Jeanne
month, the Starnet Worldwide members Matson, president and CEO, Starnet told
came together to share best practices and to Floor Covering Weekly (FCW).
Randy Rubenstein of Rubensteins in Seattackle, together, how to market in a post-retle, one of the conference’s panelists noted,
cession world.
“We are all market developing people. We need to sell
ourselves and need to sell
our strengths. We need to
lead with service and follow
it up with marketing.”
Unlike the spring meetPanelists Rob Haily, Jim Lloyd, Jim Vanhauer,
ing, (the group holds two
Ellen Zucker,Frank Pelosi and Randy Rubenstein
meetings a year) the fall event
By Amy Joyce Rush
FCW
is not mandatory but this year’s attendance
was impressive with 147 of the 170 members
attended — the 170th member, in fact, was
approved last month.
Over the last three years, Matson said Starnet
has worked to formalize the meetings to make
sure that the agenda is robust and meaningful
to members. Two years ago, the group targeted
moisture mitigation as the theme, last year it
was project management.
Not only is now the time to look at the
challenge of marketing, Matson said that this
group, because of its diversity, is ideal for such
a discussion. “The great thing about Starnet is
that they are all entrepreneurs and the great
joy is that they are all different —they are all
in the commercial flooring contractor business but they are all different in the structure
Stainmaster PetProtect carpet to woo pet owners
ter carpet cushion features a proprietary
breathable moisture barrier, which allows
Invista is hoping to connect with the millions moisture vapors from the sub flooring to
of pet owners in the U.S. and Canada with escape up through the carpet while preventits latest Stainmaster brand extension — the ing spills from soaking though the carpet
and cushion, making thorough cleaning
PetProtect carpet and cushion system.
Stainmaster PetProtect carpet is made of easier, according to Invista.
Research by the American Pet Product
SuperiaSD, solution dyed nylon 6,6 fiber,
which is resistant to fading from strong Association found that more U.S. housecleansers and bright sunlight. Stainmas- holds have pets than they have children. “Pet
owners love their pets, but our
consumer research shows they
want tidier pet-friendly living
spaces,” said Melissa Minihan,
Stainmaster vice president of
marketing.
Invista research showed that
pet owners want stain resistant
and easy-to-clean carpet, and
easy removal of pet accidents and
pet odors when cleaning their
carpet and quick and easy pet hair
removal, according to Minihan.
“The Stainmaster PetProtect
Consumers will be able to relax and enjoy their pets with
Stainmaster PetProtect carpet and cushion.
system can serve as a solution for
By Janet Herlihy
November 11, 2013
WWW.FCW1.COM
·
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3
today’s households that consider pets to be
part of the family.”
Along with stains and odors, pet hair
is even easier to remove from Stainmaster
PetProtect carpet, according to Invista’s laboratory testing. “This means more pet hair in
your vacuum and reduced pet hair on your
clothes, something almost every pet owner
will appreciate,” added Minihan.
About a dozen Stainmaster PetProtect
carpet styles will begin to roll out across the
country in November in about 2,000 dealer
showrooms along with POP materials, which
promise to get shoppers’ attention at retail,
according to Gary Johnston, marketing
communications manager for Stainmaster.
The launch will start in Stainmaster Flooring
Centers and Showcase dealers as well as other
retailers and will be in Lowes after some leadtime for aligned dealers, Minihan noted.
More PetProtect styles will be ready to launch
in time for Surfaces 2014.
Invista is looking to all sorts of media to
get the PetProtect message to consumers.
“We will be using television, web, and con-
[Salem, N.J.] Mannington Mills announced
that beginning this month the company is
moving production of the Diamond Bay Collection to its facility in High Point, N.C. from its
current production location in China.
As a result of this onshoring, 100 percent
of Mannington laminate will now be made in
the United States.
Diamond Bay provides an exotic hardwood
visual with clarity and depth of color, all with
the durability and easy maintenance of laminate, according to the company. The collection
comes in eight different colors of Brazilian
Cherry, Hawaiian Koa, Himalayan Cedar and
Kingston Mahogany. Offered in 12mm thickness with micro-beveled edges, the Diamond
Bay collection comes with a 25 year warranty.
According to Dan Natkin, director of wood
and laminate at Mannington, the High Point
facility can now achieve the high clarity finish
that is the hallmark of Diamond Bay. “The way
we are producing it in the U.S. provides a much
more liveable gloss than the way the Chinese
make it. Our lines that have been treated with
this have done phenomenally well, so we expect Diamond Bay to do the same,” he said,
adding, “Laminate has always been a category
that we look at as anything we can imagine, we
can produce. It doesn’t make sense to continue
having someone else do it for us when we now
have the capability as well.”
Natkin also explained that the company
fundamentally believes in U.S. production at
its core. “We’ve always been a U.S.-based
company, so that’s an attribute that is very
important to us,” he said. “Quality control is
another issue that is solved by onshoring. We
can keep a closer eye on production being
based 100 percent in the U.S.A.”
— Brittany Walsh
Mannington’s Diamond Bay, shown in
Hawaiian Koa, is now made in America.
sumer print, starting this month and will
continue with a national campaign. The
television advertising will be on cable channels scheduled around pet owner programs,”
Johnston noted.
“This is a great product that meets aesthetics and functionality plus the Stainmaster
cushion for moisture control,” stated Johnston. The price point for PetProtect will vary
according to face weight, but will be competitive with similar nylon products. FCW FCW
Correction
Corrections
FCW
FCW
11/6/13 4:06 PM
4
E= Estimate
P= Projected
R= Revised
Sales in millions of dollars
MSI: Unique
and powerful
MSI, founded in 1975, is the nation’s largest
distributor of tile and stone with 2013 sales projected at more than $500 million. In an effort
to maintain the integrity of FCW’s annual Top
25 Distribution listing, including MSI among
the country’s full-line distributors didn’t quite
make sense, though company sales are above all
others. What does make sense is to shine some
light on this unique and growing company.
 Amy Joyce Rush, managing editor, FCW
Based in Orange, Calif., MSI distributes
flooring, countertop, wall-tile and hardscaping products including natural stone products imported from more than 36 countries
on six continents nationwide. The company
maintains 18 distribution centers across the
U.S. and Canada. In addition, MSI carries an
extensive offering of porcelain, ceramic, glass
and quartz products. The company maintains
an inventory of more 50 million square feet
and has made it its mission to continue to
source the best products and make them
more affordable and accessible in the North
American marketplace. The company does
this by using technology and other productivity tools to continually bring efficiencies to
its sourcing and supply chain. For more on
MSI, go to msistone.com.
MSI Fast Facts Warehouse locations:
Orange, CA
Seattle, WA
Houston, TX
Lenexa, KS
Deerfield Beach, FL
Charlotte, NC
Baltimore, MD
Boston, MA
Hayward, CA
Phoenix, AZ
Dallas, TX
Chicago, IL
Atlanta, GA
Dulles, VA
Edison, NJ
Toronto, ONTO
Key executives (Shown above from left)
Rajesh Shah, co-president
Manu Shah, CEO
Rupesh Shah, co-president
Key product lines
Flooring
Wall Tile
Countertops
Hardscaping
Ranking
Company
2013
2012
Ra
Key Executives
1
Haines
Glen Burnie, MD
410-760-4040
jjhaines.com
$320
$279 (R)
Bruce Zwicker, president/CEO; Rosana Chaidez, VP sales &
marketing and procurement; Scott Roy, VP sales & marketing and customer service; John Coakley, CFO, business
development; Fred Reitz, VP supplies business & development; Bill Piechowski, VP human resources; Mark Blakely, VP
Haines flooring operations
2
BPI
Memphis, TN
901-744-6414
bpiteam.com
$216
$205
Daniel Riley, CEO; John Anderson, VP; Wallace McAlexander, CFO; Elaine Bennett, VP; Sam Martin, sales manager
3
CMH Space Flooring
Products, Inc.
Wadesboro, NC
704-694-6213
cmhspace.com
$190
$160
Hoy Lanning, president/CEO; Chris O’Connor, COO/
CFO; Todd Good, VP sales & marketing; Breck Berkey, VP
sales branch sales; Art Layton, VP marketing
3
The Belknap-White Group
Mansfield, MA
508-337-2700
belknapwhite.com
$190
5
William M. Bird & Co.
Charleston, SC
843-554-3040
wmbird.com
$138.8(E)
$124
Maybank Hagood, CEO; Robert Hagood, president; Gene
Corvino, senior VP finance/CFO
6
Apollo Distributing Co.
Fairfield, NJ
973-228-5000
apollodist.com
$136.6(E)
$122.0(E)
Keith Slobodien, president; Jim Russomano, VP/GM; Chuck
Greene, wood manager; Chris Courtenay, manager, residential vinyl, laminate; Carl Embrey, manager, commercial
vinyl, laminate
7
NRF Distributors, Inc.
Augusta, ME
207-430-2818
nrfdist.com
$133
$124
Norman Pomerleau, president; Terry Pomerleau Gray,
SVP; Lee Gray, SVP sales; Jimmy Pomerleau, VP carpet;
Deb Giordano, VP wood
8
B.R. Funsten & Co.
San Francisco, CA
415-674-0530
brfunsten.com
$130
$112
Jim Funsten. chairman/CEO; Curt Thompson, president/
COO; Dave Bolton, VP concrete solutions; Rick Wagner,
VP Tom Duffy Hardwood; Bob Ramos, VP Armstrong
sales; Tom Kane, VP commercial solutions; Jon Youngberg,
VP Tom Duffy Supplies
9
Tri-West Ltd.
Santa Fe Springs, CA
562-692-9166
triwestltd.com
$127(E)
$112.4(E)
Dan Proctor, president; Tony Geiger, CFO; John Lubinski,
VP operations; Allen Gage, VP sales and marketing; Frank
Kelly, VP sales
10
Ohio Valley Flooring
Cincinnati, OH
513-561-3399
ovf.com
$126.1
$111
Al Hurt, president; Jeff Garber, VP sales and marketing,
Mark Roflow, VP finance
11
FlorStar Sales, Inc.
Romeoville, IL
815-836-2800
florstar.com
$126
$105
Wade Cassidy, owner/CEO; Scott Rozmus, president;
Greg Stirrett, CFO; Mike Ricker, VP field sales; Kelly A.
Cassidy, VP general counsel
12
Galleher
Santa Fe Springs, CA
562-356-4610
galleher.com
$125
$95
$150.0 (R) Ray Mancini Jr., president; Paul Castagliolo, executive VP/
GM; Bill White, president, commercial div.; Bill Prescott, VP
sales
Jeff Hamar, president; Todd Hamar and Rick Coates, SVP;
Ray Iodice, CFO
11/6/13 4:27 PM
5
Ranking
Company
13
Herregan Distributors, Inc.
Eagan, MN
651-452-7200
herregan.com
14
2013
2012
Key Executives
$114.5
$95.5
Ken Herriges, CEO; Bob Link, president/COO; Tom
Splinter, EVP sales; Craig Folven, VP sales and marketing
Paramount; Pat Theis, VP sales and marketing Mannington
T & A Supply Co.
Kent, WA
253-872-4998
tasupply.com
$109
$97.0 (R)
Owen Strecker, CEO; Mark Strecker, president; Will Crites,
CFO; Steve Urlacher, COO; Owen Strecker, Jr., sales
manager
15
Adleta Corporation
Carrollton, TX
972-620-5600
adleta.com
$107
$94
16
Swiff-Train Co.
Houston, TX
713-937-1448
swiff-train.com
$86
$80.0 (R)
16
T & L Distributing
Company, Inc.
Houston, TX
713-980-2175
Tldistributing.com
$86
$73
Bob Thomas, chariman; Jeff Thomas, president; Bob Eady,
SVP sales and marketing
18
Elias Wilf Corporation
Owings Mills, MD
800-642-9453
flooryou.com
$84
$81
Arnold Cohen, chairman; Jeff Striegel, president/CEO;
Hillard Cohen, EVP; Rich Kearsley, SVP sales
BPI celebrates
50 years of growth
By Janet Herlihy
Jack Adleta, chairman/CEO; John Sher, president; Skip
Graves, senior VP finance
LA Train, president/CEO; Kenneth Train, EVP sales and
marketing; Jeff Train, VP operations; Don Evans, VP sales
and marketing; Jonathan Train, VP development
BPI’s sales force gathered together to celebrate
50 years of exceeding expectations.
[Memphis, Tenn.] Founded in 1963 by the late
Alexander R. Hill, Memphis-based Building
Plastics, Inc. (known as BPI) has evolved and
grown from a single 7,500 square foot warehouse
distributor of Formica brand plastic laminate and
Kentile vinyl plastic floors with eight employees to
the second largest flooring distributor in the U.S.
Today, BPI serves about 5,800 customers
from 10 warehouse facilities spread across
Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi that total more than one million square
feet and employ more than 400 staff members.
Founder Hill posed a series of questions
19
Reader’s Wholesales
Distributors, Ltd.
Houston, TX
713-224-8300
readerswholesale.com
$83
All Tile, Inc.
Elk Grove Village, IL
888-ALL-TILE
alltile.com
$82
21
Southern Wholesale
Flooring Co.
Kennesaw, GA
800--282-7590
swfloor.com
$69.6
$69.6(E)
22
Longust Distributing, Inc.
Mesa, AZ
480-730-3380
longust.com
$68
$66
23
Tingle Flooring
Lees Summit, MO
816-524-9555
wctingle.com
$66
$62
Chip Moxley, president; Tyler Barr, sales rep manager;
John Reinhold, sales rep manager; Tom Kennedy, sales rep.
manager
24
Jaeckle Distributors
Madison, WI
608-838-5300
jaeckledistributors.com
$55.1
$52.3
Jeff Jaeckle, president; Torrey Jaeckle, VP; John Apple, SVP
sales & marketing; Brad Simonson, CFO; Bill Simonson, VP
of Operations
25
Cain & Bultman, Inc.
Jacksonville, FL
904-798-1000
cain-bultman.com
$52
$48
20
$78
$72
Lucky Burke, CEO; Adam Burke, president; John Foley, VP,
Armstrong division; Kirby Jones, SVP Southern Traditions
Bob Weiss, president/CEO; John Welch, CFO; Steve
Rosenthal, VP sales; Marc Haberman, director of marketing
Rich history
sets stage for future
Cain & Bultman enters its 90th year
By Amy Joyce Rush
Dennis Harrison, president; Delinda Kilgore, vice president;
Sandy Fowler, VP sales
Steve Wallace, CEO; Drew Mittelstaedt, president; Bo
Boberz, CFO; John Laird, COO
Michael Sandifer, chairman/CEO; Buddy Faircloth, president; Kirk Sandifer, EVP; Nick Melnyk, VP; Paul Roark,
manager Armstrong Floors
Kirk Sandifer, Mike Sandifer, Buddy Faircloth
and Alan Kimball
[Jacksonville, Fla.] “Partners in Business” has
been Cain & Bultman’s motto since Norwood
Sandifer bought the company back in 1959 and it
has been its guiding philosophy ever since. In 2014,
Cain & Bultman will celebrate its 90th anniversary.
“Cain & Bultman is built on honesty and
integrity and an offering of good strong brand
name products in the market,” said Buddy
Faircloth who has been with the company 48
years and became president five years ago. “Key
ingredients of our Partners in Business strategy
are providing long term business relationships,
quality products, professional sales representatives and logistical excellence.”
11/6/13 4:27 PM
6
News
Accessories complete the package
By Megan Salzano
During tough economic times, it’s easy to
assume that sundry products are not at
the forefront of consumer transactions.
But leading distributors said that strength
of distribution is being able to offer “the
whole package” and sundries — all the little
things that allow for a flawless installation
— are a big part of that package.
“We provide the sundry materials that
are compatible with the flooring products
that we sell in almost all cases,” said Scott
Rozmus, president, FlorStar Sales. “Offering those products sets one apart from
competitors and gives you an opportunity
to add value for your clients.”
Distributors said accessories, such
as adhesives, underlayment, trim and
molding, can help seal the deal. “From
our standpoint, accessories are extremely
important for us to be able to provide
because there’s an expectation that where
they buy the wood they will be able to get
everything they need to complete the job,”
said Bob Eady, senior vice president sales
and marketing, T+L Distributing.
Bruce Burns, marketing manager, supply
products/Formica laminate, NRF Distributors, stressed the importance of the accessories to the one stop shop. “We like to be able
to count the fact that we have everything
you need to complete a job available and can
be added to our truck and delivered.”
According to Rozmus, offering sundry
products to customers provides an overall
higher level of service and less cost to the
customer. “We don’t want somebody not
able to finish a job because they are waiting for a piece of the puzzle. So it is very
important to make people aware of the sundries you have and what they’re designed
to do and how they’re going to make what
the dealer is already doing easier, faster and
more profitable.”
Eady added, “You can hold up a dealer
getting a $20,000 to $30,000 check from
a consumer because the moldings are
wrong or aren’t delivered, so it’s very, very
important to be able to provide those at the
time you provide the wood.”
Including accessories in a job order can
also help solve issues that invariably arise.
“From a service standpoint, if there ever is
Distributors noted that offering sundry
products isn’t without its challenges. “The
technical requirements of selling these
products is a barrier to entry for some
potential competitors,” said Breck Berkey,
president, Ellis Flooring Sales.
“The number of SKU’s that are involved
can be a daunting task,” said Young.
Berkey explained, “Accessories demand
that you stock a myriad of colors in each
SKU and the colors are constantly discontinued and updated, and knowing the
different names products are referred to
by customers is always a challenge. Many
installation products also have a limited
shelf life and some need to be handled differently in the winter months.”
According to T+L Distributing, persuading
reps to talk about sundry products can also be
tough. “They’re more interested in talking
about that big old order of wood and less
interested in talking about the $1,000 worth of
adhesive that goes with it,” said Eady. FCW FCW
a problem, if you are the provider of the
package that was used and not just a piece
of it, it would put you in a better position
to identify the source of the problem and
provide the most efficient and expedient
resolution,” said Rozmus.
Roger Young, sundries category manager at Shaw, added, “You know there is
just one person to go to. You don’t have to
go to this company that sold you adhesives
and this company that sold you trim, you
buy it all and we stand behind it.”
Distributors agreed it is also important
to be knowledgeable about accessories
in order to help educate a dealer on what
products are the best for their particular
application and circumstance.
Rozmus explained that a distributor
is generally aware of what products are
going to work well together and in what
FCW
FCW
environments. A customer can utilize that
knowledge and avoid pieces of the whole
turning out to be, although all very good,
incompatible. “Ensuring that the sundry
products are sourced from the same outfit
that provided the flooring, there’s just a lot
less that is going to go wrong.”
[Atlanta, Ga.] Five of the largest organizations representing tile contractors, installers
and manufacturers have announced that eight
industry professionals are the first to successfully pass the Advanced Certifications for Tile
Installers (ACT) certification program.
ACT addresses four technically-challenging installation areas of current importance:
Large Format Tile Installation and Substrate
Preparation, Mudwork, Shower Pans and
Membranes. A specific certification demonstrates the installer’s skill and knowledge in
each of these four segments.
Correction
Corrections
First installers pass
ACT certification
The eight installers with this certification are:
▶ Brent Monroe, Artcraft Granite Marble &
Tile Company, Mesa, Ariz.
▶ Tyler Nequist, Welch Marble & Tile, Kent
City, Mich.
▶ Keith Tavshanjian, KT Marble & Tile,
Oceanside, Calif.
▶ Dan Welch, Welch Marble & Tile, Kent
City, Mich.
▶ Gavin Collier, Trostrud Mosaic & Tile Co.,
Palos Heights, Ill.
▶ Bill Dumas, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Trainer, Livermore, Calif.
▶ Eric Manzaroli, Artisan Tile, Inc., Sterling
Heights, Mich.
▶ Terrance Trame, Trendell Consulting,
LLC, Clayton, Mich.
Partners in the development initiative are:
Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF);
Tile Contractors Association of America
(TCAA); International Union of Bricklayers
and Allied Craftworkers (IUBAC); International Masonry Institute (IMI) and National
Tile Contractors Association, with membership
open to all tile contracting companies. FCW FCW
Correction
Corrections
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November 11, 2013
11/6/13 3:42 PM
11/5/13 8:46 AM
8
Laminate
QEP bundles products, services
By Brittany Walsh
During the economic downturn, many
companies needed to reign in their business
spending for survival. But while others were
tightening their belts, QEP took advantage of
opportunities this presented. Over the past
year, acquisitions and expanding product
lines have taken the company into new markets which continues to propel its growth.
The company was founded in 1979,
bringing to the marketplace flooring related
products such as styling and installation tools.
Now, the company provides manufacturing,
marketing and distributing for the professional installers and do-it-yourselfers alike.
QEP expanded into the engineered wood
flooring business with the acquisition of
Harris Wood in 2010, producing a huge
increase in sales for the company. Recently,
the company expanded into the laminate
market with its appointment as Faus Group’s
exclusive sales and marketing agent in North
America. This partnership marks QEP as the
selling arm for Faus.
According to Jamie Clingan, senior vice
president of marketing at QEP, geographically it was a natural fit with Faus’ main
manufacturing plant located in Calhoun,
Ga., a short trip from QEP’s main distribution center in Dalton. “When we found the
opportunity to add them to our lineup, it
was really a seamless transition. The close
locations allowed us to very simply combine
shipments,” Clingan said.
With QEP’s partnership with Faus, the
company aims to widen its product offering
into markets where it previously had no play.
“One of our initiatives is bringing a bundled
approach to the market,” she said. “Now we
can come to the marketplace with our wood
lines, laminate lines, and all the products you
need for the installation process. In doing
so, we aim to have better coverage over the
flooring industry as a whole.”
Sergio Negre, chief operating officer at
Faus Group, said the two companies have a
lot in common with the products each bring
to market on the high end. “They have an
excellent high end hardwood line that can be
coupled with our high end laminate. Going
to market with those two lines will be a very
complementary pairing,” Negre said. “Our
only weakness is distribution. QEP has so
much presence in the market and with the
expertise we have in our products, they will
be a very good brand behind it.”
Clingan agreed that this arrangement will
help strengthen the position of both companies in the marketplace. “The addition of
the high quality Faus laminate line to our
ever-expanding breadth of products enables
QEP to better serve the needs of our customers. In turn, the extensive QEP distribution
network provides stronger and wider sales
coverage for Faus,” she said.
Harris Wood, founded more than 100 years
ago, prides itself on quality and positions itself
on the high end of hardwood at a reflective
price point. Clingan said that Faus is positioned
very similarly on the higher end of laminate.
QEP’s targets heading into next year
include continuing to grow its top and bottom
lines, looking into new innovations and
adding new products into its offering. “That’s
something that has always been a focus for
QEP,” she explained. “As complicated as our
business structure is to explain, providing
products that will make the installers life easier
has been our approach from day one.” FCW FCW
Correction
Corrections
FCW
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November 11, 2013
11/6/13 3:44 PM
Resilient
9
A mix of distribution models keeps vinyl thriving
By Sharyn Bernard
As the resilient category continues to grow,
suppliers face a significant question —
whether to go it alone through direct sales
or cede some control in exchange for wider
distribution through distributors.
There are benefits to both models and there
is no “one-size-fits-all approach,” according
to resilient suppliers. “The benefit of selling
direct is to understand how we can help
decision makers accomplish their unique
objectives,” said Glen Hussmann, president
of Tandus Centiva. “Servicing customers
through distribution is all about speed and
reliability and having a wide range of products a customer needs now on the shelf and
ready to ship.”
Hussmann speaks from experience in both
areas: Tandus’ primary channel to market has
always been through direct sales but Centiva
evolved through a multi-channel approach
using direct sales, agents and distributors.
When the two companies merged they kept
their systems intact.
IVC US also uses a hybrid approach.
“The direct model really predated the distribution model when the company did not
have regional distribution to support certain
national accounts, there was no option but to
set up logistics and sales support of our own,”
explained Paul Murfin, co-CEO of IVC US.
And while circumstances dictated this move,
the model “essentially helped put IVC on the
map and we have worked hard to maintain
this model.” And the distribution model
helped the company increase its geographic
coverage, ensuring national exposure.
Still, having two models “adds complexity
to our business since these are entirely different
product lines.” There are benefits and drawbacks to having both models in place, he added.
“When selling direct, you of course have more
control over the sales story and execution, but
with it you also have the expense. The distributor model is an effective way of expanding our
reach and leverages local relationships.”
Hybrid models are not the norm, though.
Most suppliers utilize either one method or the
other and they are committed to — and even
passionate about — that system. Proponents of
distributor models said it gives them expanded
territories, more marketing options and some
other logistics and costs savings.
Metroflor has used distributors for as long
as the company has been operating. “We
consider our alliance with our network of
independent distributors to be one of our
key, strategic advantages,” said Russ Rogg,
president and CEO. He said the model
gives the company an expanded sales force,
enhanced customer service, a greater depth
of inventory and superior logistics.
What’s more, he added that using a distribution network that also services other products
gives customers better service and better values
November 11, 2013
WWW.FCW1.COM
with bundling opportunities. For example,
they can receive wood, ceramic, laminate and
Metroflor’s LVT in the same delivery. “It makes
it more cost effective for the buyer,” Rogg said.
Most importantly, he said, distributors’
long-term relationships with their customers
eclipse what a direct sales force can achieve.
Meanwhile, other suppliers use a direct
sales model and that system works well for
them. In general, they said direct sales gives
w e
a r e
t h e
them more control and exclusivity.
Karndean Designflooring has used direct
sales since it was founded in the 1970s and has
no plans to change. “We believed this provided
the most value to our retailers by having them
be exclusive providers of our product,” said
Emil Mellow, vice president of marketing.
“It shows a commitment to our retailers and
builds the one-on-one relationships with our
retailers.” While the company does use some
m a r k e t
l e a d e r
i n
distributors in one part of the country, 90 percent of their business is done directly.
Direct sales require a significant commitment in time and resources, he cautioned. “To
do a direct to retailer model, you have to have
a strong financial and logistical commitment
to stocking levels,” he said. Karndean stocks
materials at such a level to provide direct shipping within a week to any location in the U.S.
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·
·
11/6/13 4:09 PM
tion
tions
10 Resilient
Vinyl thriving
Continued from page 9
Suppliers do need to evaluate their current models, though, and be willing to make
changes when and where necessary. David
Reichwein, CEO of FreeFit, said while the company uses distributors, he questions the model.
“I think you have to choose your distributors
very wisely. Bigger is not necessarily better.” He
noted that for FreeFit, the proprietary products
need more training and effort. For big distributors with multiple lines, “you’re just one more
in a stable.”
FreeFit targets smaller distributors who
aren’t just focusing on a top line number,
although Reichwein stressed that “I position
FreeFit so whomever we partner with, they
make a good profit.”
Still, he said he has considered going the
direct route. The hurdle is that a company
needs infrastructure in place. “I don’t want to
take on something I can’t manage and effectively keep. I know what I’m good at which is
innovation and manufacturing. So I try to partner with distributors who know a regional
market and know product.” He said he is currently going through a process of parting ways
with some distributors and adding smaller,
“micro” distributors. “They are focused and
really work it.” FCW FCW
FCW
DuChateau brings its
signature style to LVT
[San Diego, Calif.] DuChateau has made
a name for itself in the hardwood category
over the years for its signature European-styled looks. Since late 2012, the company
has started expanding this success into the
rising luxury vinyl tile (LVT) category with
its Vinyl Deluxe Collection.
According to Erika Hager, manager of
graphics and marketing at DuChateau, the
company decided to expand into LVT to
create the visual of natural hardwood in a
durable, low maintenance alternative.
“We wanted to offer the same great looking products we provide in hardwood at a
The Vinyl Deluxe Collection in Olde Dutch
more affordable price point, so LVT was a
great way to do that,” she said. “LVT is also
very easy to maintain and can usually be
cleaned with just some damp mopping.”
In addition to providing a more
affordable option to hardwood in an easy- DuChateau’s Vinyl Deluxe Collection in Como
to-maintain format, the Vinyl Deluxe
Collection is also FloorScore certified for has seen a great deal of success with the Vinyl
low VOC emissions and uses 50 percent Deluxe Collection. “I think the look and the
colors are what draw customers to the line. It’s
recycled content.
The collection features realistic texture, not the traditional species like oak. It provides
pattern and color offered in 16 different more of a European-styled look that gives the
styles that seamlessly coincide with the com- customer a unique option,” Singer said.
Hager also noted that the positive feedpany’s hardwood offering. “The wire brushed
texture and European-styled oil back has expanded beyond the residential
looks seen in this collection are market. “We have started extending the line
what makes it unique compared to into some commercial spaces as well, such
its competition,” Hager said. “The as a few restaurants in the San Diego area
positive response led us to recently and even major retail stores throughout the
expand our offering with two new country have used it in their recent renovastyles, Como and Davos, which we tions,” she said. “We are very selective with
have also reflected in our hardwood the products we bring to market because we
have very high standards, but because the line
collections.”
Gail Singer, owner of Evans, has been so successful we certainly have plans
Colo.-based Mitchell’s Floor Cover- to continue expanding.”
 Brittany Walsh
ing and Design, said that her store
FCW
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·
·
WWW.FCW1.COM
November 11, 2013
11/6/13 4:12 PM
11
I take the floor
BY
JONATHAN
TRIVERS
When good isn’t enough
W
e all say it; “That’s good enough.”
For a small retail business, is that
really true? Is good enough really
good for your business? Probably not.
How many times do you say or think, “Ah
well, it’s good enough. I have more important
things to worry about?” In retail, there are very
few big things that will make a difference; it’s
an accumulation of lots of small things. Retail
is detail. All, not almost all, but all the details
need to be the best. Really? Yes, really.
The lighting is good enough? Don’t let
yourself off the hook. Ah, the parking lines
are really faded — it’s good enough. Nope,
she’s getting older and her eyesight is not as
good as it was and maybe her driving skills
aren’t the same as they were (I speak for
myself) so get the lines painted.
So many of these things are small and
seemingly inconsequential but to customers
it is these little things done professionally that
give her a sense of well-being and enjoyment
or makes her distrust the sales pitch.
Way back when Delta was a great airline, the
chairman said, “She checks the drop down tray
to see if it is clean; if it is clean the engines are in
good working order.” Makes sense?
If your bathroom is not really glistening, will
she get the best wood installation? If your front
windows are dirty, will she get the best value for
her laminate purchase? That’s the logic of retail.
Marriott Hotels loves their atriums but they
know that it is all the small things about the
stay that really make the difference. The entire
management level of that corporation reviews
customer complaints. The smaller the issue the
bigger the complaint. No bag of coffee right
next to the coffee maker? Bad. No light bulb in
lamp by the easy chair? Really bad. The coolest duvet won’t help the hotel when the lamp
doesn’t turn on because it is unplugged and you
have to plug it in. These failings are small but
to the business traveler they are unacceptable.
And the hotels know that.
Take the “good enough” test. Have
employees evaluate parts of the company that
are not part of their responsibility and have
them look at them as if they were a customer.
Have them list those things that are okay but
not really good, just good enough. Take the
list and put them in order of importance and
start to make them great.
Every year take this self-examination of
your store. New problems will show up and
old ones that you thought were fixed need to
be fixed. That is okay.
____________________________________
Jonathan Trivers, a regular contributor to Floor
Covering Weekly, is also the author of the marketWise section of FCW’s Statistical Report.
When he’s not writing he’s talking to flooring
groups throughout the country and Canada.
[email protected]
EPA gives
Mannington award
[Salem, N.J.] Mannington Mills has been
honored with a 2013 SmartWay Excellence
Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an industry leader in freight
supply chain environmental performance
and energy efficiency.
Mannington has been a SmartWay partner since 2010, and has consistently demonstrated a commitment to corporate-wide
environmental initiatives. Over the past
three years, the company has shown a steady
increase in the use of SmartWay carriers,
and in 2013 nearly all carriers used by Mannington are in the SmartWay program, the
company stated.
“Mannington is honored to be recognized
for our accomplishments. We have a longstanding commitment to continual improvement and operational excellence, and this
award validates the work our associates do
in this area,” said Dave Kitts, vice president,
environment, Mannington.
According to Mannington, it was one of
55 companies to receive this distinction, representing the best environmental performers
of SmartWay’s 3000 plus partners. FCW FCW
Correction
Corrections
FCW
November 11, 2013
FCW
WWW.FCW1.COM
·
·
11/6/13 4:13 PM
12 Wood
Home centers bring challenge
By Mallory Cruise
As the industry rebounds, hardwood is one
category in particular that continues to experience significant growth. However, recent
increases in hardwood pricing and tough
home center competition remain a challenge
to specialty retail and the entire supply chain.
Still, as home centers gain share, independent retailers too have succeeded in carving
out a profitable niche business by carrying
better goods and more diversity of price
points and species.
Home centers have been expanding
because they have secured themselves a place
in the market through the products they
offer, said Rosana Chaidez, vice president of
sales, marketing and procurement at Haines
in Glen Burnie, Md.
“Home centers offer value, lower price
options. That’s the niche product at home
centers,” she said, adding that while home
centers offer lower priced products, it is the
independent retailers who specialize in highend, specialty product. “Specialty retail stores
offer all price points and high-end consumers
favor specialty retail stores. Most of the highend hardwood brands are not offered by the
home centers. Retailers are winning the highend wood jobs,” she said.
Correction
Corrections
·
·
Scott Rozmus, president of FlorStar Sales
Inc. in Romeoville, Ill., agreed that it is the
lower prices at home centers that draw the
consumer into the store. “Home centers
advertise low prices but if a consumer actually
shops in the store, their strategy is to qualify
the consumer and trade them up to better
goods. Which will allow them to generate a
bigger profit,” he said.
Don Herndon, owner of Classic Wood
Flooring in Rockledge, Fla., said home centers
and retailers differ greatly in the products that
they offer. “The home centers don’t have the
same variety that we do. We do more specialty, custom works. We also tend to act more
quickly than home centers,” said Herndon.
Rozmus of FlorStar Sales said that home
centers do have one main advantage. “By
buying in bulk, home centers have the ability to
buy entry level engineered and solid flooring at
competitive price points because of large purchase orders. However, if a consumer is looking
for anything they consider special or unique
design-wise, I believe they are going to shop at
an independent specialty retailer,” he said.
Price increases disrupt market
Jeff Shipe, owner of At Your Door Floor
Store in Derwood, Md., said that he believes
the industry will see an increase in hardwood
purchases from home centers this year due to
the hardwood price increases.
“People come in and see one price and
come back a few months later to find that it’s
10 to 15 percent higher and think it’s a sales
ploy, so they leave and check out the home
centers. In most cases, they discover that
everyone’s prices are going up and then they’ll
come back and do business with us,” he said.
Shipe further added that his closure rate
on jobs has dropped because of the price
increases. “I think people see the advertisements for these low prices that aren’t
realistic, and they go out searching for these
unrealistic hardwood prices.”
However, distributors have helped retailers,
like Shipe, set themselves apart. “Our distributor has helped us private label product which
definitely helps position us away from home
centers. Our distributor has done a great job of
creating a private label brand that is not available in home centers with a competitive price,
and that has helped my business,” he said.
Neal Hochstein, store manager of Classic
Carpet One Floor & Home in Shelby Township, Mich., said that he is selling more hardwood now than he has in the past. However,
Hochstein attributes the growth in sales to the
“Made in Michigan” story of the products he
sells as well as his store’s alignment with a local
distributor and supplier. Hochstein noted, the
store has been providing high quality hardwood products at very competitive prices.
“At one time, we had 10 different manufacturer displays in our store, now we have
three. Now I’m selling 10 times more wood in
less square footage. It all comes from my
Michigan distributor and supplier story —
they get their wood from within a three-mile
radius,” he said. FCW FCW
FCW
WWW.FCW1.COM
FCW
November 11, 2013
11/6/13 3:45 PM
Wood
13
Boa-Franc celebrates 30 years
[Saint-Georges, Canada] Boa-Franc,
the manufacturer behind Mirage brand
hardwood floors, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. “It signifies dedication,
commitment and devotion from Boa-Franc’s
employees and partners,” said Luc Robitaille,
vice president of marketing.
Purchased in 1983 by current president
Pierre Thabet, the company has grown to
become North America’s leading manufacturer
of prefinished hardwood floors, according to
Thabet. He said it all began very modestly when
he acquired the company as a little workshop.
“There were three employees and three others
were added in the first month,” he said.
According to Thabet, everything could
have ended March 3, 1984 when a major
fire destroyed all of the company’s assets.
Thanks to that dedication, commitment and
devotion, Boa-Franc persevered. “We rolled
up our sleeves and rebuilt. We were back in
production on May 28.”
Soon the company took on a new philosophy: quality and continuous improvement.
Over the next three decades Boa-Franc built
a solid reputation, and today the floors,
entirely designed and manufactured in
Saint-Georges by Boa-Franc, are distributed
across North America through nearly 2, 300
specialized dealers and are internationally
recognized for their quality.
In 2012, just shy of its milestone anniversary, Boa-Franc was awarded the Grand
Prix québécois de la qualité — the highest
distinction bestowed by the Quebec government on businesses and organizations that
successfully apply best business practices.
Robitaille noted, “We’ll keep striving to excel
and be the best everyday by applying rigorous
and painstakingly small details that make all the
difference to create a high quality product.”
The company announced an anniversary
consumer rebate sale which offers 50 cents
per square foot discount to consumers on all
Mirage products in Canada and the U.S.
A special reward is also offered to Maestro and Elite Dealers’ in-store sales staff
in conjunction with the consumer rebate
sale. “It’s a way to say thank you to those
who support us,” Robitaille said.
Boa Franc’s Saint-Georges de Beauce plant
Activities have also been organized
for the employees and their families. “Our tion over the years and I hope they'll be here
employees are the main reason for our success. in 10 years to celebrate our 40th,” Thabet said.
I thank every one of them for their contribu— Megan Salzano
Introducing the first
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for the Architect and Design community with
the Inspiration Box
1st soy-based factory-finished flooring to be
awarded the GREENGUARD Children and
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factory finish
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Design+ Program
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a urethane finish
1st to combine enhanced durability with non-yellowing
and antimicrobial coating
1st to control all aspects of production with our
dedicated sawmill
1st to apply u.v.-cured urethane
1st to factory finish hardwood flooring
Housing impacts wood
The hardwood is in part seeing growth due to
a stronger demand for housing, according to
distributors like Rosana Chaidez, vice president
of sales, marketing and procurement at Haines.
“New construction has bounced back
from the low water mark reached during the
downturn and there is pent up demand for
new homes. Much of this demand is in the
mid to high-end market,” she said.
Residential too has seen an uptick due
to remodel of existing homes. Chaidez said
home prices are showing a nice increase. “Sellers are finally putting their homes on
the market. Buyers anxious not to miss low
rates are snapping up the available inventory.
Hardwood has been the upgrade of choice in
this second and third buyers’ market,” she said.
The gap is also closing between the cost of
soft surface and that of hard, according to
Neal Hochstein of Classic Carpet One Floor &
Home in Shelby Township, Mich. “Carpet fiber
prices and soft surface product prices are
climbing. I have carpet that is more expensive
when installed than hardwood. When that happens most people will gravitate towards the
hardwood because they believe they’re getting
more value for their money and adding more
value to their property,” he said. FCW FCW
Board by board, we continue to set the standard.
Be the wood flooring leader in your market.
Call 1.866.448.1785 today.
Correction
Corrections
FCW
November 11, 2013
mercierwoodflooring.com
FCW
WWW.FCW1.COM
·
·
11/6/13 4:13 PM
14 Wood
Sustainable by nature
Hardwood inherently has a number of sustainable advantages but suppliers too have worked
diligently and made sizeable investments to
receive respected third-party certifications.
“I think that today’s wood flooring, especially wood flooring manufactured in the United
States, is a ‘green’ product by its nature,” noted
Paul Stringer, vice president of sales and marketing at Somerset Hardwood Flooring.
Milton Goodwin, vice president of product
management, wood, at Armstrong, added,
“There isn’t a shortage of trees that we utilize to
make our product because trees are replanted.
It’s basically an endless supply of resources
we can pull from to produce both the solid and
engineered products we make,” he said.
Dan Natkin, director of wood and laminate business at Mannington, agreed, “North
America has one of the most sustainable
hardwood forest areas in the world. Couple
with that the fact that products like engineered
hardwood continue to grow, using fewer trees
for every square foot of production, and
improved glues and finishes minimize any
potential air quality impact,” he said. Goodwin at Armstrong added that hardwood
contributes to healthy indoor living as well. “If
there is dirt or dust on a hardwood floor you
PureBond technology and third party certifican see it and clean it up, it’s sitting on top of cations support Mohawk’s family of brands.
the floor. Hardwood doesn’t hold dirt,” he said.
Stringer at Somerset said that sustainability also matters when it comes to company staff and we use our waste to create bio-fuels
resources. “We prepare 100 year plans on that reduce our country’s dependency on
timberland we own, we have foresters on fossil fuels. Nothing in our wood production
goes to the landfill,” he said.
Natkin at Mannington explained that green
and efficient manufacturing generally go hand
in hand. “The fewer raw materials we put into
the waste stream, the more cost effective we
become,” he said. Agreed Goodwin, “We use all of the wood,
all the way down to the sawdust. We use
remaining pieces to heat the boilers that run
our plants. Utilizing 100 percent of what you
take from the forest is good for business.”
Shaw leverages hardwood veneers and
solids that are grown in sustainably managed
North American forests, according to David
Wilkerson, director of corporate sustainability.
“Since hardwood trees are a renewable
resource, that enhances their green credentials.
This is confirmed by the Cradle to Cradle Silver
certification we have earned on all of our hardwood products which effectively differentiates
them in the market place,” said Wilkerson.
Mohawk too utilizes certifications with
all of its brands. “Mohawk and Columbia
FloorScore certified products meet criteria
required by a variety of other well-respected
organizations,” explained Harry Bogner,
senior vice president, hardwood, at Unilin.
“The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
accepts FloorScore certified products as
compliant with LEED Green Building Rating
Systems for residential and commercial ‘low
emitting’ materials.”
Environmentally responsible finishes are
also part of the equation, noted Kevin Thompson, hardwood and laminate category manager at Shaw. “Since solvent-based finishes
were eliminated many years ago, finishes
are already environmentally-friendly. Lower
emission adhesives as well as low-waste manufacturing processes make the biggest impact
toward green today,” he said.
From its environmentally responsible
EnCore products, which utilize 50 percent
less of newly harvested wood than traditional
engineered flooring, and Greenguard certified
enSURANCE installation products to its unofficial tagline “This is what it means to be green,”
Anderson Hardwoods has been at the forefront
of environmental product development.
Green is also an important attribute when
it comes to the commercial market.“As a
growing segment of the market, it’s important for builders to be communicating that
Made in North America
green message. It’s as important to them as it
is to us,” Goodwin noted.
— Mallory Cruise
·
·
WWW.FCW1.COM
November 11, 2013
11/6/13 4:14 PM
Carpet & Area Rugs
Distributors have room for carpet
By Janet Herlihy
Whether a distributor has offered carpet for
decades or added it more recently, the companies Floor Covering Weekly (FCW) talked
to said soft flooring is an important part of
doing business today.
For Swiff-Train, “Carpet is now part of a
healthy mix and will always be worth doing,”
said Jonathan Train, vice president for the
Houston-based company, ranked 16th
among FCW’s Top 25 Distributors in 2012.
Distributors have a lot to offer. “For
retailers, there are now so many SKUs
across all the flooring categories, that they
would rather the distributor carry the
assortment,” said Train. “The dealers don’t
want to invest in all that inventory.”
Delivery and freight can also be an
advantage for distributors. “In Texas, if a
dealer needs carpet by the weekend, most
of the mills won’t be able to deliver that
quickly. We have about a dozen qualities
that we stock with four to 10 SKUs in each,
that are bread and butter items that we can
offer locally and quickly. We can give the
dealer the convenience of being able to pick
up the product at a Swiff-Train warehouse,
which keeps pricing competitive. We also
offer special orders through Shaw and Milliken and have private label programs with
some of the smaller mills. There’s a time
and place where Swiff-Train is a better fit
for a dealer’s needs than waiting for a mill,”
he stated.
Transportation varies but for the most
part Swiff-Train arranges its own shipping
from the suppliers to its Houston facility.
“Shipping to the dealers is bundled with
other things or the dealer can pick up at the
warehouse. Once you get into smaller size
orders, it’s more affordable to get carpet
from the distributor. We sell everything
at ‘cut at roll’ prices,” Train explained.
“Especially for dealers in more rural areas,
where freight costs are higher, more carpet
is being handled by distributors. The functions of the middleman are still important.
The need still exists to have someone who
can provide services to dealers not readily
available from manufacturers,” he noted.
Swiff-Train’s carpet business is growing
and Train expects the shift to more carpet
through distributors to continue. “Some of
the large suppliers are driving a broader
product mix, but the dealer may not want to
get so many categories from one supplier.
That creates an opportunity for others.
Especially for some of the newer, smaller
mills such as Engineered Floors, Lexmark
and Phoenix, which might not have as large
a network of sales reps as the big mills and
can get their product to retail using the sales
teams of distributors,” Train explained.
BPI, ranked second among FCW’s Top
Distributors and headquartered in NashNovember 11, 2013
WWW.FCW1.COM
ville, has offered carpet since 1970. Today,
carpet, along with most products, is private
labeled under the Prestige brand, according to John Anderson, BPI vice president.
The company offers commercial and residential broadloom and commercial carpet
tile, stocking many of its carpet offerings in
its Memphis and Dallas hubs.
BPI offers dealers same day service at
its hubs and next day delivery to any of its
other locations. “Our prices are very competitive and our dealers also save freight as
in-stock carpet ships on the same truck as
all our other products for one flat delivery
charge,” reported Anderson.
Ranked 20th among FCW’s Top Distributors, All Tile Inc. began offering carpet in
1995, according to Bob Weiss, president
and CEO of the company that serves dealers in 13 Midwestern states. Based outside
Correction
Corrections
15
Chicago in Elk Grove Village, Ill., dealers
across a wide area appreciate All Tile for its
convenience, trust and value. “We provide
more of a niche with ShawMark’s Anything
Goes. It’s a great product,” Weiss said. “We
also offer carpet in stock that is available
for quick delivery and value roll specials.
Buying carpet from us gives our dealers
savings on freight. Some even pick up the
product at our warehouse. We are a great
source for products and credit. Dealers also
come to us because they trust us to have
good products and get it to them on time,”
Weiss stressed. FCW FCW
FCW
FCW
PPG Congratulates Mirage
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* Cashmere is a registered trademark used under license.
The PPG logo and Raycron are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
·
PPG-BoaFranc Ad_FCW_v4 10-22.indd 1
·
10/23/13 4:42 PM
11/6/13 3:51 PM
16
Carpet & Area Rugs
B Carpet: Banking on ‘woman-owned’
deliberately purchasing more from minority
and woman-owned businesses,” she explained.
So far, 2013 is seeing an increase in carpet
sales, which is offsetting the reduction in B’s
commission tufting sales, which the company
began in the summer of 2012. “While the economy has continued to surge and recede, we feel
that our marketing initiatives are paying off for
us,” Moore reported.
[Dalton, Ga.] B Carpet, formerly known as
Burtco Enterprises, has a new name, a new attitude and new certification as a woman-owned
business granted by the Women’s Business
Enterprise National Council.
Elizabeth Moore, majority shareholder,
president and CEO of B Carpet, is certain being
recognized for its female-ownership will make
a difference for B Carpet. “We gained certifica-
tion in May of 2013 and we are excited about
seeing where it leads,” Moore said.
Designers, architects and specifiers who
make decisions in the commercial carpet
market are known to make purchasing choices
using criteria other than price, according to
Moore. “Besides looking at environmental
sustainability for example, they are also considering social and community benefits and so are
CMH grows
more efficient with the adaptation of UPS’s
they’re a lot of work.”
CMH Space Flooring Products has grown paperless bar coding system, according to Cox.
“It used to take us two days to do a full invenits business 300 percent since its first 1996
tory when we were much smaller. Now, we get
acquisitions, according to O’Connor.
in at 7:00 a.m. and we’re done before lunch
on the same day with nothing being written
More products
Today, CMH Space Flooring has 75 trucks down,” he said. “Being big is great. Being good
on the road at any given time, its customer reps is even better. There’s not a customer we can’t
take an average of 1,500 sales orders a day and get to in three days. And in most cities we’re
it has a line-up of 64 vendors, including many next day. That’s always been our standard.”
The success of CMH Space Flooring Products
heavyweights like Quick-Step, Formica, Congoleum, IVC US, Mullican, Anderson, and more. has had a positive impact on the local economy
“There is still huge demand for branded
items — that market is still there,” said
Layton. “Our philosophy is to keep the
number of SKUs low but stock them heavily.”
CMH also provides two complete private
label programs – Carolina Lifestyles and Continued from page 5
Carolina Home – that include carpet, wood,
While the company is guided by the funlaminate and LVT.
damental principle of being a good partner,
O’Connor added, “Instead of one or two it focuses on the core values of distribution.
reps calling on us, we now have 10 reps call- “When you look at distribution, distribution is
ing to expand their business. Everyone wants basically three things — we are our customers’
to grow with us.”
warehouse; we’re basically part of our customWhile the volume and number of products ers’ banking program, because we carry their
has increased, managing it all has become accounts receivable; and, we put together programs on various products to push through
their business and increase their sales and
Having all employees pulling together was profit opportunity,” explained Faircloth.
especially helpful during the recession. “We
Most employees, including the sales force,
did manage to fare better than the industry. have been with the company an average of 15
We can say for sure every day was hard and years, another key element of the company’s
not a lot of fun but we all shared in the sacri- success, according to Faircloth. As well, its
fices and hard work,” said Anderson.
family roots remain strong. Norwood SanBPI reduced expenses and managed to difer’s sons Tom and Mike came into the
make a profit every year as it has done every business. Oldest son Tom passed away five
year of its history. BPI has achieved its remark- years ago and Mike is now CEO and chairable growth through internal strategies. “We man of the board. Kirk Sandifer is company
have expanded within our current 10 state executive vice president and will someday
foot print with more products, such as Quartz represent the company’s third Sandifer genStone and even cabinets,” said Anderson. “We eration of leadership.
also expanded into Central Alabama in 2012
Cain & Bultman has weathered both
and will be servicing Oklahoma in the third changes in its business and in the flooring
quarter this year. And, on January 1, 2014, we business. When the company started, it sold
will add Tarkett Sheet and LVT to our Texas, Atwater Kent Radios. Under the guidance of
Oklahoma and Louisiana markets.
Norwood Sandifer, it diversified its product
BPI participates in local and national causes, offering to include, Zenith, JennAir and
including an annual food drive supporting the KitchenAid. “We’ve always been a brand
Mid-South Food Bank and an annual bicycle name house,” said Faircloth.
drive benefitting the children of Porter-Leath,
One of the name brands brought on in
an organization that helps low-income families 1934 by Norwood Sandifer was Armstrong
and children in Tennessee. It also sponsored Flooring. Today, the company exclusively
the second annual Tim Norton Golf Tourna- distributes flooring and Armstrong repment in Huntsville, Ala. with proceeds going to resents some 80 percent of its business.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. FCW FCW Another milestone for the company was in
Then, in 2002, CMH Flooring Products
took a chance with a new product, Quick-Step,
which introduced the concept of glueless,
mechanically-locking, floating laminate flooring to the nation. Sales and margins flourished.
The revenue generated through expansion
into vinyl and laminate flooring positioned
CMH for additional growth, triggering the
2008 acquisition of Space Flooring, based in
Smyrna, Ga. The acquisition of commercial
distributor Ellis Flooring based in Charlotte,
N.C. followed in 2010. Then last year, CMH
opened in Harrisburg, Pa. and expanded into
the Northeast, which helped further open up
the Washington, D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey corridor.
“We went from $100 million to now $200
million but when the economy collapsed
between the two sets of acquisitions, we had
to work three times as hard. Now we’re starting to enjoy everyone’s efforts,” said Chris
O’Connor, CFO. “Acquisitions are fun but
BPI celebrates
years ago that the company keeps in mind to
stay true to its mission: “To distribute quality
brand name products while providing service
and value that exceed our customers’ highest
expectations.” Hill asked, “Where have we
been? Where are we now? Where are we going,
and how are we going to get there?” Today’s
leadership responds, “BPI comes from humble
beginnings. It continues to grow its business by
working hard and investing in its people and it
will continue to grow by adapting to change.”
Along the way, BPI expanded its product
line to include all major types of flooring —
carpet and cushion, laminate, hardwood,
resilient and ceramic tile — as well as cabinet
and counter surfaces and installation supplies.
In 2005, BPI formed an ESOP Trust and paid
out in 2013. The company is now 100 percent
employee owned, according to John S. Anderson, BPI vice president. “Over the eight year
period, the employees became stockholders and
took ownership in their daily responsibilities of
servicing our customers,” Anderson explained.
— Janet Herlihy
as well — a work-release program in conjunction with the local criminal justice system.
“We had a hard time getting labor to
move carpet cushion. People would stay a
couple days and leave. Our work-release
program helps convicts pay off restitution,
cover daily prison costs and they get to keep
the balance. Right now there’s about a 50
percent success rate, but it has helped a
number of people who have become key in
managing our inventory and molding programs,” said Lanning. FCW FCW
Correction
Corrections
FCW
Cain & Bultman
Correction
Correction
Corrections
Corrections
FCW
Moore has more than 21 years of experience
in the commercial carpet market. She started
out working for what was then Burtco, which
had been founded and named by her father
(now chairman) Burton Brown in 1979. The
decision was made in 2009 to rebrand Burtco.
“We realized that we were creating some very
elegant custom carpet, and our name and
image needed updating to reflect our highly
styled work,” Moore explained. “It’s been a lot
of fun working the B advertising campaign with
slogans like ‘B Creative,’ or ‘B Hospitable’.”
FCW
·
·
FCW
1995 when it closed Florida facilities in Miami,
Tampa and Orlando and one in Birmingham,
Ala. in order to centralize the business out of
Jacksonville. “To reposition ourselves to grow
the business in the long term, we consolidated
to the home office in Jacksonville where we
can ship product next day to all markets we
serve. That was real decision-making times
for us but the best thing we have ever done.
Our overhead would have been too high,”
explained Faircloth. The company’s territory
remains Florida and Georgia.
During the last several years of recession,
the company has seen both industry-wide and
regional change. “The major thing is that we
think the retail business in the state of Florida
in flooring is in its infancy. We were such a
builder-driven marketplace until the recession
hit in 2007/2008. Even though it’s coming back
a bit now, we feel remodel replacement market
offers tremendous opportunity. We’ve invested
in displays and programs to be in the position
to increase our retail opportunity as retail
comes back and we see that paying off for us
now,” said Faircloth.
In general, Faircloth said the basics of
distribution stand but that the company
continues to grow various product lines
within the organization. “Distribution
hasn’t changed a lot. The basics are maintaining inventory, providing a fair price and
sales training,” he noted.
Cain & Bultman sales posted at $48 million
for 2012 and are projected to be $52 million
this year. And when asked what will keep the
company going strong in the future, Faircloth
pointed back to the company’s roots. “Over
the years, we’ve really been able to develop a
partnership with our customers out in the
marketplace,” he said. “Revenue kind of follows relationships.” FCW FCW
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November 11, 2013
11/6/13 4:09 PM
Untitled-1 24
10/31/13 12:10 PM
18 Carpet & Area Rugs
Carpet mills team up with distributors to score at retail
the retailer relationship,
according to Goetze. “In
many cases, the distribThe wholesale distribution
utor becomes the brand,
channel continues to grow
and the distributor brand
for carpet manufacturers.
becomes more important
While both distributors
than the product brands.
and mills sell to retailers,
They understand that
the two parts of the indusbundled benefits and
try are more complemenowning the retailer relatary than competitive.
tionship is key to gaining
While manufacturers
the greatest share of
seek to market coastShawMark Anything Goes!
retailer spend,” he said.
to-coast,
distributors Shaw’s
is popular with distributors.
“Distributors are very
serve a more local or
focused on revenues and
regional area. Duane
Goetze, Shaw’s residential marketing direc- margins, and they hate inconveniences. Our
tor, explained, “Distributors are flexible, goal is to create programs and supply products
and tailor their business and services to the that help them grow their revenues and make
local market. Whereas manufacturers try to a solid margin.”
While Shaw offers distributors a full line
eliminate variation, distributors thrive on
variation and utilize their flexibility as a com- of residential and commercial broadloom
and carpet tile, as well as indoor/outdoor
petitive advantage.”
Able to tailor their services to what the indi- styles, it has provided a unique selling propvidual dealer needs, distributors strive to own osition with its ShawMark Anything Goes
By Janet Herlihy
another source of terms as
line of high-performance
well as quick turnaround —
carpet products.
order today, install tomorBeaulieu’s
distributor
row,” he said.
business continues to grow,
Beaulieu will also proaccording to Joe Williams,
vide design work for private
vice president of Internalabel programs and prodtional and home center sales
uct knowledge and sales
for Beaulieu. “Distributors
support for the distributors
are looking for value and
and their dealers. Williams
want to build their own
added, “We will help them
private label brands, but are
help their customers with
also beginning to piggyback
with
some mill marketing, Distributors carry Beaulieu’s Bliss sell through.”
Getting carpet from
for example, using some dis- Indulgence soft nylon product.
manufacturing in Dalton
plays that identify the product as Beaulieu’s, especially for EverClean, to a distributor depends on the quickest,
a line of solution dyed polyester carpet, and most economical way. “A lot of distributors
Indulgence, a collection of soft, solution dyed send trucks to us,” explained Williams. “It’s
part of our special service that our freight
nylon,” said Williams.
Working with distributors is important department looks for opportunities for disbecause it gives Beaulieu access to dealers tributors for lowest freight costs. We also
it might not otherwise reach. “Some are provide direct delivery or can drop ship to
smaller dealers who look to distributors for our closest distribution center and they will
local access to inventory. The distributor is pick it up there.” FCW FCW
Correction
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FCW
FCW
Tile & Stone
What is keeping tile distributors up at night?
Unpredictable politics, an unstable economy,
changing consumer demand: the U.S. building and renovation markets may be on the
upswing, but it hasn’t been a smooth ride.
Even with careful planning, the most seasoned business owners are finding challenges
in running their businesses. So FCW asked
tile distributors, what are some of the key
issues keeping you up at night?
Raj Shah, co-president
MS International, Orange, Calif.
Two issues are of primary concern at this
time: overall volatility in worldwide economics and politics continues to add challenges
to importing. Specifically, overseas inflation
and interest rates are causing large changes
in exchange rates which hamper the ability
to make long-term plans when it comes to
Scott Levy, EVP, operations
Arley Wholesale, Philadelphia
Obamacare affects the business and
consumer climate overall. That shock to the
system is going to happen, and no matter
what side you are on, you can’t be happy. The
more the media jumps on it and talks about
it, it brings fear back to the marketplace. We
Tom Kotel, president
saw the shock to the system when WashingMid-America Tile, Chicago
I think we are going in the right direc- ton shut down, and it hit the core areas that
tion, but it’s a slow recovery. You have to we deliver to. When government workers are
be serious about growing your market furloughed, they aren’t buying tile.
share. I’m going to say that we’re definitely
in the market for the best talent that we can Joe English, senior manager, ceramic
budget. I don’t care if it’s sales, customer Swiff-Train Company, Houston
The economy has been treating us very
service, warehouse, that’s your best asset.
You get everyone working as team, but I well. Texas and Oklahoma have been insubelieve organizational health trumps all else. lated from the decline of the last two to three
years. All of our categories are up. There are
So we’re working hard at that.
imported product. Domestically a large
issue is the non-renewal of GSP (generalized
system of preferences). This is significantly
raising the prices of imported products. In
addition, regulations as it relates to importing are also causing challenges.
changes in the ceramic market. Seems as if
it’s not really a race to the bottom as far as
price goes. Consumers are looking for style
and value.
Harold Yarborough, vice president
D&B Tile Distributors, Miami
Business is good because we make it good.
We are in a tough market and the economy
is improving at a slow rate. We have been
updating and improving our website, which is
ecommerce, and continue to partner with our
vendors on their marketing strategies, and we
are doing a better job of social media this year.
Frank Garcia, CEO
Gulf Tile & Cabinetry, Tampa Bay, Fla.
In terms of worrying, we are having
growing pains. All of us who have been
through what we’ve been through are running very lean. You do a lot of different jobs.
We are the highest hit area in the country,
and we have a lot of make up to do. FCW FCW
Correction
Corrections
FCW
FCW
Crossville’s urban-inspired Reclamation
[Crossville, Tenn.] Crossville Inc. recently introduced
the brand’s first digitally produced porcelain tile collection,
Reclamation.
“We looked to urban spaces and cityscapes for inspiration
for Reclamation,” said Lindsey Waldrep, Crossville’s vice
president of marketing.
According to Crossville, the collection offers a quartet of
colors — Whiskey Lullaby, Cotton Exchange, Steel City and
Tobacco Road — with 16 different facings that interpret the
look of wood, metal and concrete.
Correction
Crossville's Reclamation collection
in Cotton Exchange with Cotton Etching
Corrections
·
Reclamation is manufactured in the U.S. with Crossville’s
EcoCycle manufacturing process, contains a minimum of 4 percent recycled content and is Green Square certified.
“Everybody loves a good comeback story, so we turned to
America’s roots of industry and enterprise to create a line that
answers designers’ appreciation of reclaimed materials, repurposed elements and sustainable products,” Waldrep said.
Size options include 12 X 24 and 24 X 24 field tiles, along with
a 6 X 24 etching accent. A 4 X 24 bullnose for Reclamation is also
available. FCW FCW
FCW
·
FCW
WWW.FCW1.COM
November 11, 2013
11/6/13 4:10 PM
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Marketplace
Smart marketing
of their business.”
A high percentage of membership is family
businesses and Matson said within the group,
there is a segment that is deeply committed to
aggressively marketing their companies. “We
felt our members needed to be more aggressive in showing the value they bring and the
distinctiveness of their business. The time is
right with people feeling more confident. How
can we expand and continue to grow? This is
very much member to member,” she said.
From talking with members, Matson said
they realize the importance having time to
network and share ideas, challenges and
solutions. “More and more, we evolved our
format to discussion and spending time
talking.” Some of the talk is done informally
among friends and formatted roundtable discussions are utilized as well. “The challenge
is to always anticipate their needs,” she said.
The group is performing well after the
recession, Matson reported. “Everyone is
saying they are extremely busy. If you look at
2013, the front half started out slow. But our
numbers look good and we are hearing from
members the back half of the year and into
2014 is very strong,” she said.
And there are pockets of growth and
of slower recovery from region to region,
one commercial business segment versus
another, and among product categories as
well. Recovery in the Northwest is a little
slower, she said, while the Southeast is pretty
good. “The Midwest always lapses a little —
some areas are a little more remote and states
like Ohio take a little longer to for the market
to get strong,” Matson told FCW.
Corporate, hospitality and higher education segments have held strong, she said,
adding, “K through 12 remains a challenge
from a budget perspective.”
She said that as far as floor covering product goes — Starnet has some 50 vendor partners — carpet tile is outpacing broadloom
though the design focus of carpet tile and the
different sizes and dimensions offered pose
greater installation challenges.
“Our mission is to help members grow
both top and bottom line and give them new
revenue sources and to expose them to ideas
and understand what has worked for other
members,” said Matson.
Strategies for growing your business
Two panels of leading Starnet flooring
contractors spent the first afternoon in New
Orleans talking to the group about building
their business through various marketing
strategies. Whether it was attracting new
customers or increasing business being done
with existing ones, members offered examples that worked for them.
“Things have changed. Business is much
more competitive,” noted Bill Imhoff of
Intertech Flooring in Austin, one of the
panel moderators.
Panelists addressed relationships with
general contractors, end users and facility
managers and the A & D community as well
as how to win additional business both with
Jeanne Matson, Phil Schrimper and Randy Weis
existing clients and new opportunities.
Jim Lloyd from Cornerstone Commercial
Flooring, noted that when doing business
with large A& D firms, many have reduced
staff during the recession and have been
slow to build. “We use these problems as
coachable moments,” he said. “We need
to market ourselves to the professionals as
professionals — away from the dramas and
emotions of the job.” Education, he added,
is a key component.
Tips from Lloyd included: Set up an education calendar monthly; sponsor an event;
institute a dress code (adopt a personal style
as a company); and, host a cocktail party
once a month for clients — “It gives you an
intimate, personal atmosphere,” he said.
“Excellence is contagious so let’s be excellent.
Be memorable on how you are spending your
marketing dollars.”
Speaking about end users, Jim Vanhauer
of Commercial Systems in Omaha said it is
all about “service, service, service. Take care
of issues proactively and seamlessly.”
Meanwhile, Ellen Zucker from CI Select
in St. Louis, Mo., leverages her company’s
different divisions which include a furniture
company. The company, in fact, runs a lead
sharing contest to encourage the divisions to
share information.
She also said that the company feels
strongly about spending money on marketing. “We have to be creative and resourceful
in bringing people together.”
Frank Pelosi of Metropolitan Contract in
Cherry Hill, N.J., said he limits the amount of
bids he puts out. “You are giving your pricing
to your competitors. Focus on the people that
give you the best business — concentrate on
your best customers.”
Pelosi's business uses union workers. He
also cautioned, “You can’t bend your price
so much. You have to be prepared to lose.
If they know you'll walk away, they won't
hammer you so much.”
Mike Patton, DSB (D.S. Baxley) said his
company posted $11 million in sales four
years ago but this year, sales have climbed to
$20 million. He credits it to the company’s
rebranding and strategic marketing efforts
which include “branding everything,” from
mouse pads, shirts to company trucks. “We
make it comprehensive and develop message your company can get behind,” he said.
But relationships, noted Bill Bohrer of
Wall 2 Wall Floorcvoverings in Ketchum,
Idaho, is No.1. “Sometimes a relationship
trumps product, trumps service, trumps anything else. I can’t emphasize how important it
is to keep these relationships.” FCW FCW
Correction
Corrections
FCW
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Call: (516) 227-1407
Fax: (516) 227-1342
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Sarasota, FL Owner retiring after 25 years.
Great location.
Call Owen 941-374-9724
1 CENT/SF FLOORING
ESTIMATING
Fast & Accurate - Callidus Takeoffs
www.commercialflooringestimating.com
Career Opportunities
Southern Wholesale
Flooring Company
Based in Kennesaw, GA, is looking for an
experienced outside sales representative for
the Montgomery to Dothan, Alabama area.
We are looking for an experienced floor
covering rep. that is familiar with the sales
area. The ideal candidate knows the retailers,
sales area and all types of floor covering
products (to include installation supplies).
This is a commissioned position that does
include some travel and compensation will
be discussed at the time of the interview.
Email resume to
resume@swfloor.com
Sales Reps/Agents
EcoTimber, a leader in sustainably
sourced wood, bamboo & cork flooring,
is seeking sales reps/agents with strong
dealer relationships & experience with
sustainability issues for these 6 territories:
CA, Pacific Northwest, Mid-Atlantic, New
England, Great Lakes, and Texas.
Email resume to:
[email protected]
Sales/Marketing/Product Director
TW Flooring Group seeks a Sales/Marketing/
Product Director for our Portuguese Cork.
Need the ability to drive cork sales through
our various channels including EcoTimber.
Requires distributor dealer relationships &
cork experience.
personnel@twflooringroup.com
Career Opportunities
Cavalier Carpet Industries
is seeking
A company territory manager and
independent agents in select territories,
with responsibility of selling rolls to stocking
retailers. All inquiries are kept confidential.
Send resumes to:
email [email protected]
Fax # 706-517-1220 or 706-517-1044
or call Harold Hair at 800-681-1718
NEED $$$$ ??
I will buy your Oriental Rug and machine
made inventory for cash!! I will travel to
you in USA or Canada
CALL MAURICE KAOUD
AT 860-836-9559
SALES AGENTS NEEDED
Industry leading hard surface company is
seeking experienced independent sales
agents with strong dealer relationships to
sell hardwood, bamboo, luxury vinyl, and
laminate in the following markets: SD, ND,
AZ, NM, KS, OK, NE, IA, MN, MO and WI.
Hard Surface experience is required.
Email resume to:
hardwoodfl[email protected]
NYC based company is
seeking a sales professional
for its NYC showroom.
Minimum of 3 years experience in floor
covering sales. Must be knowledgeable in
all facets of flooring-wood, laminate, carpet,
ceramic, stone.
Looking for ambitious
and outgoing personality, professional
appearance, with excellent communication
and computer skills. Full time position. Salary
plus commission with excellent benefits.
Please forward resume to
[email protected]
Sales/Manager
An established business seeking sales/
manager with 3-5 years experience and
good people skills. We are a growing
company that has a good reputation since
1965. Located in the panhandle of Florida.
Send resumes & inquiries to:
[email protected]
CAREER opportunity for carpet
sales agents
Established territories available:
Coastal SC/GA and SE Florida
Inquire at [email protected]
Randy's Carpets & Interiors
Seeks qualified, experienced flooring
covering installers for immediate sub-contract
work at our Coralville/Iowa City location.
[email protected]
for installation rates or additional questions.
Sales Reps
Major wood flooring manufacturer is looking
for sales reps to open territory and bring
sales, must have customer base.
Please email your resume to:
fl[email protected]
Visit Us At
fcw1.com
11/6/13 9:20 AM
22 The Last Word
The changing look of distribution
D
Same goes for BPI that went through a lot of the same
struggles we all did during this recession but managed to
find a path to success where others may have failed. No
surprise that here as well, customer service was one of the
company’s core principles.
I admire these companies. Distributors, perhaps more than
any other companies in the chain, have had to redefine who
and what they are — back from the days when they supplied
carpet to today where they compete with suppliers trying to
go direct in their markets and where they have to develop
their own private label programs that often include their own
sources of overseas suppliers. These industry stalwarts have
found a way, have cut new paths, have forged new alliances and
they have primarily done so by staying true to the family and
customer and service values upon which they were first built.
Perhaps it is because of this affinity we have for distribution
here at FCW that we take on this arduous task of calling them
all, and culling down their information and cajoling (sometimes begging) these folks to bring you our list of the Top 25
distributors in the country. We think they’re worth it — the
value, the support, the credit, the relationships, the product, the
logistics, the excellence and the caring.
If there’s anyone missing from our list, let us know and we’ll
work to get them included next year. They deserve credit for a
job well done.
istributors don’t have it easy
in the flooring business nowadays. Between manufacturers
going direct, an onslaught of overseas
suppliers coming in to the market, and
the problems we’re having here at home,
distributors are literally fighting everyday — some of them for their very lives.
But others have managed to thrive in this environment.
They’ve gotten closer to customers; they’ve started sourcing
directly from overseas themselves; they’ve expanded into new
territories; and, the largest have acquired competitors and
expanded their territories.
While some of the weakest companies went under, those
with sound businesses have grown and now rival many of their
own suppliers for size and impact in the market.
Take CMH Space Flooring, featured in this issue. This
company has been on a tear since 1991. Good values, early
adoption of technology and a culture of humble caring have
made it a stand out among its customers and suppliers alike. Of
course, smart leadership doesn’t hurt and neither does a laser
beam focus on customer service.
Or Cain & Bultman, which after 90 years is still going strong
and in a highly competitive market. Again, customer service is
a keystone for this business.
— Santiago Montero
This particular issue of FCW is
devoted to distribution — I’d say distributors are among the hardest working group of people in the industry,
both representing suppliers and serving
retailers. As a group, they have been
challenged during the recession and the
landscape has changed quite a bit over
the last few years. Yet, it is by sticking
to their core principles, staying true to
their roots that the Top 25 have survived
and in many cases thrived over the last few years.
Read about CMH — putting the customer first has helped
that company stay on top and grow even in the most challenging of times. The company has grown both organically and
through acquisition.
Cain & Bultman will celebrate 90 years in business next year.
That’s something to be proud of. And we’ve featured a host of
other Top 25 distributors over the years including Haines, T&L
and Swiff-Train to name a few. In May, we featured Florstar as
they celebrated their 25th anniversary. Indeed, there is something special about this group of companies.
To me, the rivers that wrap around the city of Pittsburgh,
the many bridges, the downtown skyline and the stadiums
that host our beloved sports teams are all part of the city’s
beautiful landscape. But it’s the people that remind me of the
basics I grew up with, the work ethic that I’ve come to admire
in so many of you in this industry. There is nothing quite like
going home to remind you of the things that matter most.
L
ast month I had the pleasure of going back to my
hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa. to check in with the folks
at HomerWood, located in Titusville, and Karndean
in Export, Pa. Yes, the picture posted on our Facebook page
of Franco Harris and the Immaculate Reception statue at the
Greater Pittsburgh Airport was completely self-indulgent. I
can’t help myself when it comes to my hometown, its sports, its
landscape and mainly its people.
In Pittsburgh, you will find some of the hardest working,
most genuine people in the nation. They are passionate,
they are true to themselves. So it was no surprise when
visiting with Wendy Wescoat at HomerWood to hear her
passion about the company’s product — a uniquely Made
in the U.S.A. product. The “character” found in HomerWood hardwood flooring is come by honestly — the wood
is procured locally in the Appalachian Mountain range, it is
handscraped by the Amish all right there in Titusville.
Next, we were on to Karndean Designflooring in Export
to visit with the new vice president of marketing Emil Mellow
and PR and social media head Allison Tomei. Again, the execs
here gave us, with great pride, a full tour of the facility. And
it is an impressive facility, one that the company is quickly
outgrowing. Its footprint is the same as other locations here
in the states as well as overseas. It houses offices, showrooms, a
warehouse and a robust production of presenters for working
with the A&D community as well as retail.
✓
Y
WEEKL
COVERING
A Hearst
Busines
at booths
Visit FCW
#B3370
#S5761 &
SURFACES
2013
Stage
Setting the very
for Reco
rkets
Winter ma
Commercial
Vol. 62
Supplem
ent to Floor
a l
o d i c
P e r i
news updated
each business
day, visit
us online
om
tion
April 8,
2013
$4
Consolid
ated
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y’s
4:42 PM
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each business
Fashion
forward
commer
cial carp
et
ges.indd
day, visit
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at www.fcw1
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3/20/13
s.indd 1
Ron Nash of Laticrete
Santiago Montero Publisher & Editor in Chief (516) 229-3617 [email protected]
Amy Joyce Rush Managing Editor (516) 227-1421 [email protected]
Kimberly Gavin Editor at Large (706) 278-3690 [email protected]
Brittany Walsh Assistant Editor (516) 227-1358 [email protected]
Janet Herlihy (361) 906-1117 [email protected]
Tanja Kern (417) 522-9722 [email protected]
Columnists
Jon Trivers I take the floor (530) 876-8454 [email protected]
Kermit Baker Beyond the numbers [email protected]
Chris Ramey Strategic insights (561) 876-8077 [email protected]
Marge Redmond Heard on Main Street [email protected]
Tom Jennings First things first (785) 843-1678 [email protected]
Rhonda Robinson Making What Matters Most Happen (541) 383-8044 Rhonda @RobinsonRo1.com
Advertising
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crucial for
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Administration
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Adriana Marzovilla Financial Manager (516) 227-1364 [email protected]
Steven R. Swartz President & Chief Executive Officer
William R. Hearst III Chairman
Frank A. Bennack Jr. Executive Vice Chairman
Richard P. Malloch Group Head & President
Steven A. Hobbs Executive VP & Deputy Group Head
Robert D. Wilbanks Group Controller
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Floor Covering Weekly (ISSN-0015-3761) is published bi-monthly by Hearst
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Suite 100, Uniondale, NY 11553. Periodicals postage paid at Uniondale, NY
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10
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1
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fcw4813-pa
Vol. 62
Ralph Boe (right) with newly named
acquisition
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and Brights
installed
at
carpet
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May 6, 2013
A Hearst Business Publication
February
[Orlan
scaled back
do, Fla.]
petsPlus
the last
Alliance
endure
built upon
Flooring
the tough three years in
strategy
/Car- the
order
financial
as it welcom its “Pillars for
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times plaguinto
convent
turn around, . But things are
ion here ed members to this
g
March
beginni
convent
he added.
By Janet
23-26. Underyear’s
ng to
ion theme
“We’re
Herlihy
“Drive 2”,
getting more
to its member
its
help from
s the skills, Alliance brought we had a great
Carpet
necessar
supplier
meeting
tools and
board.
y for a
s; (CARE) America Recover
with our
by the end
“Welcom successful recovery products year,” I think it’s going
y
advisory
will meet
of May.
e to the
to be a great
year.
Ron Dunn
in Wesley Effort
Fla., for
In order
Logue,
recovery,”
Chapel,
growth
its
co-CEO
said John back. Commercial said. “Retail is
head carpet to continue to
ence, April 11th Annual
of
greeting
Confercoming
spearbuilding
is
24-26. Th
members Alliance/Carpet
tively, CARErecycling efforts
has much
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sPlus,
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to be proud organization
He added
day of conventgeneral session
is spurring
have benefi will need help. ecrecogniz
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reported
on
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ing its accompof. And while
“We
, is already
group hopesbusiness.” also
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our board ted greatly by
evidenc
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goal is more
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ts, it
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t challeng
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CARE
ance Floorin to Ron Dunn,
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Peoples
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and is
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lls. In Septemb
Continu
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used carpet and another 20
returned
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ed
processo
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national
as
Dr. Bob
executiv
rs of PCC, recyclers
21
network
Peoples
e director
CARE’s
making
“We’re looking to facilitate
of CARE.
carpet recyclinup
CARE was agenda is full.
at big shift
recycling,”
In
preparin
g.
s and trends
ter review
Peoples
g the 2012 mid-March,
in
are
said.
carpet
for Cal
Fourth
influenced
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Recycle,
Survey,
by the macro
the factors
the CARE Quar- and how
the 2012
CARE
it affects
econom
Annual
ning for
ic climate
small business
the Annual Annual Report,
Peoples
working
es everywh
pointed
plan- market
Meeting
on the fi
out that
ere.”
in April
rebound
nal plan
as the
and sold
s,
due to Cal
which will more new carpet housing
Recycle
eventua
is being
lly be available
Continu
for
Mohawk fina
Gains lead lizes Marazzi
No. 9
Vol. 62
Networki
optimismng, new products
,
drives All
iance
By Mallory
hot prodvery, very
LVT is a
to grow
continue
uct and we
ial and residenare
our commerc
Rush
lines. We
By Amy Joyce
tial LVT product ns at this
Rusprojectio
A year ago, of
ahead of
[Salem, N.J.]
helm
said.
took the
point,” he
he has invested
sell Grizzle Mills, a familySince then,
g the
ton
old
Manning
in overseein
easier
his time
nearly 100-yeardeeply
owned
n, a job made dilithat was
integratio
due
and
company
of careful
and
in tradition
because
the purchase
grounded
industry,
Mangence before
Russell Grizzle
rest of the
the
slow
like
aligned with a big
in a painfully and
values that
at’s been
was mired
then
that company from the start. “Th
His job
for the future
recovery.
d
while nington’s
plot a path
said.
to
announce
he
is
markets
now
new
com- help,” October, the company Commercial
growth in
true to the
In
ton
includes
time to stay
the Manning will carry both
at the same
that both
forces
values.
, includthe Amtico and the Amtico sales
pany’s core
ial products
points to
the
allows
s’ commerc
tile, using
Today, Grizzle
move that
companie
and carpet
n as a strategic its global reach
cial “Choices
LVT, sheet
acquisitio
ton Commer
coming
ton to expand
Manning
on page 47
its LVT
d
Manning
current
bring
Continue
it to3-25-13Co
while enabling n onshore.mmercial.indd 18 n.
mercial productio with the acquisitio
pleased
“We are
at www.fcw1.c
s Publica
March 2013
PINNACLE
4
PRACTICE
& PROCESS
5
PRODUC
T 10
PROMOT
ION &
COMMUN
ICATION
1/18/13
For breaking
— Amy Joyce Rush
Busines
Coverin
g Weekly
Grizz
Mannington’s
Great Floo
wide and rs goes
deep
A Hearst
tion
, product
Acquisition t advantage
heat up
bring markele sets course for future
OklaRoger Voge,
a,” said
Floorin Oklahom president for Star
homa division ng.
& Marble,
ing & Decoratiowner of Paris Tile
up.
casual,
By Janet Herlihy
is picking
re was
Jinx Yoder,
said, “Business after the first
] The atmosphein hotels located
[Dallas
Paris, Texas,
to wait ‘til
s scattered
and the
who wanted buy now.”
the showroom Grapevine, Texas,
the People
in
and
are back to
Fine Floors
in Irvine
small, attending were of the year
t
of Adair’s
large and
is importan
markets
Susan Adair,
retailers,
flooring
c.
“Winter market Surfaces in
Dallas regional products and optimistiwith Dallas, said,
better than
it’s
the
.”
along
us. I think
pleased with
Beaulieu
are not distracted Valley
T&L to
Shaw, Mohawk,
Swiff-Train,
that the suppliers owner of Brazos
in
rs including see a wide range of
Chuck Moreau,with three locations
distributo
.
dealers to
been
programs
has
Design,
drew
area,
the latest
and BPI
Floor &
hear about
Station, Texas d on page 12
g in the
product and
recoverin
the College
Continue
tion is
better retail
Construc
reported
strong
retailers
is
and
market
region
“The builder
sales as well.
No. 7
s Publica
19
Great Floors, No. 9 on FCW’s Top 50
list, boasts an expansive showroom
in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
e
” them h
Max boot
sor
ic of
Mag
Wind
Max
variety.
Haleys Flooring & Interiors offers
ABC Carpet & Home’s 6th floor rug
department
Sergenian’s grows in
Wisconsin and Florida
Separate retail brands, expanded commercial
ces and distribution
sales, administrative offi
three
in Madison. In Florida, there are now
— Tampa,
of G. Fried Flooring America stores
The merger of Sergenian’s Floor Coverings
told, sales tallied
G. Fried Sarasota and Jupiter. All
Madison, Wisc. with Florida-based
to Jim
has $25.8 million in 2012, according
Flooring America in November of 2011,
Sergethat Garner, CEO of the parent company
resulted in a vital, diversified business
and the majority
50 U.S. nian’s Floor Coverings, Inc.
is ranked No. 40 in FCW’s 2013 Top
shareholder of the business.
Specialty Retailers report.
In 2008, when the recession hit in Wisconsin,
SergeA member of Flooring America,
onethe builder business accounted for about
nian’s operates a retail store and maintains
a second facility that houses commercial
By Janet Herlihy
For breaking news updated each business
19
11:25 AM
day, visit us online at www.fcw1.com
location
My Flooring America’s Denton, Texas
Sergenian’s showroom features stylish
Hard surface carries
retail out of slump
The
12:15 PM
gates
open
at Surfa
.
2013
about Stainmaster
brand.
coverage
*Surfaces page 4
begins on
Flooring
Newton,
said Ian
put the program
101, who
group.
for the
together
this as a
r, we see
Gavin
“Howeve
”
ent opporBy Kimberly
and
year run,” said Bruce Zwicker, president
in your business.Merritt
margin enhancemadded, not
The National
to invest
when
By Raymond Pina
CEO, Haines. “Housing is rising and
right for you and president Randy a better [L V]
Alliance
. He
tunity,” Newton
disrupter
ering
be
be like throwing
Rush
Both Bell
Floorcov
of more
signifi- interest rates go up it will
definitively
as a market the program
Amy Joyce
offered
Specialty flooring dealers are reporting
collective
2013 will
people trying
that if
Cruise and
for all of us,”
(NFA), a
said that
traf- rocket fuel on a fire with more
nation’s
also said
group
By Mallory
right here
convencant and sustained increases in both store
our number than 40 of the
still relatively low.
support, the
“It starts
Network
success is
Growth, to buy in while rates are
.
gets good
met prior
Flooring
on the year.
fic and store sales across all categories.
growth and
additions
into a
] Shaw
a spotlight
largest retailers, for a midBell. “Your
[O
new We’re coming out of a depression
would pursue
2013 — put
2013
they said, is being fueled by rejuvenated
in January,
dakis, incomlaser sharp
Surfaces
and
one priority.”
Phil Koufi
“Every year
tion — Insight to create targeted,
busi- pretty strong recovery.”
year to
con, said that
meeting
Merritt,
better
home construction, residential remodel
deep
on
comability
a
president
be
g its
Explained
Construction and renovation of
company’s
was
ing NFA
going to
that conventireview. The positive
while expressin and the causes
ness and Main Street commercial.
g program
y says it’s
facilities,
to support
vendor
at last
everybod
business plans
said mercial spaces such as healthcare
the Armstron cant because
their families
have the statistics
informam reported
“I haven’t been this busy in years,”
signifi
ces continue to cern for its dealers,
s.
but we didn’t year we have concrete
especially
owner schools and government offi
group
continue
vely momentu
30-year industry veteran Jeff Kaspin,
more than
. This
ed the first
space on Main it believes in.
to be progressi
fall’s meeting group disintention
crowd of
it represent
Carpet. rise but the return of retail
it. It’s going
told the
), “Shaw
of Monroe Township, N.J.-based A.B.
of carpet.
while the
opportunity.
a new
attendees
proVance Bell
to four years.”
tion to support
his
my Street is proving to be the latest
of And
examine
buy outside
.
potential
(some 3,800 to insure future
officiated
“The amount of traffic coming through
the next three
retail
and CEO
from Armstrong
cussed some closed doors, NFA members
better for
“With new housing comes new
Koufidakis
1,000 dealers
the
together
program
et, chairman
. “My job
Hathafocused
Buff
pieces
wood
door is reminiscent of the good days before
behind
principal
been
the
g
president
Borders,
Berkshire
Warren
have
has put
amazing construction,” said Diana
12 grams publicly embracin
as the new
company
service
best opporsuccess. We
economy went bad. And what’s really
d on page
flooring, Armbuy
first meeting p is to bring the
one it is
quality and
Shaw’s parent
growth and
Continue
January, designer for commercial
during
wood group
to me is how strong business was in
leadershi
Our product made major capital
g.
retail environment
he told FCW
is a new
to with
on you.
that kind strong. “We’re seeing the
and we’ve
e time is
to the group,” en they can choose
ity from Armstron d, introduced
February and March. Usually we get
Th
But
business.
improved
tunities
“Th
opportun
have
$1 billion.
already driving a lot of commercial
So far, we
Scrape Hardwoon, is a collection
of push in April through June. I’m
nts — over
vendor meeting.
American
best for them. participainvestme
conventio
we’re also seeing a lot of hospitals renovating.
in 3/8 the
lly what is
at the fall
ahead of last year. That’s very encouraging.”
available
individua
the NFA
getting mass
dip, America is building again.”
scraped products
adding that
success in
in 10 colors
With the exception of an occasional
had
said,
charge
the
led
high-end
have
have
Available
dakis
of
categories
es.
Hard surface
Koufi
and
with four:
thickness
that success
monthly increases in new home sales
8 percent the first
is starting
tion in carpet,” group can spread
and ½-inch
property of increased sales, up some
the
Grain and
goal as presiNFA program
a trend among homeowners and
to the first quartotal, the
Blaze, Amber
p he believed d and beyond. His on page 7
quality quarter of 2013 in comparison
d
Nest, Autumn
is a direct-shi
managers to remodel with better
hardwoo
Research.
into
Catalina
Continue
to
Eagles
according
program
ter of 2012,
use. The
ve pricing.
goods is driving sales growth residentially. Smokeho
competiti
ble,”
three
members
“We think we’re set up to have a good
is considera
that offers
advantage
1:14 PM
2/8/13
“The price
5/1/13 3:47 PM
4/4/13
Drumline makes noise
first
ong: NFA’s
: Armstrgroup buy option
ight 2013
Shaw’s Ins better future wood
a
ing
Build
ces
“The
the
displays.at
a l
o d i c
P e r i
$4
28, 2013
on
Publicati
P e r i o d i c a l
FLOOR
Business
P e r
i o d i
c a l
A Hearst
FCW
January
No. 2
Editorial (516) 229-3600 Fax (516) 227-1342
Advertising (770) 919-7747 Fax (770) 919-1348
Classified Advertising (516) 227-1407 Fax (516) 227-1342
Production
Going home
Vol. 62
FCW Editorial and Sales Headquarters
50 Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Suite 100, Uniondale, NY 11553
(516) 229-3600 • FAX (516) 227-1342
For breaking
5613-pages.indd 1
s.indd 1
2-11-13page
news updated
each business
day, visit
us online
To subscribe: call (866) 813-3752 or go to fcw1.com/subscribe
For reprints of articles: Wright’s Media (877) 652-5295
om
at www.fcw1.c
11/6/13 3:52 PM
Mary Bishop* worked
in her family’s
flooring business and
devoted herself to
her family. When a
Christmas Eve seizure
led to the discovery
of a grade III brain
tumor, Mary suddenly
had to focus on an
intense treatment plan which included
radiation, chemotherapy and
fighting
the tumor.
Good thing someone told
her about the Floor
Covering Industry
Foundation
g
in
lp
he
u,
o
y
c
am lp
i
f
nd
or
d
he
e.
a
h
n
e
s
p
s
a
er
op
s
eu
u
t
g
s
n
a
yo
nd
e
a
o
e
y
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t
r
i
l
pl
t
u,
e
r
s
t
u
o
f
g
o
y
tr
n
n
r
pe
an
a
e
e
s
ry
w
’
k
t
r
h
v
t
t
a
u
n
e
I
w
s
u
M
“
n
t
t
bo
ha
yo
s
u
a
T
he
r
b
s
w
fi
,
e
ll
u
a
k
e
a
’s
yo
th
m
it
g
t
e.”
,
i
l
u
e
p
h
m
eo
r
p
Fo
ng
i
lp
e
h
l
e
fe
y
il
s
ines
Bus
ng
p*
i
o
r
h
e
s
v
rco
y Bi
lo o
Mar
F
ily
Fam
Do you know someone who could use our assistance? Let them know there’s hope.
For information or to make a donation, please call 714.634.0302 or visit FCIF.org.
*The FCIF treats all of its grant recipients confidentially. Mary wanted to share her story with the public but asked that we keep their identity veiled. Her name has been changed
FCIF_ad_2011_FCW_2.indd 3
9/26/11 2:41 PM
COMING SOON!
A STAINMASTER® CARPET FOR
EVERY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY.
© 2013 INVISTA. All Rights Reserved. STAINMASTER ® is a registered trademark of INVISTA.
102813pages.indd 24
10/18/13 9:34 AM

Bigger footprint plus technology drive growth

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