TEE TIME: On Sept. 20, CCA Global Partners will host the Fifth Annual Charity Golf Tournament to benefit the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF). The event will be held at the Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort in Stone Mountain, Ga... more

SCANDAL: CBS News reported a late breaking story on July 31 of corruption at Home Depot involving a kickback scheme by four purchasing managers who allegedly accepted large sums of money to place certain flooring products in company stores... more

When I started covering this industry in 1994, the big boxes were emerging as the supposed largest threat to specialty floor covering dealers... more

MIXED BAG: The good news: Home Depot finally sold its Supply Unit to three private equity firms for $10.3 billion, removing a liability from Robert Nardelli’s reign as CEO, which was terminated earlier this year... more

I just had to respond to [Dr. Steve Spivak’s “CleanSweep” column, “How to wow your customers” (FCNews, May 21/28)], claiming dealers should follow the lead of the lighting store that offered its clients high-end coffees, drinks, champagne even... more

FCNews readers are constantly getting in touch with our columnists for advice concerning everything from claims/legal and financial issues to selling and maintenance. They are usually asking for an opinion on a particular subject... more

After spending the better part of a week in Cincinnati for the Carpet One Floor & Home and Flooring America conventions, the resounding message from members was that “things are tough out there... more

FAREWELL: In 2005, Honeywell International sold its carpet fiber business to Shaw Industries. Last week, it announced that it will shut down nylon production at its Anderson, S.C., plant by the end of August, signaling the end of Honeywell’s participation in the nylon fiber business in the U.S... more

Michael Goldberg, CEO of Rite Rug, one of the largest flooring retailers in the country, may have said it best when analyzing the importance of DuPont’s new bio-based fiber, made partially from corn sugar, that will debut this fall in Mohawk’s SmartStrand line (FCNews June 25/July 2): “At the end... more

BOE-LIEU: Ralph Boe, new CEO of Beaulieu of America, shared his views last week on business in 2007. He said the first half of this year, just completed, was down about 10% compared with last year. A depressed housing market, down about 25%, contributed to the poor showing... more