Article Number : 1697 |
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| Date | 1/26/2007 7:37:48 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=1697 |
| Abstract | The year is 17 days old as I write this, and already I’m blown away by what I’ve seen this year. It started the first week in January, when I headed to San Jose to visit S&G Carpet, one of the country’s 20 largest independent retailers... |
| Article | The year is 17 days old as I write this, and already I’m blown away by what I’ve seen this year. It started the first week in January, when I headed to San Jose to visit S&G Carpet, one of the country’s 20 largest independent retailers. Gary Miceli and Steve Bicknell, the respective president and national vice president, have decided to take their business to the next level by launching a retail network that will encompass smaller retailers that can benefit from S&G’s expertise in marketing, advertising, merchandising, private-labeling and experience, not to mention professionalism. Good for retailers; good for S&G. The following week we made our annual pilgrimage to Salem, N.J., where Mannington pulled the curtain on its array of 2007 introductions, its largest set ever. Ed Duncan, senior vice president of marketing, residential, noted that when the economy slows down, Mannington ramps up so it is in the right position when the economy does turn around. As always, the manufacturer did not disappoint, proving once again that when it comes to style and design, it has few equals. Its laminate products are so realistic that hardwood product manager Dan Natkin, on the job for less than two months, referred to his intros as “next year’s laminate introductions.” On the ceramic side, Mannington continues to make great strides, expanding its portfolio with accents that run the gamut from glass to metallic. And last but not least, the company has joined Tarkett, IVC and Armstrong in the growing glass-backed, loose lay resilient sheet category with the introduction of Sobella, the first such product to be designed AND manufactured in the U.S. Later that week it was off to Dallas, which offers a bevy of mini-markets in January. Start with Mohawk, where the SmartStrand fiber franchise now extends to the Aladdin brand. On the hardwood and laminate side, Lindsey Ann Waldrep, the hard surface brand manager, was touting the company’s newest collections at the lucrative high end of the market. At the end of the day, Mohawk has responded to those who believed the company needed help at the upper end. Across the road at Shaw, president Randy Merritt and hard surface vice president David Wilkerson were on hand Friday morning. Like Mohawk, Shaw is beefing up its offering at the high end while also introducing value-added products at lower price points, a handscraped oak for example. But what makes Dallas special this time of year is all the distributor shows. This year we stopped in at Adleta and Swiff Train. Adleta’s incoming president John Sher was ecstatic about business as the company passed the $100 million mark for the first time in 2006. He was especially raving about the Armstrong brand, but was also singing the praises of new introductions from suppliers like Pinnacle, Kährs and Wilsonart. Last but not least, we stopped in at the new digs of Hanley Wood, proprietor of Surfaces. Dana Teague, the new show director, simply gets it. Under her auspices the show will not only survive, but thrive. Bank on it. We’ve seen so much. And we haven’t even gotten to Surfaces yet. |