Article Number : 1959 |
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| Date | 5/7/2007 8:55:58 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=1959 |
| Abstract | By Louis Iannaco Hicksville, N.Y.—While most of the talk leading into Coverings 2007 had to do with the show’s move to Chicago, the buzz coming out of the market had as much to do with what was exhibited rather than the event’s new location... |
| Article | By Louis Iannaco Hicksville, N.Y.—While most of the talk leading into Coverings 2007 had to do with the show’s move to Chicago, the buzz coming out of the market had as much to do with what was exhibited rather than the event’s new location. While there may not have been any one technological innovation at Coverings that will change the face of the tile and stone industry for generations to come, technology did play a major role. Highlighted by metallic looks, faux patterns, colors galore, graphics, and textures of all types, including textile and linen, Coverings offered something for everybody while featuring much of what’s been seen the last couple years—just more of it. Tiles of every conceivable shape and size adorned the show’s booths as, according to show management company National Trade Productions (NTP), attendance numbers reached 37,000, up from the approximately 33,000 at last year’s show in Orlando, Fla. “We’re seeing a lot of new faces,” said Tamara Christian, NTP’s CEO. One of the reasons for the increase, she acknowledged, came as a result of a program launched by nearby Miles Distributors. The Indiana-based wholesaler brought roughly 1,000 attendees to Coverings, “92% of whom had never attended the show.” According to NTP, floor covering retailer attendance was up 20%, while architect and designer attendance—two strong components as to why the show shifted to the Windy City in the first place—was up more than 100%. The total number of exhibitors hit the 1,300 mark, approximately 200 more than last year’s event, and while exhibit space also increased, it was not by a significant percentage. Evaluating the situation While most executives FCNews spoke to seemed to give a “thumbs up” to their experience in Chicago, the future of the show’s stay in the Windy City is not etched in stone. According to Christian, because it remains to be seen if the market would ultimately alternate between the Chicago and Orlando locations, NTP did not want to grow the event over and above the space available in Orlando and then have companies not be able to get a space in 2008 when the show shifts back to Florida. “We will evaluate how Coverings went in Chicago,” she noted, “including the feelings of the exhibitors toward their experience here, and then we’ll make a decision on whether the show will come to Chicago in 2009.” As it stands, there are only five cities in the U.S. with facilities where Coverings can fit into: New York, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Orlando and Chicago. Because of its setup and takedown, the show also takes three weeks to occupy any one facility. Mapei, which hadn’t exhibited at Coverings in four years, enjoyed a “fabulous show,” according to Sophia D’Amico, marketing programs specialist. Echoing the sentiments of many companies at Coverings, she added, “We’re very happy with Chicago. It’s been a nice change.” Luciano Galassini, the director of economic and trade relations for Confindustria Ceramica, noted, feedback from the Italian exhibitors was positive. “They made new contacts at the show and reconnected with customers that had been missing for the last 15 years. They definitely had the chance to see many more potential customers from the Midwest. We believe these relationships will strengthen in the years to come. “Chicago is a good location for distributors/dealers based in the Midwest,” he added. “Centrally located, it draws from every part of the country. It is easy for big distributors to make the trip. And the robust A&D community in Chicago really makes a difference. For Italian tile exhibitors, the move was positive overall, said Galassini. “We do not have the final numbers yet, but we believe attendance was more or less the same as last year. In terms of quality—the profile of the attendees was higher than in Orlando. We know that there was twice the number of A&D attendees. Of course, the final data will tell us more and we can make a more in depth analysis. Overall, he noted because of the city the show was “more exciting and dynamic,” and the convention center was well organized, which contributed to a more interesting market. There no doubt was a heavy metal flair to Coverings ’07. Companies such as Brazil-based Eliane featured metallic-looks with several textures, including its new Neolitic collection. Stonepeak Ceramics debuted Gray Wool, textured tiles resembling woven wool with a metallic finish. Monocibic introduced Brass, Graphite and Mercury finishes, while Artistic Tile debuted La Leaf, glass tiles backed in metal leaf, and Goldstone, with etched circular patterns filled with metal leaf. Graniti Fiandre gave a sneak preview of its Luminar collection, an unglazed, porcelain, 24 inch tile in the three Olympic medal colors of Gold, Silver and Bronze. Ideal for residential and commercial applications, Luminar features an optical lens-look. The company announced its popular Co.de line will also be expanded. Another look very popular at the show was faux looks including patterns mimicking skins such as alligator and snake. Whether it be Sahara Designs with its Fish scale series or Kale Group’s RepTile Collection, featuring three styles of tiles, each representing a lizard, crocodile or snake’s skin, skin was in at Coverings. Garo debuted Vendome, a textured tile featuring an alligator skin pattern. Tau also displayed its Serp, a lizard-textured tile available in a wide variety of sizes and colors. Florim’s Rex division debuted Croco Tabac as part of its launch of Matouche, a textural tile collection. The wood look was once again well represented by companies such as Inalco with its Hardwood Series and Florim’s Rex division with Glam Wood. Fabric looks such as linens were prominent as Majorca and Apavisa debuted several new collections. Ceramiche Astor introduced the Klis Collection, a series of tiles with the texture of raw silk while Trikeenan featured a classic herringbone. From artisan looks to tile murals to larger works of ceramic art, the trend of art continued to grow. Michigan-based Motawi Tileworks featured its polychrome tiles in arts-and-crafts-type patterns which can be used as accents or murals. The company’s Coverings introductions included Louis Sullivan-inspired designs, as well as Art Deco wallpaper-inspired patterns. Superior Art Building Material’s Gemart brand debuted its Porcelain Jade Panels at Coverings. These brilliant, large-format glazed porcelain tiles created quite a buzz during the show. “The response from people coming into the booth has been, ‘We’ve never seen anything like this before,’” said Josh Bernstein, Gemart’s regional sales manager. “They want to feel and touch them They love it. “With the glazed porcelain tile, it’s like painting with gems,” he explained. “They can be used for floor, wall, residential, commercial, indoor or outdoor. They come in matte or gloss finishes as well in 18- and 24 inch sizes.” As this was the first appearance at Coverings for Gemart, the company couldn’t be happier with Chicago. “So many people want information from us, but we are keeping up,” he noted. “We’re looking for quality distributors as well as sales reps. We are looking to grow as fast as possible while keeping our prices affordable. Our penetration into the U.S. market has been going great.” Glass made another splash at Coverings with several debuted collections. One of the segment’s biggest names, Oceanside Glasstile, unveiled Geologie, a collection of glass and slate mosaic blends. Inspired by nature’s geological rock formations that are often bejeweled with crystals, Geologie features crystal-like hand cast glass which vary in form and shades of color. “Geologie’s casual elegance is at home in residential living rooms, libraries, kitchens and baths,” said Feras Irikat, the company’s new product designer, “while its sophistication is equally fitting in commercial and hospitality designs from restaurants and nightclubs to corporate business settings.” Atlas Concorde was one of many manufacturers based in Italy to enjoy a positive experience at Coverings. “We are very satisfied,” said export manager Alessandro Pravettoni. “The launch of our new product was very well accepted. Our new line, featuring a limestone look in through body porcelain, comes in many different sizes and colors. We believe it is a winner for the U.S. market.” Jim Cuthbertson, vice president of marketing for Florida Tile, noted how floral decoratives and rectangular sizes are growing in popularity. ‘The American market, led by the bigger cities, are getting more sophisticated in shopping for ceramic tiles.” Turkey, a growing force in the natural stone segment, was represented by several manufacturers at Coverings. Ahmet Keles, chairman of the Istanbul Mineral Exporters Association (IMIB), commented on his country’s growing influence. “With its abundance of natural stone reserves coupled with high quality stones and competitive pricing, Turkey is becoming the major resource for U.S. buyers looking for great value and superiority in stone.” |