Howie Schwab of ESPN’s popular “Stump the Schwab” program, stumps Surfaces attendees

By FCNews staff
Las Vegas—Mother Earth was smiling during Surfaces 2007 as the industry showed why it is a major force in helping to create a better environment for future generations while still developing products to meet style and performance demands from consumers. Along with touting sustainable, recyclable and natural products there was also a variety of innovations designed to allow today’s floor coverings to be sold and installed quicker and easier, thus giving dealers and their sales and installation staffs a better chance at earning more money.

The abundance of Earth friendly products and other innovations, along with 300 new companies participating, kept attendees busy shopping the myriad of exhibits on both floors of the Sands Expo & Convention Center during the four-day event earlier this month. And, when you throw in the numerous educational offerings provided by Hanley Wood, Surfaces owner, as well as many of the exhibitors, most people left the 18th edition of Surfaces with a sense of accomplishment.

This despite the fact that overall attendance was projected by Hanley Wood to be down. Official numbers were not available at press time, but Dana Teague, Surfaces’s show director told FCNews preliminary numbers indicate total attendance to be off approximately 5% from last year’s record-breaking event which saw close to 42,000 pass through the Sands.

Interestingly, despite having 300 new companies exhibiting, total participation remained relatively consistent with last year’s record number (about 1,050). Yet, this year, exhibitors used slightly more space to show off their products and services.

Many theories abounded as to why there was a dip in attendance—dealers had a bad fourth quarter and it was spilling over into this year; a couple of major markets, such as the International Builder’s Show in Orlando, Fla., were staged at the same time as Surfaces which was held a week later than normal; some of the industry’s largest buying group conventions either overlapped or bumped against Surfaces, and the bad weather in the East (see Editorial on page four).

Nonetheless, those who participated felt it was well worth it as the general mood of visitors was described as optimistic.

“People are fairly buoyant,” said Ralph Boe, president of Beaulieu of America’s residential division. “It may be because we had our most aggressive launch in years to position ourselves and our customers for when things turn around. Whatever the reason, they are optimistic and they’re making purchases of both displays and product. ”

At the Mannington Mills booth, where the company unveiled it largest set of introductions in the company’s 90-plus year history, Keith Campbell, chairman, said the mill’s expansive booth was “consistently filled. The best part is, even though the second half of last year was rough all over, everyone seems genuinely happy and eager.”

Even smaller companies were experiencing this feeling. “We’ve had some quality people in,” said John Blanton, national sales manager of Fritz Industries. “These are the decision makers. We’ve also had more foreign visitors than last year.”

Joshua Montgomery, business development manager for Berry Wood Products, noted half way through the market, “We’re doing very well. If we could stop now, this would be our greatest show ever.”

So, if all indicators were pointing down, why did exhibitors generally have such a good experience? Simply put, stylish product that met a variety of needs. Unlike past years when people could point to one or two products as standing out, most of those surveyed by FCNews’ editors were not about to narrow it down. Instead they discussed the vast amount of goods with features as mentioned at the start of this article—eco friendly, easier to install and so on.

Green fields ahead

Environmentally friendly products have been slowly finding their way into American homes in recent years and, following Surfaces, it is clear consumers will soon add floor coverings to the list. From soft and hard surface goods containing recycled content to methods designed to reduce or eliminate resources, today’s products are the tip of the iceberg in bringing sustainability to the industry.

One of the main reasons for this growth is due to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

LEED is the nationally recognized standard for green building. USGBC states LEED is the “benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings...[it] promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.”

Originally for use only in commercial settings the program is moving to the residential side this year. In fact, USGBC began a pilot test of LEED for Homes 18 months ago. Currently, more than 200 builders representing 1,600 homes are participating in the program, and 26 homes have already been certified. The pilot test is expected to conclude this spring and USGBC will publicly launch the LEED for Homes rating system in the summer.

According to the criteria, a LEED certified home “uses less energy, water and natural resources; creates less waste, and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants. Benefits include lower energy and water bills; reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins. The net cost of owning a LEED home is comparable to that of owning a conventional home.”

Ease of business

Along with helping the environment, exhibitors were showcasing services, systems and devices to make the job of selling and installing easier and more profitable.

As Beaulieu’s Boe noted: “We want to be the company that is easy to do business with—from top to bottom we want to go the extra mile.” He pointed to the company’s Web site which not only gives dealers the ability to conduct business with the manufacturer 24/7, they can do it more efficiently and with less errors.

Business-to-business (B2B) and the use of the computer to make business easier was a hot topic at the show and FCNews will devote more stories in future issues on what software companies, manufacturers and distributors are doing to get retailers to make better use of this resource.

Another area of focus on making life easier dealt with installation. While there was a great deal of hands-on training taking place, there was also new products and ideas that have yet to make it to the mainstream. For instance, the Free Lay Backing System from Textile Rubber & Chemical Co. eliminates the need for glue while allowing installers the flexibility to lay the floor down right the first time.

Research company Valinge, the developer of many of the patented mechanical locking systems used by laminate and wood flooring companies, was showing the future of these devices and how they can be used in other areas.

A major example of this was the exhibit it had showing carpet squares laid with one of the systems. The company envisions a day when carpet will come in plank form, just like hard surface products, and connect together. In addition, because the locking systems are the same from category to category, the goal is to free up designers to create as their minds feel by interlocking a variety of mediums.

In the end, this year’s Surfaces showed the industry’s commitment to create ways for it to be both a better friend to the environment and dealers. And, as Dan Frierson, chairman of the Dixie Group noted, this type of focus is “good for everyone in the industry, good for consumers and good for the environment.”