This upscale display holds 115 products.

By Steven Feldman
Las Vegas—Surfaces served as the springboard for Wilsonart Flooring to take the wraps off its new Synergy program. The initiative is designed to strengthen relationships with its best customers, according to Curt Thompson, president.

Entrée into the Synergy program is by invitation-only. The retailer must be doing a certain amount of business with Wilsonart and have demonstrated their willingness to support high-end products, Thompson said.

Wilsonart is billing Synergy as a program that combines unparalleled sales support with a dynamic product presentation and variety of exclusive benefits. Those include:

• 90-day advance on all Wilsonart product introductions
• A self-inspect claims process where the retailer files directly with Wilsonart via the Internet
• Dedicated resources for sample and literature fulfillment
• No-questions-asked consumer satisfaction guarantee ranging from 30 to 90 days depending on product. If after installation the consumer is dissatisfied with her design choice, Wilsonart will replace the floor with a new product of equal value.
• Quick-ship molding program
• Exclusive promotions
• Free display floor up to 100 square feet
• Preferential lead referral program
• Exclusive concierge service to provide customer support and consumer follow-up for after the sale reporting.

The centerpiece of the program is a 14-foot-wide x 2-foot-deep merchandiser that has a capacity to hold 115 products. The display, which is mandatory for entering the program, has a retail value of more than $5,000.

Thompson said Wilsonart signed up more than 700 retailers within three weeks of the launch with the goal of a couple of thousand by the end of the second quarter. “These dealers will represent the best of the best and will be our flagship dealers.”

New product

Wilsonart launched a pair of collections at Surfaces: Standards and Styles. Standards is Wilsonart’s entry-level product that will retail for under $3. “This is a new price point for us,” Thompson said. “The collection offers eight SKUs, all high pressure, and utilizes more basic design elements to create a high-value proposition.” Standards is available in 7 3/4-inch widths and will be merchandised on builder boards.

Styles, a second step-up, is a collection of 12 SKUs in 3 1/2- and 5-inch widths, all micro-beveled, and will retail around $4. It offers a mixture of exotic species and Asian themes.

Additional introductions in The Red Label Collection rounded out the overall launch of new patterns at 25.