Mannington's Raja Slate

Hicksville, N.Y.—In the world of laminate flooring, it seems there is always something “fresh” taking place. Whether it’s new products, new technology, new colors or new merchandising materials there is never a shortage of new things coming out.

This is true even as the industry moves into the slower days of summer, when thoughts of camp, baseball games and vacations occupy most peoples’ minds. In fact, Shaw Industries has decided to play on the summer baseball theme with its latest hard surface displays.

While the MVP—most valuable products—display concept is represented in the company’s hard surface categories, the one for laminates is made to handle Shaw’s newest microbeveled, exotic and handscraped products, specifically Costa Rica, Salvador, Charlestowne and Beacon Hill.

David Wilkerson, Shaw’s divisional vice president of hard surface marketing, said the Beveled Edge Laminate MVP unit holds 16 SKUs and uses less than three-feet of floor space. “It is designed to work by itself or as a ‘team player’ alongside our Laminate Design Gallery and the Laminate Boutique.”

The display holds five Costa Rica designs—including Santos Mahogany, the newest color in the line; four each from Charlestowne and Beacon Hill, and two from Salvador. The final spot is for expansion.

New colors are something that Quick-Step is bringing out as it helps dealers “freshen their palette offering,” noted Roger Farabee, vice president of marketing for the Quick-Step brands.

“In 2005,” he explained, “we launched Country with three colors. This year we are introducing five additional colors, including Scraped Dark Oak.”

Country features Quick-Step’s artisan-inspired finish to create the look of wood planks with a sculpted, handscraped surface.

“The detail and realism in these is unparalleled,” he explained. “For instance, each plank has recessed edges as you’d expect in felled timber floors.”

With exotic woods among the most popular looks in today’s home fashions, Pergo has come out with the World Traveler collection, which combines rare wood designs with a unique satin gloss finish, said David Small, marketing director.

Available in eight designs —bamboo natural, bamboo caramel, koa, palissander, Tuscan oak, ironwood, jatoba and merbau—each product comes in two formats—3-1/2X48-5/12- or 5X48-5/12-in. “This allows for a customized and authentic hardwood look,” he said. “the micro-beveled edges on each plank add to the realism.

“This collection brings an exotic, adventuresome look to any room in the house,” Small added.

New technology is helping to drive Mannington Mills latest laminate lines, said Zack Zehner, director of laminate business.

The company has expanded the use of its NatureForm Optix process not just on its newest plank styles—Louisville Hickory and Natural Spalted Maple—but for Revolutions Tile, the next generation of Mannington’s popular NatureForm Tile collection that was first introduced in 2001.

Each of the three patterns in the collection features 24 distinct tile visuals, he explained, which capture the contrast and movement of color found in nature.

In addition, Zehner said through the use of state-of-the-art technology, the mill is able to provide a dual-gloss design in a 12-in. narrow grout format.

He noted, it is available in three designs—Palermo, a fusion of Mannington’s Garda porcelain and real slate; Pompeii, a travertine with textural nuances and shading, and Raja Slate, a subdued yet bold product that complements many of today’s home decor trends.
—Matthew Spieler