John Himes, president, WFI

By K.J. Quinn
Exotic wood species represent only a fraction of the flooring industry. But don’t tell that to Wood Flooring International (WFI). The Burlington, N.J.-based company is renowned for importing the finest wood from around the globe that appeals to the decorating tastes of North American consumers.

“As a supplier, we do two things extremely well,” said John Himes, a 17-year industry veteran who joined WFI as president in November. “We make sure we offer virtually any type, style or price point that a distributor may need. On top of that, we know wood flooring production can ensure the appropriate quality levels coming out of mills anywhere in the world.”

WFI imports and distributes a myriad of wood species from 15 countries, such as Brazilian cherry, Caribbean rosewood and Australian cypress, as well as common domestic qualities like maple and walnut in special sizes. “We do all construction types in a massive variety of species, all from the best factories in the world,” Himes said.

Exotic woods is a fast-growing niche, accounting for more than $200 million in annual sales, driven largely by their natural beauty, unique looks and fresh interest from the A&D community, according to industry members. Jeff Striegel, president and CEO of Elias Wilf in Owings Mills, Md., noted the popularity of exotic species is the latest twist in the evolution of the hardwood business. “The next horizon is international species which you don’t see everyplace,” he said. “They are tomorrow’s products today.”

Enter WFI, which serves as a global source for wholesalers in helping them identify and import such products. The wood flooring producer assists suppliers in developing and implementing the correct production sequencing and in-line process quality control systems. Indeed, it is not uncommon for WFI to work at a mill for a year before it buys its first stick of wood.

“What WFI brings to the table is the level of expertise around those products,” Striegel observed. “What WFI brings us, more importantly, is the ability to have someone help us sell wood floors from around the world.”

Fast out of the gate

WFI President William Jopling, an industry member since the early 1970s, founded the firm in 1998. He reportedly began working with exotic woods around 1982, setting up a factory in West Africa for Connecticut-based Fairfield Associates, and creating a product line to suit American tastes and standards, according to a published report. Indeed, Jopling established a reputation as a leading authority on exotic wood species and imported woods from different parts of the world that other suppliers do not offer.

“Bill Jopling is one of the most knowledgeable wood people I know,” said Bob Eady, president, T&L Distributing, Houston, “and his concern and attention to detail ensures that T&L has a consistent supply of quality exotic hardwood.”

By offering a complete array of wood flooring formats, styles and exotic species, WFI quickly caught the attention of distributors, retailers and designers alike. The proof is in the pudding, as revenues more than doubled during the first four years (reaching $11.82 million in 2002) while the number of employees tripled to 29, according to a published report. In 2003, the Philadelphia Business Journal named WFI one of the 25 fastest growing private companies in South Jersey while the firm ranked 136th among Inc. Magazine’s 500 fastest-growing companies in the U.S.

While Hoy Lanning, CEO, CMH Flooring Products, Wadesboro, N.C., admits exotics are considered niche wood products, this part of CMH’s business has grown since the distributor began selling WFI products about five years ago. “Exotic woods are gaining in popularity,” he observed, noting WFI carries species “that you never hear about.” People are looking for something that is a little different than what their next door neighbor has on the floor.”

Eight collections

WFI offers eight hardwood flooring collections—American Woods, World Woods, Exotic, Explorer, Explorer Africa, Bamtex, Blue Ridge Mountain, and Bucks County—which afford a full range of installation choices including nail/staple, glue-down and floating applications in pre-finished or site-finished options. Dozens of species are available from regions such as South America, Central America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Dealer prices range from about $1.99 per square foot on the low end to more than $20 per square foot for custom work.

According to distributors, what makes exotics sell, first and foremost, are the aesthetics and rich tones of the products which, in many cases, offer more visually appealing graining and characteristics than domestic hardwoods.

“The bottom line across all of the products is with the WFI lines in their store,” Himes added, “dealers are assured of products that meet an incredibly stringent quality standard with all the marketing collateral that they need to be successful.” This includes large 16 x 16-inch samples featuring full-color room scenes on the back, including a color swatch that shows potential color changes the product may experience as it ages.

A Web site (www.wflooring. com) provides important data and services. “Dealers also have the use of architectural folders, builder boards, loose sample kits and product line brochures,” Himes said.

Nationwide distribution

Products are distributed through 50 wholesalers serving North America, and WFI maintains 110,000 square feet of warehousing space and 30,000 square feet of offices. A warehouse in Southern California services West Coast distributors, while sales outside the U.S. are handled through WFI’s global arm.

“The key to selling a successful import program is having the continuity of availability, a pipeline,” Striegel observed. “Without that pipeline, you don’t have piece of mind and the confidence to sell the product.”

This pipeline ensures high inventory levels so distributors can provide retail customers with products when they need them. “You have a company that has inventory in the U.S. as a backup for distributors,” Lanning said of WFI. “So even if a distributor runs out of a particular product, it does not have to wait for a container to come in six to eight weeks.”

WFI has taken great pains to forge close ties with its distributors, whom it refers to as “Market-Partners.” Distributors have access to a huge diversity of products and services that enable them to meet the performance and design needs of their customer base.

WFI’s commercial/contract arm is the Wood Floor Resource Group, which solely focuses on large commercial work and has the full capabilities of custom products. “In fact, within the group, we essentially break down our product offering into categories of Standard, Eco or Custom,” Himes explained. “Custom is just that: send us a sample or even an idea of what your project needs and we will create custom products just for that job.” Standard is essentially the offering of all existing products presented commercially, and Eco is a representation of all WFI products that fit any number of environmentally friendly standards.

Looking ahead, Himes said WFI will continue servicing customers with all the products, programs and support they need while driving to finalize national distribution with strong Market-Partners in every area. During the past two years, WFI signed up a number of major flooring wholesalers such as Elias Wilf on the East Coast and Butler Johnson on the West Coast.

Since Elias Wilf began selling WFI products in mid-December, Striegel reports more than 500 accounts took on the line during the first 30 days, making it one of the most successful product launches for the distributor. T&L, entering its fourth year as a WFI MarketPartner, claims product sales are up 50% over the wood line it supplanted.