As George W. Bush’s presidency will be remembered for the Iraqi conflict, 2007 will go down as an industry-wide conflict. No matter how you slice it, few will find favor in these last 12 months. The housing market tanked, with a major spillover into residential remodel.

Despite the slowdown, 2007 saw some major developments that will have an impact on the industry for years to come. In the spirit of this year-end issue, here is one person’s top 10 from the year that was.

10. Mohawk launches Greenworks eco program. The umbrella for the hundreds of eco-friendly projects on which Mohawk is currently working, from internal efforts to recycling. It talks about the five Rs: recycle, renew, reuse, recover and reduce. Its commitment to the environment is as strong as any manufacturer.

9. Unilin, Välinge end patent dispute. I was getting tired of reading about infringement lawsuits ad nauseum. There were nearly 25 of them. Who cares? Not dealers or consumers. Now the focus can be on product, where it belongs.

8. Metroflor introduces Konecto, the first floating LVT. First it was glueless laminate. Then loose lay sheet. Most recently glueless wood. Now its glueless LVT. Rumor has it others are working on a similar product. What do they say about the best form of flattery?

7. LEED for Homes punishes carpet segment. Myths and misperceptions rule over scientific evidence as the U.S. Green Building Council penalizes using carpet in residential settings. Ironically, carpet is looked at favorably in commercial settings. All I know is the Carpet & Rug Institute had best get aggressive—and fast—before any public damage occurs. That would be a nightmare for an industry that has struggled with issues like rising raw materials costs and competition from hard surface the last few years.

6. Alan Greenberg dies. Greenberg, along with his partner, Howard Brodsky. revolutionized flooring retail with the launch of Carpet One. Innovative programs and sheer volume made him one of the industry’s most powerful players. His legacy is CCA Global Partners; the question on everyone’s mind is will it continue to thrive without him?

5. Shaw purchases Anderson. Anderson was always one of my favorite companies. Great products, great people. Now with the financial resources of Shaw behind it, the sky’s the limit. Oh, and the industry’s second-largest flooring company instantly gets into the wood game in earnest.

4. Mohawk’s purchase of Columbia Flooring. Mohawk had been selling wood under its brand for 10 years. Columbia was its primary wood supplier. Now it is a manufacturer of every product it sells except for resilient. Mohawk is now a serious player in the wood market with the Mohawk, Columbia and Century brands.

3. Armstrong launches Migrations Bio-Based Tile. Frank Ready calls it a game changer. Rapidly renewable resources replace things like fossil fuels. Right now it’s only 14%, but that should increase going forward. Ready says it’s better than VCT. It also is no more expensive. Good story.

2. Mohawk’s SmartStrand becomes bio-based. Smart-Strand, made partically from corn sugar, is the first bio-based fiber in the residential carpet industry. It is arguably the most significant breakthrough on the fiber side of the business since the 1986 introduction of Stainmaster. Trading petroleum for corn? Now that’s a story.

1. Hoboken goes out of business. The nation’s largest flooring distributor seemed to be clicking on all cylinders, but who knew? It’s demise has cost at least one manufacturer to shut its doors, others teetering on the fringe of bankruptcy, and countless others out significant pocket change.