LANCASTER, PA, January 18 – HomerWood® Hardwood Flooring, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Armstrong World Industries, today announced that its Titusville, Pennsylvania manufacturing plant has received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody certification.

FSC provides third-party certification confirming that materials used are harvested from well-managed forest operations. HomerWood purchases raw material from suppliers who use only the highest standard in forestry practices, thus assuring the conservation and replenishment of forests.

“We are guided by the principle that a well-managed forest is healthier and more productive,” said Kathleen Barker, vice president, Operations, HomerWood. “We recognize the importance of protecting the environment, using resources intelligently, recycling and reducing waste.”

The lumber needed for FSC-certified flooring will come from numerous mills in the Appalachian region, many of which already supply lumber to HomerWood.

“The majority of the flooring we make has always originated from FSC-certified vendors,” said Barker.

HomerWood has a long commitment to environmental sustainability by ensuring that all sourced material is purchased from suppliers who are concerned about the preservation of natural resources. The plant was originally certified in the late 1990s for Chain of Custody by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) – the same body which issued the current documentation – before FSC certification was widely acknowledged or requested. HomerWood also is a longstanding member of the Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Inc.

In order to produce the authentic Character® flooring for which HomerWood is known, the company carefully customizes its purchase of raw materials. This unique selection procedure is instrumental in the floor’s visual outcome and results in zero-waste processing of raw materials. This has been the company’s green practice for many years to decrease pressure on hardwood resources.

HomerWood® is a manufacturer of high-quality Character® ¾” Solid Flooring and also offers 5/8” Engineered Plank Flooring, servicing the high-end building and remodeling markets. Products include trademarked Traditional Character® and Amish Hand-Scraped®, where local Amish craftsman hand-scrape the flooring using special hand tools to sculpt the flooring surface.

FSC-certified hardwood flooring will be available for any current species within the HomerWood solid hardwood product line March 1, 2010 and must be specified at time of order.

HomerWood® Hardwood Flooring was acquired by Armstrong World Industries in 2006 to expand that company’s premium solid wood product offering, including wide-width, specialty and hand scraped products. The next year, HomerWood enhanced its operation by completing a surface coating expansion that allowed flooring to be finished onsite. Last year, the company introduced its largest product launch, bringing 30 new color, texture and smoked visuals to the market.

HomerWood’s FSC Code # is SCS-COC-002966. For more information, or to locate a HomerWood dealer, visit www.homerwood.com.