Lancaster, Pa.—When history looks back on Armstrong World Industries in 2006, it may well be remembered as the year the company truly became more than just a resilient, wood and laminate manufacturer but a full-service hard surface producer.

Yes, the mill has been selling wood and laminate flooring for almost a decade and ceramic has been added back to its offerings but, as Joseph Guarino, general manager, distribution channel for residential floor products, said, this is the year that Armstrong is going all out to make sure people know “it is no longer just an oak company.”

“We have large, cohesive collections of all types and styles coming out this year,” added Patrick Barnds, vice president of hardwood. In fact, for 2006, Armstrong will have 285 SKUs of real wood, including handscraped products, exotic species, domestic exotics, all in a host of styles and colors such as wide planks, strips and darker colors.

The wood theme goes beyond Armstrong’s wood division, as its laminate and resilient units have tapped into the popular trend. In fact, the company is using its branding strength in wood and extending it to laminate with a collection of Bruce Laminate Floors. On the resilient side, the mill’s Natural Fusion technology is being utilized to create more realistic wood looks.

“Wood has just exploded,” said Sara Babinski, Armstrong’s principal designer. “Whether it is the real thing or laminate, etc. everyone wants the look in their home.”

As for the real thing, some of Armstrong’s new offerings include a line of “domestic exotics hardwood” under the Bruce banner. “Exotic species such as Kambala, Kempas and Brazilian Cherry continue to be an important interior look,” she explained, “but consumers are discovering domestic species other than oak; we like to call these domestic exotics.”

The new Turlington American Exotics hardwood collection includes three “sought-after” domestic species—cherry, walnut and maple. Available in 3- or 5-in. widths the five-ply engineered floors have micro beveled edges and ends and feature Armstrong’s Dura-Luster Plus low-gloss finish, a urethane with aluminum oxide built in.

Artesian Classics Color-Wash has been added to the Robbins Fine Hardwood portfolio and “imparts the look of an antique floor with color-wash detail,” Babinski said, “adding an extra touch of unique elegance not seen in a wood floor.”

The engineered collection is 1/2-in. thick and 5-in. wide with micro-beveled edges and ends, and the mill’s ForEver II Satin finish.

The company’s third hardwood brand, Hartco has been restructured in that it is now be called Armstrong Hardwood Flooring by Hartco and will be available only to specialty dealers. Guarino said this is the “most exciting thing we’re doing by making Hartco exclusive to retailers.”

The name change is a result of Armstrong’s continued marketing research and takes advantage of the company’s strong brand image while maintaining the Hartco heritage as its name is still resonates strength in certain markets.

Century Farm is “a distinctive, one-of-a-kind floor” under the new moniker, Babinski said. Featuring hand-sculpting, including the beveled edges, it comes in hickory, cherry, birch, maple and walnut with a total of 20 colors.

Recognizing that its Bruce brand still carries plenty of weight as it continues to be the most recognized name in wood floors, Armstrong has extended it to laminate.

“There are many areas of the home where wood flooring is impractical,” said Milton Goodwin, general manager of laminate and ceramic product management, “but Bruce laminate can bring the look to nearly any room in the house.”

Four collections make up the initial launch, three in wood looks and one in natural stone—Reserve, American Home, Heritage Heights and GardenStone.

What makes these stand out, Goodwin said, are four technological innovations. The first is Hi-Definition Print Technology, which provides “vibrant colors and intense depth and realism.

Next is the G3 Wearlayer, which protects against wear and fading and resists ordinary scratches, dents and dings.

Each product is produced with Magnum HDF Core which, Goodwin said, forms a moisture barrier and delivers superior dimensional stability. “There is no need for acclimation; you can buy it today and live on it tonight.”

Finally, they come with the BruceLock Installation System. The glue-free system enables for a quick and easy install.

For the new Armstrong branded laminate products, an improved Masterworks Technology as well as a number of other innovations “and making them more realistic, easier to install and tougher for today’s most active households,” Goodwin explained.

In order to “emphasize that Armstrong offers the highest residentially-rated wear surface available for laminate floors,” the company has introduced Vision-Guard. “It acts like a shield to protect the printed visual of the design from fading and wear-through,” he said.

The patented Armstrong Lock & Fold feature is an addition to the ArmaLock Installation System and makes it possible to lay floors using a two-step process. Strips or planks lock straight in and fold down, without the need for tapping blocks.

To guard against spills or moisture wicking from the subfloor, as well as to help with dimensional stability, Armstrong incorporated HydraCore. Also, to eliminate the panelization effect, the mill’s 5- and 7-in. beveled planks now repeat every 14 boards, not seven or eight as others do, and every 22 boards for its 3-1/2-in. strip.

As for the new products, eight have been added to the popular Pacific Heights Collection, including the new 3-1/2-in. strip. The entries include color-coordinated micro-beveled edges in exotics, traditional oak and other domestic species.

Nature’s Gallery has been given Colonial Brick and Colonial Block. The first is a traditional red brick while the other reflects the Mediterranean region with weathered looks.

Lastly, is Carmona Stone, a large formate natural stone available in four colors.