Floor covering weekly

JUNE 5, 2017 • $4

VOL. 66 | NO. 11 BOLD
MOVES
FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
Michel Vermette,
president, leads
reinvention of

Mohawk Group.

See story on

page 4.

THE INDUSTRY’S BUSINESS NEWS & INFORMATION RESOURCE NEOCON 2017

MARKETMUSE 5

11 design inspirations

Flooring takes the challenge 8

INSTALLATION CASE STUDIES

CARPET GOES TO WORK 14

INTERFACE 16

BUILDING ON A LEGACY

CONCRETE IDEA 10
WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD 13

Karndean Designflooring’s Kaleidoscope LVT

JUNE 12 | 13 | 14 | 2017

EXPERIENCE
COMMERCIAL DESIGN
FROM EVERY ANGLE

TheMart, Chicago | NeoCon.com
North America’s most important design exposition
and conference for commercial interiors.

NEWS

BENTLEY’S Eye on Design GOOD NEWS
NEW COMES AT CARE
CHAPTER Metroflor puts SCAD students to the test
By Janet Herlihy
[City of Industry, Calif.] In By Sharyn Bernard
March, Bentley Mills changed [Indianapolis] Probably the best
ownership and joined forces [Atlanta] When Halstead International needed to expand its Metroflor warehouse news that came out of the recent Car-
with Balta, a Belgian-based operations in Rincon, Ga., the company turned to Savannah College of Art and Design pet America Recovery Effort (CARE)
carpet manufacturer of car- (SCAD) to see what the students could come up with. The result was a two-day design conference, held here last month, is
pet including Modulyss com- competition from nine teams of students here. that the Carpet and Rug Institute
mercial carpet tile. (CRI) has agreed to continue funding
The teams’ designs covered everything from outdoor signage to the employee break- the Voluntary Product Stewardship
The acquisition leverages room, including flooring, color, paint, skylights and windows. The hard part, said Mi- Program (VPS) through 2018.
market, product and sales chael Kaminsky, chief operating officer of Halstead, was picking the winner.
synergies of both brands — a VPS began assisting sorters of
benefit to customers world- “These kids are so sharp and creative,” he said. “They walked in (the day before the postconsumer carpet diverted from
wide, according to Bentley. event) not knowing anything at all about the challenge. It’s amazing what happens when the nation’s landfills in 2015 and is
young people come in with strong skills and fresh ideas, and in a 32-hour time frame.” funded by members of CRI, including
“On their own, Bentley most carpet manufacturers. CARE
and Balta are strong, icon- Design teams included students from various majors, including interior designers, fine acts as the stewardship organization
ic brands in their respective arts, building arts and even a fashion design student. The teams each had 10 minutes to for the VPS Program, which will be
markets,” said Ralph Grogan, present their visions, using storyboards, pictures, sketches and even 3-D models. funded with $4 million from CRI.
president and CEO of Bent-
ley. “By strategically coming A team of two interior design majors, Youngji Park and Ellie Song, won the top prize Qualified sorters can use funds from
together, we’ll bolster our col- of $1,200. the program to partner with their cus-
lective industry-leading com- tomers to divert carpet and recycle car-
mercial carpet tile offerings.” From left: Carlos Perez, architect of the Rincon warehouse project; Robert Langstaff, pet back into useful products.
Metroflor Corporation; Emily Simpson, Metroflor Corporation; Youngji Park and Ellie Song,
Balta will tap into Bentley’s winners; Michael Kaminsky, Halstead International; and, Arthur Clarke, Halstead/Metroflor. Other good news includes new types
sales force and market power of products that can be branded Dou-
to accelerate growth of its Eu- TECH TAKES STAGE AT RFMS MEETING ble Green. Sierra Mat & Rubber in
ropean Modulyss carpet tiles Modesto, Calif., is using recycled-tire
in the U.S. Bentley’s carpet [Birmingham, Ala.] RFMS, the business management software company, held its user crumb rubber mixed with postcon-
tile lines will be sold world- conference here last month, titled “Discover the Possibilities.” Featuring the company’s sumer calcium carbonate from carpet
wide through Balta’s expan- first hands-on component, the conference has nearly 30 training sessions such as finan- to make mats that have the best prop-
sive distribution network. cial benchmarking and two days of management/owner topics. According to RFMS, this erties of each. SafePath Products and
There are no expected chang- was its largest turnout ever, with more than 250 users from more than 115 companies. EcoStrate are also working on develop-
es in leadership, employees or ing Double Green products that will use
geography for Bentley. 2017 marked the first time RFMS has offered an off-site training event with an actu- the calcium carbonate from PC carpet
al “hands-on” opportunity. At any given point over the two-day conference, up to 100 and recycled rubber or other materials.
In February, Dominus users were logged into their own private “cloud” and received instructor-led training
Capital, a private investment using their own computer. CARE’s dealings with California’s
firm that acquired Bentley in Department of Resources Recycling
August 2012, announced that “We work with a third-party data hosting company who created a hosted cloud right and Recovery (CalRecycle) are more
it had sold it to Lone Star, a inside the hotel, without the use of the internet. It was absolutely amazing to see tech- problematic. Fareed Ferhut, spokes-
global private equity firm that nology be deployed in this way,” explained Terry Wheat, president of RFMS. man for CalRecycle, stated that CARE
also owns Balta. is not compliant with the law AB2398,
With more than 72 recent enhancements to the software, Dave Dumoulin, RFMS’ a carpet stewardship law, signed in
“Dominus was a good director of sales, said the conference served as a launching pad for bringing clients up 2010, with the purpose of increasing
partner for Bentley, but we to speed. the diversion and recycling of carpet in
had grown to be larger than the state of California.
what they are used to,” Gro- According to Dumoulin, the biggest thing the company hopes clients took away from
gan said. Lone Star is used to the conference is that technology has changed. “If you’re still holding a paper and pen- Robert Peoples, Ph.D., executive
a company of Bentley’s size. cil, it’s time to pick up a tablet and start using mobile apps.” The point, he said, is to look director of CARE, explained, “The
“To hit our five-year plan for at your business and make sure you’re progressing. program is non-compliant due to eco-
carpet tile, we needed to in- nomic factors beyond our control. The
crease capacity and Lone Star Among the company’s introductions was its new Business Insights tool. With this, solutions are expensive and time con-
was quick to step up and give RFMS clients can agree to anonymously submit their business data, which the com- suming. CARE will probably be fined
us what we will need.” pany will then aggregate and use to deliver useful benchmarking information such as when California gets our latest report
sales trends, profitability analysis, sales agent performance and more. in July. CARE will submit another plan
and we think we will get another year.”
“Our industry is pretty far behind other industries — anyone doing commerce is us-
ing data,” said Fred Kotynski, RFMS’ CIO. “If you think about our industry, we have The drop in oil prices in 2014 has
been collecting data for decades now, and most of that information has gone untapped. hurt all recycling related to plastics, as
So with the advent of newer tech available we thought it was time for someone with the virgin polymers are now readily avail-
capability to bring the visibility. able and priced competitively with re-
cycled material. No other state in the
—Priya Arora U.S. is following California’s lead, not-
ed Peoples. In California, the assess-
ment that supports carpet recycling
efforts has gone from 5 cents a yard to
25 cents per yard since it began.

3JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY



MARKETMUSE STYLE & DESIGN

Inspiring the lastest commercial looks NATURAL ELEMENTS

CUSTOM & premium
CREATIVE luxury vinyl tile
wood & stone
New for 2017, Armstrong Com- ARMSTRONG COMMERCIAL FLOORING
mercial Flooring offers cus- 9 new wood colors ... 8 new stone colors ...
tomizable visuals to help bring
creative visions to life with the care-free performance
Create Your Own Color Luxury
Flooring program of luxury vi- Think of it as a daily dose of style and performance. With
nyl tile. Combining two favorites a variety of rubber and vinyl flooring that fits the demands
from the Natural Creations with for easy maintenance, cleanliness and long-lasting good
Diamond 10 Technology Mystix looks, FLEXCO® makes any healthcare environment look
Collection, Spettro and Mixer, and feel so much better.
Create Your Own Color Luxury
Flooring stretches your imag- Visit us at NeoCon Booth #7-10126
ination. Spettro captures the
textural and visual softness of
carpet while Mixer offers a play-
ful palette of colors. Both feature
the patent-pending Diamond
10 Technology which, according
to Armstrong, offers the highest
scratch, stain and scuff resis-
tance in the industry, keeping
floors looking newer longer.

BLURRED LINES

Bentley’s design team looked to today’s trend that blurs the line between home
and office, personal and professional for 2017’s Outskirts collection. Outskirts
represents a subtle yet sophisticated integration of work and play that the
Millennial generation seems to crave.

Including three styles, Outskirts offers rich, textural patterns with a range of
colorways that span from luxurious, edgy neutrals to vibrant, playful hues. The
Outlier style, featuring metallic lines and insets, has a weathered look to its geo-
metric foundation. Ritual offers a new take on natural forms with broken lines
that recall branches, over tip-sheared peaks and valleys. Coexist is designed to
mix and mingle with other styles — inside and out of the Outskirts line. With
no specific linear direction, the all-over visual is a subtle, beautiful expression
of color and pattern.

BENTLEY Order your samples today.
1.800.633.3151 • flexcofloors.com

Family-owned • Made in the USA

5JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

STYLE & DESIGN

CONCRETEChic

Crossville’s new Notorious porcelain tile collection offers big city style
in the distinct look of concrete, with all the award-worthy technical
performance and strength Crossville products are known for.

The line’s unique visuals are offered in six warm neutrals in
sizes ranging from large, modular tiles to mosaic options, plus a
cove base and bull nose trim, providing customizable flexibility in
a complete package. The collection was developed to coordinate
beautifully with Crossville’s wood-look Nest collection as a way for
specifiers to invent even more creative surfacing solutions.

CROSSVILLE HARRIS WOOD

MODERN LUXE MIAMI VICE

DuChâteau’s Blanc Modern broadens the applicability of concrete When Harris Wood creates its new residential collections, it typically looks to cit-
ies or regions throughout the U.S.A. for inspiration. Finding inspiration for its
to include the world of luxury flooring beyond the typical slab de- new commercial line of hardwood — Wynwood — was no exception, explained
Renee Tester, marketing manager, Q.E.P., makers of the Harris Wood brand.
sign feature. Part of the Concrete DeLuxe collection, Blanc Modern
“Since this is a more designer- and architect-driven product line, we wanted
offers a wide-plank simulated wood flooring for interior or exterior something artistic, fun and fashionable yet an area that still exudes a high-end
feel. A light bulb went off, and I knew the Wynwood Arts District in Miami was it.
applications with a visual directly cast from DuChâteau hardwood This easily translated into the theme we created for this series as well as the color
names,” she said.
flooring. And with planks reaching lengths of 7 feet, the company
And with the launch of Wynwood, Harris Wood also introduced its new five-
said this large plank format offers greater coverage than what is year commercial warranty which allows the wood line to be installed in higher
traffic areas, including doctors’ offices, office settings, multifamily housing and
typically achieved with traditional porcelain and ceramic floors. boutique stores, noted Tester.

According to Wynwood is an eight piece collection featuring three species — hickory,
maple and oak — in ∏-inch thick and 5-inch wide planks. It also hits on
MARKETMUSE DuChâteau, at the the “greige” (a mixture of gray and beige color tones) trend, popular in both
residential and commercial settings.
core of Blanc Mod-
KARNDEAN DESIGNFLOORING
ern’s innovation
Long & L o o s e
is Koncretech, a
With open floor plans becoming the norm in commercial settings, Karndean
high-performance Designflooring set out to create an extra-large plank size in an easy to install
format — leading to 12 new additions to the company’s award-winning Loose-
concrete technology. Lay collection in a 56" ≈ 9" format known as LooseLay Longboard. Loose-
Lay Longboard’s unique K-Wave friction-grip backing and length combine to
Koncretech products make this Karndean’s fastest and easiest to install product. LooseLay Long-
board is multi-directional, and is able to be laid at an angle or in a herringbone
are also impact re- pattern. Multiple LooseLay Longboard products can be blended together for
an elevated design aesthetic.
sistant and forgiving
The designs in this collection were inspired by American, European and
with daily wear-and- Australian woods, and enhanced to develop both clean-lined and rustic looks
well-suited for the product’s 59-inch length.
tear in larger format

specifications. Each

Concrete DeLuxe

product is manu-

factured in a closed

loop water system,

using an ecological

proprietary formula.

This specially cali-

brated cement-based

composite produces

a lower carbon foot-

print in its manufac-

turing than typical DUCHÂTEAU

cement production.

6 JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

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STYLE & DESIGN

WALK Expanding on last year’s Portland Project line of POSITIVE IMPACT
ON THE commercial carpet products, Mannington Com-
WILD mercial’s Portland Project LVT is inspired by the The Lichen Collection by Mohawk
SIDE experience of exploring the wilds of Oregon. Lin- Group is a new modular plank car-
ear striations fade in and out over an ombré wash pet system resulting from innova-
of color, or are overlaid by a large scale pattern, tions that merge leading concepts
or create a mesmeric glimmer as you walk across in biophilic design and sustainabil-
the floor. The same gradient for each color family ity. According to Jackie Dettmer,
runs throughout. vice president of product develop-
ment, Mohawk Group, the creation
MANNINGTON COMMERCIAL and specifying of Lichen has a net
positive impact for people and the
THE SKYE'S THE LIMIT environment through innovations MOHAWK GROUP
in materials, manufacturing and
Named for and featuring visuals in- community involvement.
spired by the Scottish Islands, Pat-
craft’s Isle of Skye features three styles The Lichen Collection is truly
incorporating a comforting palette of sustainable. Just as lichens play a
color and style variations inspired by regenerative role in their ecosystem,
wanderlust and the discovery of the the Lichen Collection gives more
natural environment. resources back to the environment
than it uses during its entire life cy-
This collection was developed cle. Inspired by the idea of “Nature’s
through a year-long design process Carpet,” Mohawk Group’s design
that led Patcraft designer Rob Pow- team looked at natural assemblages
ell to travel through Scotland. “One of of rich multi-hued, multi-textured
the most northwestern islands in Scot- lichens from extreme climates as
land, Skye is a truly magical place and the foundation for the collection. Li-
has countless ways to enchant you with chen was designed in collaboration
its iconic landscape mountain ranges, with Jason McLennan of McLennan
miles of dramatic coastline and capti- Design, the architect and environ-
vating history,” Powell said. “The final mentalist who founded the Interna-
collection is a reflection of natural de- tional Living Future Institute.
sign, ultimately inspired by one of the
most beautiful landscapes in the world.” High style The new Aspecta One Ornamental collection
SIMPLIFIED by Metroflor consists of three unique patterns
that architects and designers can apply where

they need exceptional interest and accent, without being overwhelmed by go-

ing through the entire custom design process. Building upon the existing As-

pecta One design portfolio, the three overlay motifs — Damask, Masquerade

and Malta — offer an array of options.

Evoking ancient cultures such as Oriental, Arabic and sub-Saharan, or ar-

chitecture styles like Art Nouveau or Rococo, the Aspecta One Ornamentals

PATCRAFT create a welcome contrast to the clear design language of modern architec-

ture and interiors. These overprint styles can be layered randomly on select

CELEBRATING Aspecta One plank and tile designs or all over for a more dramatic effect.
SIMPLICITY
The range expresses Metroflor’s immersion in biophilic design as an influ-

ence in the creation of its products. The philosophy stems from the notion of

biophilia, humankind’s innate biological connection with the natural world.

When applied to the built environment, biophilia also defines aspects of na-

Shaw Contract’s Felted col- ture that most impact and advance occupants’ health, fitness and well-being.

lection of 12" ≈ 48" carpet

tiles brings an elemental sim-

plicity and an appreciation of

raw and unfinished spaces.

Felted is an ultra-simple,

clean and utilitarian collec-

tion that can play a support-

ive role to other materials

and the architecture itself.

According to the company, SHAW
this neat, non-textured look

brings freshness to the interi-

or environment and lends itself to color solidity or playful possibilities to work

with developing bold graphic patterns.

Felted is Shaw Contract’s first felt-like textile flooring designed for use in METROFLOR

commercial environments. 7JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

CASE STUDY

Karndean brings flair
to Chicago workplace

To complete the reception, café and foot traffic. Additionally, the spaces, Out of this world
open meeting spaces in their office particularly the café, offer mainte-
renovation project, Chicago Venture nance challenges. This placed added Daltile flooring lands in Kennedy Space Center
Partners (CVP) needed a floor that importance on selecting a floor that
offered a unique look and was easy would not only perform under the Originally built in the 1970s, the Astro- vas to create a futuristic look.
to maintain. Having worked with office’s daily activity, but also clean naut Encounter Theater at the Kenne- The architectural team was able to
Karndean Designflooring on previous up quickly and easily. dy Space Center has played a vital role
projects, Steph Smothers, a senior de- in educating visitors. This presentation be creative with the lobby area, cre-
signer at Eastlake Studio, knew that a The contemporary looks available features a veteran NASA astronaut ating a space that would be ideal for
tile from the durable, contemporary in Karndean’s Opus range, along with each day, providing them with a stage guest photos. The focus of the lobby
Opus collection would provide just its 15-year commercial warranty and to share a first-hand account of their ex- design was the flooring, which features
what CVP needed. easy maintenance qualities, make it periences. Guests gather in the theater hexagon-shaped tile and LED lighting.
ideal for corporate spaces. CVP liked where the astronaut of the day provides With the new design, the theater re-
“EASTLAKE HAS the look of the collection’s SP215 Fer- a presentation, followed by a question flects the modern aesthetic of the sur-
FREQUENTLY USED ra because its striking visuals fit the and answer session. The lobby serves rounding technology and innovations.
KARNDEAN IN PAST image of a venture capital firm, while as a meet-and-greet area, where guests
PROJECTS. WE LIKE THE Smothers wanted to find a floor that can take pictures with the astronaut. To select the appropriate tile, Rain-
VARIETY OF OPTIONS AND provided a change of pace from stan- ey worked with Bob Moore of Mr.
OUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE dard wood looks. Featuring a steely Despite the popularity of the attrac- David’s Flooring International, LLC.
IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL.” charcoal base and hints of copper and tion, it had been many years since it was “We decided to use Daltile’s Beehive
silver tones, Ferra’s visuals give the last updated. Working with designer, hexagon porcelain tile knowing that it
– STEPH SMOTHERS, EASTLAKE STUDIO space a bold showpiece. Its 20mm Michael Rainey of DesignShop, and his would be a reliable and withstand the
wearlayer ensures that the tiles are team, the new look was inspired by the test of time. We added the LED light-
A private investment firm located ready to withstand the rigors of day- rich history of Kennedy Space Center ing alongside the tile to create a futur-
in Chicago, CVP’s open plan office to-day business. Visitor Complex and its ongoing drive istic element,” said Rainey.
places a strong emphasis on em- for innovation. The renovation team
ployee comfort. Karndean’s floors “We selected Ferra because we worked on an eight-day schedule to Due to the durability and low main-
were chosen for three connected thought the metallic texture helped complete demos, preparations and in- tenance benefits of tile, it was decided
spaces — a café, open meeting area warm these spaces,” Smothers said. stallation. The team removed vinyl tile to switch from vinyl to ceramic tile,
and reception area — all of which “We were looking for something other from the lobby, resulting in a blank can- particularly with the lobby being such
are subjected to fairly high levels of than a wood grain because we were al- a high-traffic area, seeing more than a
ready using salvaged wood planks on COMMERCIAL CASE STUDY million visitors each year.
vertical surfaces.”

With the project complete, CVP’s
newly renovated office space has a
floor that is stylish, complements the
building’s design and offers excep-
tional performance.

COMMERCIAL CASE STUDY

Project: Chicago Venture Partners, Chicago
Designer: Eastlake Studio
Manufacturer: Karndean Designflooring
Flooring Used: Ferra SP215, 24” x 18” from Opus by Karndean Designflooring

Project: Astronaut Encounter Theater, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex,
Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Contractor: Mr. David’s Flooring, St. Augustine, Fla.
Designer: Michael Rainey, DesignShop
Manufacturer: Daltile
Flooring Used: Daltile Beehive

FUN FACTS

• The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opened on Aug. 1, 1967.
• Astronaut Encounter at Kennedy Space Center features a veteran

NASA astronaut every day.
• Astronaut Encounter is part of the Kennedy Space Center’s Heroes &

Legends attraction, which also features the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame
and Rocket Garden.

8 JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY





PRODUCT

LVT makes a home in commercial

By Lauren Moore

When it comes to picking a floor for a and CEO of Karndean Designfloor- timent, citing vinyl composition tile surface products.
commercial setting, there are a num- ing. “When specifiers factor in labor, (VCT) as an example. “While VCT “The water repellant nature of a
ber of factors customers consider, cleaning solutions, sealers, etc., lux- may be more affordable up front to
including durability, aesthetics and ury vinyl is less expensive than other purchase and install, it requires reg- resilient product makes LVT an at-
budget. Commercial grade luxury vi- traditional commercial floor cover- ular polishing and sealing,” he said. tractive choice over laminate and
nyl tile (LVT) can fit all three criteria. ings. There may be a higher upfront “LVT is durable, easy to clean and hardwood where heavy foot traffic
cost with luxury vinyl, but in the long naturally water-resistant, and there is demands wet mopping for mainte-
LVT is the fastest-growing category term, commercial clients will save.” no polishing required.” nance,” Armstrong’s O’Neill said.
in flooring, and its place in the com-
mercial market has helped contribute Jeff West, vice president of mar- That ease of maintenance can give David Thoresen, senior vice presi-
to that growth. “It’s popular across a keting with Patcraft, echoed this sen- it a competitive edge over other hard dent of commercial hard surface with
wide variety of commercial segments,
from healthcare to retail, from cor- Continued on page 12
porate to education and higher edu-
cation, and hospitality,” said Amanda
O’Neill, product manager, Armstrong
Commercial Flooring. “Commercial
clients are looking for a durable prod-
uct that can perform in heavy foot
traffic and rolling load environments
while providing an aesthetically
pleasing design.”

Whether a commercial client is
specifying flooring for a hotel entry-
way, hospital corridor or bustling of-
fice, the floor’s ability to stand the test
of time is key, said Melissa Quick, com-
mercial product and marketing man-
ager for AVA Specified Commercial
LVT by Novalis.

LVT can provide customers with
long-term return on investment
(ROI), said Larry Browder, president

While realistic visuals reign supreme www.forbo ooringNA.com | +800 842 7839
in residential, commercial LVT calls for
bold designs, such as those seen in 11JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
Patcraft’s Subtractive Layers line.

PRODUCT

LVT While residential customers are pri- Ease of maintenance and installation make LVT products such as Novalis’ AVA
marily looking for realistic wood and commercial specified flooring an attractive option.
Continued from page 11 stone visuals from their LVT products,
the commercial market explores not Others in the industry see MLF acclimation time, could make MLF
Mohawk Group, agreed. “Mohawk only styles that mimic natural materi- becoming a bigger contender. a bigger player in the commercial
Group has a good understanding of als, but unique textures as well, West market. “We have products installed
when LVT is the right choice,” he said. said. “LVT allows our design team to “I believe MLF products will be or specified in retail thanks to no ex-
And because of Mohawk Group’s fo- explore a wide range of colors, styles embraced by the specified commer- pensive floor prep and durability to
cus on innovation, he added, “We are and designs that meet demand in a way cial market due to the many advan- resist high footfall; dental offices, due
able to address common site issues, other categories may not.” tages MLF provides, which can no to speed of installation and underfoot
such as moisture and acoustics.” longer be ignored,” said Gary Keeble, comfort; and, in assisted living facili-
Simply put, “If the design doesn’t director of marketing with Metroflor. ties,” Keeble said.
Good looks work, the product won’t be spec’d,” “We are finding that most commercial
pointed out Lindsey Nisbet, product segments have some usage for rigid Although the commercial sector
Visuals are key for residential cus- development and marketing strategy core products.” would traditionally choose glue-down
tomers, and commercial customers are manager at EarthWerks. “Commercial LVT, EarthWerks’ Nisbet pointed out
no different. In fact, Browder said, com- jobs call for standout design.” Improvements in handling static that she has seen increased opportu-
mercial specifiers are at the forefront of load and thicker wearlayers, when nity in commercial thanks to thicker
flooring design. “Trends in commercial MlF in coMMercial? added to the product’s easy instal- wearlayers and ease of installation.
will trickle down to homeowners,” he lation and lack of subfloor prep and
said. “Commercial designers make bold While the multilayer flooring
choices and take risks, which paves the (MLF) subcategory has soared in
way for homeowners to do the same.” popularity in the residential market,
it hasn’t picked up quite as much
Styling is a huge part of LVT’s ap- steam in commercial applications.
peal in commercial settings, said Al
Boulogne, vice president of commer- “Most MLF products are not right
cial resilient with Mannington Com- for anything beyond light commercial
mercial. “We can do things with LVT application,” said Boulogne. “To date,
design that are tough to pull off, for things like dimensional stability, stat-
example, in sheet goods,” he explained. ic load issues and smoke and flame
“The range of formats contribute not spread results have kept the category
only to design but they also make in- out of most commercial spaces. But
stallation a snap, and they also make it with the evolution of the subcategory,
easy to create a customized floor.” we have designed the product to meet
and exceed those historical concerns.”

DISCOVER ORIGAMI

Created in partnership with HOK Product Design. Launching at NeoCon # 10-1039. | manningtoncommercial.com 5/22/17 1:34 PM

12FCWJU_MNEan5n,in2g0t1o7n_H| P_F0L6O0O51R7C.inOdVdER1ING WEEKLY

PRODUCT

Where the rubber hits the road

By Lauren Moore

Once considered an industrial, time on their feet, or in fitness and the track, or to a nurse walking on a Rubber flooring, such as Flexco's Cre-
sometimes unattractive product, athletic applications, as it’s easier on 12-hour shift, it absorbs the energy of ative Elements, is easy to customize.
rubber flooring has become an ideal an athlete’s joints. Barber pointed impact, but also returns energy, mak-
solution for high traffic areas where out that composition rubber in par- ing for a more balanced, ergonomic
extreme durability, longevity and ticular, which Ecore manufactures, floor,” Barber said.
comfort underfoot are must-haves. allows for both force reduction (how
much surface absorbs energy) and Rubber flooring also features
The category is seeing continuous energy restitution (how much sur- health and sustainability attributes,
growth, which can be attributed to the face returns energy). “Whether that Flexco’s Dubois shared, as it is PVC
benefits it provides as well as the new energy is returning to an athlete on free and is naturally resilient against
variety and improvement of visuals. bacteria, mildew and mold.

“Rubber designs have come a long LASTS ‘TIL THE COWS COME HOME.
way,” said Joe Visintin, rubber floor-
ing product manager with Tarkett. EarthWerks® WPC is beautiful, waterproof and tough for a long, long time. No hurry.
For example, Tarkett’s rubber lines Milk it for all it’s worth. With almost four decades of perfected experience, we are
feature wood and stone visuals, as the trusted name in LVT and WPC. With our design and quality standards built in,
well as concrete, brushed aluminum EarthWerks® warranties are the best in the business. The cream always rises to the top.
and leather textures. “When specified
in the right colors, the flooring looks (And, no, our products are not intended for installation in a barn. Now our lawyers are happy…’til the cows come home.)
like the real thing,” he added.
For information regarding our extensive line of sustainable vinyl flooring,
Rubber flooring has always been please call 800-275-7943 or visit us online at www.earthwerks.com
a performance-driven product, said
Brian Dubois, national sales manag- Visit us at NeoCon® — BooA tPhR7O-D9U11C T2 O F/ S WAI F PF -RT ROA DI NU C T O F S W I F F - T R A I N
er at Flexco. But thanks to new and
expanded colorways, styles and sizes,
“We are poised to introduce rubber
flooring to environments where it
wouldn’t have been found previously,”
he added.

New patterning and texture op-
tions have opened up rubber flooring
to a wider range of installation possi-
bilities, Visintin pointed out. “Rubber
is not only focused on healthcare and
education, but retail, corporate and
hospitality,” he said.

Bo Barber, vice president of sales
and marketing at Ecore, said he’s
seeing Ecore’s rubber products being
specified for installations in areas
such as traditional healthcare appli-
cations — something he wasn’t seeing
three or four years ago.

Rubber flooring is also the easiest
of the resilient flooring types to be
customized, Visintin shared. Because
of this, using rubber in childcare and
children’s healthcare areas, where
more festive coloring and design are
desired, is more economically viable.

One notable benefit of rubber
flooring is its slip resistance, Visin-
tin pointed out. “An average slip-fall
claim is approximately $29,000, not
including legal fees. Risk managers
who evaluate flooring as well often
desire rubber over other flooring
choices to help avoid future claims,”
he said, adding that rubber is also
comfortable and quiet underfoot.

This also makes it a good fit for ap-
plications where users spend a lot of

2887 Cow Ad - Floor Covering Weekly-NeoCon.indd 1 13JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERI5N/1G6W/1E7EK1L0Y:52 AM

PRODUCT

Carpet tile goes to work

By Janet Herlihy

The commercial market outpaced KEY MARKETS Mannington Commercial’s Paper Collection, designed in collaboration with HOK
the overall flooring industry growth Product Design, features apportioned pattern scales that work together seamlessly.
in 2016, and 2017 is off to a healthy Carpet tile manufacturers gearing
start according to Catalina’s Floor up for NeoCon 2017 agreed that cor- tor of product design at the J+J Floor- faces together for a “resimercial” look.
Coverings Industry Quarterly Update, porate workplace is the largest, most ing Group, said, “Color and pattern is While still showing up in carpet tile
March 2017. active segment for carpet tile. truly dependent upon the tenant needs
and maintenance requirements.” lines, there is a movement away from
“Selling opportunities are current- There is also significant growth in highly accented carpet tile, McKee
ly increasing at the sharpest rate in healthcare and hospitality, according Noted Shaw’s Stephens, “We see said, noting, “The market has been
the office, hospitality and educa- to John Stephens, vice president of the influence of hospitality and resi- heavily saturated with stripe accents
tional markets,” reported Catalina. marketing at Shaw Contract. “The dential in the workplace sector. This in vibrant colors, but I have heard
Carpet manufacturers are focusing installation simplicity, design flexibil- impacts texture, pattern and color as from many designers they want a
more on commercial markets with ity and enhanced maintenance are all clients are looking for a warmer, more more upscale monochromatic look.”
expanded lines of carpet tile, which reasons carpet tile continues to take comfortable space.”
Catalina estimates is holding about share of the floor in the commercial The influence of residential has also
60 percent of total commercial car- sector,” Stephens explained. David Gerson, vice president mar- been seen in textures. “We have defi-
pet sales, up from one-third of sales keting at Interface Americas, said cli- nitely seen a trend toward hyper-tex-
just a decade ago. Carpet tile is continuing to gain ents are using more hard and soft sur- ture,” said Shannon Cochran, vice pres-
acceptance. Jason McKee, vice presi- ident creative & design at Patcraft. “Our
Mohawk and Shaw have been es- dent, commercial carpet at Manning- desire today is to work in a place with a
pecially active in the carpet tile sector ton Commercial, said, “All markets are sense of personality and comfort where
in recent years by expanding product growing in their use of carpet tile. Cor- textures are heavier,” Cochran said.
lines and manufacturing facilities, porate was the early adopter of tile, but
which has resulted in increased com- other markets like K-12 have moved “Texture is as important as color-
petition in the U.S. carpet tile mar- progressively to tile and we expect that ations for flexible styling that can be
ket, explained Catalina. Engineered trend to continue.” installed in different ways for unique
Floors has begun construction on a looks,” reported Don Dolan, executive
state-of-the-art carpet tile plant in DESIGN INFLUENCES vice president at Masland Contract.
Dalton that is expected to come on-
line in early 2018. As carpet tile moves into other com-
mercial segments, styling trends are
also expanding. Ginger Gilbert, direc-

The RollMaster Solution! Bentley’s Outskirts Collection features TONED DOWN
rich textural patterns.
Business Management Software Color is toned down and more
livable — a more sophisticated pal-
Whether your focus is wholesale, ette, Cochran explained. But, “Grays
retail, contract or primarily property are still very important with pops
management, we’ve developed of bright colors for accent,” reported
specialized programs, reports,
options, and features designed Continued on page 21
to help you capture and
manage business in every SHAW'S STRATAWORX HAS BROAD APPEAL
flooring marketplace.
[Dalton] Seeking to develop a carpet tile that could match the needs of
RollMaster is a complete end-use consumers with budget constraints, Philadelphia Commercial is
Business Management the first of Shaw’s commercial divisions to introduce a collection, Design
Software System that allows Smart, featuring StrataWorx, a new carpet tile backing.
you to manage every aspect
of your flooring business. One StrataWorx is a polyolefin composite with a fleece back that is fiberglass
software to manage it all. reinforced and dimensionally stable, according to Quentin Quathamer,
commercial brand marketing manager at Philadelphia Commercial. “It is
[email protected] | Ph: 866-822-4904 | www.rmaster.com significantly lighter weight than Shaw’s EcoWorx carpet tile backing, mak-
ing it easier to handle and ship,” Quathamer noted.

As well, StrataWorx expands the reach and accessibility of carpet tile to a
broader audience of consumers, explained Shannon Cochran, vice president
creative and design at Patcraft. StrataWorx has potential in short terms lease
spaces for offices and retail as well as other budget-driven environments.

The collection will feature three 24" x 24" styles in six colors.

14 JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

BUSINESS BUILDER

Tackling today’s tough challenges

By Geoff Gordon, executive director, Fuse Alliance

2016 was a can cause mold down the road. This is definitely needs to be addressed. All Fuse Alliance members are fo-
very good particularly concerning in rehab work, We would like to see more focus on cused on logistics, operations and
year for as the slab contains remnants of adhe- less expensive solutions to mitigate service; we have to continue to be
commercial floor- sives and other products that are food moisture than on products that go the best at what we do in all phases
ing contractors, and 2017 should be for mold. In renovation work, if there over existing problematic areas. of our work from the job walk/esti-
even better. There has been an accel- is moisture present, it could mean that mate to the proposal, material stag-
eration of new products over the last there was never a vapor retarder in- An additional challenge is labor ing, work phasing and manpower
few years that keeps all of us on our stalled under the slab so the moisture training and recruitment. Unless we management. Installation is only part
toes. It is up to the flooring contrac- is never going away. address them now, we see both as po- of what we do; we are responsible for
tor to stay up to speed on the various tential long-term problems. Our labor all aspects of the job, which includes
installation techniques and floor prep Moisture is a problem that no force is getting older, and we have to a lot of moving parts to handle!
requirements for the plethora of one wants to pay for but that most be better at recruiting new talent.
new products that are now available.
Most of the sales growth in the Let our CompassTM be your guide. WIT DESIGNER
Fuse Alliance network over the last
two years has been in the hard sur- Join us at NeoCon for a 48-city tour... ROAD TRIP
face product category, particular- H SIX DEGREES
ly ceramic tile and luxury vinyl tile Our trip begins in...
(LVT). Our business in ceramic tile
has picked up for two reasons: one, San Francisco NeoCon
tile is being used in more applications Chicago
than ever before; and, two, the gen-
eral contractor would prefer to award a few stops along
work to one company that can han- the way, then
dle ceramic as well as other flooring
types. Five to 10 years ago, it was not look out Chicago,
uncommon for a tile contractor and here we come...
a flooring contractor to be on the
same job. LVT continues to take mar- sixdegrees ooring.com We look forward to seeing you there.
ket share as it is now being specified
across all market segments. The CompassTM Collection
Fuse Alliance has always been Find your way at NeoCon,
a big supporter of carpet tile, and
our business has continued to be Booth 7-10110
good even though these products
are losing ground to hard surface.
We have seen a significant decline
in our broadloom sales.
Our biggest challenge today con-
tinues to be moisture. If anything, it
has become a bigger problem than
ever before. As dictated by industry
norms, we own the floor once we
install products over it. This is unfor-
tunate since we have no idea what
the concrete mix is, or if there was
ever a vapor retarder installed under
the building, particularly in renova-
tion work. Adding fuel to the fire are
new product introductions touted as
“high moisture” solutions. These sys-
tems are designed to be installed in
environments where RH testing may
not be required, or the moisture lim-
its required by the manufacturer are
95 percent to 99 percent RH. Our
concern with these systems is that
the slab moisture problem is never
addressed. Flooring is being installed
over a high moisture area that could
lead to mold under the product or
moisture migrating to the walls that

15JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

PRODUCT

Evolving Interface

By Janet Herlihy facets: people, process, product, place Interface’s wood-visual LVT and World Woven carpet tile are used together.
and profits. It set Mission Zero as its
[LaGrange, Ga.] As Matt Miller goal — to eliminate any negative im- And, true to its sustainability goals, are looking at bio-based materials,”
marks one year as president of Inter- pact Interface has on the environment Interface already has a plan for what Miller added.
face Americas, he is pleased with the — by 2020. to do with its LVT products at the end
progress made and looks forward to of life on the floor. Miller reported, Although it’s the largest supplier of
continuing to help the company ex- Now in the midst of change, sus- “We wanted to be able to close the carpet tile in the world, Interface is
pand and grow, while it remains true tainability continues to be an essential loop. LVT is the perfect food for Cool not complacent. “The better we are as
to its legacy of sustainability. part of Interface. “The environment Blue (the Interface system that cre- suppliers, the better we can support
is another stakeholder in Interface,” ates its GlasBacRE backing, contain- sustainability,” Miller affirmed.
Miller joined the company in 2015 stressed Miller, adding that the compa- ing 98 percent recycled content).”
as chief strategy officer for Interface ny launched its Climate Take Back ini- Interface has made the decision to
Global, which was good preparation tiative last year to not just stop emitting Cool Blue began using reclaimed exit the specialty retail channel,
for his current position of overseeing carbon but to find ways to make an im- carpet tile backings but will also be closing the majority of its FLOR
its entire value chain in the U.S.A., pact on reversing global warming. able to use postconsumer LVT, Miller retail stores between January and
Canada, and Latin and South Ameri- explained. “We are using 100 percent April this year, and relocating its
ca, Miller noted. “It’s been a great year. Layering in LVT virgin PVC for the LVT for a con- FLOR headquarters from Chicago
Interesting and exciting,” he said. trolled stream of materials that will to Atlanta. It will focus on other
As a single category company, In- be immediately recyclable.” routes to market for the FLOR line
Challenging, too, as Interface an- terface decided to add luxury vinyl tile of residential carpet tile.
swers the question of how a company (LVT) to its line in 2016 to be able to There are more new products in the
expands and grows in a mature market offer customers more. company’s future. “For example, we
while maintaining its commitment to
environmental stewardship. “The immediate reaction to LVT
has been positive,” said Miller. “We are
Interface founder Ray C. Ander- allowing architects and designers to
son shifted the company’s strategy in create the floor they want using hard
the mid-1990s to redirect its indus- and soft flooring. It is part of our value
trial practices to include a focus on proposition. Both categories have the
sustainability without sacrificing its same dimensions and can be used to-
business goals. Since then, Interface gether with no transitions necessary.”
has become known as a company that
is dedicated to sustainability in all its

Performance carpet for everywhere, everyday

PROUDLY MADE IN AMERICA
fEoVsEsRfYloSoTrEiPngO.FcoTmHE DAY

16 JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

BUSINESS BUILDER

Overcoming Obstacles

By Cheryl Acierno, Chairwoman of the Board, Starnet Commercial Flooring

For the past Project comPlexity regulatory requirements, risk manage- and passing the torch to future lead-
two years, I ment and environmental issues before ers. At Starnet, we have an active Next
have been Commercial flooring projects have even tackling site conditions. We need Generation program through which we
honored to serve become increasingly complex. When I to function as a flooring resource to are educating the future generation
as the chairwoman of the Board of joined the industry 35 years ago, our meet their needs. on the skills and relationships they
Directors of Starnet Commercial projects were relatively simple: carpet, need for future success.
Flooring. Besides the responsibili- resilient, adhesive. Now, we need to next generation leaDerS
ties of this position, I enjoy learning expertly understand ceramics, wood, It is an exciting time to operate a
about our many Starnet members moisture issues, etc., and no single As many leaders in the commer- business in commercial flooring. The
and understanding the common project is simple. Our customers de- cial flooring industry near retirement, challenges are real, but I believe we
challenges we all experience. mand that we are experienced in prod- companies of all sizes are faced with have the right tools to meet and over-
The good news is that, since the uct selection, project management, the problem of succession planning come them now and in the future.
dark and gloomy days of the 2008
recession, the revenues of the com-
mercial flooring industry are ap-
proaching pre-recession levels. With
strong 2016 results in the books and
the outlook for continued recovery
through early 2018, several chal-
lenges remain which will impact the
industry in the coming years.
So, what are the largest chal-
lenges for a commercial flooring
contractor today?

Direct Selling 3No.

The greatest threat facing full ser- Aspecta® Law of Attraction
vice commercial flooring contractors
today is direct selling where manu- Great design knows when to zig and when to zag.
facturers sell materials directly to
the end user, circumventing the com- Coventry Collection: Make every space unique with Aspecta One floors.
mercial flooring contractor. Starnet Sipyrs, Aldabra, Rock See them all at NeoCon 2017, Booth #7-9116.
members offer the complete range aspectaflooring.com
of services for a successful commer-
cial flooring installation: product se-
lection, estimating, project manage-
ment, field supervision, floor prep and
installation. While the manufacturers
are, on occasion, pressured into sell-
ing direct, there is no question that
the project suffers without expert in-
stallation management. We are com-
mitted to working with our Preferred
Vendor Partners to address this issue.

Shortage of SkilleD WorkerS

Another challenge facing the in-
dustry is the ability to attract and
retain skilled, qualified workers. We
have entered a “perfect storm!” The
Baby Boomers are retiring at an in-
creasing pace. In addition, many
trained individuals were forced to
leave the industry during the reces-
sion. Today, we are facing a void in
the workforce pool and this situa-
tion weakens the ability of commer-
cial flooring contractors to meet
the growing project demand. These
shortages occur in all aspects of the
industry and challenge the industry’s
long-term growth potential.

17JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

CASE STUDY

High performance flooring
perfect for CrossFit facility

A state-of-the-art CrossFit training facility in San have to withstand strenuous activity such as “guys COMMERCIAL CASE STUDY
Diego sought to ensure its members could enjoy the putting 400 pounds over their head and dropping
life-changing benefits of functional fitness without the weights.” Project: Invictus Fitness CrossFit facility, San Diego
risk of injury by upgrading its flooring. Installer: Fitness & Flooring Concepts, Upland, Calif.
During renovations in 2016, Invictus installed Manufacturer: Ecore
Invictus Fitness aims to provide an inclusive en- RubberX flooring from Ecore’s Training Ground Flooring Used: RubberX by Ecore
vironment of support and encouragement to create with Nike Grind Collection in the workout areas
healthier and happier members. By offering pro- of the facility. RubberX is proven to absorb sound FUN FACTS
fessional coaching services and world-class fitness and force while returning energy, which reduces the
instruction to a variety of athletes, Invictus Fitness wear and tear on an athlete’s body. • CrossFit is a fitness regimen developed
has established itself as a preeminent CrossFit ath- by Greg Glassman that features varied
lete development program. The 12,000-square-foot RubberX features a dense rubber surface field movements performed at high intensity.
facility has coached more than 40 individual Cross- united to a SmashPad that includes Nike Grind, a
Fit Games athletes — including podium finishers in palette of high-performance materials generated • There are more than 13,000 licensed
2011, 2013 and 2014. from recycled athletic shoes from the Nike Reuse- CrossFit affiliates worldwide.
A-Shoe Program. The elements of this system work
C.J. Martin, the owner of Invictus Fitness, is a Lev- together to drastically reduce the transmission of • CrossFit has an official fundraising arm, the
el 4 CrossFit instructor driven by a strong passion heavy impacts in both body and sound vibrations CrossFit Foundation. Through its CrossFit
to help athletes achieve optimal performance levels associated with strength training to enhance work- Community Health Fund and the CrossFit
through smart training. The USAW (U.S.A. Weight- out safety and performance. Sports and Health Services Institute, it
lifting) Club Coach and former member of the Cross- supports the CrossFit community and the
Fit HQ training team knew safety and performance The RubberX surfacing was installed through a work of CrossFit affiliates, and promotes
were key when making upgrades to Invictus Fitness. swift two-layer process. Martin said the floors were health and fitness on a global scale.
ready to go in just a few days.
“My main priority in setting up a gym is member
safety,” Martin said. “We wanted flooring that mem- “Our members love this floor,” Martin said. “They
bers can do all sorts of dynamic movements on — appreciate that it’s a little softer and they can put
from Olympic weightlifting to burpees — and know their knee down to do lunges and stretch and not
they are going to stay safe.” have to add extra padding underneath it. They find
it aesthetically pleasing too — it’s a little bit lighter
Durability, sound reduction and aesthetics also than our previous floor, giving the gym a nice look
were key for Martin, as the CrossFit facility’s floors and feel.”

Hi-tech meets high-design

SevOne, founded in 2005, is a tech company that new and modern way. “Parterre is very good with
specializes in performance monitoring software sampling, especially when we didn’t want just
and creating digital infrastructure management. one plank product, we wanted to sample a wide
In 2015, popularity was growing so much that the range of products to be sure we found the right
company was in need of a bigger office space to fit,” he said.
accommodate its success. The company found a
new home in University of Delaware’s Science, For the concrete look, Mitchell turned to Par-
Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) terre’s Fused LVT collection. LVT with the look of
campus. In need of a design plan for the new aged leather complete with natural shading was
space, SevOne turned to Mitchell Associates, an also selected.
interior architecture and design firm.
COMMERCIAL CASE STUDY
Challenges arose primarily when it came to
size — demolishing and then renovating 20,000 Project: SevOne Corporate Headquarters, Delaware
square feet of the existing space. Mitchell design- Interior Architecture/ Design: Mitchell Associates
ers envisioned mainly carpet for the new space, Designer: Madeline Fucile
but saved room for hard surfaces as well, aiming Architect: John Raftery
at a contemporary and stylish look. Manufacturer: Parterre
Flooring Used: Parterre’s Fused LVT in Traffic
The team of designers at Mitchell looked to Cop Meter & Aged Oak
Parterre flooring products, using the company’s
luxury vinyl (LVT) flooring for hard surfaces. FUN FACTS
LVT was chosen for its high quality and durabil-
ity. Here, design focused on both wood and con- • The headquarters was planned to be 30,000
crete visuals to be used for common spaces like square feet.
gaming and dining areas.
• Headquarters is currently 50,000 square feet.
Lou Rosenberg, principal at Mitchell Asso- • The office has an unusual focal point — a
ciates, said that Parterre’s flooring products
allowed them to update the existing space in a stainless steel slide between floors. Even the
governor of Delaware has ridden it.

18 JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

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OPINION

Home Depot looks to the future

By Jonathan Trivers

In the go-go But the market is pretty much After some period of time, you need You could not possibly know that
days of the saturated for Home Depot. Now to junk the rack or get serious about LVT (luxury vinyl tile) was going to be
’90s, Home De- everything they do is about organ- the product. as hot as it is. Sure, you could guess
pot was opening ic growth. In other words, all their that it might. But after a short peri-
a new store every 72 hours. Yes, marketing today is directed at im- For a stocking dealer, it means od of time, it was clear that this was
every three days. Its entire growth proving sales from existing stores. bringing in inventory that rep- the laminate of 21st century. Howev-
strategy was new stores. Actually, resents expected future sales. And er, if you look at advertising, does or
it reported “cannibalism” for each According to Carol Tome, CFO, to continue with replenishment of did LVT have the space it deserved?
store effected. In other words, if this Home Depot, organic growth will stock based on ever-increasing fu- Probably not. Did you get rid of seven
was its second store in Akron, Ohio, come from new products, improved ture sales, you don’t use the past clunky displays of marginal products
for example, Home Depot would customer service and to “buy up for but estimate for the future. That and replace them with a full offering
report how much business would future sales.” way you are more apt to have the in- of LVT? Did the sales, product and in-
leave the first store and go to the ventory that will match the demand. stallation training of LVT come front
new store in town. And it would esti- Buy up for future sales? What and center or were you still training
mate how long it would take the first does that mean? We think it means For a flooring store that sells from on carpet seams and tack strip?
store to get back to its best volume to buy inventory to meet future de- sample, the owner should think
before the second store arrived. mand based not on few past sales about “train up for future sales,” Plan for the future and then com-
Home Depot was incredibly smart of new products but against an as- “display up for future sales” and mit to it. This is no time for hesitancy.
and efficient with new store openings. sumed volume if the product were “advertise up for future sales.”
Its research for where and when a fully supported in the store with in- Be bold.
new store should be built was spot on. ventory, proper display and training. Far too often we starve opportuni-
There were very few failures — they ties and continue to feed those ideas Jonathan Trivers, a regular contributor
had to close only a handful of stores For a flooring store that does of products that no longer interest the to Floor Covering Weekly, is also the au-
that did not perform as expected. not carry inventory, the concept customer. We are reluctant to change thor of the marketWise section of FCW’s
still means something. When a new display space or allocation of advertis- Statistical Report. He can be reached by
product comes out, you bring in one ing dollars or amount given for train- email at [email protected].
display rack and see what happens. ing. But that is what is required.

SAFETY replacement also had to be completed MCT is made of recycled material that
FIRST with as little disruption to class sched- require no buffing or waxing and met
ules as possible. As well, the project all environmental regulations required
Water damage had affected several had to comply with New Jersey sus- by the state of New Jersey.
classrooms at Fort Lee Elementary tainability mandates on all accounts.
School No. 1 in New Jersey. Many of COMMERCIAL CASE STUDY
the school officials grew concerned and The Gillespie Group organized a
were determined to fix the damage be- time-conscious plan and decided to re- Project: Fort Lee Elementary School
fore classes resumed after Christmas move and replace the flooring as soon No. 1, Fort Lee, N.J.
break. They looked to other schools in as classes ended before Christmas. The Contractor/ Installer: The Gillespie
the area that faced similar issues, and fast schedule raised some concerns be- Group
turned to New Jersey-based company cause of the age of the school building. Manufacturer: Forbo
The Gillespie Group for the project. However, The Gillespie Group’s team Flooring Used: Forbo MCT natural
used a skim coating process that lead linoleum tiles
The setting posed a number of to a smooth installation.
challenges, the first being safety. The FUN FACTS
installation needed to provide safe The Gillespie Group chose to install
and durable flooring that would ben- Forbo MCT tiles for the project. It was • Fort Lee Elementary School No. 1 is the largest of the four elementary
efit the school and be guaranteed safe an improvement from the previous schools in the town.
for the young students. Removal and flooring, which required more main-
tenance and had to be stripped and • The flooring was first installed between 1931 and 1932.
waxed several times per year. Forbo • There are more than 55 teachers and 600 students.

19JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

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20 JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY

PRODUCT

Carpet tile are being seen differently by younger Milliken’s Encryption is a highly dimensional modular carpet collection that
designers who didn’t witness it the first offers layered patterns in sophisticated colorations.
Continued from page 14 time around (20 years ago),” Isaac said.
“While some may want something qui- sionality, highly textural designs and have seen a move toward larger
Jackie Dettmar, vice president de- eter and refined, others choose stripes modern interpretations of linearity plank format tiles. We have intro-
sign and product development at as the easiest way to throw color accents are resonating with designers. duced several 12" ≈ 48" planks this
Mohawk Group. into product, and they sell well. But I year and will have two more collec-
think that designers, both interior and ShapeS & SizeS tions at different price points coming
There are two main approaches to product, want to see some creativity!” later in 2017.”
color in carpet tile today, according to “Carpet tile systems — tiles that
Kari Pei, lead product designer at Inter- Mark Strohmaier, vice president of work together to create unique in- Mohawk will launch a larger 24"
face Americas. “One is defined by what marketing at Milliken floor covering stallations depending on how the ≈ 48" plank at NeoCon. Dettmar
is going on in fashion and wellness,” division, observed, “Specific to color, designer uses them— is a leading noted, “We are seeing more design-
Pei explained. “The other is directed blue tones are rising in popularity in trend,” said Mohawk’s Dettmar. ers mixing different sizes together to
to the tech market and features gray commercial environments as well as create interesting layouts, as well as
with brighter accents. About 75 percent the trend of using pops of color as ac- Shaw Contract introduced hexago- more experiments with shapes other
of Interface global sales are different cents, particularly for branding and nal tiles three years ago, a trend now than squares.”
gradations of gray, but the accents are way finding purposes.” seen in projects around the globe,
changing. Pantone’s Color of the Year said Stephens, adding, “Along with And additional tile sizes become
2017, Greenery, is very popular.” Organically grOwn traditional square tiles, we continue most important when they add to
to offer additional rectilinear shapes the flexibility of the space design by
Grays are dominant with some Biophilic design influences are including 18" ≈ 36", 9" ≈ 36" and 12" providing compatible scale options
taupe, agreed Masland Contract’s trending with organic patterns and ≈ 48". We will be debuting a larger such as 18" ≈ 36" with 9" ≈ 36", add-
Dolan. “Some designers are seeing movement being important, said Dett- format tile at NeoCon.” ed Todd van der Kruik, vice president
mid-tone browns as well. There are mar. “Growth of graphic patterns used of design at Bentley.
requests for ‘landscape’ tile from de- as creative accents in spaces, some Patcraft’s Cochran reported, “We
signers that want to use the floor as a even creating ‘tile rug’ areas on top or CLASSIFIEDS
neutral surface,” Dolan explained. inset into growing hard surface prod-
ucts,” are also in demand, she noted.
J+J’s Gilbert added, “As greyed
pastels make their way into the work- Interface has promoted Biophilic
place, those colors are requiring a hint design since 2012. Pei explained, “The
of support color that does not over- design can be literal or subtle and
power the space as a whole.” involves shadow, light and texture to
create abstract patterns that are in-
There’s always room for retro, ac- spired by things like cracked earth,
cording to Roby Isaac, vice president, concrete and stone looks.”
Mannington Commercial Design. “As
cliché as it may sound, there is really a Regarding patterns, Milliken’s
little bit of ‘old is new.’ Pattern and color Strohmaier said heightened dimen-

Business Opportunities Career Opportunities Career Opportunities Career Opportunities
UNDERLAYMENT SENIOR OPERATIONS
EXPERIENCED SALES AGENTS WANTED
FOR A DIME! MANAGER REPRESENTATIVE – WEST
Agents wanted. Full service carpet
$0.10/sf High Quality 2 mm EVA wanted for a Commercial Flooring COAST manufacturer. Running lines/specialty
with Moisture Barrier Company in Richardson, TX, to oversee products. High commissions. Many open
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Sound and Thermal Insulation with issues. Must have 7+ years in Floor manufacturer of Hardwood, WPC Contact: [email protected]
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salary expectations, email: an experienced sales representative for WAREHOUSE CLOSE-OUT
[email protected] our west coast territory. States to be
262-358-8287 [email protected] determined. Sale: 5,000 sf of Karastan & Masland
Carpet ($1/sf). Bruce & Mohawk
FLOORING BUSINESS 4SALE INDEPENDENT MFR REPS. Please email resume to: Hardwood ($1/sf). Ceramic Tile. Vinyl.
BY THE BEACH IN DE [email protected] Office Furniture. Copier. 2 Yale Forklifts.
Territories available in the Central U.S. Flooring America, Woodbridge, VA.
for details visit from the Dakotas to Texas. Experienced AGENTS WANTED Contact Bob Wickline
Landmark-Commercial.com Agents needed to represent the Duo-
Fast line of tools and fasteners for Custom Wholesale Floors, one of 571-237-3058.
WE BUY USED CARPET carpet and hardwood. Contact Jim Bird: the Southeast’s premier distributors
CUTTING MACHINES [email protected] is seeking independent agents or WHOLESALE WAREHOUSE
agencies to represent our proprietary LIQUIDATION
Call or text Trevor at 407-509-3030 TERRITORY MANAGER brands in several regions throughout
the US and Canada. As a direct Engineered, Acacia, Walnut,Hickory,
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FLOORING ESTIMATE Engineered, Solids, LVT, Laminates, over 40 years, CWF has competitive Mohaghany Lots of click vinyl.
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Fast & Accurate -Callidus Takeoffs seeking a Territory Sales Representative packages for Wood, Laminate, and
www.commercialflooringestimating.com for Central Texas. Must have 5+ years of WPC. Ideal candidates have at least Contact [email protected]
Floor Covering Experience. Existing retail 5 years of experience in servicing
WE HELP DEALERS contacts are highly beneficial. Distribution commercial or residential flooring ACCU-CUT Q-7 CUTTING
experience strongly desired! dealers or A&D relationships. MACHINE
Private labels, specialty mills & etc.
Call us now at 800-228-4632 Email resume, cover letter and salary Email resumes to: *Great Condition* for sale!
www.carpetbroker.com expectations to: [email protected] $15,900 obo.
or call Joe at 305-728-1118
[email protected] Call or Text Tim for more information @
505-688-8194

21JUNE 5, 2017 | FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY