Recent Interviews

Marc Ammen of Universal Fibers and Kemp Harr discuss how Universal has been able to continue its growth over the last year despite contraction in the carpet market. Listen as Ammen discusses his company's focus on innovation, its industry leading color range, and the company's EarthSmart Technology.

Jim McCool and Kemp Harr discuss the hardwood staircase conversion solution he invented to economically convert carpeted stairs to hardwood without doing a major remodel. Listen to the interview to hear more about the patented invention. More information on this invention is available at www.starecasing.com.

Patricia Flavin, Sr VP of Marketing with Beaulieu of America, talks about Beaulieu's success in marketing carpet to women consumers. Listen to the interview to hear Patricia give more details around their carpet strategy.

Tony Sturrus, President of Clarion Industries, and Kemp Harr discuss Clarion's recent announcement to invest an additional $10 million in their operation. Listen to the interview to hear Tony discuss Clarion's approach to the market and his view of the U.S. Laminate Market.

Jeff West and David Wilkerson with Shaw Industries, discuss the highlights of their second sustainability report. Listen to the interview to hear updates on their cradel-to-cradle initiatives, their Re2E energy facility in Dalton, Georgia and their DAK America partnership.

Jay Flynn, VP with Creating Your Space, and Kemp Harr discuss how the internet has changed the way consumers shop for flooring. Listen to the interview to hear how the consumer moves through a website devoted to flooring products.

Jane Walker with the Certified Floorcovering Installers organization and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights of this week's annual convention in Kansas City. Listen to the interview to hear about the diverse range of seminars and team building activities on the agenda. This is the 17th year for this meeting and the dates for this year are August 19-21.

Bob Holdsworth, emcee for tomorrow's Tribute to Sonna Calandrino, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights for the event in Dalton Georgia. Listen to the interview to hear more about the reception, presentation and guest speakers. Those who wish to attend this event should let us know at RSVP@sonnacalandrino.com.

John Baugh, leading analyst for the publicly traded flooring companies, and Kemp Harr discuss the second quarter performance of Interface (IFSIA), Armstrong (AWI) and Mohawk (MHK). Listen to the interview to hear John give details about how these companies performed and his outlook for how the economy will affect their performance in the future.

Bill Dearing, President of the North American Laminate Flooring Association, and Kemp Harr talk about Wilsonart's announcement that it will exit the laminate flooring business this fall. Listen to the interview to hear the historic perspective on Wilsonart and to hear a brief overview of the laminate business.

Geoff Gordon, President of SCS Flooring, a California based commercial flooring contractor, and Kemp Harr discuss successful basic business approaches that are paying off as he seeks to grow his business.

Santo Torcivia, an economist who focuses on flooring market trends, discusses key trends revealed in his latest U.S. FlooReport. Listen to the interview to hear Santo discuss the economy, home building, the commercial market, product trends, and the home centers. (approx 13 minutes)

Howard Brodsky, Co-CEO of CCA Global, and Kemp Harr discuss the current status of his Carpet One and Flooring America members, how consumers have changed during this recession and the outlook for flooring sales this fall.

Dan Frierson, Chairman of The Dixie Group, and Kemp Harr discuss the current market conditions, which products are selling and details around Dixie's second quarter top line and bottom line performance.

Aaron Pirner, a leading specialty floorcovering retailer based in Kansas, and Kemp Harr discuss what it takes to be successful in these market conditions. Listen to the interview to hear Aaron talk about advertising, and competing with the big box home centers.

Werner Braun, President of the Carpet and Rug Institute, and Kemp Harr discuss key findings on the performance of carpet from their recent commercial market research. Listen to the interview to hear more about how carpet is perceived in the major vertical segments within the commercial market. Werner also provides an update on the statistical business performance of carpet over all.

Eric Demaree, President of Carpet One, and Kemp Harr discuss how Carpet One retailers have fared during the downturn and the advantages they have by being part of the Carpet One organization.  Listen as Eric discusses how Carpet One retailers compete against the home centers, and how successful its Tigressa campaign with Shaw has been.

Vinnie Virga, President of Flooring America, and Kemp Harr discuss the current retail business activity with his membership, his outlook for the rest of the year and the highlights of the summer convention being held this week in Houston. Listen to the interview to hear more about new products and programs with Flooring America.

Recorded on the first day of the AmericasMart Summer Rug Show, Chas Sydney, Senior VP of Business Development, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights of the show and the effect the economy has had on the show. Listen to the interview to hear about the current rug trends and about AmericasMart's Icon awards event.

Gary Cissell, Director of Flooring at Nebraska Furniture Mart, and Kemp Harr discuss the positive flooring sales results NFM has seen in recent months. This interview was conducted at the Atlanta Rug Market. Listen to the interview to hear Gary tell our listeners details about NFM's current promotions and specifics about what's selling in the area rug category.

Industry veteran David Polley and Kemp Harr discuss the flat conditions with retailers in June and how independent retailers should view the home centers from a competitive standpoint.

Amy Chai, Senior Legal Council for the NAHB, and Kemp Harr discuss the NAHB's lawsuit against the EPA's Lead Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting (RPP) rule. Listen to the interview to hear the biggest issue is the EPA's removal of the "opt-out" provision which allowed home owners that didn't have children under six or a pregnant woman in the home to bypass the rule.

Jon Namba, a leading spokesperson for floor covering installers, and Kemp Harr discuss the impact of the EPA's new lead paint rule (called the Contractors Renovation Repairs and Painting Rule (RRP)) on floor covering installers. Listen to the interview to hear Jon give the details about the certification process and some of the grey area that is causing confusion.

Alexander Collot d'Escury, Chief Commercial Officer for Desso Carpets, and Kemp Harr discuss the company's AirMaster commercial carpet, which the company claims uses a patented process to reduce the "fine dust" particulates in rooms where it is installed. Listen to the interview to hear more about AirMaster and Desso.

Marco Levi, VP of Styron's emulsion polymer business, and Kemp Harr discuss the recent sale of Dow's latex business to Bain Capital.  Listen to the interview to hear more details of this transaction, the origin of the Styron name, and Styron's business focus moving forward. Styron is a leading supplier of latex and attached cushion to the carpet industry.

David Duncan, VP of Marketing for Mohawk, and Kemp Harr discuss the key take-aways from Mohawk's recent aligned dealer council meetings. Listen to the interview to hear how their businesses are doing and what Mohawk's doing to help them grow as we pull out of this deep recession.

Misty Hodge, Web Services Manager for Shaw Industries, and Kemp Harr discuss Shaw's new service of developing or enhancing its customers' websites with a new service called Shaw Web Studio. Listen to the interview to hear more about this new service. Misty says their research shows 70% of consumers start their shopping process on the web.

Kermit Baker, Chief Economist for the American Institute of Architecture, and Kemp Harr discuss the status of our economic recovery in light of the recent downward trend in both housing sales and architectural billings in May of 2010. Listen to the interview to hear what caused this dip and where we stand today on the road to recovery.

Werner Braun, President of the Carpet and Rug Institute, and Kemp Harr discuss how CRI's Seal of Approval (SOA) process has improved the performance of carpet cleaning systems and vacuum cleaners since its early development. Listen to the interview to hear more about CRI's testing system and its collaboration with NASA and Georgia Tech to make sure the tools consumers use to clean carpet work effectively.

Jack Thomasson, Builder and Project Manager for the HGTV Green Home, and Kemp Harr discuss his latest green house recently completed in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Listen to the interview to hear details about what makes this home green and the scrutiny that HGTV puts in vetting suppliers for this project. This home will be given away next week and all of the floors were provided by Shaw Industries.

Cathy Mansour, Director of Marketing for Beaulieu Commercial, and Kemp Harr talk about Beaulieu's new Pure Contract brand and their exclusive license with TacFast lock plate system. The new Pure brand was developed to represent a new collection of carpet tile products that have fresh, clean styling. As part of its display at Neocon, the Pure brand suite on the 11th floor featured a glueless floating floor installation that uses a hook and loop panel system for easy installation and modification. Listen to the interview to hear more about Pure and TacFast.

Natalie Jones, VP of Brand Development for Mannington Commercial, and Kemp Harr discuss Mannington's Best of NeoCon awards for its showroom space and its Earthly Elements hardwood collection. Listen to the interview to hear Natalie discuss the show and also hear Laurel Harrison, one of the two Tx:style award winners, discuss how she learned about the design contest.

Reesie Duncan, Creative Director for Shaw Contract, and Kemp Harr discuss Shaw's 18x36 modular carpet collection which won a Silver Best of NeoCon award. Listen to the interview to hear more about this collection and Shaw Contract's experience at NeoCon 2010.

Maurie O'Neill, with O2 Strategies, and Kemp Harr discuss the new Astronomie collection of coordinated luxury vinyl tile from Parterre and carpet from Bentley Prince Street. Maurie, who is an interior designer, worked with both firms to select product that worked well together and assembled an architectural folder containing 18 coordinates of hard and soft products. Listen to the interview to hear more about the range of looks and the background behind the collection. Designers who seek more information about this collection should contact their Bentley Prince Street representative.

Rick Evans, vice president of sales for Milliken and Constantine, and Kemp Harr, discuss how combining the technologies of the two companies resulted in a Best of NeoCon Innovation Award this year for two carpet collections. Milliken purchased Constantine last fall, and NeoCon represents a coming-out party for the combined companies.

Mark Falanga, senior vice president for the Merchandise Mart, and Kemp Harr discuss the early traffic at this year's NeoCon show and how it compares to previous years. The show has more than 1,000 companies and more than 1 million square feet, and flooring is the second largest category after furniture. Learn how NeoCon keeps in contact with designers throughout the year and keeps them coming to the show.

Gary Frankhouse, Jr., a full line flooring retailer in Galion, Ohio, and Kemp Harr discuss the benefits of conducting a benchmarking analysis whereby a retailer can compare his results with other similar retailers across the country. Listen to the interview to hear more details on this process. (This is a rerun of an interview conducted earlier this year.)

Tom Gifford, U.S. representative for Groz-Beckert, and Kemp Harr discuss a recent 30% increase in demand for tufting needles and how that correlates with manufacturing activity in the carpet market. Listen to the interview to hear more about Groz-Beckert and Tom's view on the early stages of recovery in the carpet market.

Peter Greene, Vice President of Marketing with InterfaceFlor, and Kemp Harr discuss his background and Interface's new introductions for NeoCon 2010. Listen to the interview to hear about two new modular carpet collections and their sustainability message.

John Wells, President of Interface Americas, and Kemp Harr discuss Interface's new arrangement with the Bravo Network of Distributors to sell an exclusive collection of modular carpets to the mainstreet sector of the commercial market. This new collection was designed by David Oakey. Listen to the interview to hear more details of this and also hear John talk about market conditions overall and provide an update on Ray Anderson's fight against cancer.

Liz Calandrino talks about her sister Sonna's passion for fashion and provides a quick synopsis of her childhood and 30-year focus on the flooring industry. Listen to the interview to hear more about Sonna's professional career. Sonna passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, May 23.

Ed Korczak, Executive Director and CEO of the National Wood Flooring Association, and Kemp Harr discuss wood flooring's inclusion in the proposed Home Star Energy Retro Fit Act. While this $6 billion home owner stimulus package has yet to pass the Senate, Ed says there's a good chance this will become law if Congress can find a source for the funds. Listen to the interview to hear more detail.

Jeff West, Director of Sustainability for Shaw Commercial, and Kemp Harr discuss yesterday's launch of the Green Products Innovation Institute. Listen to the interview to learn that Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart are transferring the Cradle to Cradle certification from MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry) to the GPII (Green Products Innovation Institute).

Pamela Rainey, Product Design Manager with Shaw Hospitality, and Kemp Harr discuss how external factors like the economy and generational demographics have affected design trends in the hospitality market. Listen to the interview to hear more about the latest flooring trends in the lodgings sector of this business.

Chris Bryant, VP of Product Development and Steve Sieracki, VP of Residential Marketing and Kemp Harr discuss the R2X stain protection technology and the consumer research that enables them to offer a lifetime stain and soil warranty on the nylon carpet. Listen to the interview to hear more about the R2X patented protection and life expectancy of fashion oriented home furnishings.

Michael Zmijewski, Vice President with Mr. Davids, and Kemp Harr discuss the Central Dupage Hospital-Pediatric Suite project that won the Starnet Design Award Grand Prize. Listen to the interview to hear more about Mr. Davids and this project.

Tom Lape, President of Mohawk's Residential Business, and Kemp Harr discuss the continued success of Mohawk's SmartStrand carpet made with triexta polymer. Listen to the interview to hear about new investments in capacity by both DuPont and Mohawk Industries. Also listen to the end of the interview where Tom gives his outlook on consumers' buying habits at the early stages of this economic recovery.

Frank Douglas, Vice President of Business Development for Crossville Tile, and Kemp Harr discuss the Coverings 2010 show, some of Crossville's recent investments and how it achieves success in the commercial marketplace. Listen to the interview to hear more about Crossville's latest news and the Coverings 2010 show.

David Polley and Kemp Harr are starting a new series of interviews where they address some of the topics that are top of mind in the industry. As many of you know, David has held leadership positions in the carpet industry for most of his career and he has a solid understanding of the industry and is good at verbalizing his thoughts. In this interview, we discuss the topic of lifetime warranties on nylon carpet. We hope you enjoy this interview and the series that David and Kemp will try to entertain you with in the future. Stay tuned next week for an interview on how independent flooring retailers should view the home centers in the overall retail mix.

Randy Weis, a New York based flooring contractor and Chairman of the Board for Starnet, provides an overview of his R.D. Weis business and what Starnet has been doing to help its membership during these trying economic times. Listen to the interview to hear how Randy's business is doing and his outlook for the future.

Jay Smith, president of the FEI Group, and Kemp Harr, discuss the emerging signs of the start of a turnaround in the builder business this year. Some major builders are projecting a profit this year, and others have started buying land again as they are flush with cash. Also, listen as Smith decribes how FEI's membership is growing, including eight new flooring-related members this year.

Massimo Ballucchi, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development for Vitromex, and Kemp Harr discuss their Covering's booth theme and their market position as the leading Mexican supplier to the U.S. for ceramic and porcelain tile. Listen to the interview to hear more about Vitromex and their new products for 2010.

Jeff Hamar, co-owner of Galleher Corporation, and Kemp Harr discuss Jeff's decision to buy back the west coast distribution company that he and his brother sold to Itochu in 2007. Listen to the interview to hear Jeff give his view on the evolving role of distributors in the flooring industry.

Michael Johnson, an architect and professor at Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, and Kemp Harr discuss his design of the hospitality pavilion for the Italian Ceramic Trade Association and his view of some of the world's most talented architects.

Dr. Svend Hovmand, former President of Crossvile Tile and this year's Tile Person of the Year, talks with Kemp Harr about his vision 25 years ago to open a porcelain tile plant in rural Tennessee. Listen to the interview to hear more about Svend's background and both the challenges the tile industry faces and the accomplishments it has achieved.

Massimo Barbari, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Florida Tile, and Kemp Harr discuss the company's new re-imaging efforts, recent manufacturing investments and new products introduced at Coverings 2010. Listen to the interview to hear more details and to hear what Florida Tile's distributors think about the business outlook for 2010.

Hector Narvaez, VP of Sales and Marketing for Marazzi USA, and Kemp Harr discuss Marazzi's recent investments in ink-jet technology and other enhancements in its Florence, Alabama plant. Listen to the interview to hear more about Marazzi's latest news from Coverings 210 in Orlando.

Tony Nixon, Legacy Floors, and Kemp Harr discuss this Ohio based flooring contractor's rapid growth in the polished concrete business. Listen to the interview to hear how Legacy Floors (a Starnet Worldwide Flooring member), got into the polished concrete business and expanded it with national retail accounts like West Marine and The Limited.

Donato Grosser, of  D. Grosser & Associates, and Kemp Harr discuss the overall decline of the tile market in the U.S. and how that has affected imported products from Italy. Listen to the interview to hear more details around the Italian Tile Association's strategy and Donato's outlook for the future.

Randy Gablehouse, the long-time head of commercial sales for Armstrong World Industries, and Kemp Harr, discuss the hightlights of Gablehouse's 35-year career with Armstrong. He's unusual in the industry in that he spent his entire career with one company. Over the years he's worked in a variety of roles. Gablehouse retired in March.

Jeanne Matson, President and CEO of Starnet Worldwide Flooring, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights and the health of the membership from Starnet's annual meeting held this weekend at Marco Island, Florida. Listen to the interview to hear about Starnet's new initiatives and the tone and outlook for business in 2010.

Kermit Baker, Chief Economist with the American Institute of Architecture, and Kemp Harr discuss the AIA billing index for March which is improving but still below 50, indicating a continued decline in billings. Listen to the interview to hear more about the different vertical sectors and kermit's overall view of the economy.

Jim Dion, an expert in consumer buying habits at retail, and Kemp Harr discuss Jim's upcoming seminar next week at Coverings in Orlando titled "Attracting the Consumer in 2010." Listen to the interview to hear highlights about Jim's talk and to hear more about where the consumer is mentally when it comes to retail buying.

Kathy Young, Creative Director for Residential Marketing with Shaw Industries, and Kemp Harr discuss details about the 2010 HGTV Green Home. Listen to the interview to hear more about what Shaw gets out of the promotion, details about the home itself and about the flooring products selected for this promotion. As usual, the house will be given away at the end of the sweepstakes.

Don Finkell, CEO of Shaw's Hardwood Business, and Kemp Harr discuss Shaw's recent acquisition of Stuart Hardwood Flooring in Stuart, Virginia. Listen to the interview to hear how this unfinished solid hardwood flooring producer fits within Shaw's overall business. Also hear more about the supply and demand issues that are affecting hardwood flooring prices.

Werner Braun, President of the Carpet and Rug Institute, and Kemp Harr discuss a recent CRI board decision that provides two options that should improve the economic model for recycling post-consumer carpet and further reduce the amount of carpet that ends up in landfills. Listen to the interview to hear Werner provide details about the two options--a potential consumer environmental fee or an increase in landfill tipping fees. Also listen as Werner briefly discusses the statistics that indicate that the industry is seeing and uptick in business.

Larry Noel, VP of Retail Sales at Rite Rug, and Kemp Harr discuss the fit of carpet made with polyester fiber from a retail perspective. Listen to the interview to hear more about Rite Rug and how their retail salespeople position this product.

Paul Comiskey, President of Residential Business with The Dixie Group, and Kemp Harr talk about polyester carpet fiber's fit in a company that is known for design and whose average wholesale price for carpet is $22 per yard. Listen to the interview to hear more about the growth of Dixie's Durasilk polyester business.

Thomas Rennie, principle with TLR Consulting, and Kemp Harr discuss the two primary reasons why BCF polyester carpet fiber is continuing to expand its footprint in the residential carpet market. Listen to the interview to hear more specifics about the pricing advantage and technological processing improvements that have enabled this fiber shift. Also listen to hear Thomas speculate that triexta will not be a Mohawk exclusive in 2011.

Alasdair Carmichael, with PCI Fibres, and Kemp Harr discuss the recent shift in carpet fiber demand, which shows polyester gaining against polypropylene and nylon staple. Listen to the interview to hear that the primary causes for the decline in polypropylene are styling shift and polymer price, and with polyester versus nylon, it's improvements in yarn performance based on new extrusion technology.

Jennifer Hoff, President of the Coverings Expo, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights of the upcoming Tile and Stone show that will be held in Orlando April 27 to 30. Listen to the interview to hear the special events and seminars that Jennifer thinks attendees should put on their schedule.

Patti Fasan, an international design consultant specializing in the ceramic tile market, and Kemp Harr discuss color and design trends that will be prominent at this year's Coverings show in Orlando. Listen to the interview to hear more about how the tile market has faired during the recession and where producers have focused their new product design energy.

Bethany Richmond, Communications Manager at the Carpet and Rug Institute, and Kemp Harr discuss a recent Lumber Liquidators print ad that quotes a customer who said she removed her carpet to allieviate her allergy symptoms. Listen to the interview to hear CRI reiterate that flooring products should be sold on their merits and not based on an unproven myth.

Don Finkell, CEO of Shaw's Hardwood Business, and Kemp Harr discuss the tone and optimism at last week's annual NWFA Convention. Listen to the interview to hear about Don's achievements as president of the NWFA last year.

Mark Arbogast, Healthcare Specialist with Mondo Floors, and Kemp Harr discuss the reasons why rubber flooring is growing in the Contract Commercial sector. Listen to the interview to hear where rubber flooring is being used and why.

Jim McIntosh, General Manager of Tuftex, and Kemp Harr discuss Jim's decision to retire at the end of March. Listen to the interview to hear the highlights of Jim's career in the carpet business, his advice to the rising leaders in the business and what his plans are post retirement.

Jeff Macco, President of the National Floorcovering Alliance, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights and tone of last week's membership meeting in Banff, Canada. Listen to the interview to hear about their progress on a non-Stainmaster roll purchase and changes they've made to the membership bilaws.

Gary Cissell, Director of Flooring at Nebraska Furniture Mart, and Kemp Harr discuss the Mart's flooring sales in the first 3 months of 2010. Listen to the interview to hear more about trend shifts at retail and Gary's view of Invista's decision to sell Stainmaster exclusively at Lowe's in the home center channel.

Ron Lee, Executive Director of the Resource Commercial Flooring Network, and Kemp Harr, discuss the highlights of the group's meeting last week in Florida. Listen to the interview to hear about the mood of the members and the signs of increasing commercial activity, a new "vendor speed dating" program, how many members are focused on the maintenance and replacement business, and how the group wants to increase its visibility with the architecture and design community.

Dan Frierson, Chairman of The Dixie Group, and Kemp Harr catch up on a quick summary of the changes Dixie has made to be competitive in this current market. Listen to the interview to hear Dan talk about current demand levels, management changes at Dixie and also Invista's decision to pull the Stainmaster brand from Home Depot and Menards.

Mark Clayton, Business Manager for Milliken Residential, and Kemp Harr discuss Milliken's renewed focus in the residential market and the product collection and business strategy for 2010. Listen to the interview to hear more about their product styling, retail displays and timing.

Ed Korczak, Managing Director of the National Wood Flooring Association, and Kemp Harr discuss the specific highlights of next week's NWFA meeting in D.C. Listen to the interview to hear more about the seminars and the schedule. Ed also talks about the wood flooring outlook for 2010.

Bethany Richmond, Communications Manager with CRI, and Kemp Harr discuss the Carpet and Rug Institute's efforts to educate asthma and allergy doctors about the myths surrounding the impact carpet has on patients who suffer with Asthma and allergy symptoms. Listen to the interview to hear about Bethany's reception at a recent doctor's conference.

Joan Ceccarelli, Residential Interior Designer in Park City, UT, and Kemp Harr discuss residential flooring trends and Joan's role on the Surfaces Education Advisory Council. Listen to the interview to hear about current trends in the residential flooring sector and ways to keep abreast of this changing market.

Kermit Baker, Chief Economist with the American Institute of Architects, and Kemp Harr discuss the January Billings Index and the economic outlook for 2010. Listen to the interview to hear the latest thinking from this economic expert as he discusses many of the factors that have a bearing on how the economy will perform this year.

Jon Logue, Co-CEO with Alliance Flooring, and Kemp Harr discuss the upbeat tone of the membership at last week's meeting. Listen to the interview to hear the highlights of the meeting and more details about why the members are feeling good about 2010.

Dave Gheesling, CEO with the FEI Group (formerly known as FloorExpo), and Kemp Harr discuss the future outlook of the builder market for 2010 and beyond. Listen to the interview to hear the optimism he is getting from his membership and also hear about shifts in consumer tastes when it comes to flooring and size of dwelling.

John Baugh, managing director with Stifel Nicolaus, and Kemp Harr discuss the 4th quarter and year end results for Mohawk, Armstrong and Interface. Listen to the interview to hear more details about the performance of these three publicly traded flooring companies and John's outlook for 2010.

Dave Kitts, Mannington's VP of Environmental, and Kemp Harr discuss Mannington's ability to convert Olympic graphics into commercial flooring tiles. Listen to the interview to hear Dave talk about how this came about with 3M. Dave gives detailed information about the carbon analysis that was done to make sure this was truly the right solution for all parties involved. You can also watch a 4 minute 3M video on this topic by clicking on this link.

http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/portal/3M/en_CA/Olympics/Home/?WT.mc_id=www.3M.ca/2010

Frank Hurd, VP and Coo with the Carpet and Rug Institute, and Kemp Harr discuss the key topics being discussed at this week's trip to Capitol Hill. Listen to the interview to hear more on their meetings with key politicians on Card Check, the Hire Act, Cap and Trade and the EPA's classification of Coal Fly Ash. Also hear more about the recent uptick in carpet production in the early part of this year.

Interior designer Erinn Valencich, Quick-Step's Celebrity Spokesperson, and Kemp Harr discuss Erinn's new role with the laminate maker. Watch the video to learn more about her microsite (www.quickstepstyle.com) and plans to use her design skills to promote Quick-Step.

Roger Farabee, Sr VP of Marketing for Unlin, and Kemp Harr discuss Quick-Step's new GenuEdge and ScratchGuard technology along with their new product introductions for 2010. Watch the video to hear where laminate flooring fits with today's consumer from one of the largest domestic manufacturers in that category.

Andy Brumlow, VP of Product Development for Oriental Weavers, and Kemp Harr discuss OW's new products for 2010. New this year, the company has expanded its broadloom offerings to include a New Zealand Wool, Axminister collection called Kensington. It is also introducing a reversible rug series called Options with 25 different pattern options. Watch the video to see and hear more about OW's business and some rug trends that Andy has been seeing.

Clint Hubbard-CEO and Jamann Stepp-VP of Sales at Home Legend talk with Kemp Harr about the business strategy that has led to solid growth in 2009. Watch the video to see and hear more about the 46 new products they are introducing for 2010. Home Legend sells cork, bamboo, hardwood, laminate and area rugs. This year they have a license agreement with Disney for area rugs and laminate. The company first started selling flooring in 1997.

Recorded at Surfaces 2010, Al Penny, CEO and Owner of Monticello Floors, talks with Kemp Harr about the changes he has led since buying the company a little over a year ago. Watch the video to hear about Monticello's fit in the market, its approach to distribution, its investments in innovation, its alignment with Aquafil fibers and its expansion into hard surfaces.

Recorded at Surfaces 2010 in Las Vegas, Paul Comiskey, President of The Dixie Group's residential business, and Kemp Harr discuss the company's brand strategy and new product introductions. Watch the video to learn more about the U.S.'s fourth largest carpet producer and its products.

In this interview recorded at Surfaces in Las Vegas, Thomas Trissl, President and owner of Centiva, and Kemp Harr discuss the company's market focus, its strategy for growth and its new product sample books. Watch the video to see shots of Centiva's booth and new product introductions.

Don Finkell, who is now CEO of Shaw Industries' Hardwood Business, talks with Kemp Harr in the Anderson booth at Surfaces 2010. Watch the interview to learn about Anderson's new Lustre Lock Ultra finish, its new Tropical Reflections collection and also get an update on the Lacey Act.

Recorded at Surfaces on the opening day, Ralph Boe-President, Patricia Flavin-Sr VP of Marketing, and Jeff Meadows-Executive VP of Residential, discuss with Kemp Harr the highlights of Beaulieu's 2010 Surface's message. Watch the interview to see and hear more about Beaulieu's growth initiatives, their new product introductions, and their focus on the female consumer.

Frank Douglas, VP of Business Development with Crossville, and Kemp Harr discuss Crossville's business strategy and purpose for coming to Surfaces. Listen to the interview to hear about Crossville's Americana theme, new products like Get Planked and Ultimetal, and Crossville's strategy for growth.

Brian Greenwell, VP of Marketing with Mullican, and Kemp Harr discuss the evolution of Mullican's business over the last 10 years and its newest product introductions. Watch the interview to hear how Mullican has been able to grow its business with retailers. Brian also talks about lumber prices and the company's outlook for 2010.

Ed Duncan, Sr. VP of Marketing for Mannington, and Kemp Harr discuss Mannington's key new product introductions and the company's outlook for 2010. Watch this video to see more about what Mannington was launching at the show.

Paul Murfin, VP of Sales with Armstrong, provides highlights on Armstrong's Surfaces booth and show message. Watch the video to hear Paul talk about how long it's been since Armstrong exhibited on the show floor, key new product introductions, private equity ownership and product pricing.

Dana Teague, Surfaces Show Director, and Kemp Harr discuss the attendance, tone and highlights of this year's Surfaces Expo. Listen to the interview to hear Dana talk about the show on its last day, along with plans for next year.

Two Flooring America Dealers, Scott Steel and Kelby Frederick, talk to Kemp Harr about their decision to merge their two businesses and form a six-store chain that services Houston, Dallas and Texarkana. Listen to the interview to hear how this came about and the synergies they hope to achieve by combining the business.

Gary Cissell, Director of Flooring at Nebraska Furniture Mart, and Kemp Harr talk briefly the day before Surfaces about why Gary comes to Surfaces every year. Listen to the interview to hear Gary talking about the show and about the NFA Meeting that is held every year prior to the show.

Christine Whittemore, with Simple Marketing Now, and Kemp Harr discuss the nuances of selling flooring to women. Listen to the interview to hear some statistics about women and to hear what their hot buttons are when it comes to buying flooring.

Bridgette Kelly (British Wool) and Kemp Harr discuss the roll out of "The Wool Project," a five-year promotional campaign supported by the Prince of Whales (Prince Charles). Listen to the interview to hear about wool's role in the carpet industry and what this campaign could mean to retailers.

Laurie Lyza, Director of Marketing for Crossville Tile and Kemp Harr discuss the 2010 Vision Design Award. Listen to the interview to hear more about new contest designed to provide recognition to architects and interior designers for their creative integration of flooring and overall design.  For more specific details or to enter go to www.floorfocus.com/designaward

David Elyachar and Scott Perron discuss the highlights of their 17th Annual Convention. Listen to the interview to hear about how this year's convention focused on selling to women and also what their outlook is for 2010.

Dana Teague, Show Director for Surfaces Expo, and Kemp Harr discuss the anticipated attendance and a few of the new enhancements attendees will see at this years show. Listen to the interview to hear more about this and about what motivated the show to move to the Mandalay Bay next year.

Jim Dion, President of Dionco, an expert in consumer buying habits, and Kemp Harr discuss the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts and what effect, if any, that election might have on consumer confidence. Listen to the interview to hear Jim's thoughts on what 2010 will look like at retail.

Nicklas Hakansson, R&D Manager with Valinge, and Kemp Harr discuss Valinge's new paperless laminate flooring system (Wood Power) that they will be launching at Surfaces this year. Listen to the interview from Domotex where Nicklas talks about the development and advantages vs. traditional laminate. Valinge spent two years and 20 million Euro developing this product.

Susanne Klaproth, Director of Domotex Germany, the largest international flooring show in the world, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights of the show from Hannover, Germany. Listen to the interview to hear more about how the economy has affected this show and details about what the show has done to make the exhibitors and attendees get more from their visit here.

Jim Garner, one of the owners of Sergenian's Floor Coverings in Madison, Wis., and Kemp Harr, discuss Sergenian's sustainability story and the factors that contributed to the company being selected as Mohawk's Greenworks Dealer of the Year. Listen to the interview to find out how Sergenian's has met its promise, since 2007, to keep every scrap of old carpet out of the landfill, as well as other initiatives related to energy savings.

Howard Brodsky, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of CCA Global, and Kemp Harr review the highlights of CCA Glabal's 25 years of Success. Listen to the interview to hear Howard talk about how the business has changed, the challenges retailers face today and his outlook for the near future.

Nia Evans, Flooring Marketing Manager for GE Money, and Kemp Harr discuss how the new CARD act of 2009 (which goes into effect next month) will alter the way flooring retailers can offer their consumers credit. Listen to the interview to learn that retailers can no longer offer 6 month or "no pays" credit promotions to consumers.

Eric Demaree, President of Carpet One, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights of last weeks Winter Convention in Washington D.C. Listen to the interview to hear the details about Carpet One's new offense strategy, how they plan to beat out their competition and their expectations for 2010.

Charlie Dilks with CCA Global and Paul Murfin with Armstrong discuss the details around their decision to establish a "direct" channel relationship in 2010. Listen to the interview with Kemp Harr to hear what both entities stand to gain and the role Armstrong's distributors will continue to play.

Danny Girton with the Guinness Book of World Records, who was on hand to judge the Shaw Anso Pie Fight, tells Kemp Harr what he was looking for as Shaw set out to set a world record for pie fights. The previous record of 269 people was set last September. The Shaw promotion was designed to show that Anso could withstand soiling from chocolate, apple, and cherry pies.

Rita Dommermuth, VP of Sales for Domotex, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights for the worlds largest global flooring expo which will be held in Hanover Germany from January 16 to 19. Listen to the interview to hear more details about the anticipated attendance, U.S. participation, Contract World, a bus tour of German retailers, and more about the weather forecast.

Kelly Cooper, Surfaces Expo Marketing Manager, and Kemp Harr discuss indications from pre-event bookings that attendance for the February Surfaces should be up from last year. Listen to the interview to hear more about this and about other key changes to this year's residential flooring trade show.

Jim Bethel, CEO of J+J/Invision, and Kemp Harr discuss the evolution of the flooring industry as Bethel prepares to retire at the end of the year. Listen to the interview to hear the highlights of his career and his plans for the future.

Jeff Meadows, Executive VP of Residential for Beaulieu of America, and Kemp Harr briefly discuss Beaulieu's new stain warranty, a new line of soft nylon and polyester carpets and a few other programs that will be introduced at Surfaces 2010 in Las Vegas in a few weeks.

Neil Poland, President of Mullican Hardwood, and Kemp Harr discuss yesterday's news that Mullican announced a $6 million expansion. Listen to the interview to hear more about the long range outlook for wood flooring and also an update on what is going on with board lumber prices.

Mike Leary, Director of Anso Fiber, and Dani Brock, Marketing Communications, discuss with Kemp Harr highlights of the enhancements Shaw is making to the Anso brand for 2010. Listen to the interview to hear about the new lifetime soil and stain warranty, the new color wall, the "Anso? Hope so" consumer campaign and a tease about an upcoming torture test.

Emily Morrow, Director of Color, Style and Design with Shaw Industries, and Kemp Harr discuss the three primary resources Shaw uses to gather the color trend information it uses in new products. Listen to the interview to hear Emily discuss the Color Marketing Group, its own customer feedback, and how Shaw monitors regional product sales.

Kermit Baker, Chief economist with the American Institute of Architecture, and Kemp Harr discuss the recent drop in the Billing Index. Listen to the interview as Kermit talks about the impending economic recovery and offers an historic view which could shed some light on what might happen in 2010.

Ray Caraway, U.S. representative for Callidus, and Kemp Harr discuss how using commercial estimating software can make a company more efficient. Listen to the interview to hear how it was developed and how commerial flooring contractors can benefit from technology.

Frank Hurd, VP and COO with the Carpet and Rug Institute, and Kemp Harr discuss a milestone we haven't seen in three years. The November demand for carpet backing for 2009 surpassed the demand for November of 2008. Listen to the interview to hear more about this and other indicators that point toward recovery in the overall flooring market.

Mark Ammen, CEO with Universal Fibers, and Kemp Harr discuss the news about the $13 million expansion and 84 new jobs for their domestic plant in Bristol, Virginia. Listen to the interview to hear more about this, their ability to recycle Nylon 6,6 and their successful marketshare gain.

Manny Llerena, Mohawk's VP of Retail Programs, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights of Mohawk's aligned dealer program for 2010. Listen to the interview to hear Manny summarize the new product introductions and support programs for Mohawk's retail partners.

Josh Eichner, VP with Framerica, a leading producer of flooring transitions for the laminate flooring business, and Kemp Harr discuss the company's 40 year history, its channel strategy, its focus on quality and its environmental achievements. Listen to the interview to hear more about this key supplier to the industry.

David Duncan, VP of Marketing with Mohawk, and Kemp Harr converse at Mohawk's aligned dealer convention about the new marketing programs tailored to fit the needs of today's retailer. Listen to the interview to hear more details around retailers' specific needs and the programs Mohawk has developed to answer those needs. Specifics include strategic planning and budgeting tools, Internet marketing and year long training programs.

Tom Lape, President of Mohawk Residential, and Kemp Harr discuss the strategic focus of Mohawk's aligned meeting last week in San Antonio, Texas. Listen to the interview to hear more about Mohawk's investment in product and training and its "Turn the Page" focus for 2010.

Attorney Randy Pollack, Government Affairs Liaison for the Carpet and Rug Institute, and Kemp Harr discuss pending legislation in California that could regulate as many as 10,000 chemicals that are routinely used in consumer products like carpet. Listen as Pollack discusses the Green Chemistry Alliance and its role in trying to get California to adopt a practical regulatory process that won't cause extraordinary hardship on manufacturers.

Bethany Richmond, Communications Manager with the Carpet and Rug Institute, and Kemp Harr discuss the effectiveness of CRI's blog and the mission behind this effort. Listen to the interview to hear Bethany talk about what she hopes to achieve with this blog and also what's important to consider before starting a blog of your own.

Ron Greitzer, President of LA Fibers and Reliance Carpet Cushion, and Kemp Harr discuss the new Stainmaster Ecosoft fiber carpet cushion that is made from post consumer recycled nylon 6,6 carpet fiber. Listen to the interview to hear Ron, who is well known as one of the largest recyclers of PCR carpet, talk about the benefits of this new carpet cushion and how it not only provides an outlet for used nylon 6,6 fiber but also provides the industry with a value priced high performance pad.

Jay Flynn, Partner with Bridgeway Interactive and Creating Your Space, and Kemp Harr discuss the group's recent annual meeting in Sonoma, California. Listen to the interview to hear more about the latest services Creating Your Space is offering its retail clients and Bridgeway Interactive is offering its builder clients. Jay discusses both social media and LEED for Homes.

Nate Kredich, the U.S. Green Building Council's VP in charge of LEED for Homes, and Kemp Harr discuss how green building is progressing in the residential market. Listen to the interview to hear more about LEED's market penetration and how flooring can contribute to LEED for Home certification.

Mark Brunelle, National Sales Manager for US Floors, and Kemp Harr discuss Mark's recent launch of a contract line of bamboo, cork and FSC hardwood products under the USF-Contract brand name. Listen to this short 8 minute interview to hear what makes these products suited for the commercial environment and what their sustainability claims are.

Laurie Lyza, director of marketing for Crossville, and Kemp Harr discuss Greenbuild and Crossville's new take-back program for post consumer tile. Listen to the interview to hear why Greenbuild is one of Crossville's strongest shows, along with details about the company's take-back program.

Jenny Cross, Director of Global Sustainability with Mohawk, and Kemp Harr discuss Mohawk's key message at Greenbuild. Listen to the interview to hear more about her new role and why Mohawk carpet was selected for the new USGBC building in Washington, D.C.

At Greenbuild 2009, Interface President John Wells tells Floordaily's Kemp Harr about his company's creative booth, featuring a giant elephant and how it helps communicate the message that "oil is the elephant in the room" in terms of product sustainability. Wells describes the firm's missionzero program and the company's goal of being complete off oil by 2020. He also talks about how the company is planning in a down economy.

Starnet CEO Jeanne Matson tells Floordaily's Kemp Harr about the continuing growth of Starnet's membership and how the members are remaining optimistic and are adapting to a difficult economy that also features stiff competition. She also talks about the realistic assessment of the economy provided by speakers at the meeting.

Bob Murray, Vice President of Economic Affairs for McGraw Hill, and Kemp Harr discuss the economic outlook for 2010. Listen to the interview to hear this economist's viewpoint on residential and commercial construction for the coming year.

Milliken's Bill Gregory tells Floordaily's Kemp Harr about his company's substantial sustainability program and how it relates to Milliken's recent purchase of commercial carpet maker Constantine. Listen to the interview to hear more about Gregory's thoughts on third-party certification and how his company plans to have all its products third-party certified by early next year.

Jeff West, Director of Sustainability with Shaw Industries, and Kemp Harr discuss GreenBuild's attendance numbers and Shaw's key message at the show. Listen to the interview to hear more about the importance of third party certification within the design community.

Tom Ellis, VP of Marketing at Tandus, and Kemp Harr discuss Ellis' new role as head of marketing, and Tandus' key messages at GreenBuild. Listen to the interview to hear more about the company's brand strategy and its new Powerbond products being introduced at Greenbuild.

Scott Rives, Director of Sales with The Mohawk Group, and Kemp Harr discuss Mohawk's decision to launch a Bigelow sales promotion for commercial dealers. Listen to the interview to hear details about this promotion, how the reduction in the number of A&D specifiers has affected the business, and which vertical sectors are continuing to purchase commercial flooring.

Roger Ardston, President of IFDA, an ad agency that specializes in retail floorcovering promotion, and Kemp Harr discuss ad budgets, message, effective mix and proper use of the Internet. Listen to the interview to hear more about what works to build store traffic especially during these challenging economic times.

Jon Hiland, VP of Sales and marketing at Floor Productions, and Kemp Harr announce the winner of Floor Focus' annual retail display contest. When you listen to the interview you will hear that Mount Vernon Carpet One won first place. In the interview Jon talks about what's important when you develop point of sale material. For more details on the contest, see page 46 of the current issue of Floor Focus Magazine.

Joyce LaValle, retiring Senior Vice President of Marketing at Interface, and Kemp Harr discuss the industry's evolution during her career. Listen to the interview to hear about product changes, the growth of sustainability and the growing role women play in the flooring industry.

Anthony Minite, President of Bentley Prince Street, and Kemp Harr discuss the compliance issues associated with manufacturing in California, BPS' new PCR backing system for modular and broadloom carpet and how BPS is dealing with the current economic challenges.

John Baugh, Managing Director with Stifel Nicolaus, and Kemp Harr discuss the 3Q performance of Mohawk, Armstrong and Interface. Listen to the interview to hear more on these companies and John's view of current economic conditions and how it will affect these companies' performance.

John Stephens, Vice President of Marketing for Shaw Contract, and Kemp Harr discuss the attendance and tone at this week's NeoCon East show in Baltimore, Maryland. Listen to the interview to hear what type of projects the architects and designers are working on, the continued increase and awareness around sustainability and John's optimistic outlook on economic recovery.

Kermit Baker, Chief Economist for the American Institute of Architects, and Kemp Harr discuss the September billings index released last week, which remains below 50.  Listen to the interview to get an historical perspective on this economic situation and to hear what has to happen before we can see a recovery.

Giulio Bonazzi, President and CEO of Aquafil, and Kemp Harr discuss Aquafil USA's 10th anniversary celebration. The interview provides an overview of the entire company and the sustainability challenges it faces. Listen to the interview to hear more about this company that started making raincoats in 1956 and now has 11 manufacturing sites on three continents with 1800 employees and over $600 million in annual global sales.

Allison Rea, Director of Marketing for FEI Group (formerly FloorExpo), and Kemp Harr discuss some of the myths of social media as a viable promotion vehicle for flooring companies. Listen to the interview to hear Allison's view of how flooring contractors should use the Internet to promote their business.

Rick McConnell, President of Hanley Wood Expositions, and Kemp Harr discuss his recent appointment to head up all of Hanley Wood's trade shows which includes Surfaces. Listen to the interview to hear more about Hanley Wood and plans for Surfaces in 2010.

Sam Roberts, owner of Roberts' Carpet and Fine Floors (and an NFA member), and Kemp Harr, discuss his strategy for maintaining sales even in this depressed economy. Listen to the interview to hear more about his newest store and his advertising strategy.

Gary Cissell, Director of Flooring at Nebraska Furniture Mart, tells Kemp Harr about the major remodeling of the firm's Omaha store, including the installation of a huge two-tier floorcovering feature wall to grab the consumer's attention. He also discusses how the strategy of selling floorcovering, furniture, and appliances all in one store leads to higher flooring sales.

Jeff Macco, President of the National Floorcovering Alliance, and Kemp Harr discuss the current tone of the membership, its outlook for 2010, and its latest new member. Listen to the interview to hear more about the group, its meeting, and its newest member--Levi for Floors.

Chris Davis, President and CEO of the World Floor Covering Association, tells Kemp Harr a little about the organization's history and its early roots as a labor negotiator for installers, along with details about this year's induction of new members into the organization's Hall of Fame. He also talks about his member's cautious optimism about the economy.

Russell Grizzle, Milliken's President of Global Flooring, and Kemp Harr discuss the recent news of Milliken's acquisition of Constantine. Listen to the interview to hear more about the synergies of the two companies and their integration plans moving forward.

Jay Smith and Dave Gheesling, President and CEO of the FEI Group (formerly FloorExpo), provide an overview on the health and scope of their organization and discuss the highlights from their annual convention held this week in Austin, Texas. Listen to the interview to hear details about what the economic recovery in the builder market might look like in the next couple of years.

Massimo Barbari, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Florida Tile, and Kemp Harr have a candid conversation that provides valuable insight on the Cersaie show. Listen to the interview to hear more about the traffic, who attends, and the overall impact on the world tile market. Massimo also provides a brief update on Florida Tile's innovation initiatives. (approx. 10 minutes)

Armondo Cafiero, Managing Director with the Italian Tile Trade Association, and Kemp Harr discuss the source of the Italian tile leadership, the tone and traffic at Cersaie and growth opportunities for tile in the U.S. Listen to the interview to hear more from the man who runs the world's largest tile trade show and the Italian tile trade association.

Michael Johnson, a professor at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, talks to Kemp Harr at the Cersaie international tile show about the ways he uses flooring in his design projects. Find out why he prefers to use solid black or solid white tiles throughout an entire house as a way to show off the furnishings of a home rather than the floor.

Angelo Carusi of Atlanta architecture and design firm Cooper Carry, in an interview at the international Cersaie tile show in Bologna, Italy, tells Kemp Harr about how his firm is adapting to a difficult commercial environment, and exactly what he's looking for in porcelain tile for his projects, many of which are governmental and other institutional work. He also discusses how his firm is preparing for the future with a growing interest in sustainable design.

Jeff Meadows, Executive VP of Beaulieu Residential, and Kemp Harr discuss Beaulieu's new collaboration with Armstrong World Industries. In this new relationship, Beaulieu of America will manufacture, sell and service Armstrong branded carpet in a bundled program with Armstrong. Listen to the interview to hear more information about how this program came about and other details.

Kaye Gosline, Director of Design with Milliken Contract, was kind enough to call and give us a live report from the IIDEX designer show in Toronto Canada. Listen to the interview to hear about the traffic, design and sustainability trends at this NeoCon type show in Canada and about Milliken's new Paste Up collection.

Franco Rossi, President of Aquafil USA, and Kemp Harr discuss the strategy behind English private equity firm Hutton Collins' recent investment of $66 million in Aquafil. Listen to the interview to hear more about this and about the commercial trend toward the use of more solution dyed BCF nylon.

Chris Abbate with Novita Communications, publicist for Cersaie, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights of next week's Cersaie Tile Show in Bologna, Italy. Listen to the interview to hear more about the largest Tile show in the world and its influence on the design community.

Sam Burger, VP of Sales with Lexmark, and Kemp Harr discuss the HD Boutique show held in Miami this week. Listen to the interview to hear specifics about this hospitality show, design trends in hotel rooms, and more about Lexmark Carpet Mill's fit in this market.

Xavier Steyaert, CEO of IVC USA, and Kemp Harr discuss IVC's decision to invest $70 million on a new manufacturing facility in Dalton, Georgia. Listen to the interview to hear more about this decision and IVC's strategic plans for the future.

Wanda Ellis, Executive Director of American Floorcovering Alliance, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights of next week's FloorTek Show in Dalton, Georgia.  Listen to the interview to hear about the opening session featuring Dan Frierson, Alasdair Carmichael and Thomas Rennie and more details about the exhibitors, show hours, and Awards dinner.

Rick Ramirez, VP of Sustainability for Shaw Industries, and Kemp Harr discuss the company's recently published sustainability report, which shows Shaw's performance against its goals in key metric areas the company is tracking. Listen to the interview to hear more.

Thomas Holland, owner of Corporate Floors and Texas Carpet Recycling, talks with Kemp Harr about his recent success in growing his carpet recycling business. Listen to the interview to hear about his recent STAR award, his alliance with CARE and Starnet, and more about his two businesses.

Consumer behavior expert Jim Dion and Kemp Harr debate the consumer's attitude and willingness to spend as the U.S. economy shows signs of recovery. Listen to the interview to hear how this psychologist and expert on buying trends predicts the impact this recession will have on American consumers. (9 min)

Mohawk is now accepting applications for its Annual GreenWorks Dealer of the Year Award. Listen to the interview to hear Jenny Cross explain how the contest has changed in its second year and what criteria the judges are looking for as they seek a winner. This award will be given to the retailer who excels in profitability, impact on the local community, and sustainability.

Elise Demboski, Executive Director of Wools of New Zealand, discusses why wool has seen a recent increase in popularity and how her organization has changed in the last year. Listen to the interview to hear more.

Jack Mishkin, renowned carpet designer, and Kemp Harr discuss the current landscape of the upscale residential carpet market. Listen to the interview to hear Jack talk about affluent budgets, the recent increase in wool sales, and new products for J-Mish and Prince Street House and Home.

Maryanne Adams, President and CEO of Avalon Carpet Tile and Flooring, explains how this 13 store chain is able to maintain historic consumer traffic levels even during these tough economic times. Listen to the interview to hear more about Avalon and their recipe for success.

David Duncan, VP of Residential Marketing, and Bart Rich, Brand Manager of Soft Surfaces, discuss how Mohawk's SmartStrand carpet performed after 14 days in the Rhino habitat of the Birmingham Zoo. Listen to the interview to hear more about the results and how Mohawk plans to tie this in with dealers and consumers.

Don Finkell, President of Anderson Hardwood, and Kemp Harr discuss some of the issues facing the hardwood market. Most of the discussion is around what the market might look like as the economy starts to recover and some of the changes that Anderson is making to be ready for an uptick in the market.

Patricia Flavin, head of marketing at Beaulieu of America, tells Kemp Harr about her company's emphasis and success marketing to women, especially through its Bliss brand, as well as details about her company's Million Mile Challenge, in which employees will walk at least a million miles this year to improve their health.

Jim Walker, CEO of the Certified Floorcovering Installers Association, and Kemp Harr discuss the CFI's annual conference held last week in Kansas City, Missouri.  Listen to the interview to hear about the attendance, the highlights of the show and how the recession is affecting the nation's installer base.

Patrick Flaherty, the owner of two Texas retail flooring stores, and Kemp Harr discuss key take-aways from Flooring America's recent summer convention.  Listen to the interview to hear Patrick talk about what he is doing differently as a result of attending this meeting.

Kermit Baker, Chief Economist for American Institute for Architecture, and Kemp Harr discuss the slow but steady improvement in the AIA index. Kermit predicts that the non-residential downturn, which lagged the housing downturn, will not be as long or as severe. Listen to the interview to hear how the commercial and residential markets are interconnected and what's driving the recovery of the housing market.

Frank Douglas, VP of Business Development at Crossville Tile, and Kemp Harr discuss the company's many expansion projects and its performance in light of the current economy.  Listen to the interview to hear more about the installation of the world's largest porcelain tile press, Crossville's new crusher (allowing it to take back post consumer tile and recycle the material back into new products) and its new kiln. (approx 6 min).  You can see a photo of the world's largest tile press in the recent industry events section of this website.

Chip Wade, Celebrity Contractor with HGTV's "Designed to Sell," and Kemp Harr discuss Mohawk's Smartstrand Challenge, where the company has installed carpet in Rico the Rhino's habitat at the Birmingham Zoo. Listen to the interview to hear more details about this 14-day torture test.

Eric Demaree, President of Carpet One Floor & Home, tells Kemp Harr about bargain hunting consumers and how his organization is driving traffic to his members' stores. He says salespeople need to be "hunters, not huggers" but that his membership is generally optimistic about the industry and the future. Listen as he describes his group's value proposition.

Vinnie Virga, President of Flooring America and Flooring Canada, tells Floordaily's Kemp Harr why membership in the organization is growing despite a weak economy and just how the organization is helping its members through programs like private label products.

Dan Frierson, chairman and CEO of Dixie Group, provides details about the company's decision to cut an additional $8 to $10 million worth of operating costs. Listen to the interview to hear more about Dixie's changes in personnel and streamlining of support functions (primarily on the residential side of the business). Approx 10 minutes

If you're curious to know what the leading market analyst has to say about the Flooring Industry's publicly traded manufacturers, this is a good interview to listen to. In this interview, John Baugh, managing director with Stifel Nicolaus, takes us through the 2nd quarter results for Mohawk, Armstrong, Interface and briefly, Dixie, telling us concisely what the performance and outlook is for each company.  Listen to the interview to hear where John thinks the market is by segment.

Neil Poland, President of Mullican Hardwood, and Kemp Harr discuss the potential shortage of lumber that could affect hardwood flooring prices as early as January.  Listen to the interview and learn that U.S hardwood harvests have declined 50% in the last 10 years resulting in a decline in the number of logging companies and sawmills that produce domestic hardwood.  In the interview we also provide a quick overview of how Mullican's business has changed while Neil has been at the helm.

Sean Cilano, Director of Marketing at Florida Tile, and Kemp Harr discuss the company's recent decision to move its headquarters from Lakeland, Florida to Lexington Kentucky.  Listen to the interview to hear more about this strategic decision and the company's recent investments in digital printing technology. Florida Tile was started as a family business in the mid-50's in Lakeland and is now owned by the Panaria Group and operates an ultra-modern porcelain plant in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

Al Smith, an independent flooring retailer in Fairfield, Ohio (north of Cincinnati), has been camping out on the roof of his store for 9 days and counting.  He is protesting the loss of a business loan that was approved. In the interview he talks about his invitation for President Obama to come have a beer with him on his rooftop campsite and says he won't come down until he has made it easier for small business owners to survive this economic recession.

Eric Nelson, Vice President of Interface's ReEntry Program, and Kemp Harr discuss Interface's new high-tech cutting equipment and its ability to reduce 310 tons of carpet trim waste annually. Listen to the interview to hear more about this new process and the goal of Interface's ReEntry program.

Universal Fibers CEO Marc Ammen and Kemp Harr discuss how the firm continues to prosper in a down market. Ammen describes his firm's competitive advantages and how Universal Fibers is beginning to make a push into the residential sector. Ammen also talks about his company's sustainability work with Interface.

Dick Miller, President of Davis and Davis, and Kemp Harr discuss the recent acquisition of Glen Eden Mills and the synergies and benefits to both brands. Listen t