Interview Archives

January 16, 2013—Dan Hendrix, CEO with Interface, and Kemp Harr, discuss Interface's ticker symbol change this Friday from IFSIA to TILE. Listen to the interview to hear more about this, and about Interface's plant reconstruction in Australia, the company's FLOR rug stores and his global business outlook for 2013.

January 14, 2013—(Recorded in Hannover, Germany at Domotex), Onuora Ogbukagu, the Domotex spokesperson, and Kemp Harr, talk about international flooring trends and what you can expect if you decide to attend the world's largest flooring show. Listen to the interview to hear more about this exciting show with exhibitors from 60 different countries and visitors from all over the world.

January 10, 2013—Patrice Case, President of Florcraft Carpet One, and Kemp Harr, discuss Patrice's Carpet One retail businesses in Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska. Listen to the interview to hear her take on the highlights of this year's Carpet One Winter convention.

January 9, 2013—(Recorded at the Peabody Hotel), Eric Demaree, President of Carpet One Floor & Home, and Kemp Harr, discuss highlights of Carpet One's Winter Convention in Orlando, FL. Listen to the interview to hear Eric talk about the long term viability of the independent flooring retail sector.

January 8, 2013—(Recorded in Orlando at the Carpet One Winter Show) Cathy Buchanan, Operations Manager for Independent Carpet One Floor & Home in Westland, Michigan, and Kemp Harr, discuss what's new for Carpet One for 2013. Listen to the interview to hear about what's happening at this year's show, current business conditions in the Detroit area and what this retailer is doing to set themselves apart.

January 7, 2013—Bruce Zwicker, President and CEO of J.J. Haines, the largest floorcovering distributor in the U.S., and Kemp Harr, Publisher of Floor Focus Magazine, talk about the strategy behind last week's acquisition of Allied Products, Inc., a smaller floorcovering distributor based in Baltimore, MD. Listen to the interview to hear more about Haines' growth strategy.

January 3, 2013—John (JT) Turner, President of Daltile, and Kemp Harr, discuss the strategy behind Mohawk's decision to buy the Marazzi Group. Listen to the interview to hear more details about how Marazzi fits within Mohawk's overall growth strategy.

January 2, 2013—Dan Frierson, Chairman of the Dixie Group, and Kemp Harr, discuss Dixie Home's decision to buy the rights to produce select Stainmaster products from Gulistan—effective immediately. Listen to the interview to hear Dan talk about the strategy behind this decision in addition to talking about recovery of the luxury sector of the market, the continued focus on "ultra-soft" carpet and his outlook for 2013. After the interview, Dan emphasized that the existing Gulistan samples should continue to be used as a selling tool.

December 20, 2012—Aaron Pirner and Nick Freadreacea, two leading flooring retailers who serve on the Board of the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) and Kemp Harr discuss business conditions, the status of the search for a new WFCA leader and their outlook for 2013.

December 18, 2012—Paul Murfin, Co-CEO with IVC-US, and Kemp Harr, Publisher of Floor Focus Magazine, discuss the progress IVC has made in the past year selling the capacity of the $75 million sheet vinyl plant that the Belgium based company built in Dalton in 2010. Listen to the interview to hear more details about their customer base and their channel strategy.