Surfaces 2014 Highlights - March 2014

By Darius Helm, Anne Harr and Jessica Chevalier

The mood at this year’s Surfaces was enthusiastic and more confident than in recent years, and this was reflected in new design directions, product innovations and expanded offerings. Surfaces is part of a larger show, the International Surface Event, which includes StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas and, new this year, TileExpo. According to Hanley Wood Exhibitions, attendance at the International Surface Event was up 7% this year.

However, since this year’s event included a whole new show, it makes it difficult to compare its results to last year’s. Total exhibitors went from 699 in 2013 to 706 this year, and 20% of the exhibitors were showing for the first time—many of them, presumably, exhibiting at TileExpo. So in terms of exhibitors, the turnover was more significant than the growth.

Surfaces is still the largest part of the International Surface Event, accounting for 553 exhibitors. Across the Surfaces’ show floor, and despite lots of activity in many of the booths, exhibitors felt that traffic was light, possibly due to the severe winter impacting most of the East Coast, including Atlanta and its airport. However, thinner crowds didn’t seem to translate to fewer sales. Those in attendance were there to do business, likely feeling both optimistic about the economy and, for the first time in a few years, confident that it would continue moving in the right direction.

If there was one overriding trend of Surfaces 2014, it was the great proliferation of LVT. The product was everywhere, with quite a few previously single-surface manufacturers, such as Beaulieu and DuChateau, diving into the vinyl business. Wood-look LVT certainly dominates, but there were a good number of stone and ceramic looks as well.

On the carpet side, soft fiber products weren’t as much a focus for some of the larger mills, such as Beaulieu. However, quite a few mills were still adding to their soft offerings. The difference could be that soft fiber lacks the hype that it had a year or two ago, when Mohawk launched its SmartStrand Silk with a flash mob. Today, soft products are standard among most mills.

As a show, Surfaces continues to expand across the Mandalay Bay. Quite a few companies are now choosing private rooms over show floor booths, and some, like Tarkett, are choosing both. It seems safe to assume that these companies appreciate Surfaces more for its ability to put them in the same room with their customers than for the possibility it creates for new walk-up business.

For the complete Surfaces wrap up, see the March 2014 issue of Floor Focus Magazine.

Print the Article