Armstrong Increases Prices on Select Engineered Ha

Lancaster, PA, November 19--Armstrong announced it will initiate an average five percent price increase on selected engineered and other hardwood products within its Bruce, Hartco and Robbins hardwood floors brands, effective with shipments on January 1, 2005. According to Frank Ready, president & CEO, Armstrong Floor Products N.A., increases in veneer and lumber costs during the past 18 months, combined with increases in energy and transportation costs, make the price increase necessary. "Since last year, the acquisitions of some raw materials have increased by more than 20 percent. In some cases, such as with exotic species and sliced/sawn face materials, we've absorbed increases in excess of 22 to 25 percent," he said. "Despite productivity gains over the last year, it has gotten to the point that we can no longer absorb these significant increases alone. The increase impacts selected engineered products and other selected products only."