Beyond Las Vegas: New introductions from companies not exhibiting at Surfaces - Jan 2017

By Darius Helm and Jessica Chevalier

Not every flooring firm exhibits at Surfaces. This year, Shaw will show its products through its regional dealer conventions, as it has since 2003. Other prominent producers going their own way include Beaulieu, Metroflor, Mirage, Shaw’s premier Tuftex carpet division, Gerflor, Florida Tile and Adore Floors.

It has been 15 years since all the major players exhibited together at Surfaces, back when it was still held at the Sands. First Shaw and Mohawk dropped out in 2003, then Armstrong followed in 2004-though it came back to exhibit in 2010, the last show before the move to Mandalay Bay-and Beaulieu opted out in 2015. But in 2012, Armstrong started showing again, first in the adjacent ballrooms, then returning to the show floor last year. Mohawk also rejoined last year with a massive space just inside the entrance.

SHAW CARPET
As the only major flooring manufacturer that hasn’t exhibited at Surfaces in the last 15 years, Shaw has used the time to develop efficient strategies for getting out the word on its new products, through both regional shows and biennial national dealer conventions. This year’s Shaw Flooring Network Convention, called Connect 2017, is taking place in Orlando, Florida, with the full schedule running from January 14 to 17.

Last year was a busy one for Shaw. Early in the year, it changed its distribution strategy for Anderson Hardwood to go direct to retail customers. In April, it completed the expansion of its engineered wood facility in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. Its LVT business grew by leaps and bounds, and its new facility in Ringgold, Georgia has started churning out product. And its waterproof LifeGuard carpet backing, which has now been out on the market for a couple of years, started to augment residential carpet sales. The firm is also just completing its new Adairsville, Georgia carpet facility, which had an initial price tag of $85 million. And at the end of last year, it finalized its acquisition of US Floors, the firm that introduced the market to rigid core LVTs through its patented Coretec product, arguably the hottest flooring product on the market for the last two years.

For 2017, Shaw is starting out the year with an expansive range of new products. In carpet, its most prominent launch is TruAccents, which represents the first time in Shaw’s history that it has combined its branded nylon and PET fibers into a single display. The four-sided TruAccents spinner display, which is just over 5’ tall and about 3’ wide, showcases four to five products per quadrant for a total of 19 carpet styles, featuring everything but solids. Each style is unique, down to its colorways, for 285 SKUs in all. Two quadrants feature products made out of the firm’s Cleartouch Platinum, a PET, and the other two quadrants feature Anso nylon 6 products. Weights range from 25 ounces to 45 ounces. All of the TruAccents products include R2X stain and soil protection.

The first Cleartouch quadrant is the firm’s entry-level PET offering, and it is made up of five designs in nine to 12 colors each. New Passage is a casual thin barberpole twist; Vibrant offers a tailored loop construction; Work the Color is a multi-tonal smooth tweed; Hypnotic is a textured tweed with an ombre yarn effect that gives added depth; and Highlighter, a level cut loop , comes in a dynamic and slightly irregular striated pattern.

The second Cleartouch quadrant is made up of four styles in 12 to 20 colors each: Illuminate, Wild Extract, Frosting and Reviving. Reviving is a crisp all-loop in a medium scale herringbone design. Wild Extract is a tailored tonal style in colors from earth tones to a handful of rich, saturated hues, and Frosting is a textured tweed. But the standout style is Illuminate, a compelling pattern of randomized warp and weft marks that seems derived from nature. Illuminate comes in 12 earthy colorways.

TruAccents’ third quadrant, using Anso nylon, is made up of five styles, also in 12 to 20 colors. Essence is a loop design of interwoven curved banding. Cosmo is a level cut loop organic pattern. Then there’s a textured product called Resonating in gem accent colors. Effervescent is a smooth texture in stony colorways. And Mix-In Duo Jewel and Mix-In Duo Berber are fleck texture designs.

The fourth quadrant, also made up of five styles, in 16 to 20 colors, includes a memorable level cut loop pattern called Pure Envy made up of dotted lines crossed with irregular banding for a high-end, high-fashion look, and it comes in mostly neutrals and earth tones, but also some deeper, richer hues. Also in this collection is Distinction, another level cut loop pattern, this one a more formal and classic modified diamond style. And another patterned product, in all loop, is Trend Setter, with an organic weathered design. Also in the collection is Palette, a tonal texture, and Blending Upwards, a high-contrast tweed with tonal dimension.

Shaw has also updated its Caress soft nylon display, refreshing its Cashmere Classics solid color line with new neutrals and earth tones, along with some high chroma jewel tones, for a total of 50 new colors. The Devon line of lush cut pile in neutrals with warm berber flecks has also been redone in the softer fiber in 12 colors. And the Angora Classic line of accent flecks has been retooled in the softer fiber, again in 12 colors. And the display also includes Sweet Shag, a 90-ounce cable in 24 neutrals and vibrant accent colors. Each line comes in four weights, totaling 320 SKUs in all.

Also updated is the firm’s Life Happens all-loop collection, featuring Anso CrushResister nylon 6 fiber and LifeGuard backing, which offers lifetime warranties on delamination, edge ravel, tuft bind, wrinkling, soiling and staining, and most importantly, on its waterproof backing. Five new patterned styles have been added-a diamond, a floral, an octagon, a herringbone and a small grid-in 20 shared colorways for a total of 100 new SKUs. And the Anso Colorwall, which is exclusive to network retailers, has been updated with LifeGuard-backed products at the heaviest weight (55 ounces) in a collection called Titanium. Titanium Texture and Titanium Twist each come in 70 colors, while Titanium Tonal and Titanium Accent come in five colors.

SHAW HARD SURFACE
Shaw goes to market direct through both the Anderson brand of engineered hardwood, targeting the medium to higher end of the market, and the Shaw brand, which covers most price points.

In Epic Plus, Shaw’s line of hybrid 3/8” engineered hardwood with a high-density fiberboard core, new products include Coral Springs, Fremont Hickory and Ocala. Ocala and Coral Springs are maples-Ocala is smooth, and Coral Springs is textured-competing against entry-level birches, while Fremont is an entry-level scraped hickory. Also new is Pacific Grove, a 7” wide maple with five colors from light to dark, and Riverstone, a 7” scraped hickory in five mostly lighter hues.

Shaw is also coming out with a new Epic line called Epic Plus Extreme, which is wider, longer and thicker. The 1/2” product is 9-1/4” wide and 82-1/2” long. The new products offer distressed, wirebrushed and scraped veneers of hickory, maple and walnut, with some featuring staining and painting techniques, including something akin to a reverse French bleed effect, for added visual interest.

Shaw has also added to its traditional engineered program with four color additions to its Royal line of sawn-face hickory and European white oak.

Under the Anderson brand, the firm is introducing Ellison Maple, in a near smooth texture with hand staining and highlighting for a lustrous and gently dynamic visual. Ellison, a 1/2” product nearly 7” wide, comes in four colors. Also new is Noble Hall, a sliced-face, wirebrushed white oak in nine colors, five with white underfill and other stains applied and four with more traditional visuals.

In laminates, Shaw is introducing a new brand called Repel, a 12mm beveled, lacquered product that is 5” wide and 48” long. According to the firm, a hydrophobic bevel treatment that protects the core makes Repel three to four times more moisture resistant than traditional laminate flooring. The product, made at the firm’s facility in Ringgold, Georgia, comes in three designs for a total of 12 SKUs.

Shaw has also added four colors to its Designer Choice, a mixed-width offering at the higher end. And it is introducing a new base-grade cross-sawn visual called Millworks.

In the vinyl flooring category, Shaw has added to its Floorté line of rigid core LVT with Alto HD, a collection of long, wide planks like last year’s Alto Plank, but with the addition of in-register embossing. Also new to Floorté is Alto Mix, a line of multi-width products (3”, 5” and 8”) that come in varying lengths.

The other big news in Floorté is Floorté Plus, which features an attached EVA pad called Acustico that is 1.5mm thick and has a 71 IIC (impact insulation class) sound rating. The product is available on any Floorté product, and it should be particularly popular in high rises and other applications where sound transmission is an issue.

New to Shaw’s traditional LVT program are two additions to the 5th and Main collection. Artisan Plank is a 6” wide product in three designs, and Woodland Mix comes in four widths-3”, 5”, 7” and 9”-in four designs. All the products are accented with lacquered four-sided bevels.

Also, the Quarry LVT collection has been expanded with 16”x16” stone-look textured tiles in nine SKUs, including some compelling slate looks. The products can be installed with or without grout.

In sheet vinyl, Shaw has come out with a 15-color line called Sonoma, a 13’2” wide builder-grade product in both stone and wood looks with lots of color variation. The wood looks come in wide plank visuals.

TUFTEX
Tuftex Carpet, Shaw Industries’ premier carpet brand, which manufactures on the West Coast, is rolling out several new collections under both its Classics and PetProtect lines.

Art District, in the Classics line, is a cut and loop pattern inspired by mosaic designs. The abstract geometric motif works well in either modern or traditional spaces. The collection, which is available in 24 tones, coordinates with Gallery Row, a cut and loop pattern that is a contemporary rendition of a classic grid design. Like Art District, Gallery Row is part of the Classics line and is available in 24 tones.

Also new to Classics are I Feel Fine II and I Got You II, which are better/best casual textured cut pile carpets. Both are available in 30 colors: 24 solids and six berbers. All Classics introductions are constructed of 100% Anso nylon treated with R2X stain and soil repellent.

Under PetProtect, Tuftex is rolling out Abbey’s Road as well as Oliver’s Twist and Mollie’s Turn, all of which feature Stainmaster PetProtect carpet made with SuperiaSD nylon. Abbey’s Road is a new tonal loop that is available in 12 color choices. Oliver’s Twist and Mollie’s Turn are soft, cut pile textures. The 13 colorways include subtle neutrals and deep accent blends.

For 2017, Tuftex is making 15 additions and re-colorations in its Signature line. Chateau, Versailles and Pavilion are three new Signature concepts, each made with Stainmaster Luxerell BCF nylon and part of the Villa Collection. Chateau is a small-scale quatrefoil pattern with a cut and loop lattice construction. Versailles, also made with a cut and loop, features a mid-scale diamond pattern. Pavilion, constructed with cut and loop interlacing tile, has a large-scale octagonal design.

MIRAGE
Quebec-based hardwood manufacturer Mirage has launched new board lengths up to 82”. The new lengths represent an average increase of 25% for Mirage Engineered’s 5” and 6-1/2” widths. The new lengths are also available on the 7-3/4” width launched in 2016.

In addition, Mirage is adding a number of new products to existing collections. Gelato and Peppermint are two new looks in the Sweet Memories collection, which are made using Mirage’s unique brushing and staining process to create a look reminiscent of old-fashioned floors. Gelato is a beige-grey suited for minimalist modern decors. Peppermint is a pure ash grey. Gelato and Peppermint are offered on maple in solid, engineered and lock technology in a variety of widths, as well as available on solid yellow birch with its Cashmere finish.

The Flair collection gets a new color: the rustic look of ultra-matte Nightfall, which features velvety brown tones with golden highlights. Nightfall is available on maple and red oak in both solid and engineered with DuraMatt finish.

In addition, the creamy beige tone of Cape Cod is an addition to the Admiration collection. The Scandinavian look is available on maple and red oak in all constructions. It is also available on yellow birch in solid and engineered. All come in semi-gloss and Cashmere finishes.

Driftwood, a refined and highly nuanced grey, is a new textured color in the Imagine Collection. With its cork look and textured surface, the color is suited for modern, streamlined interiors. The Imagine Collection is designed for active families and pet owners, with a textured surface to help hide the scuffs of daily life. Driftwood is available on maple and red oak in solid and engineered with DuraMatt finish.

METROFLOR
Metroflor will welcome its distributor-partners and retailers to a reception at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on January 19 during Surfaces, where it will unveil new product introductions and line extensions for the company’s portfolio of LVT brands.

Under the Aspecta commercial brand, Metroflor will introduce Aspecta One with 22 tiles and 24 planks designs that span dark wood tones, brights and urban concrete. The collection features a 21 mil wearlayer and a 4”x24” format, which can be used to create herringbone and other patterns.

Engage Genesis 600 Planks were designed with the multi-family market in mind. Engage Genesis, which has a 6 mil wearlayer, is available in a 7-1/2”x47-2/3” format and 17 SKUs that feature pine, walnut and oak designs. Engage Genesis 600 is offered with or without a pre-attached underlayment. In addition, the collection includes 12 new tile looks, sized 16”x32”, that appear in three designs: marble, concrete and abstract. Engage Genesis Tiles feature DL 100, the new Drop-Lock 100 locking system.

In addition, Metroflor has refreshed two of the collection’s most popular dryback LVT products: Commonwealth and Savanna. All of the new designs come in plank and tile formats and feature a 20 mil dryback. Commonwealth Plank includes 12 new products-in pine, oak and maple designs-in a 4”x36”. Commonwealth Tile, with ten new SKUs, is available in abstract and concrete designs. The tile comes in a 16”x32” format.

Savanna Plank features 11 new SKUs; the 6”x48” planks are pine and elm designs. With ten SKUs, Savanna Tile comes in a 16”x32”, featuring linen and concrete designs.

FLORIDA TILE
Florida Tile’s new Glamour collection features floor and wall tile products with coordinating mosaic and decos. The floor tile is a 12”x24” semi-gloss, glazed white porcelain with a geometric microstructure that adds a subtle design accent. The wall tile is a glossy white ceramic available in three sizes, including a 14”x39” large format tile. Ten decos are in a palette of pristine white, mirror and gold.

Precious, a high definition porcelain, is a Calacatta marble look with intense grey veining that stands out from the crystalline white background. The rectified porcelain floor tiles are available in three sizes. The collection also features ceramic wall tile, two mosaics and a ceramic wall deco. With the exception of select trim, decorative and ceramic pieces, Precious is made in the U.S. of 40% post-industrial recycled content and is Greenguard certified.

Sequence, another high definition porcelain, is inspired by the Varana stone found in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. The tone-on-tone veining in Sequence, a color-body glazed porcelain, allows for shade variations in each of its four color choices. The collection is available in three large-format sizes and a plank-all of which feature a soft, flat surface and rectified edges. Complementing the field tile are two mosaics. As part of Florida Tile’s newest innovation in product development, Sequence incorporates Microban antimicrobial technology into the tile surface. Sequence is appropriate for all applications in both residential and commercial settings. It is made in the U.S. in the company’s Green Squared-certified Lawrenceburg, Kentucky manufacturing facility out of 40% post-industrial recycled content, and it meets the DCOF AcuTest requirements to be installed in wet areas.

GERFLOR USA
Gerflor USA’s new LVT collection, Creation Living, combines residential and commercial features to offer resiliency for low-traffic commercial applications with modern home designs. Creation Living is a 2mm thick LVT with microbeveled edges suited for multi-living spaces. The collection features seven different embossings to create a more realistic and textured appearance.

Creation Living includes wood and stone designs along with a hybrid textile-look with the pashmina design and classic marble-inspired LVT. Available in both planks and tiles, the designs are printed in high definition on tear-resistant film and protected by a 12 mil wearlayer. The flooring is finished with PUR+ surface treatment and is 100% waterproof. Creation Living features a 100% recycled compact backing and is both REACH compliant and low VOC.

BEAULIEU
Beaulieu is introducing Impervio, a rigid core LVT. This pet-friendly product has a durable top layer that protects the flooring from scratches and everyday traffic. The easy-to-install planks feature a lifetime waterproof warranty.

Due to its rigid nature, Impervio can be installed over existing or new floors with a click system. It also requires less floor preparation compared to traditional luxury vinyl tiles. The collection is available in a range of styles, a variety of sizes and with an acoustic, factory-applied underlayment.

Impervio comes in three collections: Lux Haus, which features a European-inspired décor with long and wide planks available; Adventure, with a contemporary and wood-like touch; and The New Standard, which features 12 designs with the character of real hardwood.

ADORE FLOORS
Adore Floors is launching Regent Solid Rigid Core, a rigid core LVT. Constructed on a single, homogenous layer, Regent’s Solid Rigid Core is suitable for commercial and residential use. The product combines the highest virgin polymer content with visuals, under heat and pressure, to form solid planks. According to the firm, this adhesive-free manufacturing method results in product density that is over 50% greater than traditional composites, and it is peel and delamination resistant, waterproof and rigid.

Regent Solid Rigid Core is designed to resist the indentations caused by drops and static loads, and is enhanced with Duramond surface hardening technology. The product is currently offered in ten contemporary plank visuals and in two product builds: Monarch 12 mil for residential and light commercial use; and Sovereign 22 mil for commercial applications. Both come with coordinating trim and molding, are 100% recyclable and 100% orthophthalate free.

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