May 24, 2019—Brian Carson, President and CEO of AHF Products, and Kemp Harr discuss AHF Products' announced plans to acquire LM Flooring, an Asian based producer of engineered hardwood flooring. Listen to the interview to hear how this acquisition fits into the firm’s business strategy as well as an update on business conditions and the AHF’s new headquarter move.
May 23, 2019—Julie Kohl and Byron Morton, VP of sales and VP of leasing, respectively, and Kemp Harr discuss the upcoming NeoCon show scheduled for June 10 to 12 in Chicago. Listen to the interview to hear more details about the anticipated crowd, show changes and special events.
May 20, 2019—John Rietveldt, CEO with I4F, and Kemp Harr discuss I4F’s support offering with the 45 named defendants in the Unilin ITC investigation related to three patents dealing with the construction of LVT flooring. Listen to the interview to hear what stage the case is in and why I4F is getting involved.
May 15, 2019—John Crews, design manager with Shaw’s Lifestyle Studio, and Kemp Harr discuss Shaw’s new Community focus at this week’s HD Expo in Las Vegas. Listen to the interview to hear more about the Community collection of both carpet and LVT products. The carpet is one of the first commercially developed products using CMC’s patented Tailor Tuft technology.
May 14, 2019—Paul Cleary, President of Tarkett Hospitality, and Kemp Harr discuss the health of the commercial hospitality sector and Tarkett’s presence at the HD Expo this week—now with one booth that combines all of Tarkett’s flooring options—from rooms to public spaces and both hard and soft surface offerings. Listen to the interview for more details.
May 13, 2019—Thomas Baert, President of Firmfit and CFL Flooring, and Kemp Harr discuss Thomas' perspective, as a Belgium-educated business man with factories throughout Asia, on the trade debate between the U.S. and China and how it specifically will impact the floorcovering business. He doesn’t see a short term resolution and is relocating some of his production to Vietnam and Taiwan.
May 10, 2019--Bruce Zwicker, Flooring Industry Consultant, and Kemp Harr discuss factors that are negatively impacting the growth of the hardwood flooring business. Listen to the interview to hear Bruce discuss a few the issues that were brought up at the NWFA’s Annual Expo held last week in Fort Worth, Texas.
May 9, 2019--Bob Peoples, Executive Director with CARE (Carpet America Recovery Effort), and Kemp Harr discuss CARE's accomplishments and challenges in reaching its goals to recycle more post consumer carpet. Listen to the interview, taped at CARE’s annual meeting in Houston, for more details.
May 8, 2019—Mark Bischoff, the new President and CEO of Starnet, and Kemp Harr talk about the personnel changes at Starnet and the co-op’s key initiatives for the remainder of 2019. Listen to the interview for more details. One of group's focus is to grow its members’ competency in the ceramic tile installation sector.
May 7, 2019—Leonard Zmijewski and John Becker, principles with Mr. David's Flooring and Floors by Beckers, and Kemp Harr discuss the recent news of the equity partnership between the two commercial flooring contracting firms. Listen to the interview to hear more details about how the firms will work together in the future. Mr David’s is a Chicago-based firm that has been expanding and has taken an equity position in Floors by Becker based in Minneapolis. John Becker will continue as CEO of the Minneapolis-based operation which will maintain its brand, Floors by Beckers.