December 23, 2009—Neil Poland, President of Mullican Hardwood, and Kemp Harr discuss yesterday's news that Mullican announced a $6 million expansion. Listen to the interview to hear more about the long range outlook for wood flooring and also an update on what is going on with board lumber prices.
December 21, 2009—Mike Leary, Director of Anso Fiber, and Dani Brock, Marketing Communications, discuss with Kemp Harr highlights of the enhancements Shaw is making to the Anso brand for 2010. Listen to the interview to hear about the new lifetime soil and stain warranty, the new color wall, the "Anso? Hope so" consumer campaign and a tease about an upcoming torture test.
December 18, 2009—Emily Morrow, Director of Color, Style and Design with Shaw Industries, and Kemp Harr discuss the three primary resources Shaw uses to gather the color trend information it uses in new products. Listen to the interview to hear Emily discuss the Color Marketing Group, its own customer feedback, and how Shaw monitors regional product sales.
December 17, 2009—Kermit Baker, Chief economist with the American Institute of Architecture, and Kemp Harr discuss the recent drop in the Billing Index. Listen to the interview as Kermit talks about the impending economic recovery and offers an historic view which could shed some light on what might happen in 2010.
December 16, 2009—Ray Caraway, U.S. representative for Callidus, and Kemp Harr discuss how using commercial estimating software can make a company more efficient. Listen to the interview to hear how it was developed and how commerial flooring contractors can benefit from technology.
December 15, 2009—Frank Hurd, VP and COO with the Carpet and Rug Institute, and Kemp Harr discuss a milestone we haven't seen in three years. The November demand for carpet backing for 2009 surpassed the demand for November of 2008. Listen to the interview to hear more about this and other indicators that point toward recovery in the overall flooring market.
December 14, 2009—Mark Ammen, CEO with Universal Fibers, and Kemp Harr discuss the news about the $13 million expansion and 84 new jobs for their domestic plant in Bristol, Virginia. Listen to the interview to hear more about this, their ability to recycle Nylon 6,6 and their successful marketshare gain.
December 10, 2009—Manny Llerena, Mohawk's VP of Retail Programs, and Kemp Harr discuss the highlights of Mohawk's aligned dealer program for 2010. Listen to the interview to hear Manny summarize the new product introductions and support programs for Mohawk's retail partners.
December 9, 2009—Josh Eichner, VP with Framerica, a leading producer of flooring transitions for the laminate flooring business, and Kemp Harr discuss the company's 40 year history, its channel strategy, its focus on quality and its environmental achievements. Listen to the interview to hear more about this key supplier to the industry.
December 8, 2009—David Duncan, VP of Marketing with Mohawk, and Kemp Harr converse at Mohawk's aligned dealer convention about the new marketing programs tailored to fit the needs of today's retailer. Listen to the interview to hear more details around retailers' specific needs and the programs Mohawk has developed to answer those needs. Specifics include strategic planning and budgeting tools, Internet marketing and year long training programs.