April 18, 2008—Ron Lee and Kemp Harr discuss highlights of the annual ReSource Commercial Flooring Network meetiing in Savannah, Georgia. Ron also gives an overview of the size, scope and mission of their organization.
April 17, 2008—Melissa Murphy and Kemp Harr discuss the value of the Shaw Design Center retreat from a retailer's perspective. Listen to the interview to hear her key take-aways and what she found valuable by attending the SDC meeting.
April 16, 2008—Kemp Harr interviews Scott Humphrey at the Shaw Design Center conference in Palm Coast Florida. Listen to the interview to hear the changes they're making for this elite group of retail partners. Specifics include showroom changes, benchmarking studies, protected territories, program growth plans and economic highlights.
April 15, 2008—Mike Leary, LaShon McGinnis and Kemp Harr talk about the 40 year history of the Anso brand and the details around their 40th Birthday. Listen to the interview to hear more specifics about their consumer advertising and retailer promotion.
April 10, 2008—Bentley Park, Bill Goodman and kemp Harr discuss Universal Fiber's post consumber nylon 6,6 fiber which is being sold under the Refresh Fibers brand name. Announced last year at Neocon by Universal and Interface, this fiber provides a cradle to cradle sustainability solution for Nylon 6,6. Listen to the interview to hear more about Universal and their Earth Smart Technology sustainability initiatives.
April 9, 2008—Werner Braun and Kemp Harr discuss carpet's continued loss of share in the U.S. and action that CRI is taking to reverse that trend. Werner also summarizes why carpet continues to be the leading choice for floorcovering here in the U.S. Listen to the interview to hear more details about CRI's Seal of Approval program and the research the CRI uses to drive their activity.
April 8, 2008—Glenn Feder and Kemp Harr discuss this month's Coverings show scheduled in Orlando for April 29th to May 2nd. According to Glenn, pre-registration is up 30%. Listen to the interview to hear about their keynote speakers and other changes that will prove to make this a trade show worth attending.
April 2, 2008—David Duncan and Kemp Harr discuss Mohawk's consumer advertising plans for 2008. Despite the current economic slowdown, Mohawk has made the bold decision to nearly double their advertising investment to increase store traffic and to raise the mindshare of the Mohawk brand name for flooring. Listen to this interview for more information about their consumer research, their media mix and their message.
April 1, 2008—Steve Silverman and Kemp Harr discuss Abbey's 50th anniversary and the roll out of their new website which is designed to generate store traffic for their members. Steve also discusses the benefits of membership, their 2008 consumer ad campaign and how their members are doing in this current economic dip.
March 28, 2008—Santo Torcivia and Kemp Harr discuss the current trends and market shifts within the hardwood flooring business. Highlights include shifts in the import/export business, continued consolidation, and specific product changes. Santo also provides his outlook for the future of this business.