Flooring Podcast

Rick Ramirez, Shaw’s New VP, Sustainability and Environmental Affairs – Part 3 (12:03)

September 10, 2007—Rick Ramirez, VP, Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Shaw Industries in the third part of a three-part series, discusses the company’s Green Edge initiatives and the growth in green initiatives he expects to see in the years to come in both the hard and soft surface products. Ramirex talks about his chemistry background and the role it will play in his new post, the ripeness of the U.S. consumer to purchase floor covering products with a sustainable story to tell and his views on the sincerity of the corporate world’s current focus on environmental matters.

Barker on the Market (34:06)

September 7, 2007—Mike Barker, Investment and Retirement Management, discusses the upcoming jobs report and his expectations as to how it will affect the market and the Federal Reserve. Barker talks about the beige book that was issued by the Fed this month, the market reaction to the report and his take on whether the Fed will cut the funds rate when it meets later this month, the positive retail news that was released yesterday, consumer spending and the upcoming holiday season. Also discussed are Mohawk and Interface shares and their recent downturns, the negative foreclosure information recently released, the credit market and the areas that will draw his attention in the weeks ahead.

Rick Ramirez, Shaw’s New VP, Sustainability and Environmental Affairs – Part 2 (15:41)

September 7, 2007—Rick Ramirez - Vice President of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Shaw Industries in the second part of a three-part series, outlines the breath and scope of his environmental efforts within the company, the function of building awareness to sustainable concerns, as he discusses the company’s Evergreen facility and the role it will play as a centerpiece on the company’s cradle-to-cradle vision.

Rick Ramirez, Shaw’s New VP, Sustainability and Environmental Affairs – Part 1 (11:13)

September 6, 2007—Rick Ramirez - Vice President of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Shaw Industries Rick Ramirez, VP, Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Shaw Industries in the first part of a three-part series, talks about this newly created post at Shaw and the environment that has brought sustainability to the forefront with the company and within the corporate world. Ramirez discusses his background in the sustainability field and his personal views on the subject.

Emily Kiker Morrow on Shaw’s Vision Retreat for Designers – Part 4 (11:47)

September 5, 2007—Emily Kiker Morrow, Director of Color, Style & Design, Shaw Industries, in the final part of a four-part series discusses the recently held 5th Annual Vision Retreat for designers and some of the company’s products that originated at earlier retreats. Morrow discusses the value of design archives, consumer’s appetite for design and her view as to where carpet style and design will go in the future and the prime benefits of the 2007 Visions Retreat for both designer and the company.

Floor Focus’ Kemp Harr, the Week in the Flooring Industry (35:33)

September 5, 2007—Kemp Harr, Publisher, Floor Focus magazine looks back that the past week in the floor covering industry discussing: An upcoming retail contest being launched by Floor Focus involving displays; Mohawk Home’s exit of the woven throw, decorative pillow and woven bedspread businesses and the resulting closure of two North Georgia plants; A roundup of the sustainability efforts in the industry including the carpet sustainability standard NFS 140, Shaw’s meeting its nylon 6 collection goals for its Evergreen facility, and the Interface and Universal Fiber technology that will produce fiber from post consumer nylon 6,6; Pfleiderer’s announced new aggressive stance with the intellectual property of Pergo; Välinge’s three new licensees signees; and the recent CFI convention in Kansas City.

Emily Kiker Morrow on Shaw’s Vision Retreat for Designers – Part 3 (12:55)

September 4, 2007—Emily Kiker Morrow, Director of Color, Style & Design, Shaw Industries, in the third part of a four-part series discusses the recently held 5th Annual Vision Retreat for designers and the role that style and design may play in building excitement among carpet consumers and the regaining of marketshare lost by carpet in the past decade. Morrow discusses defining a consumer’s style, how the Shaw website approaches style and the role designers play in a consumer’s decision to buy patterned or more highly-styled carpet and how carpet names are chosen.

Faus Group President Juan Flores on the Company’s $20M Expansion – Part 4 (17:35)

September 1, 2007—Juan Flores, President, Faus Group, in the final part of a four-part series discusses the progress the company has made in the field over the past year, the company’s consumer advertising program and the shifts that has taking place in intellectual property arena in the laminate sector, with more Chinese manufacturers entering licensing agreements. Flores discusses the some of the proprietary technology current being developed, the company’s operation in Shanghai as he shares his outlook for the industry going forward.

Dalton Utilities Don Cope on Water North Georgia Restrictions (8:16)

August 31, 2007—Don Cope, President & CEO, Dalton Utilities discusses the drought that has been taking place in North Georgia, the current water restrictions on that have been in place for residence and manufacturers throughout the summer and the potential for more stringent restrictions in the months ahead.

Barker on the Market (37:33)

August 31, 2007—Mike Barker, Investment and Retirement Management, discusses the continuing volatility in the market and his take on it continuing. Barker discusses the importance of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech later today and the continuing comparison between Bernanke and his predecessor Alan Greenspan and the so called “Greenspan Put”. Barker looks at the housing market, the ups and down’s of crude, yesterday’s GDP report as he takes an historical look at the month of September.