Flooring Podcast

Barker on the Market (38:09)

August 2, 2007—Mike Barker, Investment and Retirement Management discusses yesterday's extreme market volatility, its causes and what the possibilities of it continuing are going forward. Barker talks about some of the events that set up the current cycle of volatility and the definition of a correction verses a crash. Also discussed are the continuing problems in the housing and subprime mortgage markets, the recent increase in crude oil prices and softening in gasoline prices, the possible market reaction to tomorrow’s unemployment report and an historical look at August.

Floor Focus Co-Publisher Frank O’Neill, The Week in the Flooring Industry - (34:41)

August 1, 2007—Frank O’Neill, Co-Publisher, Floor Focus magazine looks back at the events of the past week in the floor covering industry discussing the second-quarter earnings reports and the quarterly performance of Armstrong, Interface and the Dixie Group. Also discussed: Armstrong auction and reports that several players have dropped out of the bidding and what might be next; Shaw Living’s decision to exit High Point; And Legacy Commercial Flooring acquisition of the flooring unit of OCP Contractors.

Floor CEO Steve Simonson – Internet Shopping for Flooring – Part 4 (11:07)

July 31, 2007—Steve Simonson, President & CEO Smooth Corporation, the parent of iFloor.com, the floor covering industry’s largest online retailer, in the final part of a four-part series talks more about the company’s brick and mortar locations, his expectations for those locations and the product selection at these locations. Simonson discusses his advertising plans, both online and offline and his long-term growth plans for iFloor.

iFloor CEO Steve Simonson – The Expansion of iFloor – Part 3 (11:26)

July 30, 2007—Steve Simonson, President & CEO Smooth Corporation, the parent of iFloor.com, the floor covering industry’s largest online retailer, in the third-part of a four-part series talks more about the Supreme Court decision involving minimum pricing and what it could mean for online selling. Simonson also talks about iFloor’s program of opening brick and mortar locations, having opened more than 30 in the past three years. He talks about the the primary function these locations serve and the type of areas in which these stores are located.

Barker on the Market (35:51)

July 27, 2007—Mike Barker, Investment and Retirement Management discusses yesterday’s 311 point drop on the Dow and the general volatility of the market over the past few weeks and its causes. Barker talks about the steady market gains since last summer, its relationship to the current cycle of volatility as he shares his expectations as to when the volatility will dissipate. Also discussed are this week’s new and existing housing numbers, the losses reported by several major home builders, the threats of the housing slump and subprime mortgage problem bleeding into other areas of the economy and the recent jump in crude prices.

Floor CEO Steve Simonson – Internet Shopping for Flooring – Part 2 (11:15)

July 27, 2007—Steve Simonson, President & CEO Smooth Corporation, the parent of iFloor.com, the floor covering industry’s largest online retailer, in the first part of a four-part series, discusses manufacturers’ approach toward online retail sales and discounting and the industry’s historical reaction to new distribution channel. Simonson also estimates the volume of floor coverings that are sold online and a recent Supreme Court decision that may effect discounting on the internet.

iFloor CEO Steve Simonson – Internet Shopping for Flooring – Part 1 (15:15)

July 26, 2007—Steve Simonson, President & CEO Smooth Corporation, parent of iFloor.com, the floor covering industry’s largest online retailer, in the first part of a four-part series, discusses the Smooth Corp. and iFloor, their beginnings and their growth over the past several years. Simonson discusses the internet, how online shopping has evolved in recent years and specifically how consumers have changed towards buying floor coverings over the internet.

Floor Focus’ Kemp Harr, the Week in the Flooring Industry (33:55)

July 25, 2007—Kemp Harr, Publisher, Floor Focus magazine looks back that the past week in the floor covering industry discussing: Carpet One’s Summer Convention, elements of the company’s five-year plan and its plan to gain market share as well as the company’s Green Select program and pledge to be an environmentally-conscious company. Also discusses: CCA recently formed logistical partnership with BlueLinx; Mohawk’s second-quarter earnings report; And the recently released 2008 U.S. FLOOReport.

Host’s Geoff Greeley on the CRI Seal of Approval Program and a School Maintenance Study (10:28)

July 24, 2007—Geoff Greeley, Director of Marketing and Training, Racine Industries, in the final part of a three-part series talks more about the Carpet & Rug Institute’s (CRI) Seal of Approval program and the need to build awareness to the program with consumers. Greeley also talks about a study conducted by a school in the Pasco County School System in Florida to determine the cost of various carpet maintenance verse the cost of maintaining VCT.

Mohawk Industries 2Q Conference Call – Part 2 (15:24)

July 24, 2007—The final part of a two-part series presenting excerpts from Mohawk Industries second quarter earnings conference call. This segment features excerpts from the question and answer session with the answers provided by Mohawk Chairman & CEO Jeff Lorberbaum and Mohawk CFO Frank Boykin.