Flooring Podcast

Trivers Looks at Empire Carpet - Part 4 (13:11)

June 28, 2007—Jon Trivers, Marketing Wit & Wisdom, FCW Columnist, in the fourth part of a five-part series discusses Empire Carpet, its dramatic growth in recent years, its size and its unique selling proposition. Trivers also talks about the presence the company has in the markets it serves, its sales reps, the company’s product selection, the consumer segment the company targets, its pricing and, the appeal of the next day installation offer. Trivers also shares his thoughts on how independent retailers can best compete with this dynamic chain.

Trivers Looks at Lumber Liquidators – Part 3

June 27, 2007—Jon Trivers, Marketing Wit & Wisdom, FCW Columnist, in the third part of a five-part series looks at Lumber Liquidators, its product offering, the growth is has enjoyed in the past few years and his expectations for future growth after the company’s IPO. Trivers discusses Lumber Liquidators unique selling proposition, its look into installation and how independent retailers can best compete with the chain.

Floor Focus’ Kemp Harr, The Week in the Flooring Industry

June 27, 2007—Kemp Harr, Publisher, Floor Focus magazine looks back that the past week in the floor covering industry discussing: Mohawk’s asset acquisition of four Columbia Flooring facilities; The opening of the DuPont Tate & Lyle plant in Loudon, Tennessee that produces a key ingredient for Mohawk SmartStrand using DuPont Sorona, made from renewable bio-resources; The record breaking NeoCon 2007 turnout; Interface selling its fabrics unit; And Mohawk University’s revamps website and DCS & WFCA’s Creating Your Space website.

Trivers Looks at Home Depot – Part 2 (14:18)

June 26, 2007—Jon Trivers, Marketing Wit & Wisdom, FCW Columnist, in the second part of a five-part series takes a closer look at Home Depot, the sales of its HD Supply unit and how the sale will affect the operation of the company going forward. Trivers reviews the options open to the company in structuring its installation efforts, the recommendations he would make, the mistakes the company has made in years past and his thoughts about Bob Nardelli and Frank Blake.

Trivers Looks at Home Depot – Part 1 (12:41)

June 25, 2007—Jon Trivers, Marketing Wit & Wisdom, FCW Columnist, in the first part of a five-part series, discusses the rebuilding of Home Depot’s floor covering operation, the unit’s customer base and his view on the some of the greatest challenges facing the department. Trivers discusses some of shortcomings of the company’s flooring departments as they exist today, how flooring operations may be affected by the larger format locations the company is testing and his views on how company will alter its approach to installation in the months ahead.

Barker on the Market - (22:04)

June 23, 2007—Mike Barker, Investment and Retirement Management discusses the ups and downs and of the level of nervousness in the market this week and the events of the week in the bond market. Barker analyses the crude oil and gasoline markets and shares this thoughts on where each is headed in the weeks ahead as well as the affects each factor might have on the floor covering industry. He also discusses the Fed, the Chinese market and what to look for in the months ahead.

Analyst John Baugh on the Residential & Commercial Markets – Part 2 (10:25)

June 22, 2007—John Baugh, Managing Director, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company in the second part of a three-part series, discusses environmental design and the commercial floor covering market and how sustainability is viewed by the financial community. Baugh looks at Shaw’s Evergreen facility in Augusta, Georgia and Mohawk’s SmartStrand made with DuPont Sorona he also looks at the carpet tile market and discusses the momentum it is gaining each year and his impression of carpet tile innovations.

Analyst John Baugh on the Residential & Commercial Markets - Part 1

June 21, 2007—John Baugh, Managing Director, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company in the first part of a three-part series, discusses the state of the commercial and residential markets and the problems in the housing and subprime mortgage sector and his expectations for the remainder of the year and into 2008. Baugh shares his impressions of NeoCon 2007, his reaction to the show, the input he gathered from architects and designers at the show as well as his impression of the products rolled out at the show.

Floor Focus’ Frank O’Neill and the Events of the Week (32:34)

June 20, 2007—Frank O’Neil, Co-Publisher, Floor Focus magazine discusses: The announcement from Beaulieu that it had settled with the IRS, pleading guilty to one count of filing a false income tax return; The opening of the DuPont, Tate & Lyle plant in Loudon, Tennessee that will produce an ingredient from corn to be used in DuPont Sorona polymer, that in turn will be used in Mohawk carpets; Home Depot agreement to sell Home Depot Supply for $10.3 billion; InterfaceFLOR’s move to setup a unit in India; The latest from the Armstrong auction; And Jerry Thomas’ asset acquisition of Thomas Industries.

Armstrong’s Paul Pierce from NeoCon – Part 3 (10:12)

June 20, 2007—Paul Pierce, Product Design Manager, Armstrong World Industries from NeoCon 2007, in the final part of a three-part series, discusses this year’s show, discusses vinyl and the corporate market, the design needs of that market segments, the affects hardwood and ceramic are having on style and design ov vinyl, custom designs, how stainability influences the development process and the Armstrong website.