April 5, 2007—Frank Ready, President & CEO, Armstrong World Industries, Flooring Division, in the third part of a four-part series discusses the builder market and the company’s strategy to reduce cost in the sector through improvements in installation. Also discusses is the company’s approach to the independent retailer, the vinyl marketplace, the company’s vinyl operation and its plans long-term in the category.
April 4, 2007—Thomas Baert, president and owner of ChinaFloors Timber Shanghai, in the third part of a three-part series discusses the standards of quality held by ChinaFloors Timber, some of the problems that often face North American companies attempting to buy product in China, the intellectual property situation that exists in China and his expectations for growth in Chinese exports in the years to come.
April 4, 2007—Frank O’Neill, Co-publisher, Floor Focus magazine reviews the week in the floor covering industry discussing: The turnout for Domotex asia ChinaFloor 2007 and the growth the show has enjoyed since its debut; Armstrong’s 4th quarter results; Pfleiderer acquisition of Pergo, its expansion plans and the anticipated expansion plans in the U.S.; Solutia’s addition of nylon 6,6 pellet capacity; Home Depot’s plans to cut back its growth plans and: The expansion of brick and clicks in the floor covering marketplace.
April 4, 2007—Frank Ready, President & CEO, Armstrong World Industries, Flooring Division, in the second part of a four-part series discusses the company’s branding strategy, as well as its overall product strategy and its plans for product launches. Also discussed is the hardwood flooring market of North America, the company’s hardwood flooring unit, the acquisitions the company has made and the gains it has realized in the sector in the last year as well as its plans going forward.
April 3, 2007—Frank Ready, President & CEO, Armstrong World Industries, Flooring Division, in the first part of a four-part series discusses the environment in the residential arena in 2007, the housing market and comments on the company’s process of reviewing its strategic alternatives. Ready also talks about the post-bankruptcy Armstrong, the company’s flooring unit as it exists today and the effect bankruptcy had in the division as well as how the company is perceived by the retail community.
April 3, 2007—Thomas Baert, President and Owner of ChinaFloors Timber Shanghai, in the second part of a three-part series discusses the manufacturing base for laminate and hardwood in China, the domestic market in China for both of these products, its anticipated growth and the long-term plans for ChinaFloors Timbers in both the export market and the domestic market.
April 2, 2007—Thomas Baert, president and owner of ChinaFloors Timber Shanghai, in the first part of a three-part series discusses Domotex asia ChinaFloor, the international floor covering trade show including its turnout and exhibitor attendance. Baert also discusses ChinaFloors Timber Shanghai, its four year history of producing laminate and hardwood flooring for export, the operation’s current capacity and its plans for expansion.
April 1, 2007—Werner Braun, President, Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI) in the final part of a three part series, discusses feed-back and answers questions received from listeners who were reacing to earlier FloorRadio programs dealing with the the CRI Seal of Approval programs in covering cleaning and maintenance.
April 1, 2007—Jon Trivers, Marketing Wit & Wisdom, in the final part of a three-part series Trivers talks about some of the prime problems Home Depot has had in its floor covering departments, his expectations as to how the company will proceed in this area, the company’s potential growth in the cash and carry as well as the full service sectors and the reaction to business writer Scott Burns, who criticized Home Depot’s customer service on MSN.com's finance site producing over 3000 responses including an entry from Home Depot CEO Frank Blake
March 30, 2007—Jon Trivers, Marketing Wit & Wisdom, in the second part of a three-part series looks at the recent changes at Home Depot. Trivers discusses the affects the last couple of years at Home Depot have had on independent retailers, the company’s HD Supply unit and whether the unit will be sold and the changes he anticipates within the retail operation. Also discussed is the growth of Empire Carpet, how it deals with installation and his expectations for the company.