February 25, 2006—Excerpts of Mohawk Industries fourth quarter earnings conference call, featuring an opening statement from Mohawk Chairman & CEO, Jeff Lorberbaum followed by a question and answer period with answers provided by Lorberbaum and CFO, Frank Boykin.
February 22, 2006—Alan Wolk, President, Interiors, Invista and Steve Griffith VP, Residential Flooring, Stainmaster Carpet, in a conversation recorded at Surfaces, discuss the company’s new Stainmaster logo and the process and market research that led to its development. Also discussed is the company’s new media campaign and the campaign’s goals, the products rolled-out by the company’s mill partners at Surfaces, the changing environment in the industry’s fiber sector and the extension of the Stainmaster brand into non-carpet flooring and furniture sector.
February 22, 2006—Steve Mone, President, Kaindl Flooring USA, in a conversation recorded at Surfaces 2006, discusses the Kaindl company, its position in the global laminate market, its private label history in the U.S. and the launch of the Kaindl brand. Mone outlines the company’s upscale approach to the North American market, its unique “better, best and luxury” product groupings and its upscale product and merchandising offerings at Surfaces.
February 22, 2006—Retailers Donny Phillips and Riley Gazzaway, Atlanta Flooring Design Centers, in an interview recorded at Surfaces 2006, discuss their retail business, Surfaces 2006, how they prepare for and shop the show and whether they also attend Shaw and/or Mohawk events. Phillips and Gazzaway also discuss the year 2005, Atlanta Flooring Design and how its product selections and sales floor have changed, how the company utilizes technology the its growth plans for the future.
February 21, 2006—Frank O’Neill, Publisher, Floor Focus magazine discusses: Home Depot’s fourth quarter earnings report and the progress the company has made in 2005 and the company’s plans to expand its online efforts; Pergo’s move to profitability in fourth quarter; Beaulieu Canada’s decision to produce laminate and wood flooring products and distribute Berry laminate products in New England; And the closing of a kiln at Dal-Tile’s Olean, New York plant.
February 20, 2006—Dave Wootten, President, Columbia Flooring, in a conversation recorded at Surfaces 2006 discusses the company’s acquisition of Malaysia Wood Industries, the accompanying global distribution and its plans to further expand manufacturing operations into China. Wootton shares his view of the U.S. flooring consumer, the company’s philosophy with regard to sustainability, the its Laura Ashley rollout in hardwood and laminate, the company’s upscale offerings and his views on Surfaces 2006.
February 19, 2006—Juan Flores, President, Faus Group, in the final part of a two-part series, discusses the growth of laminate production in Asia and the importance of intellectual property as it relates to Asian producers. Flores also talks about marketplace reaction to the launch of the Faus brand in the U.S., the building of the Faus staff and distribution network, the company’s presence at Surfaces and the products rolled out at the show along with his expectation for 2006 and beyond.
February 16, 2006—Juan Flores, President, Faus Group, in the first part of a two-part series, discusses the company’s new manufacturing and distribution facility in Calhoun, Georgia and the company’s prospects for the plant. Flores also evaluates the North American laminate market, the company’s place in the market and discusses the company’s philosophy with regard to technology and intellectual property and its firm stance toward defending that property with legal action.
February 15, 2006—Jon Trivers, Marketing Wit and Wisdom and John Simonson, President of Webstream Dynamics, in the second part of a two-part series discuss a seminar the two presented at Surfaces 2006. The seminar, on how retailers can tap into the internet to improve their business, touched on the internet as it exists today and the necessity for today’s retailers to have an exciting presence on the internet. Trivers and Simonson also discussed the necessity for retailers to sign-on to the industry’s B2B and Surfaces 2006 the show.
February 15, 2006—Tom Rennie, TLR Consulting and Editor, Commercial Carpet Digest, in the final part of a two-part series, analyzes Surfaces after the departure of Mohawk and Shaw. Rennie also looks at the show’s trend toward hard surface and discusses his belief that carpet’s loss of market share in the U.S. has greatly diminished and the product category has made great strides at establishing itself as a fashion product. Also discussed is the showing Mainstreet Commercial gets at Surfaces and why the “wow” factor in residential carpet introductions no longer seems to exist. Rennie also discusses changes in the fiber sector and his expectations for Shaw’s Anso brand.