Flooring Podcast

Bowe & Pirner and the Latest on B2B – Part 1 (12:16)

July 23, 2006—In the first part of a five-part update on the floor covering industry’s B2B initiative - a system which permits retailers, distributors and manufacturers to transact business electronically via the internet - the Co-Chairs of the industry’s B2B Standards Committee Pam Bowe, President, Bowe Company and retailer Aaron Pirner, CEO, CAP Carpet and past Chairman of the WFCA define B2B, how it works and discuss the progress the system has made in the last 12 months. Bowe and Pirner also talk about the recent changes in the B2B Standards Committee, the benefits that the standards provide the industry and the involvement of distributors and hard surface companies.

Bowe & Pirner and the Latest on B2B – Part 2

July 23, 2006—In the second part of a five-part update on the floor covering industry’s B2B initiative, a system which permits retailers - distributors and manufacturers to transact business electronically via the internet - the Co-Chairs of the industry’s B2B Standards Committee Pam Bowe, President, Bowe Company and retailer Aaron Pirner, CEO, CAP Carpet and past Chairman of the WFCA discuss the speed with which retailers are adopting B2B. Pirner, one of the first retailers in the nation to utilize B2B, discusses his experiences using the system over the past two years.

Bowe & Pirner and the Latest on B2B – Part 3

July 23, 2006—In the third part of a five-part update on the floor covering industry’s B2B initiative, a system which permits retailers, distributors and manufacturers to transact business electronically via the internet, the Co-Chairs of the industry’s B2B Standards Committee Pam Bowe, President, Bowe Company and retailer Aaron Pirner, CEO, CAP Carpet and past Chairman of the WFCA discuss the documents that are currently being transmitted in the B2B system including, the catalog or price list, purchase orders, purchase order confirmations, advance shipping notices and invoices as well as the documents that are planned for the future. Pirner discusses the operational side of B2B inside a retail store.

Bowe & Pirner and the Latest on B2B – Part 4

July 23, 2006—In the fourth part of a five-part update on the floor covering industry’s B2B initiative, a system which permits retailers, distributors and manufacturers to transact business electronically via the internet, the co-chairs of the industry’s B2B Standards Committee Pam Bowe, president, Bowe Company and retailer Aaron Pirner, CEO, CAP Carpet and chairman of the WFCA compare conducting business via the the new B2B electronic method verses the traditional paper, phone and fax method and discuss the actions being taken by Shaw and others to speed up the adoption at the retail level.

Bowe & Pirner and the Latest on B2B – Part 5

July 23, 2006—In the final part of a five-part update on the floor covering industry’s B2B initiative, a system which permits retailers, distributors and manufacturers to transact business electronically via the internet, the co-chairs of the industry’s B2B Standards Committee Pam Bowe, president, Bowe Company and retailer Aaron Pirner, CEO, CAP Carpet and chairman of the WFCA recap the features and benefits of the B2B system, the savings retailers can realize by converting to B2B, the savings throught the reduction in errors and how retailers should prepare of moving to B2B.

CRI President Werner Braun - Part 2 (11:05)

July 20, 2006—Werner Braun, President of the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI), in the second part of a four-part series discusses the Carpet Industry Sustainability Report, which summarizes the progress the industry has made in areas of environmental, social and economic responsibility. Also discussed is the CRI’s upcoming Carpet Industry Survey, which examines consumer and commercial enduser attitudes about carpet and their propensity to purchase carpet.

CRI President Werner Braun - Part 1 (20:34)

July 19, 2006—Werner Braun, President of the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI), discusses a recent Georgia Trend magazine article featuring an historical look at the Dalton-based carpet industry. Braun also discusses the sustainable carpet standard, its function, its development, the stake-holders involved in the project, the progress made, the kick-off for the draft standard and final version, which is expected to be issued at Greenbuild 2007 in Denver.

Floor Focus Co-Publisher Frank O’Neill

July 18, 2006—Frank O’Neill, Co-Publisher, Floor Focus magazine discusses the results of the Floor Focus annual Retailer Survey including how retailers feel about retail groups, the products they sell, the margins they earn and their suppliers. Also discussed: Stifel Nicolaus’ maintaining its "hold" rating on Mohawk, while reducing its earnings estimates for the company; The naming of Jim Dougherty to the post of VP, Marketing, Florim USA; Laufen’s to move to Miami; The setting of dates for Floor-Tek Expo 2007; And the medicated carpets of Qatar.

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Analyst Keith Hughes on Home Depot – Part 3 (10:10)

July 13, 2006—Keith Hughes, Director of Equity Research, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, in the final part of a three-part series discusses Home Depot and its efforts to beef up customer service efforts at the company's big box locations through employee bonuses, he compares service levels at Home Depot to Lowe’s and the cannibalization efforts at Home Depot and when these efforts reach a point of diminishing returns. Hughes also discusses Home Depot Supply and his expectations for the unit in the future.

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Analyst Keith Hughes on Home Depot – Part 2 (11:57)

July 13, 2006—Keith Hughes, Director of Equity Research, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, in the second part of a three-part series talks more about Home Depot and its earlier announcement saying it would no longer report same-store sales numbers. He also discusses the company’s floor covering operation, the problem areas he sees within the sector, including product selection and service problems, the recently announced resets in the floor covering departments at the company’s largest 500 locations and his views of the company’s free-standing flooring stores.