May 29, 2003—Mike Barker, Investment and Retirement Management looks at the state of the current market, signs to look for that may indicate a change in the market, elements upon, which the market is keying, the “liquefying” of the market by the Fed, a look ahead at the upcoming earnings season, and making sense of the current economic news.
May 27, 2003—Frank O’Neill, Publisher, Floor Focus Magazine and Dave Foster, Host, FloorRadio discuss: The cancellation of the Pergo/Witex merger and Witex’s announcement that it file Chaper 11; Armstrong’s lowers reorganization value and Women and DIY.
May 26, 2003—Rick Mathew, COO, Americhem, discusses the science and the technology of color; design and color selection and the cost factor; the ability to reproduce consistent colors in a variety of floor coverings; also the changing way that manufacturers perceive the role of color in their products. Mathew also discusses the role Americhem plays in the process of manufacturing carpet and other floor covering products.
May 22, 2003—John McDevitt, 3M Corporate Economist Retired and former FloorRadio Regular discusses deflation, what it is, what causes it, what are the chances of it occurring in this economy, what it means to the economy, and what the Federal Reserve could do about it if it does occur. McDevitt also discusses the weakening dollar and its implications, tax cuts, the state of the economy and the mood of the consumer.
May 21, 2003—Dane Owen, Director of Marketing & Sales, Milliken Carpet, discuss Tesserae, the company’s new residential modular carpet. Owen looks at the design aspects of the product, which gives a seamless broadloom look verses the commercial appearing modular that uses seams as a design element.
May 21, 2003—Brad Potter, Marketing Manager, Bayer Chemicals, Carpet & Home Textiles Unit discusses the recently launched BayProtectSSB, a new, a patent pending, stain blocker and anti-soiling product from Bayer offered to carpet mills. Potter discusses Bayer the company, the environments aspects of BayProtect, how the product was developed, mill reaction, the market for unbranded of stain resist products and Bayers plans for the product in the future.
May 20, 2003—Carey Mitchell, Director Technical Services, Shaw Industries discusses an inter-industry working group initiated by the concrete industry, with the purpose of reducing concrete-related problems experienced by the floor covering and other building products industries.
May 20, 2003—Frank O’Neill, Publisher, Floor Focus and FloorRadio Host Dave Foster discuss: The recently concluded StarNet convention ; The upcoming Floor Focus Retail Survey; This weeks earnings reports from Lowe’s and Home Depot; Cargill Dow’s European licensing with the Radici Group for IngeoFibers and; The purchase of McSwain Hardwood by McSwain Carpet.
May 18, 2003—Ruth Travis, RL Seminars, President, International Society of Cleaning Technicians (ISCT) and VP, Institute of Inspection Cleanings and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and Jeff Bishop, Clean Care Seminars Technical Advisor, IICRC discuss two new studies the associations have undertaken one dealing with the delamination strength of carpet when exposed to water and the second test dealing with the effectness of cleaning wands in removing water from carpets.
May 16, 2003—Mike Barker, Investment and Retirement Management discusses the market in the past week describing the factors he draws on to evaluate the market. Barker looks at the pros and cons of a weak dollar and singles out some factors to watch for in the coming week.