Issue Date:7/25/2005
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Issue Date:7/25/2005
Hardwood Floors E-News Monday, July 25, 2005 Issue 268 Next issue published August 8, 2005 Deadline for items: August 3, 2005 Send news to [email protected]
------------------------------------------------------------------------Manufacturer News
Michelman (Cincinnati), a manufacturer of additives for industries including the coatings industry, has acquired the 50 percent interest in Michelman Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd. held by Drex-Chem Industries Pte. Ltd. Michelman Asia-Pacific, which opened in 1997 in Singapore as a 50/50 joint venture between Michelman and Drex-Chem Industries, established a regional manufacturing facility for Michelman performance additives and coatings. The joint venture enabled Michelman to begin regional operations, develop an Asian strategy and grow sales. Growing marketplace acceptance of its products prompted Michelman’s acquisition, the company says.
Dri-Eaz (Burlington, Wash.) has named its education center in Nashville, Tenn., the James C. Myers Education Center in honor of Myers’ commitment to advancing education within the restoration industry. Bill Bruders, president of Dri-Eaz, made the announcement at the company’s 2005 Restoration Drying Symposium in Orlando, Fla., following a tribute to his former friend and colleague. Myers passed away on May 4, 2005, due to complications from colon cancer. He served in a number of roles during his 10 years at Dri-Eaz, most recently as education and product development manager.
ZipWall LLC (Arlington, Mass.) has announced that a competitor, Mr. Long-Arm Inc., will stop shipping its product SmartWall in response to the U.S. Patent Office’s approval of ZipWall’s most recent patent application. This is the fourth time similar products have been withdrawn from the marketplace because of ZipWall’s patent portfolio, the company says.
In other company news, the Sherwin-Williams Company recently recognized ZipWall LLC with its Vendor of the Year Award at its annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn.
Mullican Flooring (Johnson City, Tenn.) recently was featured on “Weekend Makeover,†a home-improvement show on the Women’s Entertainment Network. The show aired July 22 and marks Mullican’s second appearance in four months on national network programming. Mullican donated more than 1,000 square feet of 3-inch Ridgecrest Teak Engineered hardwood flooring for the kitchen, dining room, family room and two bedrooms of the townhouse, which is located in Boca Raton, Fla.
Distributor News
Hardwood Flooring Supply Inc. (Minneapolis) is moving its New Hope, Minn., warehouse and showroom to new and expanded facilities at Highway 169 and 89th Ave. North as of September 1. The new mailing address for the warehouse and showroom is Suite 490, 8400 89th Ave. North, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445. Phone numbers will remain unchanged at 763/533-3294 and 800/800-2053.
Blastrac (Bellaire, Texas), a manufacturer of surface preparation equipment, has announced that Surface Preparation Equipment & Sales Inc. (Denver) has been named a specialized distributor, serving Colorado, Utah, Nebraska, New Mexico and southern Idaho. In addition to the Blastrac line, Surface Preparation Equipment & Sales will carry Sawtec hand tools for concrete repair and surface preparation. For more information on Surface Preparation Equipment & Sales, call Cindy Scheneman at 866/620-9772.
Dealer News
ProSource Wholesale Floorcoverings (St. Louis), a professionals-only flooring showroom franchise, has announced plans to open a showroom in the Green Bay/Appleton, Wis., market. The company’s plan to enter the market is part of a national growth strategy that covers a limited number of exclusive franchise territories in top U.S. markets where new and rehabilitation construction spending is on the rise, the company says. Operating under CCA Global Partners, this is the first time ProSource is offering a franchising opportunity to qualified candidates outside of the CCA Global network. Ideal franchisees are professionals in the trade community who have a solid understanding of the business and the industry. For more information, call Mark Jameson at 800/466-6984, ext. 1136, or visit www.prosourcefloors.com.
People News
WD Flooring LLC (Laona, Wis.) has restructured its sales team. The company has hired Greg Williams as vice president of sales, promoted Michelle Baker to customer service at the mill in Laona, and has added Todd McDonald as eastern region sales manager. The team members already in place, Jon Norris and Alexandra Archer, complete the restructured group.
BonaKemi USA (Aurora, Colo.) has promoted Enos Farnsworth to vice president of sales and marketing. Farnsworth’s promotion is part of a management restructuring plan by BonaKemi USA President and CEO Ron Peden. The new plan organizes the company into finance, operations, and sales and marketing groups. Farnsworth will be joining other existing group presidents Mark Weglowski, vice president of operations, and Brad Stone, vice president of finance and CFO. Prior to joining BonaKemi in January 2003 as director of sales, Farnsworth held management positions with LD Brinkman, General Felt Industries and Beaulieu of America. BonaKemi also has added Dan Lipman as regional distributor manager for the western region. Lipman’s 11 years of flooring industry experience includes serving since 1998 as publisher of Floor Covering Installer (FCI) magazine.
The Hardwood Flooring Center (Mississauga, Ontario), the retail outlet for Melrose Prefinished Hardwood Floors Inc., has added Robert “Bob†O’Beirn as vice president of operations at Melrose. Melrose is celebrating its first anniversary of business this year. O’Beirn has several years of experience in the wood and flooring industry.
Bostik Inc.’s Flooring Group (Middleton, Mass.) has named Randy Ammons territory manager, overseeing Hydroment ceramic and Durabond patch, ceramic, carpet and vinyl product accounts in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Ammons most recently served as a sales executive with Armstrong World Industries.
Preverco Inc. (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec) has named Jean-Sebastien Roy marketing manager. Roy, formerly product manager for IPL Packaging, will be responsible for marketing in Canada and the United States. Increasing the company’s brand awareness is one of Roy’s main priorities, and he is creating a new advertising campaign and merchandising tools to better reach Preverco’s targeted audience and retailers.
Venteak Corporation (Miami) has appointed Walter Lourie its exclusive partner for the state of Vermont. Based in Cambridge, Vt., Lourie also will concentrate on sales in the Massachusetts and Pennsylvania markets. He will add his 15-plus years of experience in hardwood retail sales and installations to the company’s sales team roster. Lourie can be reached by phone at 508/280-5102 or by e-mail at [email protected].
HighPro Tools (Oregon City, Ore.) has added three hardwood flooring veterans to its sales force. Michael Longshore of A & M Enterprises (Brentwood, Tenn.) will handle most of the East Coast, Andy Rebick of R.E.B. Enterprises (Richmond Hill, Ontario) will cover the Canadian market, and Randy Moore of R.C. Moore & Associates (Redding, Calif.) will cover the West Coast. All three salesmen have more than 20 years’ experience in the hardwood flooring market.
In Memoriam
John S. Vogestad, founder and CEO of distributor Geysir Sales Corp and Geysir Contracting (Mamaroneck, N.Y.), passed away on July 10 after a courageous battle with kidney cancer. The son of a Norwegian sea captain, Vogestad was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 2, 1938, and at the age of seven, returned to southern Norway. Vogestad later returned to the United States and enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Group of the 1st Regiment station in Alaska during the early 60s. He was a pioneer in the hardwood flooring industry and a mentor to many. A charter member of the NWFA, Vogestad introduced internationally known flooring products to North Americaâ€"including BonaKemi finishes and Boen floating floorsâ€"which are now widely distributed throughout the country. In 1970, Vogestad started his hardwood flooring businesses, and in August 2004, he expanded Geysir Sales to South Norwalk, Conn., with a state-of-the-art showroom. The company will remain a family-owned business and will carry on under the principles and foundation Vogestad implanted, with Matthew Cook as the president of Geysir Sales. Surviving Vogestad are his wife of 31 years, Linda; a son, John Christian; two daughters, Jennifer and Lana; and a sister, Reidun Hjortland.
By the Numbers
Privately owned housing starts in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2,004,000, according to the Commerce Department. This is unchanged from the May estimate of 2,004,000 and is 9.7 percent above the June 2004 rate of 1,827,000. Single-family housing starts in June 2005 were at a rate of 1,667,000; this is 2.5 percent below the May figure of 1,709,000.
Sales of new single-family houses in May 2005 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,298,000, according to estimates released by the Commerce Department. This is 2.1 percent above the revised April rate of 1,271,000 and is 4.4 percent above the May 2004 estimate of 1,243,000.
Remodeling expenditures saw record growth in 2004, up 12.3 percent from 2003, with Americans spending $198.6 billion on remodeling projects last year, up from $176.9 in 2003, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). “A combination of increased home sales, more owner equity and low refinance rates all contributed to the tremendous growth last year,†says NAHB Remodelers Council Chairman Don Novak, a remodeler from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Owner-occupied properties saw a major increase in remodeling spending, up to $143.4 billion in 2004 versus $119.9 billion in 2003. The NAHB Remodelers Council forecasts continued growth throughout 2005 to $209 billion, but a lesser increase of 6.3 percent.
Business for Sale
A hardwood flooring business located in the Denver metro area is for sale. The company provides its customers with both installation and finishing services. Priced at $598,000, the business has brought in more than $1,250,000 in sales and more than $220,000 net. The company says it has an excellent reputation, a strong customer base and a growing sales trend. All vehicles and equipment are included. For more information, contact Arn Hayden, broker, at 303/499-6008 or [email protected].
Job Watch
Preverco Inc., a manufacturer of prefinished hardwood flooring, is expanding its sales force in the U.S. market. The company is seeking four sales representatives: one in New Jersey or Pennsylvania to cover New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, New York City and Long Island; one in Atlanta to cover Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana; one in Chicago to cover Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas; and one in Los Angeles to cover California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado. Candidates must have at least three years’ experience in floor covering sales. Résumés should be sent via e-mail or fax to the attention of Marie-Claude Perreault at [email protected] or 418/878-8931.
BonaKemi USA is looking for additional regional contractor managers in the Northwest (Seattle, Portland), the Northeast (New York City/N. New Jersey) and the Midwest (Minneapolis area). The major focus of this position is demonstrations of and training on Bona’s complete line of products with professional hardwood floor contractors and distributor personnel; and to assist with Bona and NWFA/NOFMA training schools. Applicants must have comprehensive sanding, finishing and recoating experience, possess good communication and organizational skills and be centrally located in their territory. The positions offer a competitive salary plus bonus package, including full benefits and the use of the Bona Sprinter van. Interested parties should contact Betty Jo Hargrave at 800/872-5515, ext. 343, or e-mail [email protected].
Horizon Forest Products (Raleigh, N.C.) has an opening for a branch manager for one of its Carolina locations. A sales or management background in wood flooring is preferred. The position offers excellent benefits with a growing company. Those interested should fax a résumé to David Williams at 919/255-9020 or [email protected].
Mark Your Calendar
The National Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD) will hold its 34th Annual Meeting, titled “Diminished Boundaries, Expanded Opportunities,†Oct. 21-23 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Fla. Speakers will be Max Carey, founder of Corporate Resource Development (CDC), who will speak on the “The Five Manageable Marketing Truths: Our New Rules of Engagement,†and Brett Carlson, author, speaker and adventurer, who will speak on “Expanding Your Personal Possibilities.†For more information, call 312/321-6836, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.nafcd.org.
The International Builders’ Show will take place Jan. 11-14, 2006, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. General Colin L. Powell will be the keynote speaker at the grand opening ceremonies for the show. The show is expected to attract as many as 100,000 people and will feature almost 200 educational sessions on a wide range of housing issues. With approximately 1,600 exhibitors showcasing their products and services in more than 1.5 million square feet of space, the show also will provide members of the home building industry with the opportunity to see many products. For more information, call 202/266-8473 or visit www.buildersshow.com.
Domotex Asia/Chinafloor will take place March 28-30, 2006, in the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The exhibition will host more than 700 exhibitors and will host more than 30,000 professionals from the industry. Major fields of exhibition include wood and laminate flooring, textile floor coverings, machine-made/hand-made carpets and resilient flooring. There will be national pavilions from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States, as well as a joint international pavilion. Floortech Asia 2006, a new event within the Domotex Asia/Chinafloor show, brings technology suppliers and flooring manufacturers together and will be held March 27, 2006, enabling the Domotex Asia/Chinafloor exhibitors to visit during the last build-up day of Domotex Asia/Chinafloor. For more information, call Wilbert Heijmans at 86-21-6247-7668, ext. 804, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.domotexasiachinafloor.com/e-main.htm.
On the Web
Signature Innovations LLC (Wood Dale, Ill.) has launched a new Web site. Customers can access information about Signature Innovations and Signature Hardwood Floors at www.signatureinnovations.com or www.signaturehardwoods.com.
Mannington (Salem, N.J.) has added a Virtual Decorator to its Web site. The Virtual Decorator can be accessed directly at http://virtualdecorator.mannington.com, or through the main Mannington residential flooring site at www.mannington.com/residential. The program is a free, customizable tool that helps consumers see what their finished room will look like by allowing them to experiment with different wall and floor combinations. In addition, a second version of the program, called “My Virtual Decorator,†is available for free. With this version, consumers can choose a preselected room or download an image of the actual room they want to decorate and start experimenting with thousands of combinations using different floor and wall options.
Resource Book Form Reminder
The deadline for returning the 2006 Resource Book and NWFA Networking Guide form has passed. To have the most accurate information, we need to hear from you, even if your information has not changed. If you need another form or have any questions, please contact Kimberly Wise at Hardwood Floors at 800/722-8764, ext. 117, or send an e-mail to [email protected] to have a new form faxed to you. Forms should be returned no later than Aug. 5.
NWFA Member Services
NWFA members can receive a variety of affordable, low-cost health insurance programs from Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants. Choose from PPOs, HMOs and HSAs providing prescription drug coverage, deductible options and office visit copays, as well as optional maternity, dental, life and AD&D coverage. Individual and group plans are available. For more information, contact Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants at 800/349-1039.