Issue Date:4/1/2008
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Issue Date:4/1/2008
Because numbers of the overall hardwood flooring industry is down between 15 to 20 percent, Ed Korczak, executive director/CEO of the NWFA, said the decline in attendance was anticipated; in fact, the theme of the 2008 show was how to survive in a down market. "We have put an end to 'the sky is falling' mentality and are ready to move on," Korczak said.
"We had a good show and were very strong," said Richard Guynn, sales manager of The Woods Company (Chambersburg, Pa.). "Friday did shake out to be a good day."
Johannes Boonstra, technical director of Synteko Floor Finishes (Troy, Mich.) said, "The quantity of attendees was lower, but the quality of contacts was good." Other exhibitors agreed, noting that many of the attendees had the intent to buy.
The keynote speaker of the convention was former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula, who kicked off the convention with his presentation, "How to Get Maximum Performance From Your Team." The show also featured a full slate of educational seminars and technical demonstrations.
Next year's host city for the NWFA Convention is Long Beach, Calif., April 29-May 2, 2009.
Members' Choice: Universal Floors Inc. (Washington, D.C.)
CNC Design/Cut • Best Kitchen/Dining Room: The Floor Man Co. Inc. (Toledo, Ohio) • Best Living Room/Family Room: Czar Floors Inc. (Newton, Pa.) • Best Library/Office: Ralph's Hardwood Floor Co. Inc. (Black Creek, Wis.) • Best Bedroom: Johnson Yarema Hardwood Floors (Troy, Mich.) • Best Entry/Foyer: Universal Floors Inc. • Best Commercial/Showroom: Maximum Hardwood Floors (Coral Springs, Fla.) • Best Restoration: Pasadena Wood Floors Inc. (Pasadena, Calif.) • Best Reclaimed: Enmar Hardwood Flooring Inc. (Mesa, Ariz.) • Best Limited Species: Johnson Yarema Hardwood Floors • Best Engineered: Johnson Yarema Hardwood Floors
Non-CNC Design/Cut • Best Kitchen/Dining Room: Seabaugh's Custom Hardwood Floors Inc. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) • Best Living Room/Family Room: Seabaugh's Custom Hardwood Floors Inc. • Best Library/Office: Rode Bros. Floors (Los Angeles) • Best Bedroom: The Floor Man Co. Inc. • Best Entry/Foyer: DM Hardwood Designs (Mission Viejo, Calif.) • Best Commercial/Showroom: Birger Juell Ltd. (Chicago) • Best Restoration: Universal Floors Inc. • Best Reclaimed: Goodwin Heart Pine Co. (Micanopy, Fla.) • Best Factory Finished: DM Hardwood Designs • Best Limited Species: Palembas Hardwood Floors Inc. (Escondido, Calif.) • Best Engineered: Universal Floors Inc.
An Honorary Vanguard Degree was awarded to Daniel Boone of Powernail Company (Lake Zurich, Ill.). This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the NWFA and the wood flooring industry. The individual has to be nominated by an NWFA member, reviewed by the NWFA Executive Committee and approved by a two-thirds vote of the NWFA Board of Directors. Boone was formerly NWFA technical director and owned his own contracting company, Everwood Floors Inc. (DeLand, Fla.), and he continues to contribute a significant amount of time to the NWFA technical schools and various other educational programs.
An Industry Leadership Award was presented to Neil Moss of Armstrong Hardwood Floors (Lancaster, Pa.). Moss was heavily involved in teaching at the NWFA technical schools, writing the NWFA's Installation Guidelines and Technical Manuals and volunteering on various committees. Don Conner of Mullican Flooring (Johnson City, Tenn.) accepted the award on Moss' behalf.
Golden Mallet Awards, given to those companies that recruited at least four new members in a year and two or more members in subsequent years, were given to Dan Blake of All Flooring Inspections/The Claims Advisor Inc. (Hoschton, Ga.), and John Dailey of Midwest Restoration and Inspection Service (Wheaton, Ill.).
In 2007, 41 NWFA members earned degrees. At the show in Fort Lauderdale, those receiving Craftsman Degrees (for professional wood flooring education) included Jason Black, Richard Cummins, Kathleen Freeman, Chuck Garvey, Chris Hess, Michael Hoy, Jonathan Hurley, Ismael Ibarra, Nathaniel Prior, Matt Russell, Larry Subervi and Jerry Wing.
Those receiving the Master Craftsman Degrees at the show (for advanced knowledge and demonstrated wood flooring skills) included Alan Blake, Stephen Harris, Robert Humphreys, Drew Kern, Reed Maddray, Mark Mukosiej and Matt White.
Wood flooring professionals at the show who earned the Advanced Master Degree (for further advanced knowledge and demonstrated wood flooring skills) included Shawn Gorman, Sprigg Lynn and Tony Robison.
Honored with the Vanguard Degree at the convention (for leadership and service to the industry) were Roger Barker, Tony Miraldi, Steven Tolli and Lon Vaughn.
And, wood flooring professionals who received the Ambassador Degree at the show (for those who have earned the Vanguard Degree and continue to serve the industry) included James Gray, Rick Jones and Bob Vanderlinden.
Arte Flooring (Ville de Bécancour, Quebec) has acquired the flooring assets of Robert Ribeyron Lte. (Ripon, Quebec). Production of Robert Ribeyron flooring will resume April 7 at its former facility in Quebec.
DuChateau Floors (Stratham, N.H.) has launched operations in North America. The company manufactures distressed, aged and treated engineered wide plank flooring designed to replicate historical European floors. For more information, contact Erica Cottrill at 770/528-6097 or [email protected].
Virginia Abrasives (Petersburg, Va.) has acquired the marble and diamond-cutting product lines from Smithton Diamond Products (Hemet, Calif.), a private-label manufacturer and distributor, for an undisclosed price. Smithton's management team has been replaced by Virginia personnel, and its Hemet facility has been shut down, with all product shipped to Virginia Abrasive's Simi Valley distributor. Reg Burgess, marketing manager of Virginia Abrasives, said he hopes this acquisition will give hardwood flooring professionals better access to materials used for working with mixed media.
Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring (Papineauville, Quebec) has chosen CB Flooring (Columbia, Md.) as its 2007 U.S. Retailer of the Year. The company designated NRF Distributors Inc. (Augusta, Maine) as its 2007 U.S. Distributor of the Year.
To celebrate 20 years in business, BonaKemi USA Inc. (Aurora, Colo.) held an industry-wide sweepstakes and awarded Tyler Hill Woodcrafters (Tyler Hill, Pa.) a trip for two to the NWFA Convention in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The company also gave away 20 first-place prizes consisting of one case of Bona Naturale and one case of Bona DTS, as well as 200 second-place prizes of Bona H2O water bottles.
Lon Musolf Distributing Inc. (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) has started a scholarship program for the NWFA Technical Schools. One contractor will be chosen to attend one of the schools. Applications and more information will be available at the company's final 2008 workshop to be held April 23 at its Vadnais Heights location. Also at this workshop, Daniel Boone will demonstrate nailing and installation, and prizes such as a Lund fishing boat will be raffled off. To register, call 651/484-3020.
FlorStar (Romeoville, Ill.) was named 2007 Flooring Distributor of the Year by Floor to Ceiling (Burnsville, Minn.), a marketing company of retail stores, at is convention in Las Vegas February 17-21.
Mohawk Industries (Dalton, Ga.) has appointed Dave Slough general manager for the Northeast and Paul Armstrong wood specialist for the Northeast and mid-central regions. Slough has more than 20 years' experience in the industry, most recently with Superior Products. Armstrong also has more than 20 years of floor covering experience, previously working for J.J. Haines and Company Inc. and Superior Products.
Golden State Flooring (South San Francisco, Calif.) has named Allen Smith general manager of its Santa Fe Springs facility. Smith previously worked for The Roane Company. He can be contacted at 562/903-2917; by cell at 562/640-0655; or by e-mail at [email protected].
Installers Warehouse (Rochester, N.Y.) has added Jerry Rindell as territory manager for Rochester and Buffalo, N.Y. He can be reached at 585/224-1402, 585/329-1046 or at [email protected]. Rindell previously worked for Hoboken Floors. The company has also added James Patton as warehouse manager. Patton also was formerly with Hoboken Floors.
Synteko Floor Finishes (Troy, Mich.) has added five manufacturer representatives: Joe Valenza of JOVA Sales (Mattawan, N.J.) covers New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut and can be contacted at [email protected] or 201/725-8758; Kyle Terral of Terral Marketing Inc. (Texarkana, Texas) covers eastern Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and western Tennessee and can be contacted at [email protected] or 501/258-2687; Scott Taylor (Milwaukee) covers Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois and can be reached at [email protected] or 414/405-2489. Dayle Moore of Moore Sales Co. covers Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma and can be contacted at [email protected] or 913/239-8558; and Cort Dunlap of Hardwood Specialties (Seattle) covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana and can be reached at [email protected] or 206/331-8360.
New residential sales of single-family houses in February 2008 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 590,000 units, the slowest pace since February 1995, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. This is 1.8 percent below the revised January rate of 601,000 units and is 29.8 percent below the February 2007 estimate of 840,000 units.
The overall National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) held firm at 20 in March. The index gauging current sales conditions remained unchanged at 20, while the index gauging sales expectations for the next six months dropped one point to 26. The index gauging traffic of prospective buyers rose to 19.
FMI, management consultants and investment bankers to the building and construction industry, has released its Construction Outlook: First Quarter 2008. This report states the construction outlook has been revised down since the fourth quarter of 2007. Particularly, nonresidential construction will see declines in 2008 and 2009, except some publicly funded segments, and residential housing isn't expected to recover until 2009. For more information, contact Candace Robertson at 919/785-9359 or [email protected].
Washington Wood Floors has launched its Web site at www.wawoodfloors.org.
Canterbury Flooring (Mocksville, N.C.) has launched a custom millwork e-catalog at www.canterburyflooring.com.
Lon Musolf Distributing Inc. (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) will hold a workshop April 23 at its Vadnais Heights location.