Issue Date:8/4/2008
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Issue Date:8/4/2008
Manufacturer News Armstrong World Industries (Lancaster, Pa.) reported second quarter 2008 net sales of $926.8 million, up 1 percent from $920.6 million in the same period for 2007. Wood flooring net sales of $168.8 million in the second quarter of 2008 decreased 20 percent from $192.6 million in the first quarter, as volume declined with the weak residential housing market.
Distributor News Harvester Inc. (Westwood, N.J.) now distributes BASF flooring adhesives. For more information, call 201/664-4884 or e-mail [email protected].
Cala Flooring (Oklahoma City) is a new line of exotic engineered wood flooring specializing in longer length African and South American species. The company is currently seeking distribution partners throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, contact Mary Ann Eifert at 888/777-4690 or visit www.calaflooring.com.
Lon Musolf Distributing Inc. (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) held its annual golf tournament at StoneRidge Golf Club in Stillwater, Minn., on Wednesday, July 30. More than 180 golfers participated. Members from All Hardwood Floors (White Bear Lake, Minn.) won the raffle's grand prize of two airline tickets to anywhere in the Continental U.S.
Contractor/Dealer News Flooring America (Manchester, N.H.) held its summer convention July 21-23 in Nashville, Tenn. The company unveiled its new theme for its hard-surface product line, which includes hardwood, "Vision 2 Action." The Flooring America winter convention will be held January 8-10, 2009, in Dallas.
Enmar Hardwood Flooring (Mesa, Ariz.) won the Small Business Award category of the 2008 Family Owned Business Awards presented by Arizona Business Magazine.
People News Vintage Hardwoods, dba Copper Plank Custom Mill (Scottsdale, Ariz.) has appointed Jim Powers vice president of sales and business development. Powers most recently worked at Saroyan Lumber Company.
Bostik Inc. ( Middleton, Ma. ) has promoted Robert McNamara, a 19-year Bostik veteran, from national sales and marketing manager for the Bostik Flooring Group to director of sales and marketing for the company's Construction and Distribution Division. The company has also promoted Phil Pitts from technical service manager to hardwood installation products market manager. Pitts has been with the company for 15 years.
Canterbury Flooring (Mocksville, N.C.) has named Reid Easton senior account manager responsible for business development with the wholesale trade and dealers in the Southeast and Midwest. Easton has 15 years' experience in the hardwood flooring industry, having previously operated his own exotic hardwood import/distribution business in Birmingham, Mich. He can be reached at 800/940-9504, by cell at 336/413-2445 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Mercier Wood Flooring (Montmagny, Quebec) has appointed Patrick Blondin sales director for exportation in addition to his current role as sales director for Canada. Teragren Bamboo Flooring, Panels & Veneer (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) CEO and President David Knight was recently named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, designed to honor pioneers and innovators who excel at growing market - leading businesses. The awards are sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation, which fosters entrepreneurship, and software company SAP.
On the Web Brazilian Direct Ltd. (Quakertown, Pa.) has a new Web site for professionals at pros.brazilianhardwood.com. The company recently celebrated its sixth year offering exotic flooring products.
Mark Your Calendar The NWFA will hold an Expert Sand & Finish School October 13-15 at its training facility in St. Louis. For more information, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.nwfa.org.
By the Numbers Sales of new single-family houses fell for the seventh time in the past eight months, dropping 0.6 percent in June to 530,000 units, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. This rate is 33.2 percent below the June 2007 estimate of 793,000 units.
Sales of existing single-family houses in June dropped 2.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.86 million units, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This fall left sales 15.5 percent below last year's June figures. In addition, the median home price fell 6.1 percent from $230,100 June 2007 to $215,000, according to NAR. This was the fifth largest year-over-year price drop on record as tracked by NAR. Meanwhile, the Standard & Poor's S&P/Case-Shiller Composite Home Price Index reported that May's prices fell 15.8 percent, the steepest loss rate since the index began in 2000.
Job Watch Fred Schaarschmidt is seeking a sales or management position in the hardwood flooring industry. He has more than 20 years' experience as a territory manager in the wholesale distribution of prefinished and unfinished flooring and supplies. He is currently based in Sacramento, Calif., and is willing to travel. Schaarschmidt can be reached at 916/315-8971 or by e-mail at [email protected].
NWFA Member Services Looking for information on a specific wood species? The NWFA has one-page high-gloss sheets for a variety of wood species that provide information on color, grain, Janka hardness, dimensional stability, workability, country of origin and availability. The sheets are free to NWFA members upon request, but supplies are limited. To place an order, contact the NWFA at 800/422-4556 (U.S.), 800/848-8824 (Canada) or 636/519-9663 (local and international), by e-mail at [email protected] or by visiting www.nwfa.org.