Issue Date:3/23/2009
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Issue Date:3/23/2009
Anhui Longhua Bamboo Purchases iFloor Name, Inventory Anhui Longhua Bamboo Product Co. Ltd. (Industrial Zone, Huoshan County, China) purchased the iFloor (Tukwila, Wash.) name and inventory from its Tukwila warehouse for $1.925 million during an estate auction, according to bankruptcy court documents. The purchase also included Internet domain names, trademarks, copyrights, telephone lists and customer lists. Anhui Longhua is one of the largest manufacturers of bamboo products in China, according to its Web site, www.guoyabamboo.com. iFloor representatives did not return phone calls. Lumber Liquidators (Toano, Va.) bought iFloor's Dalton, Ga., inventory for $1.2 million. iFloor declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy Dec. 4. It now operates one showroom in Tukwila; at its height the company operated 36 locations.
NWFA Holds Wood Flooring Basics School The NWFA hosted a Wood Flooring Basics School March 17-20 at its St. Louis headquarters. The NWFA's Frank Kroupa, and Powernail Company's Daniel Boone led the instruction, along with the NWFA's Rusty Swindoll and Glen Miller, and NWFACP's Don Conner. Volunteer instructors included: Galen Fitzel, 3M; Mike Mann, Aacer Flooring LLC; Bob Sponamore, All Type Hardwood Flooring; Josh Neuberger, Basic Coatings; Derek Conrad, Bona US; Mark Long, Chemque Inc.; Bryan Fussell and Wayne Lee, Clarke American Sanders; William Costello, Dura Seal; Roger H. Barker, Fortifiber Building Systems Group; Mike Osborn, Glitsa American Inc.; Joe Clarke, Joe Clarke Hardwood Services; Rick Jones, Scandian Inc.; Bob Sweezey, Stauf-USA Adhesive LLC; Mike Summers, UFloor Systems Inc.; and Joey Waugh, Waugh's Hardwood Flooring.
Lobbyists Push for 'Green' Recognition of U.S. Hardwoods The Hardwood Federation (Washington D.C.), the country's largest forest products lobbying organization and ally of the NWFA, is supporting House Resolution 81, which will formally recognize the importance and sustainability of U.S. hardwoods. The bill will encourage U.S. hardwoods to "be given full consideration in any program directed at constructing environmentally preferable commercial, public, or private buildings." The bill is a non-binding resolution, and it will not create a law in which U.S. hardwood products are given preference over other building materials. The Hardwood Federation is urging industry members to contact their Congressional representatives to support the resolution. For the complete text of the resolution, visit www.hardwoodfederation.net and click on "Document Library."
Manufacturer News Real Wood Floors (West Plains, Mo.) has opened new warehouses in Anaheim, Calif.; Oklahoma City; West Plains, Mo.; and Greensboro, N.C. The manufacturer offers both prefinished and unfinished flooring. For more information, contact Sam Cobb at 877/948-0063 or [email protected].
Greyne Custom Wood Co. (Charlotte, N.C.) has partnered with independent sales organization Red 2 Black Solutions (Atlanta), which specializes in selling sustainable building products. For more information, contact Red 2 Black at 404/395-4711 or visit www.red2blacksolutions.com.
Mannington Wood Floors (Salem, N.J.) was named 2008 Vendor of the Year by Preferred Brands (Burnsville, Minn.), parent company of the Floor To Ceiling (Burnsville, Minn.) marketing organization, which serves more than 200 interior design showrooms across the country that deal in hard and soft flooring, kitchen, bath, and decorative products. The award was presented at the organization's national convention, held Feb. 19-22 in Las Vegas.
Mercier Wood Flooring Inc. (Montmagny, Quebec) announced its prefinished manufacturing process is now ISO 9001:2000-compliant.
Distributor News Galleher Corp. (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.) has opened a Las Vegas branch. Brenda Lee, who has nearly a decade of experience working for Galleher as a branch manager and a sales representative, will head up the branch, supported by Steven Golson, who will handle customer service and warehouse operations. The new branch location is 4235 W. Dewey Dr. #B, Las Vegas, NV 89118 and the phone number is 800/240-8192.
Maine Traditions Hardwood Flooring (Solon, Maine) has added Patriot Hardwood Floors (Wilmington, Mass.) as an East Coast distributor. Maine Traditions' collection is available at Patriots' Wilmington and Pompton Plains, N.J., locations. For more information, visit www.mainetraditionsflooring.com.
Meek's Lumber Company (Springfield, Mo.) now distributes products for Mid-America Hardwoods Inc. (Sarcoxie, Mo.) through its chain of lumberyards in Arkansas and Missouri. Mid-America plans to transition its current retail store into a customer service facility for its wholesale divisions by April 1.
CMH Flooring Products Inc. (Wadesboro, N.C.) has acquired Space Flooring Supplies & Services (Smyrna, Ga.); the company now operates under the name CMH Space Flooring Products Inc. with headquarters in Wadesboro. Space Flooring's founder and President Kent Goodman runs the Symrna location. The new company now serves Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and West Virginia. Also, Preferred Brands named CMH Space 2008 Distributor of the Year for its work with the Floor To Ceiling shopping experience.
Adleta Corporation (Carrollton, Texas) was named Distributor of the Year by manufacturer Stauf-USA Adhesive LLC (Memphis, Tenn.). This is Adleta's fifth consecutive year winning the award.
Long Floor (Richmond, Va.) hosted Contractors Breakfasts March 16-18 at its headquarters and branches in Beltsville, Md., and Chesapeake, Va. Josh Frink from Basic Coatings and Bill Pruner from Powernail Company Inc. provided attendees with an overview of their companies' product lines. Also, Long Floor, along with Horizon Forest Products (Raleigh, N.C.), outlined its company-wide green building initiatives and commitment to the environment in a brochure, which can be viewed at www.horizonforest.com or www.longfloor.com.
Dealer/Contractor News Lumber Liquidators Inc. announced net earnings of $22.1 million in 2008 on $482.2 million in net sales, up from 2007's $11.3 million in net earnings on $405.3 million in net sales; however, 91.6 percent of this increase came from new store openings, of which the company had 34 in 2008. The company now operates 158 stores in 44 states. During the last quarter of 2008 the company had $6.5 million in net earnings on $116.5 million in net sales, even as same store net sales fell 4.6 percent. During the same quarter in 2007 the company posted $3 million in net income on $105.5 million in net sales as same store net sales rose 8.6 percent.
Virginia Abrasives Corp. (Petersburg, Va.) has awarded Guy's Floor Service (Denver) a Larson Senza 226 Ski Boat for redeeming 1.5 million Artisand points. Virginia Abrasives awards customers four Artisand points for every dollar spent with the company. For more information, call 800/996-7263 or e-mail [email protected].
People News Jim Perkins, chief operating officer for Richard Marshall Fine Flooring Inc. (Hawthorne, Calif.), has earned the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Professional Accreditation. Perkins can now act as a LEED consultant for general contractors.
Lumber Liquidators has named Seth Levy senior vice president, information technology, and chief information officer. Levy will oversee all technology functions at the company and report to Jeffrey W. Griffiths, president and chief executive officer.
On the Web Mercier Wood Flooring Inc. (Montmagny, Quebec) has launched a comprehensive online sales training program for distributors and customers. For more information, visit www.mercierwoodflooring.com.
Job Watch Forest Brand Floors Inc. (Louisville, Ky.) is seeking experienced independent manufacturer sales agents for its engineered and solid hardwood flooring products. Positions in several regions are available. Candidates should have five years of imported and specialty hardwood sales experience. Resumes should be sent to [email protected].
NWFA Member Services The NWFA is launching a new program to recognize its members who make charitable contributions to others in need. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. A manufacturer can donate its products, a distributor can host a training session for at-risk students, an installer can volunteer labor, or an inspector offer inspection services. The only criterion is that the receiving organization be a charitable one. The possibilities are endless, and the NWFA wants to let the world know that our industry is dedicated to helping improve the lives of those in need.
Companies and individuals participating in this program will need to fill out an application form outlining the project that was performed. This application will be reviewed by a committee, and those that are approved will be recognized at the NWFA's convention in Long Beach, California, April 29-May 2. To receive a participation form, contact the NWFA at 800/422-4556 (U.S.), 800/848-8824 (Canada) or 636/519-9663 (local and international) or by e-mail at [email protected]. The deadline for entries is April 1.