Hardwood Floors E-News - 3/22/2010

Lead Law to Take Effect April 22 Beginning April 22, all wood flooring contractors working on a building built before 1978 must be certified by the EPA or their local state for lead-safe work practices. As part of the EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, contractors performing renovation—including sanding, cutting, and demolition—repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. The EPA defines lead-based paint as any paint or surface coating that contains lead equal to or in excess of 1.0 milligram per square centimeter or more than 0.5 percent by weight. The regulation applies to renovation or repair work that disturbs 6 square feet or more inside the building. Firms found to be non-compliant may be liable for civil penalties of up to $32,500 for each violation, and firms that knowingly or willfully violate this regulation may be subject to fines of up to an additional $32,500 per violation, or imprisonment, or both. More information on the EPA's requirements for contractors can be found at www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm. The National Association of Home Builders recently expressed concern that a shortage of EPA-certified trainers will result in a shortage of certified professionals when the regulations take effect.

Massachusetts Closer to Banning Certain Finishes Massachusetts' House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would punish anyone who owns or uses illegal sealant or lacquer products that have been linked to deaths, injuries and millions of dollars of damage within the state, according to Statehouse News Service. Anyone caught with wood finishes or lacquer sealers that can ignite at temperatures below 100 degrees would be fined $500 for a first offense; subsequent offenses would carry a $1,000 fine or a one-year jail term. Massachusetts' Senate is now considering the bill. On June 1, new Massachusetts Fire Board regulations are set to take effect that will require the removal of ignition sources prior to the use of finishing products, along with the posting of warnings that flammable materials are in use. The regulations follow the deaths of three contractors in Somerville and Hull, Mass., at homes where lacquer finish was being used.

Manufacturer News Olde Wood Ltd. (Malvern, Ohio) has received FSC chain of custody certification for its solid reclaimed wide plank and reclaimed engineered hardwood flooring lines.

Qu-Cork (Memphis, Tenn.) has received both Greenguard Indoor Air Quality and Greenguard Schools Air Quality certification.

MAPEI Corporation (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) has signed an agreement to participate in the Global ReLeaf program with American Forests (Washington, D.C.). MAPEI is donating $1 to Global ReLeaf for every pail sold in its Ultrabond Eco line of adhesives.

Distributor News UFloor Systems Inc. (Aurora, Colo.) has named new distribution partners: Ottley Floor Company (Salt Lake City) will handle UFloor Systems distribution in Utah and southern Idaho; Cal-Wood Flooring Supply (San Francisco) takes on distribution duties in northern California; and Blake-Stevens Wood Flooring Inc. (Pewaukee, Wis.) will distribute UFloor products from its Wisconsin locations in Pewaukee, Madison and Appleton.

Perfect Interior Designs Inc. (New York) has opened a 15,000-square-feet distribution facility at 1930 47th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11204.

PC Wood Floors (Newark, N.J.) held PC Event 2010 on March 2; 38 manufacturers displayed products for about 750 attendees. Customers were able to see demonstrations, attend seminars and participate in giveaways throughout the day.

People News Mannington Mills (Salem, N.J.) has named Russell Grizzle chief operating officer. Grizzle will serve in this position until late 2011, after which he will replace a retiring Tom Davis as president and CEO. Grizzle has over 30 years of industry experience with Milliken & Company, including eight years as president of its global floor covering business.

Lenmar Inc. (Baltimore, Md.) has named Nels Ingebrigtsen agent for the Midwest. Previously, Ingebrigtsen spent over 20 years with Basic Coatings in various roles. Ingebrigtsen can be reached at 708/642-2057 or [email protected].

UFloor Systems Inc. has named Bryan Day and Jon Tatum of Trademark Flooring Consultants (Charlotte, N.C.) its exclusive Southeast sales representatives. Day and Tatum will handle business development and sales for that region. Day is a former contractor specialist for Hoboken Floors, while Tatum has 12 years' experience as a former contractor and distributor sales representative.

Horizon Forest Products (Raleigh, N.C.) and Long Floor (Richmond, Va.) have promoted Chris Williams to branch manager of the companies' Chesapeake, Va., location. Williams will be responsible for day-to-day management, sales directing and running the location's showroom floor.

Richard Baseman, Leonard C. Britten, Gordon Phelps Connor, and Douglas Drenik have been inducted into the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association Inc. (MFMA) (Destin, Fla.) Hall of Fame. Baseman is the inventor of the rider sander and founder of Baseman Floors Inc.; Britten served as sales manager at Connor Forest Industries for 40 years; Connor is the former CEO of Connor Forest Industries; and Drenik is CEO of the Cincinnati Floor Company and charter member of the MFMA Sports Floor Contractor Advisory Council.

By the Numbers

On the Web Contractors can use the Greener Product's search tool, www.greenerproduct.com, to find independently certified, eco-friendly products. The site lists environmental qualities of products as recognized by the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

Mark Your Calendar NWFACP will hold a Wood Flooring Inspection School May 17-20 in Anaheim, Calif. For more information, visit www.nwfacp.org, e-mail [email protected], or call 866/418-5408 (U.S. and Canada) or 636/728-1922 (local and international).

Long Floor and Basic Coatings (Toledo, Ohio) will hold a contractor cookout April 1 in Richmond, Va., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, contact Mike Carroll at 804/353-4419 or Josh Frink at 252/489-8686.

INSTALL, the International Standards & Training Alliance (Philadelphia) will host a floor covering leadership conference in Las Vegas April 5-8. Industry insiders will lead the conference, and educational workshops will be held. For more information, visit www.installfloors.org.

Registration is now open for the 2010 Building Radiant Conference and Tradeshow, to be held May 5-8 in Reno, Nev. CEUs for North American Technical Excellence (NATE) and American Institute of Architects (AIA) will be available to attendees. For more information, visit www.rpa-info.com/Reno/index.htm.

Job Watch Perfect Interior Designs Inc. (New York) is seeking sales applicants. Application materials should be mailed to 18 W. 21st Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10010. For more information, contact PID's Steven Skutelsky at 212/337-3433 or [email protected].

Zipema Wood Products Ltda. (Curitiba, Brazil) is seeking a U.S. and Canada sales representative for its unfinished and prefinished wood flooring. For more information, contact Vitor Pereira Jr. at 55-11-3023-7888 or [email protected].

Brigitte Bernard is seeking a position in sales and marketing management in the U.S. and Canadian market. She has 13 years of experience in the flooring industry, from nailers to moldings/stair treads and hardwood floors. She is based in Quebec City, Quebec, and can be reached at 418/878-5540 or [email protected]. Bernard has dual citizenship in Canada and the United States.

NWFA Member Services The NWFA now offers a variety of Contract Schools to manufacturer members. Three schools currently are available. Product Knowledge is a 1½-day school with one instructor. The fee is $1,000 per day plus instructor and school expenses. Installation is a two-day school with two instructors. The fee is $1,500 per day plus instructors and school expenses. Installation, Sand and Finish is a three-day school with two instructors. The fee is $1,500 per day plus instructors and school expenses. For more information about NWFA schools or scholarships, contact [email protected], or call 800/422-4556 (U.S. and Canada) or 636/519-9663 (local and international).