Surfaces 2011 to Begin Monday
Expectations for Surfaces 2011, which will take place Jan. 24-27 at its new venue-Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Convention Center-are different this year as prognosticators eye 2011 for a rebound in residential building. The NWFA will be present at Surfaces, both on the expo floor at booth S2138, which it will share with Hardwood Floors, and at various seminars held at the convention center and the NWFA's new training facility just six miles away.
Here is a list of wood-flooring-related events:
- Jan. 24, 9 a.m.-noon, Lagoon B at Mandalay Bay Convention Center
"Understanding and Ending Moisture-Related Flooring Problems"
Presenter: Peter Craig - Jan. 24, 9 a.m.-noon, NWFA's training facility at 6165 Annie Oakley Drive
"How to Compete When You Can't Compete on Price"
Presenter: Ed Rigsbee - Jan. 25, 4-5:30 p.m., Lagoon H at Mandalay Bay Convention Center
"Common Causes and Corrections for Installation Failures"
Presenters: Don Conner, Jon Namba, Gerald Sloan and Jim Walker - Jan. 26, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., NWFA's training facility at 6165 Annie Oakley Drive
"Factory Finish Installation Overview Demo/Hands-on"
Presenters: Don Conner and Rusty Swindoll - Jan. 26, noon-1 p.m., Lagoon F at Mandalay Bay Convention Center
"Membrane Solutions for Crack Isolation and Sound Control"
Presenter: Neil McMurdie - Jan. 26, 4-5:30 p.m., Lagoon J at Mandalay Bay Convention Center
"State of the Industry Panel"
Presenters: Ed Korczak, Bart Bettiga, Werner Braun, Christopher Davis, Bill Dearing and Dean Thompson - Jan. 26, 4-5:30 p.m., Lagoon H at Mandalay Bay Convention Center
"Proper Substrate Preparation for Hardwood, Bamboo & Laminate"
Presenter: Jon Namba
For information on attending events hosted by NWFA at its Las Vegas training facility, contact Penny Erb at [email protected]. The association's Las Vegas training center is located at 6165 Annie Oakley Drive.
Basic registration for Surfaces 2011 is $35 and includes access to all three days on the show floor and all on-floor education/demonstrations. A special registration of $125 is required for additional access to all Surfaces and StonExpo workshops, seminars and mini sessions. All the seminars offered at Surfaces 2011 can be researched here.
This year's Opening General Session, which will take place Jan. 25, from 8:30 to 10 a.m., will feature best-selling author Aron Ralston. Ralston is best known as the mountain climber who in 2003, after being pinned by a boulder, was forced to amputate his own lower right arm to free himself. Ralston will discuss perseverance and achievement in this fluctuating economy.
Lamipro to Launch Wood Flooring at Surfaces
Laminate flooring manufacturer Lamipro (Novato, Calif.) will launch an engineered wood flooring brand, Woodpro.US, at Surfaces 2011, which will begin Monday; the brand will operate in Dalton, Ga. Together, the brand's leaders-Martine Van Hulle, CEO; Jeffery Goeman, president; Pete Ciganovich, COO; and Gordon Lundee, executive vice president-have more than 165 years of experience in the flooring industry. Woodpro.US will deliver its products both via distributors and directly to dealers; the brand is eyeing retail through big box stores, too, but is not there "as yet," according to Ciganovich. Lamipro and Woodpro.US will be located in booth S5911 at Surfaces. For more information, contact Ciganovich at 888/262-3396.
New Products, Innovations Presented at Domotex
The majority of this year's Domotex attendees consisted of retail and wholesale buyers, with a healthy dose-about 20 percent-of flooring installers, too.
"The message is clear: Business is back up again, thanks largely to the momentum generated by new trends and innovations," said Stephan Ph. KĂĽhne, member of the Deutsche Messe managing board, organizers of Domotex, in a release. "The high level of interest demonstrated by our visitors and the readiness to invest among the wholesale/retail sector, as well as among interior decorators, designers and architects, has resulted in a highly successful Domotex 2011."
Domotex organizers next prepare for Domotex Asia/Chinafloor, which will take place March 22-24 in Shanghai; Domotex Middle East will run Sept. 12-14 in Dubai.
BR-111 Partners with Bona
Bona Global (Sweden) is now the exclusive UV coating supplier to exotic wood flooring brand BR-111 (Miami, Fla.). Bona will also supply BR-111 with its full range of wood floor installation and maintenance products. All flooring from BR-111 will now feature Bona's UV finish, and maintenance products from Bona will be available for purchase through BR-111 directly. The two partnering companies will co-host a Surfaces 2011 private party Jan. 26 at Las Vegas' nightclub LAVO. To attend, you must be an active BR-111 Exclusive Dealer and you must have ordered the BR-111 Update Kit. All qualifying dealers will receive two tickets to the party and should RSVP via Joanne Gibbs at [email protected]. All qualifying dealers should visit Bona at booth S4242 on Jan. 25 or the day of the event to retrieve their event tickets.
Distributor News
Garco Clear Finishes (North Brunswick, N.J.) has added the following distributors: Sunshine Hardwood Supply (Bridgeport, Conn.), Pro Floor Supply (Seattle) and Infinity Hardwoods (Phoenix).
People News
Prolinea LLC (Cincinnati) has named Randy Hambright national sales manager. Hambright, who has more than 30 years of experience in the flooring industry, will work to increase business with Prolinea's current customers and further develop its distribution network for its residential solid hardwood flooring offerings.
Michelman (Cincinnati), manufacturer of concrete, wood and floor coatings, has named Michael Kramer chemical specialties research and development manager. Kramer earned a Ph.D. in Polymer Science from the University of Southern Mississippi and has more than 15 years of experience in the specialty chemical industry. He will be based at Michelman's headquarters and will oversee global chemical research and development activities, including project and technology leadership, technical service, and laboratory management; he will also serve on the company's technology leadership team.
By the Numbers
Residential Construction Remains Low
Single-family, privately owned housing starts in December were at an annual rate of 417,000 units, 9 percent below the revised November figure of 458,000, according to the index of builder confidence for January, which is unchanged from sentiments in December.
"It remains to be seen if the availability of financing for new construction and existing viable projects will improve in order to make building feasible and facilitate a housing and economic recovery," said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen.
Builder Confidence Unchanged in January
Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes is unchanged at 16 for a third consecutive month, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen attributed the result to a severe lack of construction financing and widespread difficulties in obtaining accurate appraisal values. These limitations are hurting builders' ability to prepare for anticipated market improvements in 2011, Nielsen added.
"At this point, housing remains on the sidelines of a weak economic recovery as consumers and builders wait for clear and consistent indications that jobs and economic output are reviving," said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. "Meanwhile, the problems that builders continue to confront in obtaining production financing, and in maintaining performing lines of credit, threaten to significantly slow the onset of a housing recovery."
The HMI comprises three components, and two of the three remained unchanged from December: the component gauging current sales conditions (which remained at 16) and the component gauging sales expectations in the next six months (which was flat at 25). The component gauging traffic of prospective buyers crept upward a single point to 12. Scores from each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.
Mark Your Calendar
The Northwest Market and Trade Show will be held March 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lynnwood Convention Center in Lynnwood, Wash.; the event is being presented by the Washington State Floor Covering Association (WSFCA). The show is open to designers, architects, builders and everyone in the floor covering industry. There will be approximately 70 vendors exhibiting new flooring and other interior finishing products, and vendor demonstrations will be held throughout the day; one attendee will win an iPad. Three seminars will also be offered: "Color Pulse 2012," "Healthy Indoor Air Quality by Design" and "Are You Still Using 8-track Marketing in an iTunes World?" An all-day pass costs $25 if registered by March 2; the cost increases to $50 after that date. CEUs are available, and lunch will be provided. For more information, visit www.wsfca.org or e-mail WSFCA Executive Director Debbie Tott at [email protected].
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NWFA Member Services
Booth sales are currently underway for the NWFA's 2011 Wood Flooring Expo in San Diego, to be held April 26-29. This year's Expo offers real value to exhibitors by amassing one of the largest wood flooring audiences in one place at one time. If you have a new product to introduce to the industry, or just want to reconnect with loyal customers, this is the place and time to do it. Space is limited, so reserve yours today by visiting www.nwfa.org and clicking on the "Convention & Expo" link.
