Flooring distributors can expect 2014 to be a year of recovery as the winter doldrums continue to melt away, according to the North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors's Executive Trends Index, a benchmarking and forecasting tool for the flooring industry.
The tool showed that weather has been the single greatest factor in driving down distributor sales growth. More than 35 percent of distributors experienced a five-point or larger negative sales growth impact in January. Full-year growth, however, is predicted to increase 8 percent.
Manufacturers surveyed expect the same. About 40 manufacturers responded to the index survey, and their responses leaned optimistic. "[T]hey expect another year of strong sales and profit growth in 2014," the NAFCD reported.
About 50 percent of NAFCD and North American Building Material Distribution Association manufacturers expect to hire more employees over the next 90 days, and 80 percent plan to add distributors in 2014.
