The Floor Covering Leadership Council, an organization of 13 flooring associations, will seek industry support to commission a research initiative for $150,000 about the shortage of flooring installers across the country.
FCLC members have already contributed $50,000 for the study, which the group hopes will uncover the root cause of the installer shortage. Although flooring-industry-specific data is scarce, the National Association of Home Builders said more than eight out of 10 single-family builders identified cost/availability of labor as the most significant issue they face.
The research, led by The Blackstone Group in Chicago, will include reaching out to a broad range of stakeholders across the flooring industry to ensure all issues and solutions are identified. Key objectives are an examination of evidence for gaps between the supply of and demand for floor covering installers, as well as a greater understanding of the financial consequences of the installation shortage on industry participants.
The FCLC believes the completed study will allow pursuit of a long-term resolution.
The FCLC is looking for industry sponsors of the research study. Sponsorships are available as follows: Platinum, $20,000 or more; Gold, $10,000; Silver, $5,000; and Bronze, $2,500.
