Karndean Expands Headquarters

EXPORT, PA.—Karndean DesignFlooring has expanded its Export, Pa., headquarters.

“Since breaking ground on the project in late 2014, we have greatly anticipated the day when our vision would become reality,” said Larry Browder, CEO. “I am proud to say that this project has achieved everything we had hoped and more. Thanks to the hard work of everyone who helped in the development and construction of the building, our ability to support the needs of our customers is stronger than ever.”

According to Browder, an expansive new warehouse addition doubles the inventory capabilities of the facility and can meet customer demand across the country within a few days. The redesigned facility features cutting-edge lighting technology, daylight harvesting in the warehouse and flow-through shipping and receiving to streamline operations. An in-house production department employs a skilled team that cuts and packages some products. Fundamental marketing materials, including premium point-of-sale samples, and consumer take home samples also are produced on site.

The project also included a redesigned showroom that features the company’s entire product portfolio, a specifier library for commercial projects and design ideas.

“This showroom has been designed as a value-added service to our retail and commercial partners here in the Pittsburgh area,” said Browder. “It is here as a design resource for them to use with their customers to create beautiful designflooring.”

For more, call (888) 266-4343 or visit karndean.com.

Mohawk Expands Support of Susan G. Komen

CALHOUN, GA.—Mohawk Flooring has expanded its support of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day by placing more than 6,000 pieces of its SmartCushion under the sleeping bags of walkers and crew members in cities across the country.

In this three-day event held in seven cities, walkers cover 60 miles to accomplish one mission: a world without breast cancer. Last year Mohawk provided 800 cushions for the Philadelphia 3-Day; this year soft, durable, eco-friendly SmartCushion will be waiting for weary walkers in all seven cities holding the event. The Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk is a critical fundraising event that has raised $810 million for breast cancer research, education, early detection and treatment since its inception in 2003.

Mohawk encourages its retail partners to become involved as well. “What can you do through our products, or through your business, to help drive breast cancer awareness and support for breast cancer prevention in your own communities?” asked Mohawk’s president, Brian Carson. “If there’s an opportunity for you to help with the cause, I would encourage you to do so.”

Since 2001, Mohawk retailers have raised millions of dollars through Mohawk’s Decorate for the Cure/Specify for the Cure programs, in which Mohawk donates proceeds per square yard of SmartCushion and KaraStep carpet cushion sold to Komen.

For more, call (800) 266-4295 of visit MohawkFlooring.com.

Shaw to Buy USFloors

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Industries Group is buying USFloors to help expand its luxury vinyl tile and hard surfaces business.

USFloors is an innovator and marketer of wood-plastic composite (WPC) flooring in the luxury vinyl tile (LVT) category, as well as cork, bamboo and hardwood products. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter, for an undisclosed amount, after customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

“We are excited to welcome Piet Dossche and the USFloors team to Shaw Industries,” said Vance Bell, Shaw’s chairman and CEO. “Our companies share similar values and focus on innovation, style and design and sustainability leadership. Combining USFloors, the fastest growing company in the fastest growing segment of the flooring business, with Shaw’s LVT position creates a significant opportunity for the combined companies.”

Dossche added, “We are proud and enthusiastic to become part of Shaw Industries and join this team of high quality and dedicated people. Backed by Shaw’s superior service and operational excellence we will be able to expand our leadership position in the WPC segment even faster and solidify our COREtec brand as the global benchmark for this new flooring category.”

For more, call (800) 441-7429 or visit shawinc.com.

FCICA Celebrates Milestone

WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICH.—The Flooring Contractors Association (FCICA) is celebrating its 35th year of promoting and representing the commercial floor covering industry during the 2016/2017 membership year.

“This is an exciting time in the floor covering industry and FCICA is proud to be celebrating 35 years,” said FCICA’s executive vice president, Kim Oderkirk. “FCICA was formed in 1982 by 10 flooring contractors who were workroom only at the time. It is amazing to see how far we have come and I look forward to seeing where we evolve in the future.”

According to Oderkirk, the organization will continue its mission to provide relevant and innovative educational sessions lead by industry leaders as well as member resources. It will extend its webinar offerings to include one free product focused webinar per month beginning in January 2017. Additionally, the Commercial Flooring Tradeshow, taking place March 6, 2017, in San Antonio, Texas, will host four product demonstrations for attendees.

Oderkirk also recognized FCICA members who have been with the organization from the start: Acton Flooring, Consolidated Carpet, Craigs Carpetcraft and Michael Halebian & Co.

For more, call (248)-661-5015 or visit fcica.com.

Virginia Tile Co. Purchases RBC Tile

LIVONIA, MICH.—Virginia Tile Co. has purchased RBC Tile & Stone.

The combination of RBC and Virginia Tile, along with Virginia Tile’s acquisition of ISC Surfaces earlier this year, continues a strategy of geographic expansion and creates a dominant market position as the most important supplier of tile, stone and related products in the Midwest. On a combined basis, Virginia Tile, ISC and RBC will service 14 states or almost 30% of the contiguous U.S.

“We have known RBC for many years and have worked closely with them to secure a number of commercial projects in out-of-market situations,” said William Stephenson Sr., president and CEO of Virginia Tile. “RBC shares many of the same suppliers as Virginia Tile, including Crossville, Caesar, Atlas Concorde, Florim USA, Anatolia and Walker Zanger. Their ‘go-to-market’ strategy is very similar to ours with a particular focus on the commercial side of the business. We look forward to building on the tradition of service and quality that RBC has established over the years.”

For more, call (734) 762-2400 or visit virginiatile.com.

Nemo Tile Joins Forces with Bisazza

NEW YORK CITY—Nemo Tile is now the exclusive distributor of Bisazza tiles in the Northeast, offering the company’s glass mosaics for both interior and exterior applications.

“Coupling Bisazza’s unique product offering with Nemo’s expansive distribution capability will allow for a much wider application of the company’s mosaics in hospitality, contract and residential projects across the country,” said Matthew Karlin, president and CEO of Nemo Tile.

According to Karlin, this new relationship with Bisazza is a natural step for the 95-year-old company as it expands its range of quality surface materials.

For more, call (212) 505-0009 or visit nemotile.com and bisazza.com.

Carpet One Floor & Home Raises $140,000 for FCIF

MANCHESTER, N.H.—The 14th Annual Alan Greenberg Charity Golf Tournament, hosted by CCA Global Partners, raised $140,000 in funds that will support the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF) in its efforts to financially assist those who are, or have been, affiliated with the floor covering industry that have experienced catastrophic illness, severe disability or other life-altering hardship.

Each year, the event draws manufacturers, distributors, retailers, industry trade associations and individuals from within the floor covering industry, along with supporters from related industries. They contribute to the FCIF by participating in the tournament as well as through sponsorships and donations.

For more, call (855) 330-1183 or visit FCIF.org.

Rocha Named Director of Sales for Raskin

BOCA RATON, FLA.—Ted Rocha is the newest director of sales for Raskin Industries.

In this role, Rocha is responsible for expanding sales for the Raskin family of brands which include FloorNation, Elevations Loose Lay and Formations glue down and new waterproof products.

“Rocha brings a great deal of experience and industry knowledge to the Raskin team,” said Michael Raskin, founder and CEO of Raskin. “He will undoubtedly represent Raskin with professionalism and help steer us toward new growth opportunities.”

For more, call (561) 997-6658 or visit raskinind.com.

Metroflor Sponsors Women in Sustainability Awards

NORWALK, CONN.—Metroflor sponsored the Green Building & Design’s Women in Sustainability Leadership Awards (WSLA) during the GreenBuild International Conference and Expo.

“The women that are involved in this program collectively have tremendous resources of the mind and body,” said Rochelle Routman, Metroflor’s chief sustainability officer and chair of the WSLA Alumni Group. “Unleashed, we can make an even bigger positive impact on the world.”

The ultimate goal of the awards is to create a global central hub that identifies and connects the most powerful women at the forefront of sustainability. WSLA looks to recognize and advance these top-level female sustainability executives who can then, in turn, support younger women with dreams of reaching such levels of success.

The WSLA winners making a positive impact on our environment include: Lisa Bate of B+H Architects; Liz York of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention; Mary Tod Winchester of Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks of Earth Friendly Products; Nicole Isle of Glumac; Holley Henderson of H2 Ecodesign; Susan King of Harley Ellis Devereaux; Kathleen Smith of International Living Future Institute; Barbara Deutsch of Landscape Architecture Foundation; Nancy Sutley of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power; Karen Kubick of San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; Barbra Batshalom of Sustainable Performance Institute; Andrea Goertz of Telus; Carolyn Aguilar Dubose of Universidad Iberoamericana and Dominique Hargreaves of United States Green Building Council Los Angeles.

For more, call (888) 235-6672 or visit metroflorusa.com.

Fuse Adds Luminary Award to Membership Recognition Program

PARKER, COLO.—Fuse Alliance’s new Luminary Award acknowledges and celebrates network businesses as well as individual members for exemplary service centered on the community, mentorship, leadership and/or sustainable business practices.

“Our network is made up of the industry’s most well-respected businesses in the flooring industry and our members deserve to be recognized for their leadership and contribution,” said Geoff Gordon, executive director of Fuse. “The Luminary Award puts the focus on those standout network members that are true leaders and who are setting important business examples.”

Open to network members only, businesses and members are first nominated by network peers and colleagues then reviewed and vetted by the network’s leadership team to determine final award recipients. Members or member businesses are nominated based on exemplary participation in any of the four official categories: Making A Difference in the Community; Mentoring The Next Generation of Leaders, Leading Business Into The Future, and Creating a Sustainable Workplace. Winners will be announced at the network’s annual conference.

For more, call (888) 586-1198 or visit fusealliance.com

Shaw Wins Gold Award for Best Website Design & Marketing Strategy

DALTON—Shaw Floors is the recipient of named the recipient of the Hanley Wood Brand Builder Gold Award for Best Website Design & Marketing Strategy.

The Brand Builder Awards recognize the most innovative and effective marketing campaigns throughout the residential and commercial design and construction industries. Companies selected for recognition have executed campaigns that generate sales, motivate buying behavior and inspire customer loyalty. More than 70 companies submitted entries in 10 categories, ranging from traditional advertising campaigns to social and mobile marketing strategies to channel marketing programs.

“We’re honored to win this prestigious award. Our team has worked extremely hard to create and maintain the very best Web presence possible in order to attract and inform consumers about our products and services,” said Misty Hodge, Shaw’s director of digital platforms. “She added, “We were determined to create not only the best site in the flooring industry, but a world-class site that compares to prominent brands throughout the world, and I believe that earning multiple awards for ShawFloors.com demonstrates we achieved our objective.”

Peter Goldstone, CEO of Hanley Wood, added, “[Shaw’s] fresh marketing approach, and the effectiveness of their work, distinguished them as a leader in their category and offered great insight into the leadership and innovation within their company.”

For more, call (800) 441-7429 or visit shawinc.com.

J+J Flooring Partners with The Center for Health Design

DALTON—J+J Flooring has announced a partnership with The Center for Health Design. The partnership includes the creation of a web-based toolbox dedicated specifically to the topic of senior living facility design. It will focus on two critical topics: long term care facilities and aging in place (universal design).

The Design for Aging Toolbox is aimed at helping facility designers and medical professionals understand and implement the best possible solutions to support the challenges the increase of the senior population brings to healthcare environments.

The new Design for Aging Toolbox will be developed and released in phases. The complete toolbox will be released by April 1, 2017, according to the company, and will remain available to the public through Dec. 31, 2017.

For more, call (800) 241-4586 or visit jjflooringgroup.com.

WarmlyYours Named Partner to FEI Group Divisions

LAKE ZURICH, ILL.—WarmlyYours Radiant Heating is now partner to all FEI group divisions.

FEI Group, the nation’s largest network of interior finish contractors and industry showrooms, is made up of four divisions, including Home Solutions by FloorExpo and MultiFamily Solutions by FloorExpo, which WarmlyYours has been a supply partner for previously.

Among other services, such as marketing assistance and online training, FEI Group offers its members access to exclusive supply programs from various partners. With the addition of WarmlyYours to the list of vendors, KBx and K&BA members will have even greater access to affordable electric floor heating systems and décor-enhancing radiant heating products like stainless steel towel warmers, sleek infrared radiant panels and discrete mirror defoggers.

The wide array of radiant heating products was just one of many reasons that led to the selection of WarmlyYours as a supply partner for all divisions of FEI Group, said the head of the group’s K&BA division, Eddie Schukar.

“Radiant heating is one of the many valuable options that our members can take advantage of in order to increase their sales,” said Schukar. “In this competitive marketplace, our members need to have access to solutions for customer problems that are practical, affordable and compelling—all things that the WarmlyYours product-line consistently delivers.”

For more, visit: (800) 875-5285 warmlyyours.com.

Voluntary Product Stewardship Program Extended

DALTON—The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) and the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has extended its voluntary product stewardship (VPS) program.

The VPS program is market-based and designed to accept and manage all applicable post-consumer carpet, regardless of polymer type or primary materials or construction. The program will provide financial assistance to qualified U.S. sorters who divert post-consumer carpet.

“CRI is pleased to continue to offer financial support for the VPS Program,” said Dan Frierson, chairman of CRI’s board. “Our members are participating voluntarily as part of our government relations activities, and have committed $4.0 million for the program’s third year. The VPS program will serve as a bridge for sorters as new technologies and applications are developed to increase market driven demand for all post-consumer carpet.”

CARE will act as the stewardship organization for the VPS program. Since 2002, CARE members have diverted more than 4.2 billion pounds of carpet from U.S. landfills.

“The VPS program has been a key step in our mission to divert more carpet from U.S. landfills,” said Brendan McSheehy, CARE’s chairman. “Sorters may use funds from the program to partner with their customers to divert carpet and recycle carpet back into useful consumer products, such as recycled carpet fiber, carpet cushion, broadloom, carpet tiles and a wide range of plastic products.”

For more, call (706) 278-3176 or visit carpet-rug.org.

Clementz Named CFO of Kährs Group

Malmö, Sweden—Torbjörn Clementz has been named CFO of Kährs Group.

Torbjörn Clementz was most recently employed at the energy technology group One Nordic AB. Prior to that he was CFO and executive vice president of the listed steel service company BE Group and has also held leadership positions at Peab and the Perstorp Group.

Torbjörn Clementz will be part of group management and will succeed Jonas Bäck, who will take up a different post at Kährs.

For more, call (800) 800-5247 or visit kahrsgroup.com.