Florida Tile’s Franceschelli Elected President of TCNA

LEXINGTON, KY.—Florida Tile’s CEO, Michael Franceschelli, has been elected to a two-year term as president of the Tile Council of North America (TCNA).

In the years since joining the tile industry, Franceschelli has taken an active role in TCNA, serving four years as second vice president before accepting his current post.

“Developing a TCNA ‘Why Tile’ program to educate consumers and the industry on the many benefits of tile is high on my list of priorities,” Franceschelli said. “It’s important to lead this charge of informing the public and training our industry professionals in order to make a positive impact in the flooring market.”

For more, call (859) 219-5200 or visit floridatile.com. 

Crossville Named 2017 Exclusive Tile Provider for R.I.S.E. Program

CROSSVILLE, TENN.—Crossville has committed to be the exclusive tile supplier for the for Gary Sinise Foundation’s Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment (R.I.S.E.) program for the 2017 calendar year.

The R.I.S.E. program provides specially adapted, custom smart homes to ease the everyday burdens of severely wounded veterans and their families and caregivers.

In its support of the program, Crossville is opening its full catalog of products for selection for the homes that will be built in the coming year.

“Each veteran’s needs and style are unique, making the design requirements for every residence unique, as well,” said Lindsey Waldrep, Crossville’s vice president of marketing. “That’s why we put no limit on the choices available to veterans and the designers or specifiers who may be involved in product selection. Our portfolio offers a wide array of solutions that will help to ensure these honored veterans have homes that are beautiful—and practical—for everyday living.”

Approximately 12 homes are anticipated to be built in 2017, according to the foundation.

“So many pieces go into the building these forever homes and we thank the great people at Crossville for stepping up as our exclusive tile supplier. Building these homes the right way means using top quality products like Crossville offers and we couldn’t be more pleased to have them on board,” said Sinise.

For more, call (931) 484-2110 or visit crossvilleinc.com.

Shaw Strengthens STEM/STEAM Partnerships

DALTON—Shaw Industries has enhanced its STEM/STEAM educational partnerships with new and expanded relationships.

Through these and other ongoing educational partnerships, Shaw is showcasing to students from elementary school to college the rewarding careers available within the manufacturing field through an increased focus on science, technology, engineering, math and arts.

“Manufacturing offers a wide variety of career options—from designers to data analysts, marketing to maintenance,” said Brian Cooksey, director of operations training and development at Shaw. “Our educational partnerships allow students to find their passions and to see how they might apply those interests and skills in their future careers. We’re helping develop the workforce of the future and providing students in the regions where we operate the opportunity to expand their horizons in ways they may not have previously considered.”

Shaw’s new dynamic and expanding educational partnerships include an after-school STEAM program at City Park Elementary School in Dalton; a mentorship program for students in the 11th and 12th grades created in partnership with the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy and WiN, a program created to support the development of leaders at Shaw through resources and opportunities that help women drive successful careers.

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

MIA+BSI Names Winner of First-Ever Women in Stone Empowerment Scholarship

OBERLIN, OHIO—The Marble Institute of America (MIA)+Building Stone Institute’s (BSI) Women in Stone awarded its first-ever Women in Stone Empowerment Scholarship to Jessica Lussier of Granit Design.

The Women in Stone Empowerment Scholarship was created to help women gain a better understanding of different sectors of the industry.

“The Empowerment Scholarship is designed to provide an opportunity that otherwise may not be accessible to women in the industry,” said Kim Dumais, Women in Stone co-chair. “The scholarship offers a unique opportunity to be personally guided, mentored, and exposed to all aspects of our industry.”

As the winner of the scholarship, Lussier, will receive an all-expense paid trip to The International Surface Event 2017, where she will shadow industry professionals and participate in education sessions and networking events, including the MIA+BSI Awards Luncheon.

“I’m extremely grateful and plan to make the most of this opportunity and share my experience with my colleagues,” she said. “Continuous growth is extremely important in this industry and Women in Stone is giving me a great opportunity to do so. This is the perfect opportunity for a go-getter, which is what the women in the stone industry are.”

For more, call (440) 250-9222 or visit naturalstoneinstitute.org/womeninstone.

J+J Flooring Recertified as ZWL Manufacturer by GreenCircle

DALTON—J+J Flooring Group has been recertified as a Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWL) manufacturer by GreenCircle Certified, a third-party certifier of environmental claims.

GreenCircle’s certification covers J+J’s waste diversion at its Dalton corporate campus, which includes both its manufacturing and administrative offices totaling 950,000 square feet. In addition to industrial and manufacturing waste, the company diverts waste from all bathrooms, break areas, offices, conference rooms and design studios.

J+J Flooring was originally certified by GreenCircle as a ZWL manufacturer in 2015.

“We see the benefits to this significant achievement every single day,” said Russ Delozier, J+J Flooring’s director of sustainability. “Going zero waste to landfill is generating financial and environmental benefits. It’s also a point of pride with our associates and customers. We are more energized than ever to continue on our path to being an environmental leader in both the industry and the community.”

By diverting 5.2 million pounds (2,600 tons) of waste from landfill, which J+J Flooring accomplished during the 2015-2015 audit time period, the company achieved the equivalent of producing enough electricity to power 1,492 homes for a month or reducing the need of 109,200 gallons of fuel oil.

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

CarpetsPlus Colortile Holds Annual Buying Committee

CHATTANOOGA, TENN.—CarpetsPlus Colortile recently held its third annual Buying Committee Meeting in Chattanooga, Tenn. The committee acts as an advisory council working side by side with executive management to cast the vision and forge the path forward for the group into 2017.

Ten member stores were in attendance this year with twelve total representatives from those stores.

“I feel the representation of this year’s committee was very diverse,” said Missy Montgomery of Montgomery’s CarpetsPlus in Venice, Fla. “We did a good job of representing everyone from the smallest of companies to the largest and I believe the decisions made will benefit all.”

Four main objectives were presented on to begin the event. Key action items included roll and pallet stocking program strategies as well as product and merchandising plans for 2017.

As in years past, select suppliers presented their latest introductions, answered questions and discussed plans for the future.

The group reviewed new products and special buys as well as discussed 2017 strategies as the suppliers presented their products. Their last day was spent discussing and reviewing new 2017 proposed merchandising. They saw carpet and hard surface displays and provided excellent feedback for display improvements.

“When you come here, you’re seeing things that are coming down the road,” said member Stacey Pape, owner of SP Floors in Pittsburgh. “We got to see what’s new and what’s fresh as well as the top five sellers currently throughout the country and in our region.”

For more, visit carpetspluscolortile.com.

Flooring Companies Join Forces to Form Multilayer Flooring Association

CALHOUN, GA.— Seven of North America’s flooring companies have come together to form the Multilayer Flooring Association (MFA) to serve the North American floorcovering industry.

The companies that make up MFA are: Metroflor, Armstrong Flooring, US Flooring, Torlys, Novalis, Mannington and CFL.

Introduced in 2012, polymer composite rigid-core floor products have seen growth across the industry. Consumers, purchasers and specifiers expect a discernible set of standards for this new category and because these new multilayer floors do not properly fit into existing resilient or laminate standards, there is a need for a new industry association to define the quality and performance standards to sustain its future, according to the founding flooring companies. The goal of the association is to enable a stronger and better controlled hybrid flooring category for the benefit of all stakeholders.

MFA’s initial board is: Harlan Stone, Halstead International/Metroflor, president; Barron Frith, CFL, vice president; Mark Hansen, Novalis Innovative Floors, treasurer; Jamey Block, Armstrong Flooring, secretary; Philippe Erramuzpe, USFloors, membership chairperson; Peter Barretto, Torlys, marketing chairperson and Jimmy Tuley, Mannington Mills, member at large.

MFA’s next meeting will be held in January at The International Surface Event 2017 in Las Vegas.

For more, call (706) 624-6586 or visit multilayerflooringassociation.com.

Carpet One Provides Flooring for Vet Homes

MANCHESTER, N.H.—Carpet One Floor & Home continues to support the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers’ Building for America’s Bravest program in its effort to build specially-adapted “smart homes” for catastrophically injured service members.

Building for America’s Bravest was developed with the goal of offering America’s returning heroes the opportunity to live better, more independent lives.

Each smart home is built to be energy efficient, automated and easily accessible, with customized features to suit the needs of the individual recipient. For three years, Carpet One has provided the flooring installation for every smart home built, while partner company Mohawk Industries has provided the floors.

Across the nation, Carpet One stores have come together with other local businesses to help build smart homes for catastrophically-injured heroes returning home to their communities. To date, the company has provided the flooring and installation for 26 smart homes, with five currently in progress. Together with Mohawk, its three-year commitment to the construction of smart homes will total $2.3 million dollars in contributions, according to the company.

In additional to hands-on support, the flooring retailer continues to raise funds and awareness at the local level through in-store initiatives and at the national level through public relations and marketing efforts. Most recently, Carpet One participated in the 15th annual Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk in New York City, raising more than $100,000 for Tunnel to Towers’ mission, which is to honor and support first responders and the military.

Customers are also offered the opportunity to support the worthy cause, with donations of any denomination welcomed at local Carpet One stores across the nation.

For more, visit CarpetOne.com/our-bravest.

ISSA and ARCSI to Merge

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—The memberships of ISSA and the Association of Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI) voted to approve the resolution to merge.

Effective Jan. 1, 2017, ARCSI will be officially known as “ARCSI, A Division of ISSA.”

“Drawing on ISSA’s resources, we will be able to grow our membership and provide wider options for education programming. We are also poised to drive the message to consumers of the benefits of using a professional residential cleaning company and, with the support of ISSA, we can bring that to fruition,” said Ernie Hartong, CEO of ARCSI.

Under terms of the agreement, ARCSI members will retain their ARCSI memberships, but those memberships will expand to include global ISSA membership and benefits. Now finalized, ARCSI members will have access to ISSA member benefits, including expanded educational opportunities, market exposure, networking opportunities, business tools and data, and other industry information.

“The line between commercial and residential cleaning has grown closer in recent years and the merger of ISSA and ARCSI is yet another move toward creating one strong, unified industry,” said John Barrett, executive director of ISSA.

For more, call (800) 225-4772 or visit issa.com.

Carrfields Names Eliason Managing Director, North America

ASHBURTON, NEW ZEALAND—Krista Eliason is the new managing director of Carrfields Primary Wool North America.

In this newly created position, Eliason will manage the projected growth into this market. Already underway is a joint venture with Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, according to the company.

Eliason comes to her new role with a rich background in the industry. She started out working within the industry as advertising and marketing manager for Wools of New Zealand in the late 1990s.

“Krista has been a passionate supporter of our wool cooperatives and the growers of New Zealand for many years,” said Craig Carr, director of Carrfield New Zealand. “As we look to expand our footprint in North America, we are very excited to bring Krista to the helm. She brings such a wealth of knowledge, creative ideas and an amazing track record of leadership to her new role with us, and we’re very excited about future projects and products that will come out of this.”

Most recently, Eliason served as president of International Design Guild (IDG), the luxury division of CCA Global Partners. She joined IDG in 1999, where she focused on differentiating the groups luxury position within the interiors community. In addition, Eliason partnered with celebrity designer and social entrepreneur Mark Brunetz to launch Design for a Difference (DFAD); a cause-related marketing initiative that brings socially-conscious showrooms together with interior designers and other businesses to makeover spaces at local charities.

Eliason, among other key leaders in the North American wool market, have established the North American Wool Alliance. This organization will work in coordination with The Campaign for Wool, growers, manufacturers, importers, retailers, trade showrooms, designers, spinners and lovers of renewable products to educate, network and market wool in North American venues.

For more, visit cpwool.co.nz.

Modulyss Opens First U.S. Showroom

NEW YORK—Belgian-based carpet tile manufacturer, modulyss, has opened its first U.S. showroom in New York.

The showroom, which the company shares with its colleagues of the Balta Rugs division, is located in the Textile Building at Fifth Avenue.

The past six years, modulyss has been active in the U.S. through an agency in New York. In order to service and penetrate the U.S. market deeper, modulyss has recently started its own division in the offices of Balta US in Dalton.

Additionally, in order to meet the rapid growth of the company’s U.S. division, a quick ship program has recently been set up, that houses three collections in Dalton.

For more, call (706) 278-8008 or visit modulyss.com.

Philadelphia Commercial Donates Flooring to Florida Special Needs School

DALTON—Philadelphia Commercial, a subsidiary of Shaw Industries, donated carpet tile, resilient flooring and wall tiles to renovate two rooms of the Neva King Cooper Educational Center, a special needs school in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system that offers programs designed to provide educational services for students with severe intellectual disabilities, ages 3 to 22.

The project, which was featured on an episode of Designing Spaces, was hosted by interior designer Kalyn Rothaus. For the school’s sensory room, a space designed to help calm anxious students and stimulate nonresponsive ones, Rothaus chose Philadelphia Commercial’s Multiplicity, a carpet tile she had installed in a patchwork design in various colors. For the home economics room, an area that includes kitchen appliances, a luxury vinyl plank style, In the Grain, was selected, as well as ceramic wall tile.

“We recognize that well-designed education spaces can improve a student’s performance and well-being,” said Quentin Quathamer, commercial brand and marketing manager for Philadelphia Commercial. “We’re delighted and honored that Philadelphia Commercial can contribute to a healthy and beneficial learning environment. It’s a great way for us to give back to the communities we serve.”

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

City Floor Supply Celebrates Office Grand Opening of New Headquarters

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA.—Seventeen months after a fire leveled City Floor Supply’s headquarters, the company recently celebrated the official grand opening of its new headquarters in King of Prussia, Pa.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to officially kick off the festivities, as more than 100 vendors, customers and friends gathered to celebrate. Mike Glavin, founder of the company, took the opportunity to thank everyone in attendance for their unwavering support since the fire.

“We’re so grateful to have had the support of our vendors, customers and employees in developing this facility,” he said. “Moving to this new location has securely positioned City Floor Supply and our subsidiaries for continued growth well into the future.”

Guests toured the company’s new headquarters which features a warehouse and distribution center, contractor pro shop, hardwood floor machine repair shop, administrative offices and a hardwood floor showroom. The highlight of the event was the screening of a documentary which chronicled the company’s journey back from the fire of 2015 up to this point.

For more, call (610) 940-5757 or visit cityfloorsupply.com.

Record Attendance Reported at NAFCD+NBMDA Annual Convention

CHICAGO—The North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD) and North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA) reported record attendance at the NAFCD+NBMDA Annual Convention in Chicago.

In its seventh year, 940 distribution professionals throughout floor covering, specialty building material, cabinetry and woodworking industries attended the convention.

An enhancement to this year’s event included the partner pavilion, which featured seven experts who are top in their field and provided attendees with valuable ideas, insights and best practices in their individual areas of expertise. During one-on-one 15-minute consultations in the pavilion over two days of the event, the consultations covered the following topics: economic resources and forecasting; marketing strategy and digital content; attracting entry level personnel and managing millennials; transportation and freight management; family business management; human resource management and social media best practices.

NAFCD and NBMDA also developed a matching program for first-time exhibitors. They facilitated connections for new exhibitors with a number of their top distributor targets. This program improved first-time exhibitors’ introduction to the association and event.

Distribution Management University (DMU), held in conjunction with the convention, was an interactive workshop where distribution managers learned proven techniques and tools to build relationships and enhance their personal brand.

“Enhancements to this year’s event not only improved the attendee experience, education and networking, but it contributed to the overall success of the event,” said Kevin Gammonley, NAFCD and NBMDA’s executive vice president. “We received positive feedback and, as always, are excited to help attendees expand their network and grow their business here [at] the Annual Convention.”

For more, call (800) 383-3091 or visit nafcd.org.