The sense of urgency seen these
days in the flooring business may make this year’s meeting the most important
Surfaces ever. A great many flooring dealers traveling to the show were hit
hard last year by the ripple of a lousy housing market. They’ve come to Las
Vegas in search of solutions, fresh ideas and maybe a little encouragement.
Given the show’s deep roots in our industry and the major improvements added
this year, they have most certainly come to the right place.
Let’s
begin with a major addition to Surfaces that we are very excited about: The New
Product Pavilion.NFT,together with our sister publicationsFloor Covering InstallerandTILE,is
sponsoring this new exhibit as a way to generate exposure for products making
their debut at Surfaces this year. It will be included in a 3,500 sq. ft. area
adjacent to the Hall G entrance.NFT, FCIandTILEwill also sponsor Pavilions for Decorative Concrete and Hand-Crafted Tile
elsewhere on the show floor.
Appropriately
enough, the New Product showcase area we are sponsoring is also where you will
find our main exhibit. (Stop by and say hello). We wanted to be situated there
because we feel it’s in keeping with our commitment to the flooring industry
and a reflection of our editorial mission.NFThas long
advocated that flooring is, above all else, a fashion business. As we see it,
it’s not just about trying to sell flooring. The goal is to help people achieve
the home of their dreams. The surest way to drive sales is to evoke passion;
and the best way to do that is to break new ground and offer the consumer new
and exciting options-something they have not seen before. Many of the products
found in these new pavilions will enable dealers to do just that.
Our
decision to increase our commitment to Surfaces and expand our presence at the
show is also in keeping with the advice coming these days from all corners of
the flooring business. Regardless of what segment of the business you work in,
industry veterans caution that this is not the time for retreat. Certainly, we
are all working in a challenging environment, but we keep hearing that now is
the time to pick up the pace and leverage your key strengths. We have always
seen our long-standing commitment to Surfaces as a key reason NFT is the leader
among publications in the flooring business. If we are going to urge our
readers to be assertive and invest in marketing during time of challenge, we
thought it might be a good idea to follow our own advice.
Of
course, in addition to the three new product areas debuting this year, we will
continue our other areas of participation at Surfaces. Once again we are asking
for your help selecting new flooring entries that merit our coveted Styling
Excellence Award. Showgoers can pick up a ballot at our exhibit (or visit our
website www.nftfloortrends.com) and vote for their favorite entry in several
categories (Those casting a vote will be eligible to win some nice prizes).
Another
high profile event at Surfaces that we are once again very proud to be involved
with is the Installation Showcase. In good times and bad, the shortage of top
notch installers remains a thorn in the side of the flooring industry. This is why experts like our Tile
and Stone columnist Dave Gobis share their vast knowledge through demos on the
show floor. As is the case with a number of our contributors, Dave will also be
presenting an educational seminar during the show. Our columnists Sam Allman,
Warren Tyler and Dave Stafford will also be leading their own sessions as well.
So, if
you are reading this while in Las Vegas for the show, take a good look around.
Everywhere you turn, whether it’s on the show floor, the New Product Pavilion or one of the meeting
rooms, you will find a bounty of resources that can make the difference this
year. And let’s not forget one of the biggest reasons people come to Las Vegas.
There is an unmistakable sense of camaraderie that comes when people gather
with a shared purpose. Surfaces reminds us that we are all rowing in the same
boat. That’s important to remember; particularly when the water gets
choppy.