In a move that combines the resources of hardwood flooring’s top two trade groups, the National Wood Flooring Association has absorbed the Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association, (NOFMA). Ed Korczak, executive director and CEO of the 4,000-member NWFA, will oversee the newly expanded St. Louis-based organization. He noted that NOFMA, which was founded nearly 100 years ago and was based in Memphis, Tenn., has been officially dissolved as a corporate entity. The group’s certification program will retain the NOFMA name and be continued under the direction of the NWFA, he added.

“It became clear that we were singing the same hymns, so we decided why not use the same hymn book,” Korczak toldNFT,in explaining the reasons for the move. “This is good for the [hardwood flooring] industry because it gives us one solid voice. We can expand our marketing and include many more companies in the certification program.”  

Korczak noted the certification program stands to be greatly expanded from the 16 companies that were members of NOFMA to include more than 300 manufacturing companies that belong to NFWA. Each will now be eligible to receive the NOFMA seal on hardwood product that meets certain rules and standards   

More than 50 manufacturer representatives were in attendance at NWFA headquarters on Dec. 16 when a formal agreement was signed by NWFA chairman, Ken Schumacher, and NOFMA president, Bob Haggard. NWFA plans a press conference some time during Surfaces to further discuss the new arrangement.    

Korczak added that NOFMA grading standards will remain intact and now will be monitored by the NWFA. “NOFMA’s staff will continue to conduct plant inspections as they always have, but will now do so as NWFA employees,” stated Korczak.  “NOFMA developed these standards and has done an outstanding job maintaining them, so we want to present continuity for those manufacturers that have come to rely on these standards in their grading processes.”