Cikel America, the North American subsidiary of one of the world's largest vertically integrated exotic Brazilian hardwood flooring manufacturers, has entered into a wholesale distribution partnership with Fierst Distributing Co. of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1949, Fierst supplies retailers and contractors with sustainable flooring products in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, parts of eastern Ohio, western New York State and eastern Maryland.

“We liked the idea that Cikel is a vertically integrated organization,” said Fierst Distributing Co.’s Jim Tasillo. “We liked that they offer FSC-certified material. We have put together a product line that includes high-end manufacturers and Cikel’s exotic hardwood flooring filled a void we had in our offerings. We had been looking for an exotic line for quite some time. But we wanted a brand. We didn’t just want to buy containers.”