FIANA Announces Decision to Dissolve

By Michael Chmielecki, Senior Editor

Members of the Floor Installation Association of North America  (FIANA), which just celebrated its 20^th anniversary (editor’s note, see the November issue of Floor Trends), have voted to dissolve the association no later than the end of this year. In its decision, the group cited accomplishment of its primary mission “to legitimize, enhance and improve the overall image and professionalism of the floor covering installation segment”as distributors and manufacturers of installation supplies products.

“This is a very appropriate move at the right time,” stated Doug Ray, FIANA’s president and CEO. “Our board has made a courageous recommendation and membership overwhelmingly concurs. Much has changed in these past 20 years. The association is currently in a strong position yet understands the need to not rest on its laurels but to look forward to the new challenges of the industry.”

Reached by phone, Ray told Floor Trends, “FIANA accomplished everything it wanted to. When FIANA first started the industry was very different. No one paid attention to installation supplies, and we promoted professionalism and put a lot of importance and focus on that segment of the industry. That was our essential goal, and we accomplished it. We don’t want to sit back now and just be a social club, nor do we want to try and reinvent ourselves and look for a new mission. It’s time to move on, and everybody is leaving with their heads held high.”

Ray noted he was extremely proud of the association and what it has accomplished. “We did a lot of soul-searching, and realized this was the right thing to do. Whatever our final decision, we wanted to be sure to end FIANA on positive terms, not because we were forced out due to a financial situation or lack of membership. Neither of those things are the case, and the membership overwhelmingly agreed with our choice.”

He commented that with installation supply distributor companies expanding their influence through acquisitions and mergers, the need for an industry association focused solely on that segment becomes diminished. “When companies start getting that big, the synergy changes. They can speak for the supplies industry on an individual basis. These larger, multi-faceted companies are very capable of continuing emphasis on the importance and vitality of the supplies portion of the flooring business.”

Ray said he spoke with past presidents Jim Lee and Gary Verhey about the decision to end FIANA. “The era of FIANA may have ended, but the friendships we have all made in this industry sure haven’t. I hope to always stay connected with the flooring industry because it remains a major part of my life. It’s bittersweet, but it’s time.”

Tarkett to Acquire Desso

Chargrin Falls, Ohio—Tarkett has reached an agreement with Bencis Capital Partners and minority investors to acquire 100% of Netherlands-based Desso. The transaction is expected to be concluded at the end of this year.

For more, call (800) 367-8275 or visit tarkett.com.

BNP Announces Changes to Flooring Group

Troy, Mich.—In its continuing efforts to provide the best educational and most in-depth coverage of the floor covering industry, BNP Media has announced the following changes and additions to its flooring group of brands—Floor Trends, Floor Covering Installer (FCI) and TalkFloor.

Matthew Spieler, editor of Floor Trends, has been promoted to editorial director of the Flooring Group. The 21-year industry veteran will maintain his responsibilities as Floor Trends’ editor.

Michael Chmielecki has been promoted to senior editor of Floor Trends.A veteran of the flooring industry for a dozen years, he will continue as editor of FCI.

Cristina Toscano has joined the Flooring Group as associate editor and will use her talents to help all three flooring brands. She comes to the Flooring Group after serving as managing editor of Environmental Design & Construction (EDC).

Keith Parry has been promoted to Associate Publisher of the Flooring Group. He was most recently national sales manager.

Lastly, Karrie Laughlin, formerly west coast sales manager, has been given an expanded role and will now oversee sales in all states west of the Mississippi River.

Mannington Continues to Expand

Madison, Ga.—At a ribbon cutting ceremony at Mannington Mills’ newly expanded LVT manufacturing facility here, the company announced it has committed to another investment at the same location.

Mannington announced it has purchased 62 acres of nearby land for further development. At the completion of this second expansion, the company estimates its workforce in the Madison area will have increased by more than 300% in five years.

For more, call (800) 356-6787 or visit mannington.com.

Karndean: Top Workplace for 3rd Yr

Export, PA—Karndean Designflooring was selected as one of Pittsburgh’s top workplaces for the third consecutive year.

Based solely on employee feedback, Karndean employees rated their employer on general job satisfaction, flexibility, perks and benefits such as healthcare, insurance and paid holidays, as well as aspects of leadership, career development, communication and engagement. The survey is conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, a research firm on organizational health and employee engagement.

Larry Browder, CEO of Karndean, said, “We owe a great deal of our success to the hard work and dedication of our team. People are at the heart of what we do and providing a great working environment for our employees is paramount.”

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

FCICA Mid-Year Meeting Sees Record Attendance

Chattanooga, Tenn.—The Flooring Contractors Association (FCICA) reported a record number of attendees at its Mid-Year Meeting—Managing Your Profits.

Sponsored by FCICA Platinum and Gold members, the event included a tour of H.B. Fuller Construction Products’ plant in nearby Dalton and four educational sessions presented by industry professionals.

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

IVC Names Kegan Official Spokesperson

Dalton—Lynn Kegan is now the official design spokesperson of IVC US.

Appearing on such shows as Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible and HGTV’s Designed to Sell, Kegan first came across IVC sheet vinyl products while searching for flooring for a television makeover show. “As a designer, I was drawn to the incredible realism of the color and texture of IVC sheet vinyl. Plus, I realized I didn’t have to worry about tearing, breaking or scratching the flooring during installation,” he said.

On the company’s website, ivcfloors.com, Kegan has a blog, “Lynn Kegan | Thoughts on Style,” on IVC’s website, where he shares design tips, tricks, projects, photos and videos.

For more, call (706) 529-2600 or visit ivcfloors.com.

Editor’s note: For complete coverage of these and other industry news stories visit our website at floortrendsmag.com, where you can also sign up for a free subscription to our daily enewsletter, TalkFloor.