After more than two weeks, the battle between Mohawk SmartStrand carpet made using DuPont Sorona polymer and Ricko the Rhino, a 2,800 black rhinoceros at the Birmingham Zoo, is over.

Intertech Flooring has purchased Dallas/Fort Worth-based RWA Flooring Associates, a 12-year-old family-owned business focused on commercial flooring.

LG Hausys Floors, the resilient floor covering division of LG Hausys America, Inc., has entered the residential flooring market and hired 20-plus year industry veteran Curt Robinson to direct the business. Robinson served as a special consultant to LG Hausys Floors during the research phase of the residential launch, and began his official duties as the new Vice President of Residential Business for LG Hausys America, Inc. on August 17, 2009. Robinson has spent the last 11 years serving as National Sales Manager and GM of Residential Contract Business with Mannington and Armstrong, respectively.

A 2,800 pound, 12-year-old black rhinoceros is the star of Mohawk and DuPont’s latest promotion.

Four major flooring associations -- the World Floor Covering Association, Carpet and Rug Institute, National Wood Flooring Association and Resilient Floor Covering Institute -- have endorsed the Home Improvements Revitalize the Economy (HIRE) Act of 2009, H.R. 3382, a bill that would create a tax deduction of up to $4,000 for consumers who purchase qualified building products and home furnishings.

FIANA, the Flooring Installation Association of North America, has introduced the new FIANA Training Center, a web-based learning platform. 

The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) will offer free registration to all attendees for its 2010 Convention, which will be held March 22-25 at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Bostik Inc.’s Construction & Industrial (C&I) Business Unit has launched a blog, “From the Floor Up,” which is designed to give technical information to flooring and tile installers.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is seeking volunteers to participate on a committee for the drafting of the S600 Carpet Installation Standard and Reference Guide, a new standard being sponsored by both the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) and the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI).

ParexLahabra, the parent company of Mer-Krete and several other building products companies, announced that Francois Bouan will retire Oct. 1 as president of ParexLahabra.