Garden City, N.Y.— Shaw Industries was named Best Overall manufacturer in the over-$5 billion category at FCNews’ 29th annual Award of Excellence competition, ending Mohawk’s four-year hold on the title. Engineered Floors, meanwhile, won Best Overall in the under-$5 billion category, claiming the title for a fourth consecutive year.
In addition to Best Overall, Shaw brands Anderson Tuftex (Domestic Hardwood), COREtec (Rigid Core A) and Philadelphia Commercial (Main Street) were victorious while Engineered Floors repeated in Carpet A.
Sponsored by FCNews and Informa, organizers of The International Surface Event (TISE), 27 awards were handed out at the event, which was held here last month at the Garden City Hotel.
Best Overall measured suppliers in 10 categories—product innovation, design, service, ease of doing business, professionalism of sales force, training/education, handling of claims, digital tools, on-time delivery and credit terms. In the mega over-$5 billion category, Shaw edged Mohawk.
“On behalf of Shaw, we are honored to have received the [Best Overall over $5 billion] award,” Benjamin Liebert, president, residential division, told FCNews. “This recognition is deeply meaningful as we build a culture that puts the customer at the center of everything we do—grounded in strong relationships, purposeful innovation, a commitment to listening more closely, asking better questions and understanding customer needs in greater depth. Our focus is bringing new products and services to our customers that simplify the selling process and delight consumers through collaboration and insight. This honor reflects the dedication of our people and the strength of our partnerships that bring that vision to life every day.”
Will Young, senior vice president of sales, Engineered Floors, called winning Best Overall (under $5 billion) and for Carpet A “an incredible honor,” adding: “These recognitions are not just a reflection of a product or a brand—they are a testament to the hard work, dedication and vision of every single person in our organization. From our product development group to our manufacturing teams and customer service professionals—their passion and commitment are what make this possible.”
Joe Young, SVP product and marketing, added: “At Engineered Floors, our mission has always been clear: to lead with innovation, to deliver unmatched value and to be a true solutions partner for our customers. These awards validate that mission, but they also push us to keep raising the bar. We’re especially proud that our success supports job creation and economic growth right here in Northwest Georgia.
Benchmark of excellence
While Mohawk was edged out by Shaw in the over-$5 billion category, its Karastan (area rugs) and Pergo (Laminate) brands took home first-place honors. “When you look back, Pergo put laminate on the face of the planet—it’s a trusted brand, the No. 1 searched brand, so consumers understand it,” said David Moore, vice president, product management, Mohawk.
Meanwhile, another Mohawk brand—Daltile—won the Ceramic award once again, keeping alive its streak of victories, which dates back to the beginning of the competition nearly three decades ago. Patrick Warren, vice president, dealer sales & showrooms for Daltile, thanked the flooring dealers who once again voted the brand No. 1. “This recognition is a testament to your unwavering trust and partnership,” he said. “This milestone signifies the long-standing relationships we’ve built and our shared commitment to excellence. We express our gratitude to the dealer community for placing their faith in Daltile. We are honored to be a part of your business success for many more years to come.”
Mannington is another company on an extended winning streak, taking home top honors in Commercial Resilient (sheet vinyl) for the 10th year in a row. The Salem, N.J.-based company also won for Main Street. “It is such an honor to be recognized by our fantastic customers in both the commercial and residential sheet categories,” said Jimmy Tuley, president, Mannington Residential Business. “We work hard to provide value in everything we do and appreciate the support and validation around what has been the foundation of our historical business. We look forward to working with each of you in 2025 and beyond.”
Long winning streaks has been the domain of Mirage Hardwood, which continued its dominance in the Canadian hardwood category with a first-place finish. When asked if winning ever gets old, Anne-Marie, Quirion, marking communications manager, responded, “It never gets old. We are very happy to receive this award—now for the eighth time in a row and No. 15 since the contest was created. It’s a great recognition for us. It represents the commitment and dedication of all our employees, and it reflects the love that we have for specialty retailers and distributors.”
As one of the industry’s longest tenured hardwood flooring manufacturers, Kährs has re-established itself as a brand that retailers need to have in their stores. “It’s all about listening to the consumers,” said Sean Brennan, president, Kährs Americas. “We were finally able to convince our team in Sweden to listen to the U.S. consumer and develop some products that really fit the market …We’re proud of our quality and to be recognized here in the U.S. market. It’s a great achievement.”
Hallmark, winner in the Hardwood Asia category for the fourth consecutive year, has also come a long way from the time when it offered primarily hardwood flooring. Asked how the evolution into Hallmark Home has helped grow the business, Mark Casper, VP of sales and marketing, said it comes down to the customer. “Our retailers and specialized retailers—there’s a finite number of them and not necessarily more of them today,” Casper said. “Our brand is a niche brand. We know wood, and so to expand that offering by bringing in engineered cabinets and slabs was the way to accomplish that. It’s been extremely well received on many fronts.”
As a company with deep roots in wood flooring, Johnson Hardwood is proud to bring its commitment to quality craftsmanship and design into laminate and other flooring categories. That effort led to a first-place finish in Laminate B. “This award reflects our team’s dedication to innovation and to serving our customers with products they can rely on,” said Billy Ko, president. “We sincerely appreciate the trust and support of our partners and customers—your encouragement inspires us to keep raising the bar. Thank you for being with us every step of the way.”
While the Award of Excellence had its fair share of repeat winners, there were some accepting the trophy for the first time. That list included HF Design, winners of Wood/Rigid Hybrid. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team and the unwavering support of our valued dealers,” said Alex Shaoulpour, president. “We are committed to innovation, quality, excellence and this award reinforces our mission to deliver the best products to our customers. We thank you for your continued partnership. Together, we will continue to set new standards and lead the way in the hybrid waterproof flooring category.”
Winning for the second year in a row in the Technology category, Roomvo made quite the statement as it received more votes than all its competitors combined. Calling it a “tremendous honor,” CEO Pawel Rajszel said, “[Winning] is a reflection of the impact we’re making across the industry. Our goal has always been to empower retailers with innovative tools that help them drive sales and deliver a better shopping experience. The fact that this recognition comes directly from our customers, and in such overwhelming numbers, makes it even more meaningful. We are proud to be leading the way in flooring technology, and we’re just getting started.”
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