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The flooring industry is expected to see marginal growth in 2025—perhaps up low single digits—with gradual improvement expected as the year progresses, especially if interest/mortgage rates settle down. That’s the consensus among several leading executives who point...

The flooring industry is on a vital journey—one that is crucial for its survival and future growth. With a nationwide shortage of skilled installers and an urgent need to attract new talent, the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) is leading the charge to...

It sounded like a really good idea. Maybe even a treat. A treat since we rarely eat fast food. But in the end it was more like a trick than a treat. This is the time of year when Dustin and I make our sales calls as we seek to secure business for the following year....

Miami, Fla.—Tile of Spain, the international brand representing more than 100 ceramic tile manufacturers belonging to the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association (ASCER), announced the winners of the 23rd annual Tile of Spain Awards of Architecture and Interior...

New York, N.Y.—Shaw Contract Hospitality returned to BDNY this year at the Jacob K. Javits Center here, November 10 and 11. Highlighting two new products made specifically for hospitality, Awaken and Midnight, the company had a booth on the show floor and a presence...

Perry Yancovich Bel Air, Md.—Spartan Surfaces has appointed Perry Yancovich to spearhead business and product development in its porcelain and ceramic tile category. Yancovich will be working with the Spartan team and brand partners to drive innovation and development...

Dalton—Decocer released new tile collections that feature trendy colors including earthy tones, deep blues and vibrant burgundies and reds. Mikado Wall: Burgundy as the essence of autumnal elegance Burgundy has established itself as one of the most sought-after shades...

London, UK—Cyncly, a leading global provider of software and content solutions, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Broadlume, a leading provider of digital marketing, visualization and business management software for the flooring...

Atlanta—Shaw Industries has announced its Shaw Sports Turf brand to be the official synthetic turf provider of the college football playoffs (CFP) for the second year in a row. This will be the inaugural season of the CFP’s 12-team playoff format. In addition, the...

Pendleton, S.C.—The annual CTEF online auction takes place December 2 through 7, including a broad assortment of tile installation products, materials, fishing experiences and more to bid on valued at over $52,000. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Ceramic...

St. Petersburg, Fla.—Centricity, a leader in lifestyle protection solutions, has partnered with FEI Group, a member-driven organization in the flooring and home finishes industry, to roll out Nationwide Marketing Group’s EPIC Protect program. This initiative offers...

Eleven weeks into the 2025 FCNews Fantasy Football for a Cause season and it’s anyone’s championship. Parity has reigned supreme this year as just about every one of the 12 teams is still alive for a playoff berth and the first-place prize. There is a four-way tie at...

Oberlin, Ohio—The Natural Stone Institute has received a grant from the Natural Stone Foundation to help offset ongoing costs for the ISO Technical Committee 327’s work to establish a global set of standards for natural stone. The first standard is set to be published...

New Orleans—International Product Assurance (IPA) Laboratories, formerly the TCNA Product Performance Testing Laboratory, has been recognized at the 2024 annual meeting of the American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL), held here. The laboratory was named one...

Atlanta—Interface has launched three new carpet tile collections: Etched Earth, Combined Effect and Shifted States. With large-scale patterns, textured transitions and geometric designs, each of these introductions is designed to provide a design solution for diverse...

Vaughan, Ontario—Anatolia, a Canadian-based company that specializes in the design, manufacturing and distribution of sintered stone slabs, tiles and natural stone products, announced the launch of its latest glazed porcelain collections: Locale, Coliseo, Lumino and...

Denver, Colo.—Footprints Floors has recently expanded its offerings with the launch of its sister brand, Footprints Bath and Tile. According to the company, this new brand aims to enhance the company’s footprint in the home remodeling market—specifically in bathroom...

Chicago—Tarkett recently led the renovation of the Niles Township Respite Center here. The initiative was part of the company’s charitable giving program, Tarkett Cares, which encourages employees to share their time, talents and corporate flooring donations with...

Dalton—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) released a new “Tuesday Tips” this week. In the series, WFCA experts presents short video tips for improving customer service and optimizing staff performance. In the end, it’s all about understanding the importance...

Dalton—On Monday, Dec. 9, at 11:30 a.m. EST, Southwind will host an exclusive online launch event for its new Summit WPC flooring. “Christmas is coming early this year,” said Drew Hash, president and CEO of Southwind Floors. “We want dealers to get a sneak peek at...

Through their charitable efforts, flooring companies and associations are not only helping non-profits thrive but they are building a positive brand image by aligning with cause-minded organizations like Tunnel for Towers and St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Over the...

PureGrain High-Def Digital Luxury Vinyl was designed to deliver optimal realism and 5x greater color clarity than traditional LVT. Pictured is Nuture. Scores of players are looking to claim their stake in the hyper-competitive waterproof/rigid core segment. The upside...

Every two weeks, FCNews seeks out flooring retailers across the country to offer their advice on hot topics of the day. This week, we asked: Which product category has performed best for you in 2024? Here are their responses: Waterproof is our biggest product by far...

Even in a down year for the residential carpet market all was not lost on the product front, as a few new offerings emerged to give retailers a jolt. The soft surface products that shined brightest this year tended to be the higher-selling goods loaded with...

Jackson, Miss.—The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) announced its December lineup of workshops and regional training sessions, capping off a successful year of educational outreach. The NTCA will host 15 workshops and four regional training sessions across...

US Mills’ Karel Vercruyssen shows off EcoDense at NAFCD. In today’s crowded and hyper-competitive rigid core flooring market, manufacturers are increasingly challenged to develop products that stand apart from the pack. Some companies look to build on previous...

The lack of qualified flooring installers is an issue that has been steadily festering for some time now. So much so that it has recently graduated from merely an issue needing to be addressed to a clearly labeled crisis. Part of the issue stems from the mass exodus...

As ceramic tile flooring technology has advanced to introduce large-format tiles and more intricate designs, subfloor prep has also evolved to address the needs of these new design options. To understand how changes in ceramic tiles are impacting installation...

The ceramic tile market struggled through another 11 months as several key issues limited sales growth. The housing market continued to stagnate, for example, which remains one of the most important factors affecting the health of the flooring market—ceramic tile...

Las Vegas—Distributors who are members of the North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD) will receive half off their Expo Pass to TISE 2025 if they register before December 8, 2024. The annual event takes place from January 28-30, 2025, at the...

Vicki Halsey, vice president of applied learning at The Blanchard Group. Ask Edge flooring dealers to cite the top benefits of attending a Mohawk Edge Summit and they are bound to name the educational seminars near the very top. That’s because the content of these...

(Part 4 in a series) In the first three installments of this series, we discussed how smart dealers like Cody (a composite of many dealers I’ve coached) work to overcome objections before they happen—through online marketing, in-store consultations and in-home visits....

If carefully implemented, tariffs could provide the spark for increased stateside production. Economists, experts and industry observers across a wide spectrum agree that the proposed tariffs on imports by President-Elect Donald Trump will have an impact on reshoring...

When planning a trip to Italy, many people prioritize iconic landmarks like the stunning churches and art galleries. However, my recent visit to Florence led me to explore something unexpected: local flooring stores. While friends questioned my choice, I believed...

South Jordan, Utah—QFloors employees gathered on Friday, Nov. 22, to celebrate the flooring software company’s 25thanniversary. Almost all of the 45 people who work for QFloors were able to join. Remote workers made the effort to attend the celebration, either by...

The elections are behind us. Regardless of the outcome or the candidate(s) you supported, there’s a collective sense of relief as we move past the political ads, debates and drama that accompany election season. Now we can shift our focus back to meaningful work that...

The agita that flooring dealers felt for a good portion of 2024 has been replaced with a sense of relief—and positivity—that two interest-rate cuts and the conclusion of a presidential election will yield positive results. Several dealers told FCNews that retail...

Back on Nov. 14 I had the pleasure of being the guest presenter for the final Roomvo University webinar of the year. We had a record number of sign-ups and actual attendees, so I wanted to personally thank all those who showed interest. I know Roomvo is making the...

Arlington, Texas—The Flooring Markets announced that the Southwest Flooring Market will move to the Arlington Convention Center/Loews Hotel here in 2025. The annual market will take place January 9-10, 2025. “With great anticipation, we announce that the Southwest...

Chicago—Mohawk Group announced the grand opening of its new Chicago showroom in the flourishing Fulton Market Design District. The spacious, dynamic environment is a place for designers and architects to tap into their creativity and explore Mohawk Group’s extensive...

Dallas, Texas—Daltile’s Indoterra collection has been named the winner of the prestigious Best of BDNY Product Design Award in the Health and Wellness category. This annual product competition recognizes manufacturers who demonstrate functionality, aesthetic and...

Arco, Italy—Aquafil Group has launched a new collection of sustainable yarns in finishes inspired by natural materials. The Econyl Bespoke collection offers a rich variety of textures and finishes inspired by natural materials, available in both solution-dyed and dyed...

Dalton—J+J Flooring’s Gallery Edit collection has been translated into commercial carpet. Every product within the modular carpet collection is meant to highlight a different style and art movement, technique or process—thanks to the layered textures of Impressionism...

Sarah Rink, interior designer at Design Cooperative and current member of the MILEstone Design Advisory Council (DAC). Orlando, Fla.—MILEstone has announced the collection concept for the third chapter of its Stories series. This chapter is meant to celebrate...

Washington, D.C.—Builder sentiment improved for the third straight month and builders expect market conditions will continue to improve with republicans winning control of the White House and Congress, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)....

Washington, D.C.—Housing production edged lower last month as average monthly mortgage rates increased a quarter-point from 6.18% to 6.43% between September and October, according to Freddie Mac. Overall housing starts decreased 3.1% in October to a seasonally...

Dalton—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) is now accepting applications for nominations to the prestigious floor covering industry Hall of Fame. The current roster of 54 inductees is a virtual “Who’s who” of the floor covering industry. Winners include...

Kankakee, Ill.—AHF Products has expanded its Armstrong Flooring Alterna collection with 10 new designs in stone and marble. The new assortment includes a subtle terrazzo, soft striated looks as well as multi-directional stone and travertine. The collection was...

Orlando, Fla.—Lions Floor has announced the opening of its new state-of-the-art distribution center here. This 40,000-square-foot facility marks the company’s sixth distribution center across the U.S., which is meant to further enhance its reach and operational...

Dalton—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) released a new “Tuesday Tips” this week. In the series, WFCA experts presents short video tips for improving customer service and optimizing staff performance. In the end, it’s all about understanding the importance...

Postcard, part of Antolini’s latest collection, is formed by the combination of different natural stone slabs, divided by shiny metal inlayed lines. Pictured: Quarzite Nera quartzite in Matt, Linen and Striato variants. Verona, Italy—Antolini has launched its latest...

Charli Sullivan (left), Kayla Malone (right). Louisville, Ky.—Louisville Tile has appointed new members to its architecture and design team: Charli Sullivan, a seasoned designer with over 10 years of experience in high-end residential and commercial projects, and...

It hasn’t been an easy ride for flooring retail businesses the last 18 months, as inflation has hurt consumer confidence and led to slower retail traffic. In times like these, dealers look to boost margins any way they can, and that often comes from selling the right...

Every two weeks, FCNews seeks out flooring retailers across the country to offer their advice on hot topics of the day. This week, we asked: Which social platform works best for your business? Here are their responses: Facebook and Instagram are the main social media...

Orange, Calif.—M S International (MSI) announced its recognition as a 2024 OnCon Icon Award winner, presented by OnConferences, for top 10 human resources (HR) teams. This prestigious honor recognizes MSI as having one of the best HR teams in the world. “Our HR team...

Orange, Calif.—MSI announced a new series of porcelain tiles: the Exotika Collection. Inspired by the natural allure of onyx and marble, these tiles showcase a palette of on-trend colors that are designed to evoke the luxurious ambiance of nature’s landscapes. “The...

Maple Grove, Minn.—MSI announced its new, expanded Minneapolis Area Showroom and Distribution center, now located here. MSI will be celebrating the relocation with a Grand Opening Event on November 12 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. “We are excited to offer our customers an...

Many private equity firms gravitate toward inventory-dependent segments like flooring. Transom Capital’s acquisition of the Tom Duffy Company—the private equity firm’s third purchase of a flooring distributor within 12 months—is merely the latest example in a growing...

Can the moisture content in a wood floor be really 4%? How can wood achieve such a low moisture content? If someone in Portland Ore., for example, claims that a wood floor measures 4%, I would be very skeptical. However, there are places where the moisture could be...

New Orleans—“We are not in a recession, we’re not headed for a recession, and there is a lot of opportunity out there.” That message was at the heart of a keynote presentation delivered by ITR Economics’ Lauren Saidel-Baker at the 2024 North American Association of...