Scores of players are looking to claim their stake in the hyper-competitive waterproof/rigid core segment. The upside to that is increased innovation as suppliers seek to differentiate their products from the pack. The downside, however, is the resultant pressures that come with aggressive strategies that rely primarily on lower pricing to garner more share.
Thankfully, there are many suppliers that are focused on developing and promoting strategies that offer their dealer partners waterproof products that present higher margin opportunities and, along with that, better quality. These profit-protection strategies range from developing collections based on “tiers,” which allow retailers to trade up shoppers, as well as employing technologies and features that translate into higher margin opportunities for their partners.
“The rigid core vinyl marketplace is rapidly changing and in constant fluctuation,” said Dick Quinlan, senior vice president of marketing at Wellmade. “Dealers are currently reporting quality issues and increased claims as many suppliers lower pricing and quality to garner more market share. But the race to the ‘bottom-of-the-barrel’ price points could do irreparable damage to the category while flooding the market with inferior products.”
So how is Wellmade pushing back against this trend? “We continue to produce value-added, premium SPC/HDPC vinyl produced domestically in the U.S.A.,” Quinlan said. “We see the unstable international import market as an emerging growth opportunity, providing our customers safe harbor to purchase premium SPC/HDPC products manufactured in America. Streamlined domestic product development and shortened 45-day production lead times allow customers to reduce inventory by 50% or more. As a result, reduced capital expenditures improve cash flow, inventory turnover and overall profit margins.”
Developing quality products that provide a strong trade-up story has also proven to be an effective approach for brands like Bjelin, which is leveraging its expertise on both the design and performance sides of the business. “Our strategy is to deliver a premium waterproof product that helps retailers and distributors achieve higher margins while standing out in a crowded market,” said Zach Adams, president and general manager of Bjelin North America. “We’re proud to provide a more visually impactful product that caters to the demand for modern aesthetics and high-quality finishes by focusing on larger-format, Scandinavian-inspired LVT designs.”
As a case in point, Adams cited the company’s 5G Dry, leakproof floor locking technology, developed by sister company Välinge Innovation. With this technology, he said Bjelin can offer a system that protects against water leaking through the seams to the subfloor. “This is a critical feature for customers seeking long-lasting performance,” Adams noted.
“Incorporating this innovation, combined with aesthetics, positions our LVT as a premium option within the market, allowing retailers to upsell confidently and increase their margins. Rather than competing solely on price, we prioritize product differentiation, empowering our partners to offer a high-quality collection that meets and exceeds customer expectations.”
Not to be outdone, other major producers of waterproof rigid core floors are leveraging their own advancements to give retailers and distributors waterproof products that generate not only more sales but higher profit margins. Case in point is the PureGrain Digital Luxury Vinyl Tile (DLVT) collection from Engineered Floors. While traditional LVT uses a film layer for its plank designs, some products often lack dimension, depth and clarity, the company noted. In the PureGrain manufacturing process, layers are built onto the structure. So while traditional LVT manufacturing is comparable to making a copy on a copier, PureGrain can be thought of as creating a product on a 3D printer. In fact, PureGrain features 35 unique plank designs, which is up to 5x more variety than what traditional LVT offers, the company said. Another plus is the EverTuff Clearcoat technology, which imbues PureGrain with additional desirable properties such as enhanced scratch and scuff resistance.
But perhaps the best part is PureGrain is 100% American made in Dalton, and the components are sourced in the U.S. This not only gives retailers ready access to products but also a compelling story to tell, according to EF. “Domestic production provides a lot of pricing stability for our dealers because we’re not ebbing and flowing with tariffs or up-and-down freight changes,” said Joe Young, vice president of residential product and marketing. “More importantly, from a sell-ability standpoint, retailers can make a little more money because our product is digitally printed. Generally speaking, there’s a higher average selling price involved with a digitally printed product. We are seeing that they’re able to garner about 20% higher profit margin.”
Utilizing advanced technology to entice retailers in this hyper-competitive waterproof category is also the name of the game at Mohawk. Take the company’s popular SolidTech offerings, for example. Since the launch of Mohawk’s original SolidTech line more than seven years ago, the company has unveiled several extensions and enhancements—each making their own mark in the product’s ongoing evolution.
The rollout of SolidTech Premier featuring Signature HDX earlier this year aims to revolutionize the resilient flooring category with not only new technologies but also advancements designed to provide meaningful features and benefits for flooring retailers and, by extension, their customers. These enhancements include proprietary innovations designed to better mimic the visual characteristics of real hardwood while replicating the texture and heft of the genuine article.
But Mohawk didn’t stop there. The company recently took the wraps off SolidTech R, a product with all the positive traits of SolidTech but with an additional green story—recycled plastic bottles are built into the core, making it not only durable but more earth friendly as well. “In our SolidTech R development we wanted to focus on keeping all those great features but improving areas where we felt we could enhance further—in particular, we wanted to look at the environment,” said Kurt Weaver, president of resilient, Mohawk.
Environmentally friendly attributes are also at the core of waterproof products like EcoDense from USMills. Billed as an “eco-hybrid” resilient floor, the wood-fiber-based core provides strength, durability and waterproof attributes. Moreover, no formaldehyde is added in the EcoDense core manufacturing process.
The COREtec brand is also leveraging its manufacturing prowess as well as its well-earned reputation as a pioneer in the waterproof category to help retailers and distributors maintain profit margins. This is evident in part through the ongoing evolution of the brand, which has grown to include several tiers and new formats. The latest of which is a rigid core tile pattern that comes extremely close to mimicking the real thing.
“COREtec is on a mission to create a better flooring experience—for anyone who buys, sells, installs or lives on our products,” said Maud Swalens, COREtec marketing director. This multifaceted approach includes combining premium products plus storytelling as well as investments in marketing and media.
Even high-end brands like Stanton are looking for ways to be a difference maker in a category that’s traditionally associated with aggressive pricing. But instead of caving into those pricing pressures, the company is staying true to its strengths: highly styled products with a focus on design and performance.
“Anytime somebody creates or innovates a widget that takes off, everybody knocks it off and tries to do it cheaper,” said Jamann Stepp, senior vice president of hard surface at Stanton. “That’s why we’re going to dive deep into the WPC category but with higher margin opportunities in the 8-, 10-, 12mm-thick WPC products; there’s more perceived value in it. However, I don’t think SPC is going to go away by any stretch of the imagination. So our plan for the back half of 2025 is to develop some new SPC products that range anywhere from 6.5mm to 8mm thick. And we’re also segueing into waterproof laminate.”
There are also some new names looking to shift the focus back to higher profit margins in the cutthroat waterproof field. Onn Surfaces, which officially launched in late summer, thinks it has the answer. “At Onn Surfaces we don’t compromise the quality of our SPC/WPC from top to bottom of the product,” said Paul Dominie, president of the company. “Our goal is to produce quality products that are two to three times the design, look and performance of similarly priced offerings. This begins with the selection of the partners that manufacture (hand selected by our own management team) the choice of HD films, proven finishes, Unilin locking mechanisms, balanced core development and premium padding.”
No shortage of innovations
Across the board, suppliers are expanding their waterproof offerings with new collections or extensions to existing lines. The primary goal is to give retailers more choices and, hence, additional opportunities to get consumers excited about the category. Following are some standouts.
MSI offers an extensive range of waterproof products under its Everlife brand, which includes wood, hybrid rigid core, porcelain tile, ceramic tile and LVF. MSI strives to deliver genuine value in each of these categories without compromising on quality. “This wide array of products, available in a variety of designs and colors, is a key strategy that provides our dealer partners with higher-margin opportunities,” said John McElroy, merchant, MSI. “Our waterproof flooring is built to withstand even the busiest homes and commercial spaces, and with a range of on-trend designs, these unique options differentiate us in the market. Our waterproof flooring is enhanced with a variety of technological advancements that are exclusive to MSI.”
Another standout product that’s making waves in the waterproof arena is HF Design’s AquaProof collection. Billed by company executives as the next generation of flooring, AquaProof features an enhanced, water-repellent bevel and environmentally friendly, PVC-free, low-swell fiber core. These features combine to form a product that’s extremely resistant to moisture. In terms of aesthetics, AquaProof planks measure 7.7-inches wide x 60 inches long and are modeled after the company’s top-selling, stylish hardwood offerings. Advanced embossed-in-register technology adds another layer of realism.
Tarkett’s ShoreFlor waterproof laminate collection, with its realistic visuals and painted bevels, is another head turner. The standout feature of ShoreFlor is its waterproof construction, ensuring that spills and splashes don’t damage the floor. The key to its proven performance lies in the company’s innovative Searenity Waterproof Technology, which combines a hydrophobic coating on the beveled edge with a watertight locking system to repel water and keep the floor looking good.
Southwind Floors continues to grow its reputation as a leading brand in waterproof rigid core flooring. This year the company introduced two new WPC lines, as well as four new SPC offerings. According to Southwind, WPC flooring has become a true favorite among many of its dealers. “Our Authentic Prime and Woodwind Pressed lines were introduced at TISE this year, and we knew from the start we had winning WPC products,” said Drew Hash, president and CEO of Southwind.
And let’s not forget about Johnson Hardwood’s Public House, Skyview and Cellar House lines—all of which are growing in popularity. The Public House series offers rustic tavern charm with eight rich colors. Each 7 x 5-foot plank includes an attached IXPE foam pad and Watershield SPC rigid core hybrid. Ten prints create 20 unique planks. Skyview, by comparison, provides sleek, modern aesthetics with nine sophisticated colors. Each 9 x 5-foot-long plank includes an attached IXPE foam pad and Watershield SPC rigid core. Eight prints offer over 16 unique planks.
The Cellar House series combines robust construction with a 20-mil wear layer for durability and style. Realistic visuals and premium underlayment make it suitable for high-traffic areas.
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