Surfaces by Hanley Wood
Our industry’s annual convention, Surfaces, will be held February 3 thru February 5, 2009 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is a terrific show for anyone in the floor covering industry. Surfaces brings together manufacturers, distributors, and dealers from around the United States and from around the world. Even through Shaw and Mohawk don’t treat this as a major convention showcase for their carpet, many of their hard surface divisions will be showing.
Armstrong and Mannington will be showing just outside the convention center in large private rooms just off the hallway between the Venetian hotel and the convention center. Mannington has always been a strong supporter of Surfaces, and Armstrong is making their largest presence in several years. The last couple of years Armstrong has shown in other hotels around town, and only seen invited guests. This year they will be open to the public for most of the show. Armstrong has been one of the real bright spots in the floor covering industry since emerging from chapter 11 bankruptcy a while back. Their imported piano finished laminate, Grand Illusions, and their loose lay vinyl, Stratamax, continue to grow in popularity.
The Chinese and, to a lesser extent, the Indian contingents will have a large presence at this year’s show. The Chinese showed up in force last year, so I’m sure there will be even more this year. More and more of all types of carpet and flooring are being imported from China, but, from my perspective, laminate seems to be having the most impact. Everything from $.60 laminate that a wet paper towel will swell, to 12 mil laminate that retails at $4.99 a foot is available. I wonder where it will stop.
These are tough times, and being proactive is the best solution. So don’t stay home. Surfaces is always exciting, and always gives me creative ideas of how to make a buck. you should definitely consider going to the first ever General Session, Tuesday, Feb. 3, from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., in the Palazza Ballroom, located in the Venetian Hotel. Keith Campbell, Chairman of Mannington Mills, Frank Ready, Executive VP of Armstrong, Randy Merritt, President of Shaw Industries, Tom Lape, President of Mohawk Residential, Tom Davis, President and CEO of Mannington Mills, Ralph Boe, CEO of Beaulieu of America, and Rainer Blair, CEO of MAPEI of Americas, will all speak on “Prevailing Through the Current Crisis – An Industry Wake-Up Call.”
I hope to see you there!
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