This is not going to be a boring statistical report on how much of what was sold over the past year but more a look at some of the information that makes up what goes into a statistical report. You all know that wood is the most popular flooring material being sold today. It is on every home related channel on television and in every shelter magazine there is. There seems to be no stopping this trend anytime soon and it is carrying over into the commercial market as well. One statistic I will give you is that claims are increasing exponentially with wood flooring material for two reasons. Retailers don’t know enough about the product and people selling the material to retailers don’t either. That makes for a very bad combination and one that can be costly if you allow ignorance to exist. There is a lot of information out there so make it a point to get it and read it. I keep repeating this message but the problems continue to escalate, especially in the commercial market.
Believe the statistics that carpet is still king of floor covering. Despite all the hard surface alternatives and hoopla about them, carpet still wins out for ease of maintenance – yes it is true, comfort, warmth, style, beauty, insulation, sound deadening and technology. You’ll be seeing more new fibers such as Corterra by Shaw and Sorona and SmartStrand from Mohawk. These fibers combine the benefits of nylon and polyester making a fiber that excels in performance. More solution dyed fiber will be making its way into the marketplace not only because it is inherently stain and fade resistant but it uses less energy to produce. Solution dyeing is done when the fiber is being extruded so there is no water or additional energy used to apply color to the carpet. This also means that more and more continuous filament fiber will be used further helping cut costs because there is less processing involved saving energy. These can be looked at as improvements in carpet because they add more value to the product.
As business slows claims increase. More complaints from consumer to dealers, dealers to manufacturers and more resistance from manufacturers to accept full responsibility for claims adds to the stress of slowing business. A recent call from a dealer on a claim he took all the way to a V.P. who offered to split the labor with him and later rescinded the offer resulted in the dealer dropping the mills line and instigating a lawsuit. It’s likely we’ll hear more tales like this.
The green factor is playing a big part in driving new technology; everybody has something green, real or not. This greening is going to take you down a road you haven’t traveled before and there’s going to be a learning curve for everyone. New products are being introduced with new technologies on a regular basis and some of these new technologies will challenge the industry. There’s going to be some product that creates fits as the bugs are worked out, as is often the case, so proceed with caution. If you’re working with a new product don’t wait until the job is complete before you step back to take a look at it and get surprised. Be aware before hand, stop and examine the work and product before completion and if there’s a problem you won’t have made a commitment you can’t get out of. Actually this is a good rule to follow with any job you do.
Statistics from my constant survey of dealers I speak with daily indicate that business is for the most part slowing on all fronts with some exceptions. The commercial market is easing up now but it was on such a torrid pace that this is being welcomed by some. The high end of the business is still fairly strong but it too is slowing a bit. There’s still a lot of work in schools and medical facilities. And just as with any business cycle there are dealers who are going like a house afire. One contract dealer friend of mine I spoke with at Neocon told me they are booked with business till the end of the year and they’ve been running at this pace for the last several years.
You will be creating the statistics for the rest of this year and only time will tell what they will be. Many of us have experienced several slowdowns in the economy but this is different than any of us have seen. Business and our lives are going to change but how much remains to be seen. What is certain is that human ingenuity will prevail against all challenges.
Author: Lewis G. Migliore
LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts