FLOORtalk

In the first episode of a three-part installment standards series, John McGrath, executive director, International Standards & Training Alliance (INSTALL), walks us through the most recent changes to INSTALL’s carpet standards, why these changes are so important and what that means for the installer and the customer.

For our #WomenInFlooring podcast, Anita Howard, COO, National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), talks about her journey from city life to country living, her college goals and how her college education brought her to the flooring industry. She speaks to her 21 years with the NWFA, the support she has received, the growth she has experienced and the confidence she has built through it all. At the end, she gives some sound advice to other women on navigating career challenges.

The Carpet Guys keeps growing. CEO Joe Zago talks about his shop-at-home strategy, new showroom and warehouse. Plus: learn his secrets to business growth.

Broadlume CEO Todd Saunders discusses the acquisition of BanaBoom and the advantages of operating in the cloud. Plus: what's next for industry technology over the next decade.

In this month’s #WomenInFlooring podcast, we got the opportunity to speak with Emily Morrow, owner, EF Floors & Design, and founder, Emily Morrow Home. She has been leading the charge to get the Women in the Flooring Industry (WIFI) organization off the ground. Now, celebrating its one-year anniversary, WIFI has achieved non-profit status. Emily shares the challenges she and the founding members had to overcome as well as the organization’s timely founding and how it plans to support both women and men in the flooring industry.

Ralph Boe, president of ArrowStar and a former Dupont executive, reviews the evolution of fibers in the carpet industry leading up to Invista’s decision to exit carpet fiber production.

Paul Murfin, president, Taylor Adhesives, discusses how the company is addressing problems facing the installation and adhesives sectors.

Scott Levy, president, Arley Wholesale, discusses the state of affairs in the ceramic industry since the pandemic and what's next for tile and stone distribution.

Chad Ogden, president and owner QFloors, looks back at Surfaces, comments on flooring retailers catching up technologically with other retail segments, and the company’s partnership with Mobile Marketing.

National commercial flooring installation and interior services company Diverzify has combined with Spectra Contract Flooring and ProSpectra Contract Flooring, both divisions of Shaw Industries Group, Inc., to become the largest independent commercial installation business in the world. Bill Bonner, vice president communications, Diversify, and Jim Pels, president of Spectra Contract Flooring, offer insight into what's next for commercial flooring.