FLOORtalk

From the Shaw Flooring Network Convention in Orlando, Florida, Shaw Industries EVP of Residential Business Benjamin Liebert shares candid insights on transforming the flooring purchase journey, building stronger brands, and why the industry's future looks bright despite current challenges.

With existing home sales at a 30-year low, Jeff Meadows, president of residential sales at Mohawk, shares how the company is expanding domestic production, growing its luxury portfolio, and why builder partnerships are becoming increasingly crucial.

At just 18, James Pope is breaking ground in flooring installation after completing a 10-week course at Great Falls College, Montana, through the Floor Covering Education Foundation. Learn how this young tradesman is paving the way for his generation's future in the trades.

In collaboration with INSTALL, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters' Military Veterans Program provides free, comprehensive training to service members transitioning to civilian life. Floor installation is one of the options. In this episode, we speak with Mark Benacquisto, executive director of Millwright Pile Driver Labor Management, who spearheaded the program's development, and INSTALL Executive Director David Gross.

Cyncly is acquiring Broadlume. Learn more about what it means for flooring retailers as we speak with Mark Lukianchuk, the general manager for Cyncly Flooring, Todd Saunders, CEO of Broadlume, and Carole Cross, managing director of mobile marketing, a Cyncly company.

Todd Skidmore, senior director of e-commerce at Mohawk, joins us to discuss Mohawk's new digital health assessment program, designed to help stores optimize their websites, drive traffic, and convert online browsers into showroom buyers.

In December, Mohawk is hosting its Edge Summit 2025 in Denver, Colorado, for its Edge-aligned dealers. One of the advantages of participating in the Edge program is the finance options available through Mohawk’s partnership with Synchrony. Doug Ensley, Mohawk’s senior director of residential market development, details the partnership, how it benefits the Edge dealers, and how Synchrony’s trend reports help Mohawk keep its Edge program evolving to meet the needs of its dealers—even in shaky economic times.

Bill Blackstock, president and CEO of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute, projects a rebound in resilient flooring starting mid-2025. Listen in as he shares an update on RFCI's fall meeting, his outlook for single-family and multifamily housing, and the commercial flooring sectors.

Synchrony released a Future of Retail report that revealed data about consumers' shopping expectations for the future. Vince Lowe, senior VP and general manager home specialty and flooring with Synchrony, discusses the highlights and reveals how technology is shaping the shopping experience over the next several years.

On location at the second-annual joint 2024 CFI FCICA Convention in Orlando, Florida, leadership from the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA)—the parent organization for the Certified Flooring Installers (CFI)—and the Floor Covering Installation Contractors Association (FCICA) provide an update on membership, training and what installers have to look forward to in 2025.