Nafco Luxury Vinyl Elite Dealer Trip

I have just returned from a wonderful trip to Breckenridge, Colorado sponsored by Nafco for their Elite customers. Everything was first class and all the employees of Nafco involved were extremely accommodating. It was a trip I am not likely to forget soon. Nafco Vinyl Tile customers were treated to skiing, snow mobiles, snow boarding, or just generally relaxing at the exquisite Beaver Run Resort. I spent time with old friends as well a made new ones.

I enjoyed one evening in particular. I was treated to a fabulous dinner with Pierre LeFort (GM and VP at Nafco), John Neugent (territory rep at Nafco), Dr. Gary Huckaby (motivational speaker for Nafco) along with John and Gary's wives. Good food and good conversation and not all business. I was humbled by the attention I was given.

A full presentation of Nafco by Tarkett's new products to my staff is scheduled for March 24th. John and Pierre graciously agreeing to come over from Florence, Alabama for the presentation.
Nafco's manufacturing facillities are located there. Worth mentioning is that all Nafco Vinyl Tile products are manufactured in the USA in Florence, AL.

Luxury Vinyl Tile Prices

Luxury vinyl tile prices have remained fairly stable over the last few months and we expect that trend to continue as long as oil prices stay at current levels.

Congoleum Duraceramic Tile Prices are the same as we offered 6 months ago. With the exception of a special purchase of excess inventory we made from one of our suppliers. These discount DuraCeramic tile prices are well below our normal low DuraCeramic prices. About a 25% discount on our everyday sales price. DuraStone Luxury Vinyl Tile is also available at great prices from American Carpet Wholesalers.

Nafco Luxury Vinyl Tile by Tarkett has experienced only a minimal increase. Our Nafco Luxury Vinyl Tile prices continue to be some of the lowest to be found anywhere. Look for us to carry more inventory in the near future. An order for this product already ships within 2-3 business days and with an inventory increase we will be able to ship an order usually the same day. Another great service from American Carpet Wholesalers that keep our customers coming back.

Again only slight increases have been seen for Mannington Adura Luxury Vinyl Tile and Mannington Luxury Vinyl Plank. These luxury vinyl tiles and planks are another area where we anticipate and inventory increase.

You can always count on American Carpet Wholesalers for the latest floor innovations at discount flooring prices.

It is Floor Covering Trade Show Season

Every year at this time floor covering manufacturers have regional and national trade shows to show new introductions and stimulate awareness of their products. Last week I attended Mohawk Industries and Shaw Industries regional show in Atlanta, Georgia (at separate locations). Neither Mohawk nor Shaw participate in the national convention (Surfaces) held in Las Vegas, Nevada. About 90-95% of the other manufacturers do. The Surfaces show is more convenient for the dealers because you have all the mills in one location. All the majors such as Beaulieu America (carpet), Quick-Step, Mannington Mills (Mannington Laminate, Mannington Hardwood, Mannington Adura, and Mannington Commercial Carpet), Anderson Hardwood, The Beaulieu Group (Berry Floor Laminate and Alloc Laminate), Nafco Luxury Vinyl Tile and many, many, more. Not only carpet manufacturers and flooring manufacturers, but related equipment producers, sundries producers, and carpet padding and laminate underlayment manufacturers. All showing their wares to about 40,000 retail floor covering dealers from across the USA as well as some international visitors.

All will offer special pricing concessions for show attendees. I always take advantage of as many of these carpet deals and flooring bargains as possible to pass on to the customers of American Carpet Wholesalers. This year will be no different except I expect to see more specials given the state of the housing market and the overall state of the economy.

This show is geared toward the residential flooring market. NEOCON is the commercial trade show held annually in Chicago, Illinois.

We Ship AnyWhere - Even Mercerville, NJ

What a coincidence! Just back to work after my Congoleum visit, I decide to walk thru our shipping department. I do this almost daily to make sure we are protecting our shipments to minimize possible freight damage. I don't know of any company that takes the time or spends the money we do for shipment protection in our industry.

It was a busy shipping day. There were lots of pallets of Quick-Step Laminate, Mohawk Laminate, Mohawk Hardwood, Bruce Hardwood, Tarkett Laminate, Nafco Vinyl tile, several pallets of Congoleum DuraCeramic tile, several rolls of Beaulieu carpet for Pakistan, and lots of Shaw Carpet being shipped to residential customers.

While walking thru the pallets I noticed one particular shipping address on a pallet of Congoleum DuraCeramic. It was shipping to Mercerville, NJ. That is where Congoleum is located. Now Mercerville is not that big, so I wondered if this person worked at Congoleum. After investigation, I decided not, because the customers email address indicated the New Jersey Dental Health Association and we were just shipping to a residence in Mercerville. So in fact it was just a coincidence, Strange but true. In fact we ship a lot of other products to New Jersey.

We are thankful for all of our customers. No matter where we ship.

Tarkett Residential Raising Prices April 1

Press Release From Tarkett:

Farnham, Quebec, Canada, February 22, 2008--

Tarkett Residential said it will increase prices for its residential resilient products 5-7-percent, effective with shipments on April 1.“Due to ongoing increases in raw materials, energy and freight costs, we found it necessary to adjust our pricing,” said President Guillaume Laverdure.

Source: Floor Daily

Products affected at American Carpet Wholesalers is our Tarkett Laminate Flooring line and the Nafco Luxury Vinyl Tile brand.. Our prices for the laminate flooring line and the luxury vinyl tile line are already extremely competitive. Because our volume puchasing of the Tarkett Laminate and the Nafco Vinyl Tile, I do not foresee a major impact. We negotiate our pricing on these products in advance at American Carpet Wholesalers. I do not see a price increase to be passed on to our customers until maybe late June or early July of 2008.