[Atlanta] The Southeast Flooring Market, a regional show held here Jan. 3 - 4 showcasing more than 60 flooring vendors, has been in steady growth mode, according to Lori Kisner, presidential of Market Maker Events, which produces the show.
"Last year, this show had 80 percent of attendees from Georgia. This year, it’s 70 percent," with attendees coming from 16 states, including nearby North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee but also from Michigan and Minnesota. Buyer pre-registrations surged from 200 last year to more than 1,000 this year, while exhibitors doubled to 65, and the show expanded to two halls in the Cobb Galleria.
The company aggressively pursued attracting top companies by creating a "Red Carpet Club" of top 200 buyers. It solicited each exhibitor’s top 25 lists and aggregated it for a top 200 list.
"We’re building a strong foundation in the Southeast," Kisner said, adding that the company plans to launch shows in the Southwest and on the West Coast next year. "We are a regional event that feels like a national show. The two can co-exist."
Vendors and buyers at the show expressed both optimism for 2018 and an upbeat expectation for the show — even though record-breaking cold weather was wafting through even the exhibit halls.
"We think 2018 is going to be a very good year both for the company and the industry," said Karen Mendelsohn, senior vice president of marketing for Mohawk Industries. "Consumer confidence has been good. And for us, a lot of it is about our preparations, our exclusives and our launches going to market."
The company’s theme for market is "Activate the Future" and permeates its entire strategy, from consumer advertising to retail to digital.
One of the company’s biggest initiatives it unveiled is its repositioned laminate product, RevWood — Wood Without Compromise. Mendelsohn said while the properties for laminate flooring are beneficial, the word laminate was a turn-off for some retailers and consumers. But in testing, the new brand resonated — given the prominent wood name. "There’s a huge market for specialty retailers but it’s a matter of perception."
Indeed, buyers at the show resonated with this strategy. "I really love the fact it’s not called laminate," said Marjorie Benson, owner of Friendly Floors in Port Charlotte, Fla. "You cannot beat the properties of it, but the name [laminate] was a huge problem. This is going to definitely help the category." She said the store will install special fixtures in a dedicated area. "It will be its own category."
Other vendors were equally upbeat at the show as they unveiled new lines, new programs and updated brands.
"We are very optimistic about 2018," said Katie Ford, director of brand strategy for Anderson Tuftex. "All signs point to retail having a great year. Consumers have disposable income and want to remodel and spend."
"We’re very bullish about the [upcoming] year," said Clark Hodgkins, director of resilient for Shaw, adding "2017 was about what we expected and it’s been a good run. We’re are very bullish about resilient." The company unveiled a slew of products in resilient and significantly expanding its Floorté line with Floorté Pro and new thicknesses, colors and styles.
Soft flooring also did well for Shaw. "We are very positive and have a lot happening as we get to 2018 and 2019," said Theresa Tran, director of residential soft surfaces.
Quentin Quathamer, commercial brand manager for Shaw, noted that main street business also did very well in 2017 and he expects strong growth in 2018. "Our dealers are all very positive," and he expects the growth in luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and carpet tile to continue.
"Carpet tile is doing really well," said Tim Hightower, owner of Southern Carpet and Hardwood in Birmingham, Ala., noting that half their commercial business is LVT and half is carpet tile, and he particularly liked Shaw’s carpet tile and new color washed LVT line.
Angie Goffey and Tim Hightower of Southern Carpet and Hardwood, say Shaw’s carpet tile is a strong seller.
Optimistic sentiments as well as praise for the show echoed across the board. Chris Johnson, senior vice president of sales for Phenix said the company had a strong year and is set to launch a main street commercial line in Las Vegas. "We’re managing for growth and we’re growing." He added that the Atlanta show is a great opportunity to present a "dry run" and test products, as well as meet with local customers. "It’s strong and it has turned out to be a ‘real show’ for us."
"The show is well organized," said Daniel Martin, southeast regional manager for Lauzon, noting that traffic started slowly, possibly due to the extreme cold. "It’s a great starting line for us," heading into Las Vegas. He added that 2017 was strong and 2018 has an "air or optimism" for the entire industry.
Buyers also were upbeat and optimistic for the year — crediting a strong 2017 and growing consumer confidence.
Benson of Friendly Floors said she had a great year and expects the trend to continue. "I haven’t seen it this good in a long time. People want to invest in their homes and they have the money to do it."
Hightower said "2017 was good but I expect 2018 to be even better." Since a lot of his business comes from construction and commercial projects, and those numbers indicate strong growth, he is optimistic for the year’s outlook.