CHICAGO — March 22, 2019 — After three days of state-of-the-art flooring displays from around the world and lively industry discussions on and off the show floor, the inaugural DOMOTEX USA launched from February 28 to March 2. In total, 282 exhibitors from 25 countries showcased their latest products across 89,400 square feet of exhibition space in Atlanta to kick off the event. More than 57 percent of the show’s exhibition space featured North American flooring suppliers and 43 percent of the square footage was dedicated to international exhibitors.

“DOMOTEX USA highlighted the passion and innovation of the world’s floor covering manufacturers in an intimate and artfully curated space in the Georgia World Congress Center,” said Larry Turner, president and CEO of Hannover Fairs USA (HFUSA), the organizer of the event. “As an extension of DOMOTEX in Hannover, Germany, the world’s leading showcase for carpets and floor coverings, the flooring trends demonstrated, topics discussed, new partnerships made and business connections forged at DOMOTEX USA make this the most creative, international and inspirational event for the North American marketplace.”

DOMOTEX USA 2020 will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga., from February 5-7.

Pre-Show Plant Tour Offers Retailers Unique Experience

To unveil the first DOMOTEX USA event, HFUSA organized for registered attendees a unique tour of four Dalton, Georgia-area flooring facilities, including Shaw Industries’ resilient manufacturing facility, The Dixie Group headquarters & creative facility, Engineered Floors SAM plant and Beauflor USA’s sheet vinyl facility. The full-day tour took place on Wednesday, Feb. 27, the day prior to the opening of the inaugural show.

Attendees experienced from start to finish the manufacture of several products showcased at DOMOTEX USA, including Shaw’s COREtec brand of waterproof luxury vinyl tile flooring, Dixie Group’s new carpeting products across its Dixie Home, Fabrica and Masland lines, Engineered Floors carpet fiber production technologies and Beauflor’s crafted sheet vinyl and proprietary textile backing, Blacktex.

“To see such distinct and unique facilities all in one day and to experience up close the automation, scale of each facility and product design inspiration is a great use of any flooring retailers time immediately before the show,” said Allison Weiner, designer and merchandiser of Green Bay, Wis.-based HJ Martin and Son and winner of the DOMOTEX World Tour Sweepstakes trip to DOMOTEX Hannover in January 2019.

DOMOTEX USA Donates $10,000 to Aid Industry Workers

During the show’s opening night reception, DOMOTEX USA presented a $10,000 donation to the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF) to further the 501(c)3 charitable non-profit organization’s outreach to floor covering industry workers battling life-altering and catastrophic medical conditions. Charlie Dilks, FCIF’s board chairman and chief product officer of CCA Global Partners, accepted the donation on behalf of the charity.

Exhibitor Highlights and Product Launches

Exhibitors expressed amazement and satisfaction with the steady flow of qualified attendees and found the new show to be easy to navigate, well planned and executed. Many manufacturers of hard and soft floor coverings and floor processing technologies utilized their exhibitions at DOMOTEX USA 2019 to launch new products into the North American marketplace.

“I like the overall quality of DOMOTEX USA and suppliers exhibiting across the show floor,” said Franck Taubert, group export commercial director of Alsapan, a French manufacturer of laminate and resilient flooring. “We were very pleased with the big floor covering distributors who visited our booth. The difference between other North American industry events and DOMOTEX USA is this show is for attendees who are specifically interested in purchasing floor covering products,” he added.

Producer of hardwood floor cleaners, stains, sealers and high durability finishes, Bona, showcased its new Bona Inspiration design focused collection of stains, sealers and finishes at the inaugural show. “We officially launched Bona Inspiration in the U.S. at DOMOTEX USA 2019,” said Leah Bradley, Bona’s band manager. “We saw a great selection of the mix of attendees we hoped to see across our target audiences, including architects, interior designers, retailers, distributors and contractors,” added Bradley.

Kabul Carpet Export Center (KCEC), a novel project entirely funded by the Unites States International Agency for Development (USAID) to support the Afghan weaving business selling handmade rugs, launched in the North American marketplace at DOMOTEX USA 2019. The company was pleased with the broad audience of carpet and rug importer attendees who visited its booth to discuss the project and its Afghan weavers. KCEC launched at DOMOTEX Hannover and will attended DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR next month.

For Bruce Hammer, vice president of sales in North America for Ribadao, a Portuguese-based solid flooring, engineered flooring and wall panel manufacturer, the show presented an intimate space to showcase its products to a targeted audience of OEMs, distributors and large retailers. “The opportunities we secured at DOMOTEX USA we would not have captured at any other North American flooring event,” said Hammer.

During DOMOTEX USA 2019, Shaw Industries, a member of the show’s advisory board, showcased its COREtec and Anderson Tuftex brands. The company highlighted the Anderson Tuftex new Unleashed collection of pet friendly carpets and hardwood products. The carpeting in the collection is made with STAINMASTER® PetProtect® carpet. Anderson Tuftex also featured its wide and long plank hardwoods as part of the Unleashed collection. “Shaw is thrilled to support the inaugural show and to showcase our high quality, boutique brands. We did make new retailer contacts and expect to secure new business as a result of our participation at the event,” said Carrie Edwards Isaac, vice president of marketing and consumer strategy for Shaw Industries residential division. “The beauty of the wide variety of customers we’ve connected with during the show is that they were interested in both our hard and soft collections,” she said. Shaw exhibited its COREtec brand at DOMOTEX Hannover in January.

SWISS KRONO launched its new, advanced and improved, water-resistant laminate flooring lines at the inaugural show. Commenting on the new U.S. show, Fabian Kölliker, head of marketing at SWISS KRONO Group said, “DOMOTEX USA is in the right place, and we look forward to attending the show next year and are happy with the 2020 show dates. We were pleased to see many of our existing customers and to connect with new retailers, too.”

Education Spotlights Digital Marketing and Brand Leadership

During the show’s two-day Growth Sessions conference, industry thought leaders and digital marketing experts offered key takeaways, case studies and creative approaches to the predominantly flooring retailer audience. FloorForce sponsored the first day of Digital Growth discussions held Thursday, Feb. 28. The day’s discussions offered measurable tools for finding, understanding and connecting with targeted flooring customers through digital channels.

DOMOTEX USA’s Friday, March 1 Branding and Marketing Growth Sessions highlighted how retailers can create brands that really resonate with their customers. Important takeaways were how to get intentional about the branding process and how to think through brand positioning, brand essence and the brand promise.

The Insider Talks held on the show floor for all attendees featured top industry professionals who discussed topics ranging from the state of the flooring industry to tips for flooring installation and repairs.

Emily Morrow Home Design Panel Sells Out

Emily Morrow Home hosted a design panel and luncheon that specifically addressed the changing landscape of interior design. The discussion highlighted each panel member’s design focus and favorite Emily Morrow Home hardwood style. Insights on current and future trends also were discussed.

Inaugural Show Attracts Qualified Attendees

The quality mix of show attendees was extremely high – a fact confirmed by all exhibitors. The inaugural show secured 5130 registrants, attracting retail professionals, wholesalers, distributors, OEMs, interior designers, contractors and installation professionals. About 70 percent of the first show’s attendees are located in the Eastern U.S.

“Attendee traffic, including qualified North American retailers and distributor partners, exceeded our expectations for the inaugural show,” said Pat Oakley, vice president of marketing at Mullican Flooring in Johnson City, Tenn. “The show’s location was a perfect fit for us, allowing many of our customers, manufacturing and marketing personnel to easily attend. We have signed on for DOMOTEX USA 2020,” he added. During the inaugural show, Mullican launched its new Wexford Kiln-Aged collection, which is a part of its engineered wood flooring line.

Posted March 22, 2019

Source: DOMOTEX USA

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — March 22, 2019 — Crypton®, a provider of performance fabric technologies in the residential home furnishings market, has announced that it will be creating a first-of-its-kind, pop-up, outdoor lounge, dining and meeting area that will be open to all attendees of High Point Market, the world’s largest home furnishings trade show. The Crypton Patio will provide a perfect spot for alfresco dining (from an array of nearby food trucks and carts) outdoor meetings or for taking a quick power nap in the Hammock Garden. Centrally located near the Transportation Terminal and the Showplace building off the main pedestrian walkway, it will be open from Saturday through Monday, April 6, 7 and 8 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., weather permitting.

“The vibe will be fun and relaxed,” said Crypton Home’s Marketing Director Elise Gabrielson, “a spot where you can camp out between appointments, relax, eat lunch, catch up with colleagues and friends. If you’re not sure where to meet up, just call your team and say, “Meet me on The Patio!’” The Patio will also serve as an informal Crypton design resource center with a sneak peek at the newest Crypton fabric trends from around Market. A Crypton Product Specialist will be on hand to answer questions and help marketgoers find Crypton partner showrooms throughout High Point Market.

Says High Point Market Authority COO Tammy Nagem, “We’re pleased to have Crypton break new ground by providing The Crypton Patio experience. Theirs is an esteemed brand represented in more than 80 High Point showrooms, and their pop-up experiences are known to our attendees for being both delightful and immersive.” For example, on Saturday and Sunday Crypton will offer a pop-up-within a-pop-up when from 2 -4 The Patio will be the location for Crypton’s Pooch Pop Up, where weary show goers can relax and snuggle up with a dog from the Canine Companions for Independence. A selfie tagged #poochpopup will trigger a donation from Crypton to the organization, which furnishes trained companion dogs to those who need them. Fun giveaways for your own pooch will range from the classic (tennis ball, frisbee) to the unexpected (soothing aromatherapy paw towelettes by Herban Essentials).

Crypton Patio highlights include:

Dining Patio: with picnic tables and umbrellas for meeting or dining or both Hammock Garden: for a snooze, a selfie or both

Pergola Bar: where everything is refreshing, like locally sourced organic juices and kombucha from High Point purveyor Organic AF, free samples of all-natural botanical aromatherapy from Herban Essentials and live demonstrations of Crypton’s indoor performance fabrics at work

Pooch Pop Ups: Saturday and Sunday 2 – 4 snuggle or snap a #poochpopup selfie
Plant life: take-home design ideas for outdoor-safe and indoor-pretty floral/décor by Balsam Hill

Design Inspiration to-go: designers can get expert specification tips and choose fabric samples to-go at the Pergola Bar’s Swatch Buffet featuring the latest Crypton introductions from showrooms across High Point

In addition to The Patio, Crypton will once again sponsor High Point Market’s Style Spotters and Blogger Tour, and the brand is also hosting a Beauty Lounge inside the Designer Lounge at Universal Furniture, where show goers can relax on furniture covered in Crypton fabric while having a 20-minute makeup application or hair touch-up with a professional stylist. Beauty Lounge appointments will require an RSVP. The Crypton Patio is open to all, 11 – 4 Sat, Sun and Mon April 6 – 8.

Posted March 22, 2019

Source: Crypton®

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — March 22, 2019 — CleanTex Services, a family-owned healthcare launderer has recently been re-certified Hygienically Clean for Healthcare for its Trenton, N.J., laundry, reflecting its ongoing commitment to best management practices (BMPs) in laundering as verified by on-site inspection and its capability to produce hygienically clean textiles as quantified by ongoing microbial testing. CleanTex Services serves customers in NY, NJ, PA and CT. Originally certified in December 2015, this renewal certification confirms the organization’s continuing dedication to infection prevention, compliance with recognized industry standards and processing healthcare textiles using BMPs as described in its quality assurance documentation, a focal point for Hygienically Clean inspectors’ evaluation. The independent, third-party inspection must also confirm essential evidence that:

• Employees are properly trained and protected;
• Managers understand regulatory requirements;
• OSHA-compliant; and
• Physical plant operates effectively.

To achieve certification initially, laundries pass three rounds of outcome-based microbial testing, indicating that their processes are producing Hygienically Clean Healthcare textiles and diminished presence of yeast, mold and harmful bacteria. They also must pass a facility inspection. To maintain their certification, they must pass quarterly testing to ensure that as laundry conditions change, such as water quality, textile fabric composition and wash chemistry, laundered product quality is consistently maintained. Re-inspection occurs every two to three years.

This process eliminates subjectivity by focusing on outcomes and results that verify textiles cleaned in these facilities meet appropriate hygienically clean standards and BMPs for hospitals, surgery centers, medical offices, nursing homes and other medical facilities.

Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification acknowledges laundries’ effectiveness in protecting healthcare operations by verifying quality control procedures in linen, uniform and facility services operations related to the handling of textiles containing blood and other potentially infectious materials.

Certified laundries use processes, chemicals and BMPs acknowledged by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, American National Standards Institute and others. Introduced in 2012, Hygienically Clean Healthcare brought to North America the international cleanliness standards for healthcare linens and garments used worldwide by the Certification Association for Professional Textile Services and the European Committee for Standardization.

Objective experts in epidemiology, infection control, nursing and other healthcare professions work with Hygienically Clean launderers to ensure the certification continues to enforce the highest standards for producing clean healthcare textiles.

“Congratulations to CleanTex Services’ Trenton laundry on their re-certification,” said Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “This achievement proves their continued commitment to infection prevention and that their laundry takes every step possible to prevent human illness.”

CleanTex Services also holds the TRSA Clean Green certification, proving their commitment to customers that their laundry is also dedicated to standards for operational efficiency and sustainability. Clean Green certification underscores ongoing sustainability efforts and adherence to the highest standards in their production and delivery operations.

Posted March 22, 2019

Source: TRSA

NEW YORK CITY — March 21, 2019 — Global fabric and home fashions manufacturer Home Furnishing International has formed a new joint venture, Palmetto Pedic LLC, to provide conventional foam and memory foam, mattresses, toppers, pillows, foundations, adjustable bases and accessories to the United States bedding, upholstered furniture and automotive industries.

Home Furnishing International Chairman and CEO David Li also will serve as chairman and CEO of the new joint venture firm. Respected Chinese entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Karl Li has been named president of Palmetto Pedic reporting to David Li; and veteran bedding retail buyer Michael King has been named executive vice president of marketing and merchandising, reporting to Dr. Li.

Home Furnishing International, a privately held vertical fabric and home fashions supplier with annual sales estimated in excess of $200 million, is the majority shareholder of the new company. Palmetto Pedic has been formed in partnership with a group of investors who own seven foam, mattress, bedding and accessories manufacturing facilities in China totaling more than 3 million square feet.

“The U.S. foam mattress and bedding market represents a huge, untapped opportunity for expansion, and we feel that this new company will help us maximize our potential for growth on a global scale,” explained David Li. “These investors already own and operate state-of-the-art vertical research and design operations, materials manufacturing factories, and finished product manufacturing plants, as well as marketing, sales and distribution facilities in China. These plants have established relationships and supply, directly or indirectly, specialized foam products to many top-tier customers worldwide, including some leading U.S. mattress manufacturers and importers, as well as luxury automobile maker Mercedes-Benz; automotive giant General Motors; intimate apparel trendsetter Triumph; and global consumer innovator 3M.

“Home Furnishing International has a long history of manufacturing in both the U.S. and China; we have the operational infrastructure, a mature and experienced labor force, and the extensive retailer and supplier connections that will enable us to quickly get up to speed and capitalize on the growth prospects in the American bedding, upholstery and automotive markets,” David Li continued. “We are already taking orders for mattresses, and expect to begin trial manufacturing foam bedding at our Gaffney, S.C., plant in April. We expect to begin pouring our own foams in Gaffney by the third quarter of 2019.”

Over the past two years, Home Furnishing International has more than doubled its U.S. manufacturing and distribution facilities in Gaffney, which now total more than 600,000 square feet in two locations. Approximately 50 percent of the Gaffney plants will be dedicated to Palmetto Pedic manufacturing and distribution, which will focus on providing conventional foam, memory foam, components and finished products to leading American manufacturers as an OEM supplier.

The new joint venture, with its U.S. manufacturing base, comes at a critical time of transition for the American market, due to the turmoil and unpredictability created by the U.S. International Trade Commission’s antidumping investigation of finished mattresses from China. Based on the ITC’s preliminary report, the U.S. Department of Commerce is expected to impose steep antidumping duties of at least 150 percent or higher on imports from China by late May.

“With antidumping duties pending on Chinese mattresses, the manufacturers and their existing U.S. customers are facing an uncertain future,” David Li explains. “By combining the research, development and technological expertise of these Chinese investors with Home Furnishing International’s modern U.S. manufacturing facilities, we believe we can become a leading supplier to the American bedding market.” HFI currently is a major provider of decorative pillows, window treatments, home décor, accessories and decorative fabrics for the U.S. market.

Expert Chinese scientist Dr. Karl Li will serve as president and chief merchandising officer for Palmetto Pedic, LLC. Dr. Li is a well-known pioneer in the field of foam research and development, credited with holding more than 100 patents in the field. He also serves as professor of Physical Chemistry at the Huaiyin Normal University (China.)

“When I first started my career in 1991, I was primarily interested in pure scientific research into materials physics and chemistry,” Dr. Li noted. “However, I became increasingly interested in how the materials that we were developing could be used for products that would actually enhance people’s quality of life. In 2001, I started to look into practical consumer products and ways to translate the new technologies that we were developing in conventional foam and memory foam into finished products.

“Two years later, we successfully entered the Japanese market with a line of multi-functional memory foam mattresses — which are similar to those in the USA — and pillows; these products incorporated a number of technological innovations, including photo-catalyst antibacterial functions, bamboo charcoal deodorization functions and other features,” Dr. Li continued. “In 2013 we started to sell memory foam mattresses and bath mats to selected American customers as well. With the formation of Palmetto Pedic LLC, I believe we will be able to develop a much wider spectrum of products to serve the needs of the large American consumer population, as well as build our business internationally.” As president of Palmetto Pedic, Dr. Li will split his time between research facilities in China and the company’s U.S. manufacturing plant in Gaffney.

David Li points out that the formation of Palmetto Pedic will allow Dr. Li to bring his scientific and technological expertise to the broader American consumer market, comparing the situation to having a top chef opening and running a trendy restaurant chain: “As the scientist ‘cooking up’ major innovations in foam research and manufacturing, Dr. Li will bring his imagination, creativity, technical knowledge and originality into the American bedding market, developing new products to benefit our customers as well as the ultimate consumer,” David Li said.

Technological expertise is just one part of the equation, however; Palmetto Pedic, LLC also will benefit from having an experienced retail executive in a high-profile role. Michael King, who has been the bedding buyer for preeminent department store group Macy’s for the past 26 years, will serve as Palmetto Pedic, LLC executive vice president of marketing and merchandising. Prior to joining Macy’s, King was a bedding buyer for Frederick & Nelson for 11 years; he started his career at May Company in Denver. King will be based out of HFI’s showroom at 295 Fifth Ave., New York, NY.

“There have been major changes in the bedding industry over the past few years, with dramatic shifts in the channels of distribution and the ways in which consumers purchase mattresses today,” King asserts. “These shifts present tremendous opportunities for Palmetto Pedic LLC to become the foremost OEM supplier of foam mattresses and accessories to major U.S. bedding manufacturers.

“Given all of the disruption in the mattress market — especially with the antidumping duties looming in the background — U.S. manufacturers have a very real and pressing need for a reliable supplier who can provide superior service, speed and consistency,” King added. “Palmetto Pedic, LLC is strategically positioned to become that leading supplier.”

David Li also expects Palmetto Pedic, LLC to capitalize on Home Furnishing International’s leadership position in the decorative fabrics market. “No other supplier has the vertical capacity that HFI has in the fabric market … and mattresses need to be covered in fabric,” he observes. “HFI is recognized as a world leader in the fabric industry, producing more than 300 million yards of fabric every year.

“We are well-known for technological innovation and developing proprietary yarns that offer superior performance characteristics as well as being environmentally friendly,” he continued. “We will be working closely with our U.S. customers to develop specialized fabrics for the mattress market in order to take that business to the next level.” In addition to its U.S. manufacturing and distribution plants, HFI currently operates more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing facilities in Rugao, China, encompassing weaving, dyeing, printing and finishing, as well as finished product production.

“The foam industry is a very capital- and technology-intensive industry,” Li added. “We are positioning HFI and Palmetto Pedic, LLC to become a world-class player in this very competitive business.”

Posted March 21, 2019

Source: Home Furnishing International