Bona names Christer Wahlquist president and CEO

Malmö, Sweden—Bona has appointed Christer Wahlquist president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2027.

Wahlquist will succeed Lidija Broström, Bona’s senior vice president of marketing. Broström has served as interim president and CEO since August 2025.

Broström will lead Bona through the transition and work closely with Wahlquist before he assumes the role. She will then return to her position as senior vice president of marketing.

“Christer brings extensive experience leading and growing a global company, along with a deeply collaborative approach to leadership,” said Kerstin Lindell, chair of Bona’s board. “His track record of bringing people together, strengthening operations and supporting long-term growth, combined with his emphasis on culture and teamwork, aligns well with Bona’s values. We are pleased to welcome him to Bona.”

Lindell also praised Broström’s leadership during the transition period.

“We are also grateful to Lidija for her steady leadership, commitment and care for Bona during this important period,” Lindell said. “She has provided continuity while helping the company move forward and her leadership will remain invaluable throughout the transition.”

Wahlquist brings global leadership experience

Wahlquist will join Bona as a consultant Oct. 1, 2026. He will work closely with the board, group management and teams across the organization.

The transition will allow Wahlquist to participate in Bona’s strategic planning before formally assuming the president and CEO role.

Wahlquist brings more than 30 years of experience from Nolato, a global business-to-business company serving industries including medical technology. He spent about 20 years helping build Nolato’s medical business. The operation eventually grew to generate about SEK 5.5 billion in annual revenue.

He later served as Nolato’s president and CEO for more than 10 years. During his tenure, the company grew annual revenue from just over SEK 4 billion to about SEK 10 billion. It also strengthened its global position.

“I look forward to joining Bona, a company with a strong heritage, a respected global brand and a clear commitment to quality,” Wahlquist said. “I believe long-term success is built through teamwork and by making the most of the knowledge and experience within an organization. I look forward to getting to know Bona’s people, customers and business and to contributing to the company’s continued growth and development.”

Wahlquist holds a Master of Science in Engineering from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and an MBA from Lund University.

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Daltile Statements conference welcomes dealers

Patrick Warren, vice president, residential sales, dealer and showrooms, doing his best imitation of Love Boat Captain Merrill Stubing, kicks off the 2026 Daltile Statements conference in Naples, Fla.

Naples, Fla.–Daltile kicked off its biennial Statements conference here this morning. Patrick Warren, vice president, residential sales, dealer and showrooms, opened the meeting doing his best imitation of “Love Boat” Captain Merrill Stubing.

Special guests included HGTV personality and producer Chip Wade, who welcomed keynote speaker and Dallas Cowboys legend Emmett Smith.

Established in 2010, Statements is an exclusive, premier partnership network for top ceramic tile and natural stone retailers across the U.S. Showroom benefits include exclusive custom displays, signage and design inspiration setups to turn a local showroom into a design destination. Other benefits include marketing tools like co-op advertising funds along with lead generation programs, consumer financing and automated social media tools.

HGTV personality and producer Chip Wade hosts keynote speaker and Dallas Cowboys legend Emmett Smith at the Daltile Statements conference.

Look for more on this story in the Sept. 14/21 edition of FCNews. 

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Roppe releases inaugural sustainability report

Ostoria, Ohio—Roppe Corp. a leading manufacturer of commercial resilient rubber and vinyl flooring and part of Roppe Holding Company (RHC), has released its inaugural Sustainability Report, formalizing the company’s environmental, social and governance commitments.

The report, which marks a milestone in Roppe’s 70-plus-year history, details commitments that have long guided the company’s product design and operations. It highlights Roppe’s efforts in circular product design, emissions reduction and resource conservation, covering  product health and safety as well as employee well-being. The report also addresses Roppe’s support for its employees and communities.

“This report is our way of putting a stake in the ground,” said Jacob Gentillon, director of sustainability at RHC. “It shows where we stand today and gives us a clear benchmark as we work toward our future goals. We’re proud of what we’ve built and just as focused on what comes next.”

The report also outlines “The Path Forward,” RHC’s strategic plan through 2030. RHC transitioned to 100% employee ownership earlier this year.

Read the full report here.

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Tuesday Tips: Finish strong

Dalton—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) released a new “Tuesday Tips” this week. In the series, WFCA experts present short video tips for improving customer service and optimizing staff performance. In the end, it’s all about understanding the importance of doing 100 things just 1% better than your competition.

In this week’s Tuesday Tips, Tom Jennings, retail training expert, explains why the final moments of a sales presentation matter. Finishing the sale strong can shape how customers remember the entire experience.

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NALFA fall meeting to preview laminate market insights

Savannah, Ga.—The North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) will bring industry leaders together here Oct. 13-15 for its Fall Meeting.

NALFA’s member-led technical, underlayment, mouldings and marketing committees will use the meeting to advance several initiatives. Their work includes standards development, certification, product performance, technical education and category communications. The committee structure gives manufacturers, suppliers and other members a direct role in shaping NALFA’s technical guidance and industry resources.

The fall meeting will build on work from NALFA’s Spring Meeting in Phoenix. Members will also evaluate new market information, identify emerging needs and establish priorities for 2027. In addition, members will preview initial findings from NALFA’s new 2026 Industry Intelligence Program. NALFA designed the Industry Intelligence Program to provide a broader view of the laminate flooring market. The program examines market conditions, business trends, retail dynamics and field-performance issues.

“Understanding what is happening in the laminate flooring market is only the first step,” said Tom Wright, NALFA president and vice president of product management & innovation at Mohawk Industries. “The real value comes from using that insight to guide where NALFA can have the greatest impact. Fall Meeting will bring market intelligence together with the technical expertise of our members to help shape the standards, resources and priorities the industry needs next.”

Register here.

 

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Retailers reveal the suppliers they win with

Successful collaborative relationships between retailers and suppliers requires considerable investment in time and other resources. These partnerships often involve strategic alignment, resource sharing and ongoing engagement to adapt to market changes and consumer needs.

In the flooring industry, suppliers providing high-quality flooring options help retailers maintain customer satisfaction and brand reputation, which is crucial for repeat business. As such, the retailer-supplier dynamic must be in synch on everything from product choice to installation.

FCNews’ seventh annual “Retailers Reveal the Suppliers they Win With” highlights the special bond flooring dealers—as well as distributors— have with their supplier partners.

Read the full feature here.

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Mullican expands Castillian, Wexford collections

Castillian Contemporary

Johnson City, Tenn. — Mullican Flooring has launched a new addition to its Castillian engineered collection. In addition, the company has expanded its Castillian Premier product line with two new colors and added new colors to its popular Wexford solid offering.

Castillian Contemporary is crafted from European white oak and offers 7.5-inch-wide planks in lengths up to 6 feet. Each plank features beveled edges and ends, along with an aluminum oxide finish and a 50-year finish warranty. Available in three sophisticated colors — Broadway, Midtown and White Oak Natural — Castillian Contemporary brings understated elegance, warmth and modern style to today’s interiors.

“Castillian Contemporary has a clean, fresh look, with the quality and precision you expect from engineered flooring,” said Neil Wenger, senior vice president of sales and marketing,  Mullican Flooring. “The AB Grade gives it a more consistent appearance, while the subtle wire-brushed texture and longer, random-length boards help create a smooth, natural flow from one end of the room to the other.”

Castillian Premier additions

Mullican Flooring expands its Castillian Premier product line with two new colors — Crescent Bay and Shorehouse. These colors enhance Castillian Premier’s timeless appeal with a refined, modern touch that is ideal for interiors that value both tradition and style. Precision-made from the finest European white oak, Castillian Premier offers wire-brushed treatments, NWFA Certified Refinishable wear layers, extra-wide 9.44-inch planks in random lengths up to 7 feet and a 50-year finish warranty.

New looks for Wexford

Mullican has also added four new colors to its popular Wexford collection of solid white oak wood flooring. These fresh offerings—Blonde Drift, Cashmere, Honeygrain and Wheatstone— bring a wider range of warm tones designed to complement both classic and modern interiors. Manufactured in the United States and offered in random lengths up to 7 feet, Wexford offers a classic hardwood flooring look that has been enriched with a wire-brushed surface texture and beveled edges and ends. Available in 4- and 5-inch widths, the collection features an ultra-low gloss finish that is protected by a lifetime warranty.

Oak Cashmere

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