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 says top-performing salespeople share one key trait: they’re always learning. It’s not about formal classes, but building a habit of asking questions and staying curious.
Centricity will spotlight this emerging trend at the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) Expo 2026.
St. Petersburg, Fla.—Homeowners are continuing to invest in their living spaces at near-record levels, but a more cautious, value-driven mindset is reshaping how those investments are made and protected, according to Centricity, a leader in accidental damage protection solutions.
Recent industry forecasts show home improvement spending remains resilient despite broader economic uncertainty, with homeowners prioritizing maintenance, upgrades and long-term value. For the flooring category, this shift is creating a new imperative: protecting the investment.
“Consumers haven’t stopped spending, but they’ve become far more intentional,” said Ryan Alexander, president of Centricity. “Today’s homeowner isn’t just asking ‘What flooring should I choose?’ They’re asking, ‘How do I protect that investment over time?’ That’s an important opportunity for our industry.”
Centricity will spotlight this emerging trend at the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) Expo 2026, where the company will engage with manufacturers, retailers and industry professionals on the growing role of protection plans in today’s flooring purchase.
A ‘Protect What You Buy’ economy emerges
In the current economy, home buying has slowed down and become uneven while spending on home maintenance, repair and targeted upgrades remains strong. With elevated interest rates limiting home sales, some homeowners are choosing to stay put, investing in their current homes rather than moving.
That dynamic is especially relevant for flooring, one of the most visible and high-cost interior upgrades.
“At a time when consumers are watching every dollar, the idea of facing an unexpected repair or full replacement due to accidental damage is simply unacceptable,” Alexander said. “Protection is no longer a luxury add-on; it’s part of the value equation.”
Why flooring is especially vulnerable
Despite its durability, flooring remains highly susceptible to everyday accidents, from damage by dropped objects and furniture movement to spills and pet accidents. These often result in costly repairs that are not covered under standard warranties.
Centricity’s Alexander brings more than 20 years of experience developing consumer protection programs across multiple product categories, notes that flooring represents a unique gap in consumer awareness.
“Most homeowners assume their investment is covered, but standard warranties rarely address real-life accidents,” Alexander said. “In flooring, a single incident, a deep scratch, spills or stains can lead to significant out-of-pocket costs. Protection plans close that gap and give consumers predictability.”
Opportunity for retailers and manufacturers
As consumer expectations evolve, protection plans are also becoming a strategic tool for flooring retailers to differentiate in a competitive market.
At NWFA Expo 2026, Centricity will be on hand for conversations with industry partners to discuss how protection solutions can be integrated into the sales process to meet shifting consumer expectations and reduce post-installation friction. Visit Centricity in Booth 1413. This show is uniquely focused on wood flooring, while Centricity provides coverage for both hard and soft surfaces including carpet, laminate, hardwood, luxury vinyl plank, luxury vinyl tile and tile.
The Coverings 2026 conference program featured a mix of technical presentations, partner-led sessions, interactive Q&As and live demonstrations. The goal is always to equip Coverings attendees with practical and strategic knowledge to navigate a rapidly evolving tile and stone market.
What’s more, Coverings 2026 was the tile category’s U.S. product showcase, and this year did not disappoint. From touchable tile with enhanced visuals to next-gen performance and trend-forward designs and applications, tile exhibitors showcased why tile is one of the most unique and sought after materials in the industry.
Following is a curated showcase of the some of the latest introductions unveiled at Coverings 2026:
1 >>American Olean – Studio Haven
• Studio Haven reimagines the classic Zellige look with six richly varied colors and versatile sizing. Available in three neutrals— Shea, a crisp white; Plume, a warm soft white; and Almond, a balanced neutral. Make a bold statement by color-drenching your space with Fog, a smoky blue, or bring in an art-deco edge with the deep, moody tones of Espresso or the warm glow of Honey.
2 >>Anatolia – Lustra
• The Lustra Collection is a Colorsync porcelain onyx-inspired collection, evoking the beauty of natural onyx with soft luminosity and sculptural depth. Available in four colors, its layered veining and refined textures are designed to create serene, elegant interiors. Lustra is designed to bring sophistication and timeless modernity to any space.
3 >>Antolini – Cipollino GreyWave
• Cipollino GreyWave reveals white, grey and black veining, designed to express a poetic sense of movement within stone. Its flowing patterns, recalling glacial landscapes in motion, aim to evoke calm strength and natural grandeur, while lending refined elegance and distinctive personality to interior spaces.
4 >>Azuvi – Yumi
• Yuma is a 60 x 120cm porcelain slate collection that pays tribute to the fusion between nature and human creativity. This distinctive surface aims to capture the essence of slate while incorporating delicate stone inlays in different areas. Yuma’s color range has been carefully selected to establish a visual dialogue with Elder, a rustic wood with very small knots available in a 20 x 120cm format.
5 >>Bestile
• Bestile unveiled a variety of new collections within the Tile of Spain pavilion at this year’s show, which highlighted, among other things, the richness of small pieces and the efficiency of a single format. The collections look to redefine installation—reducing time, simplifying execution, while preserving the visual depth of handcrafted surfaces.
6 >>Crossville – Cleve
• Crossville’s Cleve captures quartzite’s sculpted beauty in porcelain. Layered veining, crystalline detail and high variation (V4) create natural depth across four colorways. Offered in multiple formats, mosaics and trim, Cleve delivers durability and low maintenance for residential and commercial spaces.
7 >>Decocer – Eterea
• Eterea is a reinterpretation of marble through lightness. Available in 23 x 23cm, 5x 20cm and 8 x 21.5cm formats, its surfaces balance matte and gloss to create depth, providing an elegant and understated foundation for contemporary architecture.
8 >>Del Conca – Roma
• Del Conca USA introduced a focused set of collections designed to meet demand for higher visual realism, refined aesthetics and stronger indoor/outdoor continuity. Roma and Bergen, with its new Trace technology, expands its portfolio with enhanced depth and definition, helping designers achieve a more natural, premium look while maintaining the performance and consistency of U.S.-made porcelain.
9 >>Florida Tile – Threadscape
• Threadscape is directly inspired by the artistry of textile and high fashion: the textured surface of a hand-stretched canvas, the familiar rhythm of a linen weave or the structured geometry of a plaid tweed suit. The graphic features a refined, canvas-like movement, while the tactile punch adds dimension.
10 >>Marazzi – Curation
• Curation is a terrazzo-inspired series that offers a bold selection of colors in an assortment of sizes and styles. Choose a 2 x 9 brick for refined simplicity or embrace a retro aesthetic with the terrazzo design available in large formats and mosaics, adding visual intrigue to any space.
11 >>MILEstone – Daydream
• Daydream is a new porcelain tile collection developed in collaboration with Nicole Jordan, design director at PBK Architects in Houston. The collection marks the fourth installment of the company’s Stories designer collaboration series. Stories by MILEstone aims to highlight voices within the American design community through designer-led collections.
12 >>MSI – Casa Duet
• The Casa Duet collection reimagines the classic checkerboard with a modern twist, delivering bold visual impact without complex installation. In a 24 x 24 size with a matte finish, it offers a clean, sophisticated look. Designed for accessibility and style, it aims to transform aspirational design into a striking, attainable statement for any space.
13 >>Portobello America – Cristallo Collection
• The Cristallo Collection translates fractured depth and fluid veining into premium porcelain, treating the material as if it were in a state of contemplation. Cristallo allows designers to tune the light of a space through three distinct finishes: Matte, Polished and Soft.
14 >>Stonepeak – Classic Boutique
• Classic Boutique, inspired by Italy’s rich architectural history, blends the familiarity of traditional marble looks with the refined character of boutique-level design—high-end, curated and tailored. Classic Boutique is an 8mm, U.S.-made tile collection with a palette that spans a curated range of on-trend, marble-inspired hues from timeless whites and bold blacks to expressive greens and earthy browns.
15 >>Wonder Porcelain – Tuxedo
• The Tuxedo collection features a deep black porcelain surface designed to deliver a bold and refined aesthetic for modern interiors. The product delivers a rich black tone that absorbs light and creates strong contrast within architectural spaces.
16 >>Ceramica Bardelli – Aquatic Creatures
• Aquatic Creatures is the artistic decorative tile collection designed by Riccardo Capuzzo for Ceramica Bardelli. The collection, conceived as a poetic journey into the underwater world, features four original designs—Atlantis City, Mongolfiere, Sea Maioliche and Seaweed—relief-printed on 24 x 48-inch porcelain stoneware slabs from the Colorama series. Each surface functions as a narrative panel, bringing to life timeless symbols such as whales, turtles, crabs and jellyfish.
Most of you have never heard of Bonnie Fuller—and for good reason. Bonnie Fuller has nothing to do with floor covering or retail—or manufacturing, for that matter. Fuller has been a consumer magazine editor in chief for nearly 40 years at magazines that are almost certainly not on your nightstand. On the other hand, after being exposed to her in 2003, I have tried to incorporate many of her philosophies at FCNews. At the same time, there are some basic takeaways for retailers, too.
Fuller has not made many friends along the journey—quite the contrary, in fact—but her incredible success is rooted in simplicity, understanding the customer and an insatiable drive for perfection. She’s posted hefty circulation gains at every magazine she’s touched, including Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Glamour and Us Weekly, minting money for her bosses. When she arrives at a magazine, newsstand sales defy gravity.
Fuller’s serial successes are based on a simple premise: Give the reader what he or she wants to know rather than what we as editors think they should know. (You may want to read that again and digest.) As an example, as much as we at FCNews enjoy interviewing the highest-level executives, we know that retailers want to hear from their peers as to what’s working and what’s not. They don’t want to hear from me, and they certainly don’t want to hear from someone sitting in an ivory tower. Our executive editor, Reggie Tucker, who I’ve hired twice and has been with me for all but a few of my 32 years in this industry, will tell you, “Steve says every word has to earn its way on the page.” That was a takeaway from Fuller. We call it “no-fat” editing. We try not to put a thing in this magazine that we don’t think will work.
In some ways, Fuller is the Joel Schumacher of editing: a single-minded producer of super-efficient blockbusters, instinctively mass-market. She’s dumbed down every magazine she’s ever worked for by stripping away anything that the reader wasn’t going to be instantly interested in. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying we “dumb down” FCNews, but we like to use words like “performance” instead of “20-mil wearlayer,” or “design” versus “300 dpi.” Because that’s what your customer wants to hear.
So what Bonnie Fuller traits can you incorporate into your business?
Attention to detail: Not a caption ever got printed in Us Weekly without passing through Fuller’s uncompromising filter.
Ambition: People say if you’re a perfectionist, you’ll love working with Fuller. But if you want to do the basic job and go home at 5:30, you won’t. Fuller is not interested in people without ambition. Hire people who are invested in your success.
Eye on the prize: Make sure everyone is on the same page with you. Sometimes editors would stumble out of the building after a late night to discover it was dawn. Fuller was there to do a job, and everybody else needed to be on the same page: Get onboard or get out. It sounds harsh, but a former editor I know who worked with Fuller at Glamour once told me, “She just upturns every life in pursuit of her goal.”
Your salespeople should reflect the customer: Make sure you have some female and younger salespeople, because that is your customer. Much of Fuller’s success can be attributed to the fact that the ideas that come into her head are in sync with a broad base of women’s-magazine readers. Why? She is her reader, which is why she understands her reader.
Transparency: Don’t be afraid to share numbers with your sales team. Some editors don’t want to know sales figures. Fuller was the first to ask what the numbers were. One of the things that makes her tick is money. When numbers were up, she knew she was doing something right.
Challenges are opportunities to be creative: When Fuller gave birth to her first child, she timed her contractions during a meeting at Flare, gave birth that night and was calling the office at the start of the next business day. There were page proofs in the hospital bed after each of her children was born. And as for maternity leave, she packed up the baby and the nanny every morning and installed them in her office so she could breastfeed at work.
Yes, much of this—while 100% true—borders on the extreme. But extreme is what separates the winners from the rest of the pack.
Lastly, I would love to hear from you about what you’d like to see more of, less of in FCNews. Just like Bonnie Fuller, we want to give you what you want to read, not what we think you should read.
Dalton—Shaw Industries Group announced that Aaron John has been named senior vice president of residential sales.
“Aaron knows Shaw well and has a passion for our industry and our customers,” said Benjamin Liebert, president of Shaw Residential. “He has a deep history of forming long-lasting relationships with customers across our dealer network.”
John brings more than two decades of experience at Shaw, having held leadership roles across the residential business, including: regional vice president; director of Shaw Flooring Network & Retail Programs; and divisional vice president. He is known for his extensive leadership experience, strong cross-functional business acumen and building high-performing teams.
Under John’s leadership, Shaw’s general managers will continue to drive strong local market execution and customer-focused outcomes. He will lead efforts to create consistency, strengthen alignment and set clear direction across the sales organization.
“Our sales team is dedicated to helping our customers grow in 2026 and beyond,” John said. “My priority is bringing clarity and focus to our efforts, so our dealers feel supported and confident navigating today’s complex market.”
The retail participation for National Karastan Month has already to surpassed last spring’s numbers.
The anticipation for the Spring 2026 “Where Style Meets Savings” National Karastan Month campaign (April 17-June 1) has already reached a fever pitch as a record number of flooring retailers are participating in this event.
To fuel this momentum, the Mohawk marketing and product team are arming its dealers with the digital tools and assets to make this the most successful sales period in the brand’s history. In addition, Edge dealers can use their co-op funds toward advertising the campaign, which will create stronger leads and greater volume.
“We put together the most comprehensive campaign to date and expanded our product inclusion,” said Jordan Biasetti, senior manager, marketing programs for Mohawk.
On the product side, Karastan is adding more winning products to the campaign. “One of the biggest updates this year is we are including Karastan Black Label (soft surface) into the program for the first time, which elevates the premium side of this campaign,” said Jamie Hoffner, the newly appointed vice president of residential sales, fashion.
What’s more, the team is doubling the number of SKUs of its Karastan LuxeCraft Serenity collection—a premium, nature-inspired WPC offering designed for superior comfort, warmth and noise reduction. Serenity features 100% waterproof protection, pet-friendly technology and authentic, detailed aesthetics.
The addition of Serenity is significant, Hoffner said, noting, “WPC has seen the fastest growth of hard surface for Karastan.”
Product collections from BelleLuxe Waterproof laminate and BelleLuxe Natural engineered wood will also be included in the campaign. Gloriana Charm, one of the products featured in the laminate portfolio, was a Best of Surfaces 2026 winner in the Style & Design category.
The Karastan team outlined the scope of the program to retail owners and retail sales associates during a webinar on April 2.
A solid game plan
Success in National Karastan Month “Where Style Meets Savings” starts with a solid game plan.
Bigger impact: The Mohawk Ad Center has been updated with DIY, ready-to-use advertising assets designed to maximize reach and drive traffic to retailers’ showrooms.
Broadcast-ready videos: Dealers were urged to start planning now to build anticipation.
Vertical social content: Video and graphics optimized to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok.
Print materials: From full page ads to direct mail postcards, dealers are urged to reach out to their customers in print.
Digital display ads: Multiple sizes that are ready to deploy.
What’s more, Edge Local Advertising (ELA) will ensure that shoppers who are searching for flooring in a dealer’s area will find the Edge dealer first. “We think ELA is a game changer for retailers,” Biasetti said. “ELA allows them to run highly targeted digital campaigns, and they can do this without having a dedicated in-house marketing team.”
Dealers are also invited to download the 2026 Retailer Guide, a roadmap to navigate all the information and resources necessary for the event. The guide was created to make execution as easy as possible.
It includes:
Complete rebate program details and consumer benefits
Full product lineup
Available financing programs to close more sales
Step-by-step instructions for accessing and using marketing materials
In-store merchandising strategies and display options
Participating retailers can pick and choose which assets to use as the campaign is designed to be customizable and flexible.
Company officials said Karastan month is traditionally the most anticipated and impactful of the year, and this spring promises to be no exception. “It’s fun to watch the dealers and RSAs get excited when the dates are announced,” Biasetti said. “The Edge dealers are not just participating in a promotion they are aligning with a trusted heritage brand. The high-quality products and strong promotions create a formula that drives sales for them. On the marketing side we get all the emails and phone calls from dealers; there has been so much engagement, so much interest.”
In conjunction with the campaign, Karastan Lookbook No. 9 will be launched to help bring the story to life.
Didn’t catch the webinar in real time? Check it out here.
For much of the last decade, resilient flooring—particularly LVT, SPC and WPC—was defined by relentless momentum. New formats, new cores, new visuals and new suppliers flooded the market at a pace few categories had ever experienced. Growth was fast, competition was fierce and innovation cycles were compressed to the point of exhaustion.
Today, that momentum has slowed. And for some that slowdown has triggered concern. But what’s happening in the resilient category isn’t a decline—it’s maturation.
The resilient segment has reached a point familiar to any product category that moves from disruption to dominance. After years of explosive growth, the market is stabilizing, assortments are tightening and product life cycles are lengthening. In short, resilient is growing up.
From land grab to landscape
In its early years, resilient’s rise was fueled by speed. Overseas manufacturing capacity expanded rapidly, private-label programs multiplied and retailers were encouraged—sometimes pressured—to carry hundreds of SKUs to remain competitive.
Innovation was constant.
That era delivered volume, but it also created volatility. Margins compressed as lookalike products multiplied. Inventory burdens increased. Claims, quality inconsistencies and consumer upset followed. The category grew fast, but not always effectively.
Engineered Floors’ PureGrain Advantage
The current slowdown is, in many ways, the market correcting itself. Fewer launches do not signal less innovation; they signal more intention behind innovation. Suppliers are investing more time in core performance, visual attributes and technologies rather than chasing incremental thickness changes or novelty formats.
“We’re seeing the ‘wild west’ era of resilient flooring wind down, moving from frantic, overnight growth into a more stable, mature phase,” said Eric Rupert, senior director of product marketing and category management, Engineered Floors. “This shift is a win because it moves the focus away from just flooding the market with product toward more intentional innovation. This maturing market allows us to streamline SKUs and lean into high-quality, solution-based products that build real brand trust rather than just competing on price.”
The signs of maturity
It’s true, assortments are being trimmed, not expanded. Redundant visuals are being eliminated. Core collections are being given longer life cycles to build brand recognition. “Yes, the resilient market is maturing, and that has driven a more intentional approach to how we design and manage the category,” said Adam Ward, vice president, resilient, Mohawk. “We’re prioritizing platforms with clear use cases. SPC serves the broad middle of the market, while WPC is resurging at the high end and loose lay remains a strong solution where fast replacement is a priority.”
This shift benefits the entire channel. Retailers can manage inventory more effectively. Distributors reduce carrying costs. Manufacturers gain predictable quality in production planning. Lastly, consumers are presented with clear choices rather than endless variations of the same product. In many ways, resilient flooring is following the same path carpet traveled decades earlier: a transition from rapid expansion to disciplined category management.
Maturity means instead of headline-grabbing launches every market cycle, it is now focused on manufacturing processes, material science, sustainability and domestic capacity. These advancements are far more impactful over the long term. Improvements in dimensional stability, indentation resistance, locking systems and recycled content may not dominate showroom signage, but they directly influence performance, claims reduction and customer satisfaction. That’s the kind of innovation mature categories rely on.
“Maturity of the market as a whole opens up specialized markets for intentional products,” Mohawk’s Ward said. “This assists in clarifying brand ladders, such as our distinct identities between Mohawk, Pergo and Karastan. Even in a flat to down macro view, rigid continues to take share.”
The housing market effect
COREtec Coastal Luxe in Espresso Mist Maple
Macroeconomic conditions have also played a role in resilient’s perceived slowdown. A slower housing market, higher interest rates and reduced turnover, particularly in multifamily, have shifted demand away from speculative and flip-driven installs toward longer-term homeowner decisions.
That shift favors products with proven durability, timeless visuals and reliable availability — another hallmark of category maturity.
“This year, the most significant challenges have stemmed from tariff impacts, which have created complexities in pricing and cost management,” noted Seth Arnold, COREtec brand leader. “Navigating these pressures has been challenging, but the category’s overall strength underscores its enduring appeal to retailers, homeowners and builders alike.”
As resilient flooring settles into its next phase, success will be defined less by who can launch the most products and more by who can support the category with consistency, education and operational excellence.
“The next wave of growth in resilient will be driven by performance innovations designed for how people really live — durability, scratch resistance, 100% waterproof protection and noise-canceling technologies — all paired with leading style and design,” Arnold said.
Maturity doesn’t mean stagnation. It means sustainability. And for resilient flooring, that may be the most important evolution yet.
Dalton—Shaw Industries Group announced that Aaron John has been named senior vice president of residential sales.
