Nashville—The flooring industry has often operated independently when it comes to conferences and trade shows. The inaugural Synergy Convention & Expo, held here in September, shed those silos in a meaningful way, as installers, contractors, inspectors and manufacturers came together for the unification.
More than 400 attended the three-day event, including 65 inspectors from Flooring Consultants and Inspection Training Services (FCITS). “I am honored to be part of this,” Beth Brown Sorrell, executive director of FCITS, told FCNews. “Our group was apprehensive at first. We have had our convention in Dalton in the past. Some of our members came to me and said they felt like a fish out of water [coming to Synergy]. But now that they have been here, they say, ‘Wow, this is great.’ All in all, it has been a positive. Our vision is to be a one-stop-shop for the flooring industry.”
As successful as the convention was, some executives thought attendance could have been higher. “We were hoping for more,” said Rod Von Busch, CFI advisory board chairman, citing as contributing factors the economy and a slower retail environment. “However, you can be less than satisfied but still thrilled to death with the convention.”
John Gillespie, FCICA board chairman, agreed, saying, “It was a great convention, with nothing but positive feedback. It’s an engagement among installers, contractors, manufacturers and inspectors; it’s neutral ground. Usually contractors and inspectors butt heads, but here we can see it from the other side.”
The convention also included FCB2B, the program that allows software management systems to communicate seamlessly with one another. FCB2B technology enables the flooring industry to exchange documents in a fraction of the time it takes when completed manually.
Von Busch said the conclusion of the three-day convention does not end the feel-good collaboration that now exists among the groups. He said throughout the year they plan to meet virtually and in person at regional meetings, with the goal to learn from one another and grow. “We see an opportunity to share,” he said. “There are some things FCICA does well that I’d love to copy. We’re channeling some ideas with Beth’s group. FCEF [Floor Covering Education Foundation] has been vital to CFI. The future lies with integrating the groups. Instead of holding trade secrets closer to the vest, it is more advantageous to share it and elevate the process.”
Executives agreed that the success of Synergy could not have occurred without the buy-in from manufacturers, including Titanium sponsor Performance Accessories and Platinum sponsor TotalWorx. “Manufacturers not only want to be part of this; they want to be involved,” Von Busch said. “What a welcome change … coming to the table in ways we didn’t see.”
Vendors, for their part, applauded the combined format. Perhaps no group benefited more from Synergy than the manufacturers who exhibited their latest wares. Instead of having to attend multiple shows for the installation trade, they can settle on one.
“I love that everybody has come together,” said Leslie Del Pozo, vice president of marketing communications for QEP/Roberts. “There’s so much more energy when you have a show like this. For us, it’s about the installer; the installers get more bang for the buck with a combined show like this.”
Performance Accessories, the Mohawk brand, brought a large contingent to Synergy as it continues to invest in the installation trade. “Just having more installers, we can share with—and learn from—makes this all worthwhile,” said Alfredo Donjuan, vice president and general manager, Performance Accessories. “We want the installers to think of us as partners. Our team is here to support them and help them succeed. We want to see them make more money, and we will continue to help them after this show and drive awareness.”
CFI, FCICA updates
While executives from CFI and FCICA believe they are stronger together, both organizations are thriving on their own quite well. Von Busch spoke about the growth of the installation group, which now has 13 chapters across the country (soon to be 14), up from three just a few years ago. “Our membership is what makes this group tick; it’s the most unique and respected training group in the industry,” he said of CFI.
As for the future, CFI installer and retailer John Steier talked about the group’s history and encouraged the group to pay it forward. “What is our legacy? It’s training, it’s lifting our standards across the board.” Steier encouraged every installer in the room to find someone in which they see potential and can mentor. “Help that person get to where they want to be. If it wasn’t for CFI, and the people who mentored me here, I wouldn’t be standing up here. I believe all of you in CFI would love to get involved with students and share what you know. To that end, I believe FCEF is a great feeder program for our group.”
At FCICA, membership is on the rise, with 19 companies joining the group this year, giving them 334 in total. What’s more, FCICA’s signature Certified Installation Manager (CIM) program, now 10 years old, has certified more than 500 individuals who have become installation managers for commercial flooring projects.
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