XL Brands, a leading provider of professional flooring adhesives, will now be available for purchase through BPI. Contractors and installers can find the full line of XL Brands, as well as Bostik Wall & Floor, at BPI locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. In a related announcement, XL Brands products will no longer be available at Professional Flooring Supply (PFS). “The addition of BPI to the XL Brands family demonstrates Bostik’s commitment to providing the best possible experience to contractors who value consistent quality from proven market products th ..read more

Certified Flooring Installers (CFI) has appointed Rod Von Busch, vice president of operations at CDI Floors, as its new advisory board chair. Von Busch, a longstanding member of the board, will lead a team of esteemed installation industry professionals who will help shape association programs, policies and initiatives. He succeeds Don Styka. Joining Von Busch on the board for a two-year period are: Roland Thompson – Thompson Flooring & Installation Joe Cea – Congoleum Corp. Leslie Del Pozo – QEP Company, Inc. Bruce Gentry – Mohawk Group Phillip Gladden – Crain Cutter Co.   Addition ..read more

The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) has named Elizabeth Lambert, co-owner of Lambert Tile and Stone in Eagle, Colo., as the recipient of the prestigious 2024 Tile Person of the Year Award. According to the association, Lambert’s outstanding contributions to the tile industry and her leadership within the NTCA community have earned her this esteemed recognition, making her the fourth woman in NTCA’s 77-year history to receive this honor. Elizabeth Lambert From her diverse career background spanning postal work in Germany to management roles in the hospitality industry, Lambert’s en ..read more

By Bob Blochinger   Last February the National Association of Floor Covering Technicians (NAFCT) and UNITE Floor Training Alliance hosted an educational, two-day conference in Dalton, Ga., for the flooring installation community. I attended this event, billed as “The Summit,” to support NAFCT as an original board member and advisor within the fields of cleaning, maintenance, installation, inspection, and the usage of various sundry products and how they may relate to floor covering installations. Attendees’ roles ran the gamut from manufacturer technicians to sales representatives, mainte ..read more

Maxxon Corp. has partnered with Empire Mining Co., LLC, a premier gypsum mine and underlayment provider serving the western U.S. The move will enable Maxxon to expand production capabilities of its flagship Gyp-Crete gypsum floor underlayment product line. Josh Jonsson, Maxxon executive vice president of operations, stated, “This strategic alliance not only ensures a steady supply of high-quality raw materials, but also enables us to scale up production to meet the increasing demand for our Gyp-Crete and Commercial product lines, elevate the performance level of our existing facilities, and im ..read more

National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) trainers will be traveling the country, offering free, standards-based workshops and regional trainings throughout the U.S. This initiative aims to equip industry professionals with new skills and knowledge while fostering connections with peers and industry experts, according to the association. The workshops, spanning three hours in the afternoon or evening, are open to tile installers, contractors, sales personnel, and members of the architecture and design community. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in an interactive learning env ..read more

Organizers for Coverings have unveiled the honorees of the annual Rock Star Awards ahead of the tile and stone show, set for April 22-25 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the awards program, which honors exemplary young leaders in the tile and stone industry. “Over the past decade, the Rock Stars program has become a Coverings cornerstone, commemorating the innovative spirit and remarkable achievements of emerging tile and stone leaders,” said Jenn Heinold, president of Taffy Event Strategies, the show management company for Coverings. “Th ..read more

The construction industry had 441,000 job openings on the last day of February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). Industry job openings increased by 16,000 last month and are up by 32,000 from the same time last year.   “The number of open, unfilled construction positions stood at the second highest level on record at the end of February,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “This occurred despite the fact contractors hired workers at the fastest rate since ..read more

Women in the Flooring Industry (WIFI), a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit that aims to educate and empower women in the flooring industry, has elected four flooring professionals to its board of directors: Amie Gilmore, show director for ICRE and The International Surface Event (TISE); Ellie Priester, senior director, public affairs and brand strategy, HMTX; Allyson Rawlings, creative director, Rawlings Flooring America; and Reva Revis, vice president of strategy and business development, Fuse Alliance. “Amie, Ellie, Allyson and Reva will help WIFI expand its reach in the floori ..read more

The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) has unveiled Premium Plus Membership, providing exclusive benefits and tailored support beyond the complimentary Premium Membership. For an annual fee of $299, Premium Plus members receive the following benefits: Increased Exposure: Prime listing placement on the Dealer Locator and special recognition on the WFCA website. Exclusive Access: Access to premium content, legal advice, specialized resources, educational opportunities with access to the WFCA University, and members-only events. Tailored Guidance: Direct engagement with WFCA executives thro ..read more