Articles
Countertops: The next frontier
Coming into 2018, many tile suppliers cited countertops as a key opportunity for the year ahead. According to Glenn Harry, general manager, stone and sales operation for Mohawk’s Dal-Tile Corporation, the U.S. countertop industry is estimated to be about $5 billion in sales annually, with roughly half coming from stone, quartz and a newer product known as gauged porcelain. Read More
Globalism & the construction industry
Construction is one of the few industries in our economy that has been sheltered from globalism. Often it isn’t feasible to export or import construction jobs, while construction materials — steel, lumber, concrete, gypsum — are typically expensive to transport relative to their cost. On the positive side, this makes it challenging for foreign competitors to break into the U.S. market. However, it also makes it difficult for U.S. companies to do business abroad. Read More
Floor Covering Statistical report summary: Small gains in 2017
U.S. floor coverings sales strengthened in 2017 due to rising consumer confidence and sharper increases in single-family home construction. According to Catalina Research, U.S. floor coverings dollar sales are estimated to have increased by 4.8 percent in 2017 to $25.5 billion. Read More
Floor Covering Statistical Report 2017 Summary
U.S. floor coverings sales strengthened in 2017 due to rising consumer confidence and sharper increases in single-family home construction. According to Catalina Research, U.S. floor coverings dollar sales are estimated to have increased by 4.8 percent in 2017 to $25.5 billion. Read More
Housing starts reach post-recession high in May
Total housing starts rose 5 percent in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.35 million units, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department. This is the highest housing starts report since July 2007, the department reported. Read More