FCNews reveals the winners of its third annual FCNnovation Awards—an initiative designed to recognize and showcase some of the most innovative new products and technologies launched in the current year. These awards honor groundbreaking ideas and industry-changing concepts that have the potential to impact the way flooring is manufactured, promoted and sold.
Following are the 2023 winners:
Carpet
Tarkett Home
Cloud 9
Tarkett Home set out to challenge the belief that polyester carpets can’t be both incredibly soft and highly durable. Through extensive research and testing, itsR&D and product team achieved that by creating Cloud 9, the optimal fiber construction offering both luxurious softness and durability while maintaining cost effectiveness. Cloud 9 is a game changer, making high-quality, luxurious carpet accessible and budget friendly. Positive consumer feedback has shown that the combination of visuals, softness and durability resonates with homeowners seeking a high-quality, cost-effective carpet.
Anderson Tuftex
Discover
Discover was designed with no pattern match required for installation. Inspired by the aerial views of urban Mediterranean landscapes, Anderson Tuftex crafted the organic pattern of Discover to create a bold statement and ease the headache that comes with installing a patterned carpet. Due to the absence of a noticeable pattern repeat, it lowers material costs and claim risks, provides a minimal-waste installation, suits large spaces and area rugs and delivers an organic, handcrafted aesthetic.
Shaw Floors
Elaborate Artifact from the Pet Perfect+ collection
Shaw Floors’ Pet Perfect+ carpet boasts LifeGuard Spill-Proof Technology+ SoftBac Premium, ensuring simple, wrinkle-free installation and lifelong protection against spills, pet odors and other mishaps, safeguarding the carpet from top to bottom. In addition to the captivating geometric design and nature-inspired contemporary hues of Elaborate Artifact, this and other Pet Perfect+ styles offer ultra-durability that is easy to clean. With top-down protection from stains and soils is powered by R2X and unique, bottom-up protection from spills and moisture powered by LifeGuard Spill-Proof Technology, the carpet is protected from the spills that can be seen as well as the soaked in stains that can’t be seen.
Phenix
No Dye Lot
Phenix offers the guarantee of No Dye Lots on its polyester carpet. No Dye Lot means the color of the carpet will be the same from roll to roll, regardless of when it was manufactured. The company claims to have the tightest color matching tolerances of any residential carpet manufacturer. Floors are guaranteed to match on any SureSoft SD solution–dyed polyester that is manufactured after Sept.4. This matters because the full roll can be used. You can use your short rolls along with a new roll or cut order to complete a job without having to worry whether the carpet will match. If you have a short roll on hand, you don’t have to sell it at a discount. You can use it to start another job, leading to less waste for the retailer and higher profitability by not having to sell off short rolls. This helps retailers better manage inventory and reduce waste.
LVT/Rigid core
Unilin
FlinTile
FlinTile locking technology offers a click rigid floor (SPC) with an authentic ceramic look that is easy to install and 100% waterproof due to grouted joints. FlinTile addressees the most important downsides of ceramic tiles offering easy installation, lightweight tiles and strong impact resistance. As the click system ensures perfect alignment of the tiles, installation of a FlinTile floor does not require any specific tools or the use of spacers. The grout can be easily applied and cleaned afterward, resulting in a fully installed waterproof floor within a couple of hours. This immensely speeds up installation while safeguarding the authentic look and feel of ceramic. FlinTile even enables the installation of different panel formats such as square tiles and the combination of different formats.
Mohawk
SolidTech Plus
Mohawk expanded the waterproof capabilities of SolidTech Plus by adding WetProtect technology to the product tier in 2023. WetProtect offers complete waterproof protection with no fine print. Featuring watertight joints that prevent water from leaking through gaps to damage the subfloor and a waterproof finish that traps moisture on the surface, WetProtect is full-coverage waterproof protection back by a lifetime surface and subfloor waterproof warranty. WetProtectgives consumers confidence knowing their floors feature the right kind of waterproof. Dealers can parlay this into a profit at point of sale because SolidTechPlus is the ideal choice for any room, even spaces with water, dampness, humidity and more.
COREtec
COREtec Soft Step
Retailers can now add best-selling to the list of adjectives used to describe COREtec’s quiet, warm and sustainably made underlayment, Soft Step. Boasting 46% more warmth and 70% more quietness than other luxury vinyl options, the styles featuring this patent-pending underlayment were COREtec’s best-selling introductions of 2023. Research shows that one of the most significant consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic was that it forced homeowners to place greater emphasis on maintaining a more functional and comfortable lifestyle in their homes. A quiet, warm and durable floor does just that. COREtec doesn’t see this trend going anywhere.
Mannington
CraftedEdge bevel technology
Exclusive to Mannington, CraftedEdge technology creates a chiseled hand-crafted bevel found on today’s most luxurious floors. Featured on Regency and Calico in Adura Max and Adura Rigid.
Inhaus
Icon with Classen Ceramin technology
Truly sustainable products need to offer recyclability and recycled content. Classen’s new proprietary technology for rigid core flooring offers both. When done right, it’s a circular journey for the material. As an example, with Ceramin, yesterday’s yogurt cup is today’s flooring and tomorrow’s piece of lawn furniture. Classen’s new German–made, proprietary rigid core flooring technology was invented to create the most durable, beautiful and functional flooring in the industry and to be manufacture in a sustainable way. Central to the concept is the use of polypropylene, PP, which is one of the two most commonly used plastics in the world and is revered for its safe-for-consumer properties (food containers and medical supplies), durability and recyclability. As a result, Inhaus’ rigid core flooring is both 100% recyclable (including the attached pad which is also PP) and also utilizes 25% post–consumer PP recycled content. Further, the core consstruction only utilizes PP and mineral filler. There are no extra plasticizers, formaldehyde, PVC or additives. The result is not only a recyclable product with recycled content, but also one that is leading in low VOC emissions.
Hardwood
Mirage
TruBalance Lite technology
TruBalance Lite technology is a thinner version of the prominent TruBalancetechnology that features a unique core technology of real wood lamella over a locally sourced SPF core layer. It presents multiple benefits, including ease of installation, peace of mind and affordability. Each board comprises a 3/32-inchsawn hardwood lamella over a 3/8-inch SPF core layer and a 1/16-inch wood backing veneer. Suitable for ½-inch installations, TruBalance Lite offers the perfect floorboard thickness for combining hardwood floors with tiles and other flooring materials. Mirage TruBalance Lite can be nailed, stapled, glued or floated over a wood or concrete subfloor. It can be used on, above and below grade, including over a radiant heat system. This technology is available in 5– and 7-inch widths with DuraMatt finish in the new Muse Collection.
Mercier
Generations Intact 2500 Finish
Mercier Wood Flooring has introduced a groundbreaking solution for wood floors that face the challenges of intense traffic, playful pets or demanding kitchen installations. The exclusive Generations Intact 2500 finish goes beyond conventional protection, setting a new standard for durability.
Crafted with micro–fragmented aluminum particles, this proprietary finish establishes a multi–point contact surface, elevating scratch resistance to higherlevels. Boasting an impressive 2500 cycles on the Taber test (compared to 1500 for the competition), it stands as the industry’s most robust finish. In fact, it outperforms its own Mercier Generations standard finish by an exceptional 52%, ensuring that the wood floors remain pristine after years of wear and tear. But that’s not all. Generations Intact 2500 finish offers a spectrum of additional benefits. From anti-perforation and extreme flexibility under impact to water repellency and Greenguard Gold certification, it epitomizes the pinnacle of commercial-grade protection for residential spaces.
Bjelin
Hardened wood flooring 3.0
Bjelin’s latest Scandinavian-designed hardened wood 3.0 range was released in 2023. These 100% real wood floors are exceptionally durable due to the patented Woodura technology, making them 3x stronger than engineered wood floors while more water- and dent-resistant. With these floors there is no need to worry about bustling activity or spills, especially since the floors also incorporate the moisture–resistant Välinge Compositek wood core and the leakproof 5G Dry floor locking technology with watertight joints ensuring liquids don’t penetrate the seams. In addition to the added durability, the floor-looking technology means an easy and quick installation without nails or glue. The hardened wood collection is produced with high-quality, responsibly sourced European FSC-certified wood, and all raw materials are used optimally with only a tenth of wood to allow a larger portion of trees to remain in the forest.
Laminate
Unilin
Unicoat
Unicoat protects any wood-based floor by actively repelling water away from the joints. Unicoat is applied on the edges of the floorboard during production,resulting in a fully sealed surface when the panels are locked together. The coating technology protects floors against leaks between joints, swelling of the edges and discolored edges of the wooden top layer. As such, it prevents premature wear of the edges of the floorboards, elongating the durability of the installed floor. Combined with Unicoat’s PFAS-free formulation and the high-precision application of the coating to an unchanged core material, Unicoat offers a sustainable and healthy flooring solution, ensuring that the spaces are not only durable and beautiful but also free from harmful chemicals.
Mohawk
RevWood Premier
RevWood Premier expands on the popular line with Mohawk’s Signature Technology, bringing premium texture and high-definition clarity finish to achieve a wood floor indistinguishable from natural hardwood. A total of 64 layers of texture and over 1,000 colors per square inch are incorporated into each plank for beauty you can see and feel. Customers don’t have to choose between the beauty of hardwood and the toughness of laminate when they choose RevWood. The product is the ideal choice for customers who want hardwood visuals without the maintenance of hardwood—they can choose durability and performance without sacrificing beauty.
Technology
Floorcloud
Climate-related installation problems are the leading cause of failures and claims. Floorcloud is a simple quality control solution for flooring installers. As a trusted technology platform, it enables contractors to remotely monitor ambient interior conditions in real time and communicate alerts when conditions are out of spec.This technology has several innovative features, one of them is simplicity for the installer. Floorcloud sensors are placed on the jobsite. The project manager scans the sensor with their app and in less than a minute you’re set up monitoring climate data. There is no need for WiFi or power. Remote monitoring from your phone reduces wasted trips to the jobsite to read temp, humidity, dew point, concrete tempand slab RH. Sensors monitor and check temps against a database of over 5,000 manufacturer product specifications. Installers and project managers can share mobile alerts when conditions are out of spec to address adverse conditions before it becomes an issue.
Broadlume
While often imitated in either tagline or concept, there is no other technology company that offers retailers and manufacturers a seamless shopping experience for today’s customers. Broadlume’s Digital Retailing program easily guides shoppers through the online buying journey with e-commerce product sample ordering, online visualization, and an in-store visualization kiosk. These innovations aren’t standalone and offer a connected online experience makes the buying journey easy.
Digital Retailing offers benefits to the specialty retailer and consumer alike. For the consumer, they can visualize, order a sample to their doorstep and find their perfect floors and easily on a retailer’s website. For the retailer, the benefits are massive and are changing how they sell flooring. Retailers in this program have seen:
- Increased profits and margins
- More engaged, ready-to-buy shoppers
- Increased volume and quality of leads
- Improved in-store communication and ways to engage/chat with shoppers
Moreover, the technology is extremely practical because its improving how retailers run their businesses and it has a direct impact on lead generation, operations, sales and profits. To help bring this innovative technology to the retailers across the country, we’ve partnered with Mohawk, Mannington, The Dixie Group, IFC, BWG/JJ Haines, and many more.
Mohawk
Omnify+
Retailers can forge ahead of the competition and maximize their digital storefronts with Edge Omnify websites. Omnify+ made its market debut in 2023 and places more innovation, greater sales results and world-class support at the fingertips of its subscribers. Benefits include onsite chat, website analytics, lead management, CRM connections, dedicated customer support plus unparalleled digital product and site content.
Omnify+ also offers an improved digital product catalog syndication as well as the industry’s leading visualizer tool. The same visualizer tool will be available on the retailer’s website as well as on their in-store samples through a QR code integration, creating a seamless experience from their website to their showroom. Omnify+ draws qualified shoppers in store and better connects the online presence to the in-store experience, all with best-in-class content and technology. This cutting-edge program also provides easy and effective reporting so subscribers can analyze what works and what does not.
Installation-related
Palziv North America
HQ Living Carpet Cushion
HQ Living Carpet Cushion is made from non-toxic, closed-cell polyethylene foam, meaning it’s impervious to water all the way through—making it a true waterproof carpet cushion that provides 360 degrees of protection. Traditional carpet cushions are typically polyurethane based, which contains Prop 65 chemicals and absorbs moisture like a sponge. No proposition 65 chemicals are used in the HQ Cushion manufacturing process; this makes HQ Cushion pet and pet friendly. Furthermore, it doesn’t act like a sponge and won’t hold on to moisture, which can stain carpets over time. In addition to moisture control, HQ Living Carpet Cushion features air channels that face the subfloor to help dissipate moisture vapor more freely. Antimicrobial protection is infused throughout the carpet to inhibit the growth of odor-causing mildew and mold. And HQ Living Carpet Cushion delivers the highest recorded sound-deadening test results of any cushion in the carpet industry. HQ Cushion is approved for use with all types of rolled carpet. Lastly, it surpasses California’s Section 01350, the most stringent Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emissions standard in North America.
Versatrim
VersaFlex
Versatrim’s premium flexible vinyl floor trim called VersaFlex delivers a clean and professional finish with easy installation. In addition to a seamless look, its flexible vinyl floor trim eliminates trip hazards and can coordinate with any flooring color and finish. Customers need to find the right shade for their flooring project, so in addition to offering an exclusive range of colors, Versatrim products can coordinate with any floor color to deliver a seamless finished result. Retailers need a reliable manufacturer to help keep projects on track, on time and on budget.
VersaFlexflexible moldings and trims ship from the Versatrim facility within one business day for orders up to five pieces. The same shipping rate and transit time applies as with its standard molding products. Furthermore, Versatrim commits to having no minimum order requirements that allows for unwanted or excess inventory. So, whether customers want to take quick delivery of a perfectly color-coordinated flexible trim for laminate flooring or they need a large quantity of stair nose moldings, Versatrim guarantees efficient turnarounds with no minimum orders quantities required. Seven profiles are offered: end cap, reducer, base bhoe, wall base, T-molding, quarter round and colonial base.
Urban Surfaces
Traction Subfloor Grip Coating
Urban Surfaces’ Traction firmly stops the horizontal movement of loose lay vinyl flooring without permanently locking the planks down to the subfloor. Traction, which is NOT an adhesive, is easily applied to a subfloor using a ⅜-inch short nap paint roller. It applies much faster than an adhesive and has less odor overall. Planks can be easily replaced with no damage to the flooring or subfloor. If the time comes to reapply, Traction doesn’t need to be removed, and the new coat can be applied over the previous coat. Traction provides pH blocking and protection from alkali attack, protects flooring from subfloor moisture vapor up to 90% RH and is compatible with radiant floor heating systems.
Nox
Acoustic Setagrip
Patented in the U.S., Europe and Asia, this micro-suction adhesive technology offers strong adherence without the use of glue. SetaGrip offers proven acoustic performance; its 3.5mm thickness outperforms 5mm LVT/SPC, reducing noise by more than 20 dB (ISO 10140-3) and received 55 without a drop ceiling on IIC Test (ASTM E492). SetaGrup is also among the most sustainable flooring options by utilizing carbon-reducing raw materials such as bio-circular balanced PVC produced from discarded resources such as cooking oil and a phthalate-free plasticizer made from PET bottles, which reduce carbon emissions by 114% and 30%, respectively. Easy installation cuts down on the time and cost of installation and maintenance. It requires no heavy power tools with minimal prep work and offers remarkable re-attachability, allowing the flooring to be easily removed and replaced.
Glueless installation ensures safety for humans. And because it’s lightweight, it reduces carbon emissions occurring during transportation. Delivering maximum foot comfort and soft foot feeling with proven shock absorption.
Merchandising
Mohawk
SmartStrand Color Wall
To reinforce the SmartStrand brand, Mohawk developed a state-of-the-art merchandising destination, the SmartStrand Color Wall, in 2023. An innovative tool for sales associates, the SmartStrand Color Wall provides a compelling selling experience to consumers that allows them to confidently select color and comfort across a range of price points. The Color Wall reinvigorates sales as it effectively showcases that, with SmartStrand, consumers can have it all: color, softness and durability. Along with bringing consumers over to the Color Wall, RSAs can also reinforce the features and benefits of SmartStrand by highlighting the Bring Back the Rhino campaign. After two weeks of a 4,000-pound rhino living on the carpet, SmartStrand proved once again that it can withstand all walks of life. RSAs can use both the SmartStrand Color Wall and the Bring Back the Rhino campaign to get shoppers back to carpet.
Tarkett Home
2-Tier Vinyl Sheet Display
In 2023, Tarkett Home launched an exciting addition to our merchandising—a new vinyl sheet display that was designed to showcase a product story to meet every customer need: comfort, performance and value. Making it even easier to sell Tarkett Home sheet vinyl, this display highlights the unique features of each product and demonstrates the overall value proposition of the vinyl sheet collection. All samples included in the display are uniform in size, measuring 18 x 24, making it easy for the customer to compare different design and construction options. We have seen this display not only aid in better product understanding but also drive sales and customer satisfaction.
Don’t forget to enter now for the 2024 Best of Surfaces awards.
