What is the big news for Armstrong in laminate?
The big news is our Rustics Premium New England Long Plank, a dramatic line which offers a hand-scraped, oil finish hardwood look and the longest laminate floor boards to date: over 7 feet.

While this look in hardwood is gaining in popularity, a lot of people get locked out of this category because of price. Long planks in real wood also can be challenging for flooring contractors to install because of the potential for warping. But our exclusive Lock&Fold makes installation easier. With Lock&Fold, the panels do not have to be tapped together; simply fit the tongue-and-groove panels together, fold them down and lock them into place.

What other new products have you recently introduced?
In Bruce Laminate, we’ve introduced a hand-touched Sapele Long Plank into our Reserve Premium collection. The tropical exotic Sapele laminate in rich reddish-brown colors and a 7-foot-long plank is an impressive hand-scraped floor that reflects style and sophistication. You can create the illusion of a tropical hardwood floor without the impact on the forest. All at a price you can afford.

Also in Bruce is Hickory, a traditional 5-inch-wide rustic, and the newest design in the Reserve collection. This floor has an aggressive scrape for the timeless look of casual elegance. The distressing, which would take years to appear naturally, adds character to the wood’s grain and natural color variations.

We also just launched our new Armstrong Stones & Ceramics collection in an 8.3mm construction, which offers a limestone as well as a new slate inspired by Natural Vermont Slate. Also new is Weathered Way, which replicates the look of tumbled stone in a random block format. All floors in the Stones & Ceramics collection can be installed using angle/angle installation; no glue required.

At what price points do your products retail?
We are at the premium end, and when adding new products we are clearly marketing the trade-up and pricing for value. We've targeted our laminate to have the best price/value equation of any product. At the lower price point we offer Armstrong Illusions and Bruce Chelsea Park, each with incredible realism but at less of a cost step.

Are you employing any new technologies in manufacturing?
One example of good technology is rolled edge products, which some manufacturers are just now beginning to emulate. We have been using rolled edge products such as our Coastal Living, Rustics Premium and Reserve Premium for about two years and are also utilizing that look on our latest products.

How do you help drive laminate sales at retail?
We feel we have the best flooring in the business. We’ve come to the plate with new products and programs that communicate quality. We want to capture the consumer’s imagination and stimulate sales. We feel no one is doing more to generate store traffic, and we’re committed to growing with our retail partners. That’s why we continually invest in the Armstrong brand, so consumers have Armstrong in mind as the brand they trust. Independent research shows Armstrong continues to be the brand consumers know best and associate with quality.

Our advertising makes that clear and drives sales for dealers. Retailers tell us they need this type of support, especially today. Our consumer print campaign continues to put the spotlight on the extraordinary realism of our premium laminate floors through a celebrity look-a-like campaign that runs in the most popular home improvement and shelter magazines. Each ad points consumers to Armstrong’s website, armstrong.com; from the site, visitors can click on the Dealer Locator link and find an Armstrong retailer in their area.

What does the success of laminate sales depend upon?
Great looks, great price, great performance, great value, great brand.