NewslineVolume VI, Issue 1 - January 7, 2005The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
In This Issue: Collins & Aikman's Syon-5 Pre-Spray Earns SoA Certification Contact Barbra Wilson at 706-428-2125. Information on the SOA Program B2B Ecommerce Technology to be Showcased at Surfaces Sign up now! At Surfaces 2005, there will be a special presentation of the
floor covering industry business-to-business (B2B) standard. This ecommerce
technology, which allows for the electronic exchange of product and order information
across the Internet, is well on its way to helping trading partners increase
efficiency, cut costs, and improve customer service. The presentation will showcase
the software as a new vehicle to conduct business through the distribution channel:
from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailers. This presentation
is highly recommended for owners, presidents and managers in the industry who
will be attending Surfaces. Representatives from several exhibiting software
companies will be available for a question and answer closing session. Learn
more about the technology at the B2B
Flooring Industry Standards website.
Visit the Surfaces website for more information and registration CRI Issues Conference - Mark Your CalendarCRI will hold its second annual Issues Conference March 15-18, 2005, at the Renaissance PineIsle Resort & Golf Club, Lake Lanier Islands, Georgia. This CRI members-only conference will include breakout sessions each day for the CRI Technical, Communications, and Government Issues Departments. More information on the conference and registration will be available soon. Contact Barbra Wilson at 706.428.2125. California Group Against Carpet in SchoolsA San Diego, California-based group called Center for School Mold Help has
taken on the issue of mold in the nation's schools, complete with action plan
guidelines for parents, teachers and school administrators. The founder of the
group was recently quoted in a Massachusetts newspaper regarding a mold-infested
school district there suggesting "the schools not replace the carpeting,
but use healthy, school-recommended materials that are nonporous such as tile
and area rugs. Carpeting has been found to be a health hazard in schools."
CRI will contact the group to determine the basis of this misleading statement
and will educate them with solid science based information on the subject. CRI
will then push for a retraction of such information and require that they refrain
from any further reference regarding carpet being a health hazard in schools. Visit the Center for School Mold Help website China IPR Enforcement Falls ShortThe Supreme People's Court in China has issued an interpretation of China's
law on the enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) that falls short
of U.S. government demands in at least three areas. The interpretation in many
cases only slightly lowers the threshold that must be exceeded before criminal
penalties can be applied. The U.S. had pressed for the elimination of all thresholds,
allowing for criminal penalties regardless of the extent of the violation. In
addition, corporations are allowed a threshold that is three times greater than
the one for individual violators. Also, while the interpretation speaks to the
issue of fines for violations, it does not set forth what the fines will be.
This interpretation means that China will essentially maintain the same IPR
enforcement regime that has led to increasing complaints from the U.S. Commerce Secretary Nominee on Hot SeatSenators pressed Secretary of Commerce nominee Carlos Gutierrez on a range
of trade issues including enforcement of U.S. trade agreements and intellectual
property rights protection during the January 5 confirmation hearing. Gutierrez
pledged to negotiate "sound trade agreements" and to vigorously challenge
countries that violate the agreements. Several Senate members criticized the
administration during the hearing for not cracking down on violations of trade
agreements and U.S. trade law. Gutierrez also vowed to work with USTR to address
countries non-tariff barriers that prevent the U.S. from competing in foreign
markets. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Ark) predicted that
Mr. Gutierrez' nomination would be approved by the Senate after the first vote
on the floor on January 20. Sustainability Issue Management Team to Receive CCACTI UpdateDr. Michael Overcash, North Carolina State University, and Dr. Matthew Realff,
Georgia Institute of Technology, will present an update on their CCACTI work
during the Sustainability Issue Management Team Life Cycle Analysis meeting
to be held at CRI on Wednesday, January 12, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Anyone interested
in attending the meeting should contact Linda Harrington at 706.428.2110. CRI Meetings* Market Issues Committee, January 10, noon - 2 p.m., CRI Boardroom CRI Participation in Upcoming Events* Surfaces, January 25-28, Las Vegas, Nevada If you are aware of other events that present significant opportunities to deliver our messages to our critical audiences, please contact Louise Dobbs at 706.428.2104. Check our website calendar for other industry related events |
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