NewslineVolume VII, Issue 6 - March 10, 2006The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
In This Issue: CRI Spring Issues Conference Slated For April 12-13The CRI Spring Issues Conference, held annually for CRI members, will take place at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center April 12-13. Prior to the opening of the event, there will be an Allied Associations meeting at the Dalton Golf & Country Club on April 11th. The agenda is being finalized for the meeting and will be available soon, but it will include presentations by Linda MacGregor, Chief, Watershed Protection Branch, GA Environmental Protection Division and Shawn Clouse, NGA Conservation Director, The Nature Conservancy as well as Patrick Cleary, Senior Vice President of Communications, National Association of Manufacturers. Registration on the CRI website will be available soon. Contact Joan Seelaus at 706.428-2123. House Passes Bill on Carpet SamplesThe Georgia House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill defining carpet samples, and Rep. Roger Williams, R-Dalton, says he is confident the Senate will also. Williams is the author of the measure. Carpet samples may not seem like a big issue, but Roy Bowen, president of the Georgia Textile Manufacturers Association, says the bill is very important to the carpet industry. That’s because the bill also sets the fair market value of residential samples at 21.9 percent of the raw material cost, and the fair market value of commercial samples at 1 percent of raw materials costs. Bowen says that although most samples are given away, they are still taxed at fair market value. Bowen and Williams say the bill simply codifies a 1982 letter of understanding from the state Department of Revenue. But they expressed some concern the department may move away from the definitions laid out in that letter. Williams says the bill won’t cost the state any revenue. Contact Frank Hurd at 706.428-2136. Indoor Air Quality Forum Set For ConnecticutCRI will participate in the Indoor Air Quality in Connecticut Schools Forum next Friday, March 17th, at the Harford Marriott. The event begins at 9 a.m. and will include presentations from a variety of indoor air quality experts. Anyone interested in attending should contact Jennifer Mendez. Contact Jennifer Mendez at 703.875-0634. Carpet And Rug Sales Expected To Fly Past $20 Billion by 2010According to a published story on Textileweb.com, increased innovation in design and construction, coupled with a vibrant economy, are working like magic in the world of carpets and rugs, where sales upwards of $20 billion are expected by 2010, according to The U.S. Market for Carpets and Rugs, a new report from market research publisher Specialists in Business Information (SBI), a division of MarketResearch.com. While tufted carpets and rugs account for 77% of the market, heavy growth in the woven sector- 26.7% in 2004 over 2003-helped fuel a nearly $2 billion increase in overall sales between 2003 and 2004. This in turn helped 2005 overall sales reach $16.24 billion, with heavy demand from Do-It- Yourself home improvers and new home builders. Contact James Beach at 706.428-2116. MSN Story Hits Carpet on Home Value FrontA recent story on MSN.com questioned whether or not carpet is dead, citing a trend among homeowners moving towards alternate surfaces as a way to increase the re-sale value of their homes. According to the story, carpet is still a comfortable, affordable choice and for all the buzz about the sleekness of hardwood floors and the like, carpeting isn’t, ahem, laying down. For both cost and comfort, it’s still hard to beat a warm carpet in a child’s bedroom -- and of course it’s much cheaper than a wood floor, cited the author. Contact James Beach at 706.428-2116. IICRC Achieves 100,000th Registrant MilestoneThe Institute for Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification announced in February the registration of its 100,000th technician. Patti Moorman, of ServiceMaster® of Story County from Ames, IA received her certification in Fire and Smoke Restoration on February 10, 2006. Sandy Bowles was her instructor at a course held in Rochester, MN. IICRC President Carey Vermeulen called Patti to congratulate her and plans are being made to present her with a commemorative plaque to honor her for the accomplishment. Since 1972, the IICRC has been committed to increasing the professionalism of the cleaning and restoration industries, and ensuring that the message resonates with technicians across the globe. Contact James Beach at 706.428-2116. The Housekeeping Channel Goes Wireless with SprintMillions of “Mobile Moms” now have on-the-go access to quick information about better, faster and healthier ways to clean and manage their households, with the Housekeeping Channel available on Sprint phones featuring Sprint PCS VisionSM and Sprint Power VisionSM. Wide-ranging Housekeeping Channel articles, categorized in the same way as the wired site, as well as the same HC-Pedia (Housekeeping Channel Encyclopedia) entries found on the wired version, are available via the wireless platform. The Housekeeping Channel’s wide array of tools, resources, reviews and product listings along with color photos and search capability also will be included. CRI is a contributing partner to the Housekeeping Channel. Contact James Beach at 706.428-2116. Milliken Part of Sustainability AllianceSustainability practices just got easier for the facility management profession as the International Facility Management Association has announced a collaborative agreement with the Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments to develop and deliver sustainability educational programs, as well as provide research and planning tools. Since 2003, the Alliance, which includes Milliken & Company, has been working to educate the marketplace and top management on the benefits of reducing the overall impact facilities have on the natural environment and on building occupants. This new partnership will bring sustainability concepts and state of the art practices to a vital division of all business organizations. Currently, more than 18,400 facility management professionals are members of IFMA, managing nearly 23 billion square feet of workspace combined. The Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments is a group of industry leaders who practice and are recognized for leadership in sustainability; that is, economic, social and environmental responsibility. It is committed to delivering high performance sustainable solutions for the built environment. Contact James Beach at 706.428-2116. New Area Code, 10-Digit Dialing On Dalton HorizonBeginning April 3, all phone calls to Dalton/Whitfield County will require 10 digit dialing. The Georgia Public Service Commission has also named 762 as the new area code for Dalton, meaning that any new numbers for the area will use the new area code. However, current phone numbers will not change, but all telephone users will have to dial 10 digits to complete a telephone call. For more information. Check out the GA Public Service Commission website and enter Docket Number 12736 in the Docket Search section. Contact Joan Seelaus at 706.428-2123. CRI Meetings * VOC Category Workgroup, March 13, 12:00 - 2:00 pm CRI Participation in Upcoming Events
* Indoor Air Quality in Connecticut Schools Forum, March 17, Hartford, CT If you are aware of other events that present significant opportunities to deliver our messages to our critical audiences, please contact Joan Seelaus at 706.428.2123. Check our website calendar for other industry related events |
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