“The high volume of sales and upgrades tells us that the industry understands that Coverings, unlike any other show out there, is the most comprehensive tile and stone marketplace in the Americas and that it is truly the preferred forum for all things hard surfaces,†said Tamara Christian, president, National Trade Productions (NTP) and Coverings' show director. “The 2004 show proved without a doubt that Coverings is the place where the flooring industry comes to do business.â€
According to independent research coming out of Coverings 2004, attendees spent an average of 30% of their yearly product-related budgets at Coverings. In addition, of those attendees polled, 92% indicated they planned to make purchases as a result of attending Coverings. “We are witnessing a major change in the flooring industry, as interest in -- and sales of -- hard surfaces such as tile and stone are challenging sales of other flooring materials,†said Christian. “Ceramic tile has doubled its share of the flooring market over the past decade and has had double-digit sales gains for four of the past five years. At the same time, demand for marble and natural stone increased 57% between 1995 and 2000, with granite up 76%. Hard surface flooring is a major player in the industry.â€