February 2/9, 2015; Volume 28/Number 16
By Ken Ryan
Mississauga, Ontario—As a regional flooring distributor in Ft. Worth, Texas, servicing nearly 100 counties, Southwest Flooring Supply president Jim Fulkerson said he cannot afford to distribute a product he doesn’t believe will perform in the marketplace.
However, when it comes to the Loxcreen Flooring Group and its many brands, Fulkerson said he could rest assured the product will work. “We have used Loxcreen as our metal supplier since the mid ‘90s without a single product claim. Our dealers truly like and ask for Loxcreen by name.”
The Loxcreen Flooring Group services a wide range of flooring materials with accessories for carpet, ceramic, vinyl, wood, laminate and composite/engineered floors. Loxcreen’s strength lies in its extensive North American manufacturing capabilities.
“In both Canada and the U.S., we are prime manufacturers of vinyl extrusions, aluminum extrusions, anodizing, wet paint and powder coat, as well as caulking and sealants,” said Julia Comitale, marketing manager. “Although our original business was based on aluminum and vinyl carpet trim, many people are surprised to learn we have been manufacturing and distributing ceramic trims and accessory products for over 25 years under various brand names.”
One of them is the Bengard brand of moldings. Bengard has been a leading brand since 1979 and was acquired by Loxcreen in 2000. Loxcreen was in turn acquired by M-D Building Products in 2012 due to its leading market position and M-D’s desire to expand and solidify its place in the professional installation channel.
Bruce Burns, a vice president with NRF Distributors in Augusta, Maine, said Loxcreen has been a trusted vendor partner for many years. “They have a ‘can-do’ attitude and address concerns in the market immediately. They, like us, put the customer first and far exceed any standard set by earning our business. They do business the same way we do with our customers—they make it easy.”
Other distributors also raved about doing business with the Loxcreen Flooring Group. “[Loxcreen] fully realizes that not only do people buy from people they like, but also from people they trust. I like that,” said Bryan Tull, a vice president with the Brandon Co., a distributor based in Little Rock, Ark.
Ray Kups, owner, All Floor Supplies in Monroeville, Pa., said the friendship he has forged with Loxcreen and its Bengard brand has made the business side work well. “We feel over the years Bengard has been sincerely interested in our success as well as theirs. They are a people company, and it means a lot to us.”
To take advantage of the growth in hard surface flooring, Loxcreen expanded its product selection to include a complete line of solid wood and MDF wood grain moldings to facilitate and beautify these types of installations. The line now includes more than 40 patterns and colors to complement most floors.
Additionally, Loxcreen’s Prova line of waterproofing and shower building components was added to complement the company’s ceramic tile trim and molding line, and was driven by market demand and the changing tastes of homeowners.
Prova-Flex and Protegga are Loxcreen’s lightweight tile underlayment systems and are both rated heavy duty by the Tile Council of North America for outstanding point load performance. These underlayment systems used for ceramic and stone installation have expanded the design and installation possibilities. “Used in conjunction with our ceramic tile trims, which protect the edge of the ceramic or stone, these products have improved the quality and longevity of the installation so homeowners can enjoy their investment for many years,” Comitale said. “That is where the growth is; we are moving toward a health-conscious environment.”