Cedar Creek, Texas—Floor Covering News is here for the start of Alliance Flooring’s 26th annual national convention. Themed “The Future is Now,” the convention kicked off with co-CEOs Ryan Dunn and Kevin Logue welcoming members; its their first convention as co-leaders of the buying group, taking over from founders Ron Dunn and Jon Logue, who did not attend.
During the opening session Dunn joked that he thought his dad “might pull a Tom Brady,” and un-retire. The co-CEOs then interviewed members and suppliers about how they view the future of AFI.
What to expect in product
During day one of the convention, Logue discussed new product introductions rolling out to members this year. Among the introductions is Perfect Home Hub—a comprehensive technology platform developed to produce a unique shopping experience. Key components include a Roomvo visualizer, in-store touchscreen kiosk with QR code reader and Interactive Design Consultant where customers are guided through the flooring selection process by a virtual designer.
On the hard surface side, Alliance introduced a Luxury Vinyl Flooring Colorwall, a curated multi-mill collection of 96 SKUs including both waterproof WPC and SPC. Products are grouped by color family, then good-better-best price points and construction. Colors are displayed from warm to cool—grays to greige to light browns to dark browns. “Think paint chip samples in a paint store,” Logue said. “This is how consumers want to shop—by color, by style, not WPC or SPC.”
But first…
Alliance Flooring hosted retail members and suppliers to an opening reception at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort, surrounded by 60 acres of forest located here. The resort includes a ranch with Texas longhorns, alpacas, goats, pigs and miniature horses. During the reception Kelly Oberschlake (right), vice president of national accounts, met up with Kyriah Ramsey with 3Kings CarpetsPlus, Fort Wayne, Ind. The supplier trade show takes place on Wednesday.