Earlier this year MSI Surfaces officially marked its entry into the genuine hardwood flooring category with the new W series, a stylish collection of wide/long plank engineered wood floors tailored for consumers with discerning tastes.
Influenced by lush woodlands and treetop canopies, the W series debuts in two eye-catching collections—Ladson and McCarran—spanning 26 SKUs. The former features a sliced-faced 2mm veneer with a footprint of 7.5 inches wide x 75 inches long in an overall thickness of ½ inch, while McCarran is a sawn-faced 4mm product measuring 9.5 inches wide x 86 inches long with a slightly more beefy overall thickness of 5/8 of an inch.
But perhaps the most alluring attribute is the price. With an MSRP between $10-$12 per square foot, W is aiming for a segment of the engineered wood floors market where there’s less pricing pressure and, more importantly, higher profit margin opportunities for specialty retailers—all while staying within the reach of everyday shoppers. “W targets the mid-and-higher ends of the hardwood market, which are the better performing segments in the hardwood category,” said Alan Smith, director, business development at MSI.
Moreover, according to Smith, MSI’s entry into the hardwood segment with the W Series is expected to benefit specialty dealers and flooring contractors in much the same way that its plunge into the luxury vinyl flooring and hybrid rigid core segments of the business aided retailers—by adding value. “MSI’s supply chain proficiency, taking cost out of the system and general goal of ‘Making Dream Surfaces Attainable’ are evident in W like it is with other MSI products,” Smith noted.
Positive first impressions
While the launch is still in its early stages, all indications point to a potential hit for retailers. According to Smith, W has been “very well received and met with broad acceptance from our customers and the consumer. The collection is available in the right species (European white oak), the right price-points of mid-to-high end and offers wider and longer lengths preferred by consumers. W also comes in updated, on-trend stains colors, so it is not surprising it’s off to a great start.”
The positive response is evident by the number of displays placed over the past six months as well as the quantity of samples requested, according to Smith. “The MSI sales team has not only placed W with existing customers but also with new customers whose business is more focused on hardwood flooring—that’s a newer opportunity for MSI,” he added.
Warren Rodkin, owner of Variety Floor Covering, Hilton Head Island, S.C., has had success with MSI’s tile and LVP offerings in the past. After recently viewing samples of both Ladson and McCarran from the W Series, he’s confident that it will be equally impactful. “I was impressed with the two lines; the products are clean as a whistle,” he told FCNews. “The prices are extremely competitive, but they’re not taking the ‘shotgun approach’ with the line. We’re a very high-end wood source to the trade and W fits our program very well. We will definitely be featuring W in our store.”
Rodkin said he also likes the manner in which MSI historically services its retail customers—and he expects the same treatment when it comes to the W Series. “Their goods are being warehoused all over the country, including their new warehouse in Savannah, Ga., which is critical for us,” he added. “Everything they do is first-class—from their distribution to their marketing plans. We really like MSI and we do a lot of business with them.”
Even those companies who are not currently MSI customers like what they’re seeing from the W Series. Case in point is Ariana Lovato, owner and principal designer of Honeycomb Home Design, an award-winning, full-service interior design firm headquartered in Arroyo Grande, a picturesque city located on California’s central coast. “It’s a beautiful line,” she told FCNews after viewing installations of W online. Moreover, she agrees that it “absolutely” is geared toward high-end renovations and upscale new builds—sectors that align with the types of projects her firm designs and executes on a regular basis.
While the W Series keys in on the popular wide/long plank trend, by no means is it a “me-too” product, according to MSI. “W stands out because of the combination of all the attributes it brings to the market—such as the right species, the right price points and format preferred by today’s consumers,” Smith explained. “When you combine all this with all the trim items and MSI’s supply chain expertise, you can see why W stands out from other hardwood products.”
