When Eternity Flooring first burst onto the scene in the U.S. market nearly 20 years ago, its primary product offering consisted of flooring products made in China: laminate flooring, LVT and engineered hardwood, with WPC and rigid core/SPC added later on. While the company continued to ride the wave of ever-popular categories as awareness grew, the need to diversify Eternity Flooring’s ongoing evolution beyond a segment that became increasingly hypercompetitive was apparent.
But the company has not only evolved from a pure product offering standpoint; it has also adjusted its overall go-to-market strategy by enhancing virtually every aspect of the business. One could argue that it’s really starting to find its groove.
“With everything that’s going on in the market with the supply chains in Asia, we had to diversify,” said Doron Gal, president of Eternity Flooring. “We’re working on a lot of new products beyond SPC. We have laminate from France, a hybrid resilient/laminate product from the U.S. and we’re working on another line from Spain. We’re focusing on high-quality, waterproof laminate.”
More importantly, Eternity is focusing on partnerships that result in products that are not easily replicated, which means higher profit margin opportunities for its retail partners. “The visuals provided by our partners in Europe provide us and our retailers protection from competition because nobody can copy them,” Gal explained. “In China everybody is copying each other and you get into a price war. With the partnerships we have developed over the years, we have eliminated those price wars because our products can’t be shopped around from retailer to retailer. We take care of the customers by making sure we don’t oversaturate the market. We offer our products to only those retailers who have an interest in promoting the brand.”
Following are the cornerstones of Eternity’s growth and evolution strategy:
Ever-expanding product range
Eternity is broadening its portfolio beyond WPC and rigid core SPC offerings to include eye-catching, high-performance products such as waterproof performance laminate as well as innovative, hybrid resilient, eco-friendly flooring. It’s all about not only keeping pace with end-user demands, but ultimately staying ahead of those trends. “We are going all in on waterproof performance laminates and Eco-Hybrid Resilient flooring, even though we still have more than 50 SKUs of SPC,” said Isaac Lee, corporate sales, marketing and product development manager for Eternity. “We’re focusing on the future of the market.”
The future, as the company envisions it, hinges on a more diversified portfolio. Examples include its Ecoessent INCORE line of waterproof performance laminate. Launched in 2020, the line comes in 2-, 4- and 6-foot random length planks and sports an overall thickness of 12mm. Then there’s the new Proof and Proof XL Waterproof Performance Laminate line, which features 9-foot-wide x 4-, 5- and 6-foot-long planks across 10mm and 12mm platforms.
The hits didn’t stop there. Eternity followed up with Sequoia XL, 70-inch-long x 9.5 -inch-wide planks touting optimal waterproof performance, an AC6 rating for heavy wear and dent resistance—the highest rating currently available. Made in Spain, the products also boast trendy designs, including wood visuals that offer up to 24 variations before you see a pattern repeat. In addition, the product features a proprietary RealFeel 3D Wood Grain textured surface.“It really, truly feels and looks like high-end European hardwood,” Lee explained.
Another head-turner is a 12mm-thick product called Hyperion XXL, which is nearly 8-feet long. And good looking, too, apparently. Like the Seqouia XL line, the eight visuals in Hyperion XXL are exclusive to Eternity. “The designs reflect more of the coastal and European looks you’re seeing in the market right now,” Lee said.
Looking for traditional American colors? Eternity also distributes AquaFi Waterproof Performance Laminate, which is made in the USA. The line features SpillResist Technology and is a Greenguard Gold Certified collection consisting of 12 exclusive earth tone colors with an acoustical pad attached for maximum acoustical comfort and performance.
One of the more recent launches is Voila 5G, a waterproof performance plank with an ultra-matte textured finish, featuring TruAC6 heavy scratch and dent-resistant performance and the 5G Click System by Välinge Innovation. It’s made in France in exclusive colors for Eternity.
Breakthrough innovations
While Eternity’s main focus is to continue to grow its laminate business (it is the largest supplier of waterproof performance laminate in California, after all), the company is not turning its back on resilient. To that end, the company has added an innovative hybrid product to its category called EcoDense, a product that features the benefits of a wood core but with the waterproof performance and flexibility of vinyl. More importantly, it’s made in the USA. Billed as an eco-friendly option, EcoDense—which is PVC-free and carbon neutral—features more than 90% renewable organic and no added formaldehyde.
The product also scores high marks in the performance department, boasting an ultra-high-density core that delivers optimal strength and flexibility, excelling in areas where competitive SPC products struggle.
Global sourcing
In keeping with its foray into hard surface product categories outside of SPC, Eternity Flooring has likewise expanded its roster of manufacturer partners to include suppliers from around the globe. “We have evolved from a company that started out solely importing from China to a company that’s focusing on global sourcing,” Lee said. “We’ve been doing very well with products from France, Spain and the U.S., and we will continue to focus and pursue quality flooring products outside of Asia. Not only did the container scare force us to make adjustments, stability in the supply chain is vital and we will persist in doing our best to diversify our sources.”
Brand exclusivity
Eternity Flooring is not looking to be the supplier for everyone; rather, it is seeking to be the best partner for those clients interested in marketing quality products for discerning customers. That means staying out of the low-end market and focusing on products that deliver higher profit margins for retailers and distributors. “We bring high value, high quality through the products we sell,” Lee said. “It’s no longer just off-the-shelf designs with a crossover name and SKU number.”
What customers are saying…
A true measure of a supplier’s success is its ability to consistently meet the needs of its customers.
Here are some of things Eternity’s customers had to say about the company’s products and services:
- “I have used the Eternity AquaFi product on several jobs with great success. Customers love the look and quality of the product. I have also been selling Eternity’s waterproof laminate flooring line, which has also been a huge hit with the customers.”
—Ron Blane, owner, Ron’s Quality Flooring, Sacramento, Calif.
- “Eternity always stands by their products, and their customer service is amazing. We love their 12mm Hyperion XXL random-length laminate. The colors mimic wood. It really is a one-of-a-kind product.”
—Rafael Caudillo, co-owner, Maverick Flooring, Mesa, Ariz.
- “Sequoia from Eternity is an awesome product. I really like the long boards. Plus, it has a ‘real’ AC6 rating. We’ve also had good customer feedback on Ecoessent waterproof laminate. It’s top quality and it looks really nice when it’s installed.”
—George Keroglyan, president/owner, Carpet Mart, North Hollywood, Calif.
