To get his take on where the luxury vinyl tile market (LVT) is headed in 2019, InspireDesign recently checked in with Ralph Grogan, CEO of Parterre Flooring, which recently launched its Avara Luxury Vinyl Floor & Wall collection. The Avara 2mm collection includes 26 luxury vinyl designs—24 planks and two tiles—that were curated from current best-selling 3mm Parterre collections Vertu, InGrained, Fused, and Storri. The 24 plank designs are Class A fire-rated for use on walls in commercial interiors and FloorScore certified. With a home-like ambiance in mind, Avara’s luxury vinyl options range from soft wood grains and contemporary planks to delicate stone looks—incorporating the resimercial trend often found in commercial design.
Are there any trends you see on the horizon for LVT in 2019? Color, patterns, etc.?
Grogan: While wood designs continue to be a top seller for LVT, we are seeing interest in other looks too like stone, concrete or even polished marble. Not only are varied design options more sought after, the surface areas where luxury vinyl is installed are also expanding. Going beyond the floor, more and more we are seeing LVT used on vertical applications like feature walls in retail spaces or bar facades in restaurants. In fact, this use for LVT is what inspired us to launch our 2mm collection with plank designs Class A certified for wall.
The possibility of a 25% tariff on goods from China is on everyone’s minds. If it does happen, how will it affect the LVT industry and projects across the board?
Grogan: Our flooring production takes place at multiple facilities in Asia including China and Taiwan. We absorbed the full cost of the 10% levy for the first round of China tariffs and did not pass it on to any of our customers. If and when a second tariff is put in place, we plan to re-evaluate at the appropriate time, though we are dedicated to doing all that we can for our customers. We already have commitments to hold current pricing through 2019 on some of our larger projects. We are also interested in seeking manufacturing alternatives and are currently in the process of researching facilities here in the U.S.
If the tariff is not imposed, how does 2019 look for LVT?
Grogan: All indicators are that LVT continues to take share from other flooring surfaces, so we feel that everyone in the industry is expecting a good 2019.