Flooring Expo to add area rug exhibitors

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 3/28/2002 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL — For the first time in its 15-year history, the International Flooring Exposition (IFE), which will take place here under the mantle "Coverings" May 6 to 9, is adding area rugs to its existing roster of hard flooring exhibitors.

And helping to christen the re-focused event is a group of major rug suppliers familiar to the home textiles industry — Feizy Rugs, Asia Minor, Zolvamari, Noonoo Rugs and Masterlooms.

"Area rugs were added to the exhibitor profile this year as a result of creating an expanded Coverings," Skip Mason, president of TSI Inc., the show management for Coverings, told Home Textiles Today. "For 2002, the tile and stone section of the show is called 'The International Tile & Stone Exhibition', concurrent with this we also created 'The International Flooring Exhibition.'

"IFE includes all other flooring materials. IFE obviously includes area rugs. There is an actual synergism between tile and stone and area rugs. But IFE also includes carpet, vinyl, etc. The concept is to expand the base to create a major all-industry East coast flooring event. We believe this is good for everyone."