Tarkett Wood Floors Becomes Harris Wood

From The National Wood Flooring Association Convention - Ft. Lauderdale March Harris Wood convention booth 2008

Only ten years ago Harris Tarkett was highly regarded in the hardwood flooring business by installers and dealers. I worked with many of their products in the late 90's and was always pleased. Then the tables turned. Not sure when it can be pin pointed, but I heard from a distributor in Florida who didn't want to take it on after a long relationship with the company. This was 2004.

Negative reviews from installers on our message board echoes the sentiment to this day. As a former internet dealer of many big name prefinished hardwood products, we dropped it in mid 2007 because of too many quality control complaints.

...Maybe They're Going To Get It Together

Being the unknown guy at conventions I spent some time at the new Harris Wood booth. Yes, it's a new name. I approached one Harris Wood person and mentioned I had been very pleased with their products in the past, but something happened. The discussion went on like this...but it is not in absolute context.

"New name? Why?"

"We're reorganizing...under an investment company..." Harris Hamptons Colorcraft

"Oh, no, that sounds scary, " I quipped, having full knowledge of what happens when other guys get their hands on a business that is not their core of operations.

"We have complete control at the end of the day..."

I wish I had more to go by and took some notes or pulled out my tape recorder, but I had other stuff to look at. If Tarkett is going to make a comeback they're going to have to do more than a name change. They do have one new product introduction in a painted wood appearance similar to Anderson, called Painted Desert Hand Scraped.

Update: March 2010

It appears the change back to concentrate on it's core business of hardwood flooring is paying off. Positive opinions from many may have the company back in the drivers seat sooner than expected.

Related Pages:

• Harris Wood