"We're bringing two strong organizations together," said Hoy Lanning, president of the NAFCD. "Our distributor members are looking to grow their ceramic tile business, and to develop new relationships with other manufacturers in order to broaden their selection of products. From Coverings' standpoint, they are looking to the NAFCD to help connect even more distributors and manufacturers."

Lanning's enthusiasm was echoed by William J. "Skip" Mason, president of TSI, Inc., the company that organizes Coverings. "This is a key co-sponsorship that further strengthens Coverings' position as the top ceramic tile and natural stone expo in the world, and broadens our reach to include many more exhibitors and attendees."

NAFCD membership encompasses distributors, manufacturers, and suppliers throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and represents all categories of floor covering products such as tile products, carpet, cushion/padding, rugs, ceramic tile, installation accessories, wood flooring, rubber flooring and high-pressure laminates.

In addition, allied members include marketers of computer software, display advertisers, consultants, financial service representatives, travel and incentive companies, and other suppliers of goods and services used by NAFCD members.

In addition to the NAFCD, co-sponsors of Coverings include the Tile Contractors' Association of America (TCA); the Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Association of Canada (TTMAC); the Louisiana Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA); the South-Central Region of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA); the Gulf States Region of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI); and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Louisiana District Chapter. For more information, visit their Internet site at www.coverings.com.