Have you noticed?

Have you noticed prices increasing? On everything? What about wood flooring? We've received notifications from suppliers with price increases. However, we are working hard to continue providing you with the best prices possible. We have been given some reasons for the price increases of the raw materials, which directly affect the prices of the flooring.

In March, Armstrong World Industries, who manufacture Bruce, Armstrong Hardwood, and Robbins brands, have attributed their price increase to these contributing factors:

• Significant reduction and capacity from lumber mills due to a decrease in board feet demand from 11.6 billion in 2005 to 5.7 billion in 2009. In conjunction with the tightening of credit, it has reduced the number of lumber mills.
• Weather conditions in 2009 and 2010 have prevented loggers from getting to the wood with no relief in sight.
• Decrease in high-end furniture sales, causing an increase in the cost of select grade products, as the lumber mills are shifting that wood to flooring.
• Lumber demand has increased over 30% since August 2009 and now there is less capacity to fill.

Just this week Armstrong announced another price increase:

[Lancaster, Pa.] Armstrong announced that it will initiate a six percent price increase in the U.S. and Canada on solid hardwood flooring products effective with shipments on July 1st, 2010.

"Since the announcement of our last price modification, lumber and energy prices have continued to rise. Early signs of a recovery in housing are putting continued volume pressures on saw mills. The cost impact on solid hardwood flooring is clearly visible through the price on commodities such as unfinished strip, which has increased 20 percent in the last 60 days. Armstrong's continued focus on productivity and overhead reduction allows us to protect our customers from the full severity of raw material increases," said Daniel Call, vice president, wood product management.

It seems unavoidable at this time, and for an unknown amount of time. We'll all be battling this together. Know that we will do our best to keep your prices as low as possible.