Mohawk’s Innovative Airo: A Simple Yet Revolutionary Alternative to Traditional Carpet

 

CALHOUN, Ga. January 17, 2016—Mohawk’s new Airo soft floorcovering is a complete breakthrough in carpet—it gives consumers a revolutionary alternative to traditional carpet and retailers an easy-to-install, easy-to-service product.

“Airo is not just an improvement to an existing product line,” said Tom Lape, Mohawk’s president of Mohawk residential. “It represents an entirely new flooring category called USF – Unified Soft Floorcovering.”

Mohawk Airo is leveraging the Niaga® Technology to look at soft flooring from the consumer backwards, instead of the manufacturing plant forward. The development of Airo represents what today’s consumers and retailers really value.

“It has been a distinct honor to work with the world’s largest flooring manufacturer on the Airo launch — a product that will truly change the way we experience flooring, and how retailers go-to market and install broadloom,” said Josse Kunst, general manager of DSM-Niaga. “Niaga’s vision extends beyond the flooring industry, in how we change the way products are made, to better serve customer needs. Airo is the ideal embodiment of forward-thinking innovation.”

There are a lot of advantages to Airo, but early responses from retailers indicate the greatest advantage of this product is its simplicity of installation. Retailers repeatedly claim labor is the number one challenge when it comes to growing a flooring business.

“With Airo, we have reduced the install time by 25 percent and eliminated 100 percent of the complexity,” explained Lape. “This gives retailers remarkable flexibility with labor crews and has the potential to dramatically increase their productivity and grow their top line sales .”

Airo features a simple, two-part design unified by a single polymer. The 100% PET fiber is constructed on a premium cushioned backing using an innovative, tension-free process. This creates a dimensionally-stable floor, which will not wrinkle or delaminate and is easy and fast to install . It requires no additional cushion, no tack-strip at edges to snag socks and no power stretching or seaming iron. It is soft and flexible, which makes it easier to handle and install.

“The new product will benefit both the consumer and the retailer,” said Lape. “Airo is important to retailers because it offers a simpler-to-install, easier-to-maintain, better performing and more sustainable soft surface. Mohawk has spent over four years developing and refining the Airo production process to prepare for this launch. Just as we changed the industry 11-years ago with the introduction to SmartStrand, we are aiming for the same result with the introduction of Airo USF by Mohawk.”

Green Label Plus certified, Airo also is a family-friendly choice. Airo eliminates all the “new carpet smell.” Also, moisture cannot be absorbed into the fiber, backing or cushion—a significant factor in reducing odor in the home.

Mohawk Airo is made from 100 percent PET, making it 100 percent recyclable, contributing zero landfill waste. This durable, stain-resistant floorcovering remains beautiful longer and is an excellent solution for consumers and retailers who want to lower their environmental impact as well as their time and cost of installation. For more information, visit mohawkflooring.com.

About Mohawk
Mohawk Industries is a leading global flooring manufacturer that creates products to enhance residential and commercial spaces around the world. Mohawk’s vertically integrated manufacturing and distribution processes provide competitive advantages in the production of carpet, rugs, ceramic tile, laminate, hardwood, stone and vinyl flooring. Our industry-leading innovation has yielded products and technologies that differentiate our brands in the marketplace and satisfy all remodeling and new construction requirements. Our brands are among the most recognized in the industry and include Mohawk, American Olean, Daltile, Durkan, IVC, Karastan, Marazzi, Pergo, Unilin and Quick-Step. During the past decade, Mohawk has transformed its business from an American carpet manufacturer into the world’s largest flooring company with operations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Europe, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia and the United States.

About DSM-Niaga
DSM-Niaga is a joint venture, established in 2014, between Royal DSM and Niaga. The company is focusing on innovative sustainable solutions without compromising on quality and comfort. With a first focus on carpet manufacturing, the Niaga® design philosophy reduces materials complexity to enable safer, easier to handle, and fully recyclable products. More information at www.dsm-niaga.com