12172010 Momeni Diversifies Into Broadloom Carpet Business

MOMENI DIVERSIFIES INTO
BROADLOOM CARPET BUSINESS

By Lissa Wyman

CARLSTADT, NJ --Momeni is diversifying into the broadloom carpet business, according to Reza Momeni, president of the rug importing company. Momeni will introduce its first collections of carpeting at the Atlanta International Rug Market, Las Vegas World Market and  Surfaces.

Heading the new division will be the husband-wife team of Pat Shaw and Stephanie Shaw. (To see the report on the appointment of the Shaws, click here).

 Momeni discussed the new direction for Momeni in an exclusive interview with Rugnews.com.

"We have been planning this move for several years, ever since we entered a joint manufacturing venture in China in 2004," said Momeni. "Our manufacturing partners are expanding capacity. Now the market conditions are right to make our move."

"We feel 2011 is the optimum time to expand into broadloom because the economy is just emerging from recession. We want to be ready for the business turnaround with fresh products and an aggressive marketing stance."

The new broadloom collections are targeted primarily to the  high end residential markets. "We are aiming at better-end floor covering specialty stores as well as design-oriented rug specialists," he explained.

There will initially be approximately 16 different styles and 30 sku's in the collection and most will be made of New Zealand wool  Constructions will include four-meter wide face-to-face Wilton, machine tufted, hand-tufted and hand-loomed flat weave carpeting.
The carpeting is made in both China and India.

The broadloom will retail in the $4.99 sq. ft. to $11.99 sq. ft. range. Inventory will be available in the Spring of 2011.

"The carpeting is aimed at the residential market, but it is also suited to the contract business," Momeni noted.

The broadloom includes patterned, solid and subtle textured designs. "For the most part, the designs are contemporary, but we have included a few traditional patterns," said Momeni. "We brought our sales force into company headquarters in November, and all of them are excited about the salability of these products.

Momeni has developed a unique new merchandising unit that allows retailers to show the broadloom in an attractive but compact all-in-one selling unit.

"We feel that the broadloom collection are a complement to our rug lines," said Momeni.

"This is Phase One of our development of the broadloom business. We plan to expand marketing and merchandising this category in the future," he added.

Momeni Broadloom will be shown at the company's  AmericasMart showroom 4-B-4 Jan. 13 to 16, 2011; the Wools of New Zealand pavilion at Surfaces, Jan. 25 to 27, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, and the Las Vegas World Market Center, showroom B-425 at the Las Vegas Market, Jan. 24 to 28, 2011.

12.17.10