From the CEO’s Desk
By Drew Hash
As we reach the halfway point of 2025, industry data confirms what many of us anticipated: Resilient flooring continues to lead the market.
At Southwind, we’ve strategically positioned ourselves to support this trend, focusing on innovation and delivering products that meet your customers’ evolving needs.
Our investment and innovation in Rigid Core technology has resulted in incredible product selections, including one of the broadest offerings in WPC flooring (the core technology that started it all). These products are designed to provide durability, aesthetic appeal, and value, qualities that resonate with today’s consumers.
If you haven’t explored our resilient product lines recently, now is an excellent time to discover styles tailored for modern preferences and backed by the support you expect from Southwind.
– Drew Hash
President & CEO, Southwind Floors
Southwind Laminate: A Comeback with Staying Power
Waterproof laminate has made a strong return, and at Southwind, we’re all in. With real-wood visuals, built-in durability, and a price point that makes sense for today’s economy, laminate has become one of the most strategic offerings in our resilient lineup.
Why does it matter? Because not every customer wants vinyl, and not every project calls for SPC or WPC. Our waterproof laminate lines were built to perform, and priced to move.
Southwind’s laminate delivers:
- Unmatched value: A smart choice when budgets are tight but style still matters
- Waterproof performance: Built to resist spills, splashes, and the chaos of real life
- Stunning visuals: Realistic textures and finishes that rival hardwood
- DIY-friendly installs: Perfect for our dealers who have a DIY-centric approach
Laminate isn’t a fallback, it’s a front-runner. And we’re proud to continue offering this durable, design-driven category to support your success on the showroom floor.
In fact, according to Catalina Research, U.S. sales of laminate flooring increased by 9.4% in 2023, reaching $1.36 billion. That growth was driven by improved water resistance, lower installation costs, and better visuals, all factors that matter to homeowners. Southwind continues to outpace in all of these attributes and remains your best choice.
Team Spotlight
If you’ve ever connected with Nanette Morgan in our Dalton, GA office, you’ve probably noticed two things: her calm professionalism, and her heart.
Nanette is a Customer Service Representative known for turning challenges into opportunities and delivering exceptional support to dealers across the country. “If a problem arises, I try to turn a negative experience into a positive one,” she says.
Her team describes her as consistent, communicative, and compassionate. She sums it up best:
“I strive to communicate clearly and consistently, ensuring others can depend on me. What matters most is to be known as a Christian who is sincere and trustworthy, someone others can truly count on.”
Nanette embodies what Southwind stands for: dependable service, kindness in action, and real relationships that go beyond the transaction. Thank you, Nanette, for the way you lead with heart.
Simplify Your Orders
Did you know you can email your orders directly to us at customerservice@southwindbp.com? It’s quick, easy, and with just a few key details, our Customer Service Team can get your order entered and an acknowledgment sent right back to you.
Ordering from Southwind just got easier. Now when you submit an order to our Customer Service team, you’ll receive an instant auto-reply confirming your request was received and is being processed.
Why this matters:
- Peace of mind: Know we got your order, no second guessing
- Improved accuracy: Gives you a final chance to catch anything missing
To help us process your order quickly, always include:
- Product name and style
- Quantity and unit type (box, roll, etc.)
- Shipping address and requested delivery date
- Any special delivery instructions
Send orders to: customerservice@southwindbp.com
We recommend printing or saving our order checklist for your sales folder. Fast, simple, and streamlined—just the way it should be.
Dealer Edge:
Cutting Through the Confusion
Let’s face it: the flooring world can be a bit of an acronym soup. SPC. WPC. LVP. Laminate. Waterproof this. Rigid that. It’s no wonder even seasoned pros sometimes hesitate when a customer says, “What’s the difference?”
Here’s the truth: most products today promise a lot of the same things, durability, water resistance, beautiful wood looks. But as a dealer, your edge comes not just from having the products, but from knowing which solution fits which situation, and why.
At Southwind, we’ve built our product offering with that in mind. It’s not about having the most products, it’s about offering the right ones, and giving you the clarity to recommend them with confidence.
Let’s break it down:
WPC (Wood Polymer Composite)
The softest, warmest underfoot of the three, and still totally waterproof. WPC combines comfort and resilience, typically with a slightly thicker core and built-in padding.
- Superior sound absorption
- Perfect for multi-floor homes where noise control matters
- Ideal for customers who want comfort underfoot without carpet
Waterproof Laminate
Laminate’s having a moment again, and for good reason. Today’s high-performance laminate offers:
- Tough love durability: Scratch-resistant, dent-resistant, kid-and-pet tested.
- Waterproof construction: Yes, we said it. Southwind’s laminate holds its own against moisture.
- Gorgeous wood visuals: Embossed-in-register textures and clarity that rivals real hardwood.
- DIY appeal: Often favored by do-it-yourselfers for its easy click-lock installation and traditional feel.
SPC (Stone Polymer Composite)
SPC’s dense core means it won’t flinch at water, heavy traffic, or temperature changes.
- Ultra-stable and dent-resistant
- Great for mixed product installs: Works well where transitions matter, especially to tile or existing rigid surfaces
- DIY-friendly: Easy Uniclic install, even for first-timers
Still Not Sure? Ask These 5 Questions:
- “What’s the room like?” (Traffic level, moisture, purpose)
- “What products are already in the home—and are staying?” (Match thickness, tone, or look)
- “How do you want it to feel underfoot?” (Warmth, softness, sound)
- “What’s your #1 priority?” (Looks, durability, comfort, ease of install)
- “What kind of budget are you working with?” (Understanding their range helps you guide, not guess)
In today’s economy, price is a real factor. Asking thoughtful, open-ended questions builds trust, and helps you find the product that fits their lifestyle and their wallet.
Southwind’s Take:
We don’t believe in “good, better, best” as a hierarchy. We believe in fit, function, and finish. That’s why we’ve built every product line, including laminate, to stand tall in performance, beauty, and real-life practicality.
Because that’s The Southwind Way.
Streamline Your Business with our new EDI
We’re excited to announce that Southwind is now EDI-ready! EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is a secure, automated way to share data between systems, saving you time, reducing errors, and eliminating unnecessary back-and-forth.
What this means for you:
✅ Faster order processing
✅ Seamless product catalog updates
✅ Smoother transactions with less paperwork
We’re already set up with major platforms like FloorZap, RFMS, and QFloors, and we’re just getting started. More functions, like purchase orders and invoicing, are coming soon.
Want to connect your system to ours? Reach out to Kim Colquette or your Territory Manager, and we’ll walk you through it.
We’ll See You at the Alliance Flooring Convention!
Headed to Park City this June? So are we! While Southwind won’t have a booth this year, we’ll be on-site throughout the week, and we’d love to meet up.
📍 Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, Park City
📅 June 16–20, 2025
Let’s grab a coffee, talk shop, and share what’s new.
Interested in setting up a time? Email us at marketing@southwindfloors.com
The Final Word
Thanks for taking time to read the May issue of The Southwind Social. We hope it delivered something useful, thought-provoking, or just plain helpful.
This newsletter is for you, and we want it to keep getting better. If you have ideas, questions, or feedback, we’d love to hear them.
Simply reply to this email or send your thoughts to newsletter@southwindfloors.com.
Thanks for being part of the Southwind family. We’re proud to support your success, and we’re here every step of the way.
Until next time—
Happy Selling,
The Southwind Team