celebrating 70years of excellence - consolidatedcarpet.com · as a top flooring contractor,...

70 years of excellenceCelebrating

Consolidated Carpet

letter

Seventy years ago, two Norwegian immigrants, brothers Tom and Leif Meberg, incorporated

Consolidated Carpet. I often wonder if they had dreams then of what their company would become

50, 60 or 70 years later. My father and his brothers, and my cousins and I, have dedicated

ourselves to keeping their legacy alive, celebrating their pursuit of the American dream by working

to make Consolidated Carpet the best it can be. Together, the Meberg family and our dedicated

associates are proud to commemorate our 70th anniversary by working with Floor Covering News

to publish this special edition celebrating our story.

We are fully aware that our success would not be possible without the support of our customers,

our vendors, our business partners and our friends. I want to thank you all for being an integral

part of this publication.

I have often said that the foundation of our success was built on the shoulders of our loyal and

hardworking associates. When I first began visiting jobsites with my father as a child, I would

watch intently as skilled installers transformed spaces in a day. We had a sign in our office that

read, “A little blood and sweat won’t stain the carpet.” That was the attitude with which they

worked.

As we have grown as a company, the shape of our business has changed. However, the hard

working attitude has not. Today, the attitude of production and quality is being reinvigorated in

our company and will be led by our current generation of installers, who are the front line in

delivering our finished products to our customers.

The company has grown and evolved. The times have changed, as have the markets in which we

work. Throughout it all, we hope our story of hard work -- and the vision of two immigrant brothers

-- inspires you as it has our family and associates through the years.

All of us at Consolidated thank you for the support you have provided us, and we look forward to

continued success in the next 70 years, working together to better our own companies and the

industry as a whole.

Very truly yours,

David T. Meberg

President & CEO

45 W. 25th Street, 8th floor

New York, NY 10010

Telephone: 212.226.4600

Fax: 212.226.4644

www.consolidatedcarpet.com

November 4/11, 2013 I 3

4 I November 4/11, 2013

From its humble beginnings as a workroomestablished by two Norwegian immigrants

to its transformation into a full-service com-mercial flooring contractor,the fundamental values ofConsolidated Carpet remainintact in its 70th year. The foun-dation of the family-run com-pany rests on the tradition ofhard work established by itsfounders and carried on bytheir sons and associates.

“We know that our contin-ued success is contingent onthe commitment to quality andservice that they instilled inus,” said David Meberg, presi-dent and CEO. “We believe ifwe can leave work every dayproud of what we have accom-plished, our loyal customerswill continue to entrust theirvalued business with us.”

Renowned as one of thenation’s premier full-serviceflooring and carpet contrac-tors, Consolidated Carpet serves the NewYork metropolitan area and is headquarteredin Manhattan. As a third-generation, family-owned and operated business, family mem-bers say the company remains hands-on,accountable and driven to satisfy its clients’needs. “We believe that our clients derive nosatisfaction from their floor covering purchaseuntil the product is properly installed,”Meberg said.

Consolidated is distinguished in the mar-ketplace with a long history of installation ex-

cellence. From the early days, the company of-fered highly skilled staff capable of the mostchallenging installation projects. “Consoli-dated brings the value of strong project man-agement, extensive knowledge of the New

York City building environment and a com-mitment to provide excellent service fromproject initiation through completion,” saidJeanne Matson, president and CEO of StarnetWorldwide, a national cooperative of inde-pendent flooring contractors. “Their profes-sionalism and strong teamwork separate themfrom their competition.” Consolidated haswon numerous Starnet Design Awards overthe years.

As a top flooring contractor, Consolidatedserves a variety of commercial sectors, includ-

ing healthcare, corporate, hospitality, educa-tion, institutional, retail, stadiums and are-nas. Its prestigious clients include Fortune500 corporations, professional service firms,luxury hotel and institutional properties, real

estate owners and general con-tractors. “We are coveringmost market segments,” Me-berg noted. “Currently one ofour most telling market statis-tics is that we service 21 of thetop 25 law firms in New YorkCity.”

Defining momentsFounded as a trade workroomin 1943 by brothers Tom andLeif Meberg, Consolidatedquickly built a reputation forproviding quality floor cover-ing installations. The foundershired Norwegian immigrantspassing through Ellis Islandand developed them into hard-working craftsmen to meet thegrowing demand their busi-ness was generating. A greatdeal of the company’s initial

business in the 1940s was repair work, as car-pet production was halted during wartime.

“We started as a workroom and installedcarpet for over 30 dealers,” recalled ArneMeberg, the second son of Tom, who servedin various roles during his 56 years at Consol-idated, most recently as president upon his re-tirement in 2008. “We did a lot of work forover 20 hotels and became the biggest work-room in New York City.”

While the company was a labor-only or-ganization, two of the biggest market seg-

Consolidated Carpet celebrates 70th

By K.J. Quinn

After arriving in the U.S., Tom and LeifMeberg begin installing carpet andlinoleum for a Norwegian named Jaasund and become became skilled insewing, binding and installing invisiblesockets, pins, rods and rings

Working withJaasund, Leifand Tom installcarpet, linoleum,and tile at the 1939 World’s Fair

Since World War II started, carpet millshave stopped manufacturing carpet toproduce war supplies; Leif and Tom workcovering store windows and build Navyand Liberty Ships at the Brooklyn NavyYard at night; Jaasund employs the mento help him with carpet repair work dur-ing the days

Tom and Leif Meberg, along with JohnJ. Robbins, incorporate ConsolidatedCarpet, moving into a storefront on18th Street in Manhattan; much of theinitial business includes repair work,as the manufacturing of carpet is still halted

193

3

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9

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0 Leif’s son, Lloyd, beginswork as an installer

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1 Tom’s third son, Thomas (Bud), comes towork after completing college

Major installations begin, such as NYU, ColumbiaUniversity and Fordham University, in addition tocompleting the Princess Hotel and Castle Har-bour Hotel in Bermuda

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3

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3 Tom’s secondson, Arne, joinsthe company19

59 A fire destroys one of Consolidated’s

buildings, with offices, records, and asignificant amount of carpet19

71

Consolidated moves to a 100 x100 building in Long Island City

Tom & Leif buy out Robbins,making Consolidated solelyowned by the Meberg Family

After a tour in theArmy, Tom’s eldestson, Tor, beginsworking as a carpetinstaller

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C O N S O L I D A T E D C A R P E T

history

The installation team that worked on the Plaza Hotel renovation in New York City is joined by Arne Meberg, far right, Consolidated Carpet’s former president and CEO,

at the company’s 60th anniversary event in 2003.

November 4/11, 2013 I 5

anniversary

ments served were hospitality and commer-cial real estate. Consolidated installed floorcoverings in iconic hotels and departmentstores such as the New Yorker Hotel, ParkLane Hotel, Macy’s and all the Lerner Storeson the East Coast. “We know how to performwork at hotels, not that many companies doit well,” noted Paul Meberg, Tom’s grandsonwho is executive vice president. “We have agood relationship with the Sheraton hotelchain and were asked to travel to Philadelphiaand Dallas to work on their hotels there.”

Tom’s sons Tor, Arne and Thomas(“Bud”), and Leif’s son, Lloyd, continued de-veloping the family organization. While busi-ness steadily grew through the years, it wasn’tentirely smooth sailing. Consolidated perse-vered through two fires in 1971 and 1978,which severely damaged two buildings and

Major installations begin, such asthe UN Hotel, Goldman Sachsand The Plaza Hotel

Tom and Leif officially pass the business to their sons, Tor, Lloydand Bud

A second fire destroys two buildings,offices and everything inside; out ofthe ashes comes a 30,000 sq. ft.warehouse

40th anniversary

To accommodategrowing business, 1157Grand Street in Brook-lyn is purchased, ex-panding the businessto the building next to1181 Grand Street

197

3 Carpet TransportIncorporated,Consolidated’sown truckingcompany, isfounded

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8 Expands into theproduct sales market and experience double-digit growthannually

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Moves into office at 45 West 25th

Street in Manhattan, using it as ashowroom and corporate head-quarters; relocation producesdouble-digit increases overnight

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3

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8

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7 Tor and Arne, third-gener-ation Mebergs, decide toemulate their father andturn the business over totheir sons, Paul & David

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1 Gratefully no associates are inthe Twin Towers on Sept. 11,though many installers and associates would frequentlower Manhattan several times a week; dozens of clientsin need are assisted with emergency office relocations

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1 Moves warehouse toCarlstadt, N.J., afternearly 30 years at Brooklyn, N.Y., ware-house, illustrating dedi-cation to the New Jerseycommercial floor covering market

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Receives 2009 StarnetDesign Public SpaceAward For StuyvesantTown Amenity Spaces

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Receives 2011 StarnetDesign Awards for NYPublic Administratorsoffice and HOK office

Installs 16,000 sq. ft. ofsolar panels on theroof of N.J. warehouse

2011

Launches updated websitewith more informationabout business, accessibleto clients, friends and part-ners; visitors have the abilityto see stats about solarpanel array in real time

2012

Expands in-house Health-care Division,furtheringfocus on themarket in thetri-state areaand beyond

2013

T H R O U G H T H E Y E A R S

Back in 1959, some of Consolidated Carpet’s 56 employees gathered for this photo op at the

company’s Brooklyn, N.Y. warehouse.

Tom Meberg Leif Meberg

Meberg family maintains time-honored traditions

By K.J. Quinn

When brothers Tom and LeifMeberg arrived in the U.S. from

Norway in the 1920s, like so many im-migrants before them, they sought tocapture the American dream. Throughhard work, careful planning and soundbusiness principles, the brothers wereable to establish a successfulworkroom in New York Citythat would later be passed onto the next two generationsof family members.

“I don’t think they hadmission statements for thisback in the 1940s,” said DavidMeberg, current companypresident and CEO. “But earlyon the founders developed areputation for production andquality in all the work theydid.” David is the son of ArneMeberg, a second-generationfamily member.

The founders, who attended nightschool to learn the English language,were carpenters and timbermen bytrade. But they also learned how to in-stall carpet and linoleum—two of themost popular floor coverings at thetime—during the Great Depressionwhen carpentry jobs were scarce. After10 years of working in the trade, and with the ex-perience of installing flooring at the 1939 World’s

Fair, the brothers decided to go at it ontheir own.

On Nov. 1, 1943, Tom, Leif and JohnJ. Robbins incorporated ConsolidatedCarpet Trade Workroom and opened astorefront on East 18th Street in Man-hattan. Four years later, Tom and Leif

bought out Robbins andmoved the business to LongIsland City. Two genera-tions later, the ownershipand management of thecompany remain in controlof the Meberg family.

While it is not unusualfor family-owned businessesto survive into a second gen-eration, far fewer—approxi-mately 13%—are passeddown successfully to a thirdgeneration, according to pub-lished reports. The Mebergshave defied the odds, in part

because each family member was in-doctrinated into the business like theirrelatives and ancestors beforethem. “Those practices and principleswere passed onto their sons and theirworkers, and we strive to emulatethem every day,” David Meberg said.

A case in point is Tom Meberg’s old-est son, Tor, who joined the company in 1948 after

Tor Meberg Arne Meberg

Bud Meberg Paul Meberg

Chris Meberg

David Meberg

Continued on page 7Continued on page 6

6 I November 4/11, 2013

Continued from page 5

History

destroyed offices and records.“Fortunately, no one was hurt,” Bud

Meberg recalled. “After the fire of ’71, wemoved into a new warehouse about a yearlater.”

The 1978 fire was more devastating. “Atthat time, we wondered if we could continue,”he said. “With a lot of hard work, long hoursand determination from the company, ouremployees and vendors, out of the ashes camethe 30,000-square-foot warehouse.”

By the early 1990s, the second generationof Mebergs decided to emulate their fathersand turn the business over to their sons, whowere actively involved in the opera-tions. Arne’s son, David, and Tor’s son, Paul,took over management of Consolidated in1992. Two years later, they transitioned thecompany from a workroom into a full-serviceflooring contractor.

“That was a critical moment for us,” DavidMeberg recalled, noting it was a calculatedmove that supported the company’s growth

strategy. “We hired keypeople who brought ac-counts with them.”

But the transitioninto a full-serviceflooring contractor didnot come without risks. At the time, the U.S.was recovering from a recession and DuPont,Shaw Industries and Interface were acquiring

major flooring contractors inkey areas to increase marketshare. And there were whis-pers in industry circles ques-tioning whether a workroomcould successfully make thetransition into a business thathad a reputation for being cut-throat.

“We had competitionfrom not only Shaw and Inter-face, but also local independ-ent flooring contractors,”David Meberg said, notingsome were workroom cus-tomers. “The reality was wewere bigger than a lot of theestablished contractors at thattime and had a more attractivebalance sheet.”

The move was successful,as Consolidated’s businessthrived during a time whenseveral competitors shutdown, family memberssaid. By the 2000s, the floor-ing contractor focused onbroadening its market breadthby exploring segments outsideof its core commercial carpetbackground. As alternative

surfaces allowed Consolidated to extend itsproduct offerings, the company began ex-panding its capabilities in the hard goods mar-ket and in self-leveling and poured surfacefinishes.

“We branched into offering maintenanceservices and other products such as wood andraised panel access systems, and began to dab-ble in the ceramic segment of our industry,”Paul Meberg said. “Our primary and corefocus, however, remained soft surface and re-silient, product sales and installation.”

In June 2008, the company moved to anew 80,000-square-foot corporate operationscenter and sales office in Carlstadt, N.J., whichreplaced its Brooklyn facility. Designed as acomplete showroom, every part of the floorshowcases products furnished and installed byConsolidated, including a warehouse that fea-tures a number of industrial flooring systems.The company used this opportunity to expandits presence in the New Jersey market.

“The move to New Jersey presented anumber of significant opportunities, not onlyto grow, but also to improve our efficienciesand provide an unparalleled level of service toour clients,” David Meberg explained.

Consolidated’s business continues to ex-pand. Earlier this year, with an extensive andsuccessful history of installations in thehealthcare market, the company announcedthe development of its in-house HealthcareDivision. “Consolidated Carpet continues tomaintain proficiency in healthcare flooring

products, installation andmaintenance, and can pro-vide customers with an ex-pert perspective inbudgeting products and

Back in 1980, Consolidated installed the carpet in the 1,100-room Helmsley Palace, a reincarnation of

Manhattan’s landmark, century-old Villard Houses.

An old Consolidated Carpet truck,circa 1965; and an employee goes

about his business in one of the company’s three Long Island

City warehouses.

services for healthcare facilities,” DavidMeberg said.

Commitment to excellenceIndeed, Consolidated is positioned as a singlesource for serving all of the floor coveringneeds of commercial customers. A trainedstaff assists customers and their designers inevery aspect of a project from start to finish,including planning, specification, installationand maintenance. These value-added servicescombined with providing superior workman-ship, quality materials from leading flooringsuppliers, reliability and competitive pricingdistinguish Consolidated in the New Yorkmetropolitan market it serves.

“We stress ‘P.R.I.D.E.’ in everything we doat Consolidated. It stands for ‘Personal Re-sponsibility in Delivering Excellence’,” ArneMeberg noted. “Our installers have this writ-ten on their shirts and it is featured aroundour offices and warehouse. We see, read andare reminded of these values every day.”

Consolidated employs what it consid-ers one of the nation’s largest and most rec-ognized INSTALL (International Standardsand Training Alliance)-trained laborcrews. “We have a lot more at risk becausewe employ our own installers,” DavidMeberg pointed out. “We have to manageour quality control and installation veryclosely, and that’s our real value proposi-tion.” INSTALL is a comprehensive trainingand certification program for floor coveringinstallers and offers marketing guidance forits alliance members.

When it comes to installation, Consoli-dated strives to be environmentally conscious.For instance, when providing estimates forprojects, the Consolidated team provides pre-cise material estimates, which eliminate ex-cess waste and transportation costs. “Thescraps we do have are brought back to thewarehouse and diverted from the landfill,”David Meberg said. “We also install using low-VOC adhesives and self-leveling materialswhenever possible.”

Installers are trained in these practices, soproject teams pursuing LEED certificationcan be confident Consolidated will abide byLEED VOC requirements, and thus con-tribute to their certification goals. “We arecommitted to not only providing our clientsthe most resource-efficient flooring installa-tions possible, but also utilizing sustainablemeasures to the greatest extent we can,” hecontinued.

A case in point is the Con-Serve reclama-tion program, which the company claims hasdiverted more than 1 million pounds of carpetfrom landfills each of the past three years. In

2011, Consolidated won the Starnet/CARECarpet Reclamation Award for its landfill di-version of used carpet. “In addition, the com-pany was recognized with a StarnetEnvironmental Stewardship Award at theStarnet 2013 annual meeting in April 2013 forall of its environmental initiatives in year2012,” Matson said.

In 2013 and beyond, family members sayConsolidated remains committed to deliver-ing excellence in every project it manages. De-

spite the various challenges of running a fam-ily business, the successful ones recognizetheir longevity depends largely on keepingcustomers, suppliers and employees happy.“They have mastered the balance of handlingthe pace and complexities inherent in servic-ing large projects for quality clients,” said IN-STALL director John McGrath, “whileremaining true to their identity created by thefounding family members: integrity, perform-ance and attention to detail.”

November 4/11, 2013 I 7

a tour in the army. Tor started asan apprentice under the watch-ful eye of his father, and later de-veloped into a skilled carpetmechanic and a foreman onmany projects. By May 1951, LeifMeberg’s son, Lloyd, began in-stalling carpet, and he and Torworked together on many jobs.

“One of my father’s favoriteexpressions was, ‘Get going,’”recalled Paul Meberg, Tor’s son,now executive vice president.“When I joined the business,we worked side by side and heknew how to get things done and motivate peo-ple.”

During a recent interview with FCNews,family members fondly recalled their experi-ences in learning about the business from theground up. Each started working odd jobs insidethe warehouse at an early age. “I went to workwith my parents and was running our warehouseshortly after college,” recalled Arne Meberg, thesecond son of Tom and former president of thecompany. “I was brought into the office to helpmake it more efficient and, in later years, helpedset up a computer program to handle all aspectsof the business.”

Tom’s third son, Thomas (“Bud”), came towork after college in 1963. Bud learned the tradelike his brothers and was later assigned to the of-fice to help ease the workload put upon Arne dueto increased business. “I looked up to my fatherand brother Tor,” said Bud, executive vice presi-dent. “Both believed in working hard, doing theright thing and being respectful of those youwork with.”

Family members were able to leverage on-the-job training effectively, which they saidplayed a major role in accelerating their profes-sional development. “My father was the most in-fluential person in learning about the day-to-dayparts of the business,” said Chris Meberg, Bud’s

son. “I learned about project management whenI worked as an apprentice under Paul.” Christ iscurrently an account manager.

But even companies that survive on long-time relationships must be nimble enough tobuild a consensus around change. A common les-son passed on from generation to generation wascontinued reinvention, family members told FCNews. Over the years, Consolidated expandedinto new end-use markets, broadened and en-hanced its service levels, took on new flooringcategories and transitioned from a workroominto a full-service flooring contractor.

At the same time, each generation has con-tinued to support the industry in the advance-ment of installation skills, a service that remainsthe backbone of Consolidated’s business. DavidMeberg is among those family members leadingthe charge for enhancing installation qualitythrough certification programming, such as theone offered by INSTALL, an organization hehelped found and currently serves as chairman.“Through David, Consolidated Carpet has facili-tated many of the relationships integral to INSTALL’s existence and provided insight andguidance in determining INSTALL’s mission,”noted John McGrath, INSTALL director. “Davidhas provided a steady and wise hand in the steer-ing of INSTALL.”


Family

Consolidated Carpet is now in its third generation of family ownership. From left: Paul Meberg, executive vice president; Chris Meberg, account manager; Bud Meberg, executive vice

president, and David Meberg, president and CEO.

8 I November 4/11, 2013 executive interview

Looking back over the years, what are you most proud of since becoming CEO of Consolidated?I’m most proud of the fact that in 1994 we de-cided to transition the business from a work-room to a full-service contractor. That put usinto competition with 60% of our revenue atthat time. There were lots of people whothought we were not going to make it, bothinternally and outside the company. But Ipromised the people who worked here andour installers that we would remain thelargest installation house in this marketplace,and we have been able to do that. Since wemade that transition, we have remained thetop installer in the New York City market-place. Our tradition is all about installationand installers.

Why did you decide to make that transition?We wanted to grow the business. My cousinand I were handed the reins of the business.My great grandfather and grandfather grewthe business to a certain point. My father andmy uncle then grew the business to a certainpoint. Back in 1994 we were doing only $10million to $12 million in labor. The only waywe were going to grow the business was tochange the way we did business.

What is the one thing to which you attribute Consolidated’s success?Installation. I always say when we market ourbusiness and we talk about the industry, theclient or end user does not derive any satisfac-tion from the product she has chosen if it isnot properly installed. When we went into thefull-service contractor market, we empha-sized that. We control the whole process fromspecification to installation. Our project man-agement services and installation servicesplace us a cut above the rest.

What makes the company a cut aboveother flooring contractors?Our competitors in labor are dealers that be-came workrooms. We were a workroom thatbecame a dealer. When you have the infra-structure and then get into the sales function,it’s much easier than going the other way,where a dealer may have a small footprint andthen have to invest in installation, which is ahuge capital investment.

Describe Consolidated’s industry engagement with INSTALL and Starnet.Consolidated has a long history of industry in-volvement dating back to the National Asso-ciation of Floor Covering Installers, anindustry organization that was a precursor toFCICA. We were involved with the initialfounding of FCICA, and Tor Meberg served asits first chairman.

We became involved with INSTALLthrough our engagement at FCICA. We aredeeply involved and supportive of INSTALL,and I serve as its management co-chair.

We joined Starnet in 2000 because wehad grown significantly as an independentdealer in the late ’90s and felt it was time toalign, in some fashion, and Starnet’s inde-pendent standing was most appealing to us.We slowly became more engaged in Starnetas time went by. I served on the Best Practicescommittee, chaired the Vendor Partnershipcommittee and now serve on the board.

How has being a supporter of both organizations helped Consolidatedachieve its business objectives?With INSTALL, our involvement allows us tobe on the front end of many installation-re-lated issues. As installation is such a key partof our business, being engaged in training cur-riculum, technical developments and war-ranty support are critical to how we present

ourselves in the market. INSTALL allows usto say to those interested, “We are leaders ininstallation services.”

With Starnet, we benefit primarily in twoareas: training and national accounts. On na-tional accounts, our partners in Starnet workwith us cohesively to assist in serving our cus-tomers nationwide. Our clients want to knowwe have the capabilities to service them na-tionally, and Starnet helps us do that.

Starnet offers comprehensive trainingprograms through webinars, seminars andStarnet University that were not available toour segment of the industry before. We bene-fit greatly from the training programs, espe-cially our young associates who are justbreaking into the business.

Consolidated redefines installation As president and CEO of Consolidated Carpet, one of the nation’s largest and most

recognized full-service flooring contractors, David Meberg can offer insight that noone else can. A leader not only at Consolidated but within the industry as a whole, he ispart of the third-generation of family members who own and operate the business, whichserves clients from planning and specification through installation and maintenance.

C O N S O L I D A T E D F A S T F A C T SSustainability: •1 million pounds of post-consumer carpet

are reclaimed and recycled each year.•16,000 square feet of solar panels are

installed on the roof of the New Jersey warehouse.•21% of the office supplies used are considered

eco-friendly by Staples. The average company uses only 8% eco-friendly supplies.

Offices:•There are only 8.89 miles between the

New Jersey warehouse & NewYork City showroom.•33% of associates have been with the company for

more than 10 years. Half of that number has workedfor Consolidated for over 20 years.

Projects:•International projects include ventures

in Bermuda and London.•The company founders and early team worked on

the 1939 and 1964 World Fairs, which took place inNew York.

•Consolidated has completed work in the four majorstadiums/arenas in NYC: Yankee Stadium, CitiField,Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center.

•Of the 25 top law firms in the New York metropolitan area, 21 have been worked on by Consolidated.

•Engineering News Record ranked ConsolidatedNo. 20 on its list of 2013’s 50 Top Specialty Contractors in the New York metropolitan area.

David Meberg

excellenceNovember 4/11, 2013 I 9

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing your business?The contract market is competitive and thecost of entry is low. It is not uncommon forflooring dealers entering the contract busi-ness to sacrifice profit margins so they canoffer low bids on various jobs. We’re compet-ing against companies that don’t have theoverhead and level of support services like acompany of our size to handle heavy volume.

A second major challenge is participatingin the highly competitive New York metropol-itan market. There’s a changing work environ-ment, with union vs. non-union labor, whichstands to impact the business.

How are you addressing these issues?We continue to provide services that customersexpect from us. It’s incumbent upon us to mar-ket what we do differently than our competi-tors. Price is still king, but we have the servicelevels and operations to remain competitive.

We negotiate with the labor unions everythree to four years. We have a new collectivebargaining agreement that runs through 2015.

What has been your personal most note-worthy project over the years?It’s actually a defunct investment bank. Thiswas a project that came our way in the mid’90s that we weren’t supposed to get. This800,000-square-foot project really helped usbridge that transition from workroom to full-service contractor. It was a big project in amarket that was on a downslide. It turned intoa nice account for us for years until they wentunder. It means a lot to me because it was sig-nificant in our transition. As for fun projects,I would say CitiField because I’ve always beena Mets fan, and Madison Square Garden, be-cause it’s an iconic property. And the UnitedNations for obvious reasons.

If you could turn back the clock and do onething over again, what would that be?I don’t know that there would be anything.I’ve certainly made some mistakes along theway, but I don’t know that there is anythingmajor I would reverse.

Give me one instance when a supplier wentabove and beyond for Consolidated.Our suppliers are always going above and be-yond for us. But back in 1978, two days before

Thanksgiving, we had two of our warehousesburn down in Long Island City. It was vandal-ism; they torched the place. We lost two out ofour three buildings. As the legend goes, thenext day, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving,Michael Halabian Sr. pulled up in his Cadillacand hands my dad a check for $10,000. He toldhim, “I know you are good for it. Pay me backwhen you can.” That’s just one of many exam-ples of what some of our suppliers do for us. Wehave other distributors in this market who docartwheels to service us. We have manufactur-ers who run us to the head of the line to makeus look good. We have great relationships.

Looking ahead, what are your primary goals and objectives?We have a strategic plan focused on increasingour business. We want to grow incrementally—slow, manageable and measured growth. Thisyear will be our best year to date.

We’re expanding our geographical foot-print. We’re growing by adding materials suchas self-leveling cements and taking on morehardwood business. But our first goal alwaysis to be the largest flooring installation housein New York City. We have never lost our tra-dition of being the top installer.

10 I November 4/11, 2013 competitive advantages

For designers and architects, specifyingflooring for a project is difficult on its

own. Tack on having to worry about the pa-rameters that go beyond picking a prettycolor—product detail, installation, repair,maintenance—and you will send most in the

A&D community into a tailspin. Enter Con-solidated Carpet, stage right.

“The flooring installation business is notan easy one,” said David Meberg, presidentand CEO of Consolidated Carpet. “No onewanted to get into the installation business;that’s all we did for the first 50 years of our ex-istence. Our customers definitely want towork with us because of who we are and ourexpertise.”

A third-generation, family-owned com-mercial flooring contractor, Consolidated pro-vides complete services from specificationthrough reclamation and everything in be-tween, including maintenance, repair, instal-lation, procurement and warehousing. Witha foundation resting on the tradition of hardwork established by the founders, their sonsand their associates, Consolidated claims ateam of professionals committed to deliveringexcellence on all projects.

What began 70 years ago as solely an in-stallation business located on New York City’s

18th Street has grown into a service-oriented,commercial floor covering dynamo. “We ini-tially began as second-tier subcontractors,”Meberg said. “Commercial dealers wouldspecify our product and procure our servicesto handle everything from project manage-ment, receiving, material handling to andfrom the jobsite, etc.” The company now toutssales and marketing offices in New York Citywith its warehouse, operations and financingdepartments located in Carlstadt, N.J.

While its core territory is metropolitanNew York and the tri-state area, Consolidatedalso conducts a significant amount of businessnationally, employing all of its own installers.“We typically do not use subcontractors; weonly specify them for specialty work,” Mebergcommented.

With INSTALL-certified employees, Con-solidated guarantees every installer has eithercompleted the INSTALL curriculum—a cer-tification program that is affiliated with theCarpenters Union—or has taken and passeda certification class. “This is not including allof the product certification that individualmanufacturers have,” Meberg explained. “Wemake sure our installers all have that training,as well. If there is a certification out there, wehave people who have it. We do our best toprovide more training than our competitors;we take advantage of training any time wehave an opportunity.”

According to Meberg, Consolidated’sbiggest advantage when it comes to installa-tion is the ability to complete jobs better andfaster than the competition. “Obviously, whenyou’re self-performing installation, there is alot more risk,” he stated. “We’ve been doinginstallations longer than anyone else.”

Size and scaleConsolidated has grown significantly over theyears, which has allowed the opportunity tograb market share. This enables the companyto buy materials at extremely competitiveprices. “We feel that we can buy materials bet-ter than our competition, and manufacturerswant to work with us because of our size andfinancial strength,” Meberg noted.

Furthering his point, Meberg explainedthe company has a very strong balance sheetand is well-financed. “Being a 70-year-oldbusiness, we are well established and have un-limited credit lines with virtually every man-ufacturer in the industry. Manufacturers want

By Melissa McGuire

This Bronx Library installation illustrates Consolidated Carpet’sability to handle many different flooring products, including

broadloom, carpet tile, VCT and rubber.

Continued on page 34

“Part of the reason I’ve stayed atConsolidated for so long is becausethe company has been very accommodating in maintaining work/lifebalance. I attribute this to the factthat it’s a familyowned company.”

–Melissa Oropesaproject coordinator since 2002

Consolidated Carpet leadsby striving to be the bestLeaps and bounds above its competition

12 I November 4/11, 2013 projects

Harper Collins Publishers New York

Barclays Center Brooklyn, N.Y.

November 4/11, 2013 I 13

1943 – 1953Barclay HotelBerkshire HotelBiltmore HotelCarlton HouseCocaColaGertz JamaicaGrand Concourse

HotelGreenbrier Hotel –

West Virginia Hotel CommodoreKirry Kelly ShoesLerner Stores

(Entire East Coast)Macy’s

JamaicaFlatbushWhite Plains

New Yorker HotelPark CentralOlcott HotelPark Lane

4849 StreetPicadilly HotelSheraton EastWestbury Hotel

1953 – 1963Lexington HotelLoews Hotels

SummitHoward

JohnsonAmericanaCity SquireRegency

OhrbachsPeck & PeckRamada InnSheraton

PhiladelphiaDallasBinghamtonPark SheratonMcAlpinRuseellEast

Sky ChefSocony MobilTaft HotelToule AFB Greenland

AstorUniversity of

Indiana

1963 – 1973BurlingtonCastle Harbour

HotelBermuda

Columbia University Drake HotelFordham UniversityHilton Hotel

EthiopiaHotel PierreJ.P. StevensMayflower HotelMerrill LynchNew York UniversityPark Lane Central

Park SouthPeter Cooper HotelPrincess Hotel

BermudaSaks Fifth AvenueSt. RegisWarwick HotelWindsor HotelWorld’s FairWyndham Hotel

1973 – 1983AT&TBank of New YorkChemical BankConde Nast Continental

InsuranceEABErnst & Whinny

(Ernst&Young)First BostonGeneral ElectricGeneral FoodsGoldman SachsIrving Trust McGraw HillMet OperaNew York Statler

HotelPalace Hotel Phillip MorrisPlaza Hotel

Swiss ReinsuranceUN HotelWorld Trade Center

1983 – 1993American Express

HeadquartersChase MetrotechDavis Polk &

WardwellSimpson Thacher &

BartlettRockefeller Family &

FinancialMilbank Tweed

Headley & McCloy

1993 – 2003Bear Sterns – 383

Madison Avenue

Donaldson, Lufkin &Jenrette

Harper CollinsH.I.P.PfizerWeil Gotshal &

MangesWillkie Farr &

Gallagher

2003 – 2013Bank of America

TowerBarclays Center

ArenaCitiFieldEmpire State

BuildingGibson Dunn

CrutcherGoogleIACNew York Times

HeadquartersMadison Square

GardenProskauer RoseSt. Mary’s HospitalUnited Nations

Capital MasterPlan

at a glance...

Gibson Dunn Crutcher New York

Empire State BuildingNew York

No jobsite challenge is too great14 I November 4/11, 2013

“I started my career here as an installer and advanced to project manager. Now I am an account executive.Because of the roles I have had overthe years, I am wellrounded and ableto handle all aspects of business.”

–Ed Hennessyaccount executive since 1986

Every installation seemingly encountersproblems of one kind or another; it’s the

same for every crew. But it’s the way the pro-fessionals handle issues and tasks at hand thatsets them apart from the rest.

For the experienced staff at ConsolidatedCarpet, solving problems and overcoming chal-lenges have become routine practice. Address-ing issues is another part of its mission toprovide clients with professional work, excel-lent service and the best commercial installa-tions in the business.

“The market that we work in is different,”noted Ed Hennessy, an account executive withConsolidated since 1986, “and often more dif-ficult to work in than others. I’ve found thatover the years, the only successful companiesleft are the ones that are family-owned andstarted from the bottom, like Consolidated.”

One problem Hennessy cited was unrealisticschedules for some projects. However, thanks toConsolidated’s well-trained and skilled staff, thecompany has the manpower and flexibility to suc-cessfully finish even the most challenging jobs.

Problem solvingWhen it comes to problems in the field, JimLockwood, a lead mechanic with Consolidatedsince 1986, has experienced his share, and re-cently told FCNews about his two biggest con-cerns. He commiserated with Hennessy aboutmeeting deadlines, but also noted pattern in-stallation—when the design is skewed, or notstraight— as a recurring issue.

“I finished a job at the United Nations Con-ference Center in April of this year,” Lockwoodrecalled. “It had many obstacles and challenges,including an aggressive schedule that had usworking many overtime days, as well as week-ends. When there was a need for more mechan-ics, I made the call to the dispatcher, and asmany men were sent as needed. I don’t think any

other shop can man ajob with mechanicslike Consolidated.”

Much of the work at the Conference Cen-ter was being done in the facility’s assembly au-ditoriums, where the team faced somechallenges in terms of pattern installation. “Wewere installing carpet on platforms and land-ings,” Lockwood said. “This was all upholsterywork and we were sewing in striped carpet atevery step. Having the right personnel on thejob made all the difference.” In the end, thanksto Consolidated, the project was completed ontime and without hiccups in the carpet’s design.

Another example of Consolidated’s supe-rior problem-solving skills and jobsite effi-ciency comes from Frank LaValle, an accountexecutive with Consolidated since 2005. InMay 2012, LaValle was contacted by a major fa-cilities management company about a floodthat had occurred at one of its Fortune 500client’s midtown Manhattan facility. He arrivedto find about 6,000 square feet of carpet in themiddle of a very high-end 20,000-square-footspace with existing patterned, double-gluedbroadloom affected by the flooding.

“There were several challenges for a flooringsupplier here,” he recalled. “The existing broad-loom carpet was a discontinued product. Theclient was looking to have these areas operationalby the end of the week. The new carpet wouldalso need to match the furniture and décor, andtie into the existing carpet at several locations.”

After assessing the damage and evaluatingthe situation at hand, LaValle presented com-pany executives with Milliken carpet tile sam-ples that coordinated well with the existingfurniture and previously installed carpet. WithMilliken’s product, the Consolidated work crewwas able to “lift the workstations instead of cut-ting around them or moving them completely.The standard Milliken cushioned backing alsoworked well at the transitions from the newlyplaced carpet tile to the existing broadloom thatwas installed over padding.”

LaValle worked with Consolidated’s Mil-liken rep and found a suitable product that themanufacturer had in stock. The client approvedthe carpet and Consolidated placed the order.“In the meantime, we took up the existing wetcarpet and padding so that the subfloor coulddry out for a few days and we then sent it to berecycled,” he explained. “We received the carpetvia dedicated truck by Wednesday. We began theinstallation that evening with our in-house laborteam and started furniture lift services. We were100% complete by the end of the week.”

Needless to say, Consolidated’s client wasextremely pleased with how quickly LaValleand crew were able get the job done. “Theywere very happy with the quality of the productwe were able to supply in just a few days,” heconcluded.

By Louis Iannaco

No job is too big for the Consolidated team. For this

project, installers worked onthe executive floors of a

major financial client.

At times, a job calls for more than just laying

down carpet. Here, Consolidated’s John Dragopours to self-level the floor

before the installation begins at NYU’s Tisch

Building, another high-profile job for the company.

16 I November 4/11, 2013 client feedback

Trust, satisfactionfrom the A&D community

Consolidated Carpet won a Starnet Designbronze award for its Gibson Dunn Crutcher

project. A law firm located in New York City, Gibson Dunn utilized Consolidated’s

expertise to seamlessly create a sleek andmodern, yet timeless, atmosphere.

In business for over 70 years, ConsolidatedCarpet has not only become one of the

biggest flooring contractors in North Amer-ica, it has built a solid reputation in the archi-tect and design community as one of the best,and it has done so by ensuring client successone project at time with product selection, in-stallation and everything in between.

“It’s not a complicated formula but it’s eas-ier said than done,” said Jim Phillips, founder

of New York’s largest interior architecturefirm, TPG Architects. Phillips has workedwith Consolidated for over 30 years, primarilyin the corporate sector. “They are our pre-ferred flooring subcontractor, and they haveearned that place over a long period of time.”

This year, Consolidated netted a handfulof Starnet Design Awards, taking the goldprize in the corporate category for its creativerenovation at Aegis Media. The design chal-lenge was to ensure a flexible and expandableworkspace, and Consolidated did that by usinga subfloor to organize the wires of computers,telephone lines, Internet cables and such inhighly trafficked spaces.

Consolidated also received a bronzeaward for its work at global law firm GibsonDunn Crutcher’s New York office, creating atimeless work environment to carry the or-ganization well into the future, while garner-ing the Starnet Silver Environmental ImpactAward for installation of a solar panel array atits warehouse.

Such careful attention to detail and qual-ity is what sets Consolidated apart, Phillips

noted. “You can find firms that will do workfor a lower cost, but what Consolidated offersin the end is really good quality at a fair price.”

Offering a full range of services to archi-tects and designers, Consolidated provides ac-curate project budgeting, careful productconsultation and detailed installation recom-mendations, said executive vice presidentDave White, who makes many site visits per-sonally in order to best understand prep re-quirements.

Those visits, White said, are one of thekeys to ensuring that projects meet or exceedexpectations within budget boundaries.

“They have been one of my most effectivepartners,” said Lisa Dye, a project manage-ment associate at architect and interior designfirm Vocon Inc. Dye has worked with Consol-idated on multiple projects across NorthAmerica for the last 10 years.

“Every project we do together is success-ful because of the way they choose to do busi-ness,” she said. “We achieve success togetherby working as a team and creating the bestspaces possible for our clients.”

By Liz Switzer

“I started my career at Consolidatedbecause of the solid reputation thatthe company has in the industry. Iknew that I was coming into a stable,great place to work.”

–Steve Neubaueraccount executive since 1977

November 4/11, 2013 I 17

Consistency of installation and productprocurement are probably the most valuableservices Consolidated provides, Dye added,and the company consistently meets installa-tion deadlines, which can often be a majorproblem.

As one of the biggest flooring contractorsin the country, Consolidated has the clout toobtain materials in a timely manner and canwarehouse those products sothey are available whenneeded. “That is a huge bene-fit to a major corporation,”Dye said. “They are highly ef-fective in what they do for usand for my client, and they areconsistent. They are a teammember you can rely on.”

Purchasing products in atimely manner, ordering cor-rectly, receiving, deliveringand installing all within thespecified time frame anddoing it all with the profes-sionalism that Consolidatedis known for greatly booststhe odds of repeat business.

“We respect the designand architect communitywhere very often in our busi-ness people use lack of clarityon floor plans or specifica-tions as an opportunity tochange orders, increaseprofit margins and things likethat,” White said. “We don’tdo that. We are not lookingfor opportunities to make thedesigner or architect looklike they did not know whatthey were doing or were notcomplete. We protect theirinterests in the field.”

When architects and de-signers successfully deliveron projects and are in goodstanding with their clients, it contributes inlarge part to the overall success of Consoli-dated. As leaders in commercial flooring con-tracting, the company is able to share valuablemarket information in addition to holding itsposition as a general flooring resource.

“And they are really nice people, too”Phillips added. “That’s important.”

Client satisfaction comes firstAs one of the nation’s most recognized full-ser-vice flooring contractors, third-generation, fam-ily owned and operated Consolidated Carpethas found success through accountability, its cus-tomers say, by always meeting clients’ needs.

Those clients include prestigious Fortune

500 corporations, professional service firms,luxury hotel properties, institutional proper-ties, real estate owners and general contractors.

“It’s more a relationship than business,”said Robert Vassallo, senior vice president atCommerzbank, a customer for over 30 years.“They are one phone call away from any situ-ation I have. They are always one step aheadof everybody else.”

At no additional cost, Consolidated keepsstock on hand for Commerzbank, which usesmostly carpet tile. As the need arises, all thecompany needs to do is make a phone call fortwo or three replacement boxes and it is de-livered and installed as required.

Consolidated also has a special installa-tion method it often utilizes at Com-merzbank. With this process, workstationscan be lifted for easy and convenient spot in-stallment, later simplifying the movingprocess, as entire carpets no longer need to bereplaced.

“I’m one for making a good investmentand taking care of it,” Vassallo said. “Later ondown the road it will be worth it instead of

changing out carpet all the time. [Consoli-dated] will also set us up with cleaning com-panies and actually tell us what is in the carpetso that we know how to take care of it prop-erly, and that’s important because we want itto last.”

Chris Mee, facilities manager at GibsonDunn Crutcher, has worked with Consoli-dated since 2000 on numerous projects in-

cluding the massiverenovation of the firm’smain office in the Met LifeBuilding at 200 Park Av-enue in New York. Thetwo-year, 235,000-square-foot remodeling project in-cluded the completedemolition and rebuild offour existing floors and theaddition of two new floorsas conference centers.

“[Consolidated] has al-ways met my requirements,not only from a core stand-point but more importantlyfrom a service aspect at thehighest level,” Mee said.“The sales reps are the bestI’ve ever worked with aswell as the internal cus-tomer service and the own-ership from top to bottom.It is every aspect of theirbusiness. They put clientsfirst and that is not alwaysthe case in this industry.”

One of Consolidated’srecently completed projectswas for global insurancebroker Willis Group, whichhas become the anchor ten-ant of Willis Tower, for-merly the Sears Tower, aChicago icon and the tallestbuilding in the WesternHemisphere. Consolidated

furnished and installed floor covering for morethan 140,000 square feet and worked on thefirm’s London headquarters last year.

Willis has been a Consolidated client forover 20 years, said Carmine Bilardello, formersenior vice president of real estate and con-struction for the company, which has around400 offices in 120 countries and approxi-mately 17,000 employees.

“It’s all about taking care of the client andcustomer service,” he said. “They take it per-sonally and it’s great when the owners of thecompany are paying that kind of attention toyou. Consolidated is a company I think theworld of and I have used them whenever andwherever I can.”

Working with major corporate clients forseveral decades, Consolidated Carpet has

earned a reputation as one of the best, if notthe No. 1, flooring contractor in the U.S.

18 I November 4/11, 2013

Consolidated sets a ‘can do’ attitudeSetting the standard for 70 years

Being in business for seven decades doesn’t just hap-pen; it takes hard work, perseverance and a drive

to be the best. When it comes to the world of commer-cial broadloom, no one has made installation a hall-mark of its success more than Consolidated Carpet.

“We have a motto at Consolidated,” said Ray Kap-pel, director of operations. “‘Productivity and quality—the Consolidated way.’ This belief that quality is part ofwho we are has propelled us to new heights for the past70 years. Quality is defined in many ways dependingon who you ask. The definition I like best is from JosephJuran, a highly respected management consultant, whosaid that quality is meeting or exceeding customer ex-pectations. This definition captures the Consolidatedspirit perfectly.”

There are several other reasons why Consolidatedis known throughout the Northeast for its installationexpertise. The firm has tremendous resources at its dis-posal, including a 70,000-square-foot warehouse anda fleet of five delivery trucks that allows it to provideservices no other flooring contractor in New York can. “This wouldmean nothing without the effort and dedication of our staff,” Kappelsaid. “Our sales team works with architects and end users alike to

specify and provide the rightproduct to meet the customer’s needs. And our project managementteam ensures the product is delivered so our installation crews, work-ing diligently, get everything installed on time, often under the most

difficult of field conditions. In turn, these people get support froma dedicated warehouse team that prepares the product for delivery.”

According to Paul Meberg, executive vice president, hearing ac-colades from clients never gets old. “It’s good to be able to walk intoa client or subcontractor meeting knowing that our customer is atease and confident that the flooring portion of the project will becompleted well and on time,” he explained. “Consolidated is wellknown for quality work. Our team of expert mechanics, withproven operation and sales support, get it done right, time and timeagain.”

Around 40 years ago, Consolidated described itself as “The CanDo Shop,” which served as its motto. While the company doesn’t usethe slogan anymore, the main idea still holds true. “The dedicationand sentiment are deeply ingrained in our work ethic and corporateconsciousness,” Meberg said.

Kappel agreed with Meberg, noting this “can do” attitude hasbeen passed down from the first generation of the Meberg family thatfounded the company back in 1943. “I’ve had the pleasure of workingunder two of the three generations of the Meberg family and can at-test to the fact that this attitude is still present.

“When I first joined the company in 1990,” he recalled, “ArneMeberg told me a story of how his father took him to help with a de-livery in his station wagon because a customer called with a problemat the end of the day and the trucks were already loaded. That stuckwith me. The idea is that you don’t tell the customer, ‘Sorry, it’s toolate in the day, we will get to you tomorrow.’ Instead, you deliver whatthe customer needs right away. That’s always been and will always be‘The Consolidated Way.’”

As Scott Donovan, labor manager at Consolidated since 1985,noted, the company has outclassed its competition due to the dedi-cation of both its employees and ownership. “From top to bottom,

By Louis IannacoLeft: Installer Anthony Milazzo of

Consolidated works with cove base at New York’s Millennium Hotel, whileJimmy Kickel, below, installs modular

carpet at Maybank in New York.


20 I November 4/11, 2013

Bob Baird’s dealings with ConsolidatedCarpet date back to the early 1980s, a

time when the organization was an installa-tion workroom providing services to the com-mercial flooring industry, includingmany of the largest dealers in the met-ropolitan New York area.

“I was a regional vice presidentworking in New York,” Baird said. “Inthose days, when we attempted to pro-mote one of our core flooring contrac-tors, a number of the most renowneddesigners in the country would say, ‘Wedo not need your flooring contractors, all weneed is your product and the ConsolidatedCarpet workroom.’ But they would alwaysshow up on every major project anyway.”

Baird, now the general manager of Mil-liken Commercial Carpet globally, said it is lit-tle wonder that Consolidated wouldeventually expand its business and becomeone of the largest commercial flooring con-tractors in the world.

“[Consolidated] is a world-class serviceprovider but more importantly it has embed-ded a service mentality within the organiza-tion that is unequaled,” he said.“[Consolidated] has coupled that experiencewith a very experienced carpet sales and con-

sulting team that has earned the same respectas its service heritage.”

Industry titanSeveral suppliers who have worked closelywith Consolidated over the years rate theflooring contractor as the best in the industry.Beth Shoshan, regional vice president at Bent-ley Mills, said there are myriad reasons be-hind Consolidated’s success—among them its

state-of-the-art warehouse, talented laborpool, knowledgeable sales force and the de-tailed project management support the com-pany provides to the marketplace. “Thecombination of these resources makes thema leader in the field,” Shoshan said. “We work

closely as a team, and Consolidated’sservice and attention to detail is impec-cable.”

Specifically, Shoshan recalls theteam effort on a project for Aegis Media.“The designers specified Bentley carpetfor a complicated installation that fea-tured a mosaic of triangular tiles and adeep charcoal to light gray gradient,” she

said. “It was a challenge to translate the con-cept for installation in the field, but MichaelConslato and Al Bellington from Consolidatedrose to the occasion. The finished installationwas flawless and the client was thrilled,thanks to Consolidated. We even won a Star-net Gold Design Award for the project.”

The Aegis project’s success, according toWendy Jorgensen, a Bentley Mills sales rep,

Suppliers sing Consolidated’s praisesBy Ken Ryan

‘[Consolidated] …has embedded aservice mentality that is unequaled.’

—Bob Baird, general manager, global commercial carpet, Milliken


22 I November 4/11, 2013 awards

Starnet Design Awards winner in the Corporate category for Aegis Media

Starnet Design Awards winner in the Large Corporatecategory for Coty Beauty Lancaster Group

Starnet Design Awards Grand Prize winner and Education category winner for the City Hall Academy at The tweed Courthouse

Starnet Design Awards winner in the Small Corporate category for HOK

2013Engineering News Record New York’s TopSpecialty Contractors List – Ranked #20overall; #1 in Interior Finishes categoryStarnet Design Awards: Bronze award inthe Corporate category for Gibson DunnCrutcherStarnet Environmental Stewardship Silver Award

2012Floor Focus magazine:No. 3 in Top 10 U.S. Contractors

2011Starnet Design Awards: Winner in theUnique Installation category for NYC Public Administrator’s officeCARE Recycling Award:Sustainable Practices

2010Centiva Challenge: First place winner forCelebrate Earth workshop

2009Starnet Design Awards: Winner in PublicSpaces category for Stuyvesant TownAmenity Spaces

New York Construction magazine’s BestProjects: Yankee Stadium, CitiField, NewYork Law School, The Mark Hotel and Skan-ska USA’s New York City headquarters

2008New York Construction magazine’s BestProjects: Reed Smith Conference Center,Jet Blue Terminal 5 at JFK Airport and Bankof America Tower

2007Greater New York Construction UserCouncil Annual Awards: Winner in the Office category for IAC/InterActiveCorp

headquartersGreater New York Construction UserCouncil Annual Awards: Winner in the Interiors category for Sea Level CaféGreater New York Construction UserCouncil Annual Awards: Winner in the Residential category for Urban Glass HouseGreater New York Construction UserCouncil Annual Awards: Winner in the Public category for Bronx Criminal Court-house

2006Pfizer Reclamation Award

Other awards

24 I November 4/11, 2013

Sustainability and Consolidated Carpethave been synonymous since the 1980s,

when the company declared a goal of di-verting material from landfills and sup-porting environmentally consciouspractices of reuse. Since that time, Consol-idated’s programs have become recognizedas some of the leading carpet reclamationinitiatives in the country, steering the in-dustry in sustainable efforts while main-taining its commitment to providinginnovative, environmentally consciousreclamation services for every project.

Consolidated’s Con-Serve ReclamationProgram has diverted over 1 millionpounds of carpet from landfills over eachof the past three years. “We continue ourcommitment to protect and preserve theenvironment with our expanding sustainablegoals,” explained David Meberg, president andCEO. “To help achieve this, we continue todevelop the best program in the industry bymonitoring our project practices and our daily

business operations. In addition, we have fur-thered our green energy practices through ourrecent installation of solar panels at our NewJersey warehouse.”

Additionally, Consolidated Carpet speci-fies sustainable materials whenever possibleand has the capability of providing a greenproject estimate upon the client’s requestalongside traditional estimates to help the ar-

chitect and designer’s decision making. “Webelieve there is almost always a greener op-tion that performs as well or better than con-ventional alternatives,” Meberg said. “This

year, we are committed to offering clientsinformation on environmental choices foreach unique project. We plan to do thisthrough our Green Engineering Serv-ices—a new offering which will helpclients identify quality, sustainable prod-ucts and installation practices appropriatefor their projects.”

To further the point, Meberg explainedthe company provides exact material esti-mates, which eliminates excess scrap wasteand transportation costs. If extra materialsare left, they are brought back to the ware-house—diverting the landfill. “We also uselow-VOC adhesives and self-leveling mate-rials whenever possible,” he noted. “Be-

cause our installers are trained in thesepractices, project teams pursuing LEED certi-fication can be confident we will abide byLEED VOC requirements and, thus, con-

Lean, green: Consolidated walks the walkBy Melissa McGuire

Consolidated’s Con-Serve Reclamation Program has diverted more than 1 million pounds of carpet from

landfills over each of the past three years.

environmental


Many organizations hone in on the holi-days when planning charitable efforts,

but Consolidated Carpet stays in the givingspirit throughout the year. The company’scauses include donating goods to foodpantries, hosting fundraising events and pro-viding assistance for local, N.Y.-based agen-cies.

Consolidated Carpet’s involvement withcharities stems from its four key values: tra-dition, quality, service and pride. Since theyears when the first and second generation ofMebergs ran the business, the company hasalways stayed committed to helping those inneed. “It’s been a traditional pursuit of thiscompany to give back to its community,” saidDavid Meberg, president and CEO. “We keepan eye on how we give back to the communi-ties that we earn our livings from. We arehappy to share our success with those lessfortunate. It ties into everything we do as acompany.”

One charity with which ConsolidatedCarpet is particularly close is Saint Do-minic’s Home of Blauvelt, N.Y. The nonprofitagency provides assistance to individualswho are “developmentally disabled, sociallydisadvantaged or vocationally challenged,”according to the organization. Saint Do-minic’s Home provides aid to thousands ofpeople, many of them children and theirfamilies, in the Bronx and Rockland and Or-ange counties.

“We’ve supported [Saint Dominic’sHome] for many years,” Meberg said. “We be-

rine Corps’ Toys for Tots program for the lastthree years. The company hosts donationdrop-off centers at its Manhattan and Carl-stadt, N.J., offices, and the toys are then pickedup by members of the U.S. Marine Corps and

distributed to local children throughout thetri-state area who are in need. “We always tryto do something special for the holidays, butToys for Tots has always been on the top of thelist,” Meberg said.

While Consolidated Carpet has a “tar-geted and focused method” for its participa-tion in charitable causes, the company isalways willing to become involved with non-profit organizations “that are providing valueto their constituents. We do a lot of researchon the charities we support to make sure thetime, money and services we donate get topeople in need,” he concluded.

came connectedwith them throughthe Carpenters’Union; they were abig supporter ofthe charity andasked for our sup-port as well. As weworked with SaintDominic’s and gotto learn moreabout the agency,we wanted to con-tinually show sup-port. I now sit onthe board of thecharity and ac-tively participate in a number of events andserve on the golf committee.”

Consolidated Carpet also actively partici-pates in benevolent efforts for St. FrancisFood Pantries and Shelters. The organizationsupports over 40 nonprofit foodpantries located throughout parts ofNew York and New Jersey. St. Francisprovides services that help feed,clothe and guide those in need.Through its efforts, St. Francis worksto develop programs that feed thehungry, provide social services andsupport victims of domestic violence.

As of today, Consolidated Carpethas worked with Saint Francis FoodPantries and Shelters for over 18months, approaching two years ofservice. “This is a charity that is fo-cused on feeding those less privileged

who struggle with gettingmeals every day,” Mebergexplained. “It’s a greatcause, with over 20 differ-ent food pantries in themetropolitan New York and tri-statearea. We became connected withSaint Francis through the construc-tion industry, which also supportsthe organization’s efforts. We sup-port Saint Francis with a number ofdifferent events, including a Broad-way fundraiser, golf outing, Womenof Valor Awards Tea and a doodlingcontest [Doodle for Hunger] ourkids participated in.”

A fundraising event for whichthey are known, Consolidated Car-pet has also participated in the Ma-

By Jenna Lippin

During the holiday season, toys are collected for the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program at Consolidated Carpet’s New York and New Jersey offices.

The toys are distributed locally to less fortunate children.

After working closely with the organization for many years, Consolidated Carpet’s president and CEO, David Meberg,

now sits on the board of Saint Dominic’s Home.

Giving backHow Consolidated Carpet ties charity

into its mission and values

Consolidated Carpet actively participates in events benefitting St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters,

including the charity’s annual golf outing.

26 I November 4/11, 2013 benevolence

Consolidated Carpet is committed to satisfying the varied and spe-cific needs of its clients. The company strives to provide its cus-

tomers with the tools necessary to stay informed about its businessand the industry. As a means to continuously achieve this goal, Con-solidated actively engages in social media.

Utilizing social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter,LinkedIn, Pinterest and the WordPress blogging platform, Consoli-dated has successfully established a community where it shares insightinto the floor covering, architecture, construction and design indus-tries. In addition, Consolidated aims to provide relevant and valuableupdates on business, networking and social media. As a company thatis committed to sustainable efforts, it intends to provide green tips andbest practices, as well as environmentally relevant news.

Many of Consoli-dated’s social media plat-forms have been in placefor over two years, andseeing the evolution ofthe industry’s participa-tion in digital network-ing has been importantto Consolidated’s ownweb presence. This de-velopment and increas-

ing awareness of the value that social platforms can have on businessand networking has allowed the company to remain in close contactwith manufacturers, clients and others all over the country.

As the community manager at Consolidated Carpet, KristineScotto said she is frequently asked where the value is in social media.“Creating profiles and pages on the varying platforms doesn’t neces-sarily equate to creating value. It’s the active sharing and interactionthat creates value for participants. Consolidated is able to share photos,stories and information about our projects and capabilities for our net-works to see.” According to Scotto, engaging with its social media au-dience can, and has in the past, lead to new business from people whohave seen what Consolidated offers. “Because so many companies havean online presence around the world, it bridges the gap in accessibilityin reaching people and organizations to which you may not otherwisehave access.”

Having a relevant presence also enhances Search Engine Opti-mization (SEO)—the chances your website will organically show upin search results on sites like Google and Bing. More website views canresult in more inquiries and business. Specific platforms, such as Pin-terest, have a direct affect on website traffic, and Scotto has foundwhen she pins photos of installations from Consolidated’s site, thereis an average increase of web traffic by over 42%.

Consolidated Carpet encourages its associates to engage and in-teract with the organization’s social media community. “There is greatvalue in understanding and learning about the latest industry trends

and innovations—which can be readily foundon our newsfeeds and profiles,” Scotto con-cluded. “By seeing manufacturers’ newestproducts in real time as they are debuted, oursales force can actively engage clients in prod-uct selection and be at the cutting edge of in-formative dialogue with industry influencers.”

Designing a web communityStrong social media presence creates enthusiasm among associates, consumers

Social media activity increasesConsolidated Carpet Average growth of Consolidated Carpet Average growth of percentage growth: benchmarked competitors: percentage growth: benchmarked competitors:

Sept. 2012– Sept. 2013 Sept. 2012 – Sept. 2013 Sept. 2011 – Sept. 2013 Sept. 2011 – Sept. 2013

Facebook 96% 24% 448% 103%Twitter 66% 15% 1673% 66%

28 I November 4/11, 2013 social media

Consolidated Carpet occupies two unmatched, state-of-the-art fa-cilities that allow the company to offer clients the most compre-

hensive service in the industry. The 100,000-square-foot warehouseand operations center is located in Carlstadt N.J., less than 10 milesfrom the heart of New York City. Not one traffic light separates thewarehouse from the mouth of the Lincoln Tunnel, allowing easy andquick access into and out of Manhattan at most times throughoutthe day.

In Carlstadt, Consolidated houses its operations department,where project managers, coordinators and dispatchers assure theprompt and efficient handling of all projects. Also at this location isthe finance department, overseeing all contracts, insurance require-ments, billing and collection matters. The climate-controlled ware-house, where Consolidated receives, manages and stores millionsof yards of both rolled and palletized goods annually, is trackedthrough a custom inventory program and is second to none in theindustry. Company personnel keep the facility meticulously clean,as flooring products are finished goods and should be handled and

stored as such.The warehouse includes a supply shop for

all sundries and adhesives utilized on projects,a full tool shop and a custom floor for the pre-

New York office and warehouse illustrate

“I started my career at Consolidated because of the solidreputation the company has in the industry. I knew I wascoming into a stable, great place to work.”


Meeting and collaboration areas providespace for Consolidated Carpet associates to

share ideas and regroup as a team.

30 I November 4/11, 2013 facilities

“What makes Consolidated special is the skills and resources their associates have to do any job at any time.We back up anything we do as a company in a market thatis different and more difficult than others.”

–Ed Hennessyaccount executive since 1986

“The five words I would use to describe Consolidated as acompany are dedicated, accountable, enduring, accommodating and evolving.”


New Jerseyteamwork

Located in its New York offices, Consolidated keeps a full product library that provides further information for architects, designers,

contractors and other professional clients.Continued on page 32

fabrication of custom rugs and compli-cated seaming layouts. Six loading baysaccommodate both inbound and out-bound shipments six days a week.

Consolidated’s sales and marketingdepartment, along with a full product li-brary, is located at 45 West 25th Street inNew York City. This office houses salesand account management staff, alongwith the estimating department. The10,000-square-foot, centrally located fa-cility allows Consolidated to efficientlyservice its client base of architects, gen-eral contractors, building owners andend users.

The welcoming layout of the salesand marketing space promotes team-work between associates, featuring bothpersonal workspaces and private collab-

November 4/11, 2013 I 31

ConsolidatedCarpet’s

warehouse,located in

Carlstadt, N.J., is a climate-controlled

facility thathouses millions

of yards of rolledand palletized

products.

32 I November 4/11, 2013

oration areas. The main area of the officehouses an extensive product library that isconstantly updated with manufacturers’ lat-est products. Any popular past materials arealso kept in the showroom to provide a vari-ety of options for product selection. Archi-tects, designers and manufacturers areencouraged to visit the showroom to browsethe product books, present to the Consoli-dated sales team and visit company associ-ates. “We’re proud that many vendors andclients feel comfortable to visit our staff andoffice—`often making the rounds on aweekly basis,” said Kristine Scotto, market-ing coordinator.

In keeping with corporate environmen-tal initiatives, both facilities are energy effi-cient and have been reviewed and scored byConsolidated’s environmental consultant. InDecember 2011, the Carlstadt facility be-came solar powered with the implementa-tion of solar panels on the warehouse roof.“Report cards are published annually for en-ergy consumption, water usage and waste re-duction efforts to assure we continue

reductions to lessen our environmental foot-print,” Scotto explained.

“We are extremely proud of both of thesefacilities and firmly believe that a client visit

to them will clearly illustrate what separatesConsolidated from our competition whenevaluating quality of service and efficiency,”she concluded.


Teamwork LSP salutesConsolidated

Carpeton their achievement of 70

successful years in business

34 I November 4/11, 2013

to sell to us and want to give us thebest prices because they knowthey’ll get paid in full and on time.Plus, they know their products willget installed properly.”

P.R.I.D.E.Having performed just about everymajor installation in the New York-metro marketplace in the last num-ber of years, Meberg had difficultydeciphering a single project thatstood out from the rest. “If there isa million-square-foot project in ourarea, we’ve most likely done it.Bank of America, Goldman Sachs,projects at the United Nations, newconstruction developments that re-quire seven-figure contracts. I can’tname just one. We’re proud ofeverything we do.”

There is an attitude that is per-vasive throughout the company that seems to trumpet the “can do”mindset. Going above and beyond with customers and colleagues hasbeen Consolidated’s motto generation after generation. It’s common

to hear phrases such as, “We never say no,” “It’s the Consolidated way,”“Yes we can,” and “We will do it.” Company executives reiterate theycould never be as successful as they are without the team that com-

prises the company on every level.“We ask all of our associates to have pride in their work,” Meberg

said, explaining the company’s P.R.I.D.E. acronym stands for “Per-sonal Responsibility In Delivering Excellence.”

“You will see pride at work whenever you see Consolidated Car-pet. That is our promise to our clients, and we deliver.”

Meberg summed up the company’s philosophy by saying, “Weare hands-on, accountable and driven to satisfy our client’s needs.”


The best According to president and CEO David Meberg, Consolidated Carpet has probably installed just about

every million-square-foot project in the New York metropolitan area.

Consolidated has been blessed with hardworking men and womencommitted to bringing this organization to the top of the flooringindustry.”

The phrase “We can’t do that” is never uttered in the offices ofConsolidated. “When a customer calls with a request, be it simpleor difficult, we get it done,” Kappel concluded. “Any one associatewill tell you, ‘Because we’re Consolidated, and that’s what we do.’”


Attitude

“I believe my 37 years at Consolidated Carpet have given methe skills of knowing what it takes to get a job done fromstart to finish, the Consolidated way. I’m comfortable managing both ends of the spectrum.”

–Steve Neubaueraccount executive since 1977

Congratulations to

Consolidated Carpeton 70 years of flooring success!

Good luck in the next 70 years—from one 3rd generation

family-owned business to another!

Your friends atApollo Distributing Company

128 Passaic Ave.Fairfield, NJ 07004

36 I November 4/11, 2013

“My favorite memories are when the associates get together and celebrate theholidays and other festivities. It’s a reminder that no matter what happens,there is always somebody here to helpyou. There is a great sense of teamwork.”


was due in part to Conslato and Bellingtonmeeting with designer Erika Reuter on severaloccasions and fine-tuning the plan. “Theygridded out the entire space as it entailed fur-niture layout and a ratio of light to dark tiles,”she explained. “They then took the grid andtranslated it to their internal software. As a re-sult, they had a tile-by-tile ‘roadmap’ of where

every piece should go. It was an exceptionaleffort.”

Linda Richman, a sales rep for Interface,said working with Consolidated Carpet is “soseamless, so easy, I don’t have to worry. Whenthey handle something, I don’t have problems.”

Referring to Consolidated as “one of themost professional, seasoned dealers with ca-pabilities unlike any other,” Richman ranthrough a litany of attributes that distinguishthe company from others. “Consolidated hasthe top installers and facilities in our area. Themarket knowledge and client coverage fromthe representatives set them apart. They havethe complete service package from sales, esti-mating, project management, and administra-tion and financial strength. I am extremelycomfortable recommending them for projectsof all sizes and scope. Their ability to respondto tight time frames and schedules separatesthem from their competitors.”

70 years youngJohn Reilly, regional vice president, Interface,said when he thinks of Consolidated Carpet,he thinks not of a company celebrating 70years but of a progressive, upwardly mobile

company not afraid to test new approaches.“They recognize that there are different

people in the marketplace, different ways ofdoing business,” he said. “They use socialmedia for marketing campaigns, for example;they’re hiring young people who are bringingnew ideas to the market.”

Reilly cited marketing and public rela-tions coordinator Kristine Scotto as one of theyoung leaders who has helped put Consoli-dated “on the map.”

Scotto, who joined the company two-and-a-half years ago, describes herself as the “gate-keeper of the creative and fun parts of the busi-ness.” She runs the social media networks,creates all of the company’s digital and printmarketing, runs the website, coordinates publicrelations/communications and assists the salesteam with bids and business development.

She is one of many key Consolidated staffmembers who form one of the best flooringcontractors in the market. “They educate thedesign community through seminars,” Reillyconcluded. “They train their people on the lat-est technology. I think they are one of the bestflooring contractors out there, from the lead-ership on down.”


Suppliers

tribute to their certification goals.” This furtherillustrates the company’s commitment to pro-viding the most efficiently resourced installa-tion and reinforces its claim of utilizingenvironmentally sustainable measures.

Company practices, sustainable solutionsFor Consolidated, sustainability doesn’t stopat the jobsite. The company is proficient in as-sisting clients with the selection of eco-friendly product selection, responsiblydisposing of pre-flooring materials when ex-tracted. The organization has a strong internalgreen participation, as well.

“We have created a ‘green team’ to en-courage sustainable practices in-house,”Meberg said. “Additionally, we have set a goalto become a green facility by reducing wastein our offices and warehouses, minimizing en-ergy and and better managing our potablewater usage.”

Efforts of becoming a green operation in-clude the use of solar panels. Installed in late

2011, Consolidated knew the use of solar en-ergy would be a win-win for everyone. “TheSolar Photovoltaic System we have in ourNew Jersey warehouse is affixed to our newroof and is estimated to provide over 90% ofthe energy used in the facility,” Meberg ex-plained. “In the first year alone, emissions re-ductions amounted to 317,930 kWh—equivalent to 466 barrels of oil or the amountsaved by keeping 44 cars off of the road for theyear. We actually sell energy to the power

company to be placed back into the grid.” To maintain its commitment to become a

greener facility, the company is in the processof developing metrics to track and measureprogress toward sustainability goals as newinitiatives are implemented.

Furthermore, Consolidated is actively in-volved in numerous green organizations, in-cluding the U.S. Green Buildings Council(USGBC) and its New York affiliate, the CarpetAmerica Recovery Effort (CARE) and Starnet.

congratulates

on 70 years of setting the standardfor installation excellence


Lean, greenIn December 2011,

Consolidated Carpet installed solar panels on the roof of its New

Jersey warehouse.Today, the panels

generate 90% of the facility’s energy usage,and it even sells some

energy to the power company to be placed

back into the grid.

38 I November 4/11, 2013

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