Lancaster, Pa.—Armstrong Flooring (AFI) will now service the CCA dealer network through its distribution partners. The change was announced last week during the Flooring America/Flooring Canada and Carpet One Floor & Home conventions in Grapevine, Texas.

Charlie Dilks, chief product officer, CCA Global Partners, said during the Flooring America/Flooring Canada Building Buzz conference that the switch will take place Oct. 1, with Armstrong transitioning from a direct model to distribution. “It will allow us to focus on product initiatives with Armstrong which we haven’t been able to do in a while. Local service really matters and the distributors are stronger than ever.”

Since becoming a standalone company in April 2016, AFI has been focused on the independent retailer. The company has 24 distributors and more than 500 field representatives throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Armstrong is collaborating with CCA executives and its distributors on the transition plan to ensure agreement on pricing, credit, claims and other key elements.

In January 2010, CCA Global Partners and Armstrong jointly announced a relationship whereby the manufacturer would directly service CCA Global retailers, essentially bypassing traditional distribution. For CCA Global members, the agreement was expected to translate into better service on a local level. For Armstrong, it was intended to provide better communication and execution of programs and initiatives through the elimination of a layer in the distribution chain.