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Chapter 22 



DESTINATION OF SHIPMENTS 



WEST NORTH 

 CENTRAL 2 1% 



Figure 22-10. — Producers, distributors, and destination of parquet flooring in 1969. See 

 figure 22-6 (bottom) for geographic divisions. (Drawing after Miller 1972.) 



Miller found that essentially all of the parquet flooring is produced in the 

 southern and Appalachian hardwood areas of the United States. The Middle 

 Atlantic, East North Central, and South Atlantic Regions were first, second, and 

 third, respectively, in total shipments; and the Mountain Region was last. 



The channels of distribution (fig. 22-10) are dominated by wholesalers and 

 flooring subcontractors; however, wholesalers are stronger in the New England, 

 East South Central, Mountain, and Pacific Regions; and wholesalers and floor- 

 ing subcontractors are about equal in the Middle Atlantic, East North Central, 

 and South Atlantic Regions. 



According to most parquet manufacturers, the geographic market area and 

 channels of distribution for parquet flooring have changed since 1960 and will 

 change even more. From 1960 to 1969, increases in shipments to regions east of 

 the Mississippi River and decreases in shipments to regions west of the Missis- 

 sippi River accounted for most of the geographic distribution changes. 



The economics of parquet flooring manufacture are examined in section 28- 

 15. 



Parquet manufacturers reported that from 1960 to 1969, distribution shifted 

 from retail lumber yards to flooring subcontractors because flooring subcontrac- 

 tors provide better consumer service. Manufacturers also reported more direct 

 sales to specialty flooring distributors, larger purchasers, mobile home manufac- 

 turers, and builders of modular or unitized units. Manufacturers expect to 



