STC Floors (Formerly Swiff-Train Company)

In 1937, in Corpus Christi, Texas, a family business was born when Joseph Swiff and his son-in-law Herbert Train founded the Swiff-Train Company. Initially, the company didn't deal in floors but in reprocessing damaged cotton. A pivot after World War II saw the company expand into importing and exporting steel and agricultural products. It wasn't until 1959 that Swiff-Train entered the flooring industry, beginning its journey as a distributor of floor covering products in Central and South Texas. Over the decades, the family-run business thrived, eventually expanding into its fourth generation. The company evolved from a regional distributor to a global player, notably by creating and marketing its own brand of luxury vinyl tile, EarthWerks, which sold in over 35 countries. In 2014, the company underwent a recapitalization with Stonebridge Partners to facilitate growth and allow the third generation of the family to take a more significant ownership stake. A major turning point came in October 2022, when Belknap-Haines, one of the largest flooring distributors in the U.S., acquired the assets of STC Floors (the rebranded name of Swiff-Train). This acquisition marked a significant consolidation in the flooring industry, expanding Belknap-Haines' reach into Texas and the Gulf Coast. STC now operates as a separate division within the larger company, continuing its legacy under a new corporate umbrella.