A luxury building products manufacturer knows it’s made the grade when its products are mentioned in the same residential advertisement with Sub-Zero appliances.

That’s become the case for San Diego-based DuChâteau flooring and wallcovering products.

“Our wood floors are advertised as a selling point,” says Mitch Tagle, CEO at the 10-year-old firm “DuChâteau is being mentioned as a category.”

When he launched the firm a decade ago, it was comprised of Tagle, his partner, a sales rep and a jack-of-all-trades. Today, it employs 120 at a plant in San Diego and another 150 at a manufacturing facility in Tijuana.

And it’s a sophisticated operation, across the board. “Our partner who runs the manufacturing facility in Tijuana has an architectural background,” he says. “He went to architecture school in Mexico City.”

That’s because the company prides itself on introducing European-style floors – in a long-plank, oil-stained format – to the North American market. “It was a whole new industry,” he says. “We are innovators – people look to us for the newest and best trends.”

That means European white oak – still a hot category – and North American walnut, an up-and-comer. “We’re a lifestyle brand – our vision is to make the world beautiful,” he says. “We’re also entrepreneurial – nimble, fast to act and always on the lookout to bring the newest products to architects and clients.”

Sure, they may be priced 10 to 15 percent above the competition, but there’s good reason for that. “It’s all superbly milled and manufactured to fit like a glove – it’s seamless,” he says. “We offer design and innovation and a lifestyle approach.”

What that adds up to is flooring and wallcoverings that go beyond style – and into elegant solutions for residential or commercial design, whether for new projects or renovations.

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