I N T E R N A T I O N A L
MADE IN ITALY: between PAST and PRESENT with A VISION
SIMPLE AND PROFESSIONAL
www.floorewall.com is our footprint on the surface and coatings system
editorial
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special issue of the magazine Floor&Wall, showcasing some of the best Italian-made products with regards to flooring and wall coverings for interiors. In these pages you will find a selection of 10 of the most important companies on the Italian scene, companies which export all over the world thanks to their skills and their investments. They told us their history and their present, their best-selling products and how they see the development of the market in the coming years.
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the companies 6 ADESIV 12 CP PARQUET 16 IDEAL LEGNO 22 IMPERTEK 26 LA SAN MARCO
32 MAPEI 36 PROGRESS PROFILES 40 RAVAIOLI 44 UNIKO LEGNO 48 WOODCO
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ADESIV
WWW.ADESIV.IT
A global, forward looking vision
Floor&Wall International
yesterday S
ince 1971 Adesiv has been producing industrial adhesives for the construction, footwear and paper industries. The company has been making adhesives for 40 years, and the most exciting challenge is improving day after day. Its evolution and strategic choices have always been based on a very clear
mission and objectives: quality products, quality customer care and respect for the environment. From 1971 up to the present, thanks to the investments in the Research and Development and to the implementation of a technologically advanced system for the production of raw materials, Adesiv has never stopped growing.
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today Mario Ortensi, owner.
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hoosing Adesiv means choosing a company with a global, forward-looking vision, with a guarantee of consistent quality. The company has taken its brand name to 45 countries worldwide and has taken a leading position on the reference markets, above all for products for laying, finishing and maintaining wooden floors. Today Adesiv is able to offer a wide range of customised solutions, aware that wooden flooring is an investment designed to last a lifetime, and as such must be treated with the utmost care and respect.
... and tomorrow At an international level and for the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? In the industrial world, quality depends on research and innovation. At Adesiv we know this well since, over the past 50 years, we have continuously raised the bar when it comes to quality - something recognised by clients all over the world. The development of materials, therefore, is the result of market demands and at Adesiv we have always tried to give clients what they need; the latest trend is represented by silane technology, but tradition is also important to us, which is why a epoxy-polyurethane product range can still be found. What are the novelties that your company will be presenting, also on the international market? In the next few months we will complete our 3rd polymerisation reactor. Apart from being extremely proud of this, the new reactor will also give rise to the development of our business, even when markets are facing a difficult and uncertain time, such as the one we are living in now. Thanks to this system we will intensify the production of adhesives for wooden flooring. For some time now, the best known makers of parquet have come to us for their adhesives and we believe there is still a lot of space for market expansion, also at an international level.
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BEST SELLER
Ice Sport Fire, flame-retardant, anti-slip, water-based bicomponent varnish for wooden floors
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ireproof, water-based bicomponent transparent cycle for wood flooring. Easy to apply and with excellent abrasion resistance, hardness and chemical resistance. Suitable for areas such as gyms, theatres, showrooms, shopping malls, hotels, etc. ◗ Cycle certified in fire reaction class 1 in accordance with the Ministerial Decree 06/03/92 UNI 9796 (120 gr/m2 only) ◗ Bicomponent water-based polyurethane ◗ High coverage ◗ High hardness ◗ Extremely resistant to foot traffic ◗ Ideal for sports flooring ◗ Gloss: 15
MS Gold Flex, high-performance monocomponent ms adhesive
M AD-Tack Force, high-strenght adhesive with fibres
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queous dispersion fibre adhesive for bonding floors and coverings in homogeneous PVC, LVT wall-to-wall carpeting and needle-punched carpeting, floor coverings with latex foam underlay, jute and linoleum sheets. ◗ Helps to maintain the dimensional stability of LVT ◗ Odourless ◗ Solvent-free ◗ Monocomponent acrylic ◗ High adhesive strength ◗ Strong initial adhesion ◗ For indoor use only ◗ Suitable for absorbent flooring (e.g. concrete, self-levelling, etc.)
onocomponent silane adhesive, specifically for gluing all types of wood floor to concrete subfloors or non-absorbent flooring (marble tiles, Palladian flooring and wood surfaces). ◗ Monocomponent ◗ 100% MS Technology ◗ High yield ◗ High initial tack ◗ Suitable for gluing all kinds of wooden floors ◗ Free from isocyanate and amines ◗ Solvent-free ◗ Low VOC emissions
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CP PARQUET
WWW.CPPARQUET.IT
Love story for nature and quality
Antico Asolo Classico, three layers, Maxi Line: Larch, Austrian rustic brushed olied.
Floor&Wall International
C
yesterday
P Parquet is a love story for nature and quality that began over 35 years ago, at Pieve del Grappa (Treviso), thanks to the enterpreunership of Nino Gasperini and Angelo Tonella, creators of the former Crespano Parchetti. The first to understand the value that a wooden floor can bring to homes, they introduced a new technology and a type of wooden flooring then unknown in Italy: three-layer wooden flooring, and the Antico Asolo Collection. Thus began a great revolution, which would lead the company in a few years to become one of the most important in Italy
for the creation of outstanding pre-finished wooden floors. In 2008 Crespano Parchetti became CP Parquet: a new more dynamic modern name, symbol of a revolution. The path of innovation increasingly involved all areas, from production systems to strategies, through the adoption of a new brand. In the following decade CP Parquet became part of Best Up, the most important circuit for promoting sustainable living, and was awarded a wooden medal by Greenpeace, as the leading company in Italy for number of ecologically treated wood species.
Antico Asolo three layers, European Oak Rusticone brushed unfinished, ‘500 Line, for Iper Maestoso in Monza, Italy, project by archistar Michele De Lucchi and AMDL Circle Studio.
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today O
ur love for nature guides all our decisions still today: choosing CP Parquet means providing your project with top quality wooden flooring made with an attentive eye on environmental sustainability, human wellbeing and painstaking care for details. Distinguished Italian and international authorities ensure its value. CP Parquet invests continuously in raw materials selection, technological updating, and quality improvements to its products, production processes and environmental systems. Our wooden flooring is made entirely with renewable resources: wood species from farming forests or responsibly managed FSC and PEFC certified areas. Finishes comprise water-based varnishes and natural oils with low VOC emissions, as confirmed by ‘TÜV PROFiCERT-product Interior’ certification. Not only floors; a 5mm top layer of wood, the same as that used for our high quality wooden flooring, turns floor boards into an innovative material for exploring unusual design solutions with CP LAB DESIGN!
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Nicola Lazzaron, Export Manager.
... and tomorrow
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At an international level and for the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? Analyzing the current world situation due to the Covid pandemic, we have developped the thought that this particular condition has made alware that living spaces, in which we spend about 90% of our lives, remain of key importance for our existence. The awareness of an increasingly qualitative, ecological and eco-sustainable use of the products, that will make up the homes of the near future, is taking root in the world population. People aspire to live in a healthy and comfortable home, where they can live peacefully. Here the choice of a wooden floor that can satisfy all these needs becomes fundamental. On this front, CP Parquet, always very attentive to indoor healthiness, has already for many years embarked on a path with the aim of supplying products with even more attention to the respect of these values, starting from the structure of the wooden floors and above all in the high quality materials used for the surface finishes.
What are the novelties that your company will be presenting, also on the international market? The 2020 novelty of CP Parquet is a new and revolutionary sanitizing varnish, which adds to the wooden floors a formidable invisible barrier against the enemies of hygiene, such as germs and bacteria and thus ensuring a healthier and safer environment to protect the whole family. Other novelties at CP Parquet are the wooden floors with new color nuances and finishes with natural oil and varnish. The continuous desire for innovation has led us to develop new pattern floors that give life to further shapes and geometries once installed.
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BEST SELLER
Onda Collection, maxi dimensions N
ature is enhanced in the maxi formats of the Antico Asolo 3-layer Onda Collection: widths up to 500mm, in lengths that can go to 4000mm. This extraordinary flooring is sourced from the tallest trees in the forest and is modelled with a single cut to highlight the exceptional dimensions and magnificent grain along the entire length. The exclusive finish on Onda planks achieves perfection through details like the tiny ripples that form naturally around knots over the years. The effect is of an awesome vintage floor, good to look at and touch. Vast knowledge of the qualities of wood and the experience and skills of Italian master craftsmen who create the refined finishes, allow CP Parquet to produce these exceptionally large boards and ensure perfect stability: timeless beauty that never alters.
Forme Collection, beauty takes on new shapes N
ew decorative effects provide floors with fascinating geometrical patterns that are fantastically modern and dynamic. Textures are created by using wood elements in different colours and shapes, composed in evocative modular patterns. Innovation and tradition meet through these original ideas by CP Parquet due to exclusive, stunning design that expresses the very best in craftsmanship, as the compositions are created by hand during laying. Our new decorative flooring is the latest stage in the creative system developed by CP Parquet over the years with Mosaico 3D and Quadrotte. This research is distinguished by three valuable, distinct elements: design, the Made in Italy label and attention to detail with refined hand finishing. 15
IDEAL LEGNO
WWW.IDEAL-LEGNO.COM
Pattern Eiffel Miele.
I
yesterday
deal Legno has been producing parquet for two generations. Its skills have deep roots in the craftmanship art of wooden floors production. Its mission is to offer Made in Italy parquet, using the best raw materials, which can express in a unique way the style and atmosphere you are looking for your interior design project. The company was born in the first half of the 70s, under the expert guidance of the two Marigo brothers, and immediately 16
estabilished itself for the production of quality engineered wooden flooring. Today the family tradition continues through the sons who carry on with renewed passion the aim of creating beautiful parquets, accurates in every detail and always made in a traditional way. A journey that tends to enhance the quality and that has rewarded Ideal Legno, bringing its floors to be requested even beyond national borders, towards the most various foreign markets.
Floor&Wall International
Made in a traditional way
Spina 45 noce americano.
today T
erritory: Venice and wood have always had a strong connection. It is also thanks to the wise use of wood that the Venetians have been able to make in the construction and decorative field. From here originates the great tradition of wooden floors, so common in the Veneto region and that inspires Ideal Legno. Nature is our muse, our floors are an ode to its perfection and our production method respects the eco system and the raw material with which we work daily. Craftmaship and research: Raw materials are selected to optimally renspond to the processes and surface finishes. Natural wood features are enhanced by careful and innovative treatments and processes. Expert artisan’s hands follow every stage of the production process, true wood professionals who guarantee the quality of every detail. 100% Italian: the entire production chain of the Ideal Legno’s parquet takes place in our factory, we are true producers of wooden floors and we are proud to guarantee 100% made in Italy products. A value that can be seen from the first glance and that is recognized in every part of the world.
Massimo Marigo, Marketing Manager.
... and tomorrow At an international level and for the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? The innovation in materials in the flooring industry nowadays is key. Being manufacturers and promoters of the Italian values, we have to clearly explain why our offer is different from the other european and worldwide producers. Globally wooden floors will always benefit of their popularity because of their natural beauty, but in order to keep them always on the track we always work hard. For us this means working a lot on the aesthetic of course, such as new surfaces, new structures or new designs, but always taking care of the improvement of the health and safety performances in order to guarantee to our customers the best environmental quality, durability and sustainability. What are the novelties that your company will be presenting, also on the international market? We are working on several fronts: new sizes, textured materials, new geometric patterns. Everything is very much architects and designers oriented. Right now we can’t anticipate more… Stay tuned!
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BEST SELLER
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Briccole, from the Venice lagoon
orn from the reclamation of the huge wooden poles used in the Venice lagoon to delimit the navigable areas, the “Briccole”, undisputed leaders of the city of Venice, find new life inside the Ideal Legno Memory Collection. It is an oak wood that spends about ten years immersed in the lagoon sea bed where, tempered by saltiness and bad weather, acquires its typical appearance, rich in shades, veins and holes dug by marine fauna that naturally affects these elements. The “Briccole” find with us a skilfull reclamation, aimed at turning them into real design pieces. The material undergoes a slow and scrupulous process of cleaning and drying, before being worked, trying to preserve as much as possible the uniqueness of each piece.
Vecchie Travi, a wood which comes from old oak beams T
here are floors with a long memory and they tell it in the signs, in the color oxidized by the air, in the traces left by their past. They are the parquet created with the regenerated wood of the Memory collection, which we have simply called “Vecchie Travi”. A wood which comes from old oak beams, indeed, left to stand for a long time outdoors, where wind, sun, rain and snow have been able to leave their characteristic marks on the wood. After this long seasoning, the beams are subjected to a skilful craftsmanship that gives the parquet a lived and rustic character, as well as an intense, textured color. A long process to ensure that these planks can continue to narrate their story. 19
IMPERTEK
WWW.IMPERTEK.COM
Continuous improvement for waterproofing products A focus on winning solutions with the best raw materials.
Floor&Wall International
R&S and purchaising department.
yesterday
I
mpertek was founded in 1985 as a company specialized in waterproofing products. At first approaching the domestic market of civil and industrial roofs, it has transformed over time into a solid manufacturing company of waterproofing products, completely developed since the early stages within the company. The company’s constant focus has been the product, from the design to the selection of the best raw materials according to the products
performances, to the logistics needs with a special attention to the response time. Impertek constantly introduces innovative products on the market suitable to its constant evolution and guarantees a fast order processing in 24-48 hours for the 80% of products. Winning solutions both for the local scenery and the international one that has been developed by covering new markets from US to Australia, bringing the export to cover the 60% of turnover.
Logistic department.
Administration department.
Sales department.
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today I
mpertek staff is a big asset to the company: a team of over 30 people carefully selected and constantly trained to provide the best response to our customers. The use of new programs to design and develop products, the creation of BIM objects, the design software MegaPro to setting up the installation of the supports, the constant updating about the international trade regulations and quality standard ISO 9001 are just some of the topics our collaborators are trained in. An investment in research and training that praises a considerable number of hours and covers all company sectors: from technical department to research & development, from purchasing department to production, from sales department to administration. It’s for this reason that we are proud to introduce our team: technical department and R&D with Anna, Denis, Matteo and Silvia; purchasing and production department with Alessandra, Francesca, Giorgia, Silvia and Valentina; the sales department with Antonella, Barbara, Elena, Florencia, Giovanna, Katuscia and Veronica; logistics section with Abdel, Alessandro, Giacomo, Giulio, Igor, Mauro and Paolo; administration office with Alessandra, Cristina ed Erica; commercial and marketing coordination with Alberto, Federico and Marco. It’s thanks to our team that we can continue to offer a punctual service and a made in Italy quality which has always distinguished our country. 24
Roberto Giacomini.
... and tomorrow
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At an international level and for the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? The future will certainly hold some great surprises but we will challenge it with certainties: the innovation of the products and increasingly streamlined processes will be the responses to a constantly and rapidly evolving market. Large investments are currently underway in internal infrastructures, thanks to a new online management software able to improve all the internal processes and interfacing directly with our customers and our sales force, improving production and processing procedures as well as response times to the customers.
What are the novelties that your company will be presenting, also on the international market? A key role in our results is played in our lab, equipped to realize all the prototypes internally in order to develop new products, test them and improve each characteristic to increase quality and performances. It is thanks to our R&D department that today we are proud to present our new Balance Pro, a support for outdoor raised floors with an All in One system that offers in a single line all the main features of our range of supports. Let me spend a moment to give a preview about tomorrow: a new range of support completely made in steel in accordance with the strictest international regulations in the field of fire resistance. The future is today.
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BEST SELLER
Laying raised floors with innovation B
alance Pro allows you to cover heights from 25 to 1025 mm with a single range of products. With only 14 items, it is in fact possible to reach any desired height. You simply have to add an extension or adjust the screw. Balance Pro allows you to adjust the height from above with the new Top Key, also even after the tiles have been laid. But manual adjustment from the base is also possible when the pedestal is in the center of a large tile or in other special situations. The tilting head allows to correct up to a 5% of slope. The supports guarantee a load capacity up to 1.000 kg. The head can in any case be blocked thanks to the Fix Ring, improving the stability in perimetral areas or in presence of very small tiles. Balance Pro is the first support that allows you to install tiles of any size, marble, granite, decking and, with the Rail System, it is possible to lay composite floors, simply by replacing the head and integrating the aluminium joists. Antishock System, an interchangeable rubber shim positioned on the head, guarantees an excellent grip with the tiles. Speed of installation, safety, sturdiness and the possibility of configuring the support according to every need, make Balance Pro a truly revolutionary system for laying raised floors, designed to simplify the work, while guaranteeing an impeccable result. 25
LA SAN MARCO PROFILI
WWW.LASANMARCOPROFILI.COM
Skirting boards, true detail
Floor&Wall International
T
yesterday
he company built its identity around the passion of wood as a material for skirting boards. Although in the 80’s this material was considered poor for skirting boards, in comparison to marbles and VENEZIANI, it could provide the best in every style, in terms of shapes and colors. For the company, wood has always represented an aesthetic perfection,
because its defects become incredible architectural qualities. Indeed, wood has been more and more present in people’s houses and the company has aimed to offer products that could be used in any situation to conform to styles by offering details that could provide an extra touch. The company passed from a simple list to real catalogs that have led the skirting boards to be a detail that could make a difference in any context. Therefore La San Marco Profili constitutes the only possible choice to find safe answers to all its customers’ needs.
Products for different interior styles.
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today T
oday, in a market which is saturated and full of difficulties, the manufacturing companies should help and support retailers. For this reason, with a harmonious and continuous exchange between the experience of the past and the technological and commercial changes that are always in progress, the company firmly established itself on the market. This happened with the goodwill of those who wanted to respond to different style, price, and quality needs in contrast to the thousand possibilities given by online sales. La San Marco Profili tried to be more knowledgeable, faster, and often kinder ... and this paid off!
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Martina Antiga, Export Manager.
... and tomorrow
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At an international level and for the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? Technological growth is the basis for the growth of a company. In the last two years we have strengthened all production with investments in new machinery that allowed being faster and flexible in different productions. Sales are uncertain for everyone and making predictions on the leading items is no longer feasible. Warehouses can no longer afford to have everything ready at every moment: the strength of La San Marco Profili is to meet the new requirement of having typologies and quantities available for immediate deliveries. It is not to be forgotten that the company works with a natural, ecological and healthy material to be preserved to the best of existing possibilities! What are the novelties that your company will be presenting, also on the international market? The skirting board is a piece that plays with the rest of the forniture. La San Marco Profili loves design, the continuous research for new styles, new decor, but also the rediscovery of the taste for the old and the timeless rustic. The goal is to further expand the range of productions to be always in harmony with the entire design value chain. This brings to great ideas and willingness to make them real. In such a dynamism, the only constant is the will to bring more and more wood into people’s homes both inside and outside, in partnership with allies in the value chain. Given the current economic and social situation due to the pandemic, searching the contact with the nature and living in a healthy and harmonious contexts, make wood necessary and important. The mission is to get this message across to everyone. La San Marco Profili deeply believes in it.
BEST SELLER
A “retrò” walk T
he past is the basis for the future; this is the inspiration for Old Style Line: a series of skirting products featuring baroque styling and large size for a strong furnishing statement. A bold touch of elegance. Granducale is the best for rapresent this line, all the measure and all the materials are required for this profile. Try to do your favourite one, we could reproduce any wood in any colour for you!
Perfect choice
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ow don’t you speak about Teak Decking inside Floor&Wall magazine? The highest product of our big range is the article that better represent this contest. We could speak about your golden brown colour with greenish or black and grey veining, or more we could speak about its odour of old leather, but the best suggestion that we could do is to choose teak for your outdoor living for the Floor and for the Wall and we could promize that never you will think that it will be better to do another choice.
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MAPEI
WWW.MAPEI.IT
A big investment in research for proposing innovative solutions, always characterized by resilience, functionality, and durability.
Research and innovation for an international success
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Floor&Wall International The first employees of MAPEI.
yesterday M
apei (Auxiliary Materials For Building and Industry) was founded in 1937 by Rodolfo Squinzi as a Company manufacturing silicate paintings. From the very beginning of its business, Mapei has always led the way in the building sector thanks to a constant research work, which has always been part of the Company’s DNA. With the development of Adesilex, Mapei opened its commerce also to the production of adhesives for linoleum. But it is with the installation of tiles on pre-cast concrete panels that Mapei experienced an acceleration in the growth of its business. Giorgio Squinzi, graduate in Industrial Chemistry, joined the Company and contributed to its success by inventing a series of innovative products that became an international success. Adriana Spazzoli first began working on communication for Mapei in the 1980s to handle the company’s public and press relations. She then went on to set up the Mapei Marketing and Communication
Department in 1984, when she became the Mapei Group’s Director of Operational Marketing and Communication Department. In the 70’s Mapei underwent a period of worldwide expansion by setting up its first subsidiary in Canada, the Mapei Inc.. Marco and Veronica Squinzi, then joined the company in the latter half of the 1990s, marking an important new beginning in the company’s history as it increasingly focused on certain key sectors of the Group’s operations: research & development and internationalisation New subsidiaries and a two-figure increase in turnover year after year for Mapei. Mapei continued its growth and so did the number of its products lines: from 9 to 15 in 2008 alone. 2017 marked the 80th anniversary of Mapei, an important goal for the company guided by a clear corporate philosophy: Specialization, Internationalisation, Research & Development and Sustainability. 33
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apei is today one of the most important producers of adhesives and complementary products for laying all types of floor and wall and coating materials and is also specialised in other chemical products with a total of 20 products lines. Mapei now has 90 subsidiaries, including the parent company, in 57 countries and 83 production facilities in 36 countries spread across five continents, a consolidated turnover in 2019 of â‚Ź2.8 Billion and more than 10,500 employees around the world. Mapei has also developed a widespread technical-commercial network in all the most important countries in the world and its highly competent Technical Services Department is particularly appreciated by designers and professional floor installers.
today Paola Di Silvestro, Resilient Line Corporate Product Manager.
... and tomorrow
and measures the effect they have during their whole life cycle by applying LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) methodology. Results are then documented in the EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations). Thanks to this commitment, products manufactured by Mapei contribute to eco-sustainable projects to be developed in compliance with the most important and widely adopted green building ratings, such as LEED and BREEAM. Most of Mapei adhesives have very low emission of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and are certified by labels as EMICODE EC1PLUS (GEV), BLAUER ENGEL (the German Ecolabel), and M1 (a Finnish label, by Building Information Foundation RTS); all these adhesives are water-based, with a very low odour.
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At an international level and for the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? Resilient and textile flooring manufacturers have been introducing on the international market new and innovative types of products to the market for several years now, highlighting their aspects that contribute to a sense of wellbeing and promoting naturalness and sustainability. Mapei has always paid a lot of attention to the latest trends in construction materials and to all the requirements associated with these materials; in particular, has always taken interest in the environment and the wellbeing of those who use its products and adopts ethical practices to help promote product, process and social sustainability. It is worth remembering that Mapei develops products and solutions that have a low impact on the environment
What are the novelties that your company will be presenting, also on the international market? We will continue to propose specific lines of cuttingedge, reliable and professional products dedicated to the installation of new types of floor and wall coverings. Or R&D laboratory will develop new products as well as we will adapt some existing ones to suit the evolution of floor and wall covering, with particular focus on sustainability, performance properties, ease of installation and fast track solutions. In the case of renovation work, for instance, any solution that means you can eliminate having to remove old coverings and substrates, which means without creating dust, noise and material you then have to dispose of is a great help, for both designers and builders. With the innovative 4LVT system and the Decor line, refurbishing any surroundings has become that much easier and quicker. New solutions which are functional, durable and reliable while meeting design requirements will be developed and presented in the international market soon.
BEST SELLER
Solutions for absorbent and non-absorbent substrates
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or the wallpaper and decorative fiberglass sector, Mapei proposes various solutions for the latest trend of using decorative fiberglass and vinyl wallpaper, not only in dry surroundings, but also in damp surroundings and showers. To install these materials in dry surroundings Mapei proposes ULTRABOND ECO速 DECOR DRY, a ready-to-use adhesive with very low emission of VOC for bonding wallpaper and decorative fiberglass on absorbent substrates. And to install them in damp surroundings Mapei proposes ULTRABOND ECO速 DECOR WET, a one-component, silylated polymer-based adhesive for bonding decorative fiberglass and wallpaper, including on non-absorbent substrates. And lastly, MAPECOAT速 DECOR PROTECTION protective, aliphatic polyurethane finish in conjunction with ULTRABOND ECO速 DECOR WET provides a complete, safe system for installing decorative fiberglass and vinyl wallpaper with non woven fabric backing, even inside shower cabins. Particularly recommended also to make it easier to clean fiberglass wall coverings and printed wallpaper and to protect these types of wall covering from UV rays and help prevent them from fading.
Waterproofing products
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HOWER SYSTEM 4 LVT is a solution for waterproofing and installing LVT, SPC and rigid LVT in bathrooms and damp settings in general: there are three complete systems (SHOWER SYSTEM 4 LVT1, 2, 3) and include three different types of waterproofing product (sheets, liquid membranes and cementitious mortars), which are already part of the Mapei range, innovative ULTRABOND ECO MS 4 LVT WALL adhesive, KERAPOXY 4 LVT grout and MAPECOAT 4 LVT non-slip finish. 35
PROGRESS PROFILES
WWW.PROGRESSPROFILES.COM
Synonym of quality and reliability
Floor&Wall International
I
yesterday
talian production, innovation and foresight: these are the main ingredients that made Progress Profiles a world leader in technical and decorative profiles as well as fixing/ laying installation systems, and that led us to celebrate 35 successful years in business this year. Having gained an abundance
of experience in plastic extrusion and metalworking in Canada, in 1982 Lino Bordin decided to return to Italy and set down roots for his business in Asolo in the Veneto region in 1985. He founded Progress Plast, updating the company’s image and name to Progress Profiles in 2010.
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Dennis Bordin, CEO.
today T
he firm opened its new Asolo Headquarter in 2015 and now has two overseas subsidiaries, one in New Jersey, US and one in Dubai, UAE. In 2019 Group revenues grew by 12%, with the support of 180 employees and 200 associates in Italy and around the world. Every year, 30 million linear metres of profiles are produced at our Asolo plant and exported to over 80 countries: from Portugal to Russia, to Middle East and South East Asia, to South America and Canada, Progress Profiles is a synonym of quality, professionalism and reliability, thanks to the privileged relationship and partnership we build and strengthen every day with distributors, retailers, contractors, tilers architects and designers. Our overseas market accounts for an impressive 40% of total turnover. Progress Profiles continues to experiment and invest in Research & Development, designing pioneering technological solutions with innovative materials and laying emphasis on the environment. With more than 50 patents registered over the years, our company shows off great commitment and creativity, confirming itself as one of the Veneto’s most outstanding promoters of Italian excellence.
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... and tomorrow
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From an international point of view and looking to the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? Nowadays, foreign customers pay close attention to the high-quality materials. They rely on the refined aesthetic of our products and our 100% Made in Italy design. Innovation in materials is the starting point of the realization of a project. In line with the recent reward UNI EN ISO 9001:2015, our firm implements constant quality controls on finished products, using only top-quality materials and fully complying with the requirements of REACH and GREENTOP.
What are the novelties that your company will present to the Italian and the international market? We currently export to over 80 countries worldwide, thanks to the hard work of our headquarter and our two foreign subsidiaries, the nerve centres of our export. Regarding the products, we will focus on the new Prodeso® Drain Membrane, suitable for large-sized laying in all indoor and outdoor environments. We will also focus on one of our best-sellers, Prodeso® Heat Grip System: the revolutionary electrical floor heating system and coverings that provides warmth where desired in a few minutes; cost-effective, time and energy saver. Moreover, great attention will also be paid to the new adjustable supports system Prosupport Tube and Slim System, as well as Prorail System.
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BEST SELLER
P
rodeso® Membrane is an uncoupling and waterproofing membrane in polyethylene with drop-shaped cavities, suitable for any problematic supports, terraces and balconies. The decoupling, crack isolation membrane, which neutralizes vapor pressure, is provided on both sides with a nonwoven polypropylene thermowelded fabric, that guarantees its application even in case of old tiles and not perfectly cured screed. It guarantees the laying of any floor and the waterproofing of the substrate in case of overlapping.
Prodeso Membrane ®
Proleveling and Proleveling Wedges Systems
Prodeso Heat Grip System ®
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hey allow to keep under control the alignment of tiles, guaranteeing maximum accuracy and great results. Proleveling System is patented to get a quick and easy work thanks to the transparency and the punctures of the rotating pomel cap. The elements of the second system provide many advantages: the direct attachment of spacers onto the base, a greater adhesion surface between the adhesive and the tile, a specific color for each leveler – suitable to different grout lines and tile’s thickness.
rodeso® Heat Grip System is the electrical heating system for floors and coverings that provides warmth in few minutes; it’s a cost effective, time and energy saving solution. The uncoupling and waterproofing polypropylene membrane is designed with rounded square shaped reliefs that hold the Prodeso Heat Grip Cable. The heating cable is provided with many electrical resistors connected in parallel. In case of cable damage, only the involved resistor stops, not interrupting the heating transmission of the entire system. 39
RAVAIOLI LEGNAMI
R
WWW.RAVAIOLILEGNAMI.COM
yesterday
avaioli Legnami was founded in 1985 as carpentry of wooden profiles and skirting boards. It was a small crafts enterprise in the heart of Romagna, in Villanova di Bagnacavallo, but, thanks to the foresight of its president Elio Bagnari, it started to grow fast and to evolve becoming a company specialized in the production of a wide range of wooden profiles. This way, it established itself on the market becoming one of the most competitive Italian companies of Bagnari family at the lead of the company.
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its sector. A further quantum leap occurred in 2002, when it was chosen to diversify the production, focusing on decking. The company then started to import exotic woods directly from the places of origin and, for this purpose, used the same machinery used to process the wooden profiles. This intuition was proven a success, and thus the natural and durable, worldwide-known elegance of outdoor decking by Ravaioli Legnami was born.
Floor&Wall International
A story of ideas-driven growth and success
today Worldwide-known elegance of outdoor decking.
T
oday Ravaioli Legnami is a reference company in the national and international decking world. It offers a service of production, assistance and distribution of materials for outdoor wooden flooring and cladding, providing wide availability of products for decking and cladding in both wood and WPC. The products by Ravaioli Legnami, realized in compliance with current regulations, derive from a daily search for sustainability in the supplies and in the production processes, they are optimized and at low environmental impact. For the company it is fundamental to be able to satisfy its customers, to whom it offers customized solutions and services capable of meeting any need, by spreading a strong and structured product culture derived from the experience gained throughout the years, and from an innate predisposition to innovation and change.
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Angelo Bagnari.
... and tomorrow
?
At an international level and for the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? The future is in the present. We need to get used to seeing a continuous innovation in our daily life, that can improve our spaces with awareness. In 2020 the word “innovation” affects many aspects chained together. Actually, you need to be able to innovate preserving the entire supply chain, from the raw materials to the installation of the product. Today, I do not consider the product only, but also what puts in its influence in order to become one, and how this will improve our spaces.
What are the novelties that your company will be presenting, also on the international market? Speaking of innovation, this year Ravaioli has introduced a new technology through a laminated, 100% ecofriendly wood, with extraordinary aesthetics. The product I am talking about is Abodo, for which all our most prominent professionals are going head over heels. Abodo is a glued laminated wood originating from New Zealand and treated using the ‘Vulcan’ process. It comes with a 15-year warranty and is perfect for wall claddings, outdoor blinds and shading screens, attics and all kinds of decorative architectural profiles. The raw material used in its manufacture is Radiata Pine grown in New Zealand forests managed according to FSC® criteria. With Abodo, we shall make all the “forbidden dreams” of our architects come true, as they look for something impossible to become possible every day.
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BEST SELLER
From New Zealand
A
bodo is distributed in Europe by Ravaioli Legnami. It is a laminated wood originated from New Zealand, obtained from the processing of Radiata Pine cultivated is forests managed according to FSC® standards. Thanks to the advanced technologies it is subject to, it is a product of great quality, elegance and versatility. At first, the wooden boards undergo the “Vulcan” heat treatment at 230°C, which stabilizes them and enhances their performance, and they are subsequently glued in order to obtain a profile with neither flaming nor knots, and where the joints between joists are not visible. Because of this treatment, Abodo acquires greater dimensional stability and compactness.
Elegant and resistant
B
amboo Elegance is the ageless decking by Ravaioli Legnami. It is a product of exceptional hardness and dimensional stability, with a special finishing that confers it a naturally aged effect, protects it from stains and avoids the need for maintenance. Thanks to the high-density patented heat treatment Thermo-Density® which Bamboo Elegance is subject to, the outcome is a material that is not subject to torsional phenomena, highly resistant to atmospheric agents and fire (Bfl-S1).
Longer life cycle and cheap maintenance R
hinowoodTM is obtained from South African Radiata Pine, deriving from sustainable sources. It has exceptional hardness and dimensional stability thanks to a heat treatment followed by pressure impregnation in a mix of natural waxes that prevents humidity from penetrating, extends its life cycle and preserves it from attacks of insects. The result is a much more performing material compared to traditional pine yet preserving its beauty. It does not require further treatments throughout its whole life cycle and only needs a fast and cheap maintenance. 43
UNIKOLEGNO
Innovative interpretation of raw materials
WWW.UNIKOLEGNO.IT
Rovere Materico Genesis: an exclusive finish, fruit of Unikolegno research, preserves all the naturalness, authentic colours and characteristic feel of oak to give the impression of a raw wood floor.
Floor&Wall International Tris Collection, rustic thermo Oak hand planed, varnished.
yesterday C
reativity, production flexibility and customer service have always been the distinguishing features of Unikolegno. Since its foundation in 1995 the company has added value to Italian quality with its wood flooring production, woodworking skills and care for the environment and people’s wellbeing. The company has always felt the need for a return to a simple basic interpretation of raw materials, using innovative geometric patterns and laying methods that distinguish its new wood flooring collections. To ensure the high quality typical of products made in Italy, Unikolegno has always produced its wood flooring in its own facilities in the province of Treviso, taking advantage of the territory’s important manufacturing propensity, deeply rooted in the woodworking tradition of the Veneto region. Loft Collection, commercial thermo Oak, bleached hydra.
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today Gianni Dettori, Export Manager.
T
he desire to be a protagonist on the Italian design scene and to continue working in this country to efficiently produce the highest quality is the reason why Unikolegno has recently inaugurated a new production facility, able to accommodate all our production lines and increase production capacity: each stage of processing is under control, to guarantee top quality and careful attention to every detail. Our wood flooring has unique personality because it is made to measure. We provide a vast choice of combinations of shapes, wood species, finishes and colours. Our exceptionally versatile production capacity and craft skills take us far beyond others to create a fully customised floor, working with architects, interior designers and customers to develop exclusive solutions.
... and tomorrow
?
At an international level and for the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? Innovation of our products has always been, and still is, crucial for us, as an Italian company facing global competition with the weapons of creativity and a proactive mentality. This is what the market expects from us, always something new in design, aesthetics and technology. Of course, we must make a constant effort to innovate, we can never stand still, but must study continuously and do research into new products for the future. In this respect, our staff includes a skilled person who dedicates most of his time to this delicate task, supported by the entire sales team in seeking the best innovating ideas. What are the novelties that your company will be presenting, also on the international market? We have focused on really attractive new design surfaces, taking into account the need for technological innovation to keep the home healthy, without forgetting maximum resistance to wear. We have therefore studied a range of surfaces with an absolutely natural look like real wood, all deriving from water-based finishing products. Indeed the whole range of our products now has water-based finishes. In this way, we have kept the charming aura of the warm material used for our products, with the additional guarantee of stepping on an absolutely healthy, robust floor. A surface on which people can walk, dance, play, lie down and live. All it takes now is to wait a little, see and‌try!
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BEST SELLER
Rovere Materico Collection
? Rovere Materico Genesis.
A
ntique solid wood is pure emotion and is the main feature of this sensational new collection. Feel the texture of this hand-finished wood flooring. The tiny irregular grooves bring the fascination of antique, raw floorboards produced manually by master woodworkers. Delicate brushing brings out the beauty of oak in 3D, without spoiling the fibres. It highlights the splendid grain and flaming that characterise this most elegant wood species.
Rovere Materico Varnished.
The expert hands of our master woodworkers help to make every floorboard unique. Outstanding textured surfaces, small grooves and irregular finishes are deliberately made to look raw and natural to enhance this flooring. Contrasting putty applied to the cracks creates amazing texture. All processes are carried out in Unikolegno’s facilities in Italy to ensure top quality, customisation and attention to details.
Rovere Materico Waxed.
Rovere Materico White oiled.
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WOODCO
WWW.WOODCO.IT
High-quality craftsmanship Woodco offers customized solutions based on knowledge and craftmanship.
Floor&Wall International
yesterday S
ince 1983, Woodco likes to think that there is the right parquet floor for every design project and for every person. That is why the company places its knowledge and craftsmanship at the service of its customers, to create wooden floors of superb quality that are affordable and never the same. The extensive understanding of wood, workmanship and suppliers allow Woodco to add value throughout the whole production chain, offering firstclass quality to its customers so that everyone can enjoy living in the warm and pleasant
surroundings that wood is able to create. As a guarantee of the environmental responsibility, the company offers the market the peace of mind that comes from adopting PEFC™ and FSC® certifications. The new headquarter, opened in 2018 in Trento, is a boutique office which reflects the most expensive projects of company redevelopement: a stronger and more aware brand which aims to be a tool for clients and designers. Here there is the company’s logistic hub, where the distribution and the supplies for the contract division are managed. Environmental sustainability is a core value of Woodco.
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today T
he highly diversified offer and the great flexibility at the production level are Woodco’s greatest strengths. The company includes in its range twolayer and three-layer planks, herringbones of different lengths and widths, various geometries and multiple patterns able of giving shape to countless laying designs. The ability to customize colours, surfaces and finishes even for small quantities makes Woodco a reference partner for architects and interior designers, to whom a specific design assistance service is dedicated to give life to real tailoring solutions. The important logistics in terms of size and volumes allows the company to meet the most stringent requests and be an efficient support for the sales network, which is provided with 360° commercial and marketing assistance.
Gian Luca Vialardi, general manager.
... and tomorrow At an international level and for the future, what do you think is the importance of innovation in materials? Without innovation we die, this is true in every sector and therefore also in our market. In addition to the adoption of latest generation patents and production technologies, we pay constant attention to trends and changes in people’s lifestyles. This research leads us every year to present new proposals on the market, renewing the existing collections with more centred colours and finishes or even launching new formats that can restore parquet a central role in the interior design. What are the novelties that your company will be presenting, also on the international market? For 2021 we are launching a new format, Arrow, which comes as a tribute to simplicity and creativity. It is an element with small dimensions, 45 x 450 mm, but with great potential: the possibility of combining it in different modular combinations allows you to create various laying designs, including the Italian herringbone or more or less wide-ranging weaves. We have also renewed the Monolith collection, our industrial parquet, which will be presented with a new look, and Dream, our flagship collection, will also be refreshed with new colours.
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?
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BEST SELLER
Monolith, the reinterpretation of a classic M
onolith by Woodco is the pre-finished industrial parquet that overcomes the difficulties of laying of traditional industrial wood floors leaving intact the characteristic effect of colour fragmentation. Made in the 400/600 x 230 mm format, thanks to a 5 mm layer of noble wood and to a 10 mm birch plywood support Monolith is perfect not only in residential contexts but also in commercial spaces, where it can adapt and mix with different styles of furniture.
Arrow, the eclectic format for spectacular parquet floors A
rrow by Woodco is the new parquet format that allows you to free your imagination and give shape to infinite laying designs. Real tribute to simplicity and uniqueness, because no element is the same if not in size (45 x 450 x 14 mm), Arrow allows you to create combinations, weaves and customized modular patterns. Part of the Signature collection, dedicated to architects and interior design lovers, it is available in eight different colours, all made of fine brushed Slavonian Oak. 51
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
Professional and technical magazine of the surface and cladding system EDITOR IN CHIEF
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