Flooring Aug-Sept 2013

august /september 2013

DESIGN IS A PROBLEM SOLVER carpet for education

Papamoa College, New Zealand

At Shaw Contract Group we create smart carpet for learning spaces designed to meet the unique demands of any education environment. Problem solved.

See page 7

BE PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE 134 members and growing

For a strictly confidential discussion about the future direction of your business, please contact: Andrew Lewis Chief Executive Officer Mobile: 0400 400 036 Email: alewis@choicesflooring.com.au

Tim Drew Group Manager - Retail Development Mobile: 0425 751 756 Email: tdrew@choicesflooring.com.au

choicesflooring.com.au

incorporating

FLOORS

august/september 2013 | vol 31 no 04 www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Industry News

Special features

Regular Reports

FrontCover

04 BASF launches Master Builders Solutions brand

20 Alternative floors

18 Airstep Retailer of the Month: Carpets Central, Ulverstone, Tasmania

01 Shaw Contract Group

06 Domotex Middle East receives major boost 08 Bigger and better for Classic NSW 10 AFS launches new website 12 Hiring for our future 13 Choices new member appointments

26 Resilient flooring 31 Carpet 36 Underlays 38 Software 42 Stone & ceramics 44 Moisture 46 Bamboo 51 Entrance

41 How to reach your business targets with KPIs 48 Surfaces Today 53 Classified Advertising 54 Exhibition Calendar Advertisers Index

14 Armstrong appointments 16 A new force in commercial sheet vinyl

Flooring Aug/Sept 2013 3

News BASF launches Master Builders Solutions brand As part of a phased global launch, BASF has introduced its new Master Builders Solutions brand in Australia.

The new brand represents a wide range of construction chemical solutions previously sold under a variety of specialty brands.

The portfolio of products and services marketed under the Master Builders Solutions brand embraces chemical solutions for new construction, maintenance, repair and renovation of buildings and infrastructure: concrete admixtures, cement additives, chemical solutions for mining and tunneling, waterproofing, concrete protection and repair

products, grouts and highperformance flooring products.

"Master Builders Solutions embodies our ability to collaborate across technologies and functions on a global scale.

That way we create solutions geared to meet the individual construction challenges of our customers," said Dr Tilman Krauch, President of BASF's Construction Chemicals division.

"This one global brand draws on a number of successful specialty brands such as Master Builders, Glenium and Ucrete, and is based on more than a century of innovations for the construction industry.”

ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD ABN: 27 006 876 419 PO BOX 800, Templestowe Victoria, Australia 3106 Ph: + 61 3 9890 0815 Fax: + 61 3 9890 0087 Email: info@elitepublishing.com.au Website: www.elitepublishing.com.au PUBLISHER Vicky Cammiade Email: vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Curtis Email: jennifer.curtis@elitepublishing.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Ashley Cooper Email: ashley.cooper@elitepublishing.com.au CIRCULATION MANAGER Georgia Gilmour Email: georgia.gilmour@elitepublishing.com.au PRODUCTION For artwork and production enquiries please email: production@elitepublishing.com.au PRE-PRESS Prominent Digital PRINTED BY Prominent Group Pty Ltd EXHIBITION ORGANISERS & PROMOTERS Elite Media & Marketing Pty Ltd P O BOX 800, Templestowe Victoria, Australia 3106 Ph: + 61 3 9890 0815 Fax: + 61 3 9890 0087 Email: info@elitepublishing.com.au Website: www.elitepublishing.com.au

4 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

J+J Flooring group names director of sales for Asia US based J+J Flooring Group has named Troy Hodges as Director of International Sales for Asia. Hodges will be focused on growing J+J Flooring Group’s presence in the Asian market, in addition to Australia and New Zealand.

He will be based in Manila.

A native of Chattanooga, TN, Hodges is a 23-year flooring industry veteran who has worked in sales management in Asia for the last 18 years including positions in Singapore, Hong Kong and Manila. His flooring industry experience includes positions with Shaw Industries, Lees Carpets and Beaulieu Commercial.

“Troy brings us both industry expertise as well as unique insight into the growing Asian market,” said Vice President of International Sales, Alan Margulius. “We look forward to building a strong position for our brands under his direction as we expand our presence globally.”

Established in 1957, J+J Flooring Group is a leading manufacturer of commercial specified flooring. With its two brands - Invision broadloom and modular carpet and Kinetex textile composite flooring - the company provides a range of product and service solutions for the corporate workplace, education, healthcare, retail and hospitality sectors.

ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD PUBLISHERS OF: Supplier Woodworking Magazine, Furniture & Bedding Magazine, Flooring Magazine Member of the International Woodworking and Furniture Supplier Magazine Associationt

ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD (established 1985) All rights reserved – No part of this publication maybe reproduced, transmitted or copied in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of Elite Publishing Co Pty Ltd. Viewpoints, opinions, claims, etc expressed in articles appearing in this publication are those of the authors. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the information supplied or for claims made by companies or their representatives regarding product performance, etc or for any errors, omissions, misplacement, alterations, or any subsequent changes, or for any consequences of reliance on this information or this publication.

Jennifer Curtis – Group Managing Editor

Ashley Cooper – National Sales Manager

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News DOMOTEX Middle East receives major boost Domotex Middle East doesn’t open its gates for another few months, but the fair’s organisers are already recording solid bookings for exhibition space from Turkish and international companies.

From 7 to 10 November 2013, Domotex Middle East will be showcasing a vast range of carpets and floorcoverings from around the world at the Istanbul Expo Centre. Turkey’s buoyant economy no doubt has a part to play in prompting registrations from key players in the global floorcoverings market.

“With a projected economic development of nearly 4% next year, Turkey remains on a growth course and reasserts its position as one of the world’s 20 most dynamic places to do business,” explained

Martin Folkerts, Director Global Fairs at Deutsche Messe in Hannover. “Istanbul is easy to reach for Turkish buyers as well as business people from the Middle East.”

The product portfolio on show at this year’s fair will reflect the sheer scale and specific needs of Turkey’s burgeoning construction sector.

It will comprise hand and machine-made carpets, hallway runners and mats, textile and resilient floorcoverings, laminates and timber and parquet flooring. It will also feature state-of-the art textile production machinery and materials, such as fibres and yarns; artificial grass and sports surfaces; laying, cleaning and application technologies; and natural stone, marble and ceramic tiles.

Carpet Court has windows covered In a bold break from the traditional floorcoverings the brand is famous for, Carpet Court is releasing a stylish range of custom and readymade Aria blinds.

The new Aria window coverings will be available as custom made blinds, readymade cut down or simple readymade blinds.

Selected Carpet Court stores will introduce classic window treatment staples including verticals, venetians, rollers and panel glides in a range of crisp and sophisticated designs.

Carpet Court's National Marketing Manager, Natasha Gallardo, said the ranges of blinds will help to grow Carpet Court’s product offering

making it a one-stop design and renovation hub.

“We are excited to be able to offer our customers the opportunity to mix and match their flooring and window coverings in one shop,” she said.

“We believe the custom made blinds will allow renovators and home owners to let their personal style shine through while the readymade blinds are great for rental properties as they are a quick and easy way to redecorate any room,” she explained.

The Carpet Court Blind Collections are available from selected Carpet Court stores nationwide or online at the Carpet Court website.

Flooring First promotion Flooring First recently ran an in house promotion in conjunction with Victoria Carpets in which Flooring First retailers had the chance to win a trip to Melbourne to visit the Victoria Carpets’ factory and attend a footy game.

The promotion ran from 29 April 2013 till 28 July 2013.

The two winning stores with the most sales of Stainmaster EverSoft SDN carpet were

6 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

Tauranga Flooring First and Flooring First Manukau while the two most improved stores by dollar turnover of Stainmaster EverSoft SDN carpet were Richmond Flooring First and Footes Carpet and Upholstery.

Victoria Carpets and Flooring First congratulates all four winners as well as the rest of the Flooring First retailers on making this promotion a success.

DESIGN IS A PROBLEM SOLVER carpet for education At Shaw Contract Group we create smart carpet for learning spaces designed to meet the unique demands of any education environment.

Problem solved.

Murrumba Downs Middle School

Our carpet solutions deliver thermal value, better acoustics and a reduction in leg fatigue while also being easy to clean and less expensive to maintain. Safer for people and the environment, our carpet improves indoor air quality, inhibits microorganism growth, reduces slips and falls and is PVC free, Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM and GECA certified.

To find out more: Scan the QR code to download the Design Is A Problem Solver brochure, contact your Shaw representative, call or visit us online.

Australia 1800 556 302 shawcontractgroup.com.au

New Zealand 09 574 0640 jacobsens.co.nz

速 Shaw Contract Group is a registered trademark of Shaw Industries, a Berkshire Hathaway company / 16431 August 2013. 速 Shaw Contract Group is a registered trademark of Shaw Industries, a Berkshire Hathaway company/7459 April 2013.

News Bigger and better for Classic NSW

Factory fire minor set back for Armstrong On Wednesday, 19 June, over 25 fire fighters and five engines attended a fire at the Braeside premises of Armstrong World Industries (Australia) Pty Ltd. The fire was contained within the duct work of one manufacturing line at the Mills Road factory, which produces vinyl flooring and walling products such as Accolade Plus, Accolade Safe, Infinity and Wallflex. It was brought under control within two hours.

Once the area had been declared safe, crews assessed the damage and formulated a plan to make repairs and return to normal production.

After much hard work by the

Armstrong maintenance team and contractors the line was up and running within seven days.

Ken Knight, General Manager Flooring Products Australia/New Zealand said: “I would like to recognise the prompt actions of Armstrong staff, Country Fire Authority and Metropolitan Fire Board members that most certainly prevented this fire spreading and possibly causing long term issues with our local manufacturing capabilities.

“Due to the quick action of staff and fire fighters and the dedication of our maintenance team and contractors, we were back on line with only three days lost production.”

Domotex Russia changes dates For 2014, Domotex Russia has been moved to a new time slot in the first half of the year.

The second season of Russia’s leading trade show for carpets and floorcoverings will therefore now be held from 1 to 3 April 2014 instead of 25 to 27 September 2013 as originally planned.

The venue has also changed, with the fair now at the ARTPLAY Design Centre in Moscow instead of Moscow’s Crocus Expo International Exhibition Centre.

“Many participating companies had requested that the fair be moved to the later slot to reflect Russia’s

8 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

unique market situation,” explained Andreas Gruchow, a member of Deutsche Messe’s Managing Board. “The Russian sales and order cycles and the country’s summertime building and construction season favour running the fair in spring.”

The new timing of Domotex Russia, a spin-off of the main Domotex fair in Germany, means that manufacturers of carpets and floorcoverings can now complement their showcase at the main event with a second presentation in April that is targeted specifically at buyers and trade visitors from Russia and its neighbouring states.

The Sydney branch of Classic Architectural Group is on the move. The company’s office and warehouse facility in Miranda has been replaced by a much larger, more modern facility situated in the industrial heart of Parramatta.

To service the increasing demand for Classic’s products and services, the need to secure a bigger office and warehouse became clear. The more substantial flagship site is situated at 13 Bourke Street in North Parramatta and, due to its central positioning, the new location will enable faster service and quicker deliveries to a wider area of customers.

“The Classic team will continue to provide what its clients expect as true to their values: integrity, responsibility, Classic’s entrance matting was the matting of choice for NAB’s new headquarters.

excellence, innovation and teamwork,” explained a spokesperson for the group.

“As most would’ve already noticed, Classic is also sporting a new look, and has a new, full product guide and a fully updated website. Combine these leaps forward with our enthusiastic and dedicated staff and you’ll see why we’ve been able to maintain our position as market leaders in our field of expertise.

“Flooring products from Classic Architectural Group includes our company’s renowned high quality range of architectural entrance matting, stair nosings, tactiles and other floor safety items. The quality product line-up caters for all buyers and installation is offered for all products.”

Another WeLCoMeD ADDition to the ChoiCes FLooring FAMiLy Choices Flooring are proud to welcome Darren Goss and Paul Priestley to the Choices Flooring family. Opened in Nunawading, Victoria in July, the store features new innovations in technology and display to enhance the customer experience.

Darren Goss

“I joined Choices Flooring because I believe they are the most customer focused group within the flooring industry. The product and marketing teams, support mechanisms and internal training programs offered to our sales staff, set a standard never before achieved in flooring.

We are proud to be part of the Choices Flooring family.”

Paul Priestley

For a strictly confidential discussion about the future direction of your business, please contact: Andrew Lewis Chief Executive Officer Mobile: 0400 400 036 Email: alewis@choicesflooring.com.au

Tim Drew Group Manager - Retail Development Mobile: 0425 751 756 Email: tdrew@choicesflooring.com.au

choicesflooring.com.au

“I have been in the flooring industry for over 20 years and was motivated by the new and exciting initiatives Choices Flooring are taking to be number one in the flooring industry.

I am now a proud owner of two Choices Flooring stores with Darren, and look forward to working with the Choices Flooring family to grow our business.”

News

New product range for Con-Treat AFS launches new website Australian Flooring Supplies (AFS) has been working hard over the past year to launch its new innovative website.

“AFS has been established for 39 years selling and distributing flooring products and accessories in Victoria, NSW and the ACT. Now our website takes flooring to the next level, allowing our customers to find exactly what they need, while being kept up-to-date on monthly deals and industry news,” said Marketing Co-ordinator, Jessie Youssef.

“Our new site is easy to navigate through, provides product information and data as well as images for your reference. It is your one-stop flooring website that not only offers downloadable content but recommends which products can be used for specific items on any given job,” explained Jessie Youssef.

“We knew it was vital to keep up with the market trends and create something that our customers would appreciate and utilise.”

AFS intends to expand its website over the next couple of years, making it more interactive for the user by providing personalised customer logins with relevant account information and an online shopping cart, giving every customer the ability to get their job done by the click of a button.

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Con-Treat has announced that it is now stocking the new DuraCore range of products.

“This exciting new range includes concrete sealers, concrete repair, moisture proofing and protection treatments, decorative coatings and diamond tools,” explained Con-Treat’s Managing Director, Andrew McLeay.

“The diamond tool range has proven to be a big hit in the industry, producing great results without a high price tag. The sealers and coatings have been receiving

very positive feedback from the end users and we feel we really have hit the mark with these great products.”

The latest addition to Con-Treat’s stock is the moisture barrier/waterproofing range.

“This is what we are most excited about,” said Andrew. “These products have been tried and tested for 35 years and to be able to say we have access to them at very competitive prices is fantastic.

“We are very happy to be sharing this with our customers.”

American Floorcovering Alliance’s 2013 FloorTek Expo The 2013 FloorTek Expo will be held from 10 to 12 September, 2013 at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Centre, in the ‘carpet capital of the world’, Dalton, Georgia. Exclusively for the flooring industry, FloorTek is the heart of innovation and technology showcasing machinery, equipment, suppliers and services.

The 2013 FloorTek Expo will be the only international flooring manufacturing trade show dedicated to the production and materials of the industry. It aims to keep industry professionals abreast of current trends and innovations in soft and hard surface floorcoverings manufacturing and technology.

“The trade show is very important and valuable to our members because it highlights best in practice tools and services of the flooring industry, new stateof-the-art developments, and innovative business growth strategies,” said Wanda Ellis, Executive Director of AFA. One of the nation’s most popular designers, Vern Yip, will be the featured speaker at the opening breakfast of FloorTek Expo on September 10. Yip has appeared in four seasons of the highly popular series Trading Spaces; as well as several TV series, such as Deserving Design with Vern Yip and is the current host of Bang for Your Buck. He is also an

award-winning designer, owner of Vern Yip Designs based in Atlanta, and is a US Ambassador for UNICEF. “We believe no one knows more about the importance of good design and the design trends of our culture than Vern Yip,” observed Wanda Ellis. “His insights will be of great interest not only to the product designers in attendance, but to the engineers and technology developers that produce the equipment that capitalize on those trends.”

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News The final puzzle piece for the Queensland commercial industry The Nolan Group has partnered with Autex Industries for over 30 years.

Autex Industries and Nolan.UDA are now pleased to announce a distribution change for Autex Carpets in Queensland. Nolan.UDA is now the exclusive Autex Carpet distributor and will handle all sales, marketing and stock distribution from its Yatala warehouse in Brisbane.

This recent appointment is the final piece in the puzzle and provides the platform to solidify the Autex Carpet program on a national basis through Nolan.UDA. Nolan.UDA is a diverse national supplier of commercial and industrial textiles. The Nolan.UDA commercial division offers a comprehensive

product range designed to work in synergy with each other, offering a full textile solution. The backbone of this product offering includes floorcoverings, acoustic finishes and commercial upholstery. All these products are supported with technical advice and a dedicated sales team.

A new Queensland team, dedicated to the Autex commercial range has now been established.

Kylie Sexton and Dave Edwards are the new commercial sales team for the Nolan.UDA Queensland branch.

Call today!

1800 422 992

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Hiring for our future Kennards is kicking off its annual charity initiative – Kennards For Kids – on 1 September, with the aim of making life a little easier for sick, injured or disadvantaged kids around Australia.

Throughout September and October, the nationwide Kennards For Kids initiative will raise money and awareness for carefully selected children’s charities.

As a family-owned business, Kennards is passionate about providing kids with the best start to life possible. It is this belief in the potential of our kids that led the company to donate over a quarter of a million dollars to various children’s charities and organisations in last year’s campaign alone.

For every hire made during September and October, Kennards will donate $2,

which will be distributed around the country to selected organisations to assist the kids who need it most.

Allen Besseling, CEO of Kennards Hire, thinks that it is vital that kids are given every chance at success in life. “We believe that it’s all about breaking negative cycles early on in a child’s life,” Besseling stated. “We started Kennards For Kids because it allows us to help the youth in our communities realise their potential. It really is the most rewarding part of what we do.”

This year, support is being extended to charities including Stepping Stone House, the Smith Family Scholarship program, Kids Xpress, Variety, the Children’s Charity, the Constable Care Foundation and the Children’s Health Foundation.

Flooring First holds conference in Australia

Specialist Supplier of Surface Preparation & Coating Application Equipment

12 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

In September, a group of New Zealand flooring retailers will be travelling to Australia for the annual Flooring First conference, to be held in Melbourne.

Flooring First is a group of 26 independent stores located strategically throughout New Zealand and, after a number of years hosting the conference domestically in New Zealand,

this is a great opportunity for members to gain an Australian perspective of the flooring industry.

The conference is to be held over three days and will include supplier presentations and promotional planning, with one day sponsored by Godfrey Hirst and a visit to the company’s manufacturing plants in Geelong, Victoria.

Choices new member appointments Choices Flooring Esperance David and Elisia Gairen opened their own Choices Flooring store in Esperance (WA) in April 2013.

David completed a mature aged apprenticeship with Choices Flooring and has been working as a qualified flooring installer for the past six and a half years. David & Elisia have been married for ten years and they have lived in Esperance for eleven years. They have three children, Fraser, Hudson and Lacey.

David said: “We are very excited about opening a new Choices Flooring store in Esperance as well as being impressed by the support and professionalism of the team.

We believe that the help and support offered by Choices Flooring is going to be an invaluable tool to ensure that our business is a success.”

Elisia and David Gairen, Esperance, WA.

Choices Flooring Rockingham Bevan and Veronica Surtees are just as excited about the opening of their store in Rockingham, WA. Bevan has been in the mining supply business for the last 15 years, but also has a strong background in industrial flooring and epoxies. He got word of a WA Choices Flooring store becoming available and decided to make contact with previous owners John and Marion Burt.

Bevan said: “John and Marion have run a very successful business over the last 11 years that has both a commercial and retail client base. They gave a full run down on their business, its

success and the positives they saw of new blood coming into the business.

“Fortunately, a regional meeting was planned shortly after and we got to meet Andrew Lewis, Tim Drew and the management team. This provided us with a great insight into the Choices Flooring Group and the opportunity available for us.

“We were impressed with the direction, innovation and support that they provide to their members through their buying, marketing and diversity of flooring products.

We were also pleased to see the commitment from the management team in making the Choices Flooring stores a success for both the owners and the group.

“We look forward to the challenge ahead and are confident that the decision we have made today will benefit us greatly in the future.”

Choices Flooring Bundall Scott Watson is now a proud owner of three Choices Flooring stores in Queensland; Choices Flooring Helensvale, Choices Flooring by Pauls and the recently acquired Choices Flooring Bundall.

Scott has been in the flooring industry for 26 years, the past nine of those with the Choices Flooring Group.

Scott is not one to shy away from a challenge and, when the opportunity came to purchase a third store, with some thought and planning he is confident that it was the right decision.

Scott Watson.

“I have found Choices Flooring to be a very professional, innovative and energetic organisation with a central office that provides invaluable support on every level. I believe the board of directors, past and present, continue to strive to keep Choices Flooring one step ahead of the opposition and are not afraid to make changes when required to keep up with the trends,” said Scott.

“Having experienced the challenge of several of these changes, my opinion of the group puts Choices Flooring head and shoulders above any other flooring group I have been associated with.”

Choices Flooring Geraldton

The Geraldton store.

On 1 July, Choices Flooring welcomed Mitch and Kristi March, the new owners of Choices Flooring in Geraldton (WA), to the group. Mitch and Kristi purchased the business from long-time members Rob and Jan Young.

Mitch has been working for Rob and Jan for over 15 years, starting out as an apprentice at 15 years of age.

Mitch describes his plans for the future of the business as “steady as she goes”. Rob and Jan have built a very successful business and he wants to work with the great team to continue to grow the Choices Flooring business in Geraldton.

Choices Flooring would like to thank Rob and Jan for being loyal members of the Group for 14 years and wish them the best for their future.

Choices Flooring by Pughs

Choices Flooring by Pughs.

Irene ‘Rin’ Evans is just as excited about her new ownership of Choices Flooring

by Pugh’s in Ashburton, Victoria.

Rin has been in the industry since 2000, working with Newfurn at Bayside Carpet Choice in Mordialloc.

When the opportunity presented itself to own the Ashburton store, an established business that first opened in 1955 in the same location, Rin was excited to finally take full responsibility for the store she had rebuilt as Store Manager over the past seven years.

With exposure to the Choices Flooring Group as an attendee to countless national member events, Rin was comfortable with the support she would continue to receive from the group. Having been in retail businesses for over 30 years, the ownership of a well-supported store in the Choices Flooring Group was not at all daunting.

“My retail background, coupled with the best product, marketing, store initiatives and training and development programs in place at central office, make me very comfortable with the responsibilities of owning a flooring store,” she said.

Choices Flooring wishes David Pugh all the very best with his future endeavours as he continues to concentrate on his Carpet Logistics business, which provides services for various Victorian Choices Flooring stores.

Flooring Aug/Sept 2013 13

News

Choices Flooring Eco+ No Fuss $30k Giveaway Choices Flooring ran a lead-generation based campaign in conjunction with Godfrey Hirst Carpets from 10 June to 20 July 2013.

The campaign was built around Godfrey Hirst’s eco+ Soft to Touch carpet range and titled Eco+ No Fuss $30k Giveaway. The campaign proved to be a huge success, with sales skyrocketing year on year.

Some of the nationwide stats from the Eco+ No Fuss $30k Giveaway campaign include: • 211% increase in metres sold of Godfrey Hirst Eco+ Soft to Touch carpets; • 152% increase in sales of Godfrey Hirst Eco+ Soft to Touch carpets; • over 9,000 total promo entries (online and in-store);

• 53% increase in visitors to www. choicesflooring.com.au; • over 4,900 qualified leads; • 3,483 customer requests for the Eco+ Soft to Touch brochure.

Over the six week promotion period, Choices Flooring gave away five Dyson vacuum cleaners on top of the major prize of $30,000.

A lucky Canberran, Ann-Marie Catanzariti was the main prize winner, who purchased the product from the Choices Flooring Fyshwick store during the promotion.

Ann-Marie was very excited with her win and said: “My partner and I have just bought our first house, so will put the money towards making it into a home”.

New staff at Choices Flooring Choices Flooring central office has grown over the past few months, with three new managers on board; Julie McLellan, Product Manager – Tiles and Rugs, Allen Burton, Learning and Development Manager and Jeremy Naug, Business Development Manager (QLD/NSW).

With over 10 years of buying experience with

Allen Burton

14 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

national retailers, Julie is excited to work hand in hand with suppliers as well as Choices Flooring members, to ensure the product mix is on trend.

Allen is also excited to join the Choices Flooring team. Allen has a strong professional background in the area of workplace learning and education

Jeremy Naug

and holds a Masters of Education.

Jeremy will be based in Brisbane and has over 27 years’ experience in the building industry, 17 of which have been in the flooring sector. In his role as Business Development Manager (QLD/ NSW) Jeremy will support all of Choices Flooring’s members in these two states.

Julie McLellan

Armstrong appointments Armstrong welcomed two new employees, Mark Bugeja and Craig Kennedy to its family in July.

Mark Bugeja has been appointed as IT Manager Flooring and Ceilings while Craig Kennedy is the new Installation and Technical Services Manager for Flooring.

Craig Kennedy, Armstrong’s new Installation and Technical Services Manager.

News Kärcher Professional: the next step in innovation

A new force in commercial sheet vinyl QEP Australia has recently been appointed as a distributor for Responsive Industries in Australia.

Responsive Industries is a leading global manufacturer of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based products and has emerged as a frontrunner in vinyl flooring.

Responsive caters for multiple industries such as healthcare, hospitality, transportation, IT and telecom, retail, education, sports infrastructure and real estate.

QEP’s Managing Director Bruce Maclaren said: “We are proud of the significant

expansion of our Australian operations through this partnership with Responsive Industries”.

With Responsive’s global presence in 70 countries and with 300 distributors worldwide, QEP is confident that the new range will provide an unparalleled service to current and future customers.

Responsive is among the top three producers of vinyl flooring internationally and the largest Indian producer of PVC flooring, artificial leather cloth, rigid film and soft sheeting.

Its extensive range can be viewed on its website, along with relevant data and images that clearly illustrate the vinyl flooring. QEP also has folders, samples and catalogues available in the market place.

Floorsanding Supplies moves premises The Richmond, Victoria branch of Floorsanding Supplies (formerly Lethbridge and Wilson) has moved from its old Cremorne St location to a new, more convenient Richmond site at 152 Murphy St, Richmond.

The company will continue to supply the flooring industry with all its floorsanding and installation requirements from sandpaper, floor coatings, adhesives, to tools, machines and repairs.

16 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

Kärcher Professional has moved away from its trademark yellow branding to a new industrial grey (anthracite) for its range whilst further developing its offering to the industrial and agricultural markets.

With a history steeped in innovation and quality, Kärcher has been a leader in cleaning technology since 1950, when the company released its first hot-water pressure washer. Since then, the company has continued to build on its success with a strong focus on innovation and high performance products.

The Kärcher Professional range features a wide range of cleaning solutions including vehicle cleaning systems, drinking water treatment, scrubber driers, vacuum sweepers, industrial cleaning systems as well as Kärcher’s famous high pressure cleaners and vacuums.

To further develop the Professional brand and product offering in Australia, the range is being re-branded under a new prominent industrial grey (anthracite) to distinguish it from the consumer range.

The familiar Kärcher branding is synonymous with

the quality expected by some of Australia’s most equipment dependant operations in the commercial and industrial sectors.

With the branding change of Kärcher Professional, the company has made another step in the right direction by providing high quality cleaning solutions to the equipmentreliant industries across Australia.

Andrew Callinan, Professional Business Manager for Kärcher Australia, said that moving away from the iconic yellow represents much more than a simple stylistic change.

“Branding Professional in anthracite clearly separates it from the yellow of the home and garden products and communicates a strong sense of professionalism,” he stated.

“Kärcher Professional is a new look, with new products but the same Kärcher quality.

In addition to the newlook Professional range, the company is opening Kärcher centers in locations across the country to reinforce its customer-oriented approach.

“The Kärcher Centers will hold the entire product range whilst offering support for dealers, retailers and the end user,” Callinan concluded.

5 ter 9 3 as

3 ot Bl Sh

NATIONAL 3395 SHOT BLASTER Setting the new industry standard.

The National’s 3395 Shot Blaster out performs most current available models in its class by 30%.

It runs cleaner with its engineered inline step filtration system, extracting and separating more dust from the steel shot - extending the life of the wearable parts.

•

Application/Suggested Use: Light removal of Paints, Epoxies and most Brittle coatings.

•

Production capacity of up to 37 square meters per hour.

•

In-line separation system maximizes separation of abrasives (steel shot) and dust.

•

Compact design offers ideal mobility and versatility for small to mid-size applications.

•

Front swivel casters increase maneuverability and control for a more uniform and consistent profile.

•

Height adjustable handle and ergonomic placement of controls greatly reduces operator fatigue.

•

Operates virtually dust free when connected to the National 3474 HEPA dust collector.

1 year manufact urer’s warranty on parts and labor.

* Demo DVD/Video and full specifications available on request. Available through your local Intafloors distributor

AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTORS QLD

NSW

VIC

Brisbane: 07 3881 1777

Newcastle: 02 4951 1002

McDonalds Flooring Accessories

Intafloors Trade Depot

Gold Coast: 07 5564 9999

Sydney: 02 8678 5479

Knoxfield: 03 9764 2400 Dandenong: 03 9702 7822 Geelong: 03 5521 6670 Preston: 03 9416 7878

TAS

SA

Gibbon Group

Gibbon Group

Total Flooring North Hobart: 03 6234 9855

FIS Distributors

Seal and Sons Adelaide: 08 8346 9833

WA Kevmor Wholesale Trade Supplies Perth: 08 9277 7177

Retailer of the month

Award winning business Carpets Central, Ulverstone, Tasmania

C

arpets Central in Ulverstone, Tasmania was established in August 2004 by Peter and Dianne Kurrle, with the assistance of Terry Harding, who worked alongside them.

Peter had been a floorcoverings installer for 20 years and also had the business management experience needed while Terry had a wealth of experience and knowledge both as an installer and a sales consultant, after being in the industry for many years. Dianne, new to the industry, brought the required retail and office/ management skills to the mix.

Declan, Peter and Stewart Kurrle.

18 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

“Terry retired from the business three years ago but we all learnt a lot from him,” said Dianne.

Starting with a small shop front in the main street of Ulverstone with a separate warehouse, the business moved after only 12 months to a new position opposite a Mitre 10 store in a prime position in Ulverstone. These larger premises enabled Dianne and Terry to have a great showroom area, which provided them with space to display a huge range of quality product as well as provide the quality, old fashioned,

customer service they deemed necessary.

“We found our biggest challenge was employing quality installers,” said Dianne.

“We currently have four installers – Pete, Jason, who has 15 years experience and who is also a multi-skilled tradesman; Stewart our eldest son, who has just qualified; and Declan, our other son, who is in the second year of his apprenticeship.

“We are proud to say that Stewart won Apprentice of the Year two years running, which is a great reflection on the training he received,” Dianne added.

Dianne, Declan and Stewart Kurrle.

“Five years ago we took the big step and built our own warehouse incorporating both showroom and offices.

This move, even though it took us out of the central business district and into the industrial area, turned out to be one of the best decisions we have made.”

Carpets Central’s business covers the North West Coast of Tasmania, from Shearwater to Smithton, “and with trips to the Central Highlands when the fish are biting,” explained Dianne.

“We typically target the domestic market in our region, but with the close

relationships we have developed with many builders in our area we are starting to take on far more commercial projects than we did previously.

“Carpets Central is not just a carpet store any more. We supply and install carpets, vinyls, timber flooring, vinyl planks, indoor-outdoor carpet and we also do floor sanding and sealing as well as flood restoration.

“We also offer a large range of rugs of differing qualities along with carpet runners and indoor-outdoor matting. No job is too small.”

Dianne went on to explain that Carpets Central’s main focus has always been to provide quality customer service and expert installation as well as an enjoyable and stress free experience for its customers.

In 2011, the business won the Organisational Outstanding Customer Service Award in the Central Coast Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

The amount of repeat business and word of mouth recommendations is a reflection on the hard work Dianne, Peter and the team do and the customer satisfaction they achieve.

…AIRSTEP UNDERLAY …“THAT’S CONFIDENCE” www.airstep.com.au • Bonded Foam Underlays • High quality Natural Rubber Underlays • SBR Double Bond Commercial Underlays • Floating Floor Underlays • Recycled Textile Underlays THE COMPLETE UNDERLAY COMPANY Manufactured and distributed by AIRSTEP AUSTRALIA LTD, PO Box 166 Dandenong Sth Vic 3175 Ph: VIC/TAS 1800 803 545 NSW 1800 802 926 WA/SA/NT/QLD 1800 806 375 Fax all states (03) 9706 8553 In New Zealand distributed by

Jacobsen Creative Surfaces Auckland (09) 574 0640 Wellington (04) 4954 300 Christchurch (03) 3664 153

Alternative

Floors for food processing The benefits of polyurethane concrete in the food processing environment. By Sika Australia’s Anthony Lewis and David De Wit. For owners or controllers of food and beverage manufacturing facilities charged with finding a long term solution for their production floors, it can be a very daunting task to understand the difference between all of the systems on offer and their appropriate use.

A number of criteria need to be taken into consideration when selecting a food flooring system – impact, cycles of traffic, chemical exposure, resistance to thermal change, texture and cleanability are all factors that contribute to durability and the overall life of the floor.

Other important considerations influencing selection are life expectancy and installation time frame.

All of the above must be addressed in the process to arrive at the most suitable floor for a given facility.

Let us examine the properties of the types of floors on offer to the market.

Tiles

Tiles have been in use for decades in the food environment and, while industrial grade tiles themselves are quiet durable, there are two main issues with this system.

Firstly, the grout lines in tiles are the weakest part of the system and exposure to constant water and chemicals causes the grout to degrade and allow the ingress of moisture.

Secondly, the cement screed the tile sits on can be affected if the tile grout degrades and allows moisture in. It then finds its way to the screed, which in turn breaks down. The result is tiles debonding creating a non-hygienic environment, perfect for breeding bacteria.

The only choice to remedy this situation is to remove remaining tiles and grout, then replace with a new floor. This can be a very costly procedure and a time consuming one, resulting lost production time.

Vinyl

Vinyl has its place in many installations and, in the food industry, mostly it is used in commercial food premised such as retail bakeries. Whilst these operations are not as demanding on their floors, they do have isolated areas of heavy traffic from equipment such as dough mixers that result in the vinyl being breached.

The two main weaknesses with vinyl are the seams/welds and the adhesive which holds it down. In a similar way that tiles are broken down, it’s the joints that let it down in high traffic areas.

20 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

Welded joints and terminations break down through general wear and tear, allowing an ingress of moisture and foodstuffs. This, in turn, results in delamination of the vinyl, creating a non-hygienecompliant surface.

Vinyl can be patched, however, once the bond has been breached the floor will progressively delaminate and cause operating headaches for any small food retailer.

Epoxy resin based floors

Epoxy resin based floors fall into the category of “seamless” resin floors. This type of floor is a two or three part product mixed and applied on site and has been in wide use for food grade flooring for a many years. Its use is mainly in areas such as dry goods packaging, clean rooms and amenities, for which it is very well suited.

These floors are are best suited for dry area applications.

Wet area production and the demands of heavy processing or manufacturing take a toll on a resin in the medium to long term.

Epoxy flooring is also not well suited to projects where application time is tight and a short down time is critical.

Curing times are measured in days and exposure to water and chemicals early in the curing can result in whitening discolouration and possibly early chemical attack.

21

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Our equipment can be used for: • Timber Floor Removal • Carpet Removal • Tile Removal • Vinyl Removal • Paint Removal • Epoxy Removal • Surface Etching • Shotblasting • Anti-Slip Coating • Glue Removal • Membrane Removal

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MELBOURNE 2183 Princes Hwy, Clayton

PERTH 200 Campbell St, Belmont

02 9906 7188

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www.concretecare.com.au

*Kennards Concrete Care is a specialist business of Kennards Hire.

Alternative 21

Polyester and vinyl ester resin floors Both of these fall into the reactive resin category. This means a catalyst is added to the base resin to create heat and start the chemical reaction, making them fast to cure and ready for use.

Both have been used widely in the food flooring industry and can perform well. Vinyl ester in particular is suited to very high acid environments such a concentrated chemical storage areas.

While previously highly popular, the reasons they not preferred in food environments today is due to problems bonding to damp substrates but, most importantly, the issues surrounding their odour and toxicity.

Both resins cause issues with modern day OH&S requirements as well as their ability to taint foodstuffs when exposed.

Polyurethane concrete

Polyurethane concrete or polyurethane cement products, such as Sikafloor PurCem, is not a new technology and it has been available to the food flooring industry for some 25 years on the international market.

As the name suggests, this technology is a mix of water based polyurethane

and cement technologies, which brings together the benefits of both chemical reactions.

PU Concrete delivers properties very well suited to industrial food production.

The cement properties bring the properties of concrete such as durability, strength and low wear to the flooring system while the polyurethanes provide the resistance level of poly-resin, together

creating the perfect food-grade floor protection.

Impact resistance comes from its ductility, while thermal shock and high temperature range resistance (-20 +120) comes from the cement component.

These floors also also provide a high degree of chemical resistance to the normal range of food acids and cleaning chemicals used in Food Manufacturing..

Whilst not being as rapid to cure as reactive based resins, PU Concrete is faster than epoxy and can be accelerated to execute short down time applications such as smaller turn around projects as well as isolated infill and repairs PU concrete has had a proven history in Europe for 30 years, however, it was previously expensive to produce and costly to import to Australia Local production of the product from some manufacturers recently has brought the cost to install down to be very competitive with all other floor options.

This cost competitiveness, together with these performance features a very tough fast to install, long lasting floor systems.

There is now a wide spread adoption of this technology in all areas of the food industry, from national manufacturers, small producers and processors to restaurants and commercial food outlets.

Colour trends for Australian interiors PanDomo* by Ardex is a modern surfacing system that provides total architectural design freedom.

One of the world’s most innovative floor and wall finishing systems, PanDomo has announced its prediction of upcoming 2013/14 trends for the Australian interior space, namely internal residential and commercial walls and floors.

FreeFit

™

Clickless, Glueless LVT that works.

One TOwn One Dealer One Call Call David Coggins 0419 798 726

22 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

Internationally, PanDomo’s floor and wall finishing systems have provided home owners, interior designers and architects with a smooth, crack and impact resistant canvas on which to build their dream room. PanDomo works transform disjointed walls and floors, delivering a seamless openness to each and every surface it touches.

“Historically and colour palette wise, Australians have always looked to Europe for inspiration,” said Ardex Sales and Marketing Manager Fabian Morgan, “and while this historic trend is continuing, we believe, from our stock orders, we will be seeing a much stronger sense of ‘Australian’ style beginning to emerge.

“This style is focused on maximising space and light, presenting a clean, minimalist and industrial tone, whilst also striking out to capture bold accents of colour to provide contrast or focal points.”

PanDomo trend forecast for Australia 2013/ 2014

Minimalist and industrial greys to provide a sense of space.

“We are seeing increasing demand for lighter variations of PanDomo Wall Pure range from both the residential and commercial sectors. When used on walls, this grey palette assists to enhance a sense of space, while at the same time, still providing a firm sense of solidity,” said Fabian.

demand for a number of bright colours in our Accent and Natural palette such as reds, crimsons, eggplant purples and green tones. We are even seeing increasing requests for metallics such as gold, silver and bronze.”

Off whites to enhance natural light.

“It’s no secret that Australians love light,” said Fabian. “We are always looking for ways to have more filter in anyway possible. Within PanDomo Wall and Floors Light range, we believe we will be seeing increased demand for our Off White and Pure White hues, as they enhance what natural light is available and provide an increased sense of openness.”

Glowing beiges and earthy browns to imbue warmth.

“As well as loving light, Australians love wood and the sense of warmth it imparts.

We expect the browns within our Wall Natural and Accent palettes to continue to be leading favourites, alongside our warm aggregate specked PanDomo Terrazzo flooring.

Bold accents of colour to highlight focal points.

“Australians are also bold and unafraid of colour. The variety of colours we are able to create with PanDomo is almost limitless and allows for a wide spectrum of individuality. We are seeing increasing

Increasing imprint of brand in the working environment.

“The versatility of our PanDomo wall, floor and terrazzo products are now providing possibilities for brand integration in ways that have not been achievable before.

This includes an increase of bold colour accents in the corporate sector, where we are seeing a growth in brand specific colours, furthering the brand presence within working environments,” said Fabian.

“Now is an exciting time for interior concrete walls and flooring. We are constantly surprised by the new and interesting ways our customers are looking to integrate PanDomo into their architectural or home projects,” he commented. “We look forward to the growth of this emerging and maturing Australian style. We can’t wait to see how it presents itself.” * PanDomo is a concrete surfacing system, which allows home owners and architects to transform disjointed walls and floors into a unity of vision.

PanDomo is a cement-based material capable of delivering smooth, clear cut surfaces with a modern, reductionist look. It can be tinted or texturised with a wide array of specially developed PanDomo dyes and aggregate mixes. PanDomo’s liquid concrete base creates smooth, crack and impact resistant surfaces in an almost unlimited range of colours and aggregate mixes – from a bright, bold palette of colour, warm stone finishes, gold and silver metallics, to cool slate industrial greys.

Alternative

A concrete finish that shines through Polished concrete is fast becoming a popular choice for flooring thanks to its practicality and smooth, clean finish. It offers the benefits of a strong, long-lasting floor that’s also cost-effective and easy to maintain.

However, to get the desired result and the aesthetically pleasing finish requires time and plenty of effort. That’s where the team at Kennards Concrete Care comes in handy. Kennards will hire you the equipment you need to get the job done, and provide you with expert advice that will guarantee the smooth, shiny finish that you are after.

The polishing process involves a number of steps that need to be followed carefully to achieve the best results. Firstly, the surface needs to be evaluated to determine its condition.

Whether it’s a newly laid slab, chipped or cracked, or has any carpet or any type of coating on it can provide an insight into the polishing process and will determine whether it can be polished at all.

At this point you will need to determine the level of polish you wish to achieve, from most expensive and greatest process to least.

With Kennards Concrete Care, there are three levels of polish available that are commonly used to suit different floor finish requirements. They range from the full polish with a full gloss high shine to semigloss and, finally, the matt finish.

Once the surface has been evaluated and the polish process determined, the correct machinery and diamond tooling must be selected. The range at Kennards Concrete Care includes machines such as the Grinder Heavy Duty 4 Head 415V, which is ideal for surface preparation, grinding and polishing areas in excess of 800 m2. For the smallerto medium-sized jobs there is also the Grinder Single Head Heavy Duty 415V, perfect for commercial and industrial jobs, or the Grinder Planetary 240V-400 Series that is suited to domestic jobs as

it is lightweight and can be used on stone, concrete and terrazzo.

Several factors will influence what machine and diamond tooling you use including the size of the concrete area, where it is positioned, and what power you have access to. Kennards Concrete Care has all the expertise necessary to guide you through this process and provide you with the ideal machine and diamond tooling to fit your job.

The concrete floor polishing process can be relatively straightforward with the right advice. The main thing to

remember is that the process is time consuming and there are generally no short cuts. In the polishing phase each step must be completed in the same speed/manner as the previous one. But ,once you finally finish, you can enjoy the smooth texture of your new floor.

Kennards Concrete Care is a specialist business of Kennards Hire. There are seven specialist Kennards Concrete Care branches across Australia and experts are always available for a phone consultation to help solve all of your flooring and concrete problems.

Ecoflor delights The Block winners The Ecoflor polished cement flooring system is making headway as the alternative flooring surface choice when it comes to retrofit polished concrete.

Suitable for both residential and commercial applications, Ecoflor, a cementitious-based polymer modified two-part concrete resurfacing system that produces a durable polished cement surface on existing plain concrete and other surfaces, was recently featured on The Block.

24 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

Contestants Alisa and Lysandra chose Ecoflor for the two bathrooms in their renovation and were delighted with the results.

Ecoflor achieves excellent compressive, tensile and flexural strength, extremely high abrasion resistance and textured slip resistant decorative concrete surfaces.

It is tested suitable as a decorative wear surface placed on existing plain concrete pavements used for pathways, roadways, driveways, internal flooring

and pool surrounds provided that the structural integrity of the underlying pavement is sound.

Features and benefits: • transforms plain concrete surfaces; • colour/stencil patterns replicate commercial logos and stone paving surfaces; • design flexibility – adds style and value; • economical – saves cost of removal and reinstatement of existing concrete pavements in good condition;

• negligible impact on existing pavement design loadings and finished levels – Ecoflor thickness is only two millimetres; • suitable for large and small projects – new concrete may be placed for construction site safety, access and mobility and afterwards resurfaced before handover at completion of works; • service life expectation is 20 years – subject to exposure conditions and maintenance.

Resilient

Endless innovation As the exclusive distributor for Amtico products in Australia, QEP is proud to introduce the new Amtico Signature Collection.

The Signature Collection authentically replicates the natural look and feel of wood and stone, offering elegance and uniqueness to every floor.

The new range offers 180 designs providing the ability to truly personalise a floor, with luxury appeal and durability in mind. The design-led collection not only offers an extensive range of stone, wood and abstract finishes, but also an additional choice of ‘laying patterns,’

meaning an extra element of creativity.

Along with the new collection now available in Australia comes Amtico’s user-friendly website. Now you can simulate any room to see the desired result with the exact floor and pattern you like. The website is easy to use, with amazing case studies, images and room simulators. Box sets, folders and samples are available to further complement the new range.

QEP has established a dedicated Amtico customer support team in Melbourne to assist with orders and enquiries.

New resilient collections from Shaw Contract Shaw Contract Group Australia has extended its resilient flooring offering to include two new collections, Crete and Jeogori, inspired by aged leather, industrial stained concrete and fabric used in the luxurious silk jeogori.

Developed by Shaw Commercial Hard Surface, the elegant visuals of the 18 inch LVT coverings raise the bar, making a statement of durability and design.

According to Shaw Contract Group Australia National Sales Manager, Blair Coventry, the Crete and Jeogori collections are constructed with design and performance in mind.

“The stylish patterns of Crete and Jeogori are printed using digital imaging technology for maximum clarity demonstrating resilient floorcovering design is no longer confined to merely mimicking organic materials,” Coventry said.

“The collections are constructed with high performance raw materials and feature our exclusive ExoGuard quartzenhanced urethane finish to withstand heavy traffic in the retail, healthcare, hospitality and other commercial installations.

“In addition to the urethane finish the tiles boast a 20mm commercial wear layer and are three millimetres thick, making them more forgiving over uneven subfloors,” he said.

Evoking industrial ambience, the Crete palette is an infusion of warm neutrals and subtle modelling reminiscent of concrete and vintage leather and includes 12 colours.

26 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

Gerflor clicks with designers Design identities, Barbara and John Hermon have chosen Gerflor Creation Clic to complement the design aesthetics of their busy Melbourne showroom.

“It looks fantastic and has performed really well,”’ Barbara said.

Located in Swan Street Richmond, Victoria, Hermon and Hermon showcases exclusive homewares, furniture and lighting.

Crete

The eight Jeogori colours boast a woven appearance that draw inspiration from the traditional, South Korean garment and includes fabric elements to create surface interest. In select colours, the metallic saturations accentuate the pattern for a chic upgrade to the traditional linen visual.

The Crete and Jeogori collections also offer an optional polish finish for hassle-free maintenance.

Barbara and John Hermon.

A new force in commercial sheet vinyl has finally arrived in Australia

Responsive is a renowned brand worldwide and is now distributed locally by QEP Australia.

With Responsive it’s not just about business, it’s about the relationship, therefore our mantra – We listen. We’re responsive.

Our Contract Vinyl Flooring ranges

The possibilities are endless

Healthcare

Antistatic

Education

Hospitality

Transport

Residential

Acoustic Retail & Offices Industry

Safety

Sports

Wet Areas

Stair Nosings

Architectural Matting

Barrier Matting

Safety Non-slip Nosings

Aluminium Entrance Matting

Carpet Style Entrance Matting

Our top selling Tredfx stair nosing range continues to expand and improve. The range now incorporates profiles to suit an expanded variety of substrates and is available with an increased assortment of insert types and colours.

Our Integra architectural entrance matting features an alternating pattern of robust aluminium scraper bars and quality matting inserts. Particularly suited for high traffic applications, this range is now available in more styles than ever before.

This ever popular range of Integra matting is specifically designed to arrest the ingress of dirt, grit and moisture.

From the budget conscious buyer, right through to the contemporary specifier, we have the solutions.

Copyright Š 2013 - Classic Architectural Group Pty Ltd

Enhancing the safety & aesthetics of public space That’s Classic For more than three decades, flooring contractors have enthusiastically embraced Classic Architectural Group’s high quality product range. Today, Classic is widely accepted as Australia’s premium supplier of architectural entrance matting systems and floor safety products. Being leaders in our field of expertise, we have an extensive array of products and are continuously expanding and refining our range to challenge the status quo of today’s innovations.

Tactiles Tactile Ground Surface Indicators Our Tredfx tactile range encompasses a comprehensive selection of styles to suit every application and every budget. From stainless steel, aluminium and brass to PVC and ceramic, and for every substrate type, we’ve got the solution. Classic has had a long affiliation with tactiles over many years and our team are fully trained in the requirements of industry recognised

standards such as the BCA and AS1428:1-2009.

A complete supply and installation service is offered by our team of qualified tactiles installers.

visit out new website @ www.classic-arch.com 6 Beaufort Street Preston VIC 3072 PO Box 126 Preston VIC 3072

13 Bourke Street North Parramatta NSW 2151 PO Box 2039 North Parramatta NSW 1750

T 1300 244 377 F 1300 768 876 E info@classic-arch.com

From design services to advice on the requirements of Australian Standards, and from the ability to produce fully customised shapes and sizes through to complete installation services and aftercare, our dedicated team can assist you from concept to final completion.

Resilient

Operation Symbioz Market leading stain resistance, green plasticisers and the low maintenance Evercare surface treatment are just some of the reasons Gerflor Mipolam Symbioz was the ideal flooring choice

for the new operating theatres at Melbourne’s Epworth hospital.

The theatres are part of the ongoing redevelopment at the Epworth Hospital to provide a world class

hospital. On completion in 2021, the facility will feature 777 beds with increases in clinical support areas including chemotherapy, medical images, renal dialysis and rehabilitation.

Silver Thomas Hanley Director, Mark Saunders said plans provide for an exciting vision that includes 430 new private rooms; a new emergency department; 39 operating theatres and 19 extra beds in a new state-of-the-art intensive care and coronary care units.

“The project involves new buildings or major refurbishment of approximately 96,000 m2 of gross building area at an

estimated total construction cost of $510 million,” Mark said.

“Environmental sustainability has been considered with respect to the building orientation, facade treatment and building fabric,” he added.

Gerflor Mipolam Symbioz has achieved the highest environmental standard possible for resilient flooring.

The versatile PVC flooring is Green Tag Certified to GreenRate Level A, low VOC, homogenous floorcovering.

Using the Green Star Interiors PILOT fit out calculator for flooring, Symbioz can achieve six credit points for a project.

www.leister.com

TRIAC AT and TRIAC ST

Great news about everroll

The new TRIAC hot-air tools from Leister stand out by their functional design and optimum performance. No matter whether digitally controlled (AT) or the standard version (ST) – we have the right tool for every application and user!

Plastral Pty. Ltd. www.plastral.com.au Carr Plastics Ltd. www.leister.co.nz

30 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

Hot air tools.

We know how.

Regupol (Australia) has announced it is now a NATSPEC product partner, offering a national specification for the everroll collection of rubber flooring under the 0651 Regupol in resilient finishes branded work section.

“Being selected by NATSPEC to be a product partner was a wonderful endorsement and opportunity for Regupol to work with Australia’s leading organisations offering an alternative to the generic product selection,” said

Amy Ghassibe, Regupol’s Marketing Co-ordinator. “everroll is Regupol’s versatile rubber flooring, which has been laid in thousands of fitness clubs, sports facilities, exhibition halls and sales areas throughout the world. “everroll benefits include comfort, safety and durability – all of this making it a healthy flooring alternative.

The anti-slip, non-laminated surface also has excellent noise absorbing qualities and is easy to clean and maintain.”

Carpet

The EcoWorx product from Shaw Contract Group

What makes a carpet environmentally friendly?

When it comes to choosing an environmentally preferable carpet, it’s important to get all the facts.

Looking for a trusted ecolabel like GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia) will ensure that the carpet has been rigorously assessed for its environmental impact. But if you want to get the facts straight yourself it is important to look at the entire life of the carpet before forming an opinion.

Carpets can be made from natural fibres or synthetic fibres, or a combination of both, although one is not necessarily better than the other. Carpets that use at least some recycled material are generally preferable because they minimise the use of resources. This also provides a market for recycled product and hence encourages recycling (and minimises landfill). For example, foam recovered from mattresses can be used for carpet underlay.

Carpet end-of-life can have a major impact on the environment if the carpet goes to landfill. Two things are important to prevent this: the backing must be able to be separated from the carpet to allow recycling of both, and the manufacturer or retailer must have arrangements in place for recycling.

“With any form of design, including carpets, it is important to keep the end in mind,” said Denis Peltier,

managing director of Shaw Contract Group Australia. “To ensure a carpet doesn’t end up in landfill, offering a system for recycling is a great way to take responsibility for your products.

“An item such as our GECA certified EcoWorx carpet can be returned to Shaw Contract Group, reclaimed, disassembled and remanufactured back into more carpet over and over again, making it a sustainably preferable option.”

If carpet is made from wool, one of the issues that needs to be considered is the treatment of effluent from wool scouring operations to ensure that the pollution is not discharged to waterways. If synthetic fibre is used, air pollution may be a greater consideration and systems need to be in place to prevent the release of oxides of sulphur and nitrogen into the atmosphere. Foam used for carpet backing should not be manufactured using ozone depleting chemicals.

When choosing a carpet it is obviously important to choose one that is suitable for the task. “A carpet that needs to be replaced after two years is unlikely to be a good environmental choice, even if the materials used have minimised their impact on the environment,” explained Wendy Chapman, standards and technical manager at GECA. “So it is important for the carpet to have an appropriate warranty and be

made of materials that are suitable for cleaning.”

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that remain in the carpet after manufacture may continue to be released once the carpet is installed. This can reduce indoor air quality, so choose a carpet with low VOC levels. It is also important that the dyes that have been used have not been categorised by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as causing cancer or birth defects.

In order to assess these environmental issues avoid becoming a victim of greenwashing.

Simply because a carpet manufacturer makes claims as to their environmentallyfriendly credentials doesn’t mean they tick all the boxes.

It is important to look for an ecolabel that has assessed these claims and weighed up all the factors to give an

accurate overview of the carpet’s impact.

“We recently became certified with GECA because, while we were already doing the right thing through our environmental ethos, we felt that being third party certified would help consumers make choices that are better for the environment,” said Jack Malka from Rugs, Carpet and Design.

“GECA’s carpet standard is also recognised by the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star program. This makes it easier to achieve a five or six star green star rating by using GECA certified carpets,” said Rupert Posner, CEO of GECA. GECA’s standard for carpets looks at all the above issues, and many more, to make it easy for you to choose an environmentally preferable carpet without the need to become a technical expert.

Flooring Aug/Sept 2013 31

Carpet

Smart carpet for learning spaces Understanding the unique requirements of educational environments, Shaw Contract Group’s flooring solutions deliver excellent outcomes for students, staff and institutions.

“At Shaw Contract Group we understand that an educational institution is striving to provide an optimal setting for teachers to facilitate learning and for students to achieve,” Paul McCosker, General Manager, Shaw Contract Group Australia said.

“At the same time though, we also appreciate that these learning spaces need to be able to perform in high-traffic and classroom settings, retain their appearance for years to come, offer functionality and prove low-maintenance and cost-effective.

“Taking all of these factors into account we design carpet solutions that enhance learning spaces but can withstand the demands of campus life,” he said.

There are four key factors that must be considered in designing floorcoverings for education, these include comfort, product performance, the learning environment and sustainability.

A comfortable space equals better results A comfortable teacher imparts more enthusiasm, excitement and attention into their teaching efforts but, when hours upon hours on your feet are part of the job, the physical demands can take their toll.

A carpeted walking and standing surface softens the impact and can lead to better posture and combat leg fatigue, providing teachers with a high level of comfort

32 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

after standing for two or more hours.

Carpet’s ability to deliver a comfortable learning space extends far beyond a soft standing surface: it reduces glare, a common distraction to students and teachers and also provides visual and physical warmth.

A carpeted floor is warmer to sit, stand and work on and can extend the learning environment to include the floor while also helping regulate a classroom’s temperature through better insulation.

Carpet provides thermal resistance or R-value and in tests performed at the Johns Menville Technical Centre Themal Labs was proven to significantly increase R-value compared to other flooring materials.

In a classroom setting, noise is also a major distraction. Teachers are constantly competing with sounds coming from the playground, hallways and other classrooms in a bid to keep their students’ attention. Carpet can assist with providing a quieter, calmer, more effective learning environment as it is up to ten times more efficient at absorbing noise than other floorcoverings.

Performance always counts Used in hallways, common areas, classrooms, libraries, media centres and student housing, flooring needs to stand up to very specific requirements in educational environments but it also needs to meet the budget.

“At Shaw Contract Group we design durable, low maintenance and costeffective carpet that’s easy

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to clean and less expensive to maintain than other floor coverings,” Mr McCosker said.

“Our EcoWorx backing systems are designed to withstand the demands of learning spaces. They are PVC free, offer low VOCs, come with a lifetime commercial warranty and, to top this all off, are Cradle to Cradle Certified CM and GECA certified,” he said.

These backings are further complemented by face fibres such as yarns or solution dyed Eco Solution Q, and Eco Solution Extreme, that are designed specifically to withstand environments where spills and high traffic are commonplace.

“Shaw carpet is also a budget conscious investment when you factor in installation and maintenance costs.

Over a given area carpet

requires approximately one third of the cleaning time and cost compared with a hard surface.”

A safer learning environment Creating a better environment for students and teachers is at the core of Shaw’s flooring solutions that improve air quality, inhibit micro-organism growth and lessen the frequency and severity of slips and falls.

Studies show that a well maintained carpet can actually help improve indoor air quality by trapping any allergens in its face fibres and preventing them from being circulated until they are vacuumed away. This is great news for smaller students who are more susceptible to these particles as they live in a lower breathing zone where walking, skipping and hopping release dust and allergens into the air.

In addition, Shaw’s EcoWorx tile and performance broadloom offer antimicrobial protection that inhibits microorganism growth.

Safety is an issue in every school and a carpeted surface is a safer surface. It provides more grip meaning greater traction and fewer slips and falls and if or when

accidents occur the landing is padded, meaning injuries can be less severe.

Carpet is also one of the lowest emitters of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among building materials, even lower than paint that can be labelled “lead-free” if it contains 1000 parts per million (1%). Shaw’s Eco Solution Q and Solution Q Extreme fibres and EcoWorx backings are assessed down to 100 ppm (0.01%) through the McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) Cradle to Cradle Design protocol.

Sustainable products for the future While teachers and educational facilities are busy nurturing future generations, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t do our bit to protect our environment for these generations. Shaw produces education products that are manufactured in a closed loop process where every centimetre of carpet made from sustainable ingredients is fully recyclable back into more carpet.

Since 2007, Shaw’s recycling program has earned the company multiple Recycler of the Year awards.

Fashion Friendly carpet tiles Inspired by the catwalk, Signature Floorconcepts is keeping on trend with its new look Fashion Friendly carpet tiles.

These tiles combine the very best of sophisticated fashion design in contemporary Tweed, Bouclé and Tricot collections.

Available in 11 beautiful colours and tones, these contemporary classics will make you feel nostalgic in a totally modern way. Just as with any outfit, these tiles too can be mixed and matched in order to create completely unique designs and looks, only limited by your imagination and style.

Fashion Friendly carpet tiles are also certified GreenTag GreenRate Level A and LCA Gold, now with the added benefit of a friendly backing.

With fashion driving our world from what we wear to how we live, it makes sense that your space should reflect exactly how we look and feel too.

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Signature Designer SDN carpets The Signature Designer collection of luxurious carpets made from high performing six star rated solution dyed nylon not only adds style and sophistication to every home, but superior performance too.

There are six contemporary patterns that run across the same colour palette and they are complemented by matching plain carpets. This gives your customers peace of mind knowing that their carpets will co-ordinate harmoniously wherever they are.

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Desso, the European carpet and sports pitches company, reached a new milestone as its commercial and consumer carpet products became the first in the world to be certified under Version 3.0 of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard.

A substantial part of Desso’s commercial carpet tile range as well as commercial and consumer broadloom carpets have achieved Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze.

The US-based Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII) is a non-profit organisation established to serve as an independent assessment, auditing and certification authority for Cradle to Cradle product certification.

The Institute works with leaders from the academic world, the NGO environmental community, government and industry to implement its standard for assessing and continuously improving products based upon five categories: material health, material reutilisation, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship and social fairness.

With the aim of continuing to improve human health, resource scarcity and the climate, the Institute developed a new version of its Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard that takes the discipline to the next level. Companies

currently certified under Version 2.1.1 must start to make the transition to the more advanced 3.0 version, launched in January 2013.

In Version 3.0 of the standard, a new Bronze level has been added to create a more logical progression for product optimisation. This means that there are now five certification levels awarded to products: Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

At the Basic level of the new standard, a product is just starting out on the path to optimisation and a basic inventory of materials, energy use, water use, and social fairness issues is established.

At the new Bronze level, product assessment goes deeper. At least 75% of the materials in a product are assessed for chemical safety and potential biodegradability and recyclability. In addition, Desso has met requirements for developing a strategy with respect to renewable energy use and carbon management, and has completed a facility-wide water audit and a full social responsibility self-audit.

“We are pleased to be the first company to be awarded certification under Version 3.0, which will continue to help us create products that contribute to people’s health and wellbeing and are positive to the environment,” says Alexander Collot d’Escury, CEO of Desso.

Ontera Modular Carpets launches the 180º range Inspired by the rich, vibrant colours that both distinguish and connect global cultures, Ontera Modular Carpets’ new 180º range is designed to: • inspire emotion; • transform spaces; • engage the senses; • nurture wellbeing.

Embarking on an extensive Design Journey, Ontera explored architecture, traditions, customs and fashions from around the globe and gained insights into the cultural significance of colour and design in all aspects of our daily life.

The exciting new 180º

range is the culmination of this design research which tracked local and international colour and design trends. It presents designers with 12 stunning colours – each with four linear designs – enabling opportunity and creativity for modern spaces.

With multiple colours providing impact and versatility, plus Ontera’s unique ability to customise a project’s design, the 180º range will prove suitable across many project spaces including commercial office, aged care, healthcare, education and hospitality.

Distribution changes for Tai Ping carpet brands Above Left Distributors and Agencies Pty Limited (ALD&A) has announced that it will now represent the Tai Ping Group to exclusively distribute all of its product brands into Australia.

This agreement includes all Tai Ping residential and boutique contract collections as well as the 1956 by Tai Ping commercial product lines (hotel, service apartment, casino, gaming, convention and expo, airports etc) as well

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Underlays

Selecting underlay for laminate flooring EPLF, the Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring, provides advice and practical guidance in the often confusing maze of different standards. For this reason, EPLF has produced a new technical bulletin: Underlay Materials under Laminate Floor Coverings –Test Standards and Performance Indicators*. It explains the test methods of the new technical specification for underlay materials CEN/TS16354 and provides instructions and assistance with selecting the right underlay for laminate flooring for different forms of use.

What do you need to be aware of when laying laminate on heated or cooled floors? What properties must an underlay display to withstand various loads such as heavy furniture, office chairs with castors or impact from objects? What is the minimum reduction in footstep sound that an

underlay should offer?

Dr Theo Smet, Chairman of the EPLF's technical committee, hopes that the data sheet proves to be popular.

"European manufacturers of laminate flooring supply high-quality products.

Because laminate flooring is usually laid to be floating, the underlay materials form an important part of the flooring system and often provide sufficient grounds for complaint if the flooring is laid incorrectly,” he explained. “But that can be avoided. The right underlay optimises the entire laminate flooring system and extends its service life. This results in even more satisfied customers who enjoy their laminate flooring for even longer."

The technical bulletin shows the common symbols used, explains what the technical abbreviations mean and lists the key technical

data with which the performance and strength of an underlay can be assessed.

This provides clear criteria for selecting the right underlay materials for floating laminate floors.

As Dr Smet explains, some approaches have changed since earlier assessments. "In the past, properties such as thickness or density were often generalised in the quality assessment, for example, high density was associated with good mechanical properties or good sound impact behavior.

“However, more recent analyses have found that this isn't always the case. For example, an underlay made from material A with a lower density may be considerably pressure-resistant than one

made from material B with a much higher density. Such aspects are taken into account in the new CEN/TS 16354 through the selection of suitable test methods.

And our technical bulletin is a good source of reference for the requirements this produces for the underlay materials.“ * The data sheet can be downloaded for free as a PDF in German and English from the EPLF website (www. eplf.com).

Revolutionery new insulation system Australian foil insulation manufacturer Green Insulation has just launched a patented new system that it says will revolutionise the way insulation, including flooring insulation, is installed in Australia and provide unprecedented R-values of up to R7.1 in commercial buildings.

This patented system, named CRIS, (Commercial Residential Insulation System) is an unique concept using aluminium bubble foil insulation made from reinforced foil laminate. The surface has been treated with Green Insulation’s patented Reflecta-Coat, which is an anti-glare protective coating that prevents oxidisation and

36 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

corrosion, keeping the foil reflective and well outlasting the manufacturer’s 15 year guarantee.

The air space this system provides and its installation concept is the key to the formula that catapults the R-value from an industry standard of R3.2 up to an exceptional R7.1 in some cases.

Green Insulation’s in-house Engineer, Jason Hawley, who was a big part of the research and development team said: “We have been developing this unique insulation system for over a year and we are now ready to launch it to the marketplace. Not only can this system create an R-value of up to R7.1 in commercial

buildings, but it will also be cheaper to buy and easier to install than traditional bulk insulation.

“The new system and installation is fully certified and tested and adheres to the Australian Building Code,” said Jason.

“Our testing, carried out by independent consulting

engineer, James Fricker Pty Ltd, found that this system, when installed correctly, can save up to 40% in heating and cooling costs, which is another huge benefit to any commercial building, as well as being kind to the environment and helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Case Study

What are installers saying about Trimtec?

Since Trimtec arrived, Australian flooring installers have been impressed with its quality, durability and stability.

Over 350,000 sheets of the Australian manufactured hardboard have been sold in Australia in less than two years.

AFS and Trimtec recently went out into the market place to get an idea on how installers feel about the new and improved underlay. Here is what Bill Metcalfe from Whittlesea Floor Coverings had to say.

1. How long have you been using Trimtec underlay for?

Two years now.

2. How did you find out about Trimtec underlay?

Through AFS commercial representative, Davin Gates.

3. What are the main reasons for you to choose Trimtec underlay?

Sheet size, easy to score and snap, very consistent quality, flexibility on bouncy floors.

4. How do you benefit from using Trimtec underlay?

It’s cost competitive, it is higher than some of the other underlays but it’s not enough to be significant.

The benefits outweigh the minimal cost difference. The installation is faster, getting the job done quicker because it’s easier to score and snap and the quality is consistent.

5. Why do you buy from QEP? Friendly team and has a great delivery service. Staff know what they are talking about, responding very quickly to your needs and they have conveniently located branches.

6. Can you tell me about a time when QEP exceeded your expectations?

There is no particular time because they have a really good sales representative who looks after my needs and responds quickly to my requirements.

7. Will you be using Trimtec for your next underlay job?

Yes. Bill Metcalfe is just one of the installers who continuously uses Trimtec resulting in successful installations and would highly recommend Trimtec.

www.australianflooringsupplies.com.au

Software

Influencing performance (Part 2)

By Chris Ogden, consultant and Managing Director of RFMS Australasia In the last article we considered why it is that we tend to focus on external factors that influence our business.

I suggested that we do this because information about external factors is more readily available than good information about our business. The state of the national economy is a more obvious influencer than the conversion rates of our salespeople because while we hear about the economy every night on the news we have no information about conversion rates.

If we take the comparison between businesses and professional sports teams a step further from the last

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article we can consider the quality of the information each uses in achieving its goals. In order to make decisions about the team the coaching staff rely on information that is accurate and timely. They want to work on aspects of the game that will positively influence performance and they want to do it when it counts. Of course this is obvious but what about the information that we use to run our business?

The fact is that most flooring businesses would not get a pass mark for either the accuracy or the timeliness of their information.

How important is accuracy? Our businesses rely

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Just in case you haven’t heard, Flooring Magazine now has an electronic version (in addition to the printed edition) and is available for you to download or read online at your convenience.

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38 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

on staff who quote accurately and competitively and then on warehouse staff and installers who manage the materials and the resources to get the job installed within budget and on time.

The ability to track this process and deliver an accurate job costing on the project is key to monitoring the quality of the quoting, how well we manage stock and materials and how productive our installers are.

Accurate reporting will tell you not just how profitable you are but it should pinpoint exactly where you are making and losing money: almost certainly there will be some aspect of your business that is negatively impacting your overall profitability and you need to be able to identify it and address it.

Accurate reporting and analysis will give you information, which allows you to measure the efficiencies of your systems and help you to help your people to more effective..

When do we need the information? Just as it would

be pointless having the coach talk with his players at the end of the season about team statistics similarly it is not ideal for a business owner to find out at the end of the financial year (or three months into the new year) how profitable the business was. This is information that the managers and owners should have at their finger tips each month in order to make business decisions.

A fully integrated management system such as RFMS not only helps you to manage all of the moving parts within your business but, by nature of it being fully integrated, it generates accurate and timely information without staff doing any more than their day to day work; no additional effort is required because the information is a by-product of those daily processes.

In my next article we will look specifically at some of the reporting and analysis you could expect out of RFMS as it helps you to manage your flooring business.

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Unlocking sales potential How many plans languish on desks in your business? How many sales are missed because you either don’t get a quote out or you got it out too late? If this is an issue in your business it will because of the time and skill required to quantify plans. It can be a significant obstacle to overcome and generally we address it by hiring people who can quantify.

According to Chris Ogden, Managing Director of RFMS Australasia, in hiring for quantifying skills we sacrifice sales skills.

“For less than the price of a cup of coffee a day your salespeople can have access to the leading quantifying software making them quicker, more accurate and more professional. We even do the training for you at no charge.”

40 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

“The temptation is to favour the ability to quantify over the ability to sell because we know how long it takes for inexperienced people to come up to speed in the art of quantifying. Over the learning period the cost is high; training time, missed jobs because they can’t process plans quickly enough and the cost of mistakes made. The temptation is to favour the applicant who can quantify even if we know that they are not an ideal salesperson. The result is that our sales force is dominated by people whose primary skill is the ability to quantify.

“Another frustration is that we lose good salespeople who do come on board because the quantifying learning curve is too long and steep and success in flooring sales comes too slowly for them. Good sales people thrive on making sales not learning how to use a scale rule.

“Measure is the way to remove quantifying experience as an obstacle to hiring effective salespeople. Measure is quantifying software that can turn even

the most inexperienced person into a quantifying professional in a matter of weeks.

“For less than the price of a cup of coffee a day your salespeople can have access to the leading quantifying software making them quicker, more accurate and more professional. We even do the training for you at no charge.”

“You can download Measure as a trial at no cost and over that trial period let us train one of your salespeople. At the end of the 30 days you will be amazed at what they will be able to do.”

Chris Ogden is a consultant and Managing Director of RFMS Australasia a supplier of IT solutions specific to the flooring industry. He owned a large and successful flooring business which he sold and for 10 years he was a director and Chairman of Carpet Court New Zealand. He was CEO of a large retail flooring enterprise before leaving that role to partner with RFMS to form RFMS Australasia. Chris can be contacted at cogden@rfms.com.

Business

How to reach your business targets with KPIs There is an old saying – “If you aim at nothing, you will hit the target with amazing accuracy!” By Sue Hirst, CFO On-Call We would all like a silver bullet in our business that creates that wonderful profit we seek. The reality is that there isn’t one! There are plenty of things that take up the attention of owners/ managers in the effort to create a profitable and sustainable business. There are, however, a small number of key things that can have a big impact on any business’s bottom line.

The drivers to financial performance are Key Performance Indicators or KPIs. Ask yourself – how do you currently track, monitor and drive the financial performance of your business? If you don’t currently use KPIs, you could be in for a real boost to your profit by focusing on this vital area of business management.

What are some of the key drivers to financial performance? Here are some examples:

• sales company – volume of sales, gross margin percentage; • manufacturing – number of machine hours sold, labour sales dollar/machine hours, material margin percentage; • contractors – number of billable hours, dollars per billable hour, utilisation percentage.

Key drivers vary from industry to industry, but ask yourself this question – if you were away from your business for a while, what are the five or six things you would want to know about the performance of your business? We are not talking here about the bottom line results but what impacts the bottom line results or more importantly the ‘top line’.

To see the value of managing KPIs it is worth calculating how much more profit you could make by improving them. This is called sensitivity analysis.

Here is an example of sensitivity analysis based on

a manufacturing business with net profit of $80,000 This example illustrates that the most valuable impact is on number of hours sold, so this is the KPI that should receive maximum attention.

Steps for setting targets for key drivers: • set company targets for each key driver; • determine profitability from hitting key driver targets; * are targets realistic? * is profitability desired profitability? * realistic targets that result in a loss may mean your ‘business model’ needs to be changed; * determine actions/plans to achieve the targets and deadline dates; * set targets for staff who have influence on key drivers, eg sales staff; * bonus/incentive scheme for achieving targets.

Monitor actual versus target • monitor actual versus target by month (or week) for each key driver; • determine dollar impact on profitability of variances from target; • for actual less than target – what actions can be taken to improve?

In summary:

• every business needs to know what are the key things (KPIs) that need to happen to create a profitable level of sales; • the impact on profit of improving the KPIs needs to be understood and calculated; • realistic targets need to be set for the company, divisions and team members who influence them. This helps to get staff ‘buy-in’ and ownership; • incentives are a great way to encourage staff to achieve targets; • actual versus target needs to be measured regularly to ensure they are met; • variances need to be investigated and below target results acted upon.

Above target results need to be also understood and what caused them repeated.

For help identifying your business KPIs speak with CFO On-Call anytime.

CFO On-Call is a team of financial and business advisors who work with open-minded people, committed to business growth and achieving success. For help call us on 0800 180 400 or visit our website www.CFOonCall.co.nz

Flooring Aug/Sept 2013 41

Stone&Ceramics

Walk the plank with Amber’s Sunrock Elegantly combining the aesthetic appeal of natural stone with the strength of full-bodied porcelain, Amber’s Sunrock tile collection melds an innovative plank format with a stone design.

Manufactured in Italy, Amber’s Sunrock collection boasts the warmth of four sun-kissed stone looks in a series of tiles that can be used throughout the whole home.

The broad range of sizes and formats gives home renovators the opportunity to experiment and explore the possibilities of floor and wall design within the home.

Available with a matt finish in four natural colours – Bourgogne Sand, Travertino White, Jerusalem Ivory and Travertino Almond,

every tile replicates the richness and intricate details found within natural stone.

Sunrock has also been specifically designed

to cater to outdoors environments too with the external tile edition. Perfect for use around the pool, within the garden, as a

pathway or on the patio or terrace, the external tile is available in a 30x60cm format with a textured finish.

Haute couture for ceramic tiles The Candela tile design is the result of a partnership with leading fashion designer Juan Vidal. Big bold florals - in this case construed into soft curvy shapes - is a modern interpretation of a traditional pattern.

Candela is a polished glazed porcelain tile in a 440mm by 440mm size with a rectified edge. It is beautifully designed using high resolution inkjet technology and has 20 different faces.

This series can be used with other tutti frutti colours to generate a clash effect with eclectic undertones,

42 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

or used alongside crisp white to create a dream-like visage.

Beaumont Tiles Strategic Designer, Christie Wood said: “High resolution inkjet prints on tiles is all the rage at the moment. This is haute couture for ceramic tiles. It is also part of a trend towards larger format tiles.

“Born from a collaboration with Spanish fashion designer Juan Vidal, the Candela design takes inspiration from the print design of Juan’s new collection launched at the Mercedez Benz Fashion Week.”

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Moisture

Issues that are ‘On the Nose’

By Above Left Distributors and Agencies Pty Limited (ALD&A) The ever increasing pace of the building industry and demands for developments to be completed and habitable within short time frames is giving rise to an issue that is decidedly ‘on the nose’.

Green slabs, that is concrete slabs that are not given time for the water in the concrete to evaporate or ‘cure’, are being seen more and more across the building industry – both in Australia and around the world – and are being linked to what the industry calls ‘sick building syndrome’ (SBS).

The increased prevalence of green slabs has led to some building developers and owners around Australia finding themselves in

44 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

disputes with tenants over nasty odours that create an untenable environment.

These odours fall into a category known as a Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), a major contributor to SBS. In the building industry today, it’s all about meeting budgets and deadlines, facilitating low cost, fast turnaround – whatever it takes.

How are these ‘pungent odours’ created?

When water is prevented from evaporating from the green slab and hence becomes trapped between the slab and a hard backed, impervious floorcovering, the trapped moisture draws salts from the concrete slab and becomes alkaline.

This can in turn lead

to a chemical reaction of any or all of the various components found in the adhesives, plasticisers and chemicals contained in the backing of many floorcoverings currently used across the Australian building industry. This chemical reaction – called alkaline hydrolysis – is what can create the pungent, nasty smelling odour.

There are a number of types of impervious floorcoverings that appear to be associated with this problem such as certain types of carpet tiles.

Today, carpet tiles are used in an ever increasing percentage of commercial building developments, mainly for the fact that they offer solutions to a number

of key considerations such as functionality, cost effectiveness, sustainability and OH&S. However, when installing certain types of carpet tiles on green slabs, it’s imperative to remember that the moisture that emanates from the slab must be able to evaporate.

As already noted, if moisture is unable to evaporate, this may lead to the emitting of ‘pungent’ odours created as a result of the reactions between the increasingly alkaline trapped moisture and the backing of the floorcovering and/or its adhesive.

“We have become aware of the fact that there are buildings out there where the presence of an offensive odour may be the result of

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these types of reactions.

This appears to have led to property developers taking up litigation against their floor-covering suppliers for the fact that they are left with ‘sick buildings’ that are causing issues for their tenants,” commented Russell Pascoe, Director and co-founder, Above Left.

Pascoe’s business partner, Cameron Sinclair, added: “Industry tests indicate a concrete slab could need several years to properly cure and, with the demand for new buildings to be completed quickly, more often than not these buildings are inhabited well before the green slab has time to finish curing.

So, when impervious floorcoverings are used, the potential for ‘pungent odours’ to occur may be of significant concern”.

So, how can this chemical reaction and ‘sick buildings’ be avoided?

One way may be to use floorcoverings with backings that won’t react with the alkalis formed from green slab moisture. However, this doesn’t necessarily remove the issue of moisture being trapped and unable to escape through the nonporous floorcovering.

Another way may be to seal new slabs or have the construction industry change the concrete composition. However, given the industry’s size and the enormous costs that it would take to change current building practices, this is not something that’s likely to occur any time soon, if at all.

Probably the most cost effective solution would be to use a total package floorcovering solution that allows evaporation to occur.

Such floorcoverings would enable green slabs to breathe and cure naturally over time, reducing the

likelihood of moisture forming between the green slab and the floorcovering – and no nasty gases.

When the moisture that leaches from the slab is able to evaporate through the floorcovering, there is little chance of any alkaline solution forming and therefore no risk of a chemical reaction creating odorous and unhealthy gases (VOCs).

“At Above Left, we are very pleased to be able to offer a safe, environmentally sound, industry approved and cost effective carpet tile solution that works with green slabs, as well as other foundations and won’t lead to the creation of this nasty and repugnant chemical reaction,” said Pascoe “The EcoSoft carpet tile is a non-PVC, industry standard carpet tile which is around 40 times more permeable than most other carpet tiles on the market, hence offering superior breathability and compatibility with green slabs.

“Moreover, the EcoSoft range is made from 8090% recycled PET (eg. discarded water bottles), non-slip, comfortable under foot, offers excellent acoustics, has the maximum possible sustainability classification of ECS4 and is dimensionally stable.

“What’s more, our products are supported by a solid, simple warranty which means extra peace of mind for anyone using them,” Mr Pascoe concluded.

Founded in 2003 by Cameron Sinclair and Russell Pascoe, Above Left is the Australian agent for Carpets Inter and Tai Ping Commercial Carpets and focuses specifically on the design, marketing and supply of flooring products to the Australian market, including modular carpet tiles and broadloom carpets.

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AS1428.1-2009 and Stair Nosings Over the past 18-24 months it has become apparent that there is some uncertainty and misconception as to the interpretation of AS1428.1-2009.

– Design for access and mobility – Part 1: General requirements for access – New building work.

In particular we would like to clarify section 11. Stairways, concentrating on clauses 11.1(f), (g).

The objective of this section of the standard was to ensure that people with impaired vision could safely ascend or descend stairs in buildings, seeing as clearly as possible the edge of the stair, defined Does not meet as the point where the riser and tread meet.

AS1428.1-2009 requirements

Unfortunately, the way it has been written up, when combined with the fact that no industry comment or testing was allowed for before the adoption of the standard, has resulted in a range of differing opinions as to the interpretation of these clauses.

The misconception that we would like to clarify here relates to reports that “the vertical face of any stair-nosing cannot extend down the riser by more than 10mm”.

Figure 1

Solid Aluminium

(Insufficient luminance contrast)

Figure 1 and Figure 2 shows the types of stair nosing that must not extend down the riser by more than 10mm, as there is no luminance difference between the horizontal and vertical elements of the stair nosing, making it hazardous for the sight impaired to safely use these stairs, as they cannot readily discern the step surface.

Figure 2

Meets AS1428.1-2009 requirements

In Figure 3, it is our opinion that the nosing clearly meets the requirement of AS1428.1-2009, Figure 3 clauses 11.1 (f) and (g) in that there is a luminance contrast strip that clearly exceeds the minimum luminance contrast of 30%, being set back no more than 15mm from the front of the nosing.

Meeting the requirements of the abovementioned clauses, then allows the vertical face of the nosing to be any height that has been utilized in the past to represent best practice within the flooring installation industry.

In our opinion MJS Max Trusion insert stair nosing’s meet the requirements of AS1428.1-2009 provided that they are installed with an appropriately contrasting insert.

MJS Floorcoverings recommends it’s HB25 (Black) or HB25SY (Safety Yellow) Carborundum inserts, or it’s HB26B/HB59B (Black) or HB26SY/HB50SY (Safety Yellow) TPE inserts for this purpose.

HB26G/HB50G (Grey) may not meet AS1428.1-2009 requirement, dependent on the nosing finish and installation particulars.

MJS STOCKISTS QLD Brisbane MJS Floorcoverings Telephone: (07) 3347 7300 Facsimile: (07) 3343 9792

NSW Sydney MJS Floorcoverings Telephone: (02) 9725 5519 Facsimile: (02) 9725 5552

VIC Melbourne MJS Floorcoverings Telephone: (03) 9314 2872 Facsimile: (03) 9314 6971

ACT Canberra MJS Floorcoverings Telephone: (02) 6239 1000 Facsimile: (02) 6228 1430

TAS Hobart MJS Floorcoverings Telephone: (03) 6228 1032 Facsimile: (03) 6228 1035

NT Darwin MJS Floorcoverings Telephone: (08) 8947 6917 Facsimile: (08) 8947 1528

WA Perth MANAG Floorcoverings & Acc. Telephone: (08) 6240 1000 Facsimile: (08) 9445 1332

SA Adelaide MANAG Floorcoverings & Acc. Telephone: (08) 8234 8933 Facsimile: (08) 8234 8955

Bamboo

Know your product

By Justin de Voss, Director, Yes Bamboo P/L In these times when all sales are so important to our business, and in many cases said sales have included discount offers, it is critical to ensure that there are no problems that will adversely impact already eroded margins.

It is fair to say that the majority of floorcovering shops in Australia include in their offering a range of bamboo flooring, which has steadily increased its market share over the last five or so years. Recently, there is the emergence of a range of bamboo decking products in the Australian market. Overwhelmingly the offer to date is based on strand woven bamboo and, in the last 12 to 18 months, a range of glue laminated bamboo decking in the vertical style.

All of us enjoying our Australian lifestyle are familiar with, and many of have, decks around our homes which, in many instances form the hub of our in-home social environments.

These spaces reflect much of who we are as a nation and

46 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

are expected to perform for many years.

Traditionally our industry has been focussed on delivering product outcomes, which ostensibly are overlay over existing structural substrates with limited liability other than product performance and, in some cases, slip resistance.

Decking, however, by its nature is a whole different ball game because it is generally a structural element, which, when it fails, can have devastating consequences on people and property.

Because of this added responsibility for product performance (vendor liability as well as trade liability) there exist in Australia a range of specifications contained in various building codes, which are supported by Australian Standards and usually articulate and reflect best practice. With Australia’s rich history of timber construction there is an equally rich body of evidence and information pertaining to timber use, performance expectations and preservation. Generally

Australian preservation standards for timber are benchmark positions followed around the world.

All timber fibre has a natural durability, which when tested suggests its reasonable expected performance capabilities.

These capabilities are expressed as Durability Class classifications beginning at Durability Class 1 being the most robust to Durability Class 5 being the least durable.

Most of us are familiar with treated timber as a concept with many of us familiar with things like treated pine, which enables us to use a soft wood like pine outside without it rotting. The level of treatment protection of timber is expressed as Hazard Class with Hazard Class 5 being most durable to Hazard Class 1 being minimum treatment capability.

Australian Standards (per AS 1604) specifies that for timber products to be used externally above ground (such as for decking) they must be naturally Durability Class 1

or Class 2. If not, then the material needs to be treated or preserved to minimum Hazard Class 3 – (H3).

Bamboo botanically is a grass and not a timber.

However, under federal legislation in Australia it is incorporated under the timber act/ classification for purposes of taxation, bio security and construction standards.

When tested for natural durability, bamboo, at best, is a Durability Class 3 fibre, which means that, as per AS 1604, it must be treated to minimum Hazard Class 3 (H3) to be suitable for use externally above ground.

As suggested before, many of us in the floorcovering industry are familiar with and experienced with bamboo flooring as an internal product option. Few of us, however, have a genuine experience with any externally suitable bamboo decking product.

The pictures you see on this page are of a strand woven bamboo decking product supplied by one of China’s largest strand woven manufacturing companies and it is highly likely some of you

will have samples of this product in your shop now supplied by your agents.

This project is 10,000m2, is now little more than three years old and it all looks the same as per the included pictures.

The writer encourages you to ask your supplier to show you where the bamboo decking product they are asking you to sell meets Australian Standards.

• Can they show you a genuine H3 certification that the fibre has been treated to improve durability?

• Can they demonstrate that the adhesive used in the product is a genuine externally suitable adhesive, which has been utilised appropriately?

Bamboo is a wonderful product that can offer much value to your customers but, like all products, has its limitations.

Understand that for bamboo to be

successful as an external product it must: • be made using a genuine externally suitable adhesive such as Resorcinol (common in many Australian exterior ply products), which has been applied wet to the fibre at time of assembly and is then catalysed or cured with the introduction of heat (circa 120 – 140 degrees Celsius) at time of pressing; • be treated to improve durability of the fibre against rotting, decay, fungi and insects including termites as per AS 1604 – (minimum H3); • be actively maintained during its life like any traditional timber decking by regular cleaning and re-coating typically on an annual basis reflecting the installed product position – fully exposed around pool/ under roof pergola.

The Best Just Got Better!

Tramex, the moisture meter specialists, are proud to announce the release of the new concrete moisture meter

with

Below and left: Photos taken at Shanghai World Expo site showing bamboo product installed in 2010.

Pictured in Kit Form

Perform testing to the latest Australian Standard AS18842012. ASTM F2170 & ASTM F2659 as well as ASTM F2420: The complete moisture and humidity testing kit for concrete and wood, incorporating the Tramex instant moisture test and the new Hygro-i in-situ probe working together to provide a new standard in speed & accuracy which can be used again & again...

Don’t waste time and money waiting up to 72 hours for a moisture test when the slab is not ready! Check it first with a Tramex CMEXpert II.

For more information contact Tel: 02 9418 1002 Fax: 02 9498 8576 Email: sales@cornell.com.au

www.cornell.com.au

SurfacesToday

3D Floor Designer tool Cavalier Bremworth has introduced a new 3D Floor Designer tool, making it easy to see how each carpet choice can look on a floor.

Called The Studio Floor, the design tool provides a series of studio sets modelled on three different residential rooms, plus a commercial scale showroom. Users can select their carpet (using the big + sign) and change the colour of the walls and key furniture to test different options. It is particularly useful for patterned or textured carpets when the effect of a repeating pattern can often be difficult to visualise.

Marketing Manager for Cavalier Bremworth, Desiree Keown said the new tool has been designed to be incredibly user-friendly, requiring no login or user information to start. Users can save their rooms and also share to Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, as well as emailing a URL link of their saved rooms to friends.

She said The Studio Floor 3D tool featured furniture from leading New Zealand designer Simon James and Resident with the wall colours from Resene including their more popular colours, including all from the Karen Walker collection.

Swarovski crystals add highlights In the year of the company’s 150th anniversary, Küberit has become design oriented.

Usually known for its solution oriented products with functional design, the company has presented a new range called Design Elements, which brings a hint of glamour into the world of flooring installation.

The Küberit products are decorated with coloured and

clear Swarovski Elements to set eye catching highlights to a selection of skirtings, stair nosings, heating tube rosettes and door stoppers with a unique surface design.

Küberit is also presenting new surfaces with curved or straight designs to offer more luxurious and sophisticated concepts of interior design.

Garage floor makeover Often the most neglected space of the home, the garage can improve the overall feel and function of a property and refurbishing the garage floor can expand the living and entertaining space of a home, with uses as varied as a playroom for children, a party venue or home theatre for the entire family to enjoy.

Just one coat of the thick EpoxyShield formulation resists abrasion as well as chemical and water damage.

The result is a garage floor that’s easy to keep clean with a quality finish

48 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

protected against petrol stains, motor oil and hot tyre pick up, with no peeling or cracking .

A non-slip coating can also be applied for additional safety – particularly if used on laundry, basement or other interior concrete floors.

The two-part, water-based epoxy features Rust-Oleum Cross-Linking Technology to provide maximum adhesion and durability.

EpoxyShield Garage Floor Coating is a complete DIY kit with everything needed to transform a standard double

Before

garage (55 m2) into a stylish surface.

The kit includes a base and activator, concrete etch, decorative colour chips,

After

stirring stick, instruction sheet and DVD. The lowodour concrete coating also offers easy soap and water clean-up.

Introducing new 10mm Stairnosing Profiles -AS1428 compliantFor carpeted steps...

For carpeted steps...

51mm

53mm

10mm

10mm

AA350

AA124

For uncovered steps...

For vinyl steps...

53mm

53mm 10mm

10mm

AA128

AA110

Northern Territory, Western Australia

Queensland

NSW, Tasmania, VIC, South Australia

Flooring Distributors Ltd

PR Floors Ltd

George Low Ltd

Phone: +61 8 9314 3177 www.fda.net.au

Phone: +61 8 3807 4422 www.prfloors.com

Phone: +61 3 9587 4222 www.georgelow.com.au

To view our full range of profiles visit our website www.tredsafe.com

SurfacesToday

New hazardous stripe fibreglass stair nosing Floorsafe Australia Pty Ltd safety products is responsible for solving many safety issues.

“We source and find suitable cost effective ways of dealing with every issue and implement them quickly and efficiently,” explained Philip Zagni, Floorsafe Australia Director.

“There are many reasons why builders, contractors and architects choose Floorsafe Australia safety products but expecially because we focus on providing quality and reliable solutions at an affordable cost.

“Products can be purchased for DIY or arrangements can be made for one of our Australia wide applicators to provide a full installation service.”

One very common problem we all face daily is smooth and wet stairways that can become slippery and dangerous. Edges of steps that are not highlighted increases the accident rate twofold and can become life threatening with a fall.

To combat both problems, Floorsafe Australia has added to its range of safety stair nosings an affordable Fibreglass stair nosing.

“Unlike other stair tread products, the new safety yellow and black hazardous design highlights both the top and face surfaces of each tread,” said Philip.

“The new product is available in full lengths or, to save waste material and

Rip Change - a real saver WORX+, a new, Australian owned and operated company focused on the needs of the concrete grinding and polishing operator, has introduced a new solution for the changing and preserving of resin diamond pads for the concrete contractor.

The new Rip Change resin mounting discs exclusive to WORX+ enable operators to leave their resin pads set-up for the duration of the pad life.

Simply set-up resins on the Rip Change discs and then attach the Rip Change discs to the resin holder discs. To change resin step or grit size, simply peel off the Rip Change disc along with the resin pads still attached to it. No screw driver or scraper required.

WORX+ solutions have been designed to save the end user time, increase effectiveness, remove

50 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

time, Floorsafe will custom cut to fit each step.”

A standard stock size of 30mm x 70mm is always available in hazardous, plain safety yellow or black. Larger step sizes are available upon request.

“In today’s world people are rushing around and therefore an accident/injury is more likely to happen.

Pain with discomfort can result to long term care.

Choosing one of Floorsafe safety products can help you to prevent your staff and customers from work related slip and fall accidents,” said Philip.

“Avoiding accidents will also reduce the chance of workers compensation claims and lead to lower insurance premiums.

Research shows that having safer walk surfaces will also lead to higher productivity.

“A duty of care is a must. Protecting your staff, employees and customers has proven to save money and produce a safe and happy work environment.”

Bosch makes light work of cleaning

purchase risk, grow knowledge and support daily operations.

Each product is application proven ensuring that only products with real tangible benefits are delivered to customers.

The WORX+ team, formerly the founders of King Concepts, has operated in the fields of manufacturing and distribution of grinding equipment, global product management, global training and support, global repair and service.

The company’s product line includes an impressive line up of diamond tools, accessories, spare parts and equipment service options for surface preparation and polishing applications across many different machinery brands.

Bosch Blue makes cleaning even the messiest worksite a breeze with the GAS 18V-LI cordless vacuum cleaner.

Work and construction sites produce high volumes of dust and waste, which can make cleaning an arduous task for professional tradesmen. With the launch of Bosch Blue’s GAS 18V-LI Professional cordless vacuum cleaner in July 2013, tradies will be able to get the job done in no time at all.

The GAS 18V-LI Professional features a twospeed control for optimised suction power in various applications, including sawdust and sand, as well as those harder to pick up follicles.

Powered by Bosch’s 1.3Ah4.0Ah Lithium Ion battery

packs, the new vacuum guarantees the longest runtime on the market in one battery charge.

Demonstrating the latest technology in filtering, the GAS 18V-LI Professional reduces allergy and other associated health risks. The HEPA filtering system (high efficiency particulate air) is capable of trapping large volumes of tiny particles and retaining them in the large 700ml dust cup.

Specifically designed for ease of use, Bosch Blue’s sleek new vacuum is amongst the most compact on the market. Featuring a soft grip for comfortable use, its ergonomic design reduces fatigue when handling.

Entrance

Choosing the right entrance matting

By Andrew Goldberg, Mat World Division of Pall Mall Manufacturing Co It is generally accepted that there is a marked difference between domestic and commercial carpeting. To no less an extent is there a considerable difference between commercial mats depending on the traffic that matting is expected to accept. And the consequence of choosing the wrong

matting shows up in the very expensive cost of constantly having to replace low-quality matting in high traffic areas.

It is an unfortunate truism that matting quality is not easily determined simply by its look or even by its feel and the result is that, too often, poor quality matting designed for low traffic volumes is

371-0213 Red Heat Advert Flooring Magazine Feb-Mar 2013 v02.pdf

Saint-Gobain Abrasives Pty Ltd 15 Edgars Road, Thomastown, Victoria Australia 3074 Toll Free: 1300 007 650 Fax: 03 9930 7832

www.saint-gobain.com.au Saint-Gobain Abrasives Ltd 70 Wharf Road, Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland, New Zealand 0610 Phone: 09 834 7119 Fax: 0800 404 044

www.abrasives.net.nz Š Saint-Gobain Abrasives Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.

371-0213

1

placed in high traffic areas.

There are a number of reasons for such a failing but, as often as not, it is the result of passing off poor quality matting as better priced high quality material.

And the better price of the cheaper matting, however small the difference, may well be the deciding factor. But

19/02/13

10:31 AM

the decision to buy cheap matting often ends up being an expensive one.

Just like all carpeting, the quality of carpet-faced commercial matting is a product of the weight of fibre used. In recent times, in an attempt to maintain low prices in the face of the escalating cost of oilbased plastic fibres such as nylon or polypropylene, manufacturers and suppliers have taken to offering lower and lower weight of carpet fibre disguised in a very loosely punched pattern. The consequence is that 18 to 22 oz carpet-face is sold into areas where seriously high traffic is the norm.

The fact is that anything from 40 to 60 oz carpet face is available for really high traffic areas such as shopping centres or airports and they should be specified.

53

Entrance 51 In addition such matting is invariably tightly punched so that there is great resistance to traffic patterns as well as ensuring far longer life in the presence of heavy traffic.

Even in medium traffic areas at the very least 24 oz should be specified – anything less can be a seriously poor investment as a result of the short life of the matting.

When considering cost it should be noted that a mat with double or more carpet fibre by weight than a carpet face of, say, 24 ozs per sq yard costs only about 20% more but the better matting ensures a life of as much as double that of the lighter weight matting. So cheap matting is clearly a false economy in such areas.

Very high traffic Hydrasorb matting with 59 oz carpet face.

High impact backing

Another necessity is the use of high-impact backing – usually good quality vinyl or rubber.

The force of a shoe heel of an average weight person striking an entrance mat is gigantic. In addition to the quality of the carpet face, the backing needs to be able to resist cracking or breaking down under such pressure.

Worst of all scenarios is the use of carpet-face without backing, as the force of the heel strike is then taken up by the carpet face itself and this is exacerbated when such carpet is placed on the typical hard surfaces such as terrazzo or other stone floors that are the norm in public building entrances.

Size is all important

It is a fact that it requires as much as 10 metres of entrance matting to remove 99% of dirt from shoes.

And since 70% to 80% of all dirt, dust and grime in public buildings is tracked in from outside and spread through the floors of the building, protection of the floor itself with an appropriate size of mat becomes an essential if floor maintenance costs are to be prevented from escalating dramatically.

As an example of the effect of not having a mat or even having an undersized mat at an entrance, it takes only 1500 people entering a building where there is not a mat to remove 42% of the polish and reduce the gloss by 24%. The consequence of that is clearly the expense of an increased cost of floor maintenance. Considereng that three metres of matting in the entrance will remove only 50% of the dirt off shoes, the size of the mat used becomes very important.

Even the edging used counts Even the use of quality edging has a bearing on the effectiveness and life of the mat. So often poor edging is used where wheeled traffic tears such edging to pieces relatively quickly. At no extra expense, seriously heavy duty edging is available and should be specified where heavy traffic is expected. This is

52 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

particularly important in sites such as shopping centres or supermarkets where shopping trolleys play havoc with poor quality edging.

Edging itself is an obvious essential to prevent trips and falls. However, the further the edging reaches out from the edge of the mat, the lower the angle of the slope, the less the possibilities of trips and, as a bonus, the easier to push a trolley onto the matting. A 40mm edging with almost double the thickness compared to standard 25mm edging is a real necessity.

Most importantly, it is invaluable to have options available so that all circumstances can be taken into account when a choice is being made. The wider the range available the better the chance of making the right decision. Its not just about patterns and colours. Its about being able to choose the best mat for the specific environment and site.

Looking for a sea change in the most magic place in the world?

FOR SALE: Andersens Floor Coverings Innisfail. Only ceramic tile outlet in town A very successful business that has been locally owned and operated for 40 years. It has a loyal and stable client base. Suited to an owner/operator. Great main road exposure with off street parking and long lease is renewable. Excellent sales and growth Andersens corporate awards for Highest Sales Growth 2012 and Local Area marketing award 2012.

The Cassowary Coast offers a relaxed outdoors lifestyle, with Mission Beach just down the road. All essential services are available. The area is surrounded by natural beauty tropical rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef on your doorstep… what more could you ask for.

Warehouse with large range of stock on hand, which is negotiable. POA. Owners have purchased another business. Contact Rick on 0424685564.

Expressions of interest to expand our very successful buying group.

Established over 35 years, Independent Carpets is a unique NSW based buying group, which gives it’s members great buying power with all major Suppliers and Manufacturers but able to keep their Independent identity.

Don`t miss this opportunity !

Email enquiries to: jack@goldencarpets.com.au

INNISFAIL: 170 Edith St

IF

YOU

CAN READ

THIS YOU

ARE

LUCKY Do you know someone who is vision impaired, has a disability, or can speak, but not necessarily read English their second language; With 17 RPH stations around the country, there is a Radio Reading Service near you - or them - that will keep them in touch with the printed news and allow them to still enjoy a good book.

Go to www.rph.org.au to find out which station is nearest and start a new chapter in their life.

Andersens have 50 years in the industry with an unmatched reputation and continued business growth, the search to find the best possible people for our businesses is ongoing.

Andersens is a dynamic and professional organisation with good working conditions, challenging and exciting career opportunities, attractive earning potential and benefits.

Sales Consultant (Gladstone – Full Time Position) The position will provide the opportunity to earn a high income (base salary plus commissions) with flexible working hours. There will be both personal and professional development opportunities with ongoing training and support provided. Commercial experience will be highly regarded.

Applicants will possess the following attributes: • • • • • •

Sales Experience (flooring industry knowledge an advantage) Strong focus on customer service Supportive team member Confidence, tenacity and a positive attitude Excellent communication skills Computer skills and manual driver’s license

Installers Applicants must be proficient in flooring installations and repairs. Reliable transportation, excellent communication skills and a focus on customer service is paramount.

If you think you’ve got what it takes to exceed expectations, please email your resume to ktankard@andersens.com.au. Please note that only short listed applicants will be contacted.

Katrina Tankard, Manager | Tel: (07) 4972 2066

Flooring Aug/Sept 2013 53

Advertisers Index

Exhibitioncalendar

2013 Exhibitions SEPTEMBER 2013

OCTOBER 2013

7-10

3-5

Home Decor + Hometextile 2013. China International Furniture Fair (September)

Guangzhou, China hhchtc.fairwindow.com/en/index.htm 11-15

Auckland Home Show 2013 Renovations, building, outdoor living and home improvement, kitchen & bath

Auckland, New Zealand www.aucklandhomeshow.co.nz 12-14

100% Design Singapore 2013 Contemporary interior design exhibition presenting the latest furniture, lighting, bathroom/kitchen, floor & wall coverings for interior designers, architects, retailers and specifiers Singapore www.100percentdesign.com.sg 18-21 100% Design London 2013

Contemporary Interior Design Exhibition

London, UK www.100percentdesign.co.uk 25-27

Heimtextile Russia 2013 International Trade Fair for Hometextiles, Floor Coverings and Interior Furnishings Moscow, Russian Federation www.heimtextil.messefrankfurt.ru/

18 & 19

31

53

Andersens - Gladstone Archquip

53

12

Australian Flooring Supplies

37

BBS Flooring Products

45

Choices Flooring

2&9

6-8 NYICS 2013

New York International Carpet Show

New York, USA www.nyics.com

Classic Architectural Products 28 & 29

18-21 India Carpet Expo

Varanasi, India www.indiancarpets.com

Intafloors

19-24

High Point Market Fall Ed. 2013 Fall International Furnishings Industry Trade Show

High Point, USA www.highpointmarket.org

Independent Carpets

53

India Carpet Expo

15

NOVEMBER 2013

Laser Measure Australia

43

Leister AG

30

Mapei Australia

25

MJS Floorcoverings

35

7-10

Domotex Middle East 2013 World trade fair for carpets and floor coverings

Istanbul, Turkey www.domotex-middle-east.com

The Hotel Show 2013 Suppliers of equipment, technology and services to the hospitality industry

Dubai, UAE www.thehotelshow.com

FLOORS Australia and New Zealand

The only specialist business publication for the flooring and floorcoverings industry. Totally pertinent to the floorcovering retailer, manufacturer, distributor, specifier and interior designer. flooring incorporating PIC (Preparation, Installation, Care) services the Domestic Commercial & Industrial Flooring markets.

I wish to subscribe to Flooring Magazine HOW TO ORDER

Clever Choice Cornell Group

A.B.N. 27 006 876 419

PO BOX 800 TEMPLESTOWE VICTORIA 3106, AUSTRALIA +61 3 9890 0815 FAX: +61 3 9890 0087 Email: info@elitepublishing.com.au 54 Flooring Aug/Sept 2013

23

11

47

GMK Logistics

17

GTP Australasia

6

10, 22 & 34

Jacobsen Tredsafe Kennards

49

21 & Back Cover

Protect Crete Australia QEP

5

Saint-Gobain Abrasive

27 39 & 40

51

Shaw Contract Group Front Cover & 7 Signature Floorcoverings Ufloor-Systems

33 Insert

www.flooringmagazine.com.a uu www.flooringmagazine.com.a IT’S FREE! JUST ENTER YOUR DETAILS BELOW Name* Company Address* Postcode*

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Con-Treat

RFMS Australasia *** For more information on the fairs or to confirm dates, please check the individual websites.

incorporating

PUBLISHING Co PTY LTD

Airstep Australia Andersens - Innisfail

Techtextil India 2013 International Fair for Fabrics, Yarns, Thread, Textiles, Furnishings and Accessories

Mumbai, India www.techtextil-india.co.in

28-30

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