dec 2016/jan 2017
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CONGRATULATIONS to Grant Edwards & Tiffany Parsell on joining the Carpet Court Group.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Anthony Carter, Kara Norris, Rodney Walker, Shelley Craft, Tiffany Parsell, Grant Edwards & James Hayward.
Carpet Court opens it’s 200th store in Darwin! Carpet Court opened it’s first Northern Territory store, the opening was indicative of the company’s continued success within the Australian home renovation sector. We would like to welcome Tiffany & Grant from Design & Décor Carpet Court to the group, located at 3/69 Winnellie Rd, Winnellie. For franchise opportunties please contact: Southern Network Manager (VIC/SA/WA/TAS/NT) Brett Talbot Ph: 0499 800 702 Brett.talbot@carpetcourt.com.au
www.carpetcourt.com.au
Northern Network Manager (NSW/QLD) Greg Zeegers Ph: 0488 079 326 Greg.zeegers@carpetcourt.com.au
DOMOTEX Be where great business begins Get the new business year off to a perfect start at the world’s leading trade fair for carpets and floor coverings. DOMOTEX features all the latest products, innovations and trends, putting you and your business on the fast track to global business.
14 – 17 January 2017 Hannover ▪ Germany
test a l e h T lance: g a t a ions@ t a v o Inn TEX O M O D
domotex.de
The World of Flooring
Hannover Fairs Australia Pty Ltd · +61 2 92 80 34 00 · info@hf-australia.com
incorporating
FLOORS
dec 2016/jan 2017 | vol 34 no 06 www.flooringmagazine.com.au
Industry News
Special Features
Regular Reports
FrontCover
10 Bentleigh’s Latest Edition
26 Designer Rugs Launches Mindscape Collection
16 Focus On: Carpet Court Hits 200-Store Milestone With Inaugural Opening in NT
01 Choices Flooring
14 Cadex Creates More Business Opportunities For Flooring Companies 15 Young Designers at Domotex
30 Tarkett Launches Revolutionary Flooring Range
24 Airstep Retailer of the Month: Simons Carpet One – Tasmania 54 Exhibition Calendar
4 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
CASH MACHINE BONUS
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New mobile franchise opportunities now available from only $50k. For over 60 years Andersens have been building successful floor covering franchises all over QLD and Northern NSW. We are now working to take our highly recognised and universally respected Brand into new markets. To ensure success, we have developed Australia’s most accessible floor covering franchise model. We now have a limited number of ‘Showroom on Wheels’ franchises available so don’t delay.
And to ensure your business charges ahead from the word go, Andersens are committed to sticking with you every step of the way. From the initial set up and training to your grand opening and ongoing 12 month business plan support, our team can have your business up and running fast. For a confidential discussion on how owning an Andersens franchise can put you a step ahead of the rest, call Brendan Mulheran on 0448 946 373 or email bmulheran@andersens.com.au
*Available to the first 20 approved applicants only.
andersens.com.au
Upfront
Welcome to the last issue of Flooring magazine for 2016 and the first issue of the same publication for 2017! By the time you read this jam-packed edition of Flooring, you will have eaten the turkey and Christmas pudding, watched the Sydney to Hobart race and probably played a game or two of backyard cricket. The holidays are always a good time to leisurely pour over your favourite magazine, and we hope you enjoy this issue of Flooring. It’s also a time to make new year resolutions and what better way to do this – especially when your home or business is involved – than with keeping up-to-date with new flooring products, information and ideas. As always, this issue of the magazine delves into the flooring world with a spotlight on: News; Business and Products; Vinyl; Carpet and Rugs and so much more. Happy reading and Happy New Year everyone! See you in 2017….
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
ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD PUBLISHERS OF: Supplier Woodworking Magazine, Tile Today Magazine, Discovering Stone Magazine, FB Magazine, Flooring Magazine, Finishes & Surfaces Magazine Member of the International Woodworking and Furniture Supplier Magazine Association
PUBLISHER Vicky Cammiade Email: vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au EDITOR Ronnie Gramazio Email: ronnie.gramazio@elitepublishing.com.au TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Philip Ashley philipneilashley@yahoo.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
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BANK QLD’s
No1
Flooring Brand
Manager Wanted Queensland’s number one floor and window coverings brand is looking for a Store Manager to run our $7 million + Toowoomba operation. We see this role being filled by an exceptional retailer with a passion to grow this flagship store, while maintaining the high expectations of customer service and operational integrity that Andersens are famous for. The applicant will need to possess the following attributes: •
Proven ability to drive results
•
Commercial Awareness and strong business acumen
•
Excellent customer service and communication skills
•
The ability to problem solve & be organised
•
Talent for managing, coaching and developing a team
An attractive salary package will be available to the candidate who proves successful in displaying their drive, passion, motivation to succeed, and openness to learning and development. For further information or a private and confidential discussion about the Toowoomba Store Manager vacancy, call Brendan Mulheran on 0448 946 373 or email bmulheran@andersens.com.au We currently have numerous opportunities open and ready to be filled across Brisbane, Brisbane North, Gold Coast and Regional Queensland. With specific roles available for installers, window coverings specialists, experienced sales people, administrative and warehouse staff. These roles will go quickly so email bmulheran@andersens.com.au today.
andersens.com.au
News
Kenbrock’s Modular Plank Ranges Continue to Gain Popularity The SmartDrop Acoustic range of vinyl planks were at the forefront of the introduction to the Australia market of 5mm thick modular planks. After many years, the SmartDrop range continues to be a product that is specified and used with confidence. Part of the SmartDrop success story is that it offers the market a luxury vinyl plank that can be installed in the same way as modular carpet tiles. This enables both residential and large commercial projects to have products installed faster and provides easier repairs if required. 8 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
Many leading architectural firms in Australia have specified SmartDrop because of its proven features and benefits. These include the products' enhanced acoustical benefits, Dura Coat PUR low maintenance surface, low VOC, Nano Silver anti-bacterial treatment, whilst also being free from heavy metal substances. The latest technology is used in production in an ISO9001/ISO14001 certified facility that ensures no less than 25% recycle content is used plus the product itself is
100% recyclable, making SmartDrop a sustainable choice for the environment. Kenbrock has ensured that the SmartDrop Acoustic range of planks adhere to stringent tests so that the product continues to be a market ground breaker. One of the tests performed was a Chamber test that proves SmartDrop is a leader in dimensional stability. Commercial projects such as the Soda Apartments in Brisbane, DHA Townhouses at Enoggera and the Shangri-La Hotel in The Rocks in Sydney are just some of the locations where SmartDrop Acoustic
has provided an attractive flooring solution. Kenbrock’s National Sales Manager, Bill Moore, said: “We understand the importance of colour and design as well as the technical features and benefits that are required to make a range successful. That is why we spent a considerable amount of time working at and with the factory design team to develop special Australianinspired timbers such as the iconic Blackbutt and spotted gum. To complete the range and provide balance we then included on-trend European and American timbers.”
News
Bentleigh’s Latest Addition On the busy thoroughfare that is the Nepean Highway, Zabi and his small team recently opened their Flooring Xtra doors, hoping to attract a piece of the coveted market in Melbourne’s bayside area. This shouldn’t be too difficult for Zabi who has worked in the flooring industry for many years, but importantly, also in the Bentleigh area for a good part of that time. He saw an opportunity to provide something a bit different to his established clientele which he hopes will expand and grow with time. The old kayak store is now unrecognisable after the speedy overhaul of the space. The once run-down store is now a contemporary gallery,
designed to display their growing range. From carpet and timber flooring through to window treatments, rugs and tiles, the Bentleigh store has it all. Recently, the experienced flooring salesperson, Wazza, has come on board to help with the everyday running of the showroom, allowing Zabi to focus a little more on growing the business. He researched a great deal prior to choosing Flooring Xtra, but cited the quick moving and helpful support office as one of the deciding factors for joining the Flooring Xtra group. After only being open for a short while, Zabi headed to the conference in Melbourne where he enjoyed being part
YOUR ONE STOP FLOORING SHOP! of it all. While he didn’t walk away with an award this year, he did manage to score a weekend’s accommodation in the city which he’s looking forward to. Zabi has 11 years of industry experience. “I love
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getting out of the showroom and working with people, communicating with the customers”. He’s excited and hopeful about his future with Flooring Xtra, believing with hard work the store has a “bright future”.
Carpet Court joined forces with The Block recently to take part in The Block Open Day The event took place at The Block 2016 apartments in Port Melbourne and gave fans the chance to meet their favourite Blockheads and tour the new apartments. Carpet Court were thrilled to host a stall during the day, where visitors could view Carpet Court products in real life and chat
with Carpet Court’s flooring experts about the right solution for their home. Carpet Court ambassador, interior designer and judge of The Block, Darren Palmer also attended the event as Carpet Court’s special guest. Throughout the day Darren met fans and encouraged them to enter Carpet Court’s Instagram competition for their chance to win one of his Provincial Lane rugs.
ROBERTS COMPACT MK-5 CARPET CUTTING MACHINE With warehouse space becoming more expensive and OH&S requirements becoming more prevalent, it is important to consider all options in order to achieve a cost effective, safe and effective work environment. When a carpet cutting machine becomes a requirement, the Roberts Compact MK-5 should be at the top of the list. Australian made with a combination of careful design, quality construction and modern technology, the Roberts Compact MK-5 is a ‘must have’ for all floor covering warehouses.
SPECIFICATIONS Unit size:
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Electric power source:
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Unit weight:
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Lead Time:
6 weeks from date of order
Maximum roll weight:
650kg
Required deposit:
50% on order date, balance on delivery
Maximum roll diameter Unroll:
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Price:
$42,000 Plus GST and Freight ex Melbourne
Maximum roll diameter Roll up:
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AVAILABLE NATIONALLY FROM ROBERTS DISTRIBUTORS
For more information please call QEP Australia on 03 9797 1888
QLD:
PR Floors 07 3807 4422
NSW: AFS 02 9756 4682 ACT:
AFS 02 6239 1549
VIC:
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Floors of Tasmania 03 6334 3455
SA:
Glendene Distributors 08 8346 0900
WA:
Aussie Floorcovering Distributors 08 9344 8448
News
What Happens On Your Floor When You’re Not Around? Launched mid-September Choices Flooring’s latest online campaign ‘What happens on your floor when you're not around?’ received over 500,000 views in the first two weeks thanks to its simple, relatable and humorous message which showcases a variety of floors taking a beating from everyday life. “The key was to ensure the different lifestyles of our target markets were at the heart of our creative, so we captured different flooring scenarios in a way that enables us to connect with them on a personal and emotional level,” said
Newfurn’s GM – Marketing, Jason Verstak. As part of their comprehensive online campaign, Choices Flooring is encouraging viewers to share their #notaround flooring moments by uploading a photo or video to their website (choicesflooring.com.au). The most creative entries will win a double Gold Class pass and the chance to feature in their next advertisement. To support online activities, the campaign will also feature in selected Village and Hoyts cinemas until December.
Floorworld Opens in Crows Nest Floorworld recently launched a brand-new store in Crows Nest, on Sydney’s Lower North Shore. This is the second store in Sydney and the fourth new store opened this year. In 2017, Floorworld plans to open another 5 stores in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales. Owners, Farshad, Faez and Tina Norouzian have over 40 years combined flooring experience in the floor covering industry, specialising in selling and installing an extensive range of floor coverings: carpet; carpet tiles;
cushion and hard flooring and blinds. Floorworld’s strong preferred supplier base which includes products from Australia’s biggest brands in floorcoverings provides a strong, consistent core range of products that suits all needs in both residential and commercial markets. Farshad, Faez and Tina Norouzian have introduced Floorworld’s unique shop fitout which provides customers in Sydney’s north with a relaxed shopping experience when browsing or selecting their new floor coverings.
Choices Flooring Catalogue Recently Launched Choices Flooring recently launched its Floors for Living – Spring/Summer 2016 Catalogue, which takes decorating from the floor-up to a whole new level. Featuring over 60 products, Choices Flooring’s Floors for Living Catalogue takes consumers through 20 pages of themed room settings featuring
12 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
a variety of flooring solutions, to ensure they find the floor they’ve been searching for. With over 5.2 million catalogues (the biggest in the group’s history) being distributed in both state and local newspapers across Australia, the group is set for a busy period in the lead up to Christmas.
Earthy Tones, Contemporary & Eco-Friendly. In keeping with our customer promise to fulfil your expectations and keep up with current trends, we have now released an all-new range of contemporary inserts for our Vantt 5500 architectural entrance matting range. Available with our ever popular variety of anodised aluminium colours, but now with more matting insert colour options, we offer you more creativity in the entrance area than you’ve ever had before. That’s Classic.
Low Impact For the Environment LIFE® products.
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www.classic-arch.com Melbourne • Sydney • Brisbane Adelaide • Perth • Auckland Copyright © 2016 - Classic Architectural Group Pty Ltd
T 1300 244 377 E info@classic-arch.com W www.classic-arch.com
OverseasNews Cadex Creates More Business Opportunities for Flooring Companies Design and Architecture will take centre stage as highlights of Domotex asia/ Chinafloor in 2017. Cadex, the international events for connecting, learning and doing business in the design and architecture industry will hold for the second year and for the first time as an integrated part of Domotex asia/Chinafloor inside W5 and N2 halls. Cadex will work as collective of architecture and design-related stimulating content and will generate two and a half days of conferences, networking events, interactive activities, creative display and much more. Cadex will invite design masters to explore the most cutting edge and hottest topics within the industry such as all-in-one
home decoration, retreat and boutique hotels, smart home, culture architecture and rebuild. Cadex will also cooperate with the Chinese Tongji University – College of Design & Innovation to establish Flooring LAB; a platform to analyse the upcoming flooring trends and discover new creative ways of using flooring materials. Key opinion leaders will hold a variety of dialogues and they will also guide tours throughout the whole exhibition centre to point out and explore the most relevant content. Once again, Cadex will host Materia, the global network in the area of innovative materials. In a total area of 300 square metres, visitors can get a closer look to hundreds of outstanding innovative building material samples.
Visitor Online Registration Opens for DOMOTEX asia/ CHINAFLOOR 2017 The biggest trade fair in the Asia-Pacific region for floor coverings has opened its visitor online registration portal for the next trade fair between 21 and 23 March, 2017, in Shanghai, China. Trade visitors can now register online and secure complimentary admission tickets. Online registration provides trade visitors with various special benefits such as the opportunity to contact exhibitors before the event, to access the site and search for new product launches and innovations, as well as to plan their visit wisely. Months before the doors open, 85 percent of the display space
14 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
is already booked. Around 900 companies have now registered. David Zhong, President of VNU Exhibitions Asia, one of the organisers of the trade fair, explained: “The flooring sector in our region has experienced enormous growth and some amazing developments in recent years. The Asia-Pacific region already accounts for 40 percent of the global market for flooring products. A fast-growing number of Chinese and Asian flooring manufacturers have focused on technological improvements and innovations.
Vermeister, South Pacific Timber Partnership Announced Vermeister is present in over 40 countries throughout the world, and its presence can now be felt in New Zealand. Vermeister manufactures chemical wood floor solutions such as finishes, adhere to stringent tests. The company – certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2000 for its quality system – has become increasingly more committed over the years to carrying out research and developing products that safeguard the
environment, the health of the user and those living where products are applied. This presents itself well with the South Pacific Timber partnership. South Pacific Timber is New Zealand’s largest stockist of mouldings, T&G flooring, weatherboards and building products. It is well known in the industry for its vast range of ex-stock profiles and their ability to custom machine for special jobs.
European Laminate Design at Domotex Germany Is Set to Influence International Markets The Domotex 2017 trade fair in Hanover, Germany is expected to see European laminate flooring live up to its reputation as the frontrunner in modern flooring design. Manufacturers and suppliers within the European Laminate Flooring (EPLF) Association will have the opportunity to showcase their impressive array of innovative laminate products – with their proven top design quality, eco-friendly manufacturing processes and inherent technical features for best performance. There are three dominant styles in living and furnishing trends around the world today: ‘country’, ‘urban’ and ‘modern’. Whereas ‘country’ style emphasises natural and regional materials, ‘urban’ fuses the industrial look with elements of city style, and ‘modern’ denotes the elegance and timelessness of interior design in the spirit of the design classics. None of these three trends can be
clearly delineated, making overlapping and intermingling a popular choice. Laminate, which is considered versatile in design and technologically at the very forefront, is now available with even more size options. The choice now includes extra tile sizes, single-strip planks in various dimensions, plus a large variety of modern multi-strip styles. Traditional country-style planks, wide and generously proportioned, are still the most popular. More and more new and improved quality laminate products are evolving in the European laminate flooring industry as a result of the input of fresh design ideas and the intelligent use of innovative technologies. Under the slogan ‘Quality and Innovation Made in Europe’, European laminate floor manufacturers and their suppliers are said to be advancing with confidence into 2017, a brand new year for flooring.
Young Designers at Domotex How do trendsetting flooring concepts come about? Simple: just take creative thinkers from five countries and renowned designer Stefan Diez as their mentor and organise a workshop in Diez’s studio in Munich. Following an invitation by Deutsche Messe and Stefan Diez, a group of pioneering designers came together in July to work on DOMOTEX's new “Young Designer Trendtable” venture. Since then, the team has done a lot of research and experiments to identify new trends for the flooring industry and to provide fresh impulses. At DOMOTEX 2017 (14 –17 January), visitors can take inspiration from the results of the international designers’ work, exhibited in Hall 9. In five individually designed exhibition areas, the young
talents will be showcasing their trend statements for ‘future flooring’, implementing their visions in the form of an installation. The Trendtable will not only be a magnet for industry visitors, but also for exhibitors looking for inspiration.
DOMOTEX-YoungDesigner-Trendtable 2017 – Trend Statements Bilge Nur Saltik from Turkey and the UK: “Hard and soft, industrial and artisan – playing with contrasts“ Bilge Nur Saltik from Istanbul has a vision for the flooring of the future that combines hard with soft materials, and industrial with artisan joining methods. This leads to an unusual floor covering with a unique haptic quality. She draws attention to the transitions between different materials as an element of design. Jane Briggs and Christy Cole (Briggs&Cole) from Scotland:
“Merzing– reformulating contemporary and site-specific spaces.” The vision of Jane Briggs and Christy Cole takes inspiration from Kurt Schwitters’ Merzbau in Hanover, in which a whole-room installation covers the floor, walls and ceiling. In the same way, the floor covering by these two Glasgow designers is to be suited to all surfaces, combining craftwork with digital printing and high-tech materials. The idea of personalising digital printing and creating individual, high-quality collages makes it possible for users to commission “their” exclusive floors. Klaas Kuiken from the Netherlands: “The user makes the floor“ Klaas Kuiken sees the future of floors in constant change of the surface. His design is about interaction with the floor: when users walk on tile-like elements that are connected to each other but react individually to pressure and shift slightly as they do so, colours or optionally light become visible at the edges. As with a hightech track, people leave traces on the flooring and change it.
Hanne Willmann from Germany: “Celebrate craft heritage, create new authenticity“ The vision of the Berlin designer Hanne Willmann for the flooring of the future is about a new authenticity, and about increasing appreciation of craftwork and making it visible again. Her project puts the spotlight on the processing and manufacturing methods of various floor coverings. She takes inspiration from experiments with colours, materials, tools and processes. Victoria Wilmotte from France: “A new look for the stone floor – focus on the joint“ Victoria Wilmotte’s vision of a floor of the future turns to traditional materials like stone and marble, but combines them in a new way. This designer from Paris breaks with the usual system by using binders of artificial resin. This makes new arrangements possible, and the joint, in the past usually an unwelcome aspect, takes centre stage as the connecting element in order to determine the appearance of this innovative stone floor.
Gekko G57 is a ‘new generation’ spray applied pressure sensitive flooring adhesive in a canister system. It can be used for many carpet tile and underlay tackifier applications. It develops an extremely fast tack, whilst exhibiting an extended open time & strong grab. Gekko G57 is suitable for use on most common subfloors.
02 6175 0574 sales@quin-global.com.au www.gekkoindustries.co.uk
Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017 | 15
FocusOn
Carpet Court Hits 200-store Milestone With Inaugural Opening in NT Australia’s largest flooring and blinds retailer Carpet Court has reached its 200-store milestone, after welcoming the Darwin-based Design & Décor Carpet Court to its nationwide franchise. The first Carpet Court store to open in the Northern Territory, the opening is indicative of the company’s continued success within the Australian home renovation sector, with an in-store presence that now stretches across every state to support its established online customer base. A source of valuable design advice, superb service and expert flooring installation, Design & Décor Carpet Court will offer Darwin locals a 16 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
creative space from which to draw the latest design inspiration. Store owner and interior design enthusiast, Tiffany Parsell, wanted her ‘Design Hub’ to bring out the creative side in each of her customers, working with the Carpet Court team to consider every element of the store, including the showroom’s layout and its customised product range selected specifically with the Darwin market in mind.
“Choosing your floors is one of the key aspects to your home’s colour palette and overall style, so the main focus with Design & Décor Carpet Court is to inspire customers when they walk through the door,” explains Tiffany. “It is a creative space where locals who are renovating, building or just adding to their home or investment can interact with products and receive design advice to create the look they love.”
For business-minded individuals who are passionate about home improvement, like Tiffany, being inducted as a member of the Carpet Court network is an opportunity to become part of the driving force behind Australia’s rapidly growing home improvements scene. Using their own renovation and styling experience, Carpet Court store owners have built one of the most vibrant and successful franchisee
networks in Australia, and one which continues to grow at an unprecedented rate as demand for quality flooring products and professional expertise continues to surge. In line with the organisation’s rapid expansion, new Carpet Court franchise opportunities are opening up across the country. Each store is locally owned and operated, while still benefitting from the influence of the wider Carpet
Court network, with support offered across all aspects of business operations, from marketing to merchandising. Carpet Court’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kara Norris, explains the rationale behind the organisation’s structure: “Carpet Court puts teams that possess unrivalled product and design knowledge at the forefront of our operations to enable renovators of all abilities to achieve even the most ambitious design plans.”
“Carpet Court puts teams that possess unrivalled product and design knowledge at the forefront of our operations to enable renovators of all abilities to achieve even the most ambitious design plans.”
Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017 | 17
FocusOn
Choices Flooring and the Digital Age With the constant evolution of technology, customers and retailers alike have an abundance of opportunities to enhance their online experience whether it is by upgrading to the latest device or downloading the newest digital platform. After years of market forecasts, there is no denying that Australian consumers have long lagged behind their European and US counterparts when it comes to embracing innovations within technology, until now. As connected retail technology links consumers, devices and data for smarter shopping experiences, from the high street to online, in-store to mobile applications, it has never been more important for Australian retailers to adapt, change and evolve. As consumers are now always connected, enabling them to research products and fulfil their needs is a challenge many retailers face, especially within Australia. As predicted, in 2016 connected retail sales in Australia influenced 88% of purchases.
Within three years, it has the potential to revolutionise most Australian industries and transform how retailers operate and how they connect with consumers. Using a combination of digital platforms, Choices Flooring has been pioneering opportunities in the digital space over the past four years to ensure their customers can ‘find the floor they’ve been searching for’ at the click of a button. With over 1 million
Using a combination of digital platforms, Choices Flooring has been pioneering opportunities in the digital space over the past four years to ensure their customers can ‘find the floor they’ve been searching for’ at the click of a button. YouTube views and 5 million Google Place page impressions it is easy to see how Choices Flooring is leading the way in digital marketing within the flooring industry. Whilst they understand that choosing flooring has a tactile element to it, in that visiting a store to experience the touch of the floor is imperative, they also understand that online research is essential in the customer’s buying process. Blogs, Facebook posts, Instagram competitions and flooring videos are just a few of the Choices Flooring content drivers making sure relevant information is
18 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
available to their customers. Using a blogging community that is second to none, new flooring content is uploaded every day which results in excellent engagement and is shared across all social media touch points with the aim to direct traffic to Choices Flooring’s biggest online hub, choicesflooring. com.au. Boasting over 1 million website visitors each year, the website has received a
new look and functionality that allows for a more userfriendly experience. The site has been developed to cater for the increasing mobile and tablet users (52%) that have now surpassed desktops users (48%). Whilst Choices Flooring commits to paid advertising through various home decorating and lifestyle sites, the traffic to the website is mainly made up of organic traffic (25%) and in more recent times has seen an exciting increase in the amount customers typing Choices Flooring directly into Google (23%) highlighting the fact that the Choices
Flooring is gaining greater brand recall in the wider community. Customers are now able to search on the website by lifestyle requirements (such as family friendly), can calculate their requirements along with creating a shortlist of their favourite products which they are able to send to their nearest store. The process is simple. Since the site launched in October 2016, page views have increased by 98% and time spent on the site has doubled. Recently, a viral ad was released to create a new way of engaging with customers where they asked Australian households ‘what happens on your floor when you’re not around?’ The ads were seen over 800,000 times on social media, creating excellent engagement with their target market and increased visits to the Choices Flooring website. Whilst Choices Flooring is perfecting their online experience they are also taking digital to the next level in-store. The Inspiration Station, (currently available in 40 Choices Flooring stores) is an interactive flooring program where customers can see the entire in-store flooring range in their own home. It’s a simple upload of the customer’s room image on the website then it appears on the Inspiration Station. As demands from the consumer for knowledge become ever more apparent, the continual need to evolve will be at the forefront of Choices Flooring’s digital strategies for 2017.
With over 70% of Australian consumers searching for flooring on mobile devices...
Choices Flooring has just released the next evolution of choicesflooring.com.au
key features include: • • • • •
Easy product navigation Adaptive design and functionality Informative and inspirational content Over 2,400 flooring references Greater multimedia functionality
choicesflooring.com.au
FocusOn
Make More Sales By Chris Ogden, Managing Director, RFMS Australia By shortening the sales process – Part 1 If we were in most other categories of retail, we would sell the customer on the benefits of a product and the reasons why they should be dealing with us, in relatively short order. From my own experience, I recall dealing with clients excited about the flooring solution I had just shown them, knowing I could have closed the sale - but for one thing. I did not know how much product they needed. Some time was going to pass before I could get their house measured, quantified, and quoted; time over which the initial excitement would diminish. In fact, the more time that passed between showing a product and getting a quote out, the less likely I was to make the sale. Nothing has changed. As retailers, we might have expectations as to how long it takes for our salespeople to get a quote into the hands of our customers. When we owned our flooring business, we required our salespeople to have a quote in the customer’s hands within 24 hours of completing the measure. Meanwhile, back in the real world… It is good to set goals, but they have to be realistic. Frankly, 24 hours was not realistic and we only rarely achieved it. Let’s look at the reasons why. The exact process will differ from business to business, but broadly it is similar across the industry. 1. If the customer cannot provide us with a plan, we need to get into their home. In most cases, the 20 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
time this takes is outside of our control. 2. The clock starts ticking from the day we get in to do the measure. Whether we do a sketch plan or a scale plan, very few salespeople will quantify in the home. There are a number of reasons for this, but often it comes down to time; almost invariably, the plan is taken back to the office for quantifying. 3. Where a plan is drawn to scale on site, the need to draw a scaled version of the plan at the office can be avoided. More often, the sketch plan has to be drawn to scale. 4. Once drawn to scale, quantifying can begin. For those with long experience in the industry, this is second nature, but it still takes time. For those with less experience, it takes longer, with the pressure of the knowledge that if they get it wrong they will miss the sale or worse, win it with insufficient product. 5. The quantities must then be converted into a quote, covering all costs, and with an appropriate margin; too high and we lose the sale; too low, we leave money on the table. In the meantime, salespeople have other demands on their time. Back in the office, they spend time looking after new customers in the showroom; they have to deal with phone leads, and answer phone queries from existing clients. In many businesses, there is installation to organise; product to order, and issues to deal with. The first casualty is invariably quantifying and quoting plans. When I visit
stores, I see stacks of job sheets and plans on desks. Many of these will have passed their “best before” date, and the sales opportunity will have been lost. Which is not to say that no quotes are getting out; just not quickly enough and in some cases, not getting out at all. Viable sales leads are lost because as an industry, our two most important activities, quoting and following up, are undermined by more operational activities. The IT sector has responded to the need we have to shorten the sales process by giving salespeople the ability to condense the process of seeling flooring. In the following article, we will have a brief look at one such solution, Measure Mobile, and how it enables salespeople to measure, quantify and quote in the home, on the first visit. There are all sorts of reasons why we are not quick to adopt new processes and why in particular we are suspicious of IT solutions that might replace long-standing, tried and true methodologies. There is one over-arching reason why you should look at it. Before moving on to part two, take the time to complete the table below (Figure 1) to see what one more sale per month per salesperson would do to your
bottom line. The example on the lefts shows the results for just two salespeople.
By shortening the sales process – Part 2 In Part One we outlined the steps that most flooring sales go through before the customer has their quote; what I would like to do is take you through those same steps in the tablet-based app, Measure Mobile.
1. Measuring.
If you have measurements from a client, you can use Measure Mobile on the sales floor. For this exercise, we are going to a customer’s home. Whether you use a tape or a laser measurer, you will measure the rooms as you have always done, except the measurements go into the tablet. This process is not much quicker than drawing a plan on paper, but the result is you will have a scaled, neat and accurate plan. 22
Average Sale GST exc.
$2500.00
Average Sale GST exc.
x number of salespeople__2_
$5,000.00
x number of salespeople
x 12 months
$60,000.00
x 12 months
x average GP%
$15,000.00
x average GP%
Figure 1.
TRYING TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER? Layers Diary Financials Debtors Quotes Stock
Mobile Sales Measuring Reporting Projects Sales
The Flooring Software leader for more than 30 years Clients in Australia and NZ since 1999 Over 8,000 ooring businesses already using RFMS worldwide Cloud hosted options available Flexible and ready for Retail, Commercial and Distributor Fully integrated solution, including tablets and laser measure
Australia: 1800 229 427 New Zealand: 0800 643 012
www.rfms.com
salesau@rfms.com
FocusOn
can swap out products in seconds to provide your client with options. This step of the process saves time and gives salespeople the confidence to give the customer a quote.
The key point is that instead of waiting 24 or 48 hours, or even longer, your client can have the quote before your salesperson leaves the house.
3. Quoting
2. Quantifying
You select the products for the rooms, and Measure Mobile does the rest. Whether the product is sold by the lineal metre or the square metre, Measure Mobile instantly gives you the quantities. At this point, you have all the flexibility to do what you might have otherwise done on paper, but quicker. You can change direction, add, delete and move seams; you
Measure Mobile will take you through automatic checklists related to the products you are selling, generating a quote that can be printed off, or emailed to your client; right from the customer’s home on the first visit. You have full control over the information presented, and as shown in the example you caninclude a plan with no dimensions showing the areas, and if you choose, the proposed seam placement.The key point is, instead of waiting 24 or 48 hours, or even longer, your client can have the quote before your salesperson leaves their house.
4. And More
Measure Mobile can do a great deal more than we can do justice to in the space we have. I invite you to visit our website, measuremobile.com where you will find dozens of videos. We would be happy to arrange a demo of the full
Measure suite of products, and show you how they can be used to suit your business workflow. Chris Ogden is a consultant and Director of RFMS Australasia a supplier of IT solutions specific to the flooring industry. Chris has an extensive background in all aspects of the flooring industry.
MEASUREMOBILE 3 the best mobile estimating software in the industry FREE DOWNLOAD AT:
• EASY TO USE • STORE IN THE CLOUD • ACCESS ANYWHERE
Australia: 1800 229 427 New Zealand: 0800 643 012 www.measuremobile3.com 22 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
salesau@rfms.com
Retailer of the month
S
From the Floor Up Simons Carpet One: Burnie, Devonport, Launceston and St. Helens. By Philip Ashley
24 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
imons Design Centre is well-known throughout all Northern Tasmania. Simons – as the locals know them – is a family owned Tasmanian business. Owners Robert and Kaye Milne saw a need for a carpet retail outlet in Burnie over thirty years ago and have driven the business to great success with a team of dedicated professional sales persons and skilled installers. The business has grown to five stores catering for the diverse needs of half the State estimated at 40,000 square kilometres; and half the population. Robert and Kaye have recently tasted success in horse racing but are still fully involved in Simons Design Centres. After Burnie, Simons opened Devonport, Queenstown, Launceston and St. Helens on the East Coast. With a team approaching fifty people, Simons has the knowledge and expertise to ensure they keep their customers satisfied. Experts in all types of floor and window coverings, Simons supply everything their customers need. Simons Design Centre is a member of the Carpet One Co-operative; the
World’s largest carpet retailer. They use mostly Australianmanufactured; recognised brands and because they are a co-operative, are able to supply a wider choice of product. Mark Short manages the Burnie and Devonport stores. St. Helens is managed by Greg Hotchkin and Queenstown by Helen Metcalf. The Launceston store is managed by Keven Milne and all managers work together to help maintain Simons Design Centre’s leading position in the state. Simons was the first retailer to bring discount flooring to Tasmania. Up until then the other carpet stores were just “travelling along” and it’s fair to say that Simons shook the industry up just a little. Even today, Simon’s first price is their best price; it’s a fair price and a discount price right from the start. And it’s working because Simon’s business is built heavily on referrals and return customers. Best of all, Worldwide research indicates that for every $100 spent with a co-operative group like Simons Carpet One, almost $43 is invested in the local (Tasmanian) community. Simons Carpet One customers are both commercial
and domestic and this varies from store to store. Commercial projects include aged care facilities and hospitals; including the Burnie General Hospital, unique in that it is one-storey with opening windows and a sea-view. Domestic customers include cashed-up retirees and holiday homes, some quite impressive on the coast and many seeking an ecological lifestyle. Robert says “We were once looked upon as an industry that was not eco sustainable but now it has changed to suit the times. There’s a lot of eco-product on the market and we can supply whatever our customers want. We can supply bottom end, top end and niche markets and we’re not afraid to put a product out there and see how it goes.” Simons’ diverse range of customers often want very different floor and window finishes. Robert says: “It’s tricky to buy stock but our managers really know their customers. Each region of the state seems to have
differing needs and so we vary our stock holding by region to meet their needs. Simons covers everyone with a complete range of products and if their customers want something special; Simons will get it for them. Robert says “Training begins from the floor up,” a pun for sure but one Simons puts into practice. Almost all their sales staff has come from outside the industry and this has been very successful. As Bibhu Mohapatra said: “As a creative person, you want to start with a blank canvas.” “We use Carpet One’s “University of the air; we have our own staff training and we employ carpet-laying apprentices” says Robert. Simons is committed to their customers. Robert says “We’re an honest company. Our slogan is “Our best price every time, and we do it right.” We warrant our workmanship and even if the manufacturer says a product doesn’t need replacing, we will do it if
we feel it’s not right, our name depends on it.” Tasmania is a wonderful place, full of history and natural charm with a good dose of magnificent scenery to top it all off. No wonder people are discovering this hidden gem; this “apple isle” in greater numbers than ever before. Despite the increasing number of visitors the population of Tasmania is similar to Newcastle’s with only an estimated 1,900 new residents to June 2015 and Hobart at the core of Tasmania’s growth. To succeed and grow in the Northern part of the state you need to improve your market share. Robert says “We adjust our business to provide a service where we know it will be most effective.” Expanded and re-designed showrooms; on-site parking and new warehouse facilities ensure that Simons Carpet One’s leading position is not compromised and Simons can meet the demands of a changing market from the floor up.
…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
Carpet&Rugs
Designer Rugs Launches Mindscape Collection
Designer Rugs’ newest collection MINDSCAPE by Gavin Harris is a bold exploration of shape, colour, and texture designed for contemporary commercial spaces and cutting-edge residential applications. Designer Rugs is well known for its collaborations with the biggest names in Australian design, including Dinosaur Designs: Catherine Martin and Akira Isogawa: and now Gavin Harris, the much-admired interior and industrial designer, is the latest name to grace the list. It is a natural partnership given Harris won Designer Rug’s Evolve rug design competition in 2010 and has since continued to design custom rugs for commercial projects through his position as Design Director of futurespace.
26 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
“Gavin specifies feature rugs that are dramatic in their colour play but also have an architectural edge, so it was a natural progression for him to design a collection for contemporary spaces,” says Lia Pielli, Senior Designer at Designer Rugs. The resulting collection is like no other Designer Rugs collection to date. Questioning the standard dimensions of rugs – dimensions that centuries – Harris explored shape, texture and pattern. The result is a collection that offers a new perspective on the form of a rug and its role in an interior landscape, thus the name MINDSCAPE. It’s a concept that Harris first started investigating in his work for Futurespace. “Clients wanted statement
pieces that functioned as more than a rug; they wanted pieces that told stories or reflected the company’s ambitions,” Harris explains. Harris identified a series of shapes that could be used together or independently of each other, and then considered how texture, pattern and colour could create drama and interest. “Gavin’s designs are a completely different direction from our other collections – graphic, geometric and very architectural,” Pielli says.
“Anyone who has a liking for industrial design will appreciate the use of shape, form, materials and colour,” The MINDSCAPE collection is made with 100 per cent New Zealand wool. It mixes cut pile and loop with chiselling and levels, combined with a bold and modern colour palette and an attention-grabbing series of shapes. “This collection is diverse in design, but when viewed together is cohesive and looks like it belongs,” says Harris.
Australia’s
number one
Floor Coverings Retailer...
is coming to
New Zealand
For a strictly confidential discussion about the future direction of your business, please contact: John Nicholls Group Manager - Retail Development Mobile: +64 27 322 8679 Email: jnicholls@choicesflooring.co.nz
choicesflooring.com.au
VinylFlooring
A Vision in Vinyl
More than 20 years experience as a senior graphic designer and art director has given Vittoria Chiarilli a keen understanding of design principles. For the past five years she has been applying her expertise in an entirely new discipline as Director of Marly Hemisphere where she is making a name as a talented interior decorator/ stylist. Working in interiors has exposed Vittoria to a raft of new products and challenges. One of these was the need to source vinyl flooring for Fronditha’s 90-bed Clarinda Aged Care facility in Clayton South, Victoria. “Traditionally you think of vinyl and have terrible visions of patterns and colours so when I began this project I felt a little restricted. I thought I wouldn’t be able to express myself in the way I wanted,” Vittoria said. “But when I looked through the Gerflor products, I knew I 28 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
had lots of options. They really excited me; the colourings and the way the different floorings can be teamed and matched. They provided me with huge opportunities,” she said. Vittoria’s vision for Clarinda is now an opulent reality with the first stage of the threestage development completed in 2016. Bedrooms, dining rooms, entrance hall, lounge rooms and library all exude an air of welcome and style. “I had an amazing client who was very happy to be led by the designer. Their brief to me was homely, really inviting and quite lush. They wanted a lovely foyer and a dining room that looked fairly opulent and they were happy to go with my suggestions,” Vittoria said. Choosing the right flooring was important for both aesthetic and practical reasons. “Flooring is the biggest expanse of space and the first thing that you see. A lot
of floors are very hard, they are noisy to walk on and they scratch easily. Vinyl as a product is superior. It’s nice to walk on, hardwearing and durable and easy to clean. “I have had to use other vinyl products that don’t have the range of styles, designs
and colours that Gerflor has and it was quite limiting. “Gerflor product is a joy to work with and of all the products I have used I love Gerflor’s the best. They have also been a fantastic supporter of my work,” Vittoria said.
Shelley Craft & Darren Palmer
CARPET COURT AMBASSADORS
Want to be part of Australia’s Largest Flooring & Blinds Retailer? As Australia’s largest flooring & blinds retailer, Carpet Court has this lucrative market covered. The Carpet Court group has just landed 200 stores nationwide and continues to have a dominant presence in retail, both in store and online. New franchise opportunities are now available throughout Australia, so if you love the idea of owning your own business, this is the perfect time to become a vital part of this successful retailing network. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity. Get in touch with us today. Southern Network Manager (VIC/SA/WA/TAS/NT) Brett Talbot Ph: 0499 800 702 Brett.talbot@carpetcourt.com.au
www.carpetcourt.com.au
Northern Network Manager (NSW/QLD) Greg Zeegers Ph: 0488 079 326 Greg.zeegers@carpetcourt.com.au
VinylFlooring
Ralph Jorissen, Managing Director of Tarkett Australasia.
Tarkett Launches Revolutionary Flooring Range Tarkett, a global leader in sustainable flooring, recently launched the iQ ONE flooring range in Australia, which is designed to improve the air quality and living standards across healthcare, aged care and education facilities. As a result of its positive impact on the environment and human health, Tarkett iQ ONE has achieved Green Tag Level A Certificate issued by Global Green Tag, adding to its status as the world’s first homogenous flooring product to earn a Cradle to Cradle 30 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
Gold level certification by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. “To address the increased pressure on design professionals to build healthier, sustainable indoor environments, the iQ ONE flooring range provides them with a nonPVC and phthalate-free, low VOC emissions and fully recyclable option that has not yet been seen in this market category”, said Ralph Jorissen, Managing Director of Tarkett Australasia.
“Unhealthy indoor air quality is one of the biggest threats to Australian’s health and wellbeing in the built environment but is often completely taken for granted. So, it is more important now than ever that manufacturers take-up strategies that promote healthy indoor environments.” The report authorised by The University of Melbourne’s Thrive Research Hub finds that using sustainable products like Tarkett’s iQ ONE will: improve human health and wellbeing; increase resource efficiency of manufacturing; boost economic benefits and improve regeneration impact. Renowned architect Peter Colquhoun said, “I am proud to be associated with the launch of this revolutionary Tarkett product in Australia. As an architect, I recognise the strong need to make careful decisions about building materials and see iQ ONE as a leader in healthy, sustainable solutions.”
500 + time saving apps that connect with XERO
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Boost Effciency MEASURESQUARE - XERO INTEGRATION - A SIMPLE COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR FLOORING BUSINESSES LAYERS DIARY LEAD TRACKING SALES DIARY SAMPLE TRACKING JOB MANAGEMENT REPORTING PROJECTS QUOTING
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INVENTORY POINT OF SALE
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Build your custom business software system the way you want IT
Flexibility in business software systems, has typically been the relm of larger organisations, with big budgets. Now there is a solution for flooring businesses of all sizes, a cost effective way to create customised systems that can be adapted to suit any business through periods of growth, new technology developments, new ways customers makes purchases or the next big thing.
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Laser Measure Australia Pty Ltd - Email - sales@measuresquare.com.au - Ph- 0731669128, - Web - www.measuresquare.com.au
VinylFlooring
Gerflor Celebrates 30 Years The national Gerflor team converged on Melbourne to celebrate the end of a successful year and the 30th Anniversary of Gerflor Australasia. More than 50 colleagues participated in a two-day conference that was capped off with a cocktail party at an inner-city hotel where many of the team were recognised with service and achievement awards. Managing Director, Chris Low thanked his national team, many of whom celebrated up to 20-year service milestones at the event. He also welcomed the strong contingent of new talent that had joined
Gerflor during the course of the year. “We can celebrate a tremendous diversity of experience here within the Australasian team. We are now the fifth largest subsidiary in the group and the second behind France in the volume of product that we sell,” Mr Low said. “As 2016 ends, Gerflor is commissioning two new LVT lines, one in China and one in Europe to support its rapid growth in LVT and particularly Creation Clic which is increasingly being accepted by the market as the best of breed. These investments bring to 3 the number of plants Gerflor has producing NSW team (from left): Bruce Booker, Chris Johnston, Mark Chate, Rachel Mitchell, Michael Blue, Kelcie Davis, Mikek Daniel and Sandy Pratt.
Vic Team (from left): Andrew Fenner, Todd Lisson, Evan Graves, John Eastwood and Marie Symons.
32 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
LVT and firm up our position a global manufacturer of LVT flooring. “We are not only making great products but also employing a growing number of people within our Australasian business. Today we have more than 50 people gathered in this
room. That’s a far cry from 30 years ago when the local subsidiary started with me and accountant and a bookkeeper. “We have a lot to celebrate when we look back on how far we have come but we must also remember we are only part way along in our journey,” he said.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE LEVELLING COMPOUNDS from MAPEI Quality levelling compounds that out perform all others. Select a suitable levelling compound from our range to prepare your substrate for a perfect flooring installation. MAPEI levelling compounds were formulated in our R&D lab in Italy for use all over the world. Local production means a faster and more convenient supply for all your projects. MAPEI levelling compounds are suitable under: • • • • •
Ceramics and Stone Carpet and Carpet Tiles Vinyl, LVT and Vinyl Tiles Solid and Engineered Timber Linoleum and Rubber Flooring
OUR PRODUCTS AND YOUR EXPERTISE… A PERFECT COMBINATION
For more information regarding Mapei levelling compounds please contact your local distributor or Freecall 1800 652 666
VinylFlooring
Signature Floors Brings European Style to your Home
Jardin Oak in Honey
There is nothing quite as stylish as a natural oak floor. Now, bringing European style oak into a home has never been easier with Signature Floors’ Maison parquet timber floors. Multiple layers of engineered timbers are finished with a solid oak top layer, with each range in the Maison Oak collection featuring a unique character of its own to suit every home décor. Oak is the ideal flooring choice to bring natural warmth and comfort into the rooms we live in; as well as being much softer than hard ceramics and concrete, parquet is also warmer and
34 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
quieter – ideal in the busiest family homes. European style oaks from the Maison collection are honed using traditional methods, yet enjoy new technology in invisible lacquer coatings that result in precious timber floors that can stand the test of busy families. The collection is split into three ranges:
Moderne Oak
Planks are lightly polished and the wood selected is slightly rustic with occasional knots and some colour variations. Moderne Oak planks also 36
Moderne Oak in Tan
ZERO VOC’S
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IN INTAFLOORS ADHESIVE RANGE
Some Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) are dangerous to human health and cause harm to the environment. Here’s sustainable products for the smarter tradesman. * Zero calculated emitted VOC’s
GoldStix
Premium Carpet Adhesive - Direct stick / Dual bond installation - Premium adhesive Quick, strong bond - Low odour
IronStix
Premium Carpet Adhesive - Direct stick / Dual bond installation - Longer open time - Low odour
UltraStix
Pressure Sensitive Adhesive - Carpet tile / Vct / Dual bond underlay installation - Moisture and alkali resistant up to 80% Rh - Trowel & roller application
Availability on certain products may vary from store to store. Please contact your local trade depot for more details.
SEE OUR RANGE AT www.intafloors.com.au/3-adhesives
LOCATE YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST NSW
QLD
WA SA
Seal and Sons Adelaide: 08 8346 9833 Email: office@deseal.com.au
Intafloors Trade Depot
Gibbon Group
Sydney: 02 8678 5479 Email: sales@intafloorstrade.com.au
Nortth Brisbane & Central Qld: 07 3881 1777 Email: sales@gibbongroup.com.au
VIC
McDonalds Flooring Accessories
Knoxfield: 03 9764 2400 Dandenong: 03 9702 7822 Geelong: 03 5521 6670 Preston: 03 9416 7878 Email: sales@fisdistributors.com.au
TAS
Total Flooring North Hobart: 03 6234 9855 Email: admin@totalflooringtas.com.au
South Brisbane & Gold Coast: 07 5564 9999 Email: daniel@mcdonaldflooring.com.au
FIS Distributors
Kevmor Wholesale Trade Supplies Perth: 08 9277 7177 Email: sales@kevmor.com.au
NEW ZEALAND
Nuplex Construction Products Free Phone: 0508-882-288 Email: ncpsales@nuplex.com
VinylFlooring
feature a matt lacquer surface treatment which resembles as close as possible, the look of an oiled oak floor. Six layers of Bona lacquer are applied and separately UV dried, sealing
the wood pores and providing a protective layer.
St Germain Oak
Features a traditional smoked timber treatment to achieve
an enhanced colour effect that permeates the entirety of the oak layer, unlike a surface treatment which affects only the top layer of wood. The result is unique,
bringing an aged look to a new timber floor. Each oak plank is individually finished by an artisan craftsman who painstakingly fills the knots and some cracks to achieve the signature weathered look, which simply can’t be done by machine. St Germain brushed finished planks feature a premium Woca oil treatment that enriches the timber and reinforces the protection of the wood.
Jardin Oak
St Germain Oak in Latte
Features three popular oak shades with a natural oil finish for a traditional, rustic effect. Knots and grains are very pronounced having been hand finished with black wood filler. The lightly brushed surface of JARDIN OAK planks ensures you will feel the natural wood texture underfoot.
Famous Faces Show Aussies How to Find Their Style Leading designer of flooring and decorative surfaces, Laminex, is helping Australians discover their own style. Influenced by the latest design trends from around the globe, Laminex has identified 12 individual interior looks; and to help bring them to life, Laminex is partnering with four renowned Australian creatives who have a flair for style and design in their respected fields. Together we have created the “Inspired By” series. Laminex’s first four creative muses – Chkya Keebaugh, Anna Polyviou, Steve Cordony and Virginia Martin – have been selected to represent four looks that not only reflect their personal
36 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
inner style and individual design journey, but help bring inspiration to the surface and straight into residential or commercial spaces. Laminex’s Communications Marketing Manager Susan Foley said the images created with the muses provide homeowners, designers and builders even more design inspiration when creating long-lasting, stylish interiors for everyday use. “It’s time to rethink design. What it is, how it works and the role it plays in our lives. Just as form follows function, at Laminex, we believe good design enables good living and this is something we want to help every Australian achieve.” “By combining colour,
shape and texture, you can create spaces that are as individual as your customers,” said Foley. Design guru and entrepreneur, Chyka Keebaugh, is the first design muse in the new ‘Inspired By’ series. Chyka was the inspiration behind the ‘Classic’ kitchen and the result is a warm and timeless space that reflects her incredible style. Award-winning pastry chef at the Shangri-La Hotel, Anna Polyviou has unbeatable creative flair and truly represents what ‘Inner Urban’ means to Laminex - many styles blended into one from unstructured, to old school yet contemporary and very inner city.
Steve Cordony is a leading interior and event stylist, and style director at-large for Belle magazine. ‘Mineral’ is a style that reflects those who not only live and breathe design, but want to make a strong statement also – and that sums up Steve perfectly. Lastly, owner and designer of the fashion label búl, Virginia Martin, reflects ‘Scandinavian’. Designing simplistic, timeless pieces that subtly incorporate distinctive shapes and colour, Virginia truly represents the theme – one in which simplicity is highlighted by its core palette but also accented by muted pastel touches and geometric patterns.
PICFloors
Preparation, Installation & Care
Trade Demo Day Held Recently Due to high demand for training on floorlevelling and correct concrete surface preparation, together with the busy lead-up to end of the year, the team at All Preparation Equipment hosted a Trade Demo Day on Concrete Floor Levelling, Preparation and Repair along with the support of Mapei. There was a large turn-out, bookings were taken and then the training was underway. To get involved in the next training session and to make sure you have a place secured, feel free to call the team. Mapei has a wide range of selflevelling, smoothing, patch and repair and levelling products to help ensure floors are prepared right. With the use of handy application tools including the Magic Trowel, Pin Level Rake, Smoothing Spreader and Portamix Hippo Mixer for the mixing and pouring of the product, the choice couldn’t be easier.
38 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
PICFloors
Preparation, Installation & Care
Grinding Doesn’t Have to be a Grind With a focus on making your tough jobs easy the Schwamborn DSM800RC Remote Controlled Grinder helps take the strain, the pressure and the effort out of your grinding projects. Schwamborn German-built machines have been built to a standard to outperform in floor preparation. Schwamborn Grinders boast the ability to change diamonds according to the intensity of the floor at hand. From grinding off thick glues,
40 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
adhesives or membranes and coatings (up to 13mm in a single pass), to levelling, polishing and preparing stone, concrete, and terrazzo floors your new Schwamborn Remote Controlled Grinder keeps you a step ahead of the rest. Automatically moving forward, left or right you can set the grinder to grind in any direction you require without having to touch it. These controls ensure you get a uniform grinding finish on
every project. Automatic trim control for straight forward grinding and the Remote shows the tool and movement speed at any time. Keeping you ahead of your competitors the DSM800RC Schwamborn Grinder has impressive production rates and puts other machines in the shade. The transport guiding wheel and micro control when grinding to the edge keeps the machine capable of any floor. Unloading and loading a
remote-controlled grinder has never been easier with a battery drive. Auto battery charging during working conditions ensures reliability. Display with power indications give optimum diamond selection and grinding performance. Does this sound like the machine you’ve been searching for? Arrange a demonstration, see this machine in action or talk to All Preparation Equipment more about your projects.
Lay well with Laybond NEW SOFT FLOORING ADHESIVES
www.bostik.com
PICFloors
Preparation, Installation & Care
The Ultimate Guide to Floor Lifting With the right floor lifting equipment – you can get the job done, no excuses, no time delays, no more of the unexpected hard work. Partnering the right equipment for your projects is critical to the success of your floor lifting projects and ensures you make the best ROI (return on investment). From their customers’ experience they have put together the All Preparation Equipment Guide to Floor Lifting. Being one of the industry’s oldest and most experienced manufacturers of floor lifting and stripping equipment, National Flooring Equipment engineers and manufactures the most extensive, state of the art equipment for fast, high speed floor removal. National hosts over patents internationally and is 42 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
considered the global leader in floor stripping and lifting equipment technology. With so many different types of floor lifting options available from a floor scraper through to a ride on machine it’s important you get one that suits you and your projects. They’ve put together a few tips for you to consider.
Push, Walk or Ride along The difference in production is what comes down to making a decision on the machine. Each style of machine works much the same but some rely on the operator to push them while others rely directly on the motor and the movement of the blade to lift off the floor covering. Ride on floor lifters are by far the easiest way to remove large areas of floor coverings. Giving a high
speed performance they can be used to remove carpets, vinyls, tiles, timber and parquetry quickly while being compact enough to fit through doorways and get into confined spaces. Self-propelled machines are a walk behind unit which drives itself. Offering significant production capabilities these machines allow for a quick removal process on soft floor coverings including carpets, vinyls and linoleum. The Panther 6280HD Gladiator is amongst some of the few machines that will also work to remove tiles. Push along units including the Razorback Extreme drive with a single motor meaning there is more work put on the operator when removing floor coverings. This system is ideal for residential and smaller commercial
applications removing soft floor coverings from vinyls and carpets to linoleum. From here, the other options are slower than all of the above and more effort on the operator. Hand held blade and scraper options come in all shapes and sizes and are ideal for where only small strips of soft floor coverings are needing to be removed.
Flat, Angled or a Chisel
The style of blade makes a difference in how quickly the floor covering will remove. On concrete subfloors removing vinyls, carpets or lino bevelled up blades work best and don’t often require extra weight on the machine to help it remove. All Preparation Equipment recommends when using a regular flat blade, bending up the corner of the blade
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No two projects are the same, so it’s essential to work out what your machine and team are capable of. The jobsite conditions and the state of the floor dictate how accurate estimated figures really are. Floor removal and lifting rates can depend on the concrete substrate condition, the size of blade, material being removed – (ceramic tile, vinyl, carpet or floor coating) the adhesive or bonding strength, how long the floor covering has been down, if there is a patching or self-levelling compound on the floor, what the CSP (Concrete Surface Profile) is, along with many other factors. The more of this you know the better you’ll be at quoting each job, as each of these can have an impact on how easy the job will be to do and the time the floor takes to remove.
Background image courtesy CDK Stone Australia
will prevent it from digging into the subfloor. The blade holder height and angle can be adjusted to a 45 degree angle to the floorboards to ensure no damage. Floor lifting machines with a changeable cutting head are designed to swivel to keep the blade in direct contact with the floor. A combination of the right cutting head, size of blade, the blade angle and weight of the machine helps to ensure the fastest and easiest removal process possible. Thickness of the blade, the width, sharpness and angle also play a role in this. On some jobs it’s difficult to determine what blade will work best that’s why All Preparation Equipment offers contractors to call when on the job to discuss the blades they have on hand to use or what they may require.
Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017 | 43
ProductUpdate Terrco Edger Makes Work Easier that can stand up to the abuse most equipment sees on a jobsite,” said Frank Vinella of Terrco. “Our edger was designed to be a heavyduty edge machine, fully balanced and unlike machines on the market made of aluminium and plastic, which can break and bend.” The machine was also designed for easy adjustability. It comes equipped with a free-moving guard with adjustable roller guides that allow the user to adjust how close the cup wheel comes to the wall. So, you can adjust to get to within 1mm of the wall or closer. The wheels are also adjustable to control the height of the machine so the grinding wheel can be set square to the floor. Once the floor is balanced, Terrco Edger
With the compact walk-behind Terrco Edger, you can now grind concrete floors along wall edges and in other tight spots without having to bend down or place any strain on your knees and other joints. One can now perform the entire task in a comfortable upright position and in much less time, making this machine especially advantageous on large projects with a lot of edging. The Terrco Edger is also well balanced so it can be held with one finger or one hand. The machine is only 390mm wide and weighs 95kg and it is hefty enough to tackle even the most heavy-duty concrete grinding job. “A number of customers asked us to design a machine
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then cuts the edge flat to the level floor which is a unique system of balance and makes life easy. The edger guard accommodates 180mm diamond cup wheels which all comply to the ISO 9002 Safety Standard supplied by International Building
Supply (IBS). There is also a turbo for quick removal and PCD for rough floors. T Type, Continuous wheel for refining as well as the aluminium holder to take the thick Kahoona pads specifically designed for this machine and all are suitable for both wet and dry use.
The Medibank building in Melbourne where sustainability is paramount. For this reason Medibank partnered with Classic for the entrance matting, stair nosings and tactiles.
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L.I.F.E. Program Approves EcoFriendly Entrance Matting The latest addition to the hugely popular Vantt entrance matting range from Classic Architectural Group is one of the most eco-friendly entrance systems available today. With a combination of recyclable aluminium matting inserts, the Vantt 5500 range has been endorsed by industry leading professionals and has now been approved as part
of the L.I.F.E. Program – Low Impact For the Environment Program. Among its others environmental tributes, the Vantt 5500 entrance matting is approved as a low VOC emission product and the matting inserts are full GUT certified as a tested and compliant product for better living environments.
Trends change, market needs change but quality, innovation and technical support will always outlast. ARDEX Australia, 50 years of continuous innovation in Australia.
ProductUpdate Carpet Cutting Machinery Leads the Way After his involvement with major floorcovering manufacturers, Scott Brockie could see the value of retail level carpet cutting machines. Scott pursued his idea and after years of design and production of carpet cutting machines, Scott opened Accu-Cut in 1990. Now with the help of his two sons Trevor and Trent, Accu-Cut has established itself as the market leader in carpet cutting machines around the world. Accu-Cut has a range of five carpet cutting machines and each machine is designed to meet the needs of a different floorcovering outlet. From the baby of the fleet, the ‘J2’, which is ideal for a small retailer to the top of
the range, the ‘X33’machine, which is ideal for carpet manufactures, warehouses, carpet logistic operations and major commercial contractors. Each machine in the range has been uniquely designed to fit the differing needs and budgets of the industry. Manufactured in Canada each component is cut to perfect precision in the high tech computer cut facility. All the machines’ frames are robust and fully welded to ensure they are ready to face the rigor of years of use and thousands of cuts of hundreds of rolls of carpet. As technology has advanced Accu-Cut has developed their machinery to include extremely accurate digital measuring
devices. The Q7, Q9 and X33 machines also have the unique ability to interface with selected floorcovering software packages enabling the retailer to send the cuts directly from their computer to the machine. This greatly assists retailers in accurately and simply integrating their warehouse directly into their inventory software. MJS Floorcoverings has been the proud distributor of Accu-Cut machinery in Australia and New Zealand for over 8 years. Over that time MJS has assisted Accu-Cut to become the leader in the Australian market. MJS can provide an installed price into your local facility and also
offer staff training as part of the delivery so you can confidently begin using your new machine immediately with ease. Together with their partners, MJS also offer maintenance on your machinery to ensure you get years of reliable use. With its 20-year lifespan, simple operation and never missing a day’s work, the Accu Cut machine quickly becomes a favourite of carpet warehouse staff around the country! These machines enable floorcovering retailers to be far more reliable and efficient delivering their product with minimal wear and tear on their valuable warehouse staff.
Carpet Tile Tackifier Now Available in Australia The ‘new generation’ Gekko G57 carpet tile tackifier is now available in Australia. The revolutionary adhesive is packaged in a self-contained portable system that can be taken onto any worksite and sprayed directly from the canister. The Gekko G57 canister system comes equipped
46 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
with a wand style spray gun, allowing you to apply it efficiently to the floor surface without having to kneel or bend down. With its time, money and back-saving benefits, there is no excuse not to try this new product and see for yourself how it can make your life easier.
WE’VE GOT YOUR FLOORS COVERED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. Set a Solid Foundation with Dunlop’s Hard Flooring Underlay for Timber, Laminate and Vinyl Floors. All of Dunlop’s Hard Flooring Underlays provide superior acoustic performance and the required moisture protection, so as to meet the needs of the Australian market, the European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF) and the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) guidelines. Water Vapour Transmission
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Please Note: Bare Slab Ln, w result was 68 dB. Testing was conducted in accordance with standard ISO 140-6, over a 150mm reinforced concrete subfloor laid in combination with a timber floor. Ceiling: 13mm plasterboard on resiliently mounted furring channels with 75mm thick, 14kg/m3 fibrous insulation to cavity.
For more information visit dunlopflooring.com.au
ProductUpdate
Nora: A Leader in Rubber Floor Coverings Headquartered in Germany, Nora Systems has been designing and manufacturing premium flooring for more than 65 years for a number of different markets, including healthcare, education, industry and public buildings. With a market share of more than 50 percent worldwide, nora systems is now a market leader in rubber floor coverings. Up to 30 raw materials are mixed together, compressed and then vulcanized under heat and high pressure to
48 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
produce the flooring. This process gives the coverings their permanently resilient qualities and resistant surface. nora floorings are practically indestructible, displaying scarcely any signs of wear even after years of intensive use. “We produce the highest quality rubber flooring available in the market, which has many benefits including acoustic control, ergonomic comfort, excellent hygienic properties as well as stain and slip resistance”, says Alex
Morellato, the company’s regional manager for Australia and New Zealand. As one of the world's first manufacturers of resilient floor coverings, the company has been certified for its environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 since 1996. nora floor coverings do not contain any harmful plasticisers or halogens. All standard products from nora systems have also been awarded the GREENGUARD certificate for indoor air
quality and contribute to the LEED performance credits due to their positive attributes. One of the latest developments is a pioneering and innovative installation technology called nora nTx. This new system halves installation time and considerably reduces costs. It works on all conventional sub-surfaces – even on existing floorings – and can be walked on and cleaned immediately after it is installed.
SIMPLICITY Sometimes moving forward starts with eliminating steps. nora® nTx is a revolutionary new self-adhesive fl ooring advancement that dramatically reduces labor costs and cuts installation time in half. • No moisture limits • No need for pH or RH testing • No adhesive open time • No wait time for cleaning or traffic Just fast, easy adhesion … It’s that simple.
nora systems: The world’s leading provider of rubber flooring. All-in-one solution provider to meet your most complex demands. Now with representative office in Sydney.
nora systems I www.nora.com I info-au@nora.com Alex Morellato, Regional Sales Manager ANZ, Mobile: +61 0455 557 353
Business
Faulty Workmanship Explained One of the most hotly contested issues when it comes to flooring is that of Faulty Workmanship. What is it, who determines what is faulty and what is not. It may be clear cut when a job is undertaken by a flooring contractor and they simply lay a floor that has clear and defined irregularities or defects, but what if this is not the case or an associated product is used in conjunction with the project being undertaken that may have contributed to the problem. There are a few things that can go wrong when laying flooring. Things that can bring the most experienced of flooring contractors undone. So when the worst happens and things do go wrong where does the Flooring Contractor stand when it comes to satisfying the disgruntled customer. The customer who has looked forward for so long to walk on that beautiful new floor, show it off and marvel at how much it has changed their property and even its value. When they view it for the first time upon
50 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
completion and their eyes are drawn to something that isn't quite right. A wave of disappointment that surges though the mind, quickly turns to anger and blame. They will want it fixed and fixed immediately. The contractor may try to defend the problem but inside knowingly accepts that this job is quickly turning into the jobs that everyone dreads. Repair, pull up, new products where required and the constant thought of damage to reputation, not only by the customer but by the principal who provides the work to the contractor. The days work has quickly turned into a nightmare. What about insurance.... yes, that's it. The public liability insurance should cover things like this....well we think it should. Does it? Here is when the technical aspect of both the flooring and insurance terminology comes to surface. Was it faulty workmanship by the contractor who may have cut some corners, simply had no experience for the contract undertaken, sheer
stupidity or other. Or was it plain negligence. A quick call to the insurer and lodge a claim and all will be fine. Not so soon. The contractor makes the call and even submits a claim form to the insurer, an assessor is appointed and they view the work to be claimed upon. The assessor report is completed and sent to the insurer and after, maybe a week or 2, the contractor receives the call, email or letter he didn't want - 'I refer you to page 37 of your policy wording, section 7, clause 6; Faulty Workmanship - We do not cover any liability for the cost of performing, completing, correcting or improving any work undertaken by you'. Oh no....., now the job has turned into a loss. The customer is getting more and more frustrated by the day, calls the Dept of Fair Trading or even a lawyer. They are calling the flooring supplier whom is getting frustrated at fielding such calls because, after all the customer purchased the flooring from them. As far
as they are concerned the supplier and the contractor are one and the same. If you have been unfortunate enough to have experienced a scenario similar to this then you know the anguish and stress it causes. This is where FloorInsure can help. FloorInsure know the above scene all too well. Not because they are the ones denying the claim but because they hear it from disgruntled contractors, flooring suppliers and other flooring businesses. FloorInsure are Australia's premier and only flooring sector insurance specialists so we want to be sure that those claims are met with a positive outcome. To ensure that all parties are comforted by the fact that although it shouldn't have happened, it did. Now just get on with fixing it quickly - reputation is as stake. FloorInsure - The Flooring Industry Insurance Brokers are a wholly owned subsidiary of Ian Jones Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd, and can provide Faulty Workmanship cover to all flooring contractors across Australia.
finishes& SURFACES
THEpreview OFFICIAL & review of brand new products > Annual PUBLICATION FOR FINISHES > Innovative ideas, aspiring projects & SURFACES EXHIBITION > Distributed to leading specifiers, interior designers, retailers and newsagencies Australia wide
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Flooring>Carpet>Tile>Stone>Veneers>Vinyl>Laminate>Paint>Glass>Timber>Concrete
Profile
IONWOOD Flooring: the Real Deal? Tourmaline is a gemstone that emits infrared rays and negative ions. It’s also a component in a new type of flooring with claimed health benefits. Philip Ashley takes a light-hearted look. A new flooring product has recently emerged and is gaining market acceptance in Asia. It’s called IONWOOD and the product was exhibited at this year’s Hong Kong Houseware fair by Sugawa IONWOOD; a Malaysian Company. IONWOOD is unique in that it is claimed to have many health benefits including the ability to promote blood circulation; strengthen bones; maintain blood pressure and improve immunity. The secret lies in the negative ions produced by pulverised minerals and gemstones manufactured into the engineered flooring.
About Ions
The manufacturer claims “Ions are molecules or atoms with an electric charge. When an atom or molecule is neutral, the number of protons (positive) and electrons (negative) is equal. However, when the number of protons and electrons are not the same, it becomes an ion that is either positively or negatively charged.” Positive ions are called cations and negative ions are called anions. Encyclopaedia Britannica states that ions
are always created in pairs; a positive and a negative ion. Ions can be created by either chemical or physical means, through ionization. Ionization is the process by which an atom or a molecule gets a negative or positive charge by gaining or losing electrons to form ions, often in conjunction with other chemical changes. Ionization can result from the loss of an electron after collisions with subatomic particles, collisions with other atoms, molecules and ions, or through the interaction with light. It has been frequently reported that negative ions are good and that positive ions are bad, usually with little if any scientifically rigorous documentation. But what are the benefits of the negative ion? It is true that when we walk by the sea, waterfalls and forests, we feel comfortable, relaxed and calm. This is claimed to be due to large amounts of negative ions present in those places. On the other hand you might say that walking in those places naturally makes you feel better because you are more relaxed.
Professor Philipp Lenard, the winner of Nobel Prize for Physics is credited with discovering negative ions under waterfalls. The phenomenon is often referred to as “The Lenard Effect.” Lenard was later involved in a series of ugly discourses with Albert Einstein. Noboru Horiguchi; a Japanese researcher into the benefits of negative ions measures the ion count ten metres away from a waterfall at an amazing 12,000 negative ions and 1,800 positive ions. But not all researchers come up with the same results. In forest measurements for example; Ryuzo Nagai measures them at only 1,000; Noboru Yamanoi measures negative ions at 1,800; Akiko Sugahara measures negative ions at 2,000 and IONWOOD publicises a figure of 2,000 to 3,000 for a forest but this is included in marketing literature so it is possibly on the optimistic side.
The Tests
While the results are varied Japan’s JAIRA, China’s NACC and Switzerland’s (Taiwan lab) SGS tests confirm that the IONWOOD floor can release negative ions in the air at a rate of over 3000, equivalent to the highest negative ion content in their claimed forest results. You will note that the researchers; testing labs and the manufacturer of the IONWOOD product are all located in Asia. It’s 52 | Flooring Dec 2016/Jan 2017
important to consider a mind-set where health is seen as a state of balance between the physical, social, and natural environment. However I did witness a “demonstration” of the IONWOOD product at the Hong Kong Houseware fair this year. An ion meter was placed on the aisle carpet and measured a positive ion count. When it was moved to the IONWOOD demonstration flooring the count jumped to around 2,500 negative ions. There was also some fruit both in a box made from IONWOOD and some left in the open. The IONWOOD boxed fruit was certainly fresher after the two days but any fruit covered as opposed to uncovered might look healthier. IONWOOD’s literature shows a test done where two apples were left for a month; one on IONWOOD flooring and one on standard flooring. The “standard” apple was rotten as you would expect after a month but the IONWOOD apple looked like it just came from the supermarket; amazing! What’s that saying “If it looks too good to be true?”
The Ingredient
The ingredient that produces the health benefits is tourmaline. Conquistador Francisco Spinoza found “The Brazilian Emerald” in 1554 that was much later identified as tourmaline after the gemstone was discovered widely in Sri Lanka in 1703. It is now mined around the World including Brazil, Pakistan, Afghanistan, America, Madagascar, and in many parts of Africa. Today
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it is highly regarded for its ability to emit negative ions and far infrared rays that allegedly “Can penetrate all layers of the human body to soothe, stimulate and detoxify.” Sports “Power Bands” (worn on the wrist) can also be embedded with powdered Black tourmaline but these were discredited on the Today Tonight show. IONWOOD flooring uses tourmaline glued in multilayer composite flooring. Electrical power produced by micro-currents of oxygen in the air catches the water molecules and is then converted into negative ions.
Manufacture
Sugawa IONWOOD Flooring is claimed as the first of its kind in the World to use negative ion activation technology in wood flooring in 2011. The Malaysian Welley Company exhibited a similar product at the 2014 Domotex Shanghai Flooring
It has been frequently reported that negative ions are good and that positive ions are bad, usually with little if any scientifically rigorous documentation. But what are the benefits of the negative ion? It is true that when we walk by the sea, waterfalls and forests, we feel comfortable, relaxed and calm. This is claimed to be due to large amounts of negative ions present in those places.
Show. IONWOOD choose only high grade and natural negative ion polarity materials with tourmaline Nano-energy. Tourmaline and Germanium minerals are “Melted and crushed to a powder” and mixed with the adhesive used to bond the layers. They use composite materials technologically combined with quality wood to activate the
negative ions. It’s claimed the flooring will permanently release negative ions or "air vitamins" into the air. Tourmaline reportedly does not generate negative ions unless activated. You can activate by applying pressure to it (walking on the floor) and 2,000 to 3,000 negative ions are generated by applying such pressure. However, it
has not been made clear yet how it generates the ions. It is believed that it is due to the piezoelectric effect but it is an assumption without proof. No formula/theory has been established yet. IONWOOD is available in many species including American Oak and Walnut, Nyatoh, Merbau and Kembang Semangkuk (Asian Aron). Boards are arranged like plywood with eight alternating layers. The product is scratch resistant to H9 and has an excellent formaldehyde rating of E0 (European standard is E1). If you’re interested in the mineral’s properties but don’t need the flooring, Cassandra Eason (The new Crystal Bible, 2010) says “Black tourmaline will soothe panic attacks, especially those caused by dark or confined spaces, or in places where the atmosphere is frightening. It also helps control fears of doctors and dentists. You can wear this crystal for protection against moaners, whiners, complaining neighbours or emotional vampires who burden you with their problems.” Hmmm; as Associate Professor Neils Jonassen MSc. DSc. of the Technical University of Denmark once said “The negative-ion myth and the ionbalance myth are nothing but that; myths.” Or are they?
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED TM
At Tennant, our products are designed to sustainably clean both indoor and outdoor spaces using fewer resources and reduced emissions. Tennant offers a variety of sustainable floor cleaning solutions to meet all your facility needs, helping enhance your facility image and improve overall health and safety.
Visit www.tennantco.com/au/floor-care or call us on 1300 TENNANT for more information and schedule a FREE on-site demo!
Advertisers Index
Exhibitioncalendar
Airstep Australia
2017 Exhibitions
JANUARY 2017 10-13 Heimtextil Frankfurt 2017 International trade fair for textiles Frankfurt, Germany http://heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com/ frankfurt/en/aussteller/willkommen. html?nc 14-17
Domotex 2017 World trade fair for carpets and floorcoverings Hannover, Germany http://www.domotex.de/home 18-20
TISE 2017 The International Surface Event including SURFACES, StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, TileExpo. Floorcovering, stone and tile industry event Las Vegas, USA https://tisewest.com FEBRUARY 2017 20-24 Cevisama 2017 International fair for architectural ceramics, bathroom and kitchen equipment, natural stone, raw materials, frits, glazes, colours and machinery Valencia, Spain http://cevisama.feriavalencia.com
24, 25
Andersens
5, 7
MARCH 2017 16-19 Keramika ASEAN’s dedicated ceramic tile event Jakarta, Indonesia www.keramika.co.id
Ardex Australia
21-23
Con-Treat 0
DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR The leading international flooring show in the Asia-Pacific Shanghai, China www.domotexasiachinafloor.com
45
Bostik Australia
41
Carpet Court Choices Flooring
2, 29 Front Cover, 19, 27
Classic Architectural Group
13
Domotex Asia
23
Domotex Hannover
3
Dunlop Flooring
47
Duracore 43 MAY 2017 22-25 DOMOTEX 2017 TURKEY Trade fair for carpets and floor coverings Gaziantep, Turkey www.domotexturkey.com 22-25
Middle East Covering 2017 Exhibition dedicated to the flooring, wall covering & surfaces industry Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.middleeastcovering.com
Embelton & Co
55
GMK Logistics
46
Intafloors/ Gibbon Group
35
International Building Supply
44
Kenbrock Flooring
9
Laser Measure Australia
31
Laticrete
37, 39
Mapei Australia
33
MJS Floorcoverings
32
Nora Systems GmbH Oxtek Australia *** For more information on the fairs or to confirm dates, please check the individual event websites.
49 Back Cover
QEP Pty Ltd
11
Quin Global AU
15
RFMS Australasia
21, 22
Tennant Company
53
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