Flooring Dec2013-Jan2014

december 2013 / january 2014

Veer off the beaten path with Shaw’s new Hexagon carpet tile collection. Inspired by the cultural shift toward more collaborative environments, this innovative collection redefines the shape of carpet tile.

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FLOORS

december 2013/january 2014 | vol 31 no 06 www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Industry News

Special features

Regular Reports

FrontCover

04 Flooring and Finishes in Sydney

18 Opinion

16 Overseas news

01 Shaw Contract Group

30 Timber & Parquetry

20 Airstep Retailer of the Month: Carpet One and Tiles Mackay, Queensland

06 Raising awareness of mental health

34 Eco Flooring

08 New CEO for Ontera

36 Cork

09 Double win for Forster

38 Laminate

10 Try before you buy

45 Alternative Flooring

11 Out of the ashes 12 Identity matters 14 Changes to management team at Premium Floors

22 Software 40 Surfaces Today 43 PIC Floors 46 Exhibition Calendar

Advertisers Index

Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014 3

News Flooring and Finishes in Sydney Australia’s interiors event, Decoration + Design and the co-located Flooring and Finishes with ATFA will return to Sydney in 2014 from 5 to 7 February in a brand new location: the Royal Hall of Industries and Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park.

While Decoration + Design showcases the latest and highest quality interior products available from industry leaders, Flooring and Finishes, held in conjunction with the Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA), exhibits contemporary developments in flooring and surface finish disciplines, including design, texture, colour, versatility and sustainability.

The International Seminar Series will return in 2014, with its biggest

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

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ever line up including Chris Lee (Hong Kong), Founder and Creative Director of Asylum; Nigel Coates (UK), architect, interior and product designer; Lucy Hayes (UK), trend expert and Senior Design Editor at WGSN Homebuildlife; Angela Ferguson (AUS), Managing Director of futurespace; Babette Hayes

(AUS), interior designer, stylist, lecturer and author; Ian Moore (AUS) of Ian Moore Architects; James Treble (AUS), of Treble Studios and Channel Ten’s The Living Room; Scott Weston (AUS), of Scott Weston Architecture Design, and Shannon Fricke (AUS), well-respected interior designer and stylist.

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

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

Jennifer Curtis – Group Managing Editor

Ashley Cooper – National Sales Manager

"Your Industry - Your Magazine"

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

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

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News DesignBUILD 2014 off to a strong start 2014 is off to a strong start with exhibitors and sponsors already signed to showcase a huge variety of innovations to the industry, with the show opening at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2 to 4 April, 2014.

Exhibition Manager, Chris May said many exhibitors had signed on after the success experienced at DesignBUILD Sydney this year, realising the opportunity to present their products, applications, tools and equipment to the Melbourne market.

“DesignBUILD continues to gain momentum year on year as we attract more visitors with our improved features, dedicated tradie and professional zones, innovative

exhibitors, inspiring speakers and informative workshops,” he said.

DesignBUILD rotates biannually between Sydney and Melbourne. According to Mr May, DesignBUILD continues to grow in popularity with its easy to navigate floorplan and relevant industry zones and features.

“We know trades and professionals are time poor but we also know that they want access to the latest industry innovations, information, equipment and ideas, so we plan the exhibitor floorplan in conjunction with industry experts to ensure it’s easy to navigate to key areas of interest.

“We also work alongside leading industry organisations to offer seminars and workshops with content that captures the industry’s current needs and demands for accurate and reliable information,” he said.

Raising awareness of mental health Carpet Logistics held its Annual Beyond Blue Day in honour of its ex-employees, Chuck and Brendan, in November.

“Sadly, last year we lost two of our loyal installers due to mental illness/depression,” explained Carpet Logistics’ David Pugh. “Although both of these blokes had been under medical care at times during this horrible illness it was not enough to get them through it.

“We had the first ‘Beyond Blue’ day in November last year to raise awareness of how important it is to TALK (Things Always Look Klearer) and check on your mates and ask how they are doing. This is a very invisible disease and way too easy to go undetected.

“Carpet Logistics has decided this issue is too important not to get more involved in and would like to put it to the industry as a whole to get involved. So, from now on an annual TALK

day will now be held in the ‘Men’s Shed’ at our Knoxfield warehouse.

“The day will involve a sausage sizzle, beers, soft drinks, show bags and a chance to donate to Beyond Blue. More importantly, however, it will give everyone the chance to TALK and help the stigma of mental illness disappear to make it more comfortable for sufferers to come out and seek help.”

David went on to say that while ‘Men’s Shed’ may seem a little sexist, that is not at all the message they are putting out there.

“As most of the people ‘on the ground’ are blokes in this industry and the male species seem to be much more difficult to get to open up, we are probably trying harder to get their attention,” he said. “The ladies in our industry are just as welcome, especially as this initiative has been the idea of the women in our Carpet Logistics office.”

Beaulieu of Australia now ISO 9001:2008 certified Beaulieu of Australia has announced that it has been accredited to ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System certification.

Allan Russell, Chief Operation of Officer of Beaulieu, said that: “The ISO9001:2008 certification will assist the company to ensure that customers get consistent, good quality products and provides the tools necessary for continual improvement and refining of systems and processes.

“The accreditation was achieved after many months

6 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

of dedication and hard work by a number of the company’s key personnel and already has been implemented by staff.”

The ISO 9001:2008 standard is based on a number of quality management principles including having a strong customer focus, the motivation and leadership provided by top management, the involvement of all levels of personnel within the organisation, systems and processes, and continual improvement.

Design is ASAP At Shaw Contract Group Australia we believe restrictive budgets and timeframes should not mean a sacrifice on style or the environment for any project.

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Shaw Industries Inc, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer and recycler, our products define design through aesthetic elements, but also through superior performance, innovation and sustainability.

Our ‘In Stock. In Australia.’ carpet tile collection also enables us to deliver within tight deadlines and budgets.

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News New CEO for Ontera Dean Harriott has recently taken the reins as Chief Executive Officer with Ontera Modular Carpets.

Impressively credentialed and with a highly successful history of general management within the commercial and residential building products and decorative surfaces industries, Dean has set his sights on taking Ontera to a new level.

“I am very excited about this new role and the opportunity to lead Ontera into the future. We are an Australian manufacturer with a long standing reputation for quality, a broad product offering and a unique ability to provide customised carpet designs. Some of the designs we have produced are incredible.

“We have some robust plans in place and I look forward to engaging with our customers and helping Ontera achieve strong growth in the coming years.”

New Victorian distributor for DuraCore DuraCore has welcomed WoodCrete, Mulgrave, Victoria to its team of distributors.

“WoodCrete is now stocking the new Densi Crete and Moisture Proof products, which are manufactured in Australia,” said Con-Treat’s Andrew McLeay. “Danny and Grant have completed their training in the DuraCore range of products and are looking

forward to supporting their customers and sharing their extensive knowledge.”

“The new DuraCore products have hit the market without an expensive price tag, whilst not compromising on quality,” he said.

“WoodCrete is embracing the DuraCore range and the confidence the products give to their customers not to mention the savings.”

IICRC Courses to run in Sydney Carpet Care Services Pty Ltd in Lane Cove, Sydney will be holding some IICRC Courses in conjunction with CPK Training in 2014.

The courses aim to help further educate those who would like to take their installation works to the next level and receive an IICRC Certification in Repair and Reinstallation.

“In this day and age, most

insurance companies like carpet repairers/installers to have completed the IICRC Certification and this may also help get installers, who are looking to move further into repairs, move into the restoration business,” explained Ross Riek of Carpet Care Services..

“The courses will start next year and will be run in our office in Lane Cove.”

Farewell to Mike Dale Considered as one of the true flooring gems and quintessential gentleman in the industry, Premium Floors recently bade farewell to Queensland’s Mike Dale who retired last month.

“Mike Dale simply had flooring in his blood, having spent more than four decades in the flooring industry, with 12 years at Premium Floors,” said Stuart Budge, Premium’s National Sales Manager.

“Highly respected with the ability to know all the intricacies when it came to all-things flooring, Mike’s passion and knowledge for flooring was well-known

8 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

amongst peers, customers and competitors in Queensland.”

According to Colin McGraw, Mike Dale was the one-stopshop with his flooring knowhow and his commitment in sharing that knowledge with others.

“During his 12 years at Premium Floors, we would literally be floored by how he translated the world of flooring in an innovative and dynamic way,” he said. “Mike was a tremendous mentor to so many during his long career and it was no surprise that he received such a huge send off at his retirement party.”

Brett and Lisa Ward with staff members Nic and Narelle Amato.

Style

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Chilewich Plynyl Tile with Biofelt and Terrastrand NeoCon 2013 Product Innovations Grand Prize.

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Double win for Forster In July, the Manning Valley Business Chamber – via its Executive Officer, Sharon Fowle – extended an invitation to all businesses in the Great Lakes Area in NSW to participate in its Annual Business Awards Night.

“It was exciting for us that the Manning Valley Chamber had seen a need to include businesses outside of their local area, to try and promote small local businesses in the whole region,” said Lisa Ward of Choices Forster, NSW. “We decided to enter the awards but, as first year contenders, we never expected to actually win anything on the night. We were up against many other larger businesses from Taree, Wingham, Forster and beyond so it was a huge thrill for us when we were nominated as finalists, and then winners in two categories – Excellence in Retail and Excellence in Customer Service.

“It was like winning The Logies,” she said, “we now proudly display our awards in our shop, knowing that our hard work and persistance have been recognised and rewarded.”

Lisa and Brett Ward have been operating Choices Flooring in Forster for over seven years and, between them, have had almost 45 years experience in the floorcovering industry.

New Ontera Design Studio The new Ontera Design Studio located in Sydney has been created as an easy and convenient way for clients to meet with members of the Ontera design and sales team to discuss future projects.

Centrally located in the design precinct of Surry Hills, a short distance from the city, the Design Studio is a valuable resource for designers to look at different ranges and discuss custom design options.

Renovated from a double terrace house, Ontera’s concept was to create a more open plan interior, allowing for more space and natural light giving the space a flooring focus. The space will evolve over time in tune with changing design trends, new product releases and when custom examples are installed.

BOUCLE BRIGHTS The new range of colors from Chilewich® in Tiles and W2W.

For more information on Chilewich® products and ranges contact: Pacific Floors Pty Ltd pacificfloors.com.au +61 3 8825 6780

News DLCS International receives JAS-ANZ accreditation to audit GECA scheme More environmentally preferable products are likely to be available for consumers with a second well respected conformance assessment body (CAB), DLCS International, now accredited by JAS-ANZ to audit products for GECA certification.

Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) is a not-for-profit organisation that runs the country’s only independent, transparent, rigorous and multi-sector ecolabel program. Under its scheme rules it requires those companies that assess products for certification (CABs) be accredited by JAS-ANZ. JAS-ANZ is the government-appointed accreditation body for Australia and New Zealand responsible for providing accreditation of conformity assessment bodies (CABs) in the fields of certification and inspection.

“We are thrilled that DLCS International will now lend its auditing services to the GECA scheme and look forward to working with such a well-respected CAB,” said Rupert Posner, GECA’s CEO. “With the auditing services of both DLCSI and BSI incorporating NCS International we are well positioned to continue to grow assessments against GECA’s robust standards and as a result deliver on our mission to substantially increase the sustainability of consumption.”

Dennis Rozich, Executive Director of DLCS International, says: “Accreditation from JAS-ANZ is an endorsement of competence, credibility, independence and integrity in conducting conformity assessment activities and provides confidence and best practice assurance to DLCS International’s clients and GECA’s licensees.”

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Golden Field Corporation going national Golden Field Corporation recently opened a branch in NSW and will stock and distribute the Green Earth flooring range.

This includes 5 G American oak engineered hardwood, strand woven bamboo, high definition 2200 12 mm laminate long boards and commercial rated Bordeaux laminate flooring.

Golden Field (Sydney) will be managed by Gordon Wu, who brings a wealth of sales, marketing and importing experience to the company.

Andrew Lo, Managing Director Golden Field Corporation Pty Ltd said: “With the recent move of our head office from Preston to the bigger facility at Reservoir and with the establishment of a presence within the NSW market, the future for Golden Field Corp looks bright.”

Gerflor loose lay finds favour Hundreds of home buyers, builders and renovators visited the Gerflor team at Grand Designs Live Sydney and Melbourne exhibitions at the end of October.

These homemakers along with many interior designers all welcomed the Gerflor loose lay story showcased through Texline, Creation Clic, Insight Clic and Senso Pro Lock ranges.

The event’s feature exhibit, House of the Future showcased the very latest technologies and innovations in and around the home, including Texline Key West Blanc, which was installed over the two level display.

Sydney interior design company, Covemore Designs installed Creation Clic Portabello throughout its stand and received very favourable feedback from visitors.

Grand Designs Live again affirmed that there is a great appetite in the market for the colours, designs and loose lay solutions found in current Gerflor ranges.

Try before you buy Karndean Designflooring has launched its brand new iPad and iPhone app, designed to make choosing the right floor even easier.

Using the latest technology and most durable materials, Karndean Designflooring gives each plank or tile its own individual appearance – from the intricate grain details of real woods, to the timeless tactile qualities of natural stones.

“We know a product sample is not always enough to help architects and interior designers decide which of our floors will look best in their commercial or retail scheme,” explained Heather Horton, head of digital at Karndean Designflooring.

“Our app is going to change the way homeowners, contractors, designers, architects and specifiers visualise and select Karndean flooring in the future.”

Using cutting edge Augmented Reality technology, the app allows you to view any Karndean floor in the interior setting in real time. You can also rotate the floor to test out different laying angles.

With access to the full Karndean Designflooring catalogue via the app's innovative Touch Selector, users can view any Karndean floor they want, whenever they want. They can also take snapshots as they go along, edit out walls and furniture and then save to compare – and then share.

Signature named Floorzone’s Supplier of the Year 2013 QEP President Len Gould, employees Lauren Fraser, Graeme Radley and Terry Rossidis and QEP Australia managing director Bruce Maclaren. (Courtesy Dandenong Journal)

Out of the ashes Less than three months since the fires that engulfed the QEP administration and warehouse buildings, “the phoenix has already risen out of the ashes and I see nothing but a great future ahead,” according to QEP President Len Gould, speaking to the workers at the Australian head office.

In early November, QEP took the opportunity to recognise the progress the business has made since the fire; to acknowledge the hardship most of the QEP staff have had to endure; to

celebrate the formal move into its new premises and to commemorate the visit of Len Gould, President of QEP Co. Inc., the parent company.

QEP intends to return to its old location once the premises are rebuilt but is currently operating from a temporary home in Keysborough.

QEP’s Managing Director, Bruce Maclaren said, “We’ve been through a fairly traumatic event. It’s been a challenge but we’ve all come out the other side bigger and better.”

Signature Floors has been awarded the Supplier of the Year award for 2013 at Floorzone’s annual conference at the Sea World Resort, Gold Coast.

Signature’s Queensland State Sales Manager Patrick Flatley, was honoured to accept the award on behalf of Signature Floors– a plaque boasting a jewelled dolphin to cleverly coincide with the venue location.

The judging criteria for this award is all encompassing, focusing on companies in a completely holistic light. Careful consideration is given to all areas of a nominated company including product range and personnel, in addition to after sales attention, customer service, regional store representation and even

delivery. Votes made by every Floorzone member are then tallied toward a final winner.

“This is not the first time that Signature has received this prestigious award,” said Martina Kramer, National Marketing Manager for Signature. “It is an achievement based on their efforts and that can truly be shared by all members of the Signature Floors team.”

Patrick Flatley (left) receives the award from Lou Jezard, Floorzone Floorcovering Manager.

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News Award for Küberit Küberit has been awarded a Global Player award in its specific field of activity.

Only companies that have proven to hold a leadership position in sales or to be a technology leader in their field were added to the list of "world market leader and best performance of the industry in South Westphalia," Germany.

The timing couldn’t have been better for Küberit to be given the award as “Hidden Champion” since the company is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. This award is a recognition for the company from the Sauerland region for its long lasting success story.

Founded in 1863 by Hermann

Income generating polished concrete course The 27th IBS Polished Concrete Course will be held in Sydney 19,20 and 21 February 2014.

Booking is essential as there are limited spaces and already some are taken up. The three day course is very much hands on and the number of attendees is limited to 12.

Under the experienced tutelage of Ivan Imerman, the owner of IBS, students are able to learn how to cut concrete using the correct diamonds to achieve the correct scratch patterns; how to grout concrete with the unique Fusion system and how to harden floor with Starseal PS densification as well as the IBS unique food stain resistance system.

These courses are proving increasingly popular drawing people from across Australia and New Zealand.

12 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

Friderich Künne in Altena, Küberit is now a market leader in the production and development of high-end profile systems for hard floors such as wood and laminate and for resilient flooring such as cork and LVT as well as for profiles made of aluminium, brass and stainless steel for textile flooring.

The company distributes its innovative products worldwide and currently to more than 60 countries on 6 continents. They can be found in luxury cruise ships of the AIDA line, as well as in the iconic Burj Khalifa, the worlds’ tallest building at 828 meters high.

Identity matters Identity Matters has announced the launch of its new website and new and improved catalogue, which showcases Australia's largest range of floor and counter mat solutions.

The new website is packed with new product information and in-situ images allowing clients to see what products would look like in certain applications. The website is designed to be faster, more user friendly and easier for us to manage/ update with the latest information. Most of all, it assists customers in making accurate product selections and informed purchasing decisions.

Identity Matters has also recently started marketing a new product – the PromoDek is an easy-to-use modular floor display system that is effortlessly assembled and can be updated in minutes. Company colours, graphics or virtually any other material can also be added.

As a result of its company growth, Identity Matters has added a new member to our production team. Iain Collins has over 20 years of experience in the promotions industry with experience in both supply and distribution. Iain has extensive experience in screen, digital, pad and ceramic printing along with embroidery and textile production.

New flooring agency in South Australia A new flooring agency has been established in South Australia. Top Floor Agencies specialises in domestic and commercial carpets, vinyl, artificial grass, synthetic sporting surfaces, flooring accessories and more.

After 18 years in the industry and having worked for flooring giants such as Armstrong World Industries, Gerflor, Tiger Turf and Feltex Carpets, Peter Wyra decided to set up his own company – Top Floors Agencies.

The building industry has been Peter’s life-long passion, having completed a Bachelor degree in Architectural Studies as well as having studied a Bachelor of Building Construction.

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News Changes to management team at Premium Floors Premium Floors Australia has announced some changes in its management team effective 1 March, 2014.

Stuart Budge, currently National Sales Manager, will become General Manager.

Stuart has been with Premium Floors for 20 years and, with the assistance of the entire Premium Floors team, will look to drive the future strategic initiatives of Premium Floors for the

benefit of all customers.

Colin and Jill McGraw will remain active as directors in the business for most of 2014, focusing on customer relationships whilst continuing to impart their years of valuable industry knowledge to the Premium team.

Pieter Buyck, currently Business Integration Manager, will move back to Belgium at the end of June

2014. In his new role, Pieter will continue to oversee the Australian business.

Kendall Waller’s role has been broadened to National Product and Technical Manager. Kendall will also continue to be responsible for NSW as well as assisting the Queensland team.

Kendall will continue to drive innovation and design into the product ranges whilst seeking to grow the northern

markets for Premium.

Jason Wedrien, currently State Manager Victoria, has been appointed National Retail Accounts Manager and will also assist the teams in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Jason, whilst relatively new at Premium, will drive the sales function in the southern States and be responsible for all national retail accounts.

New Flooring Technology resources website The Flooring Technology website www.flooringtech. com.au has now been completed.

This training resource supports 19 units of competency from the Certificate III in Flooring Technology, and provides content material in both a web format and downloadable learner guides.

The project was funded by the Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) Program and MSA.

Although it specifically targets learners with poor literacy and numeracy skills, it is suitable for all trainees undertaking the Flooring Technology qualification.

Workspace Training carried out the development work, assisted by a large reference group of trainers and industry experts. Draft versions of the material were trialled with students over the last year and the final product was quality assured by the WELL Program. It is now being used

by TAFE colleges and industry RTOs that actively deliver this qualification.

The presentation style follows the same model that was developed for the Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinetmaking website.

This project was completed last year by Workspace Training, again funded by the WELL Program and MSA. Surprisingly, it has acquired a much broader audience than the apprentice cabinetmakers it was originally designed for,

and its website hit rate has now topped one million visits, with many coming from North America, Asia and Europe.

A new WELL project is currently underway to add several more units to both the Flooring Technology website and Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinetmaking website. It is due for completion in mid next year. The new project will provide learning material for all remaining core units in both qualifications as well as several more elective units.

Make your end of year celebration a safe one WorkCover NSW is reminding businesses and workers in the region of the need to ensure the safety of themselves and their colleagues when attending work celebrations.

General Manager of WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division, John Watson said the responsibilities regarding the health and safety of workers at work functions was the same as at work.

“End of year functions are a great way to celebrate the achievements of your workers and the business over the past 12 months,” Mr Watson said. “While we all want to have a safe and enjoyable end of year celebration, local businesses should remember that they are still responsible for the health and safety of workers at these events.

14 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

“Workers are also responsible for their own health and safety and the safety of others,” Mr Watson said.

Mr Watson said there were a number of things a business should do in consultation with workers prior to the event.

“These don’t have to be onerous and could include reminding staff about healthy and safe behaviour regarding bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination,” Mr Watson said.

“Other things include setting a set start and finish time, and checking

that transport options are available for workers to get home safely”.

Mr Watson said at events where alcohol is served, businesses should ensure workers are aware of the issues associated with the misuse of drugs and alcohol.

“If alcohol is going to be served at the event, ensure wait staff are briefed to serve it responsibly and that plenty of food and non-alcoholic drinks are available.

“Also encourage workers to look out for their workmates and if they are concerned someone is under the influence of alcohol, work with their manager to keep them safe.

“By taking these steps, businesses can celebrate the holiday season safely.”

Dunlop Springtred carpet underlay helps create a healthier home environment. It’s treated with Ultra-Fresh, a proven anti-microbial that protects against bacteria, mould, mildew, and dust mites, a significant trigger for asthma and other allergies.

“Ultra-Fresh is a registered trademark of Thomson Research Associates Inc.”

Overseas

Leading flooring event in Asia DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR presents the World of Handmade Carpets and the second edition of InnovAction flooring when it resumes on 25 to 27 March, 2014 in Shanghai with an event that has increased both its size and value for exhibitors and visitors, adding both programs and services.

In the past, handmade and machine made carpets and rugs from international exhibitors were shown together in the same halls.

In 2014, international handmade carpets producers will appear separately in hall W5 where rugs, education, demonstrations of techniques and historical and cultural influences will merge to create an educational buying experience. Machine made carpets and rugs will remain

Flooring Magazine delivers to you the latest in design trends and innovative products PLUS valuable insights into how to give your business the edge.

in hall W1, the traditional international hall for this product category.

Leading producing countries including Iran, India and Pakistan will install pavilions at the handmade carpet area with many other international producers.

Daily live performances will demonstrate techniques, materials, cultural influences and distinguished product characteristics, providing both entertainment and education value for visitors and increased opportunity for exhibiting manufacturers.

Manufacturers are invited to submit one example of their work for display and judging by visitors whose vote will decide the most beautiful handmade rug at the show.

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

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Last year, nearly 4,000 visitors voted in the online InnovAction flooring campaign where 200 new

and innovative products could be pre-viewed. A selection of those products was also displayed together in a special venue at the show. The InnovAction program, which is designed to highlight the show’s newest products, is also meant to increase interaction between visitors and exhibitors by providing a convenient, on-line method to set appointments with manufacturers. In its first year, the program resulted in 644 pre-show contacts.

In 2014, show organisers will expand the interactive on-line system for previewing selected products, promotional opportunities and appointment setting.

The physical InnovAction spotlight venue will move into the Architects and Designers Hub. All preregistered visitors will have access to the on-line service.

Domotex Middle East a major success Domotex Middle East, the leading international trade fair for carpets and floorcoverings for markets in Turkey and the Middle East, took place in the IFM Istanbul Expo Centre from 7 to 10 November and attracted 4,321 international trade visitors.

The visitors included wholesalers and retailers, decision-makers from the construction industry, architects, interior architects and project planners.

Moreover, Domotex Middle East was attended by numerous business delegations, with teams of experts coming from Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman, Iran and Iraq.

The products on show included both hand-knotted and machine-made carpets, textile and resilient floor coverings, parquet and other wooden floors, laminates, floor coverings for sports facilities, fibres, yarns and woven materials. Visitors had the opportunity to view application and laying techniques as well as

machines and state-of-theart technologies.

This year’s trade show boasted an extended program of networking and forum events. The Carpet and Rug Restoration Workshop, for instance, was highly popular, while the second ZGF – Future of Flooring Forum attracted an array of high-calibre speakers, including Peter H. Meyer from the Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring, Criswell Davis from the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and François Sougnez from the European Federation of the Parquet Industry.

The forum focused more strongly than in the past on knowledge transfer. The YES Forum on the third day of the show examined the role of interior architects in construction projects.

One particular highlight was the presentation of the IHIB Carpet Design Awards on the first day, when the spotlight was primarily on young Turkish carpet designers.

Domotex now worldwide There are now four Domotex shows worldwide. Following the success of Domotex in Hannover, Germany, the organisers, Deutsche Messe AG, branched out with a show in Asia – DOMOTEX asia/ CHINAFLOOR – and followed this up with one in the Middle East and, most recently, one in Russia.

Domotex Hannover, 11 to 14 January, 2014, is the world’s leading floorcovering trade show. The upcoming fair will be geared more strongly than ever to the latest flooring industry trends.

The show is organised

by Deutsche Messe AG Hannover.

Domotex asia/ChinaFloor, 25 to 27 March, 2014 in Shanghai, is the largest flooring show in the AsiaPacific region. The show is jointly organized by VNU Exhibitions Asia, Build Your Dream and Hannover Milano Fairs Shanghai, a subsidiary of Deutsche Messe.

This event has increased both its size and value for exhibitors and visitors with added programs and services. The 2014 event

will cover 140,000 m2 gross and add new or expanded specialty venues such as the World of Handmade Carpets and an enhanced appointment setting feature in the InnovAction program.

The most recent fair, Domotex Middle East, was held from 7 to 10 November 2013 in Istanbul and served the Turkish and Middle Eastern markets. It was attended by numerous business delegations and teams of experts from Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman, Iran and Iraq.

Domotex Russia, 1 to 3 April, 2014 in Moscow, serves the Russian-speaking countries. The organisers are reporting strong exhibitor interest in next year’s show from Russia and abroad.

Market leaders and flooring industry heavyweights such as Decora, Classen-Rus, Kährs Group (KareliaUpofloor), Forbo Eurocol, Laminam Rus, Balta, Akteks and Tibetan Sheep have already confirmed their participation.

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Opinion

Accepting responsibility I am writing to highlight a number of issues, which require addressing by the industry.

The issues I raise should be seen in the context of all involved in industry: together we need to resolve long standing problems, which have plagued us all.

To kick the matter off, let me start with the power of the internet and consumerism. I recently undertook a review of internet traffic to understand how consumers use it to assist in their purchasing.

There is no doubt that it is a powerful tool and those who do it well benefit from their investment. However, what really did stand out, as part of the review, was the use of the internet and well known sites for OUR customers to vent

their feelings, both pre and post purchase.

There are many sites that encourage feedback – be it positive or negative. Generally, those attracted to these sites are those who have had a “bad” experience and they want to alert others of their experience. These sites are moderated but, let’s not kid ourselves, the comments are scathing and very detrimental to the businesses that are “named and shamed”.

As an example of this power, one site I analysed has a membership in excess of 200,000, has in excess of four million visits, has 210,000 reviews written, has 117,000 subscribers and names many flooring retailers.

No one should deny the power of this form of

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consumerism. As I said, those who have had a bad experience usually like to let the world know.

But what caused the problem?

When reading the hundreds (and many more unread) examples of posts it is easy to presume that every carpet retailer is the worst run business the writer has dealt with.

But is this true?

In some cases yes, and those retailers will ultimately pay the price for their shabbiness; however, this is not the real problem being expressed by OUR customers.

good thing; however, they must act like business men and understand who their customer is.

The information above suggests that a great number of installers need to learn some manners and respect from whom and from where their income derives. It’s clear that there is a significant number of installers across the country who are not responsible, who should not be in business and who should be avoided at all costs.

I’d suggest that those who have not completed formal apprenticeships

“It’s clear that there is a significant number of installers across the country who are not responsible, who should not be in business and who should be avoided at all costs.”

Upon close analysis of the comments, there is a common factor, which is the crux of the matter. The overwhelming cause of these, sometimes vicious, attacks results from three main points: 1) poor workmanship by installers; 2) inappropriate behaviour and attitude of installers; 3) lack of respect by installers.

As retailers providing our services to the public we are compelled to rely on the engagement of sub-contractors in the main – very few installers opt for employment and consider themselves to be in a position to run their own business. This is a

or undertaken industry training to meet the minimum requirements to be considered a certified tradesman are the main offenders. They are also likely to be from the younger generation, who are savvy in knowing there is a shortage of labour and that retailers are turning a blind eye to the lack of skills in order to meet demand.

Herein lies the problem.

Of the labour pool across Australia, which I acknowledge is shrinking, ageing and is less skilled, we, as an industry, face the ongoing battle of being able to service our customers with certified, respectful and competent installers!

Unless we face this issue

Life is full of choices.

When Quality Matters, Make a Clever Choice head on, the power of consumerism, whether it is in the commercial sector or domestic markets, will be limited by the availability of installers fit for the job.

We will also continue to lose significant amounts of money in making good the growing number of complaints generated as a result of poor installers.

It is you, the retailer, who is held to account whereas the installer waits for the next phone call and moves to the next job on behalf of an unsuspecting retailer.

In a perfect world the industry ought to have confidence in its labour force.

We already invest in the development of skills and identify and recognise installers who are capable of meeting the level of expertise OUR customers demand. But, do we get value for our money? I’ll let you answer that.

Unless we address this we can only expect to read more and more about the poor performance of our companies on the internet – and that’s going to hurt.

Compounding the issue is the notion of implied warranty claims made for marketing purposes. Whilst there are laws we must abide by under the Trade Practices Act, industry has not determined an acceptable position on warranty claims relating to installations. As a result we see a plethora of installation warranty claims – all, of course, limited by small print and redirections that in most cases make them void. However, consumers don’t see it that way. They see the literal meaning of the words LIFE TIME INSTALLATION WARRANTY. So add these two components together – poor installation with a life time warranty and something is not right.

This is an oxymoron.

We have all been subjected to installers failing to return to the scene of their crime; a poor installation, which impacts on a business from an integrity point of view, and it hurts your profitability. The installers have usually been paid long ago and moved on. Surely there is a mechanism that can stop this?

I suggest that whilst marketing of warranty claims assists in the sales area it does little to appease consumers when tested. It is always a blame game with very few positive outcomes. That’s why there are so many disgruntled people on the internet or taking out legal action.

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the industry ought to have confidence in its labour force.

We already invest in the development of skills and identify and recognise installers who are capable of meeting the level of expertise OUR customers demand.

But, do we get value for our money?”

Industry ought to have a documented set of warranty criteria for installation methods across the various product sectors and those warranties need to be identified and held accountable to the retailer and the installer who did the job.

It is about time installers accepted their responsibility and are held accountable for the quality of their workmanship; after all it is the retailer’s reputation and name that is being placed on the internet – not theirs!

John White Flooring Resolution Consultants (FRC) John White has dedicated in excess of 40 years to the floorcovering industry. Having started as a 17 year old, John gained knowledge on all aspects related to the vinyl and carpet sectors of the floorcovering industry. During his journey, so far, John has undertaken employment with the Australian Wool Corporation, Cavalier Bremworth Carpets, Interface and Armstrong as well as running his own consultancy company. The progression from manufacturing to senior management has seen John overseeing operations globally. Having lived in the Asian markets for eight years and circulating between the USA, Europe and Asia, John has experienced all forms of flooring issues. Upon returning to Australia John established a commercial installation company.

Utilising the knowledge gained, John was engaged by many multi-national companies to provide, supply and install services across the country.

For eight years John was Chairman of the Floorcovering Association of Victoria (FAV) and remains active in issues important to industry.

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Retailer of the month

Happy customers Carpet One and Tiles Mackay, Mackay, Queensland

T

here has been a carpet store of some description in Evans Avenue, North Mackay for 35 years. It became a Carpet One store about 20 years ago and, when Russell and Meredith Allen bought the business in March 2011, it was known as Carpet One and Tiles Mackay.

Russell, a boilermaker by trade, had always wanted to run his own business.

His parents have owned a Carpet One store in Emerald, Queensland for 12 years and knew that the business in Mackay was up for sale.

Russell had been involved in both management and sales in the steel company for which he previously worked and felt confident that this experience would translate to the retail flooring business. Add to that his parents’ experience and knowledge of the industry,

Staff Crystal Edwards and Storm Maguire with Karlin Hill, Pam Dancer (far left - on maternity leave), and Meredith and Russell Allen.

20 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

and Meredith’s decision to return to work now that the children were all at school, and the time was right to take the plunge.

Carpet One and Tiles Mackay services the entire Mackay district and beyond to Sarina, the Pioneer Valley, and through to Moranbah and Glenden – an area within a travel distance of approximately two and a half hours.

The business includes both domestic and commercial work and includes ceramic tiles and window blinds as well as all forms of floorcoverings including carpets, timber, vinyl and vinyl plank.

“With the temperatures and humidity we experience in this part of Queensland, we have found that vinyl and vinyl plank is particularly popular and suited to the conditions,” said Meredith.

“We currently have a huge Karndean showroom within our store so customers

can see and choose the very latest styles and designs from a major supplier.

Carpet One and Tiles Mackay also has a mobile showroom for customers who find it difficult to come into the store, whether it’s mothers with young children, or the elderly. “Our mobile showroom brings the samples to the home allowing customers to select a floorcovering to match their own decor and style,” said Meredith. “We can also provide an inhome consultation with advice on colours and products.”

On the commercial side of the business, Carpet One and Tiles Mackay has 10 regular builders with whom they have contracts to install all floorcoverings, as well as supplying other builders on an ad hoc basis.

“We do a substantial amount of flooring installation in housing and offices

Vinyl being installed at Grosvenor Mine, Moranbah

connected to the mining industry, which has become a mainstay of the local economy,” Meredith explained. “We also have a contract with QBuild to put new vinyl in all the housing commission houses as well as some flooring in schools.

“Recently we installed 4500m2 of carpet tiles in a new highrise (Quest Apartments) in the centre of Mackay as well as 2500m2 of vinyl in offices for the new Grosvenor Mine, which opened in Moranbah.”

Karlin Hill is the commercial sales representative for the company along with Russell himself while Crystal Edwards and Storm Maguire deal with the domestic sales. Meredith herself looks after the office administration including accounts and invoicing.

“We also have five fully qualified carpet layers and one apprentice as employees and we use contractors in addition to this as required,” she explained. “All our sales staff receive training and product knowledge from our suppliers, which we feel is essential when selling a product.

“Our aim is to sell great products and provide a professional service at competitive prices and that way we will have happy customers.”

Carpet tiles installed in Latitude Apartments.

Meredith believes their Facebook page is a good way to get rid of offcuts and old stock as well as making sure their name becomes well known in the region.

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Software

High tech flooring software The past decade has seen a significant uptake in high tech software specifically designed for flooring businesses, ranging from planning and estimating packages designed for the individual user, to enterprise CRM solutions linked to planning, measuring and estimating packages.

Recently, an emergence of mobile iPad and iPhone applications has extended the capability and capacity for retail flooring sales professionals to value-add shop-at-home services.

Traditional methods can be time consuming and lead to significant delays in providing potential customers with the information they need to make a decision.

22 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

A major benefit for sales professionals using planning and estimating software is the ability to adapt quickly to the sales environment.

In some cases a customer may require an instant price, in other cases it may be seen by the customer as an attempt by the sales person to pressure them into making a decision on the spot.

Reading the situation and adapting to the customer’s needs allows the sales professional to change tack instantly.

Typically, the manual process from the time a sales professional visits the client’s home to providing a quote can take between four and 48 hours depending on the workload. This can lead to frustration from customers,

adversely affecting the outcome.

Flooring estimation software significantly reduces the turnaround time. Integrated quotations produced directly from hand drawn or laser drawn digital floor plans linked to email functions allow sales professionals to provide the quote before they have left the customer’s driveway or, if required, on the spot.

The benefits are many – the customer has had time to consider the proposal; other providers may be seen to be slow at providing the required proposal and they may also be seen to be using outdated methods – using tape measures, paper sketches and the need to return to the store to produce a detailed estimation.

Communication, collaboration and coordination processes using traditional manual practices can also adversely affect the outcome and reputation of the brand or business.

For many, lost paperwork, missed appointments and frustrations finding

information filed in large steel grey cabinets, creates an additional level of stress during high periods of activity.

Moving from a paper based diary system to a simple cloud based customer relationship management system designed specifically for flooring businesses allows flooring teams to track leads, customers, sales appointments and installation schedules as well as track valuable data such as conversion rates, missed opportunities, sales in the pipeline, and other valuable data.

Integrating estimation software with essential customer data such as seam diagrams, quotation, purchase orders and invoices, provides the capacity to access information from almost any device and any location.

MeasureSquare software is specifically designed to meet the requirements of all types of flooring business from individual retail stores, commercial flooring providers and flooring groups.

Member Conference - Together Stronger as One Choices Flooring Member Conference: Sydney 2013 Choices Flooring held their bi-annual national members conference at The Park Hyatt in Sydney to much enthusiasm and fanfare. The theme of ‘Together – Stronger as One’ was based around the current strength of the Group. The conference, held over two days, unveiled many new initiatives, including; exciting and new exclusive products, marketing strategies and the launch of the ‘Store Evolution Program’.

Hosted by TV funny man John Blackman and guest presentations from Tom Potter (Founder of Eagle Boys Pizza) and Laurie Lawrence (Swim Legend), the event had members, alliance partners and staff left wanting more.

The alliance partner showcase had over 20 booths displaying fantastic new product and services for the Group’s members. The conference dinner was also jam-packed with excitement, with the famed Magic Carpet Ride destination for 2014 announcement (Singapore), launch of a new Apprentice Scheme and a charity auction whereby over $12,000 was raised for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

r u o o t s k Than g n i t a p i c i t par s r e n t r a Alliance P

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your style, your home

signaturefloors

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

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

Software

Choosing the right IT solution for your business

By Chris Ogden, RFMS Australasia Most business owners recognise the need to have good business systems in place. In the flooring industry we are sometimes a little behind the the curve but that situation is changing and the gap between those businesses successfully making use of good IT and those who are not is growing.

It’s growing because as every month goes by new technology and applications utilising that technology are making their way into the market. The reality is that those stores that were behind the times five years ago are much more so now.

One of the evident trends is that as businesses change hands, owners of flooring businesses are not necessarily people out of the flooring industry. New owners are coming into flooring from industries that rely heavily on IT and these people are implementing IT solutions in their flooring businesses because they understand the benefits and because it gives them a competitive edge.

Similarly, the next generation of owners are

taking over the reins in family businesses and these younger people want their business to have all of the benefits that they know can be found in a fully integrated business management system.

For all these reasons the flooring industry is becoming more IT savvy and IT is on the shopping list for more and more flooring businesses.

If introducing a new IT solution into your flooring business might be on the agenda in 2014 you may feel a little daunted at the prospect of selecting the right solution for your business.

As experienced as we are in the flooring industry we may feel ill-equipped to make a decision about an IT solution.

As a starting point here are some questions that might be worth asking: • Is the solution industry specific?

• How much adaptation does it require to meet industry needs?

• Does it address all of my needs?

• Will it keep pace with technological innovation?

• How long has the solution been in the market and how many users does it have?

• Will I get a return on my investment?

• Will it grow with me or will I end up growing out of it?

• Will it help me drive the business or does it just measure the results?

• How many people are using the software in your industry?

• Are reference sites available?

• Does the vendor and the

people who will train me understand the flooring industry?

Before committing to investment in an IT solution for your business you should have satisfactory answers to those questions. You only want to make the decision once so you need to get it right.

Chris Ogden is a consultant and Managing Director of RFMS Australasia. Chris has extensive experience at all levels of the flooring industry and he can be contacted at cogden@rfms.com.

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Software

Using quantifying software in the home When quantifying software first became available the only medium for the software was PCs and laptops.

Since then we have seen the advent of smart devices and tablets and we have experienced the convenience of having apps on these devices. RFMS Measure has been keeping pace with the available technology and has had Measure Mobile on the market now for some time.

Designed specifically for smart phones and tablet devices (both Apple and Android) Measure Mobile is the ideal tool for measuring and quantifying in the home.

Measure Mobile has been specifically designed with

28 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

simplicity in mind; it is not cluttered up with dozens of functionalities that will not be used by most residential measurers/salespeople.

Some of the benefits of Measure Mobile include: • simplicity of use; • estimating experience is not required; • professional presentation; • consistent plans and reporting; • creates opportunity to close in the home; • integrates into the measure PC suite of products; • upload plans from on site into the office; • inexpensive; • available on monthly or annual subscription.

Measure Mobile extends the functionality of the Measure software into an easily accessible tool that can be used on a smart phone or a tablet enabling your sales people to quantify quickly,

accurately and professionally leaving them to focus on closing the sale.

A 30 day trial version is available via www. measuremobile.com as well as on line tutorials on YouTube.

Timber&Parquetry

Celebrating five years in China An Australian owned and operated flooring factory in China has just celebrated five years of successful operations.

Located in the regional city of Huzhou, two hours to the west of Shanghai, Ecquality Timber Products has about 40 employees and is run by its owners, Terry Newman and Sonoe Mishima. This husband and wife team are well known in the timber industry, especially to the cypress mills of Queensland, where they have been sourcing timber and flooring for about 15 years for export to Japan.

The move to China was prompted by the rising Australian dollar and increased manufacturing costs that have accompanied the mining boom. Terry explained that initially the plan was not to set up a manufacturing operation at all: “We came to China to outsource production, not to make things ourselves, but we quickly learned that China is not a place where you can simply write a contract with a manufacturer, go home and expect things to run smoothly”.

After finding that he was spending more time on factory floors in China

30 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

making things work than in Australia, Terry and Sonoe decided to move to China to start their own operation.

“We knew it would be hard but so was running around China trying to stay on top of what was happening in our subcontract factories. We tried many factories and none of them could consistently produce what we needed.”

On the personal side it was a huge change too.

“We brought our daughter, about to turn 14, with us, but our 16 year old son elected to board at his school and complete his last two years there, rather than start in an international school at that late stage.

For them it was, no doubt, a big challenge too, but they both adapted quickly to their respective new circumstances and there were no major issues,” Terry said.

The challenges for the family and the business were just beginning, however, because soon after registration of the company, but before operations commenced, Lehman Brothers collapsed and what Terry calls “the great train wreck” began.

“We just got started when things went bad. We had enough cash to carry us

through a slow year or so, but this went from slow to zero at the beginning and took about three years to get back on track, so it was nerve-wracking on top of all the other challenges of operating here.”

Terry added that there is a book in these “other challenges” but he is, now, clearly on top of things and is confident of growth.

“Our challenge now is to stay on top of orders and to manage growth. Last year was 20% up year-on-year and I expect that will now continue.”

The factory still produces Australian cypress for Japan, but also does other Australian hardwoods and German oak.

“Solid German oak wide boards for the Australian market are now one of our biggest items,” Terry explained. “We are also supplying some engineered products from nearby factories with which we work closely. Trading is now about 20% of our sales, but we still do all the Queensland cypress.”

Terry is the first to admit that times are very uncertain but said: “There

are never any guarantees in life. You just have to get on with it and give it your very best shot.”

Timber&Parquetry

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“For a complete and According to Boral complementary flooring Timber’s Clinton Skeoch, solution, designers can opt while timber flooring has for a mix of timber flooring long been viewed as a products throughout a practical flooring solution, commercial space – the business owners can create hard-wearing nature of unique focal points using the parquetry for high traffic beautiful geometric patterns areas and the simplicity of of parquet flooring. hardwood timber solid strip in “The customisable nature other areas.” of block parquetry makes it Parquetry flooring can be perfect for adding a distinctive easily maintained and any touch to a property, whether damage can be simply fixed it’s a fashion retailer, designer by replacing just the affected hotel or busy restaurant,” said blocks. Furthermore, after Skeoch. “Building owners can years of wear and tear the use a mix of timber species, - Dec 2013.pdf 1 14/10/13 11:13 AM

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Eco

Victoria Carpets awarded for sustainability At the Victorian Premier's Sustainability Awards held in Melbourne in October, Victoria Carpets was the recipient of the Large Business award as well as the inaugural Premier's Regional Recognition Award for a series of creative and innovative sustainability projects to reduce energy and emissions at its Bendigo Woollen Mill.

The awards celebrate efficient use of water, resources and energy, better waste management and recycling practices, the enhancement of the environment and effective, practical community action.

Victoria Carpets is a major carpet manufacturer in Australia with a strong commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible manufacturing. Its stated objective is to manufacture fine quality carpets whilst operating in an environmentally responsible manner.

“Whilst creating beautiful carpet, we take our responsibility for the environment seriously. Pledging ‘Beauty with a Conscience’ means we are committed to ongoing improvements in our operations to reduce our impact on the environment,” explained managing director, Phil Smith.

The company’s major environmental initiatives include the upgrade of lighting and heating at its Bendigo woollen mill – the last major woollen carpet mill in Australia. LED technology was implemented, reducing energy use by 550,000 kWh. Old gas jet fan heaters were also replaced with ceiling hung radiant heaters situated above individual workstations, resulting in a reduction of gas usage by 75%.

In a further project, secondary energy steam coils were replaced with

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direct primary energy gas burners in combination with a state-of-the-art moisture control system in the wool dryer. This has achieved a reduction of 9,000 Gigajoule in gas usage.

“We have been doing a great deal of work around our Bendigo woollen mill to look at ways of reducing our environmental impact and our energy costs,” Phil Smith said. “We looked at where we were using light, electricity, heating and gas and looked at ways we could break that down and get better results.

“We removed a whole process in our drying system and put controls in place to further reduce the amount of gas we use,” Phil explained. “We are now looking at ways to reduce the water consumption in our dyeing process.

“The initiatives at the Bendigo mill have all been installed and operational since June this year. They have been very beneficial from an environmental standpoint as well as improving our drying process and the quality of our product.”

“We’re now looking to see what we can do in our Dandenong premises.

Currently we are doing the LED light changeover at the Dandenong factory and we are also looking at other ways to reduce our energy usage.”

Victoria Carpets Managing Director, Phil Smith receives the award from the Minister for Environment and Climate Change (Victoria), The Hon. Ryan Smith, MP.

“We decided to enter the awards to draw some attention to some of the things we’re doing here at Victoria Carpets,” Phil said. “With the quality and scope of some of the finalists’ projects, we really didn’t expect to win but, clearly, we were delighted when the winners were announced.”

Sustainability Victoria chief executive Stan Krpan concluded by saying: "These are great examples of resource productivity and its opportunities for Victorian manufacturing.''

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Northern Territory, Western Australia

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

AA110

Queensland

PR Floors Ltd

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

NSW, Tasmania, VIC, South Australia

George Low Ltd

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

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

Eco

Cork

New ASTM Standard specifies cork floor tile requirements Bushfire-resistant decking wins award Victorian building products business, ModWood Technologies, won the Innovative Products or Services category in the Premier's Sustainability Awards 2013 for its bushfireresistant decking product, Flame Shield.

This decking is a woodplastic composite designed and manufactured in Victoria, suitable for use in high risk bushfire-prone areas up to and including Bushfire Attack Level 40 (BAL 40) – extreme bushfire conditions. Other BAL 40 decking materials on the market are only available as aluminium or steel products.

36 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

Sustainability Victoria CEO, Stan Krpan, congratulated the ModWood team for their innovative work in developing and marketing Flame Shield®.

"ModWood Technologies makes Flame Shield using 90% reclaimed and recycled content, recovering resources from waste streams.

Significantly, product life in service also exceeds alternative hardwood products.

“ModWood is a great example of a Victorian business responding to increasing demand for clean and green products,” he said.

For more than 100 years, cork tile has been commonly used as a floor and wall covering for residential and commercial use. A new ASTM International standard, ASTM F3008, Specification for Cork Floor Tile, specifies requirements for cork floorcoverings made from agglomerated composition cork supplied in tile form, which is designed to be used with a factory finish or an in situ finish, or both.

ASTM F3008 was developed by Subcommittee F06.80 on Specifications, part of ASTM International Committee F06 on resilient floor coverings.

“Although it’s an old material, many people still do not understand cork flooring, and more important, do not know how to tell the difference between one product and another outside of sales and marketing literature,” says Christopher Capobianco, sales and technical specialist, Spartan Surfaces, and an F06 member.

“ASTM F3008 establishes minimum requirements and characteristics that this material needs to meet.”

Capobianco also notes that cork floorcovering is considered to be a very

sustainable type of flooring material. While the primary bark of the cork oak tree is used for bottle stoppers for the wine industry, material that is not used for this purpose is granulated, compressed and finished for a variety of other materials, including floor tile.

ASTM F3008 will be used by manufacturers to ensure that their products are meeting minimum requirements. Architects, end users and other specifiers can use the standard to understand the difference between products so that the correct product is used for particular projects.

Finally, testing laboratories can use ASTM F3008 to assist manufacturers in product testing, and to assist in the analysis of cork tile involved in product complaints.

ASTM International is one of the largest international standards development and delivery systems in the world. ASTM International meets the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency. ASTM standards are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems and commercial transactions.

r o f st rs e e T Floo r u te t s i e Mo ncr Co

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Order a starter kit from your local Intafloors Trade Depot today.

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND DISTRIBUTORS QLD

Gibbon Group Brisbane: 07 3881 1777 Email: sales@gibbongroup.com.au McDonalds Flooring Accessories Gold Coast: 07 5564 9999

NSW Gibbon Group Newcastle: 02 4951 1002 Email: russellc@gibbongroup.com.au

Intafloors Trade Depot

VIC

Sydney: 02 8678 5479

FIS Distributors

NEW ZEALAND

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

Nuplex Construction Products Free Phone: 0508-882-288 Email: ncpsales@nuplex.co.nz

TAS

Total Flooring North Hobart: 03 6234 9855

SA

Seal and Sons Adelaide: 08 8346 9833 Email: office@deseal.com.au

WA Kevmor Wholesale Trade Supplies Perth: 08 9277 7177 Email: sales@kevmor.com.au

Laminate

Grey and beige tones as trendsetters European laminate flooring manufacturers are kicking off the new laminate flooring season with a wealth of creative decoration ideas.

Light and medium earth tones like "greige" are now the order of the day for flooring, while larger and wider sizes are on trend. Modern yet rustic boards appeal to the senses with their distinctly tactile textured surfaces.

Rusticity remains the key theme in current laminate flooring ranges. Oak continues to dominate wood decors (in Europe) with its almost inexhaustible decorative potential. Yet floors with the appearance of delicatelygrained ash or elm, or rich softwoods such as spruce and larch, are also rapidly gaining in popularity.

In general, demand for decor that resembles elegant wood varieties is on the rise.

Meanwhile, dark colours have seen a slight decline, with the collections of European manufacturers instead presenting a varied spectrum of natural grey and beige tones – a trend that originated in the field of interior decor and which is now taking 38 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

international flooring markets by storm.

A considerable amount of wood decor in the laminate sector no longer appears in its "natural" version, but rather with a discreet white or grey haze. The rustic "used look" appears in several varieties of commercial products, from construction timber styles with imitation cement traces, to laminate flooring that feels brushed, planed or freshly sanded.

Modern synchro-pore printing enables the authentic transfer of a wide variety of

surface structures, from fine veins and pores to deep, distinctive knots. This rustic nature particularly comes into its own in the new rural-style wooden floorboard collections, which are increasingly being offered in longer and wider floorboard sizes.

Several European manufacturers and suppliers, grouped together under the association EPLF (European Producers of Laminate Flooring), will take advantage of Domotex 2014 and the second Wood Flooring Summit in Hanover to showcase their

latest products. Here, visitors can explore a whole host of creative design possibilities and discover the newest technological innovations in European laminate floor production.

Top left: Rusticity remains the key: light or medium earth tones and tactile textures are the trendsetters in the new laminate flooring collections.

Photo: Kronotex.

Top right: Why always oak? Softwoods such as rich spruce decors are also gaining in popularity. Photo: Meister Below: Timber with a "used" look is represented in several varieties by European manufacturers.

Photo: Kaindl.

SurfacesToday

Off the beaten path Shaw Contract Group Australia has released its latest carpet tile collection, Hexagon, inspired by the cultural shift toward more collaborative environments.

The new Hexagon collection is nonlinear in composition and reinforces the social aspect of space as well as the physical and mental interaction that occurs within it.

According to Shaw Contract Group General Manager, Paul McCosker, hexagon was the next logical move for the design of carpet tile.

“In commercial spaces, we achieve the best outcome when we pay respect to the order and process, or the implied natural proportion. Repetitive forms always remain a cornerstone of good architecture and design and at Shaw we feel the geometry of the hexagon is perfection,” Mr McCosker said.

“Today nothing is linear – as a society we depend on connection points that remove the linear path and hexagon demonstrates this. It will change the way people move through space, to develop socially attractive pockets to facilitate networking and collaboration.

“We often see our customers create angular, organic seating areas or workspaces – now the hexagon allows for a similar system to be implemented on the floor,” he said.

There are four styles within the collection with the foundation being Plane (22oz.) available in 29 colours of varying hue and value, ranging from cool to warm.

Linear (20 oz.) provides a classic, striated visual to create a random herringbone texture when installed in a

FreeFit

™

Clickless, Glueless 45cm Vinyl Tile.

Call David Coggins 0419 798 726

40 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

multi-directional manner while Linear Shift (22 oz.) creates a subtle shift of value across the hexagon and is constructed of multiple combined colours.

Bevel (26 oz.) offers a visual deconstruction of the hexagon both through a dimensional layering of shapes and through a plush sheared finish.

The collection’s palette has been thoughtfully planned to include warm and cool neutral colours to enhance our social lives. It is designed in a colour wheel of related values and nuances of tone.

The hexagon collection also brings with it enhanced interactive tools for designers

and clients to explore including an online visualisation tool and, for hands-on-hive design, mini-hexagons will be available to arrange and rearrange during creative exploration with Shaw representatives.

Hexagon is Cradle to Cradle Certified CM Silver and uses premium Eco Solution Q fibre. All tiles feature EcoWorx backing, which is certified with the highest level of GECA certification and a Green Star ‘Level A’ product rating according to the Green Building Council of Australia.

EcoWorx carpet tiles are 100% PVC free and are backed with an environmental guarantee for reclamation and recycling.

A perfect finish Hermes Abrasives has developed a new abrasive screen mesh product for the flooring contractor.

The new Emerald screen mesh disc has been developed using specially heat treated grain to provide a consistent cutting action from the start to the end of the disc life.

The special grain coating provides a longer cutting life as well as the improved consistent finish.

It is available throughout the grit range from 80# to 320#, enabling the contractor to sand back the timber floor right down to the final cutting back of the coatings, leaving a perfect finish.

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Better than vintage Technological advances in moulding and high resolution inkjet printing are revolutionising the way we decorate our homes. While many homemakers and renovators want a handmade look, it’s not always practical – or affordable – to use natural materials like stone or rough-hewn wood.

That’s why Beaumont Tiles, has launched the Better Than Vintage line of products.

“These beautiful representations of vintageinspired product are so good we think they’re better than the real thing,“ said Beaumont Strategic Designer, Rachel Gilding.

“They are moulded or inkjetprinted tiles that look like

handmade materials but are much more functional and cost effective.”

Incorporating aspects of art nouveau through symmetrical, organic designs with a modernistic and handmade twist, Tassel is a collection of printed tiles that adds originality to interior spaces.

“Tassel is a lightweight and durable range that requires no sealing,” Rachel said.

“There are 21 different face designs in traditional 200 x 200 sizing for walls and floors and Tassel will add depth and interest to all environments.

“You can apply Tassel as a mat under your kitchen table or as a floor to complement a feature wall.”

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

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

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

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

AS1428.1-2009 requirements

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

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

Figure 1

Solid Aluminium

(Insufficient luminance contrast)

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

Figure 2

Meets AS1428.1-2009 requirements

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SurfacesToday

When wallpaper means protection From a partnership between Inkiostro Bianco and Mapei comes a revolutionary covering: EQ Dekor, the dualfunction wallpaper for both protection and decoration with dual-application for walls or floors.

EQ Dekor is much more than a simple wallpaper.

Paired with the creativity of Inkiostro Bianco's designers and artists – who turn each wall covering into a little work of art – are structural characteristics that minimize the risk of parts of the walls detaching during earthquakes, consequently lengthening the evacuation time of buildings.

EQ Dekor is based on the innovative patented MapeWrap EQ System, a high-performance product by Mapei with all the requisites for outstanding efficacy in the event of seismic activity.

A bidirectional glass fibre fabric cladding - called MapeWrap EQ Net - applied using a strongholding single component water-based adhesive - the so-called

MapeWrap EQ adhesive - guarantees excellent performance in the event of an earthquake. Greater stability, extreme efficacy, extreme lightness and structural flexibility are just some of the benefits that this new Mapei system offers.

The simple use and basic application procedure allowed by the MapeWrap EQ System make EQ Dekor a highly functional product.

After spreading an initial layer of EQ Dekor Adhesive onto the pre-existing plaster,

Boucle Brights from Chilewich Chilewich has just released Boucle Brights, a range of five new brilliant vibrant colours in pink, citron, melange, orange and turquoise.

Boucle features a very rich textile that provides visual interest without a dominating pattern. Sandy Chilewich’s original concept for the design was the desire to interpret the luxury of fine knitwear into a woven textile that was durable, modern and easy to clean.

42 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

Feedback from Chilewich’s admirers has also lead Sandy to eventually move in a colour orientated design solution.

“Over the years people have asked me if we will ever offer ‘real’ colours. I admit I am pretty neutral. Of course what people were really asking for was bright colours.

Guess I just wasn’t ready until now, but here they are.”

Chilewich’s worldwide success is entirely due to a combination of colour,

design, wearability, durability and ease of maintenance making it a solution for both high traffic areas and small intimate spaces to hospitality, healthcare, residential and commercial surrounds.

Boucle Brights is available in tile, broadloom, custom floor mats and wall textiles as part of the Chilewich Contract Collection distributed by Pacific Floors exclusively in Australia and New Zealand.

the EQ Dekor fibre cladding can then be applied to prevent the collapse of the secondary partitions.

Creatively interpreted

by Inkiostro Bianco, and decorated with a range of 60 charming graphics and flourishes conceived by eminent designers and artists who continuously collaborate with the company, the Mapei system has been transformed into the EQ Dekor collection, an intriguing and eclectic "seismic wallpaper".

PICFloors

New mobile responsive website

Densi Crete’s hospital success Moisture testing of around 10,000m2 of concrete in the new Logan Hospital in South East Queensland was completed recently and the results came back showing high moisture readings.

In adherence to the Australian Standards, the builder, Thiess decided on DuraCore’s Densi Crete as the moisture barrier. Densi Crete was used in conjunction with Polyflor’s Kiesel leveling compound and vinyl adhesives with great success.

Clint from Pacific Floor Preparation said: “Densi Crete was the easiest moisture barrier that I have used without the messy clean up.”

DuraCore’s director Andrew McLeay added: “Now that the products have passed Green Star compliance with virtually zero VOCs, this enables the products to be widely accepted and specified for all government projects.

Protection, Installation & Care

“Densi Crete and Moisture Proof have proven themselves by fast becoming a leading brand due to their realistic pricing structure. Densi Crete and Moisture Proof have undergone the required testing, are guaranteed and have now been used on tens of thousands of square metres with a 100% success rate.”

Plastic Welding Tools Pty Limited (a division of Techspan Group) has released a brand new e-commerce and mobile interactive website at www.plasticweldingtools.com.au The new website provides instructions on how to weld thermoplastics with a range of video clips to help you get your welding technique right first time.

A complete range of plastic welding hand tools is available from Tchspan. Manufactured

by BAK Switzerland, the Techspan plastic welding tools and accessories are fully compatible with the following welding tools – Techspan, BAK, Weldy & Leister. A range of plastic welding rods is also available in a range of profiles and colours.

Dohle extruder welders, now branded Techspan, are available in a wide range of outputs. These are ideal for plastic welding of large wall section materials, pond and landfill liner fabrication, and for fabrication of containment bins, water tanks and more.

SMASHING PRICES! DuraCore

DENSI CRETE

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Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014 43

PICFloors

Protection, Installation & Care

Turn three hour crawl into 15 minute stroll risk of spills, can reduce the necessity of ‘out of hours’ installations. With installers consistently achieving coverage rates of up to 300m per canister, combined with a remarkable bond strength, which grips carpet tiles firmly yet allows for easy replacement or realignment, it is inevitable that FlexiSpray FS-470 will quickly take hold ‘down under’.

Manufactured in Australia

by Quin Global, FlexiSpray FS-470 is a long awaited adhesive solution that provides fast, clean and safe solutions for carpet tile installers.

As a result of Quin Global’s extensive experience and worldwide resources, the adhesive systems that they develop display all the hallmarks of ‘leading-edge’ technology.

The latest addition to the Flexi range of adhesives utilises the unique portable canister delivery system, which is promoted as the most efficient and effective way to apply adhesive in most on-site applications.

Low odour, combined with the convenience of the fully self contained canister system, which virtually eliminates any

incorporating

FLOORS Australia and New Zealand

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

I wish to subscribe to Flooring Magazine HOW TO ORDER

PUBLISHING Co PTY LTD

The future of bagless technology is here according to Bosch, which has introduced its latest floorcare category of bagless vacuums.

The new range features four models that boast super quiet operation, compact design, innovative floor tools for all surfaces, and superior user friendly features.

All models are equipped with a large three litre canister and lifetime HEPA filter, hard floor tool and 3-in-1 accessory with crevice tool, upholstery brush and removable furniture brush.

Flexibility is assured with Bosch’s variable power feature – these vacuums can clean any surface, including carpets, hard floor, upholstery and curtains.

Their Robust Air System combines high power airflow,

aerodynamic design and larger inlet diameters, which increase airflow for higher dust pick up.

The Intelligent SelfClean technology found in the Relaxx’x All Floor Specialist, ProSilence and Zoo’o ProAnimal models detects when the unit is not operating optimally – an indicator light flashes red and the unit performs an automatic filter clean. The unit is then restored to its original performance level.

The Zoo’o ProAnimal and All Floor Specialist also feature the innovative DuoBrush Turbo Head, which boasts two kinds of bristles – one for pet hair and the other for dust. The DuoBrush Turbo Head has a torque convertor wheel and a one-step, easy to clean bristle rod. metres with a 100% success rate.”

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

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EITHER: POST TO: PO Box 800 Templestowe, Vic 3106 Australia MELBOURNE +61 3 9890 0815 FAX: +61 3 9890 0087 EMAIL: info@elitepublishing.com.au VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.elitepublishing.com.au

ELITE

The future of bagless cleaning

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PO BOX 800 TEMPLESTOWE VICTORIA 3106, AUSTRALIA +61 3 9890 0815 FAX: +61 3 9890 0087 Email: info@elitepublishing.com.au

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Alternative

Industrial greys take centre stage The panDOMO innovative floor and wall finishing system from Ardex, was used in a recently completed warehouse conversion in one of Sydney’s most sought after suburbs, inner-city Paddington.

The residential warehouse renovation featured innovative uses of panDOMO in a range of bespoke modern and industrial greys – one of the key interior colour palettes predicted

by panDOMO trending for 2013/14.

The warehouse renovation was a joint project between Baker Kavanagh Architects and concrete laying specialists Honestone, using panDOMO Wall and Floor to create a balanced feeling of minimalism, industrial and home. panDOMO is a cementbased material capable of delivering smooth, clear cut surfaces with a modern,

reductionist look. It can be tinted or texturised with a wide array of specially developed Pandomo dyes and aggregate mixes. “panDOMO is a fabulous and innovative medium to work with.” said Honestone Director Rick Hendricks, “It lets us create flat, even walls and floors over uneven surfaces, as well as concrete slab-looking features such as indentations and join lines in what is in essence a liquid product.”

“We worked closely with the architect and homeowners to create the perfect spectrum of greys – modern, industrial, but not too cold or uninviting. They had to work sympathetically with the original features being retained in the renovation, such as the bare brick wall in the living room.”

Pandomo’s liquid concrete base creates smooth, crack resistant surfaces in an almost unlimited range of colours and aggregate mixes – from bright, bold colours to warm stone finishes, to cool slate industrial greys.

Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014 45

Advertisers Index

Exhibitioncalendar

2014 Exhibitions JANUARY 2014

MARCH 2014

8-11

Heimtextil Frankfurt 2014 International Trade Fair for Home Textiles and Commercially used Textiles

Frankfurt, Germany http://heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com/ frankfurt/en/besucher/willkommen.html

3-5

11-14

4-6

Domotex Contractworld 2014 World trade fair for carpets and floor coverings

Hannover, Germany www.domotex.de 19-22 Interiors Birmingham 2014

Furniture, Furnishing Accessories, Lighting Collection, Soft furnishings, Design Interiores, Outdoor Collection

Birmingham, UK www.interiorsuk.com

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles Spring Edition 2014. China International Trade Fair for Home Textiles and Accessories

Shanghai, China www.messefrankfurt.com.hk EcoBuild 2014 Ecobuild is the biggest event in the world for sustainable design, construction and the built environment

London, UK www.ecobuild.co.uk 13-16

IFFS / AFS 2014 International Furniture Fair Singapore ASEAN Furniture Show incorporating the Decor Show and Hospitality 360ยบ Singapore www.iffs.com.sg/

Agnews Water Putty

22

Airstep

20 & 21

Archquip

6

BBS Flooring Products Bostik

13

Choices Flooring

5, 24 & 25

Clever Choice

19

Con-Treat

43

Dunlop Flooring

15

Gibbon Group

GMK Logistics

33 & 37

Godfrey Hirst 24-28

Maison & Objet 2014 The International Homestyle Exhibition

Paris, France www.maison-objet.com

18-22

24-28

25-27

Meuble Paris 2014. Paris Furniture Fair

Paris, France www.meuble-paris.net/ 28-30 Surfaces 2014

Floor Covering Show

Las Vegas, USA www.surfaces.com

FEBRUARY 2014 5-7 Flooring & Finishes with ATFA

Co-located with Decoration + Design

Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park,

Sydney, NSW www.flooringandfinishes.com.au

HTC HomeTextile InterTextile 2014 China International Trade Fair for Home Textile

Guangzhou, China http://htc.fairwindow.com/en/index.htm Domotex Asia / ChinaFloor 2014 International Floorcovering Exhibition

Shanghai, China www.domotexasiachinafloor.com/en/

APRIL 2014 1-4 Domotex Russia

ARTPLAY Design Centre, Moscow, Russia www.domotex-russia.com 29-2 May Coverings 2014

Tile, Stones and Machinery products

Las Vegas, USA www.coverings.com

41

INSERT

GTP Australasia

10, 34 & 40

Jacobsen Tredsafe

Kennards

35 Back Cover & 2

Laser Measure Mapei

8

23

31

Moisture Meter Company Pacific Floors

Protect Crete Quin Global

18 9

29

39

RFMS Australasia

25 & 26

Saint-Gobain Abrasive

32

Shaw Contract Group Front Cover & 7 4-8

Stockholm Furniture Fair 2014 Furniture exhibition including interiors for the home, office and contract markets

Stockholm, Sweden www.stockholmfurniturefair.se

46 Flooring Dec 2013/Jan 2014

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

Signature Floorcoverings

17

Underlay King

11

Unique Flooring

24

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