february/march 2016
p 16
Australia’s
number one
Floor Coverings Retailer...
is coming to
New Zealand
For a strictly confidential discussion about the future direction of your business, please contact: Andrew Lewis Chief Executive Officer Mobile: 0400 400 036 Email: alewis@choicesflooring.com.au Jason Verstak Group Manager - Marketing Mobile: 0498 136 395 Email: jverstak@choicesflooring.com.au
choicesflooring.com.au
incorporating
FLOORS
february/march 2016 | vol 34 no 01 www.flooringmagazine.com.au
Industry News
Special Features
Regular Reports
FrontCover
06 Hydrocork achieves Greentag certification
20 Domotex report
18 Airstep Retailer of the Month: Harbour City Tiles & Carpet, Gladstone, QLD
01 Choices Flooring
08 GMK opens new Sydney warehouse 10 A superlative carpet exhibition 14 Name change for Armstrong
30 Carpet & Rugs 36 Resilient Flooring 40 Floating Floors
22 Letters to the Editor 26 Software 42 Preparation, Installation & Care 46 Product Update 47 Exhibition Calendar Advertiser Index
Flooring Feb/March 2016 3
News Two new Carpet Court stores Carpet Court has welcomed new stores in Ipswich, Queensland and Ringwood, Victoria. A new hub for design enthusiasts opened in Ringwood in January. Carpet Court ambassador and TV personality, Shelley Craft, was on hand at the launch, Ringwood Carpet Court aims to be the new hub of home improvement and interior design and boasts an extensive range of flooring and window solutions for homes and businesses throughout Melbourne’s Eastern suburbs. With more than 20 years’ combined experience in retail flooring and manufacturing industries, store owners and brothers, Heath and Josh Benninga can tackle any flooring challenge.
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 TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Philip Ashley philipneilashley@yahoo.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Ashley Cooper Email: ashley.cooper@elitepublishing.com.au CIRCULATION MANAGER Georgia Gilmour Email: georgia.gilmour@elitepublishing.com.au PRODUCTION For artwork and production enquiries please email: production@elitepublishing.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGN Uber Creative – Annette Epifanidis Mobile: 0416 087 412 Email: annette@ubercreative.com.au www.ubercreative.com.au
4 Flooring Feb/March 2016
“Our decision to open a Carpet Court store was easy. As Australia’s largest retail floor covering group, Carpet Court offers a large range of flooring options at competitive pricing, which we are proud to provide our local community. “Our handpicked team stays up-to-date with the latest industry trends, embracing new products and techniques,” said Heath Ipswich Carpet Court in Queensland is owned by Kirsty and Shaun Barber. With more than 12 years’ experience in the flooring industry they have the skills and experience to tackle any flooring challenge. Both these locally owned businesses have joined Australia’s largest flooring retailer with a network of more than 200 stores nationwide. Carpet Court’s CEO, Andrew Brand, is excited to welcome both new stores to the Carpet Court family. “We’re very pleased to welcome them to the Carpet Court network and look forward to watching the businesses flourish in the coming years,” said Andrew.
PRE-PRESS Prominent Digital PRINTED BY Prominent Group Pty Ltd ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD PUBLISHERS OF: Supplier Woodworking Magazine, Tile Today Magazine, Discovering Stone Magazine, FB Magazine, Flooring Magazine, Finishes & Surfaces Magazine Member of the International Woodworking and Furniture Supplier Magazine Association Jennifer Curtis – Group Managing Editor
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. Ashley Cooper – National Sales Manager
"Your Industry – Your Magazine"
News
Flowcrete enters agreement with Altex Coatings
Flowcrete Australia has entered into a new distribution agreement to make its full range of high-performance resin flooring solutions available across all of New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Collaborating with Altex Coatings Ltd (a member of the Resene group of companies) will geographically enhance Flowcrete Australia’s presence in the construction market throughout these regions. This advantage is thanks to the
extensive network of offices and well-established links to the building industry that the Tauranga based protective coatings specialists has developed. Altex Coatings has identified a significant demand for flooring materials among its existing client base and this agreement means that its customers can immediately source a wide variety of specialist epoxy, polyurethane and methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin floor and wall coating solutions. By having access to Flowcrete’s full portfolio, Altex Coatings will be able to provide commercial and industrial developments with innovative flooring technology that is not otherwise available in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The resin flooring manufacturer has supplied floors for several landmark New Zealand projects in the past through connections with applicators operating in the country. This new distribution agreement will significantly increase Flowcrete Australia’s reach and its ability to supply projects regardless of location.
Hydrocork achieves Greentag certification Preference Floors has announce that the new waterproof Corktech product, Hydrocork, has achieved Greentag certification. Hydrocork is a significant breakthrough low profile flooring product, which provides all of the natural benefits of Corktech with its revolutionary waterproof core along with a robust vinyl layer to suit residential renovations and commercial fitout.
AN AMAZING STEP IN FLOORING
More impact More walking
More silence
More warmth
More body
Inspiring Choices 2016 magazine launched Choices Flooring’s newest magazine, Inspiring Choices 2016, was launched on Sunday 21 February with the national support of an integrated marketing communications campaign. Fully designed and created by Choices Flooring’s internal design and marketing teams, this year’s edition features over 100 pages of inspiring flooring trends categorised by room type, as well as editorial contributions and Viewa videos from the industry’s best stylists and writers. Backed by a comprehensive distribution strategy of over 500,000 copies, over the coming months the magazine will be fully integrated within the digital and print versions of Australian House & Garden, Real Living, and Homes+ magazines. Over 30,000 copies will also be mailed to Choices Flooring’s online subscribers and over 42,000 copies will be utilised for local area marketing and in-store initiatives.
New flagship store for Andersens On 5 Februry Andersens officially launched its brand new flagship store in the North Lakes Prime West Homemaker Complex, 26km north of Brisbane. Taking inspiration from Australia’s best home retail stores, Andersens North Lakes Franchisees, Raymond and Diane Bartel, have been working on this project for over five years. “Diane and I are absolutely delighted to officially open Andersens North Lakes and have big aspirations for what we are going to achieve in the coming year. Five years in the making, we were waiting for the perfect site and the North Lakes Prime West Homemaker
6 Flooring Feb/March 2016
Complex is better than anything we could have hoped for,” said Mr Bartel. “We have done indepth research into leading retail stores across the country, both within flooring and more broadly across the
THE FIRST
homemaker to ensure LOWsector, THICKNESS FLOATINGthe PRODUCT we can maximise instore experience for our valued Hydrocork is the first low thickness floating customers. floor with all the Corktech benefits. The agglomerate coreof is waterproof and “With thecork help our provides superior comfort, sound reduction fantastic team of designers and an optimal temperature with significant cost savings. andenergy builders, we really have With only 6mm thicknessspecial it is very easy created something – to
install on top of almost any floor. More than just a beautiful floor, it is the perfect solution to turn the floor into a highly comfortable element for the home.
NSW VIC QLD SA WA
Smithfield +61 2 9738 1188 Dandenong Sth +61 3 9794 5111 Salisbury +61 7 3875 1688 Regency Park +61 8 8268 8010 Inquiries from WA welcome and serviced from SA or VIC
www.preferencefloors.com.au
an open plan 100m² layout with alcoves for each product category, inspiring customers to relax and take their time when browsing through samples. This environment ensures they can make the right decision on such an important aspect of the look, feel and functionality of their home.” Raymond and Diane have been part of the Andersens group for over a decade, located in Rothwell prior to making the move to North Lakes in November 2015. The team at Andersens North Lakes has a combined experience in floorcoverings of over 65 years, positioning the store as the market leader in the local area.
Just another Member benefit of being part of
OVER
the Choices Flooring family
Full s age 108 p ated r integ to in
500,000 MARCH
2016
APRIL
2016
JUNE
2016
For a strictly confidential discussion about the future direction of your business, please contact: Andrew Lewis
Tim Drew
Chief Executive Officer
Group Manager - Retail Development
Mobile: 0400 400 036
Mobile: 0425 751 756
Email: alewis@choicesflooring.com.au
Email: tdrew@choicesflooring.com.au
choicesflooring.com.au
News GMK Logistics opens new Sydney warehouse GMK Logistics has announced that its new purpose built Sydney warehouse at Gregory Hills is now fully operational. The company had operated from its previous Sydney depot in Smeaton Grange, near Campbelltown in Sydney’s south west, since 2008. Whilst this had proved an ideal location for GMK, the growth of its national operation and the prospect of securing a number of new 3PL customers meant that a larger facility was required. Construction was completed in December 2015, slightly ahead of schedule and within budget. To minimise disruption to normal scheduled services the move was completed during GMK’s usual Christmas shut-down period. The whole GMK Sydney team pitched
in, working very long hours over the holiday period and the new facility was open and ready for business on the first Monday in January. The new facility is the company’s first ever purpose built facility and includes: • a 16,000 m2 integrated transport and warehouse facility; • the capability to extend the warehouse by an additional 4,000 m2; • specialised racking for carpet, vinyl and palletised product; • five cutting machines for carpet and vinyl product; • a fully integrated back to base security system with 40 cameras; • 16 transport docks, all equipped with dock levelers; • a single flow traffic
management plan with two street frontages; • a weighbridge, fully operated from the dock office; • energy efficient SMART LED lighting system; and • rain water harvesting for irrigation and amenities. The company’s greatest
challenge now is meeting the significant demand for its services in a booming market for flooring products. The new warehouse is already well utilised and GMK anticipates that the 4,000 m2 warehouse extension will be required within the first year of operation.
Carpet Court ladies bring flair to the Open It was game, set and style for Carpet Court this summer when 30 female staff and suppliers donned their best brights and whites to attend the 2016 Australian Open main court and cheer on top tennis pros at Melbourne’s most famous tennis extravaganza. Since 2015, the country’s largest flooring retailer has dedicated an annual ladies day in each state for its valued female employees. This year, the day kicked off with some morning canapés and bubbly, followed by lunch before enjoying a
8 Flooring Feb/March 2016
rare glimpse some of the world’s most famous tennis players. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to give back to the hardworking and talented women we have throughout the Carpet Court group. The ladies always look forward to getting together for a fun and well deserved day out and this year was certainly no exception,” said Andrew Brand, Carpet Court’s CEO.
Shelley Craft & Darren Palmer CARPET COURT AMBASSADORS
Want to be part of Australia’s Largest Flooring Retailer? As Australia’s largest flooring retailer, Carpet Court has this lucrative market covered. The Carpet Court group has over 200 stores nationwide and continues to have a dominant presence in retail, both in-store and online. New franchise opportunities are now available throughout Australia, so if you love the idea of owning your own business, this is the perfect time to become a vital part of this successful retailing network. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity. Get in touch with us today. Southern Network Manager (VIC/SA/WA/TAS) Brett Talbot Ph: 0499 800 702 brett.talbot@carpetcourt.com.au
Northern Network Manager (NSW/QLD) Greg Zeegers Ph: 0488 079 326 greg.zeegers@carpetcourt.com.au
News Choices Flooring decorates from the floor
AN AMAZING STEP IN FLOORING
More impact More walking
More silence
More warmth
More body
National flooring retailer, Choices Flooring has partnered with one of the fastest growing home builders and community developers in Australia, Sekisui House, to provide their customers with the perfect flooring solutions for their lifestyle. Currently located in ACT, NSW and Queensland, Sekisui House customers can now take advantage of a customised flooring collection that are stylish, innovative, luxurious and practical. “We understand the ever changing needs of families. From easy maintenance and design preferences, to budgets and longevity,” said Choices Flooring Business Development Manager, Jeremy Naug. “We’ve really enjoyed collaborating with the Sekisui House team to develop the Sekisui House Collection, which we believe has the perfect flooring solution for every family lifestyle.”
A superlative carpet exhibition THE FIRST LOW THICKNESS FLOATING PRODUCT Hydrocork is the first low thickness floating floor with all the Corktech benefits. The agglomerate cork core is waterproof and provides superior comfort, sound reduction and an optimal temperature with significant energy cost savings. With only 6mm thickness it is very easy to install on top of almost any floor. More than just a beautiful floor, it is the perfect solution to turn the floor into a highly comfortable element for the home.
NSW VIC QLD SA WA
Smithfield +61 2 9738 1188 Dandenong Sth +61 3 9794 5111 Salisbury +61 7 3875 1688 Regency Park +61 8 8268 8010 Inquiries from WA welcome and serviced from SA or VIC
www.preferencefloors.com.au
Exhibitors and trade visitors will soon be engaging in another successful round of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR (22 to 24 March 2016) of highly international scope and reach. The show will boast a total of 12 halls, including five devoted exclusively to carpets and textile floor coverings. The product range on display includes sophisticated new carpets, unique handknotted rugs and carpets, as well as innovative carpeting solutions, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR showcases carpets in every possible form – from hand-made and machine-made carpets, carpets on the roll, carpet tiles and fitted carpets to mats, fibres and yarns, as well as the latest equipment for fitting and laying. Above all, the trade fair offers a complete overview of the latest trends and the biggest market players in the Asia-Pacific region. Approximately 500 suppliers and manufacturers of textile floorcoverings, carpets, materials and machinery for carpet-making from the international marketplace will present their products on a total area of 60,000 m2 in five halls. Machine-made carpets will be featured in two halls (W1, W2) by major international players such as Oriental Weavers, Balta, Suminoe, Boyteks, Alsorayai and Solomon, Chinese suppliers such as Shanhua,
Haima, Voxflor and Fuxing, and in national pavilions such as by Belgium and Germany and a pavilion staged by the American Floorcovering Alliance (AFA). “Every year DOMOTEX asia/ CHINAFLOOR demonstrates that it is a major carpet show, which provides us with a unique opportunity to present product innovations and new developments to trade visitors and enter into a dialogue with professionals from China and the rest of the world, said Peter Han, International Sales Director at Haima Carpets Group, Weihai/Shandong. “The trade fair offers visitors a wealth of useful information and opens up opportunities to establish and nurture international contacts and partnerships. The Asian carpet industry is taking gigantic steps and, particularly in China, we are witnessing a steady process of consolidation. There is now a marked shift in favor of quality over sheer quantity.” Information updates on emerging trends, accompanied by an array of innovative products and exciting new designs, can be found in the special Carpet InnovAction display in Hall W2. Hall W5 will offer an amazing array of beautiful, hand-knotted carpets from internationally acclaimed carpet makers such as Abbas Nishaburi, Jaipur, Tibetan Sheep and SAIF, as well as at national displays by India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
News Laticrete Australia appoints technical sales rep In Victoria “Erin comes to us with a strong background in the tile and stone industry, having managed tile shops for a number of years and more recently as a Sales Representative in Victoria. Erin will work closely with the Laticrete team to develop and grow our business in Victoria,” said Neil Warden. Erin was born in New Zealand and moved to Australia in 1989. She studied as an interior designer but shortly found her interest was more in the tile industry where she has been for the last 15 years. Erin enjoys dealing with the trade, problem solving and comes with technical sales experience.
Laticrete has appointed Erin Fraser to the position of Technical Sales Representative of Laticrete Australia.
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To allow further growth of the business, Choices Flooring Mackay owner, Mitchell Pollock has relocate to a new showroom in North Mackay. ‘’We are looking forward to a big year in our new space,’’ said Mitchell. On 29 January, the new showroom played host to a number of industry professionals including local real estate agents,
architects, interior designers and builders. A special guest appearance from Townsville locals and The Block 2015 contestants, Kingi and Caro was a highlight for guests of this VIP event. The store held a public grand opening the next day with the SEA FM Street Team on hand giving away prizes, a sausage sizzle and a meet and greet with Kingi and Caro.
Karndean’s new look website
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Karndean Designflooring is making it even easier for architects, interior designers and contractors to view the intricate details and textures of its product portfolio online with the launch of its new website. Offering a totally new experience, Karndean.com allows specifiers to search its complete range of authentic wood and stone designs by product range, and also by sector. With larger, close up product imagery to view, users can zoom in and out, and get closer than ever before online. Designed to support architects and interior designers at the point of specification, the website offers inspiring ideas for sector specific projects including retail, healthcare and education, and full technical data for each product. “Taking on a clean, modular layout, we had the design community in mind
when presenting superior product imagery,” explains Heather Horton, head of digital and communications at Karndean Designflooring. “It was important we were able to demonstrate the intricate details of each product through our imagery online, and offer inspiration zones for users.” As well as being able to order free samples and literature, users can access digital tools and apps including the recently updated commercial Floorstyle – an interactive design lounge for architects, interior designers and contractors to use when sourcing CAD files.
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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: greg.gardiner@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
News Free training seminars The Profit Through Knowledge Technical Seminar is an intensive training program run by Laticrete. The seminars focus on the needs of construction professionals in the ceramic tile and stone industry, as well as concrete floor restoration and resin coating industry, for those who want to improve their profitability and increase productivity. Seminar topics include Laticrete materials used in various jobsite installations;
discussion of industry standards; concrete construction and moisture related issues in concrete; upselling to increase performance while lowering customer complaints; movement joints; job site visits and forensic examination as well as handson product demonstrations The first seminars are scheduled for March in Brisbane and NSW with other events scheduled throughout the eastern seaboad for the rest of the year.
Name change for Armstrong As of 10 December 2015, Armstrong World Industries (Australia) Pty Ltd’s trading name has changed to Armstrong Flooring Pty Ltd. The change of name to Armstrong Flooring Pty Ltd is reflective of what the industry knows the company for and provides easy recognition of its core business – the supply of Australian made and imported flooring,
walling and associated installation and maintenance accessories. “What has not changed is our commitment to the local manufacture and sourcing of world class flooring, walling and associated installation and maintenance accessories,” said Richard Ye, General Manager Australia/ New Zealand, Armstrong Flooring Pty Ltd.
A first for commercial flooring in Australia The NSW Minister for Environment, Mark Speakman has just awarded funding to a collaboration organised by the Vinyl Council of Australia for a landmark project to improve recycling solutions for commercial vinyl flooring. Currently it is estimated that 4,500 tonnes of commercial vinyl flooring ends up in NSW landfills each year, with an estimated 13,500 to 15,000 tonnes Australia-wide. These figures will continue to grow unless viable end uses for the recyclate stream are identified. As a result of the grant, during 2016 a qualified researcher will work with companies and industry associations to find economically and technically viable processes and useful
14 Flooring Feb/March 2016
products for commercial vinyl flooring recyclate. This project will leverage upon the lessons and successes of international flooring recycling projects, such as RecoFloor in the UK, which is an industry-funded product stewardship scheme collecting and reprocessing flooring into products such as road cones and safety barriers. “We are delighted to have created a team of brilliant minds, innovators and leaders in their fields contributing their time, expertise and facilities to find a solution to this Australiawide waste of materials. This grant of $59,500 will leverage industry investments for a total budget of $219,800,” said Helen Millicer, Manager of Industry Recycling Strategy, VCA.
Powered hand truck wins award Morris Site Machinery and Makinex, who partnered earlier this year in the UK, won the Innovation Trail Award for the Makinex Powered Hand Truck at the UK Executive Hire Show 2016. Stealing the spotlight at the show was the exclusive Makinex range of products primarily built for the Australian hire market, but which has now been introduced to the UK market with great success. Chris Morris Chief Executive of Morris Site Machinery said: “When we first saw the Makinex range in Australia we knew it could work well for our hire market, particularly with the growing legislation on Health and Safety and the drive for more efficient products. “Winning this award at the Executive Hire Show is
testament to all the creativity, hard work and development by Rory Kennard and the Makinex team – and to our own team here who have really got behind these new products. “This accolade firmly plants the Makinex name in the UK hire market and I am delighted to report that we have been inundated with enquiries about the Hand Powered Truck since the show.” The Makinex Powered Hand Truck is a first-to-UK market, universal materials handling solution that enables one person to safely lift and load small equipment or bulky goods weighing up to 140kg. It provides a quick and easy alternative to using a forklift or tailgate loader for small loads onsite or loading into vans.
Laticrete celebrates 60 years Not many companies have the opportunity to celebrate being in business for 60 years so 2016 is an exciting year for Laticrete as they celebrate this huge achievement. In January, the Laticrete Australian team worked together for four days and strategised the continuing growth for Laticrete in 2016.
Faisal Saleem, Laticrete International Vice President with Jared Caldwell and Chris Anderson from Global Tile New Zealand attended the four day seminar Driving Laticrete Australia Forward into 2016. The team worked together in a team build – The Amazing Race – in Brisbane City and celebrated Laticrete turning 60 years.
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News Kennards Hire celebrates charity success
Are your installers trade credited? It is full steamed ahead at the Newfurn Training Academy, with suppliers, apprentices and government bodies all jumping on board. “The Newfurn Training Academy Trade Card is a formal accreditation for flooring installers and professional, qualified personnel. When installers show their Trade Card to clients, they will know that they have met the high performance standards required by the Academy and are a specialist installer in certain types of floorcoverings,” explained a spokesperson for Choices Flooring. To be eligible for a Trade Card, installers must do work for a Choices Flooring store, either as an employee or contractor. They must also undertake an assessment to satisfy the skills, knowledge and on-the-job experience requirements for the level of Trade Card for which they are applying. When they receive their Trade Card, they will also receive a nationally recognised qualification to go with it. “But be aware, even if your installers are qualified, they may not know that there is a new trade-level qualification, introduced last year, called the MSF 30813 Certificate III in Flooring Technology. “If you have installers that already hold a trade qualification in the old LMF 31208 (or equivalent in another country) and
16 Flooring Feb/March 2016
are able to demonstrate current competency in all the units selected, the final assessment process maybe conducted by a desk audit. If the assessor requires further evidence of their competence, they may ask them to provide additional information on their experience and also arrange to meet them on site.”
First intake ready to go
After months of planning and extensive input from the major suppliers within the flooring industry, 30 flooring apprentices from all around Australia converged at the Aitken Hill Conference Centre in Melbourne for a one-week residential workshop hosted by the Newfurn Training Academy. This workshop is stage one of an intensive new two-year training program that comprehensively covers the full trade Apprenticeship (MSF30813 Certificate III in Flooring Technology). This dynamic new program is only possible through the active participation of the major flooring suppliers and committed employers who form a key part of the learning community that support the apprentices.
During the training program apprentices will receive extensive hands on instruction and experience in the practical skills required to undertake the wide range of tasks required to become professional flooring installers. Much of this tuition will be delivered by industry experts and manufacturers working in conjunction with the Newfurn Training Academy. At the conclusion of the two-year training program each apprentice will continue to be mentored by their employer and workplace supervisor for the remainder of their apprenticeship. This program will be supported by a purpose built learning management system (LMS) that will enable each apprentice to access their learning resources and submit assignments and evidence of competence via mobile technology. The aim of this revolutionary new program is to produce job ready professional flooring installers, who will become the next generation of leaders in our industry.
Kennards Hire has wrapped up its annual charity initiative, Kennards For Kids with better results this year than ever before. Over the two-month campaign Kennards Hire raised over $40,000 for KidsCan children’s charity, bettering last years result of $30,000. For every hire made during September and October, Kennards Hire branches around New Zealand donated $2 to KidsCan, who use the money to provide food, clothing and basic health care in schools to enable kids to reach their full potential. Jan Clark, GM of Fundraising and Marketing with KidsCan, couldn’t be happier with the results of the campaign in New Zealand. “It’s really an incredible outcome. This money will make life a whole lot easier for Kiwi kids who really need our help,” Jan explained. “KidsCan now supports 500 schools throughout New Zealand due to the generous support of businesses like Kennards Hire.” Liz Ward, CEO of Kennards Hire, said it’s vital that kids are given every chance at success in life.“We believe that it’s all about breaking negative cycles early in a child’s life,” she stated. “Kennards For Kids was created in order to help youth in our communities realise their potential.” While Kennards Hire’s main charity drive each year is Kennards For Kids, local branches are also involved in a range of independent community based projects, such as school and environmental causes.
Tom Kimber of Kennards Hire and Sophie Martignier, the Brand & Sponsorship Manager for KidsCan
BE PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE 144 members and growing
For a strictly confidential discussion about the future direction of your business, please contact: Andrew Lewis Chief Executive Officer Mobile: 0400 400 036 Email: alewis@choicesflooring.com.au
Tim Drew Group Manager - Retail Development Mobile: 0425 751 756 Email: tdrew@choicesflooring.com.au
choicesflooring.com.au
Retailer of the month
W Held in high regard Harbour City Tiles and Carpet, Gladstone, QLD Philip Ashley reports.
Jenny D'Arcy
18 Flooring Feb/March 2016
hen people think about Gladstone they think heavy industry. The region is home to a booming industrial base served by one of Australia’s busiest ports. Although a major industrial centre, Gladstone sits at the Southern end of the Great Barrier Reef and offers a stunning coastline with surfing and fishing, a beautiful harbour and nearby Heron Island. Art galleries and museums, a botanic garden, technical colleges and a University Campus make Gladstone a great place to live. It’s home to around 50,000 people and serviced for 25 years by Harbour City Tiles and Carpet. Peter D’Arcy started Harbour City Tiles in 1990 selling tiles only. A tiler himself, Pete knew the trade well and was highly respected; in fact the business still sees personal service as one of their most important qualities. Harbour City added carpets in 2000 and became Harbour City Tiles and Carpet but tiles are still their main product. The award-winning showroom has been described as an Aladdin’s Cave of treasures and features carpet
and tile samples with the latest design and colours from budget to the most luxurious flooring available. The store is still operated by the D’Arcy family. Mum Jenny is very much hands-on and the store is managed by Kara and Matt D’Arcy, who is a qualified tiler himself. The flooring market in Gladstone is mostly residential and the local population changes as workers on the billion-dollar resource projects in the area come and go. It’s quiet right now since Bechtel (Liquefied Natural Gas) downsized its workforce but Central Queensland University economist Professor John Rolfe said: “Gladstone's economy would ride out the current resources downturn and continue to grow at a slower rate over the next few years.” An important part of Harbour City Tiles is renovating kitchens and bathrooms for the fluctuating local inhabitants. Local conditions see vinyl and tile floors being most popular with some carpet, mostly in bedrooms. Harbour City has the expertise and knowledge to accommodate any request.
Harbour City Tile and Carpet’s values of truth and service ride on the back of long-term relationships and trust. Local builders have been working closely with Harbour City for 25 years and hold them in high regard. From a stock of five pallets in 1990, Harbour City can now provide an extensive range of quality product rarely seen outside metropolitan areas. As the business has grown, seven major refits have ensured that their clients are able to see and feel the very latest the industry has to offer. It’s not all work, of course, and Harbour City is first and foremost a family business. Jenny D’Arcy said: “We have always involved family members but we have a number of employees who’ve been with us for 20 years. We’ve tried to create a great life and spend two weeks every year away from business and home”. Matt and Kara both surf and Matt
is heavily involved with a local CrossFit gym. Worklife balance has achieved a progressive customerfocused business with a long list of repeat customers and satisfied tradespeople. Gladstone has a huge future as one of Australia’s industrial and regional resources centres. With the region’s traditional agricultural base in cattle farming and horticulture, the Gladstone Region’s economic base is secure. An AEC group report says the future will be: “Diverse in nature with a wide range of industry clusters; possess a range of business types, including large multi-nationals and small to medium sized businesses and familyowned enterprises and will be flexible and adaptable to changing economic conditions.” Harbour City Tiles and Carpets has proved, for 25 years, that they are exactly the type of flooring supplier the region needs.
Matt and Kara D'Arcy
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DomotexReport
1.
Sales, trends and innovations Domotex 2016 drew to a close with outstanding results, earning its place among the best-ever stagings of the world’s flagship fair for carpets and floorcoverings. With 1,441 exhibitors from 59 countries and 45,000 trade visitors from more than 100 nations, Domotex delivered fresh momentum for the international floorcoverings industry, serving as a powerful driver of sales, trends and innovations. Visitors from around the world found all the latest trends and innovations on display in 12 different exhibition halls, setting the stage for lively deal-making, order-placing and fruitful dialogue with business
associates. Out of a total of some 27,500 visitors from abroad, around 50% came from EU countries, with another 25% coming from Asia and 8% from the Americas. There was a notable increase in attendance from Asia, which went up by 29%. Domotex impressively confirmed the floorcovering industry’s dynamic power and innovative spirit. In each and every segment – carpets, parquet and laminate flooring, designer floors, machine-woven carpets and hand-made rugs – the international floorcoverings industry sported a stunning and highly innovative array of patterns, materials, shapes and colours.
8.
20 Flooring Feb/March 2016
Under the slogan “Tread on Me”, Domotex invited visitors to “walk all over” the latest trends, including a wide range of natural-look rugs and carpets. This back-to-nature trend was evident both in the prominence of beige, brown, green and pastel hues and in the frequent use of landscape images. Many designers are actually designing products in anticipation of footprints being left on them, making them reminiscent of grass or soft earth when freshly walked upon. This natural look is also in demand for wood flooring. Shapes and textures can be mixed and matched to create a wide range of looks. The event also showcased
3.
2. 1. Fibres, yarns and textiles. 2. Quickstep. 3. Wood and laminate 4. Floor finishing. 5. Beaulieu
6. Machine made rugs. 7. Wood Flooring Summit 8. Textile floorcoverings – residential and commercial, Best Wool Carpets.
6.
7.
innovative systems for quick and easy floor laying. Another hot trend is carpeting in the form of tiles and planks, with one highlight being designer floorcoverings that almost perfectly replicate wood grains or tiles, while at the same time being comparatively easy to lay. The demand for sustainably manufactured products is also on the rise. Other standout attractions included the Innovations@ Domotex dialogues spotlighting key industry topics by means of presentations and panel discussions by and with top international designers. The focus was on current design trends and advances for hotels, catering, offices, healthcare, shopping/ retail and home interiors. The third edition of the Wood Flooring Summit targeted the international parquet and laminate flooring sector, with visitors introduced to all the current trends, developments and new materials for parquet, laminate, cork, bamboo and outdoor floorcoverings. The next Domotex is scheduled for 14 to 17 January 2017.
4. 5.
LettersToTheEditor
The foundation of the National Flooring Trainers Network (NFTN) more than five years ago has united TAFE trainers around Australia to work towards the same goal – continuous improvement for the industry by producing high quality tradespeople. The NFTN incorporates trainers from suppliers and registered training organisations (RTOs), who actively contribute to resource development and validation of assessment tasks. This ensures that training and assessment in all units for nationally recognised qualifications is standardised across Australia for all apprentices. WorldSkills, often referred to as the ‘Trade Olympics’ aims to promote skills excellence in apprentices and tradespeople across the globe under 23 years of age. Apprentices across the country are now training under the guidance of their TAFE teachers in preparation to compete for the opportunity to represent their state, then hopefully Australia, at the world competition in Abu Dhabi in 2017. The key to maintaining a high standard of TAFE training is the consistent approach to continuous improvement of training. In a constantly changing and competitive training and education marketplace, TAFE training providers are working closely with employers and suppliers across the industry to ensure that TAFE delivered programs are designed to meet the skills needs of the modern workplace. As the oldest and most established training provider in the country, TAFE has always offered employers choices. This
means offering increased flexibility in delivery options for both employers and students: a choice to attend a campus to receive classroom training with peers; a choice to be assessed on-the-job with online learning materials or a choice to mix both campus with on the job training and assessment. NFTN Chairman and Hunter TAFE Teacher of six years, Craig Bennett said: “The key to maintaining the quality of TAFE training, and central to National Flooring Trainers Network (NFTN) objectives, is the continual improvement of our training resources, communication with all industry parties, student support for literacy and numeracy backed by dedicated and highly qualified trade teachers and assessors”. “It is this focus on quality innovative training that has resulted in high completion rates and recent growth in student numbers in flooring technician courses at TAFE campuses across the country,” Mr Bennett said. Across Australia, TAFE offers a range of different trade level qualifications
that cater for both Flooring Technician apprentices and trainees. People already working in the industry can gain their trade qualifications through recognition (RPL) or complete short courses. TAFE’s trade taster and pre-apprenticeship programs allow students to gain basic skills before committing to a trade qualification and enable TAFE teachers work with employers to find the right candidates for apprentice positions. Since its inception, the NFTN has provided an invaluable service to the flooring technology industry and will continue to work with industry stakeholders to ensure that TAFEs across Australia are delivering future apprentices with the skills required to meet the demands of industry. If you would like any further information please contact your state NFTN TAFE trainer. TAFE NSW - Hunter Institute - Servicing NSW Craig Bennett Ph: 02 49237256 E:Craig.Bennett13@tafensw.edu.au Tas TAFE - Servicing Tasmania Chris Shaw Ph: 03 61656512 E: chris. shaw@tastafe.tas.edu.au TAFE Queensland - Skills Tech Servicing QLD Shane Eales Ph. 07 32440617 M: 0431 921 928 E: shane.eales@tafe.qld.edu.au TAFE SA - Servicing SA Ben Hallifax Ph. 08 82074937 E: Ben.Hallifax@tafesa.edu.au Holmesglen Institute – Servicing VIC Colleen Carters PH: 03 9209 5337 Colleen.carters@holmesglen.edu.au Yours Sincerely Steven Mitchell National Flooring Trainers Network (02) 4923 7377 or 0477 334 280
22 Flooring Feb/March 2016
Your recent article re the intended establishment of the Newfurn Training Academy has caused me some little concern. Whilst I wholeheartedly support the intentions and objectives of such an academy, and accordingly support the objective of the persons involved, nevertheless I am concerned that any persons not familiar with the training services already established to serve the floorcovering industry would, after reading the article, think there is no apprentice training happening at all. It is true that there are only a few TAFE establishments offering apprentice training in our field, however I believe this has occurred not because TAFE don’t want to offer courses, but rather because of a lack of numbers of apprentices applying for the same. Whilst your article suggests: “other floorcovering apprentice schemes have withered and died”, no mention was made of the most successful apprentice training system currently being facilitated by TFIA Business Services. This on-site training and assessment of floorcovering apprentices has been successfully
conducted by TFIA for approximately 15 years under the expert supervision of industry respected trainer John Doensen. TFIA has consistently graduated approximately 30 to 35 apprentices per annum over that period of time. Enquiries suggest there are approximately 86 floorcovering apprentices (from both city and country) currently enrolled with TFIA in the three year course, and currently being trained and assessed on-site by TFIA. As suggested in your article, roughly half of all trades apprentices (not just floorcovering apprentices) drop out prior to completion of training. It is worth noting that TFIA has only experienced a drop-out rate of 5 to 6%. I would suggest that lack of sufficient floorcovering apprentices in training is not because access to training facilities is lacking, but rather access by would be apprentices to employers is limited. Whilst some employers of apprentices are retailers, the majority of employers are sub-contractor installers. In the past many retailers have expected that sub-contract installers
should employ and train apprentices at the installer’s expense. However, this has been seen by many Installers as being ‘unfair’, as most apprentices on graduation become subcontractors in their own right – to the benefit of the retailer rather than the installer who has done the training. Unless this anomaly is addressed by the industry, the number of apprentices in training will continue to be less than that required by the industry. Yours Sincerely Ian Valentine Retired Trainer/Assessor
Have something to say? We would love to hear your opinion. Contact Flooring Magazine's Editor via email at: jennifer.curtis@elitepublishing.com.au to voice your thoughts on a Flooring Magazine article or a topic relevant to the flooring industry.
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AUSTRALIAN
AUSTRALIAN FLOORSTYLE WHAT A YEAR 2015 HAS BEEN In 2015, it was business as usual for the Australian FloorStyle Group with the business and membership finishing in positive territory. Australian FloorStyle was fortunate to retain a stable, balanced and experienced board with Clive Whittaker, Joe Basha, Brian Fitzsimmons, Lindsay Hunt and John Winter staying on as Directors. Chris Honeybell has continued on at Head Office (2/43 Heathcote Road, Moorebank,
NSW) in the role of Office Administrator. We unfortunately lost a few members throughout the year. Nonetheless with a determined and committed board our membership is now the highest it has ever been. At the start of 2015 the group consisted of 26 members – 24 in NSW and two in Queensland. By December we had expanded to 41 members. This is an increase of 70% in a 12 month
period. We now, and very proudly, have members across six states and territories.
NSW QLD SA ACT VIC WA
29 members 4 members 4 members 2 members 1 member 1 member
Due to the growth and success of the group, the Board of Directors restructured
management and has engaged Lindsay Hunt to take on the role of General Manager for the next four years. John Winter has taken on the role of Chairman for a second time after previously holding the position for seven years. With the support of the other Directors, Lindsay Hunt has lead the way in his role to increase membership as well as to grow and strengthen our relationships with key suppliers.
Flooring Displays “Good design is good business”
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Australian FloorStyle Chairman John Winter with the group's General Manager Lindsay Hunt.
A number (20) of our suppliers have now come on board as Key Suppliers who offer even more competitive pricing and rebates to the group. Our expanding membership base over the past 12 months has put us on target to receive bonus rebates set by several of theses and these will go back to new and existing members on a pro rata basis. We also have new members opening in NSW and SA in
the near future and a great deal of interest from several independent stores. This will only increase our buying power with members again benefiting from rebates and bonus rebates at the end of the 2015/16 financial year. For the fourth time, Australian FloorStyle held its 2015 AGM and Conference at the Four Seasons Hotel. The 2015 AGM and Conference was the most successful to date with over 100 members and
"Yes, we are the group of the future." key suppliers attending the two day event. It concluded with a dinner and trivia night, which was enjoyed by all. The Australian FloorStyle Group is now 32 years old and is able to offer services and benefits to its members, including: • Low cost joining fees and low monthly fees • Exclusive pricing and products all rebadged under the FloorStyle name • Rebates and bonus rebates • Over 20 key suppliers all paying rebates and bonus rebates back to members • Networking with other members
www.quick-step.com.au
• No central billing • Advertising on TV and Radio • Signage and advertising subsidies • Better pricing due to there being no warehousing • Technical and industry support from Management • Very balanced Board of Directors and Management with many years of experience within the floorcovering industry Yes, we are the group of the future. Lindsay Hunt General Manager
Software
Software solutions for quantifying By Chris Ogden, RFMS Australasia Many of us in retail flooring don’t quickly adopt IT solutions. In fact, most flooring businesses are run today just as they were 30 years ago. This is the case, not because there has been no opportunity to adopt new solutions, but because as an industry we have, in some instances, resisted it. Despite the limitations, the majority of flooring salespeople take a fierce pride in their use of a tape measure to draw their mud map from which they might later draw a scaled plan. In the past this pride
was justified because the lack of these skills essentially disqualified you as a flooring salesperson. That situation is changing. As businesses change hands new owners are looking for the solutions that they know exist to streamline the measuring/ quantifying/sales process. In the past month I have had two instances of people calling me to discuss the IT requirements of flooring businesses that they have not yet purchased. They recognise that while they will not have the experience of the people that they will be
competing against they can implement IT solutions such as Measure that will level the playing field. Yet still, flooring businesses remain in the past because too many salespeople are unwilling to learn. Too many flooring salespeople begin any discussion about quantifying software with the words “I can quantify quicker than any computer”. This may have been true in the early days of quantifying software but it is no longer true. Measure users report time savings of
40 to 70% over traditional quantifying methods. If you would like to see what the world’s leading flooring quantifying software could potentially do for your business, then please contact Chris Ogden for a free demonstration. Chris Ogden is a consultant and Managing Director of RFMS Australasia a supplier of IT solutions specific to the flooring industry. Chris has an extensive background in all aspects of the flooring industry and he can be contacted at cogden@rfms.com.
MEASUREMOBILE 3 the best mobile estimating software in the industry FREE DOWNLOAD AT:
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Australia: 1800 229 427 New Zealand: 0800 643 012 www.measuremobile3.com
26 Flooring Feb/March 2016
salesau@rfms.com
TRYING TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER? Layers Diary Financials Debtors Quotes Stock
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The Flooring Software leader for more than 30 years Clients in Australia and NZ since 1999 Over 8,000 ooring businesses already using RFMS worldwide Cloud hosted options available Flexible and ready for Retail, Commercial and Distributor Fully integrated solution, including tablets and laser measure
Australia: 1800 229 427 New Zealand: 0800 643 012
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Software
Opportunities by the numbers By Chris Ogden, RFMS Australasia What is your conversion rate? How many sales opportunities are you converting into sales? If you are the owner or manager of a flooring business, this is essential information that you want to know in order to make the most of the investment in your business. You should know your conversion rate, not only for your overall business but each of your salespeople. When I talk with flooring retailers, very few are aware of their conversion rate. Most hazard a guess but inevitably over-estimate the number because while they can readily think of recent sales they cannot so easily think of lost sales: sales are highly visible whereas lost sales are invisible. Then there is the question of how you measure your conversion rate. We usually do it based on the number of quotes: we quoted 100 jobs for the month and we got 60, therefore, our conversion rate is 60%. This equation is somewhat helpful but it ignores some relevant aspects of our conversion rate.
Conversion by dollars
If we were to take the example above and think about the value of the business quoted and won, we might end up with a different picture. The 100 jobs quoted might have had a total value of $300,000 out of which we won jobs with a value of $140,000. Our conversion rate based on value drops to 46% – a significant decrease on the 60% we initially thought we were converting.
28 Flooring Feb/March 2016
Conversion from enquiry
Our examples above are based on quotes issued. For every quote that we send out how many opportunities have been lost? How many people came into our store, talked with a salesperson and took no further action? How many took samples but we didn't get the measure so we didn’t issue a quote? Did we even get the samples back? In the US, the average conversion from enquiry to sale is 25 to 35% – that is for every 100 enquiries, only 25 to 35 sales are closed. Not many flooring businesses in Australia and New Zealand can measure conversion from enquiry, the few that are measuring conversion rates are doing it from the quotation and that number is 40-60%.
Quantifying the opportunity
If we take a $3m business and assume an average sale of $2500, then that business made (on average) 100 sales a month to achieve their annual turnover for a gross profit of $900,000 (assuming an average GP of 30%). If we further assume that this business is at the top end of the conversion from enquiry scale (35%), then to achieve the 1200 sales (100 per month), they will have had 3428 opportunities, 2228 of which either purchased elsewhere or spent their money on something else. What would happen if we converted just 5% of those missed opportunities? Five percent is an additional 111 sales over the course of the year. At our average sale of $2500,
that's $277,500 additional revenue. There would be some other expenses, mostly commissions to our sales team, but at 30% margin, most of the $83,250 would go straight to the bottom line. One hundred and eleven jobs are just 19 per month – less than one a day. The impact on the business, however, is significant. The key to improving any business in this way is having access to data. You have to have business management systems that allow you to know your conversion rates, your average sale and your
average GP. Before you can improve any of these metrics, you need to know what they are. The good news is that there is a business management system for the flooring retailer who would like to get a better handle on performance. RFMS is the world leader in business management for the flooring industry and would be happy to talk with you. Chris Ogden is a consultant and Managing Director of RFMS Australasia. Chris has extensive experience at all levels in the flooring industry and he can be contacted at cogden@rfms.com.
In the US, the average conversion from enquiry to sale is 25 to 35% – that is for every 100 enquiries, only 25 to 35 sales are closed. Not many flooring businesses in Australia and New Zealand can measure conversion from enquiry, the few that are measuring conversion rates are doing it from the quotation and that number is 40-60%.
introducing the
utopia
elysium
arcadia
eden
oasis
Two of the largest players in the flooring industry team up to bring Serenity into Australian homes.
ni r vana
halo
divine
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
manufactured by
only available at
Tim Drew Group Manager - Retail Development Mobile: 0425 751 756 Email: tdrew@choicesflooring.com.au
Advertorial Serenity Nirvana Andromeda
Choices and Mohawk join forces and launch Serenity Two of the largest players in the flooring industry team up to bring Serenity into Australian homes. Australia’s most progressive floorcoverings group, Choices Flooring, has teamed up with the world’s largest flooring manufacturer, Mohawk, to launch eight new carpet ranges under their exclusive Serenity Collection. As part of the partnership Mohawk has set up its first Australian office. Based on research, the Serenity Collection has been developed to cater for the changing trends and requirements of Australian families. Comprising of nylon, PET, Triexta and Triexta Soft fibres, along with the latest technology – Scotchgard, Wear-Dated or DualShield fibre protection – the Serenity Collection is the perfect soft flooring solution for busy family lifestyles. “From sustainable fibres to the softest, most durable and easy to clean carpet on the planet, the Serenity Collection is made for Australian families,” said Choices Flooring’s GM – Marketing, Jason Verstak. “With our brand promise in mind, we embarked on
30 Flooring Feb/March 2016
developing the Serenity Collection over a year ago. Although it has been one of the biggest product developments in the group’s history, we’re confident the Serenity Collection will become a favourite amongst families searching for a soft flooring solution.” In addition to its industry leading fibre technology, the Serenity Collection boasts a palette of 80 contemporary colours in timeless twist designs, to provide a fashionable foundation for family homes. Mohawk and Choices Flooring Executives launched the collection to Choices Flooring Members at the start of February, prior to the soft public launch on Wednesday 10 February. The soft launch of the Serenity Collection has been supported by a comprehensive in-store, online and magazine strategy, providing the perfect lead into the launch of Choices Flooring’s Inspiring Choices 2016 magazine, in which the collection also features.
SERENITY COLLECTION
The Serenity Collection is available in eight ranges – Serenity Arcadia, Serenity Eden, Serenity Elysium, Serenity Utopia, Serenity Halo, Serenity Divine, Serenity Oasis, and Serenity Nirvana.
1. Serenity Arcadia and Serenity Eden The exclusive Serenity Arcadia and Serenity Eden carpets are both available in ten contemporary colours and are the perfect solution for families with children and pets. While Serenity Eden carpet has a denser fibre construction to provide superior softness, both are made using Triexta fibres, which are made, in part, with annually renewable plantbased materials. These carpets feature DualShield Protection, an advanced nanotechnology that creates a superior spill and soil barrier on each fibre, repelling dirt and spills so they do not turn into stains. The ultra-fine nanoparticles
combine on a molecular level to encapsulate each fibre with a complete spill and soil barrier making Serenity Arcadia and Serenity Eden easy to clean. They also have permanent built-in stain protection, preventing spills from locking onto fibres and becoming stains.
2. Serenity Elysium and Serenity Utopia Perfect for growing families, the specifically engineered Triexta Soft fibres of Serenity Elysium and Serenity Utopia make them the world’s toughest and softest carpets. Serenity Utopia carpet has a denser fibre construction than Serenity Elysium, to provide superior softness in the home. Both Serenity Elysium and Serenity Utopia carpets have permanent built-in stain and soil protection that won’t wear or wash off. They feature DualShield Protection, an advanced nanotechnology that creates a superior spill and soil barrier on each fibre, repelling dirt and spills so they do not turn into stains.
With ten stylish colours in each range, there is a carpet for every home.
3. Serenity Halo and Serenity Divine Made from up to 100% recycled premium PET, which is thoroughly purified for the cleanest strands, Serenity Halo and Serenity Divine carpets are environmentally friendly and boast a colour palette of contemporary hues to suit all tastes. While both carpets will create a stylish and comfortable foundation in the home, Serenity Divine carpet has a denser fibre construction to provide increased comfort. Thanks to Scotchgard Protector Advanced Repel Technology, the carpet fibres used are stain and soil resistant, keeping stains on the surface for an easy clean so they will keep their stunning looks for many years to come.
Serenity Halo Mist
4. Serenity Oasis and Serenity Nirvana For customers wanting the feeling of a soft carpet underfoot, but who also want all the benefits synthetic fibres offer, then Serenity Oasis and Serenity Nirvana carpets are the answer. The premium nylon fibres are spun with two times the fibre of ordinary soft carpets, to provide extraordinary durability and longer-lasting comfort. Serenity Nirvana carpet has the denser fibre construction of the two. The Wear-Dated technology behind Serenity Oasis and Serenity Nirvana carpets ensures each fibre is highly resilient and refined, to provide strength, stain and fade resistance, appearance retention, and softness while the Scotchgard Protector Advanced Repel Technology on each fibre provides total stain and soil protection, keeping stains on the surface for an easy clean. With ten stylish colours in each range, there is a perfect match in Serenity Oasis or Serenity Nirvana carpet for every home. All Serenity Collection carpets come with exceptional industry guarantees.
Serenity Divine Radiant
Flooring Feb/March 2016 31
Carpets&Rugs
Alchemy: adds in detailed lustrous metallics to the Honed background, available in nine colours. Form: highlights organic natural gold veining, available in nine colours.
Broadloom styles:
Noble Materials
Fault Broadloom in Carrara Silver
Shaw Contract Group’s Noble Materials Collection is inspired by time spent studying and interpreting how stone was harnessed from nature, cut into slabs, and integrated meticulously into the foundation of a building. “Our designers studied the charts and diagrams that ancient alchemists plotted in the search to transform base metals into noble metals, such as gold, silver and copper,” said Shaw Contract Group Sales Director Aaron Martin. “The result is a curated material study, which is layered in luxury. Modern marquetry is interpreted via pattern and data-inspired inlays for an exquisite flooring statement. “The base of this collection is quite natural, with opulence occurring through intentional tile seams and the final
32 Flooring Feb/March 2016
addition of lustrous polished metal. Noble Materials is an unexpected pairing of movement and texture,” said Aaron. Noble Materials delivers luxury and opulence through a combination of 24" by 24" (61 cm by 61 cm) carpet tile and broadloom formats constructed using Colorpoint tufting technology. Smooth surfaces in natural tones form the base of this collection, which features four 24×24 tile options, two traditional broadlooms, and two upcoming woven broadlooms. Noble Materials marks Shaw Contract Group’s entry into the woven market, using a velvet weave process to achieve richly textured styles. The nine-colour palette features moments of gleaming metal for added warmth and glamour.
Products within the collection include:
Carpet tile styles:
Slab: a simple design with sleek, shifting stone like texture, available in nine colours. Honed: large-scale and angled, matching at spontaneous moments, available in nine colours. Alchemy Honed Slab Carpet Tiles in Alabaster
Strata: texture overlays onto itself to create a multidirectional pattern, available in nine colours. Fault: creates an organic stone formation with naturally occurring metallic veining, available in nine colours. Monolith: A woven, sleek texture (coming soon) Base Metal: Metal sheen with an exaggerated loop base (coming soon) Noble Materials is suitable for all market segments and offers superior durability, style and recyclability. The Shaw Contract Group lifetime commercial warranty covers abrasive wear, tuft-bind, edge ravel and delamination. Constructed with premium Eco Solution Q nylon and EcoWorx backing, all carpet tile styles within Noble Materials are certified Cradle to Cradle Silver and assessed for human health and are backed with an environmental guarantee for reclamation. The collection is GECA certified and achieves a Green Star ‘Level A’ product rating according to the Green Building Council of Australia.
Carpets&Rugs
Top award for the world’s best The world’s finest designer carpets and rugs have just been awarded well-deserved prizes at the 2016 Carpet Design Awards, held at DOMOTEX in Hannover, Germany. The award ceremony took place on 17 January, with winners announced in eight categories. The winners were picked from a list of 24 finalists, whittled down from an initial 320 entries from 21 countries. Under the chairmanship of the British designer Michael Sodeau, the international jury selected designer pieces that really stand out in terms of design, quality and craftsmanship. Entries
were judged on design and design concept, materials, execution, texture/structure and quality as well as sustainability and branding.
Best Modern Collection – Landscape Collection by Wool and Silk Rugs Best Traditional Collection – Pine Garden Collection by Rug Star by Jürgen Dahlmanns
Winners:
Best Studio Artist Design – Re Orient by Studio Brieditis & Evans Best Modern Design Superior – Aleph by Naziri Best Modern Design Deluxe – Electric Taupe by Hossein Rezvani Design Best Traditional Design – Marta Stripe by Rug and Kilim Best Transitional Design – Secret Garden by Naziri
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34 Flooring Feb/March 2016
Best Innovation – Glow by Zollanvari
Trade Announcement Forbo Flooring Australia is pleased to welcome FDA (Flooring Distributors of Australia) as a distribution partner for commercial resilient flooring products in the Western Australia, South Australia and Northern Territory regions. FDA will work alongside the Forbo WA and SA team adding extended regional coverage and the option is now there to utilise FDA in these key regions. FDA has a long history dating back to 1997 as a professional, ethical and service oriented supplier of flooring to the flooring industry and will be well known to you. FDA will provide access to the full Forbo commercial resilient range: Marmoleum, Eternal, Step safety flooring, Allura and Allura Flex Modular, Sarlon, Colorex, Flotex tile and Coral entrance matting along with the complete range of accessories including adhesives, Quickfit subfloors and underlays. We look forward to working together to offer a wider range of high quality products and efficient service in 2016.
Eternal Project Vinyl
Contact FDA
Step Safety Flooring R10, R11, R12
Flooring Distributors of Australia 71 Forsyth Street O’Connor Western Australia 6163 Phone (08) 9314 3177 Fax (08) 9314 3188 www.fda.net.au
Marmoleum Modular Tiles
Contact Forbo
Forbo Flooring Systems Australia 23 Ormsby Place Wetherill Park NSW 2164 Phone 1800 224 471 Fax 1800 662 566 Email: info.au@forbo.com www.forbo-flooring.com.au
ResilientFlooring
Fashion forward Signature Floors’ new Art Series Collection is inspired by the current trends spotted at many well-known international design and fashion exhibitions. The designs are modern, graphic and neutral in colour with a choice of 11 references to allow consumers to create fashion forward floors and real room updates that are sure to
Gerflor Taraflex on world stage As the countdown to Rio commences, Gerflor flooring is taking its place centre stage at some of the world’s most elite indoor sporting events. The Australian men’s football team finished second in Group D after beating both
Malaysia (pictured) and Qatar before losing to fellow quarter finalists, Japan. At the time of going to press, they were preparing to go head to head with Thailand to take a place in the semi finals of the AFC Futsal Championship.
Kenbrock launches KenFlex180 In addition to its extensive range of heterogeneous commercial sheet vinyl, Kenbrock Flooring has recently launched a new range of homogeneous commercial vinyl flooring. KenFlex180 is a durable, high performing, flexible homogenous multipurpose flooring especially recommended for hospitals, schools, child and aged care facilities and institutional buildings, where an easy to maintain, hard wearing floor covering with an attractive and modern appearance is required. It receives a polyurethane (PUR) surface treatment for improved resistance
36 Flooring Feb/March 2016
to scratching and scuffing making it highly suitable for heavy traffic areas. KenFlex 180 features anti-microbial properties and excellent cleaning characteristics. A palette of nine contemporary colours with a directional pattern allows for creativity and freedom of design. Being 100% recyclable and with very low in VOC emissions makes this product an excellent choice for the environment. Complementing the range, Kenbrock now also has an R10 and R12 homogeneous commercial sheet vinyl flooring.
make an impact. With designs ranging from subtle and abstract through to bold and even geometric designs, this collection comes in textured 2m*, 3m and 4m lengths, is easy to clean, anti-allergy and has a slip resistance of R9.
PRODUCTS FOR LVT GREEN STAR™ CERTIFIED SYSTEM FOR THE RAPID INSTALLATION OF LVT PLANKS 1 Substrate# 2 Primer ECO PRIM T 3 Self-levelling compound ULTRAPLAN LEVELLING COMPOUNDS
EN 13813
C30-F7 A2fl-s1
4 Adhesive ULTRABOND ECO VS90 PLUS 5 LVT floor covering
5
4 3 2 1
MAPEI ADHESIVES RECOMMENDED FOR LVT ULTRABOND ECO VS90 PLUS Specifically formulated for LVT flooring. Rapid bond and excellent dimensional stability. Tested and approved for leading flooring manufacturers.
Type of floor covering
TECHNICAL DATA: Consistency: creamy paste Colour: beige Waiting time: 0–10 minutes Open time: 20–30 minutes Set to light foot traffic: 3–5 hours Ready to use: 48–72 hours VOC Content: 0.01 g/l Application: N° 1 or 2 trowel Consumption: 0.25–0.40 kg/m2 Packaging: 16kg drums
Water-based adhesives
TESTED AND APPROVED FOR LEADING FLOORING MANUFACTURERS (including dimensional stability tests) Technical and Safety Data Sheets available from our website www.mapei.com.au Email enquiries to sales@mapei.com.au or Freecall 1800 652666 # Must comply with AS 1884-2012. **For non-absorbent substrates in damp areas and areas that need frequent cleaning; for floors subjected to heavy load and intense traffic.
Standards
LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tiles)
Multi-layered cork with PVC backing
EN 649
EN 651
Green Star™ ULTRABOND ECO V4 SP
•
ULTRABOND ECO V4SP FIBER
•
ULTRABOND ECO VS90 PLUS
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Reactive adhesives** Green Star™ ADESILEX G19
•
•
ResilientFlooring
New Art Select Stone Karndean Designflooring is unveiling its new premium collection of Art Select Stone from January 2016. Inspired by natural materials, the collection showcases Karndean’s most intricate and realistic embosses to date, each handcrafted to reflect the unique patterns and textures of real stone.
The new Art Select Stone collection features four slate, three marble, three travertine and four limestone designs. Uniquely, each design has been created from its original inspiration stone recovered from various locations throughout the world including the steps of a former Parliament House building in Melbourne, natural hot springs
located in Yellowstone National Park, USA and a quarry in the Province of Massa, Tuscany. From the striking earthy tones of Karndean’s new Art Select Travertine designs – Washburn, Caldera and Gallatin, to the contrasting rich and cool hues of Art Select Slate – Melbourne, Canberra, Oakeley and Corris, the understated and classic
look of Art Select Marble – Otono, Fiore and Ashford, and Art Select Limestone – Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Herm, there’s a stone design to match all commercial schemes. “We’re extremely proud of our sophisticated Art Select collection,” explained Dan Lovell, managing director of Karndean Designflooring. “Aesthetically, we wanted to offer architects, interior designers and contractors our most natural and intriguing stone designs in a variety of extra-large and random pattern formats. It’s the intricate detail, natural embosses and the individual inspiration stories behind each range which makes this collection so unique. “It has allowed us to reposition this collection as our most premium and exclusive to date, and also offer the design community inspiring designs for future commercial projects.”
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| Photographer: Tahnee Jade Photography1800 331 012 www.laticrete.com.au l
Applicator: Chris Stenhouse Wall & Floor Tiling | Photographer: Tahnee Jade Photography
LATICRETE Warranties Protect for Decades LATICRETE Warranties Protect for Decades Your home is yourWarranties best investment, Protect protect it withfor stainDecades proof grouts, LATICRETE Your home is your best investment, protect it with stain proof grouts,
Applicator: Chris Stenhouse Wall & Floor Tiling | Photographer: Tahnee Jade Photography
Snap for more information. Snap for more information. Snap for more information. Part of a total Tile and Stone Installation Materials System Part of abytotal Tile and Stone covered a comprehensive Installation System SystemMaterials Warranty. covered a comprehensive Part of abytotal Tile and Stone SystemMaterials Warranty. Installation System covered by a comprehensive System Warranty.
waterproofing materials, decorative floor coatings and a system Your home is your best investment, with stainand proof grouts, waterproofing materials, decorativeprotect floor itcoatings a system warranty that will leave you worry-free for a lifetime. waterproofing materials, decorative warranty that will leave you worry-freefloor for acoatings lifetime.and a system warranty that will leave you worry-free for a lifetime. www.laticrete.com.au l 1800 331 012 www.laticrete.com.au l 1800 331 012 www.laticrete.com.au l 1800 331 012
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Creative mix of styles One of the new interior design trends on international markets can be summarised by the English term Urban Industrial Interior – vintage currents from urban and industrial fields but also elements of timeless, modern country-house style merge into a pragmatic and casual living environment. At Domotex 2016 in Hanover, the EPLF's European laminate flooring manufacturers and their suppliers presented this attractive flooring style along with innovative pattern developments and special technical features. The new, informal mélange of urban lifestyle and modern
country style reflects the developments in the housing market. The continuing exodus from rural areas has meant significant population growth for metropolitan regions. In order to provide much-needed living space, even the smallest urban vacant plots are being creatively used in the form of overbuilding, or residential spaces are being created by gutting and converting vacant industrial buildings. The materials found in the existing stock, with its "processed" surfaces such as metal, concrete or stone, are then often deliberately utilised in the redesign concept.
Light, natural shades with whitish coloration, greige or light grey. Combining laminate decors can also create exciting flooring styles. – Photo: Unilin / Quickstep
The laminate collections display creativity, with various floorboard formats. - Photo: Kronotex
Natural play of colours and smoother surfaces
Old and new combine in a mix of styles, a rustic closeness to nature, Mediterraneaninspired lightness or Nordic clarity – anything goes currently in terms of flooring. However, there is no compromise in the appearance: an authentic look and naturalness are de rigueur for all décors. Where the room size allows, classic laminate floorboards can show off their realistic imitation-wood effect in new, generously wide and longer formats. If the surface area is limited by structural conditions, multi-strip effects
40 Flooring Feb/March 2016
are increasingly being used. With a creative mixture of twostrip versions, with floorboards in different colours and wood finishes, individual floors can provide a special atmosphere. In the main, oak remains the wood of choice due to its versatility in terms of colour and shaping. However, traditional woods such as beech, walnut, pine, elm and ash are also maintaining their place in the current range of decors. Perfect structure reproduction and a natural play of colours have long been taken for granted in terms of these famous and classic wood species.
Simple design and harmonious colour combinations determine the current laminate flooring look: natural shades in bright or soft muted colours such as white, white-glazed, cream, light beige and greige are frequently found in all contemporary furnishing styles. A bright, warm grey has established itself as a neutral, easilycombinable flooring colour. The darker laminate decors – with their warm nuances
High-quality wood patterns are at their best over generously long and wide formats. - Photo: Meister
in many shades of brown – create a cosy atmosphere of understated elegance. After the very rustic, significantly-textured surfaces of recent years, with their massive cracks and branches, it's now time for calmer decors to take their place in the collections, although some vintage features such as the rough-sawn effect definitely still have their place. The printing techniques are being continuously developed. In particular, innovative, industrial digital printing onto decorative paper allows for a more varied, luminous and multicolour range. Using special press plates, material reproductions offer lifelike depictions from the patina of old wooden floors to metallic effects. The experience of the surfaces has become more authentic and holistic thanks to the refined and technically complex manufacturing process.
Natural-look wood effect: Classy walnut effects enhance the range offered by European laminate flooring manufacturers. - Photo: Haro
Emulating nature: The dark laminate decors create a cosy atmosphere with their warm tones. - Photo: Kronospan Schweiz AG
Suitable for all applications
With the appropriate equipment, low-maintenance, robust laminate floors are suitable for all living and working areas, and they also have new applications in commercial and office spaces and doctors' surgeries. Manufacturers are also able to offer floorboards with integrated sound insulation and useful additional features including anti-static surfaces, increased protection against microscratches using electron-beam
technology and special anti-slip surfaces for use in entrance areas and workspaces. Innovative moistureprotection devices allow laminate flooring to be laid in bathrooms and kitchens: a special board formulation and a corresponding impregnation of the top layer reduce swelling, whilst the edges receive a special sealant for protection purposes. Finally, patented locking methods ensure that the joints are securely locked. Thus, laminate flooring can be employed as a warmer alternative to traditional tiling.
Environment
The internationally recognised EPD environmental declarations offer certification that tested laminate flooring exhibits a very good ecological balance, with enormously positive values in terms of primary energy requirements and global-warming potential. The European laminate collections are thus leading the way on international markets also in terms of sustainability and environmental protection.
Innovative moisture-protection devices allow laminate flooring to be laid in bathrooms and kitchens. - Photo: Wineo
Flooring Feb/March 2016 41
PICFloors
Food safe flooring
Preparation, Installation & Care
Rising to a big challenge The owners of a private residence in Ascot Vale, Melbourne contracted Nicholas Murray Architects to add a new en-suite and powder room in their Victorian home built in 1906. The new work had to complement the flow of the existing home. This presented a significant challenge. The project entailed installation of large format Italian tiles manufactured by Refin, and supplied by Beaumont Tiles. Tiling contractor Chris Stenhouse successfully installed 81m2 of wall and floor tiles using a variety of Laticrete products. Wastage was kept to a minimum by installing tiles in a random laying pattern, which meant that off-cuts could be used in separate courses of tiling. The 750 x 1500 mm ceramic tiles were installed using Laticrete’s 335 Premium Flexible Adhesive, a high performance thinset adhesive which is used to install various ceramic tiles including porcelain and natural stone products. The substrates were waterproofed with Laticrete’s Hydro Ban, a thin, load-
42 Flooring Feb/March 2016
bearing waterproofing/crack isolation membrane that does not require the use of fabric. Hydro Ban bonds to a wide variety of substrates. The large format tiles were double fixed by trowelling adhesive on to the substrate and applying a thin coat of adhesive to the back of the tile, using the flat edge of the trowel.
Flowcrete Australia has unveiled the next stage in the evolution of its food grade flooring - the full gloss, polyurethane, antimicrobial enhanced Flowfresh Sealer system. This colourful coating, the first of its kind to be introduced to the Australian flooring market, was developed to provide the food and beverage sector with aesthetically appealing floors able to keep up with the rapidly evolving needs of this complex industry. The ease of cleaning and seamless, hygienic surface it creates ensures that the floor provides the ultimate in foodsafe flooring facility design. The Managing Director of Flowcrete Australia, Sean Tinsley, said: “Food grade flooring has had to continually improve over the years to comply with the stringent criteria of authorities such as Food Standards Australia New Zealand as well as internationally recognised food safety standards. The entire Flowfresh range has recently been Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) International Certified. This globally recognised benchmark of food safety designates materials, equipment and services that can be used within the food industry to minimise the risk of contamination incidences.
The HACCP International guidelines state that the floor plays a crucial role in addressing contamination threats, as an inadequate floor can become a prime site of bacteria build-up. Not only does the floor have to provide a hygienic, seamless, impervious and easy to clean surface, it needs to do so for the long term in the face of corrosive chemicals, moisture, impacts and thermal shock. “The Flowfresh range of polyurethane flooring revolutionised the food grade flooring market when it was first introduced and it remains the only resin flooring solution available to the Australian market that harnesses the natural bactericidal properties of silver to eliminate germs in contact with the coating,” Tinsley said. This innovative formulation stems from Flowcrete’s exclusive global collaboration with the anti-bacterial agent manufacturer Polygiene. The Polygiene additive is homogenously distributed throughout the polyurethane matrix of Flowfresh to create a surface able to kill 99.9% of germs. This bacteria targeting property has been proven to meet the ISO 22916 standard, which measures a surface’s antibacterial effectiveness on plastics and other non-porous surfaces.
Can Canweweinterest interestyou youin inbecoming becominga a ®® SPARTACOTE Distributor? SPARTACOTE Distributor?
Engineered for long-term Engineered for long-term superior performance, superior performance, ® SPARTACOTE decorative resin resin ® SPARTACOTE decorative floor floor coating systems are are coating systems designed to meet the needs of of designed to meet the needs the most demanding heavy-duty the most demanding heavy-duty traffictraffic environments. environments.
Limited installation downtime - Rapid return to service flooring systems: Limited installation downtime - Rapid return to service flooring systems: Completely seamless and impermeable flooring Completely seamless and impermeable flooring Customisable, decorative finishes Customisable, decorative finishes VOC free and low odour VOC free and low odour Non-skid and non-slip textures Non-skid and non-slip textures Easy to clean Easy to clean n
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www.hpspartacote.com www.hpspartacote.com 1800 331 012 A product brand of LATICRETE International, Inc. Snap for more information. 1800 331 012 A product brand of LATICRETE International, Inc.
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©2015 LATICRETE Pty Ltd. All trademarks shown are the intellectual properties of their respective owners.
Globally Proven Construction Solutions Globally Proven Construction Solutions
PICFloors
Preparation, Installation & Care
Increased production with new grinder Two weeks into concrete preparation on multiple laying projects, the Sydney based Floor It team became fans of the DSM250 Schwamborn floor grinder supplied by All Preparation Equipment and its production levels. Floor It ran the Schwamborn Grinder for 14 hour days on this huge commercial project. Being used on projects from a multilevel vinyl floor preparation job to a concrete floor coating job in the inner city, the DSM250 provided a high speed removal and left a good keyed finish on the concrete in a single pass – meaning higher production on site. “Our Schwamborn grinder is out performing the other 280mm floor grinder being used and has
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44 Flooring Feb/March 2016
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doubled production,” said a spokespeerson for Floor It. “The guys love the machine and it’s going back to work again tomorrow!” When looking at the projects the team had lined up to do, it didn’t exactly seem possible they could be completed on time until they saw the DSM250 in action. From the first use there was no doubt the grinder could do what was needed to grind the floors in a faster timeframe. Less time on site Being a simple machine to operate and set-up on site, using the DSM250 Schwamborn means that operators can being grinding the floor faster. With Knock On diamond grinding shoes to complement the concrete floor it is working on, the grinder will grind and prepare concrete floors as fast as it needs to. Thanks to the range of diamond grinding Knock On shoes, the right
grit and bond of diamond can be chosen for each floor surface to ensure the right amount of diamond is exposed or concrete removed and polished in each project circumstance. So easy to use Being a German designed and engineered concrete floor grinder, the DSM250 Schwamborn works to the maximum potential without unnecessary features. From the edging shroud, the rotation on the motor of the floor grinder through to changing the diamonds and adjusting the level, grinding floors has never been made so easy. Across the globe, Schwamborn grinders are being used by some of the most experienced floorcovering installers through to polished concrete professionals.
Beautifully cleaned and always ready A customer’s initial impression of a facility is typically influenced by the business’ cleanliness. Poorly maintained, dirty or stained carpets in high-traffic areas can be detrimental to a business’ image and profitability. In today’s fast-paced society, customers demand businesses accommodate for their schedules, whatever the day, whenever the time. This has had a direct impact on cleaning turn around times. To deal with these time constraints, the carpet cleaning paradigm has shifted. The focus is no longer on cleaning stains
after they occur, rather a proactive approach to maintaining carpet appearance and cleanliness has developed. This involves daily preventative maintenance measures such as dry vacuuming and interim cleaning with the use of carpet cleaning equipment. However, the issue still remains: “How do we get carpets cleaned, dried and ready for foot traffic as quickly as possible?” Tennant’s innovative ReadySpace rapid-drying carpet cleaning technology is the solution. ReadySpace technology cleans and
dries carpets in under 30 minutes, to minimise area closure times and allow for the removal of soils before they become embedded in the carpet fibres. This means that carpets remain cleaner over time, last longer and extraction is required much less frequently. ReadySpace technology uses 80% less water to clean and leaves up to 90% less water in the carpet when compared to traditional extraction methods. “This technology enables us not only to clean the carpets more frequently but to clean much of it during normal
business hours rather than at night or on weekends,” said Jeff Bishop, Clean Care Seminars Inc. “ReadySpace combines effective results with rapid drying, which is its strongest feature”. Tennant also provides a complete line of vacuums for daily carpet maintenance. Tennant’s vacuums are durable and versatile with heavy-duty, cordless, wet-dry, backpack and wide-area vacuum options available. Most of the vacuums are also available with HEPA filtration systems to maintain indoor air quality and certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute.
INVEST IN A COMPLETE CARPET CARE SOLUTION WITH TENNANT TENNANT HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR CARPETS LOOKING GREAT We offer a complete line of upright, backpack and canister vacuum cleaners, well suited for both small and large areas. We also provide restorative carpet cleaning equipment including portable extractors, deep cleaning extractors and daily use carpet cleaners.
Contact us at www.tennantco.com/au/floor-care to schedule a FREE cleaning assessment!
ProductUpdate
Invisible protection Lobadur 2K InvisibleProtect AT, the new, innovative surface protection coating from Loba, immunises parquet floors against wear. The special feature is its invisibility leaving the wood looking completely natural. Protection layers, no matter how thin they may be, almost always change the look and feel of a wood floor. This is not so with Lobadur 2K InvisibleProtect AT: the material looks and feels perfectly natural and yet furniture, toys, spilled liquids or even stiletto-heeled shoes are not able to damage the parquet floor. This special effect is welcome above all on light woods such as oak, ash, maple and light beech, which are often used in shops,
restaurants, public exhibition halls and living areas. The highest quality ingredients are the secret of its success – once the system is applied, it looks to the eye like an almost invisible layer. The floor not only retains its elasticity, it is also extremely scratch resistant and robust. Maintenance could not be simpler – floors with surfaces enhanced with Lobadur 2K InvisibleProtect AT are just as easy to clean as those with varnished surfaces. One of the latest generation of two component waterborne surface protection products for all parquet and hardwood floors, application could not be easier. The product is timesaving, ergonomic and easy to apply by roller. For particularly heavy wear treatment with a
Classic extends matting options again Want to make a great entrance look great? Fit a grand mat. Architectural entrance matting solutions for public space is just one of the things Classic Architectural Group specialises in. No matter what design, size or shape your matting requirement is, they make it easy. Classic’s range of Integra Vantt aluminium entrance
matting has once again expanded and has made headlines with a greater variety of inserts now available to fulfil the needs of any application. Extending from a diverse coloured expanse of matting inserts to classy ribbed polymer, and now a sleek grit insert added to the fleet, the Classic choice guarantees style, functionality and performance. A recent installation of Classic Architectural Group's entrance matting.
46 Flooring Feb/March 2016
two coat full system requiring no primer is recommended. Lobadur 2K InvisibleProtect AT achieves an excellent antislip rating of R9 and is certified as an anti-slip treatment in accordance with BGR 181 and DIN 51130 for use in workplaces where reliable antislip protection is required for all uses.
Fast setting repair Spartacote Fast Fix from Laticrete is a fast setting, twocomponent concrete repair material. Ultra-low viscosity properties allow for deep penetration into concrete cracks and enables the product to be mixed with selected aggregates to fill larger cracks and depressions and form high strength permanent concrete repairs. The material exotherms and expands during the curing process and can be ground smooth in 15 minutes allowing flooring contractors to proceed with the installation of coatings with minimal delays to the project. Fast Fix may be applied neat or mixed with a dry-kiln sand to create a slurry mixture, which can be used to fill in cracks and other areas. As the material dries, it expands vertically and horizontally,
which allows for a smooth feathered edge finish once properly ground. It is extremely easy to work with. Common applicationsinclude dealerships, grocery stores, residential garages and basements.
Advertisers Index
Exhibitioncalendar
2015/6 Exhibitions
MARCH 2016 6-9 Xiamen Stone Fair Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Centre, Xiamen, China http://stonefair.org.cn 17-20
Keramika 2016 Ceramic Tiles, Sanitary/Bathroom Furnishing and more Jakarta, Indonesia http://www.keramika.co.id 22-24
Domotex Asia / ChinaFloor 2016 International Floorcovering Exhibition Shanghai, China http://www.dacf.cn APRIL 2016 18-21 Coverings 2016 Trade event for ceramic tile, natural stone, flooring and related products Orlando, FL, USA http://www.coverings.com MAY 2016 12-15
23-26
Middle East Covering 2016 Exhibition dedicated to the flooring, wall covering & surfaces Dubai, UAE http://www.middleeastcovering.com 26-29
HIA Sydney 2016 Home Show Sydney, Australia http://www.sydneyhomeshow.com.au
Airstep
18 & 19
Australian Floor Style
24 & 25
Carpet Court Choices
9 Front Cover, 2, 7, 17 & 29
Classic Architectural Group
Con-Treat 34
Duracore 12 DomotexAsia/ChinaFloors
JULY 2016 21-24
AIFF 2016. Australian International Furniture Fair co-located with Decor + Design Show 2016 Interiors event showcasing interior products and furnishings Melbourne, Australia http://www.aiff.net.au http://www.decordesignshow.com.au
11
Back Cover
Forbo 35 GMK Logistics
8
Intafloors/Gibbon Group
13
Laser Measure
33
Laticrete
39 & 43
Mapei 37 Oxtek Australia/Protect Crete
15
SEPTEMBER 2016
Preference Floors
10
26-30 Cersaie International exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings Bologne, Italy http://www.cersaie.it/en/
Proline Floors
Erbil Stone 2016 Stone, ceramics, tile & sanitary equipment & machinery exhibition Erbil, Iraq http://erbilstone.com/English/default.aspx
5
Protecrete International RFMS Australasia
40 26 & 27
Sterling Supplies
23
Tennant Company
45
*** For more information on the fairs or to confirm dates, please check the individual websites.
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