Special
Producers of skirting boards
THE SKIRTING BOARD HAS MATURED HOW DO I HELP MY CLIENTS TO FIND THE RIGHT SKIRTING BOARDS FOR THEIR FLOOR? Jeroen Janssen (Exclusive Decor – NL) ‘Skirting boards have become another persuasive sales argument.’ The range of skirting boards continues to expand widely. These once often forgotten accessories are undeniably making great strides and are emphatically demanding their own place in the house. Together with sales manager Jeroen Janssen from the Dutch skirting board specialist Exclusive Decor, we looked for some answers to a number of questions. First of all, our interviewee tells us about his company: ‘We target mainly parquet businesses, tile traders, and home designers. They are companies with a store/showroom which fit floors for their clients. We’re not only a supplier; we can also supply end users on behalf of our clients and even do the fitting. That means we do a job for floor fitters which they often prefer not to do them-selves.’ When he considers the material, Jeroen notices how much ground skirting boards have won in recent years. They’ve gone from something which hardly anyone noticed to a fully fledged interior element. Skirting boards provide the finishing touch ‘In the past, skirting boards were nothing more than a quick solution, but you notice more and more that they are getting more and more attractive and that they really do provide the finishing touch. What stands out is how we’re supplying Increasingly higher and longer models (up to 4.88 metres). That fits in with the trend towards a much more minimalist finish where fewer seams are on show at the same time.’ ‘We respond to market demand by supplying a product in three qualities: the same fitted skirting board without lacquer, the prelacquered skirting board with one coat of lacquer (so that the painter only has to apply the top coat), and fully lacquered skirting boards with two coats of lacquer which can be fitted immediately. We do all this in any colour as required, with no limits, thanks to our own fully computerised lacquering lines and, where necessary, we spray by hand for special work.’ Emergence of white skirting boards Our interviewee points out particularly that skirting boards have become another persuasive sales argument in a sales interview. He also notes the advance of white skirting boards. ‘At present, skirting boards are included in every advisory discussion in a sales interview. In addition, we also note how fashionable white skirting boards are in present interiors. Black skirting boards are also fashionable, but to a much more modest extent. To help our clients assess the modern picture, we supply presentation boards in the store so that people can see what the combination of floor and skirting board looks like.’ ‘Our message to professionals couldn’t be clearer: Don’t forget how easily you can sell skirting boards in the total package, certainly when it comes to somewhat more luxurious and higher class examples. This extra turnover makes a nice bonus and, moreover, you create eye catchers. It’s also important to take care of your clients’ concerns, certainly by supplying fully lacquered skirting boards. You provide them with a product which they don’t think of very often and, moreover, it’s finished in high quality and delivered so rigidly that people couldn’t do that for themselves.’ Waterproof MDF We mentioned that white skirting boards have become the standard. Technically, it seems that the use of waterproof MDF is the key to success.
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