RFCI Introduces Industry-Wide Standards for Rigid-Core LVT Quality: ASSURE CERTIFIED

FLOOR ED

Rigid Core LVT is the fastest growing resilient flooring category. It has evolved quickly from an innovative “multilayer” resilient concept . . . to a very popular, resilient waterproof flooring solution offered by many brands.

RFCI Introduces Industry-Wide Standards for Rigid Core LVT Quality: ASSURE CERTIFIED ™

The Resilient Floor Covering Institute and SCS Global Services announced a new program to ensure the continued growth and popularity of Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)

marketed and sold in North America. The program is called ASSURE CERTIFIED ™ .

“As part of our mission to support the interest of resilient flooring, RFCI and member

manufacturers determined there was an urgent need to establish industry-wide standards

for Rigid Core LVT quality, no matter where it’s made,” explained Dean Thompson, president

and CEO of RFCI.

Rigid Core LVT is the fastest growing resilient flooring category. It has evolved quickly from

an innovative “multilayer” resilient concept — first as expanded polymer core (also called

WPC), and quickly adding solid polymer core (SPC) — to a very popular, resilient waterproof

flooring solution offered by many brands. ASSURE CERTIFIED ™ flooring will be positioned as

“Smart. Durable. Responsible.”

SCS Global Services (SCS), an international leader in third-party certification and stan

dards development, will provide certification services and direct the testing protocol.

This includes an assessment of the manufacturing quality control procedure for mate

rial suppliers, product traceability, chain of custody, internal QC testing and segregation of

non-conforming products and materials. It also includes an on-site manufacturing facility

audit, as well as performance testing in compliance with the rigid core ASTM standard, test

ing for heavy metals and ortho-phthalates content, and FloorScore ® testing for indoor air

quality. (FloorScore ® , another RFCI program managed by SCS Global Services, is the indus

try’s most widely recognized indoor air quality (IAQ) certification standard for hard surface

flooring materials, adhesives, and underlayments.)

“The standards for the ASSURE CERTIFIED ™ program will be the best protection and

quality assurance for all Rigid Core manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, retailers and, of

course, consumers and end users,” said Thompson.

“Flooring customers are very informed and engaged in choosing safe, high performance

flooring for their homes, offices, and other indoor uses,” said Nicole Muñoz, vice president

of Environmental Certification Services at SCS. “ASSURE CERTIFIED ™ is a timely label for

this rapidly developing flooring category.”

Information about ASSURE CERTIFIED ™ is available on the RFCI.com site and the SCS

GlobalServices.com site. Rigid Core manufacturers can contact SCS Global Services directly

to start their certification process now.