material + technik möbel Ausgabe special 02|2016 by material + technik möbel

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P R O F E S S I O N A L M A G A Z I N E F O R M A N U F A C T U R E R S O F K I T C H E N S , C A B I N E T, O F F I C E A N D S E AT I N G F U R N I T U R E A N D F O R I N T E R I O R F I T T E R S A N D D E S I G N E R S Âˇ W W W. M AT E R I A L -T E C H N I K . D E Âˇ 3 0 8 3 5

The magazine for furniture production and related fields

Quality Inside

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Quality Inside

Focusing on Europe’s furnishing market

Title: Drying, cutting, and impregnating are among the core competences of Vits. The photo shows the dryer section of an impregnation line. Photo: Vits

European unity might be at a tipping point since the beginning of the summer. The British want to leave the alliance, that was established in 1993 as the third economic block between the USA and China, and voted for the withdrawal called “Brexit”. In this “Quality Inside” special edition of the German trade journal material+technik möbel, we report on the consequences that can have for Great Britain’s economy. With ca. 500 million inhabitants, the European Union is not only a huge sales market for furnishing objects, where many non-European providers successfully sell their products. In Europe and particularly in Italy, many international trends are started, as shown in our report on the Salone del Mobile and the Eurocucina last April. Visitors to the Milan trade fair duo were able to see many breathtaking furniture designs, which could only be realized with the help of sophisticated fittings technology and innovative surfaces and materials “made in Europe”. In spring of this year, the Holz-Handwerk and Xylexpo trade fairs also demonstrated that production can be more efficient with networked machines and systems provided by European manufac-

Richard Barth, Editor-in-chief

turers. With such a wealth of information about arkets, trends, and technologies, our “Quality m Inside” special edition in English is an indispensable vademecum for foreign companies that are active on the European market or want to successfully sell their products there.

Content Editorial European unity crumbles Europe’s furniture industry European furnishing trends Weathered driftwood Sophisticated look with marble Furniture foil for indoor and outdoor uses Creativity “made in Italy” Increasing freedom of design Mediaeval inspiration High-gloss light reflexes In harmony with nature IWF remains on track for success Clever and trendy fittings Fast, varied, and invisible Extension added for further growth Combined solution for drawers without handles High demands on the wall unit’s interior Two showcases for woodworking machines Innovative machine technology in demand worldwide “We aim to offer added value by means of one-stop shop solutions” Upholstered furniture industry automating its processes From hide to fine leather News from European companies European furniture and supplier-fairs 2016 Partners to the furniture industry Imprint

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CUTTING- & SPREADING MACHINES

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In June, the British decided to leave the EU. Photo: Fotolia/Samott

European unity crumbles This year, the 23rd of June was a black day for Europe. It was the day the British decided to leave the European Union. While some see the pullout called Brexit as a signal for the end of European unity, others regard it as a chance to breathe new life into the European idea. Following the decision, Great Britain continues to be one of the member countries of the European Union. And it might remain so for years to come. All that is certain is that a slight majority of the country’s inhabitants voted to leave the European alliance. But first Great Britain has to submit an official application, which it had not done by our copy deadline. The exit negotiations cannot begin until the country informs the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the EU according to Article 50 of the EU Treaty. Afterwards, it can take up to two years until all of the terms of the exit have been determined and possibly several more years until the European Union and Great Britain have negotiated new rules for their trade relations. Leading economic institutes in Germany, such as the Institute for Economic Research (Ifo) in Munich and the Institute for the World Economy (IfW) in Kiel, have been focusing on the consequences of Great Britain’s withdrawal and

have also worked out their forecasts for economic development in Europe at the same time. Lower economic growth Economic experts expect negative consequences for the British economy from the withdrawal, but also difficult years for the rest of the European countries. Great Britain is not only the second largest economic power in Europe, but also the third largest export market for German industry. Economic researchers at the Ifo Institute, for example, expect the German gross domestic product (GDP) to decrease by about one per cent in the next two years because of the Brexit, and the same rate of decline for economic growth in the EU as well. The European Union, which was created in its current form in the year 1993, had the objective of creating a further powerful economic center in addition to the USA and China in the world. The idea of a European alliance had already come into being only a few

years after the war and was supposed to bring peace and stability to the countries of Europe that had previously been divided. In 1973, Great Britain joined the coalition. However, the attempt to unite all of the European countries has never been successful, and not all of the countries have been willing to establish the euro as a single currency. Even today, the euro is the official currency in only 15 of the 28 member countries of the EU. Great Britain, for example, always decided to keep the British pound. Immediately following the decision in favour of the Brexit, the exchange rate for the pound fell against the euro and is now 16 per cent lower than in July of 2015. And countries such as Switzerland and Norway have never become members of the European Union. If the British do not change their minds, Great Britain will belong to those countries in the future, and that will probably have noticeable negative effects on trade between Europe and the United Kingdom. In particular, the European govern-

ments will not be very interested in making Great Britain’s withdrawal uncomplicated and simple. The danger would be too great that it would have a signal effect on other countries that are critical of the European Union. The planned Brexit and the drop in value of the British currency connected with it makes vacationing in Great Britain cheaper for tourists, but at the same time it makes exporting goods to that country more expensive. Until now, Great Britain has been the third largest member of the union by population. After all, it has about 65 million inhabitants and is an important sales market for the rest of Europe. On the other hand, it will be harder for British exporters to sell their products in the rest of Europe, because import tariffs will make the goods more expensive in the future. As a further consequence, economic experts fear that there will be a decrease in direct investments on the island, because until now the United Kingdom has been considered the gateway to the European Union by international companies. Companies with production locations in Great Britain, for example, are said to already be considering moving their production to other European countries, because a British withdrawal would make shipments to the continent more expensive. Economic forecasts for the EU In the middle of the year 2016, the economic prospects for the euro zone took a turn for the worse. Following a successful first quarter of the year, leading German economic institutes have identified a slowdown in economic development, but the evaluations for the individual euro countries are very different. And the economic researchers see the prospects for further economic development in the 19 countries in the euro zone just as differently. Great Britain’s decision to leave the European Union could negatively affect the economic climate and worsen the previous forecasts. For the entire year 2016, leading economic institutes are so far expecting economic growth of 1.7 per cent in the euro zone. For the entire

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Quality Inside

European Union with its 28 members, slightly higher growth of 1.9 per cent is predicted. However, in both cases that growth is similar the rate in the previous year. In 2015, the gross domestic product increased by 1.9 per cent in the European Union and by 1.6 per cent in the euro zone. The forecasts for the coming year look somewhat better. The Institute for the World Economy (IfW), for example, expects the GDP to grow by 2 pecent in the European Union and by 1.9 per cent in the euro zone. The expected increase of 1.7 per cent for the year 2016 in the euro zone, according to the institutes, is primarily due to the continued positive development in Germany, but

the economic experts also expect good development for Ireland. The prospects for Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Latvia, where no improvement in economic development is anticipated in the current year, are seen as negative. Housing construction in Europe On the other hand, there are positive reports in regard to housing construction, which is expected to increase by 3 per cent in 2016, according to the latest forecasts from Euroconstruct (Belgium), the European research and consulting network. If only the new housing construction is considered, the rate of increase is even as high as 5.5 per cent. In the 19 EU countries sur-

veyed, the number of housing units completed in 2015 was 1.427 million, and 1.536 million housing units in newly constructed buildings are expected to be completed in 2016. The experts assume that housing construction will be stimulated by the massive numbers of migrants in the individual countries and that as many as 1.619 million housing units will be constructed in 2017. In 2018, 1.682 million units are expected. That would be an increase of 18.6 per cent between 2014 and 2018. The construction of new homes always has a positive effect on the furnishing industry, because moving into a new home or to another flat usually involves buying a new kitchen or other furnishings. A

The following are short profiles of the economic development and housing construction in selected European countries Germany: Germany contributes most to the EU gross domestic product with a share of one fifth. Because of the positive development in the first half of the year 2016, the economic experts have raised their forecasts for the entire year and now expect growth of up to 1.9 per cent for the GDP. In 2015, the German economy grew by 1.5 per cent. Private consumption is the primary driver of the growth and the experts expect it to rise by 1.9 per cent in the current year. A good employment situation with an unemployment rate of only 4.2 per cent and stable consumer prices (+0.2 %) are contributing to the increase in consumer spending this year. The economic experts are also expecting a positive year for the German economy in 2017. Given the fact that the GDP is expected to grow by 2.4 per cent, the unemployment rate should decline to 3.9 per cent, but an increase of 1.5 per cent in consumer prices are also expected. The Ifo Institute expects an inflation rate of 1.7 per cent by 2021. In regard to housing construction, the economic experts are predicting a constant increase in newly built housing units to 275,000 by 2018. In 2014, the number was only 216,729 units, so there would The head quarters of the European Council in Brussels. Photo: European Commission

be a 27 per cent increase in the period under review. 260,000 new housing units are supposed to be built in the current year. Great Britain: In the European Union, Great Britain is in second place in regard to economic performance. Whether that remains so in the future depends on if and when the country completes its withdrawal from the European Union. In June of 2016, the majority of the citizens voted in favour of the Brexit – withdrawal from the EU. Until then, the British economy had been developing in a satisfactory way. Following economic growth of 2.3 per cent in 2015, the IfW predicted before the Brexit vote that the country would experience growth of 1.8 per cent in 2016. For 2017, the institute expected an increase of 2.1 per cent in

GDP. Due to the insecurity which has arisen as a consequence of the Brexit vote, economic experts are now expecting growth to be lower. During the current year, a decrease in growth to 1.5 per cent is already expected; according to the latest estimates by the Ifo Institute, growth of the British GDP will decrease by 1 per cent in the coming year and by 2.5 per cent in 2018. The reasons seen for the lower rate of economic growth are that imports will become more expensive, which will lead to a decrease in private consumption. The economic experts also fear that limiting the number of migrant laborers who can come into the country from the EU would also slow economic growth. The unemployment rate is expected at 5 per cent in 2016, slightly less than in

decline in new housing construction, on the other hand, is reflected in a lower number of sales for the furniture industry. According to the forecasts, France will be the front runner in housing construction in the coming years with 459,000 new housing units there alone, followed by Germany with 275,000 new units. Euroconstruct expects negative development in Italy and Belgium, where its experts predict that housing construction will decline by 24.1 and 7.9 per cent in the time period from 2014 to 2018. The highest rates of increase in the period under consideration are expected in Ireland (+127 %), the Netherlands (+55 %), and Spain (+71 %).

2015, and was expected to decrease to 4.9 per cent in 2017. As a result, consumer confidence was up at that time. Especially because the consumer prices had risen only moderately by 0.1 per cent in 2015 and by 0.6 per cent in the current year. Economic experts now expect imported goods to become more expensive, which will shrink real earnings and slow down consumption in the future. That will probably affect housing construction as well, which has been increasing since 2014. From 2014 to 2018, an increase to 186,000 new housing units is expected, which would be an increase of 33.5 per cent in the period under consideration. In 2016 alone, an estimated 181,000 new housing units will be completed. France: With a share of about 15 per cent of the economic output in the EU, France is in third place. So far this year, economic researchers have identified slight improvement and are expecting an increase of 1.6 per cent in GDP for 2016. In the previous year, the economic output of the country had increased by only 1.2 per cent. However, the latest, second terror attack inside of six months in Nice could damage consumer confidence and thus slow down the upturn in the country. One of the biggest problems in France is the high level of unemployment, which will remain at almost the same level in 2016 as in the previous year, about 10 per cent. For 2017, a slight decline to 9.6 per cent is expected. France

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Member states of the European Union, countries with the euro as central currency. Chart: European Commission is one of the countries in the EU with an above-average number of unemployed persons, as the average in the EU is 8.7 per cent. Consumer prices in France will hardly increase, only by 0.2 per cent. Prices had already remained stable in 2015, but now economic experts are expecting an increase of 1.2 per cent in 2017. A good third of the European housing construction in the coming years will probably take place in France, where the number of new housing units is expected to rise to about 460,000 a year by 2018. However, 413,600 new housing units were already built in the country in 2014, so the rate of increase will probably be about 11.2 per cent, which is somewhat below the EU average. Italy: The southern EU country

has been experiencing economic stagnation for years now, and only slight improvement can be detected in 2016. With a share of 11.6 per cent, Italy is in fourth place in the European Union in regard to economic output. For the current year, economic researchers had expected a stronger recovery at first, but by the middle of the year it had not yet taken place. Following an increase of 0.6 per cent in GDP in 2015, only a slight improvement to 0.9 per cent is expected in the current year. But in 2017, the economy should grow again by 1.2 per cent. One of the country’s biggest problems is its above-average high level of unemployment. It is currently at 11.5 per cent and is not expected to decrease in 2017. Because of weak consumer demand, consumer prices have hardly changed in 2015 and 2016. The IfW doesn’t expect prices to rise until 2017, when they predict an increase of 1.2 per cent. In regard to

housing construction, Italy and Belgium are the only countries in the EU, in which experts expect a decline in housing construction activity. In the year 2014, 103,600 housing units were completed, but in 2018 only 79,000 are expected to be completed, a decline of 24.1 per cent. In 2016, it is estimated that only 78,300 new housing units will be built. Spain: With about 46 million inhabitants, Spain is one of the most highly populated countries in Europe. However, for years now, it – along with Greece – has been one of Europe’s biggest worries. That’s because Spain experienced a dramatic downturn and has been able to recover from it only very slowly. In addition, the economic experts expect the recovery process to slow down even more in 2016 and the GDP to increase by only 2.6 per cent. In 2017, growth is expected to fall even more to 2.2 per cent. In 2015, economic growth

was higher – 3.2 per cent. In view of the continued high unemployment rate of 19.7 per cent, there is no room for price increases in 2016. On the contrary, consumer prices will probably decrease by 0.4 per cent. In 2015, they already decreased by 0.6 per cent. The IfW is expecting an increase of 0.9 per cent in 2017, which could be connected with a further decrease in the unemployment rate to 18.9 per cent. In comparison: In 2014, one quarter of the population was unemployed. At least experts expect a recovery in housing construction, in which the country had a leading position years ago. The number of completed housing units is expected to be about 53,000 in 2016 and then rise to 80,000 by 2018. In the time period 2014–2018, that would be an increase of ca. 71 per cent. Netherlands/Belgium/Luxembourg: The three smaller countries that border Germany to the west – the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg – have a total of about 29 million inhabitants, a significant share of the European population, and are thus important sales markets in Europe. Together they generate over 11 per cent of the economic output in the euro zone – the Netherlands alone generates 6.6 per cent and is thus the largest manufacturing country of the three. However, economic experts at the IfW are expecting a decline in economic performance in all three countries in 2016. Economic performance is expected to decrease from 1.9 to 1.0 per cent in the Netherlands, whereas the decrease from 1.4 to 1.2 per cent in Belgium will not be so dramatic. Trends in the propensity to consume cannot be the only reason for that, because the unemployment rate in the two countries of 6.4 and 8.0 per cent is almost the same as in the previous year and has sunk only negligibly. And consumer prices have hardly changed in comparison with the year before, but the IfW is anticipating increases of 1.4 and 1.7 per cent for 2017. The Ifo Institute predicts an inflation rate of 1.9 per cent for Belgium and 1.8 per cent for the Netherlands by 2021. The developments in housing construction are also mixed in the Benelux area. While construction is expected to decrease in Belgium in the coming

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years, the experts expect a significant increase in the Netherlands to 70,000 completed housing units. That would be an increase of 55.6 per cent for the period under consideration from 2014 to 2018. Austria: Although economic researchers say that economic development in Austria has slowed down, the country is predicted to have economic growth of 1.5 per cent in 2016, which is almost double that of 2015. In 2017, the GDP is expected to rise at the same rate. In comparison to other EU countries, the employment situation is good with a stable unemployment rate of 5.8 per cent, which should keep consumer demand at a high level. And the fact that there has been only a slight increase of about 0.8 per cent in consumer prices since 2015 has a positive effect as well. In 2017, however, economic experts expect prices to rise by 1.7 per cent. In the medium term, the Ifo Institute predicts an inflation rate of 2 per cent for Austria. Housing construction in the Alp republic is slowly increasing. 47,300 housing units are expected to be completed in 2016 and 50,500 in 2018. Greece: Europe’s biggest worry is still Greece in 2016. Although the country contributes only 1.3 per cent of the economic output of Europe, the negative developments over the past years have brought unrest to the European Union and weakened the euro. The economic experts at IfW are expecting economic development in Greece to be even worse in 2016 with a 0.8 per cent decline in the gross domestic product. The GDP already shrank by 0.3 per cent in 2015. The experts are more optimistic for 2017 and have predicted an increase of 1.5 per cent in the GDP. The unchanged high unemployment rate of 24.6 per cent, which is the highest in Europe, also has a negative effect on consumer demand – a reason why consumer prices will probably continue to decrease. Following a decline of 1.1 per cent in 2015, the economic experts are now expecting a decline of only 0.1 per cent in 2016. An increase of 0.9 per cent is not expected until 2017. In a study, the Ifo Institute recently

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predicted an inflation rate of 2 per cent for the country by 2021 and an average inflation rate for the euro zone of 1.8 per cent by the same time. There are no positive reports about Greek housing construction. The number of building permits issued there declined again in 2015. Only 13,257 housing units were approved, 2.3 per cent less than in 2014 and 18.1 per cent less than in 2013. In comparison: From 2004 to 2007, 70,000–80,000 building permits were issued every year. Finland/Sweden/Norway/ Denmark: Of the four Nordic countries in Europe, only Finland and Sweden have the euro as their official currency. Denmark is part of the European Union, but has kept its own currency. Norway has also kept its own currency, but decided against membership in the EU. While Sweden can expect growth in its GDP of 3.4 per cent in 2016, economic growth of only 1.1 per cent is predicted for Denmark. In both countries, growth is thus lower in comparison with the year before. Finland, on the other hand, will probably be able to more than double its GDP in 2016 and experience economic growth of 1.7 per cent. For 2017, the institutes predict lower growth in Sweden (+3.1 %), stronger growth in Denmark (+1.7 %), and the same level of growth in Finland (+1.7 %). The unemployment rate should continue to sink in all three countries. Higher consumer prices are expected in 2016 and 2017 by the experts. In regard to housing construction, no higher growth rates are expected in most of the countries. The expected completion of 16,000 new housing units in Denmark is almost stagnation. This is also true of Finland, where only about 30,000 housing units are expected to be completed in 2018, just about as many as in 2016. The predictions for completed housing units in Norway are at the same level. In Sweden, the prospects are better: In 2016, 51,400 new housing units will be completed. And the growth rate for the period from 2014 to 2018 is expected to be about 40 per cent. Richard Barth

Fresh new ideas

FUNCTION & DESIGN Germany

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Quality Inside

Europe’s furniture industry Four of the ten largest furniture production countries worldwide are located in Europe. As a delivery region however, Europa lost further ground to the Asian region in 2015. Germany, as the biggest production and sales market in Europe, was able to successfully start into the year 2016.

According to the market research institute CSIL (Italy), Europe has a share of 26 per cent in the worldwide furniture production and therefore holds the second position behind Asia and the Pacific region. Thus, according to calculations of the market research institute, of the production value to the amount of USD 400 billion (around EUR 365 billion), about USD 105 billion (around EUR 95 billion) are allotted to Europe. With a turnover, like this the European furniture producers lost in importance over the past years: in 2010, their share in the world furniture production still amounted to 34 per cent. By contrast, the Asian manufacturers were able to expand their position further, and with 55 per cent make up more than half of the world´s furniture production today. In 2010, the share of Asian producers still amounted to 44 per cent. Compared to that, in 2015, the contributions of the remaining world regions to the worldwide furniture production were low: according to CSIL, North America took third place with a share of 14 per cent. The following positions were held by South America and Africa with 2 per cent each as well as the Middle East with 1 per cent.

According to the CSIL China, the USA, Germany, Italy, and India are the biggest producers of furnishing products today, but in part also the biggest sales markets for furniture. With China, India, Japan and Australia, four Asian markets are among the ten biggest furniture markets worldwide. With Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy, Europe likewise represents four important sales markets. Globally, the USA is the second-biggest sales market after China. Biggest production country In Europe, Germany is the biggest furniture producer, followed by Italy, when exclusively considering the manufacture of furniture. According to CSIL, European furniture production amounted to just under EUR 95 billion in 2015. In the year under review, the German furniture industry contributed a turnover of EUR 17.4 billion to that, exeeding the previous year’s figure by 6.25 per cent. More than a third of the production was delivered abroad, so that the export quota could be increased further, in the year under review it amounted to just under 32 per cent. On the whole, the year was more successful for exporting companies, because deliveries abroad in-

Maja (Germany) produce DIY assembly furniture with state-ofthe-art production technology. Photo: Schmiedl creased to EUR 5.53 billion, i.e. 10.42 per cent more than in 2014. In Germany, furniture to the amount of EUR 11.87 billion was sold and thus an increase compared to the previous year of EUR 4.41 billion achieved. The calculated domestic consumption (production – export + import) of furniture in 2015 amounted to EUR 23.8 billion. In the year under review, Germany had imported furniture to the amount of EUR 11.9 billion, which corresponds to an increase of 5.36 per cent compared to the previous year. In 2015, there were around 500 furniture-manufacturing companies with more than 50 employees in Germany. The number of employees is reported at just under 84,000. Kitchen furniture is the industry’s leading player The most successful furnishing product of the German furniture industry in 2015 was once again kitchen furniture, which is enjoying growing popularity in Germany and abroad. With its good export performance, it even was the

growth engine of the German furniture industry, because the deliveries abroad of kitchen furniture contributed to the overall growth to a great extent. With a foreign share of almost 37 per cent, the kitchen furniture industry is even the biggest exporter among the country’s furniture producers. In 2015, the 58 kitchen furniture manufacturers (with more than 50 employees) generated a turnover of EUR 4.58 billion, exeeding the previous year’s result by more than 7 per cent. The companies sold more successfully abroad than in Germany: while the domestic turnover increased by just under 5 per cent to around EUR 2.9 billion, the foreign turnover increased by 11 per cent and amounted to EUR 1.68 billion. The increased significance of the kitchen is also underpinned by the latest findings of the market research company GfK (Germany). According to their calculations, in 2015, 1.44 million kitchens were sold, around 60,000 more than in 2014. Successful start into the year The German furniture industry also started successfully into the year 2016, as is verified by the statistical data for the first five months of the year present at the time of publication. Compared to the respective prior-year period, the production turnover increased by 4.14 per cent to EUR 7.29 billion. However, this time, the domestic turnover contributed more strongly to the growth: while the deliveries abroad increased by 3.85 per cent to EUR 2.28 billion, the sales in Germany grew by 4.27 per cent to around EUR 5 billion. Demand supposed to increase The results of the production statistics correspond to the prognoses of the market research institutes, which expect further

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Quality Inside

Geographical distribution of furniture production 2015 55 %

Asia and Pacific 26 %

Europe 14 %

North America South America

Africa

Middle East

Source: CSIL

growth of the market volume for 2016. According to a prognosis of the market research institute Marketmedia24 (Germany), the per-capita expenditure of the Germans for furniture will increase to EUR 233 in the current year. According to the institute, in the year under review, the market volume for furniture at retail prices in Germany amounted to EUR 18.778 billion and was thus by 5.1 per cent higher than in 2011.

Adding the expenditure for home textiles, with a per-capita expenditure of just under EUR 580, the Germans were near the top of the ranking in Europa in 2015. The frontrunners, however, were the Swiss and the Austrians, who with EUR 718 or EUR 587, resp., dug even deeper into their pockets. For 2016, Marketmedia24 anticipates growth in all product segments in Germany. Thus, the sale

of living room furniture is to increase by 1.4 per cent to EUR 2.3 billion. Bedroom and junior bedroom furniture are to reach a turnover of EUR 6.1 billion and dining room furniture EUR 2.6 billion. For upholstered furniture, the prognoses foresee a turnover of around EUR 6 billion, while bathroom furniture is aiming at a turnover of EUR 1.1 billion, and small and hallway furniture at EUR 892 million.

Italy growing again In 2015, the Italian furnishing industry was able to return to a growth course for the first time in years. According to the inter-trade association Federlegno Arredo (Italy), including the lighting sector, the division was able to increase its turnover by 3.4 per cent to just under EUR 25 billion. While the turnover on the domestic market grew by 1 per cent, 6.1 per cent more furniture and luminaires were sold abroad. For 2016, the market research institute CSIL anticipates a further market upturn in Italy. Furniture production is to grow by 2 per cent, wherein in Italy itself, sales are expected to increase by 1.2 per cent. Exports are to grow by 4 per cent. According to the prognoses of CSIL, the imports, too, will benefit from the growth in domestic demand. They are to increase by around 8 per cent. Richard Barth

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European furnishing trends In recent months, the furniture trends of the coming furnishing season in Europe were to be seen at numerous furniture fairs. Depending on the venue, the furniture world was able to gain information about the regional design-, colour-, and material tendencies. With more than 330.000 trade visitors, the Italian fair duo Salone del Mobile and Eurocucina was a clear attraction for the public and a trend-setter for the international furniture industry. The fairs in Stockholm/Sweden, Valencia/Spain and Birmingham/UK were not able to match such a high power of attraction. From 12 to 17 April, everything in the Italian metropolis of Milan revolved around furniture design. The Salone del Mobile and the specialist kitchen fair Eurocucina recorded a total of 1,420 exhibitors, most of them being from Itally. On this occasion, because the Eurocucina is held only in even years, the 120 exhibitors at this fair were able to attract public interest – for it is here that the Italian furniture industry every two years demonstrates its competence to the full, once again putting on a veritable firework display of ideas regarding colours, surfaces, and materials. In April however, the Italian kitchen manufacturers surprised visitors less with a clear colour trend than with a complete range of unusual materials, and especially with new design ideas for kitchen furnishings. Here they followed two different styles: While on the one hand a number of exhibitors relied upon “homely” kitchens, concealing modern household appliance technology behind push-in doors and folding/sliding doors, on the other hand, some suppliers preferred kitchen furnishings with a professional look, as signalised by their choice of the materials stainless steel and aluminium. Here the latest material variants were used, as well as manufacturing processes such as the PVD process (Physical Vapour Deposition) used in the watch-making industry, in order to give stainless steel a homely colour. In the colouring process, a thin layer from the vaporised colour pigments combines with the stainless steel surface, at the same time making it extremely robust as well. Kitchens with stainless steel fronts in the colours black, champagne, and bronze were produced by this method.

Other noble and luxurious materials, such as burnished brass, marble, and ceramic material were used by the Italian kitchen manufacturers too. In lacquered kitchens, the effect of a high-quality, brushed stainless steel front was achieved by means of special effect lacquers. Other models featured elegant bi-colour lacquered fronts. Among other highlights in lacquered furniture, an innovative kitchen front in mica lacquer was to be seen at Snaidero (Italy), as is frequently used in the automobile industry. Besides its shimmering, pearl effect, the surface was given a supplementary “Polysil” finish, which makes the surface extremely dirt-resistant as well as satinsmooth. But on the whole, visitors saw less high-gloss kitchens, because those with matt surfaces and anti-fingerprint effect had effectively gained ground. Graphite as a new wood tone With the “homely” kitchens, real wood had become increasingly popular, pushing uni-colour and high-gloss fronts into the background. On this occasion, the Italian kitchen manufacturers presented a great many veneered kitchens; oak, walnut, and elm were the most popular woods to be seen. Sometimes, other woods such as eucalyptus, bolivar, mahogany, and teak were used. Oak and elm were frequently shown in thermo- and smoked versions; in the case of new models, the exhibitors favoured a dark grey stain finish. Generally speaking, a change in the climate of the fair, from dark brown to dark grey tones, was to be observed – for example, graphite. Often, the woods were given an extra “vintage” finish. In “Stone Oak”, for ex-

ample, by means of earth storage, oak is imparted not only an unusual colouring, but also special material characteristics. Other oak fronts signalised originality and individuality thanks to a woodworm effect. Lago (italy) assigned handmade attributes to its new products. Hand-painted majolica tiles from the “Made a Mano” company in Caltagirone/Sicily are used to decorate the worktop, producing a pixel-type pattern. The kitchen manufacturer Aran (italy) presented a kitchen with the product name “Cover”, in which the fronts can be changed at will by means of a magnetic foil, enabling customers to change their kitchen fronts. Further, among the kitchen propositions displayed at this year´s Eurocucina, glass cabinets with metal frames had made their entry; as well as open areas radiating transparency and creating the transition to the living room. Sophisticated materials even in the living area Moving across from the Eurocucina to the Salone del Mobile, in living room and bedroom furniture, the numerous black and almost black items of furniture immediately caught the visitor´s eye, but also the all-present retro trend with echoes of the furnishing design of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Admittedly, the overall image of the fair was dominated by beige tones, which alternated with warm shades of grey. Among the new presentations, an extensive material mix was in evidence: wood, glass, stone, and noble metals were combined with one another, sometimes in contrast and sometimes in harmony of colour, enabling individual design possibilities in the various furniture ranges. At

the same time, with the manifold colour- and process variants in real wood surfaces as well as the use of unusual materials in furniture manufacture, the exhibitors aim to contribute to the individualisation of the furnishings. Among the real woods, oak, Italian and American walnut dominated, as well as elm, which however was mainly to be found in very dark, brown or grey-black versions. In Milan, the specialist for solid wood furniture Riva 1920 presented furniture models of cedar and oak, the surface of which had been given a greyish black tone by means of a carbonisation process. This is an old processing method (Shou Sugi Ban) originating from Japan. Other manufacturers achieved a similar dark tone with the use of dark smoked- or thermo-oak. At most of the stands at the fair, light wood tones and bleached woods formed a contrast to the dark woods. Next to oak, ash was to be seen, and here and there, teak and eucalyptus. In woodgrain decors and especially in the low to medium price range, the proportion of light wood tones and solid colours was higher. Spanish craftsmanship The Feria Hábitat, which took place in Valencia (Spain) at the beginning of February 2016, gave visitors a good look at the Spanish taste in furnishings. With annual per-capita spending of EUR 144.10 for furniture and home textiles, Spain is in eighth place in Europe. Altogether, the trade fair registered 212 exhibitors on an area of 23,000 m². 22 percent of them came from outside the country,

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Metallic kitchens in professional look – from Abimis (below) and Ilve (left). Photos: Barth, Ilve

In addition to inox and copper, brass was used as decoration in a great many kitchens – for example at Rossana. Photo: Barth

Riva 1920: black colour-tone obtained from carbonised cedar wood. Photo: Riva 1920

At ArcLinea, the PVD process ensures a durable metallic front. Photo: ArcLinea m aterial+technik möbel – special 02|16 11

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The Pininfarina kitchen from Snaidero employs 3D printing. Photo: Barth

The Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair gave visitors a good look at the Nordic taste in furniture. Photo: Stockholmsmässan

Hand-painted tiles as decoration for the Lago kitchen worktop. Photo: Barth

Kitchen with changeable fronts, from Aran. Photo: Barth

Marble – as seen here at Rossana – was one of the trend materials. Photo: Barth

Spain’s furniture industry showed up at the Feria Hábitat with detailed craftsmanship and mixed materials. Photo: Feria Hábitat

At the Meble Polska fair, Meble Taranko also presented furniture series for countries outside of Poland. Photo: Schultheiß 12 material+technik möbel – special 02|16

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primarily from Portugal, Italy, Germany, and Belgium. “Hábitat” is not only a furniture fair – lighting and decor articles are presented there as well. At the fair, the straightforward looks, quality, and detailed craftsmanship, with which Spanish producers want to score points abroad in the future stood out. In addition, lots of outdoor furniture was shown there. The Cevisama fair (tiles, etc.) with its new “Espacio Cocina” kitchen area and the Fimma and Maderalia supplier and machine trade fairs also took place at the same time as the furniture fair. The event brought together 1,665 exhibitors on a total area of 160,000 m² and attracted 127,000 visitors. Compared with 2014, that was an increase of 6.4 per cent. Looking to the north of Europe A quarter of the 40,000 visitors to the Stockholm Furniture & Light

Fair in February 2016 travelled from outside the country to Stockholm (Sweden) to learn more about the current Nordic taste in furniture. On an area of about 70,000 m², 700 exhibitors from 33 countries presented their products, though 80 per cent of them came from Scandinavia. This year, the “Nordic Style” was characterized by colourful and multi-functional products with a linear design. The so-called Retro Trend with reeditions of designs from the 1950s is still going strong and can be found in the latest furniture lines. “Nature is back for good” was the theme of the trade fair, and the return to nature was distinctly noticeable there. British taste in furniture At this year’s January Furniture Show (JFS) in Birmingham (Great Britain), 400 manufacturers presented their products. Since only

82 of them came from abroad, trade fair visitors were able to get detailed information about British furniture production as well as about the latest colours, shapes, and materials. The British furniture fair registered 20,000 visitors, about 4,000 more than in the previous year. Inexpensive products from Poland Rising interest could be observed at this year’s Meble Polska in Posen (Poland) in March, because Poland is the third largest furniture exporting nation in Europe and delivers about 90 per cent of its furniture production to customers outside of Poland. This time, about a third of the approximately 20,000 visitors came from abroad. Polish domestic interest in furnishings, on the other hand, is rather low. Annual per capita spending of just about EUR 110 for furniture and

home textiles puts the Poles in tenth place in comparison with the other European countries. The 258 exhibitors came mainly from Poland – only 19 non-Polish participants could be found on the 40,000 m² exhibition area. This year’s edition was characterized by a larger selection of upholstered furniture as well as attractively priced furniture series that are primarily sold as exports by the domestic furniture industry. Suppliers of premium furnishing products are in the minority at the Meble Polska. The Polish furniture producers are increasingly trying to distinguish themselves through autonomy and distance themselves from their image as Germany’s extended workbench. The “Home Décor” trade fair for interior furnishings took place at the same time as the Meble Polska again, just as in the previous year. ba/ap

Diversity or individuality? We’ve got both options. Our decor trends are convincing thanks to the diversity of authentic wood reproductions, other materials, and fashionable plain colours. If you can still find nothing suitable, with Pfleiderer Individual, you are able to realise your own designs, be it as HPL or as DecoBoard in direct coating. Please find more information at www.pfleiderer.com

Pfleiderer Holzwerkstoffe GmbH ∙ Ingolstädter Straße 51 ∙ D-92318 Neumarkt ∙ info@pfleiderer.com ∙ www.pfleiderer.com

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Weathered driftwood In combination with the synchronous embossing effect “Sorbo”, the thermoplastic furniture foil “skai Hammada” from Hornschuch (Germany) has the appearance of weathered driftwood. For the first time, the surface materials specialist has succeeded in achieving a synchronisation between embossing and printing in the field of thermoplastic formable foils (3D-foils). This technical break-through opens up completely new vistas. The use of printing and embossing technologies perfectly matched to one another in the decor “skai Hammada” produces a highly authentic-looking vintage effect. The result: A surface resembling driftwood gives the impression of being very dry and open-pored. Typical wood characteristics such as negative pores, cathedrals, and knots are completely synchronous in terms of printing and embossing, as are also brushed or sanded areas. For this reason, a panel of German experts recently honoured the new furniture foil with the renowned “Red Dot Award: Product Design” for high quality in the category “Materials and Surfaces.” The Red Dot Award is one of the world’s major design competitions and has established itself as an internationally recognised seal of quality.

The marble structure of the decor “Veneto” creates an elegant, vivid effect. Photo: Interprint

Sophisticated look with marble

In combination with the furniture foil “skai Hammada”, the synchronous embossing process “Sorbo” can create the appearance of weathered driftwood. Photo: Hornschuch

The Salone del Mobile in Milan has proved it: Sophisticated, exclusive materials are becoming increasingly popular in furnishing objects. With “Veneto”, Interprint (Germany) has developed a decor, the marble structure of which resembles an aerial photograph. River beds and mountains permeate the surface, while the cloud landscape of the grey-brown tones is subtly attractive to the viewer. “Veneto” is one of the “Six-Pack” decors, with which the surfaces specialist intends to set trends in the furnishings segment in 2016. Every year, with a careful selection of six trend decors, the internationally active surfaces specialist provides valuable orientation for the creation of an elegant living atmosphere. “Veneto” was selected by experts of the furniture and woodbased panels industry as a pioneering range of decors with international success potential.

Furniture foil for indoor and outdoor uses

The new composite foil, which is suitable for use in the thermoforming process, offers advantages for both indoor and outdoor applications. Photo: Klöckner-Pentaplast

With “Pentadecor Films – made of Resysta”, Klöckner Pentaplast (Germany) has developed an innovative furniture foil, which fulfills the increasing demand for a robust material for indoor and outdoor applications. In terms of visual and haptic characteristics, the new material can hardly be distinguished from high quality real wood. It is a composite foil made from rice husks and polymer material, which is less than 1one millimetre thick and can be used for coating a large variety of surfaces. Until now it was not possible to produce foils in a thickness of 300 to 800 micrometre, because the flow behaviour of highly-filled composite materials is not sufficient for the purpose. In close cooperation with Resysta, the manufacturer of a PVC filler material (ARF) based on rice husks, the technology and research division

of Klöckner Pentaplast developed a suitable solution, supplementing existing process technologies (extrusion, injection moulding, compression molding) with a new patented calendering process. The new composite material of natural fibres combines the positive characteristics of its two major components: The natural fibre-based foil, suitable for the thermoforming process, provides an alternative to wood veneers or WPC, and the proportion of rice husks is beneficial for sustainability programs. Other high quality additives ensure maximum water- and weather-resistance, flexibility, and material strength. The new composite foil can be sanded to a smooth wood surface, and lacquered in various colours. A pigment layer directly applied to the surface ensures longterm protection against UV radiation.

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Creativity “made in Italy” With two current decor developments, the Italian decor printer Confalonieri is setting trends in the furnishings market. Having its own design studio, the company always has its ear to the ground, and so can quickly react to the demands and wishes of its international customers. Long years of market presence and more than 60 years’ knowhow in the field of furniture and flooring decors are characteristic of the Italian decor printer Confalonieri based in Filago nr. Bergamo (Italy). At an early stage, the company recognised the importance of having its own design studio in order to keep pace with the times and to be able to offer up-to-date decor developments to customers in the woodbased panels and furnitureindustry. It is for that reason, that Confalonieri gave the name “Lab” to its competence centre for trend-adapted furnishing decors, because the designer team is continually in search of new ideas and tendencies in order to transpose them as required, in cooperation with the customers. Here, the decor experts focus not only upon Italy but are on the lookout for new furnishing trends and trends in taste in international markets as well. Cherrywood revival Among the latest developments of the “Lab” are the two decors “Arumi” and “Rovere Elvezia”. With “Arumi”, the Confalonieri designers have revived a traditional and wellproven furnishing wood, namely cherry. This noble wood has been successfully used for many years, and so the latest decor development “Arumi” is an ideal coating for doors, frames, children’s rooms, and even kitchen worktops. In addition to its use in furniture, the design department has also developed a variant for use in floorings. The pattern of the decor image leaves room for further variants. A characteristic feature of “Arumi” is its authentic appear-

“Arumi” brings cherrywood back to the furnishing scheme.

“Rovere Elvezia” – restrained rusticality. Photos: Confalonieri ance and the 3-D effect of the cherrywood interpretation. In the decor “Rovere Elvezia”, Confalonieri combines the natural effect of oak with the creative talents of its design team. The result is an inventive interplay with veins, cracks, and other wood blemishes,

which gives the wood a high degree of originality. In addition to its natural honey tone, “Rovere Elvezia” is also suitable for darker tones whenever the rusticality of the oak is to be more strongly emphasised. In the development of the decor, however, the design team did everything to ensure that the viewer was not overwhelmed by the rustic effect.

Equipped to meet customers’ requirements As part of a major Italian industrial concern with five member companies, which is vertically integrated and covers the entire furniture industry, Confalonieri is equipped to meet all needs and demands of its customers in the woodbased panels- and furniture-industry. As a result, the group is in a position to precisely realise special customer requirements during impregnation on the company-own lines in Bergamo, such as trendy surfaces with Synchronpore or especially deep structures. More than 1,000 printing rollers offer customers a wide variety of designs not only for furniture; a great many decor developments are carried out for the floorings industry, also including PVC and PP foils. In interplay with the printed decor papers from Confalonieri they permit a perfect decor association. In addition, three lab machines ensure precise matching and colour adaptation of the original pattern, guaranteeing the customer a match of the highest quality within a very short time. Richard Barth

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Innovative symbiosis of surface and product core: “Duropal SolidColor XTreme“. Photo: Pfleiderer

depth of colour and far less fingerprints than other matt surfaces. Wiping off grease spots is now child’s play. Also, according to Pfleiderer, no chemicals are used in the manufacturing process. Maximum depth of colour Thanks to the colour-matched core paper, “SolidColor” is in itself a high-quality alternative to lacquered surfaces and solid materials. By upgrading with “XTreme”, the German woodbased panels manufacturer can impart to the surface material a trendy, matt, yet highly resistant surface. According to information from Pfleiderer, “Duropal XTreme” with its innovative function layer now comprises all characteristics of an HPL surface.

Increasing freedom of design In future, the German woodbased panels manufacturer Pfleiderer will offer the furnishings industry through-coloured HPL laminate with specially matt and robust surfaces. By this means, it will be possible to produce tougher surfaces without visible joints and edges.

The woodbased panels manufacturer Pfleiderer (Germany) has combined its two product ranges “Duropal XTreme” and “SolidColor” in order to supply the furnishings industry with even better design possibilities. While the through-coloured HPL laminate “SolidColor” has been popular for years among designers who work without visible joints and edges, the new structure “XTreme Matt” gives it a surface quality never seen before: warmer, softer, and robuster, with greater

Prize winner The two product innovations have also convinced the Rat für Formgebung – German Design Council, which is regarded as one of the international leading competence centres for design. At the beginning of the year, it honoured “Duropal XTreme” with a “Special Mention” of the “German Design Award 2016”. Meanwhile, the combination with the through-coloured “SolidColor” also has now impressed the members of the Council – in May, they nominated the new product for the “Iconic Award”, a prize for excellence in international architectural projects and innovative product design. The decision will be taken in midAugust. “Thanks to ‘SolidColor’ with ‘Duropal XTreme’, designers and users can now also work without visible joints and edges in areas where heavy demands are made on surfaces – for example on shelves and furniture fronts, doors or table tops,” explains Reinhold Hinterhölzl, responsible for product management HPL at Pfleiderer. ba

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Mediaeval inspiration Under the name “Saxum Scalptum”, Surteco (Germany) presented a digitally printed furniture decor, the appearance of which is inspired by sandstone that has been worked by man and weathered by the course of centuries. The new development is based upon studies made by design professor Angelika Rösner of the Hochschule Niederrhein (Germany). On extensive field expeditions, she has carefully studied mediaeval buildings, examined the particular structures and manifold colours of sandstone, and related them to the traces of human workmanship and the effects of time. The decor reflects the results of the research project. Among the special characteristics is the sophisticated colour transition from brown to grey, which is only possible with the use of digital technology. By this means, the surfaces specialist has succeeded in bringing historical and new materials together. The furniture decor “Saxum Scalptum” inspired by weathered sandstone is characterised by sophisticated colour transitions. Photos: Surteco

High-gloss light reflexes With its product range “Metal”, Decolan (Switzerland) has introduced decor panels of real aluminium into the market, which are available in four variants. Three of these have a high-gloss finish and are mirrored on one side; one is available in a brushed finish. From the colours, customers can choose between silver, special grey, gold, and brushed. These elaborately manufactured laminates ensure a sustainable visual impression, when used, for example, on the walls of shops, lifts, boats, inner furnishings, hotel reception areas, or luxurious bar-counters. The mirror effect guarantees light effects and highgloss light reflexes, imparting elegance and exclusivity to every room. According to Decolan, such a visual effect is not feasible by means of traditional HPL panels of the same type.

In the trend ”True Nature“, colour and decors authentically reflect the nature of the materials. Photo: Impress

In harmony with nature Under the name “I’M Trend”, Impress (Germany) presents trendy, pioneering decor inspirations, which represent the four current elementary trend directions. While the decors from the “Pure Serenity” range radiate tranquillity and calmness, the trend direction “Beautiful Dark” reflects the timeless elegance of dark interiors. In “True Nature”, life is in harmony with nature. Colour and decors authentically reflect the nature of the materials. And “Bohemian Chic” stands for relaxed luxury. Sensuously and decoratively, this style invites the observer to a play of rich colours and forms as well as exotic influences. For this collection, in order to localise favourite decors and further develop them to meet customers’ needs, Impress is striving to hold an intensive dialogue with the customers.

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IWF remains on track for success The countdown is on. Just a few more days and the IWF in Atlanta will open its gates. The American’s mood to invest is almost palpable, the trade fair is virtually fully booked. All signs are pointing towards success and good sales. From 24 to 27 August 2016, the IWF (International Woodworking Fair), the biggest specialist trade fair for supply materials and woodworking machines in North America, will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Every two years, the domestic industry presents its new products and technologies, but numerous foreign companies make use of this opportunity, too. In that, the IWF takes turns with the AWFS Fair in Las Vegas, which in uneven years always takes place in July and is organised by the Association of Woodworking & Furnishing Suppliers.

woodworking machines and supply materials for the furniture industry from 40 countries are expected. Among these, almost 200 exhibitors will be there for the first time, announced the Sales and Marketing Division of the IWF. More than 25,000 visitors are expected to pay a visit to the international event. The machine manufacturers can be found in Building Area B, while the providers of fittings, surface products, and upholstery materials will present their products in Building A. At the IWF 2014, a total of 920 companies filled the just under 42,000 m2 of exhibition space, 212 of which

Positive signals For this year’s edition of the IWF, more than 1,000 providers of

The providers of supply materials show their products in Hall A. Photos: IWF

came from abroad. Back then, just over 200 companies were present for the first time, too. With regard to the visitor numbers, the organisers were able to score a success in 2014 with a total of 23,000 visitors. Prior to the economic and financial crisis in 2009, the IWF 2006, however, registered 1,400 exhibitors. Exhibition events This year, numerous symposia and seminars will be held during the

IWF. On the agenda are topics like business management, marketing and production technology. Six symposia will occupy a whole trade fair day and include more than 60 events. The renowned “Challengers Award” for outstanding technical development celebrates its fiftieth anniversary. The award ceremony will take place at the “IWF Challenger Award Finalist Gallery” in Hall B on Wednesday, 24 August 2016, from 11 am. For novelties, there is a further

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Venue of the IWF 2016 is the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Photo: GWCC

special area, the “New Product Showcase”. New are also the “Cabinet & Closet Pavilion”, the “Composites Symposium”, a “Flooring Symposium”, and the app “IWF365”. European suppliers All leading machine manufacturers are on the exhibitors’ list again. From Germany, for example, Weinig and Homag, from Italy Cefla, Biesse, and SCM. Likewise in Hall B, Vits Technology (Germany),

manufacturer of impregnation plants, inform about their technical novelties. According to the company, 75 per cent of all plants in use worldwide originate from Vits. On board is also the software specialist 20-20 Technologies (Germany) and offers solutions for designers, dealers, and manufacturers in the interior furnishing and furniture industries, so that companies receive the necessary content for an effective and holistic software. The leading European producers

of fittings and surface products are present at the trade fair either directly or by their own branches and sales companies. In this year’s exhibitors’ list, companies like Blum (Austria) and Grass (Austria), Hettich (Germany) and Häfele (Germany) can be found on the pages of the fittings industry. The size and significance of the North American market with a strong furniture industry, too, are attractive for decor printers and manufacturers of finish films. At the trade fair itself, for example, the US branch of the Surteco Group (Germany), BauschLinnemann (USA), exhibit their products. Other decor printers can be found in the proximity of the fair within the scope of hotel exhibitions. With a small information booth at the trade fair, Schattdecor (Germany), for example, refer to their exhibition at the Omni Atlanta Hotel. The German decor printer Interprint does not exhibit and con centrates on their Furniture Days event instead, which took place in

the run-up to the IWF at the production site in Pittsfield (Massachusetts) from 18 May to 29 July 2016 already. Positive mood The IWF is an important indicator for the supply as well as for the woodworking industry, as to how the North American market is doing. The USA is the worldwide second-biggest furniture market after China. Private consumption and the construction industry in the USA are currently on the rise. The US economy is mainly boosted by private consumption, which in the past year, for the first time since 2005, increased again in real terms by three percent. For 2016, the IfW (Institute for the World Economy in Kiel, Germany) predicts a real increase in the gross domestic product of two percent and for 2017, an increase of 2.6 percent. Thus, the US economic growth slowly continues and, after a weak winter half-year 2015/16, stabilised again. Astrid Pirner

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Clever and trendy fittings For any drawer – “OrgaStripe” is an organization system created by Hettich (Germany), which can be used flexibly in any drawer. The inconspicuous dividers can be moved as desired. The self-adhesive profiles can be cut to length to fit the width and depth of any drawer. Photo: Hettich

New design possibilities – Grass (Austria) has created “Tavinea 91”, an organization system with a few standard elements that not only makes optimal use of the available space in drawers, but also enables lots of design possibilities because customers can choose between vertical and ergonomic diagonal partitioning. Structural elements made of aluminium divide the drawers into uniform sections that are 91 millimetres wide. In addition, sliding elements made of genuine wood can also be inserted between the dividers. Photo: Grass Central locking – “Cabloxx” is the name of the new standardized central locking system for pull-out systems from Blum (Austria). It can be combined with all of the Blum motion technologies. The lock case is mounted on the front and the locking bar is set into the side of the cabinet. Existing standard components from Blum ensure a consistent design. The lock itself is not included with the product. Photo: Blum

Warm metal shades – Under the banner of “Cosy Metals”, Weißenbach (Germany) has created decorative furniture handles that fit in with the catchwords “changing values” and “looking back”. In accordance with the trend, warm metal shades of colour, such as precious gold, refined brass, and elegant rose gold as well as oxidized metals ranging from bright shades of gold to variations of bronze, are the focus of attention. Photo: Weißenbach 20 material+technik möbel – special 02|16

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Nearly invisible – “Air” by Salice (Italy) is a new kind of hinge that does not interfere with furniture interiors and is practically invisible. Instead of being attached on the side of the cabinet, the hinge is set into the upper or lower panel. A version with a “push system” (photo) is available for furniture without handles. Photo: Salice

Fast, varied, and invisible With their connection technology, Lamello (Switzerland) made a name for themselves far beyond their own country. The fitting manufacturer is known for their fast, flexible, and time-saving systems. Their latest developments include the invisible and selfclamping connecting fitting “Tenso P-14”. Installation and anchorage of the connector are based on the “P-System” profile groove. Since the connection between workpiece and fitting is form-locking, it provides for a good retention force and in addition is time-saving upon assembly. The fitting has three functions: alignment, clamping, and connecting. It is characterised by a high clamping force, which allows glueing work-pieces without clamps or

presses. Since no clamping devices are needed, there is also no need to wait for glue to dry.

Excess glue can be easily and quickly removed and, with the “Tenso P-14”, there is no longer a risk of painted components being damaged by the clamps. Due to its minimal installation depth of 14 millimetre, the connector can be used for all wood-based materials from 16 millimetre in thickness. Invisible for insertion The “Divario P-18” from the “P-System” family of Lamello offers a completely invisible connection and has a new function: Shelves or vertical panels can be The “Tenso P-14” has a very high clamping force.

With the “Divario P-18” system, additional shelves can be inserted into the pre-assembled structure. Photos: Lamello inserted into a pre-assembled structure. In addition, the components are clamped upon insertion and provide for neat, tight joints. The clamping action only occurs at certain points rather than across the entire insertion length, making it easier to insert the shelves. Thanks to the mechanical connection between the inserted component and the sides, the connector is able to absorb high tensile forces. Moreover, the fitting is detachable for transportation. ap

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Extension added for further growth The Zimmer Group (Germany) has prepared for further growth by adding an extension. Additional capacity was recently put into operation for production and manage-

ment in the damping systems division on an area of about 2,500 m². According to the company, continued positive development made a significant expansion of the exist-

ing capacity necessary. A total of ca. 6,500 m2 can now be used for the development and production of damping systems. Up till now, 90 million dampers have been

made by the state-of-the-art production facility every year. The air friction and fluid dampers, for which Zimmer is one of the world’s leading brands, are extensively used in the furniture industry. For the future, the company also sees the possibility of sales for white goods or for the automobile industry. In the last ten months, the Zimmer Group has invested about EUR 12 million in buildings, machines, and systems at its location in Rheinau (Germany). Five million of that went to its subsidiary Zimmer GmbH Dämpfungssysteme, which was founded in 2004. At the present time, about 185 people are employed in the damping systems division, 18 of them in the area of research and development (R&D). ba The Zimmer Group reacts to the growing demand for damping systems by adding an extension. Photo: Zimmer Group

Combined solution for drawers without handles Installation of the “PUSHplus” of Simon Beschlagtechnik. Photos: Simon

The fittings manufacturer Simon (Germany) launched a mechanical push-to-open/soft-close solution for drawer systems without handles. It complements the existing product portfolio in the area of dampers for sliding and suspend-

ed door wardrobes. The fitting was especially developed for drawers with fronts without handles. The combination of two functions, installed in an extra flat housing, can be installed into all common drawer systems, entirely independent

of the make of the drawer slides. However, it must be high-quality drawer slides, which do not have any other integrated damping system. Slightly pressing against the drawer’s front opens it by ca. 80 millimetre. Upon pulling it out, the pullin mechanism is activated. A quick tap on the front completely closes it again. The “PUSHplus” fitting is suitable for drawers from 250 millimetre in length. Up to a width of 900 millimetre, installing only one fitting is sufficient. From 1,000 millimetre in width, according to Simon, two systems should be installed, which do not have to be synchronised, since the fittings, according to the company, are precisely balanced out and finely adjusted at the factory. As all stateof-the-art damper systems of the

Black Forest-based Simon group of companies, the new mechanical solution for opening and soft closing of drawers works pneumatically and is thus completely oil-free. ap

Functional sequence of the “PUSHplus” fitting.

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Pioneering wood joining

P-System Form-locking anchorage without tools

The double-shelf “iMove”.

High demands on the wall unit’s interior At this year’s EuroCucina in Milan, the interior design specialist Kesseböhmer (Germany) was represented with numerous products and innovations at the booths of German as well as Italian manufacturers. From Arrital to Dada, from Toncelli to Varenna or Valcucine, from Alno via Häcker up to Nobilia – numerous exhibitors at the kitchen furniture exhibition backed their products. Well represented at the Italian metropolis was, for example, the shelf fitting “iMove”. The product development with the top-level German design award

“iF product design award 2015” to its credit also makes the upper shelves in the wall unit well accessible. Easy handling The fitting moves the shelves completely out of the carcase in one smooth, fluid motion, and thereby impressed the exhibition audience. In the two available variants (optionally with one or two shelves arranged on top of one another), the “iMove” carries an additional load of up to eight kilogrammes and does not need any force regulation. Since the lower wall unit section or its base, resp., are not affected by the extending fitting, it is possible to store heavy items here, as for example stacks of plates. An integrated spring-loaded support ensures that the fitting works smoothly in the full as well as in the empty state. If required, the completely extended “iMove” can also be locked into its end position, so that the entire contents of the unit comes to a stop in front of the carcase in a secure and stable fashion. Thus, the user has both hands free to take out or put in the contents. As with all fittings of the German manufacturer, for the “iMove”, too, great importance was attached to the optimal installability of the fitting. as If required, the “iMove” can also be locked into its end position and can thus be securely loaded or unloaded with both hands. Photos: Kesseböhmer

– High-quality aesthetic solution Differentiation to furniture standards – Time saving process benefits in manufacturing, transport and installation – Versatile and flexible application Fitting for all joining situations and angles

Clamex P-14 Detachable connecting fitting

Tenso P-14 Self-clamping fitting as glueing aid

Divario P-18 Self-clamping, invisible fitting for slide insertion

Lamello AG | Verbindungstechnik Tel. +41 61 935 36 36 | Fax +41 61 935 36 06 | info@lamello.com | www.lamello.com

m aterial+technik möbel – special 02|16 23

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There were swarms of visitors at the Holz-Handwerk fair – not only at the Homag trade fair stand. Photo: Barth area of 1,700 m². And the presentation of the Weinig Group on an area of 1,600 m² was no less prominent.

Two showcases for woodworking machines In the uneven years, the Ligna fair in Hanover is regarded as the world’s leading trade fair for woodworking machinery. In the even years, the suppliers present their products at two fairs and in two countries within the space of a few months: The German city of Nuremberg and the Italian metropolis of Milan were the locations for the machinery shows in March and May of 2016. While the Ligna fair in Hanover (Germany) is planning to address the merging of the industrial and craft sectors in furniture production with a new layout concept in May 2017, the Holz-Handwerk fair in Nuremberg (Germany) and the Xylexpo fair in Milan (Italy) set clear priorities and concentrated on different target groups in 2016. In the German city Nuremberg (March 16–19), the focus was on machines for craftsmen and smaller industrial companies. And at the trade fair in the Italian metropolis

(May 24–28), machines and production lines for the furniture industry dominated the scene. What both events had in common was the increased interest on the part of visitors in comparison with previous trade fairs. While the HolzHandwerk fair has experienced continuous growth, the Xylexpo fair had been going through a decline in recent years, which it had not been able to reverse till the upturn in May of this year. Both events are mainly showcases for the German and Italian machine

producers. This year in Milan, the leading Italian producers were all present again for the first time in years and had impressive trade fair stands. The Italian machinery giant SCM was the last of the three big Italian producers to return to the Xylexpo fair and presented its range of products on an area of 3,000 m². Together with Biesse and Cefla, SCM had turned its back on the event in Milan several years ago and set up the Technodomus fair as a competing event in the Italian city of Rimini. In the end, however, the Xylexpo fair with its long tradition won out and was already able to announce the return of Biesse and Cefla two years ago. In Nuremberg, the big German producers Homag, IMA, and Weinig set the tone. Sector leader Homag once again showed its machines at a trade fair stand with an Thanks to conditions that almost equal those of a cleanroom, high-gloss surfaces can be produced with this system by Giardina. Photo: Giardina

Industry 4.0 as motto A main theme of both events was the increasing automation in woodworking and in particular the increasing linking and networking of machines and systems. Those trends were already special points of focus at the Ligna 2015 and now continued to be important aspects for the two events. At the same time, it was evident at the Holz-Handwerk fair that the motto “Industry 4.0” is not only a mission for industrial companies, but also a goal for craft enterprises. The motto was announced by the German government in 2011 with the aim of initiating a fourth industrial revolution. Smart Industry or “Industry 4.0” connects embedded systems, production technologies, and smart production processes to pave the way to a new technological age. Large crowds of visitors The Holz-Handwerk fair took place as a double event with the Fensterbau Frontale again in March 2016, so not only woodworking machinery dominated the scene on the trade fair grounds. The HolzHandwerk fair also accommodated exhibitors of supplier products for furniture in some trade fair halls, so not all of the 491 exhibitors were providers of machine technology. But the crowds were especially large in those halls. Together, the trade fair duo attracted a total of 110,581 trade visitors (2014: 108,967) and thus set a new visitor record. At the same time, the double trade fair not only scored points with German visitors, but also attracted significantly more visitors from abroad: About 36,000 (30,208) international visitors came to see the new products shown by the exhibiting segments. All of the well-known producers from Germany, Austria, and Italy were present. Visitors to the HolzHandwerk fair were also able to get information about materials

24 material+technik möbel – special 02|16

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Quality Inside

and supplier products, because leading European wood-based materials and fittings producers were there as well. There was also a wide range of coatings and adhesives. In Nuremberg, the machinery producers presented only a few world premiere products, instead they showed further enhancements and optimizations of the new products shown at the Ligna fair as well as machine specialties for furniture production in craft enterprises. In general, there was a noticeable trend towards increasing integration of features from industrial machines in machines for craftsmen, thus creating conditions for the networking of technologies. The trade fair showed that automation is progressing among craftsmen and that “Industry 4.0” is not only relevant for industrial processes. Different ways to glue edgebanding One thing that was striking at the trade fair in general was that exhibitors made an effort to show the advantages of modern production processes in as practical a way as possible. Then again, live demonstrations of the woodworking machines have been a matter of course for years, especially in regard to innovative processes such as “zero-joint” technology. It was one of the highlights of the events, because it was shown in very different versions at the trade fair. In cooperation with the Bi-Matic company (Italy), edging specialist O stermann (Germany) demonstrated how a zero joint is made with the help of hot-air tech-

SCM returned to the Xylexpo fair with a 3,000 m² stand Photo: Barth nology. The German machine producer Ima (Germany) brought its “Imalux” laser-joint process to the Holz-Handwerk fair for the first time, while the infrared-based “Lumina” technology for making zero joints from Holz-Her (Germany) in Nuremberg had already made its debut two years before. Most of the other providers have meanwhile presented a way to attach edging with hot compressed air for craftsmen, which is now offered under various names and in different price categories and performance classes. However, almost all of the machines give users the possibility to work with hot-melt technology for products that are to be used in wet areas, so joints can be made that are resistant to water and steam. By means of a stress test at the

Kleiberit (Germany) stand, users could even see for themselves that PUR hot-melt adhesive is vastly superior to classical EVA adhesives in that respect. Flexibility in machines was another theme at the trade fair, because more and more individual and diverse customer desires and areas of use necessitate universal machine technologies. And the providers of machine technologies had also thought about the lack of workers and new talent in crafts enterprises and brought along relevant solutions. Automated machine concepts, intuitive operating options, and turnkey production processes are supposed to make it possible for carpenters to operate individual machines or the entire business with fewer employees and thus to have more time for acquiring and attending to customers. Multifunctional machines and vertical machining centres that take up hardly more than 10 m² of

On the “iGiotto App X2” by Cefla, two spray robots paint three-dimensional components. Photo: Cefla space also contribute to making it possible for carpenters to produce more efficiently in the space they have available and to increase their output. SCM (Italy), for example, brought “Startech CN” along, an especially small and attractively priced horizontal machining centre for cabinet production, which takes up an area of just about three square meters. It allows users to drill and groove both horizontally and vertically and is operated by means of a touchscreen. Xylexpo presents industrial machines From May 24–28, a total of 441 exhibitors came together to present their products on a display area of 30,000 m² in Milan. 122 of them were from outside Italy. There

wald-L rz

SOFT CLOSE + PUSH TO OPEN

uft

Schwa

Karl Simon GmbH & Co. KG, Bereich Beschlagtechnik Sulgener Str. 19 - 23 · 78733 Aichhalden · Germany Tel. +49 (0) 74 22 / 565 - 243 SIM_BT_AZ_PUSHplus_196x67_01.indd 1

M_sp0216_Maschinenmessen.indd 25

= www.SIMON-die-bessere-Idee.de

m aterial+technik möbel –21.06.2016 special 02|16 25 13:45:37

03.08.16 13:29

Quality Inside

SCM uses a special edgebanding material on the cabinet door’s j-pull. Photos: Barth

The robot-controlled “Opera R” sanding machine from Viet/ Biesse sands “just like by hand”. Photo: Biesse were 17,415 trade visitors, which surpassed the results of the previous Xylexpo by 14.2 per cent. At the same time, the event reflected the slow improvement in the Italian furnishing sector, as the number of Italian visitors increased by 16.3 per cent. 5,068 visitors came from outside the country – that was a third of all visitors and 9.3 per cent more than in 2014. Because the stand sizes were smaller than at the Ligna fair, the machine producers used their trade fair stands primarily to present individual machines and showed only basic networked production or individual production cells. The topic of surfaces has traditionally played an important role at the Xylexpo fair, because not only leading producers of coating systems but also leading suppliers of furniture fronts have their headquarters in Italy. By working together with the CML Finishing company, Bürkle (Germany) wants to expand its range of products to include the area of spray equipment and offer its customers a complete assortment. But the main point of focus was

the “KA 1300” compact coating system from Bürkle, which takes up an area of 12 m² and is suited for use in small and medium-sized businesses. It is available as a combination of roller coating machine or twin-roller coating machine with UV drying and, according to Bürkle, it scores points with the low amounts of paint and solvent it uses. Cefla (Italy) brought along a real world premiere product: The company presented “iGiotto App X2” – a spraying machine with two spray robots, which can work independently of each other on three dimensional pieces that are up to 300 millimetre high. For this innovation, the company received the trade fair’s “XIO” innovation award. The increasing presence of systems for drying coatings with UV LEDs was striking, although they were not primarily used to harden the top coat, but rather were found in gelatinization stations. And the technology of “inert coating” could also be found at the Xylexpo fair. It was used by various exhibitors such as Barberan and Cefla to smooth the base coat. In addition to high-gloss, the creation of super-matte surfaces was a point of focus. At its stand, Kleiberit (Germany) informed visitors

about the super-matte surfaces with an anti-fingerprint effect that can meanwhile be made with its “HotCoating” process. Cefla demonstrated its “FusionCoating” process, which was developed in cooperation with the adhesive producer Henkel (Germany). As with Kleiberit’s method, a hot-melt adhesive from Henkel is used in this case as an alternative to primer as a bonding agent on melaminecoated wood-based panels to achieve an optimal base for the high-gloss or super-matte top coat. Integrated handles in one pass A few weeks after the Milan Furniture Fair and the Eurocucina, the machine producers also examined the design trends of the two trade fairs and introduced economical solutions – for integrated handles on cabinet fronts, for example. The trendy j-profile was a special point of focus: On its edging machine, SCM (Italy) demonstrated how edgebanding that is up to 2 millimetre thick can be put in integrated grip profiles on cabinet fronts. Barberan (Spain) presented a solution with only one production line, in which the profile and the front are covered with a suitable foil in one pass. The Spanish producer’s On the “Stream” edgebanding machine by Biesse, a “Heat Control System” provides just the right glueing temperature for attaching edging. Photo: Biesse

“SpeedPress” and “PUR 46-FR” are used to carry out the uninterrupted postforming process. Innovations could also be found among the sanding machines at the trade fair. With the “Opera R” sanding machine from its subsidiary Viet (Germany), the Biesse Group (Italy) took second place in the “XIO” innovation award. The machine has robots that imitate the sanding motion of a human arm. In that way, surfaces with different levels, such as framed fronts, can be sanded in one work step. In addition, sanding marks that go against the grain can be avoided with this process because the sanding arm always sands in the direction of the wood grain. Biesse received an innovation award for a feature on its “Stream” edgebanding machine: The socalled “Heat Control System” prevents the adhesive from overheating past the required temperature and burning. The adhesive is kept at the correct temperature by means of resistors, which control both the glue roller temperature and the basin temperature. Monitoring and service Homag (Germany) presented the new “WoodFlex” cell control system for the first time in Italy. It ensures the monitoring and visualization of flexible production cells and their parts flow and thus reduces the rate of defects. The fact that the “ServiceBoard” was sold 14 times at the trade fair is also considered a success by Homag. With it, the user can transmit a current service case live to the Homag Group ServiceCenter per video diagnosis via iPad. In addition to providing information so users can correct errors themselves, the Board also allows direct access to the “eParts” replacement parts shop or the generation of an online service request, which customers can then follow up on. With the new “Service Monitoring” function, users can also call up overviews of their machine’s productivity or find out when maintenance is due on the entire machine park. Richard Barth

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Partners to the furniture industry Decor papers – printed

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impress surfaces gmbh P.O. Box 100530 | Dorfstrasse 2 D-63741 Aschaffenburg | Phone +49.6021.40 60 Fax +49.6021.40 62 95 | info@impress.biz | www.impress.biz

INTERPRINT GmbH

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Trevira GmbH D-65795 Hattersheim phone +49-8234-9688-2333 fax +49-8234-9688-5342 treviracs.info@trevira.com www.treviracs.com

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Leitz GmbH & Co. KG

M. Kaindl Holzindustrie

Leitzstraße 2, D-73447 Oberkochen Phone: +49 (0) 7364 / 950-0 Fax: +49 (0) 7364 / 950-662 e-mail: leitz@leitz.org, www.leitz.org

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Quality Inside

Innovative machine technology in demand worldwide With 250 companies, Italy is the world second-biggest producer of woodworking machinery after Germany and is far ahead of competing countries like China and Taiwan. Around 18 per cent of the world production in this segment originated from Italy. Within Europe, the Italians hold a share of 29 per cent and thus noticeably lag behind Germany, which generates 45 per cent of the overall turnover in Europe. from outsourced production facilities of German machine manufacturers anyway. In terms of figures, the domestic sales volume 2015 amounted to EUR 1.32 billion (+5.8 %). The export business, too, made an important contribution to the successful performance of the German machinery industry. In 2015, machines for EUR 1.89 billion were sold abroad. This amounts to around 70 per cent of the turnover and constitutes a growth of 6.3 per cent as compared to 2014. The business development in 2016 so far was successful, too. A double-digit growth in orders received gives the sector hope for an increase in turnover of up to 5 per cent for the year overall. Then, at the latest, the manufacturers of woodworking machinery should have almost regained the ground lost during the years of crisis and In view of the dominance of these two countries, the shares of other European producers are small: Austria, with 5 per cent, ranks third, followed by Spain and Turkey with a 3 per cent share each. Eumabois, the European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers, had determined a production turnover (incl. tools) of EUR 5.86 billion for the year 2014, which corresponded to an increase of 9.4 per cent compared to 2013. According to the industry federation, there are more than 1,000 manufacturers of woodworking machinery and tools with 35,000 employees in Europe. German machine manufacturers with strong growth Recent data is available for the individual countries. Thus, for example, for the German manufacturers of woodworking machines, the

Together with Schelling, the machine manufacturer IMA Klessmann wants to expand globally. Photo: IMA year 2015 was a successful one. According to statistics of VDMA, the companies were able to increase their production turnover by a further 6.5 per cent to EUR 2.8 billion, growing more strongly than originally predicted. The official value refers to stationary machines only and does not comprise hand-operated products as, e.g., chain saws and hand-held circular saws, and no tools either. The Federal Statistical Office also only considers companies with more than 50 employees. The around 150 manufacturers of woodworking machinery were able to sell significantly more machines in their own country than in 2014. With EUR 912 million, the

Turnover of the German and Italian woodworking machinery industries 2015 (in million Euros) Germany

change 2015/2014

Italy1

change 2015/2014

production

2,805

6.5

1,864

11.7

exports

1,893

6.3

1,414

12.7

imports

408

3.0

152

22.6

domestic sales

912

7.0

450

8.7

1,320

5.8

602

11.9

area

domestic market 1

incl. tools

previous year’s value was exceeded by 7 per cent. Apparently, the furnishing industry mostly trusted in German technology, since imports increased only marginally to EUR 408 million (+3 %). Besides, the imports from Eastern Europe frequently are machine parts for German producers or products

Source: VDMA/Acimall possibly even reached the peak value of 2007. In the year before the worldwide economic and financial crisis, the sector’s turnover for stationary woodworking machinery amounted to around EUR 3 billion. However, not all the industry’s segments were able to equally

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Quality Inside

10 per cent to EUR 505 million, SCM ranks third. The Weinig Group (Germany), which was able to increase its turnover from EUR 320 million to EUR 350 million, also talks about an “outstanding” business development in 2015.

Homag was able to break the billion-euro mark for the first time in 2015. Photo: Messe Nürnberg benefit from the increased demand from Germany and abroad. In 2015, the secondary sector had been able to grow more strongly than the primary sector, since in the past year, the manufacturers of big pressing plants encountered a difficult economic environment in some of the world’s sales regions, and many a major contract failed to materialise. In addition, the primary sector had completed a record year in 2014. Sun and shadow The fact that not all the companies equally benefited from the upswing, is demonstrated by the insolvency of the company Hymmen (Germany) at the beginning of 2016. After the machine manufacturer had been able to continuously grow in the preceding years, the business collapsed in 2015. Meanwhile, Hymmen wants to build on past successes with a business start-up, but had to undertake considerable cuts in their workforce for that. More than 160 employees had to go, since the new Hymmen GmbH Maschinenund Anlagenbau only employs 170 members of staff. Staff cuts are also in store at the plant manufacturer Siempelkamp (Germany). The company specialising in pressing plants for the manufacture of wood-based panels will cut a total of 350 jobs in Germany this and next year. The

dismissals, however, won’t have any impact on production, since the plant manufacturer is planning to increasingly use their production sites abroad, in order to become more competitive on an international scale. With EUR 571 million in 2015, Siempelkamp had missed their previous year’s turnover of EUR 607 million, but were able to register a 2.2 per cent increase in orders received for wood-based material plants. For IMA Klessmann (Germany), 2015 likewise involved decisive changes. In autumn, the manufacturer of woodworking plants had been taken over by the Austrian company Schelling, which is considered the technology leader for cut-to-size saws. Both companies together now generate a turnover of EUR 230 million. In the past years, IMA had been able to strongly increase their turnover, and for 2014, a 30 per cent increase to EUR 160 million could be announced. The Homag Group (Germany), on the other hand, was able to grow more strongly than the sector in 2015. An increase of just under 14 per cent made the turnover climb to EUR 1.039 billion. Though the competitors Biesse (Italy) and SCM (Italy) were likewise able to grow strongly, they only generated half of that. For 2015, Biesse reported an increase in turnover of 21.6 per cent to EUR 519 million and thus ranks second worldwide. With their turnover increased by

Italy’s producers sense updraft The Italian manufacturers of woodworking machinery, too, reported filled order books in 2015. According to their industry federation Acimall, they were able to increase their turnover by 11.7 per cent to EUR 1.864 billion. This turnover value, however, also includes tools, which is why direct comparison with the German production figures is not possible. The Italians exported machines to the amount of EUR 1.41 billion abroad, which corresponds to an export share of around 76 per cent, i.e. 12.7 per cent more than in 2014. The foreign trade figures show that above all, the domestic market for woodworking machinery has grown again. While the Italian companies were able to increase their domestic sales by 8.7 per cent to around EUR 450 million, in Italy foreign machinery producers recorded a growth of 22.6 per cent to EUR 152 million. Thus, every fourth machine was not “made in Italy”. In total, the value – i. e. the calculated domestic market volume – increased by 11.9 per cent to EUR 602 million. However, despite the positive annual figures, the sector is not out of the woods yet: though a growth could be recorded again for the second time, the turnover values of the years 2006 to 2008 are still

unreached. In 2007, the sector had achieved a production value of around EUR 2.15 billion. Since then, production has continuously declined. In the year of crisis 2009, the turnover amounted to only EUR 1.23 billion. In 2014, for the first time since then, the companies had been able to increase their production by 8.6 per cent compared to the preceding year. Bright prospects According to Acimall, the upward trend noticeable since the beginning of 2014, stabilised with the good annual result for 2015, so that the Italian machinery producers were able to regain part of the lost ground. However, the machine sales reflect the increased demand and willingness to invest on the part of the furnishing companies only to some extent: they are also a consequence of the latest support programme of the Italian government, which specifies higher depreciation of investments in stateof-the-art machine technology. Due to that, domestic orders increased by 37.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2016 alone, while 20 per cent more incoming orders from abroad were registered. In total, compared to the previous year’s quarter, orders increased by 22.7 per cent. For the full year of 2016, the Italian companies express optimism and expect a further increase in turn over between five and ten per cent, depending on the economic development in the important export countries Russia and China. Richard Barth

SCM experienced a boost again in 2015. Photo: SCM m aterial+technik möbel – special 02|16 29

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“We aim to offer added value by means of one-stop shop solutions” The manufacture of production lines for the woodbased panels industry is a highly specialised activity. As a rule, a large number of firms and companies must work together, which frequently makes the task of the project managers a very complex one. Where impregnating lines are concerned, the German company Vits and its umbrella company Deurotech Group (Germany) are making many aspects much simpler. material+technik spoke with the owner Werner Deuring and Vits CEO Volker Reidegeld about the new strategy of the “one-stop shop.” material+technik: How did the formation of the DeurotechGroup come about, and consequently the fusion of four companies under a single roof? Deuring: I personally have been involved for over 30 years in the field of engineering and production lines for the woodbased panels industry. The nucleus of the Deurotech Group is the Vits company. This has been part of my area of responsibility since 2002. So, I have been linked with this company for a very long time, and intend to remain so in the future. The strategy of the Deurotech Group is to centre other companies around Vits – which is a world-renowned brand in its own small special niche in the impregnating, lacquering, and coating industry –

and to offer our customers an added value with a view to “one-stop shops” in the field of industrial surface materials.

cleaning. And the Deurowood company in Austria manufactures specialised additives for resin production. Here, too, we can offer our customers important added

values in terms of clarity, highgloss, and abrasion resistance. All these companies were assigned to me as owner; then, one and a half years ago, I merged them into

material+technik: What are the divisions of competence among the individual group members? Deuring: The entire focus is upon surface materials. Beside the Vits company, the group includes the IFA Technology, which supplies production lines for resin preparation. The Wessel company is engaged in the field of exhaust air Werner Deuring has been an expert in the woodbased panels field of the engineering industry for many years and still has ambitious plans for the Deurotech Group.

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Werner Deuring (right) and Volker Reidegeld are transforming the impregnating line manufacturer Vits and other companies into an allround supplier of production lines. Photos: Schwarze the Deurotech Group, in order to enable one-stop shopping to customers in the future. In this way, the customer has only one responsible contact person for the entire project and no longer four different contact partners for all areas. Reidegeld: Meanwhile we were able to supply four major projects from this group, with components from all four companies. This means that our customers are assured of complete service from a single supplier. Without interfaces, only one contact person, one project management – and this is really welcomed. Just now we are commissioning a project at Latvijas Finieris in Riga. Latvijas Finieris is a leading manufacturer and processor of birch plywood. Deurotech has supplied them with a Vits phenol line in combination with a Wessel RTO. IFA is supplementing the system with two phenol tanks and a truck discharging station. A typical example for our concept! material+technik: That must have been a revolutionary change for your marketing people – away from marketing one special product, and instead, marketing complex production lines? Volker Reidegeld is CEO of Vits and Wessel, supporting Werner Deuring in the formation of the group.

Deuring: Of course, it is a permanent challenge to us, to make use of the sales synergies; but at the same time, we multiply the effectiveness of our sales force. Reidegeld: And the projects, which we have realised until now are a clear sign for our marketing specialists that the association is advantageous for every individual firm. “Just now, we are strengthening our presence in North America.” material+technik: And the fact that the Deurotech Group bears your name – is that also a sign of a longterm commitment? Deuring: Precisely – that is our aim. material+technik: Do you see great potential in sales development? And would other companies perhaps fit into the group? Deuring: We are very confident that we can generate organic growth, because, due to the strong position of Vits worldwide, we can also promote the other companies, which were not yet so well positioned in the international market. But it is also our precise aim to further strengthen the machinery and production line segment and of course, we are considering what sort of company would fit in with us. material+technik: The Atlanta fair will be taking place in the near future. What is most important for you, in terms of technology as well as communication? Reidegeld: It is a matter of tradition for us to be present there. The

North American market is a very important and highly dynamic market for us. We will certainly focus strongly upon Vits and Deurowood, but this is an extremely interesting market for Wessel also. Deuring: Another point – we are just now engaged in establishing the Deurotech Inc. USA as a marketing and service company, which will serve all our customers of the group members in the North American market. Reidegeld: This market is so important for us that we must improve our presence and reaction times, and we intend to do that with this new company, and with our own specially trained technicians – that is very important for us, both for the service and replacement parts department as well as for the marketing department. This also applies to other regions in the world market; for example, we can well envisage such a step in Asia also. material+technik: What, in the view of the Deurotech specialists, are currently the most important customer requirements, especially in the furniture industry? Deuring: Our clearly defined focus is upon what we can do even better in future and upon creating further added value for our customers. We intend to invest in the efficiency of our machine park, both in terms of increased operating speeds and raw material reduction. By this means, our customers can quickly save 6- and 7-digit sums of money each year – with every single production line. Furthermore, group synergy effects are important in the furniture industry also. After all, we do not supply to the furniture industry directly; our customers are also, above all, the major integrated woodbased panels and the major decor manufacturers. These must react to the growing demands from the furniture industry, especially in terms of price and quality. We help these companies here at Vits and in the group. material+technik: Which trends can be currently identified in the area of surface processing? Reidegeld: Both optical and haptic effects are becoming of increas-

ingly high quality. But, compared with a genuine wood product, with the technical upgrading, we can impart even more technical characteristics to the product. This could then be more robust than genuine wood, for example, or have an antibacterial finish – that is a technical advantage as compared with the natural product. Deuring: One example of this is deep registered embossing. For a long time, this was not really viable, because the process resulted in a high level of scrap – until we were able to develop the necessary technology to guarantee the degree of precision required for registered embossing. “Optical and haptic effects are becoming of increasingly high quality.” material+technik: Is it an advantage to have an European or even a German based production location? Reidegeld: We keep hearing about production being transferred to foreign countries, but in fact we see a reverse trend. Meanwhile, we purchase about 70 per cent of the components of our lines within a radius of 400 kilometre. This has a great deal to do with the quality requirements, but also with the logistics costs. Deuring: And we know very well what we are talking about, because we ourselves had our own production facilities in China and the Czech Republic. These are only competitive to a limited degree, because there, too, the wages and logistics costs are increasing. Furthermore, that increases the level of flexibility: but when we order components produced in China, it is only after delivery that we know whether the quality is in order – in spite of all quality controls at source. And then, when a replacement part has to be supplied from a foreign supplier, between three and six months can easily be lost in the manufacure of a production line. material+technik: Thank you very much. We wish you a successful show at the Atlanta fair. The interview was conducted by Arnd Schwarze.

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Upholstered furniture industry automating its processes Upholstered furniture producers prepare for the future. Using automated processes, they want to produce more efficiently and also save valuable raw materials, as, for example, leather. For that, the providers of CAD/CAM systems developed sophisticated plant concepts, using which production processes can be designed more economic. At the specialist trade fairs Texprocess in Frankfurt and interzum in Cologne, they present new solutions every two years. Leading suppliers of CAD/CAM systems will appear at the Texprocess 2017 in Frankfurt. Photo: Messe Frankfurt

Automated production processes for the upholstered furniture industry, but also functional cover materials take the centre stage of the twin exhibitions Texprocess and Techtextil taking place in Frankfurt a. M. (Germany) from 9 to 12 May 2017. For the first time, both trade fairs will also present themselves with a new schedule: Instead of a Monday, they will only open their gates on Tuesday, 9 May 2017. Many exhibitors will probably also welcome the fact that next year, the two specialist trade fairs will not overlap with the supplier trade fair interzum (16.5.– 19.5.2017) in Cologne (Germany) and take place almost one week prior to this specialist trade fair. It’s

a different story for the visitors: In 2015, due to the temporal overlap, foreign visitors were able to visit the interzum, too, which this time, due to the temporal difference of four days, will probably only be a possibility for domestic visitors. More exhibitors expected At the last edition of the twin exhibitions in May 2015, 1,389 Techtextil and 273 Texprocess exhibitors presented themselves to the visitors. In total, both trade fairs welcomed 1,662 exhibitors from 54 countries as well as almost 42,000 trade visitors from 116 nations. Numerous trade visitors were interested in the offer of the respectively other trade fair, too, so that the

visitor numbers of the individual trade fairs were even higher. Thus, Messe Frankfurt counted around 34,000 visitors at the Techtextil and around 21,000 trade visitors at the Texprocess. At both events, the trade fair management was able to register significantly higher visitor numbers than during the previous edition. In 2017, the trade fair management wants to keep growing and in particular gather more exhibitors in the exhibition halls.

sectors. The scope of applications ranges from the clothing industry via the automotive sector up to technical textiles as well as the furnishings industry. One main focus of the Techtextil 2017 will be functional textiles and nonwovens, from smart textiles via wearables up to textile products for sports, medicine, or hazard protection. In 2017, the Texprocess will show every individual step within the textile production process up to the finishing of textiles. Particular attention will be paid to textile digital printing for clothing and functional textiles, one of the growth markets in the sector of technical textiles and textiles finishing. Likewise in the centre of interest: so-called effect finishing, where textiles are made particularly resistant with special surface treatments like coating or are equipped with additional elements like lightemitting diodes. A small foretaste of the two events in Frankfurt offered the Texprocess/Techtextil North America in Atlanta in May this year, which gathered 589 exhibitors and registered 9,357 trade visitors. There, among others, the big European manufacturers of CAD/CAM systems presented themselves with numerous new solutions for the upholstered furniture industry.

A wide variety of applications While the interzum trade fair with its textile exhibition range almost exclusively addresses the furnishings industry, Techtextil and Texprocess are focusing on various

Saving cover material Innovative complete solutions, developed by European providers of systems for leather cutting, for example, promise high material savings. Together with the German

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company RG Technologies, the CAD/CAM specialist Bullmer (Germany) developed a customer-specifically configurable complete solution for cutting leather under the name “CCUT”, which is suitable for traditional craftsmanship as well as for series production in large industrial companies. It is to provide for significant and sustained optimisation of the production process in the upholstered furniture industry: Leather consumption is optimised and productivity is increased with improved coordination between the individual work processes. Another distinctive feature is versatility in operation: The system includes manual, automatic as well as interactive nesting methods, wherein these are applied considering errors, quality zones, and pulling directions. Contrary to other systems, the nesting of the geometries is also not projected onto the hide with a laser, but with a beamer. In addition, depending on the size of operation, there is a choice between an online or offline solution, wherein the offline solution is to provide for the shortest throughput times. High performance is also possible for cutting, since a variety of cutting tools are available for the various materials and the cutter optimally adapts to any material in acceleration and speed with the aid of the materials database. Furthermore, the system provides reliable data on leather consumption, quality, and productivity. Becoming more competitive “Industrie 4.0” as a target also plays a role in the upholstered furniture industry. Of that, Lectra (France), market leader in the field

More efficient production with the complete solution “CCUT”. Photo: Bullmer of CAD/CAM solutions for the upholstered furniture industry, is convinced. In 2011, the German Federal Government had issued “Industrie 4.0”, or Smart Industry, which connects embedded systems production technologies and smart production processes to pave the way to a new technological age, as a motto in order to initiate a fourth industrial revolution. At an information event, Lectra recently demonstrated to German upholstered furniture manufacturers, how networked manufacturing can be implemented in a sector as highly characterised by craftsmanship as the upholstered furniture industry. The participants also learned that European upholstered furniture manufacturers like Ekornes (Norway) as well as Polipol (Germany) are actively working on the implementation of digital strategies today already. Such complete systems provide for more transparency and enable faultless operation. Furthermore, they also contribute to mastering the growing complexity and reducing costs. At Lectra, they are convinced that altered consumer wishes, e-commerce as well as increasing wage costs, in what used to be low-cost production countries, as, e.g., China, will result in the upholstered furniture producers in Europe reconsidering their production processes. Required changes for an increase in competitiveness, however, would have to start in the design phase already, since prototype construction not only devours a lot of money, but also considerably extends

the development phase. From Lectra’s point of view, using single-ply cutters, the producers could manufacture personalised upholstered furniture more economically and with complete solutions design the entire production process to be more efficient and transparent. According to Lectra, upholstered furniture manufacturers in Western Europe have already started relocating outsourced productions back home, in order to be able to react to changes in taste and demand faster. Producing more flexibly In order to be able to offer companies more flexibility in upholstered furniture making, the cutting specialist Kuris (Germany) developed, among others, the single-ply cutter “Cutty”, which makes diversity of parts in production manageable. The machine achieves traversing speeds of up to 100 metres per The “Cutty” of Kuris enables personalised upholstered furniture production. Photo: Kuris

Lectra wants to make upholstered furniture producers more competitive with complete solutions. Photo: Lectra minute and cutting speeds, depending on the material, of up to 70 metres per minute. Besides leather and fabrics, sheets, technical textiles, glass and carbon fibre as well as honeycomb material can also be cut on the single-ply cutter, since, with an adaptive tool technology, the cutter can be individually and precisely adapted to the respective material. Thanks to its sophisticated tool-change system, set-up times are significantly shortened, since, according to the provider, considerably fewer setting processes are required. Simultaneously, Kuris also considered the operator in the development of the “Cutty”: Besides a mobile operating terminal, the cutter scores with uniform user interface and menu navigation. Machine operators quickly find their way around, in turn reducing errors and training effort. Richard Barth

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From hide to fine leather Have you ever held the leather steering wheel of a Lamborghini in your hands? Then you might already have had contact with the leather products from the Gmelich + Söhne leather factory in Germany, which are of high-quality and tanned in an environmentally friendly way. The company is currently expanding its stock range.

Volker Nagel, managing director at Gmelich: “Long-term partnerships with our customers are important for us – and what we stand for.”

Covered with fine leather from Gmelich: upholstered furniture by Cor (Germany).

It is a long way to premium leather. High tech and craftsmanship go hand in hand at Gmelich + Söhne, a leather company with a long tradition in Großbottwar, a small city not far from Stuttgart in southern Germany. On the one hand computer-operated machines, on the other hand personnel who turn the raw material into fine leathers in about 30 production steps with their well-grounded know-how, with a lot of feeling, and with experience. Leather “made in Großbottwar” can be found today on sofas, armchairs, and office chairs as well as

in trains, planes, ships, and cars. Lamborghini steering wheels are covered with finest Gmelich leather, for example, and the waiting lounges at the Paris airports are equipped with robust leather from the Großbottwar leather factory. In the upholstered furniture segment, Gmelich is one of the two biggest suppliers in the country, according to Managing Director Volker Nagel. In Germany there are now only a handful of tanneries that carry out all the steps – from raw hide to finished leather. In addition, Gmelich is the only leather producer that concentrates primarily on the upholstered furniture market. Premium brands such as the German upholstered furniture producers Cor and Rolf Benz, Vitra (Switzerland), Walter Knoll, Wittmann (Austria), as well as the German office furniture producers Brunner, Interstuhl, and Sedus Stoll are all among Gmelich Leder customers. The “Ascot Premium Collection” is kept in stock and currently includes 111 colours.

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“Ascot” stock range Following the expansion of its “Ascot Premium Collection” stock range, the leather specialist is now able to deliver within two days – and “if it’s really urgent”, even within 24 hours. The stock range has been consistently expanded under Managing Director Volker Nagel and provides multifunctional, robust, and durable leather. The full-grain semi-aniline leather is currently available in 111 colours and more colours are planned. The minimum order for the “Ascot” range is only one hide. If requested by customers, special colours can be provided for orders of at least 50 hides. A total of 28,000 finished leathers are in stock. At the present time, the 135 employees at Gmelich Leder produce about 700 hides per day. “That is more than half a soccer field of leather,” says Volker Nagel, making the dimensions clear. Gmelich + Söhne looks back on a tradition of almost 100 years. The small craft enterprise founded by Otto Gmelich in 1923 has long become an internationally active company. 50 per cent of the leather company’s production is for the German market, the other half goes to European countries, the USA, Canada, China, and Australia, as well as to the Middle East. Partners for the furniture industry Three quarters of the customers are from the furniture sector. So Gmelich produces leather primarily for upholstered furniture and office furniture. At the same time, the company always concentrates on the top quality segment. And in that market segment, Gmelich Leder has a solid position. “Today we are a top supplier for the upholstered furniture industry,” emphasizes Volker Nagel. “Best service and best quality are our standard; individuality, flexibility, and reliability are the criteria of our work. Long-term partnerships with our customers are important for us – and what we stand for.” Besides the customers from the industry, other partners are SMEs as well as leather wholesalers. Fewer and fewer furniture producers have their own large leather storage facilities because they don’t want to tie up capital unnec-

essarily. So a dealer market has developed in the upholstered furniture leather business. Gmelich also works with the dealers for export business and uses those contacts to sell its leathers to wellknown furniture producers all over the world. Volker Nagel came to Gmelich in 1999 and was sales manager at first until he started managing the company in 2004. At that time, annual sales were about EUR 10 million. In the past year, sales reached the level of EUR 26 million. A decisive factor in the sales increases was the continued expansion of the stock range, because the market expects more and more articles and colours. In the coming years, the company headquarters in the industrial area of Großbottwar is to be modernized and further expanded. Managing Director Nagel has planned a total of EUR 6 million in investments for that work. In particular, the storage area is to be expanded from its current 2,500 square metre to about 4,000 square metre. Focus on sustainability Gmelich Leder sees itself as a “green company” that pays attention to being especially environmentally friendly in all stages of production. That begins with sourcing the raw material, which comes from local slaughterhouses. Almost 100 per cent of the animal hides are utilized: The upper layer – the so-called “full-grain leather” – is made into premium leather, the lower layer – the “split leather” – is used for belts or shoes. The almost exclusive use of fresh material minimizes the amount of salt released into wastewater. Premium dyes are used to colour the leather and solvent-free finishing systems are implemented. A farm in the immediate vicinity produces electricity in a biogas plant, in part by using the waste products that it gets from Gmelich, such as leftover pieces of hides. From the heat that is created, Gmelich receives a constant supply of hot water via a pipeline, so the leather producer can save 150,000 litres of heating oil annually. “For tanning, we use premium mineral tanning salts, which is one of the most ecological tanning

methods according to the current state of technology,” says Volker Nagel. Furthermore, the leather specialist also has organic leather in its product portfolio, which is tanned by using olive leaves. All of the Gmelich leathers are certified with the “Blue Angel” – a German

label for environmentally products. The Gmelich Leder concept of succeeding on the market through quality, flexibility, and individuality is obviously paying off. “Our name has gotten around in the different sectors. We have successfully found a niche for ourselves.” hoe

The hides are dried in a stenter dryer.

During the tanning process, the leather takes on a blue colour called “Wetblue”.

The leather surfaces are finished with pigmented coatings – here by means of a spraying machine. Photos: Gmelich Leder m aterial+technik möbel – special 02|16 35

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Häfele concentrates sliding fitting assortment segment

More space for hinges – Hettich (Germany) is investing EUR 10 million for the expansion of its hinge production at the German location Vlotho-Exter. By the end of the year, the fittings producer wants to build a new production hall with a total floor area of 7,000 m². As part of the restructuring of incoming and outgoing goods, second and third construction stages with a further 2,500 m² of total floor area will follow in 2017. Photo: Hettich

The Häfele Group (Germany) is concentrating its production in the area of sliding fittings. The German factory Weco in Velbert will be closed at the end of the year 2016. After that, sliding door fittings will be produced only in Jettingen (Germany) and in Budapest (Hungary). In Hungary, in addition to the “Flap Competence Center” for the development and production of flap fittings, which is already in operation, a new competence centre for the sliding fittings assortment is being built. The location Jettingen with its proximity to the Häfele logistics centre is ideal for providing customer-specific services, according to Häfele. They include the manufacture of sliding door solutions and needs-oriented international logistics services. As the fittings specialist further reports, customer support and technical support will remain at the company headquarters in Nagold.

Pfleiderer expands its capacities The wood-based materials producer Pfleiderer (Germany) is investing about EUR 9 million in the expansion of its production capacity at its German location in Neumarkt. By the end of the year, 10 per cent more particle boards are expected to roll off the production line. The factory is said to be the largest production location for particle boards in Europe. The company wants to achieve the planned increase in capacity by modernizing the sanding line, which is used to smooth and to roughen the particle board. In addition, the production hall is going to be modified to create more storage capacity. Furthermore, optimization of the transport routes inside the hall is expected to make more efficient logistics possible. The reason the wood-based materials producer gives for the investment is the growth in residential construction in Germany and the expected increase in demand for wood-based materials.

Blum continues to grow The fittings producer Blum (Austria) closed out the 2015/2016 business year (30.June 2016) with an increase in sales of 6.5 per cent to EUR 1.656 billion. Half of the turnover was generated in the EU area, 15 per cent in the USA, the rest in other regions. An average of 6,849 persons worked for the company group worldwide, which is an increase of 334 persons in comparison to the previous year. Altogether, the fittings producer invested EUR 173.64 million during the past business year. Several investment projects are almost finished at the present time: At company headquarters in Austria, a three-story production building and an automated high-bay warehouse will go into operation at Plant 4 in Bregenz in September. Another high-bay ware-

A punching centre with a high-bay warehouse and a strip steel warehouse is to be built at the new Plant 8. Photo: Blum house is to be finished in spring of 2017. Construction work has begun at the future Plant 8 in Dornbirn (Austria). By summer of 2018, a punching centre will be built there with a high-bay warehouse and a strip steel warehouse. In spring of 2016, Blum started construction of an office and warehouse building in Greece, which should go into operation at the end of the year. In China, a new central warehouse has been opened. On the other hand, the expansion of high-bay warehouses in Australia and in Poland is to begin in autumn.

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Danzer invests in flooring segment The Danzer Group (Austria) was able to boost its turnover for 2015 by 9.5 per cent to EUR 254 million. The company, which recently moved its headquarters to Dornbirn, sees itself as one of the largest producers of decorative hardwood worldwide. As the group further reported, about 41.4 per cent of the turnover was in lumber, followed by veneers with 36.5 per cent, round timber with 9.7 percent, and specialties and services such as 3D-veneer with 12.4 per cent. A reason for the increase in turnover is the growth in the flooring sector, which Danzer got into in 2012. The division is to be further expanded in 2016 through investments in the production of parquet surface layers. In the current year, for example, parquet surface layer production will go into operation in the Danzer factories in the USA. On the other hand, Danzer will be able to offer its European customers both veneer and jointed fixed dimensions because of its takeover of the company Furniertechnik Raspenava (Czech Republic). The wood specialist wants to invest a total of EUR 15 million in the current year, which will be used particularly for the modification and expansion of factories in France and the Czech Republic.

Egger expands capacities The Egger Group (Austria) was able to increase its group-wide turnover by 3.4 per cent to EUR 2.34 billion in the 2015/2016 business year (30 April 2016). At the same time, the wood-based materials company invested EUR 302.7 million (previous year: EUR 263.3 million) – EUR 63.2 million for investments in maintenance and EUR 239.5 million for investments in growth. They included the expansion of the location Gagarin (Russia). An MDF/HDR production line with an annual capacity of 350,000 m³ has been there since the spring of 2016. In addition, a flooring production line, coating and finishing lines, warehouse and office areas, as well as a biomass power plant have been built. Further significant investments were made in the Western European factories in St. Johann in Tirol (AT), Unterradlberg (AT), Hexham (UK), Rambervillers (FR), and Riondes-Landes (FR). In Brilon (DE), a polypropylene edging production was put into operation. The number of employees in the group’s 17 factories rose by 5.5 percent to 7,785 persons in the year under consideration.

New gravure printing system – Interprint (Germany) is investing in a state-of-the-art, 2.20 meter wide four-colour rotogravure printing machine at its location in Arnsberg. The investment volume including the necessary peripherals adds up to about EUR 6 million. By means of this investment, the surface specialist wants to increase its production volume by four to five thousand tonnes of decor paper per year. The new printing system should go into operation in early summer 2017. It is the eighth rotogravure printing machine at the location in Arnsberg and the 25th printing machine for the company group. Outside of Germany, the decor printer has nine further production locations worldwide. Photo: Interprint

Impress will produce finish foils in Poland from now on The decor printer Impress Surfaces (Germany) recently put a state-of-the-art printing and inline lacquering line into operation at its Polish printing location in Elk. It has a printing width of 2,750 millimetre (2,600 millimetre net width) and can be used with both EBC technology and conventional finishing systems. In order to expand the plant and make it the centre of European finish foil production, an additional wing with an area of 6,000 m² was built for the hall, thus expanding total production area to about 16,200 m². For 2016/2017 there are also plans to move the production system with electron beam curing (EBC) from Aschaffenburg in Germany to Poland, because the finish foil production is being closed for reasons of economy. In its place, a “Decor Development Center” will be taking over responsibility for global trend scouting and combining everything that is involved in decor and surface development right up to the print lab. In the near future, Impress also wants to invest in an offline lacquering line, so the company will then have the capacity for over 200 million m² of finish foils. In order to accomplish all that, the company will also have to dig deep in its pocket in the future: By 2019, an additional EUR 20

million is to be invested in the Polish location and its expansion. A larger part of that sum is meant for the construction of a logistics centre that is to be built a few hundred meters from the plant and offer 12,000 m² of storage space. Worldwide, Impress now produces finish foils only at its production location in Curitiba (Brazil). The production location in Elk in Poland has been expanded and made into the centre for European finish foil production. Photo: Barth

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European furniture and supplier fairs 2016 August 2016 18.08.–20.08. northmodern, Copenhagen, DK 27.08.–30.08. Tendence, Frankfurt a. M., DE September 2016 01.09.–04.09. Int. Holzmesse, Klagenfurt, AT 02.09.–06.09. Maison & Objet, Paris, FR 02.09.–07.09. IFA, Berlin, DE 03.09.–05.09. Cadeaux/Comfortex, Leipzig, DE 04.09.–06.09. spoga+gafa, Cologne, DE 06.09.–08.09. MoOD, Brussels, BE 06.09.–09.09. Trä & Teknik, Göteborg, SE 06.09.–09.09. ExpoDrev Russia, Krasnojarsk, RU 06.09.–09.09. MTM, Ostróda, PL 07.09.–11.09. Habitare, Helsinki, FI 12.09.–15.09. Texworld, Paris, FR 13.09.–16.09. Furnica/Drema/SoFab, Pozna´n, PL 14.09.–15.09. Architect@Work The Netherlands, Rotterdam, NL 14.09.–18.09. BIFE SIM, Bucharest, RO 15.09.–18.09. Kind + Jugend, Cologne, DE 16.09.–19.09. HOMI, Milan, IT 17.09.–22.09. area30, Löhne, DE 17.09.–23.09. A 30 Küchenmeile, East Westphalia, DE 18.09.–20.09. The Flooring Show, Harrogate, UK 18.09.–21.09. Decorex International, London, UK 18.09.–22.09. M.O.W., Bad Salzuflen, DE 18.09.–22.09. Möbelmeile, East Westphalia, DE

20.09.–22.09. 20.09.–22.09. 20.09.–23.09. 21.09.–24.09. 22.09.–23.09. 25.09.–28.09. 26.09.–30.09. 26.09.–02.10. 27.09.–30.09. 27.09.–30.09. 27.09.–30.09. 28.09.–01.10. 28.09.–01.10. 28.09.–01.10. 29.09.–02.10. 30.09.–02.10.

Lineapelle, Rho, IT CeMAT Russia, Moscow, RU Heimtextil Russia, Moscow, RU 100% DESIGN incorp. 100% detail, London, UK Architect@Work France, Paris, FR Hausmessen Oberfranken, Upper Franconia, DE Cersaie, Bologna, IT Hausmesse Süd, Southern Germany, DE LIGNUMEXPO, Nitra, SK Woodworking/BioEnergy, Minsk, BY LISDEREVMASH, Kiev, UA REHACARE, Duesseldorf, DE Abitare il Tempo, Verona, IT DLT – Design Living Tendency, Kiev, UA For Interior 2016, Prague, CZ Baltic Furniture/Design Isle 2016, Riga, LV

October 2016 04.10.–07.10. SibFurniture.Woodex Siberia, Novosibirsk, RU 05.10.–06.10. architect@work Italy, Rome, IT 05.10.–09.10. Intercasa Concept, Lisbon, PT 10.10.–13.10. MOTEK, Stuttgart, DE 12.10.–13.10. architect@work Austria, Vienna, AT

International representatives:

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12.10.–13.10. 12.10.–15.10. 12.10.–16.10. 14.10.–23.10. 18.10.–21.10. 19.10.–22.10. 20.10.–24.10.

Neocom, Duesseldorf, DE I Saloni Worldwide, Moscow, RU Ambienta, Zagreb, HR Biennale Interieur, Kortrijk, BE Sicam, Pordenone, IT SAIE, Bologna, IT Möbelmesse Schwyz, at different places, CH 24.10.–27.10. Hotel, Bozen, IT 25.10.–29.10. Orgatec, Cologne, DE 28.10.–30.10. Blickfang, Vienna, AT November 2016 06.11.–09.11. Brussels Furniture Fair, Brussels, BE 06.11.–10.11. Equip’Hotel Paris, Paris, FR 08.11.–13.11. Belgrade Furniture Fair, RS 09.11.–10.11. Architect@Work Germany, Berlin, DE 09.11.–13.11. Ambient Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SI 15.11.–17.11. InPrint, Milan, IT 21.11.–25.11. Mebel, Moscow, RU 22.11.–23.11. The Sleep Event, London, UK 23.11.–24.11. architect@work Italy, Milan, IT December 2016 03.12.–06.12. espritmeuble, Paris, FR 07.12.–08.12. Architect@Work Germany, Stuttgart, DE All information is subject to change.

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