The More Things Change

BY AMY GATH

his year marks the 110th anniversary of Formica Corporation, and in preparation for our year of celebration, our team has been digging through our archives of old patterns, advertisements and photography. As expected, it has been a deeply enlightening process for learning more about the rich history of the company, but the far more unexpected takeaway was the deep-dive history lesson on the evolution of design over the last century.

Design preferences, materials and technology certainly have changed drastically over the years, but despite these shifts, many design brands have continued to stay relevant across the decades, remaining impactful forces in commercial and residential settings. A few consistent themes stood out to me for what brings longevity in this space, particularly as it applies to us in the surfacing industry.

Balancing Leading Design With Being Led By Design

From marketing to logistics to research and development, so many pieces are critical for a successful team, but the work of your design team can be the factor that gets you in the door and lets all the other elements shine. Even if you offer easy installation, short lead times and best-in-class performance, your product designs still need to first catch the eye of architects, interior designers and homeowners. That’s one of the many reasons why I and so many of my peers take such deep pride in the expertise of our CONTINUED

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Request a sample at www.dvuv.com design team. As profoundly creative minds, they can create stunning patterns and designs from unexpected inspiration and materials, yet that alone can’t ensure success if it doesn’t match the moment. Instead, leading design requires a delicate balance of boldly pioneering new styles while also being willing to react to current and upcoming tastes, building a product offering that gently guides the future of design.

Innovating To The White Space

While we are often narrowly focused on surfaces, the most successful companies over the decades don’t always stick to their lanes. Staying aware of changes and trends in the larger building and design industry keeps you mindful of where the opportunity lies — whether it’s an emerging surfacing solution that has yet to be tackled or a synergy that our industry may be uniquely equipped to handle.

While always a risk, being unafraid to strategically innovate into unidentified white space can also build the success that keeps brands relevant for the long haul.

IN 1912, TWO YOUNG ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS, DANIEL O'CONOR AND HERBERT FABER, DISCOVERED THAT HIGH-PRESSURE PLASTIC RESINS COULD REPLACE THE MINERAL MICA IN INSULATION MATERIAL FOR ELECTRICAL PARTS. AS FOR THE NAME, O'CONOR AND FABER NEEDED A SUBSTITUTE "FOR" MICA, SO THEY SWAPPED IN THE PLASTIC RESINS, WHICH LED TO THE COMPANY NAME – YOU GUESSED IT – FORMICA. THE MATERIAL WAS PATENTED IN 1913, AND THEY STARTED THEIR OWN BUSINESS IN CINCINNATI.

TOP LEFT: BY 1930, FORMICA GROUP SHIFTED ITS FOCUS FROM INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS, SUCH AS ELECTRICAL PARTS FOR ELECTRIC COMPANIES AND AUTOMOTIVE PARTS FOR CARMAKERS LIKE CHEVROLET, TO THE DECORATIVE LAMINATE PRODUCTS FOR FURNITURE AND COUNTERTOPS YOU RECOGNIZE TODAY.

TOP RIGHT: THE ORIGINAL FORMICA CORPORATION PLANT

ABOVE LEFT: FORMICA 1959 FAN DECK SHOWS SOME OF THE MANY PATTERNS FROM FORMICA OVER THE YEARS. FORMICA IS CELEBRATING 110 YEARS IN 2023.

ABOVE: 1 960 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY AD

Embracing Your History

Even with all this focus on what’s next and remaining relevant, the most successful brands are able to balance this progress with where they have been. A deep understanding of how businesses and consumers perceive your product is critical for setting your path forward, and for brands that have been around long enough, that perception will inevitably be informed by your past — for better or for worse. Finding the right way to embrace your legacy and integrate it into your products and storytelling can create an even brighter future.

Whatever this year may bring, may innovation and forwardthinking help ensure success for many years ahead. s p