Laminate Leaders Heat Up the Industry in 2022

BY SARA GRAVES

With so many changes already occurring this year, it’s no wonder that 2022 is setting up to be a pivotal year in the laminate industry.

To learn the latest, Surface & Panel reached out to product experts and manufacturers, who weighed in on what they are seeing in the industry and what we can expect for the remainder of the year. One company we spoke to, Formica, was one of the first to make a big splash earlier this year with its official launch in February of the 2022 Living Impressions

Collection. Taking inspiration from unconventional yet sophisticated materials, the collection includes largescale stone patterns, and designs with mottling effects and blended, dynamic color effects. For example, Sugar Glass, an ethereal glass-makinginspired pattern in the collection reflects a translucent blue-gray glass floating in a white sheet of opaque glass.

The designers handcrafted the design using rounded shards of recycled glass, sugar, water, and a milk to create a dreamy pattern that balances the translucency of glass with opaque elements.

FACING PAGE, TOP: PROFOL AMERICAS' SUPER-MATTE, FINGERPRINT-RESISTANT PRODUCT IS SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED LATER THIS YEAR. FACING PAGE, LOWER: PROFOL AMERICAS' PRO DRAWER PRODUCT. BELOW: FORMICA'S SUGAR GLASS, FROM THE 2022 LIVING IMPRESSIONS COLLECTION. BOTTOM: WILSONART'S WETWALL WATER-PROOF WALL PANEL SYSTEM PRO DESIGNS COLLECTION-LARISIS MARBLE. Decorative surfaces are important when evoking the emotion of a space. As one of the world’s leading full-service providers of decorative surfaces, we develop seamlessly matched products that are ideal

“One of the trend for spaces of today and in the future. drivers for our new 2022 Living Impressions Collection “We Make Rooms Worth Living In.” explores the idea that homeowners are continuing to gravitate to light and white spaces for serenity, but with new nuances such as translucent elements,” said Gerri Chmiel, residential design lead at Formica. “In addition, we’re seeing consumers experiment with bringing natural textures into the home through elements like stone, metal and patina. When incorporated through surfaces, these materials create interior spaces that feel clean while still making a statement.”

Wilsonart made its own waves in March when it added two new designs to its Wetwall Water-Proof Wall Panel System Pro Designs collection—Larisis Marble and Augusta Calacatta. Larisis Marble features cool-tinged greys with streaks in a marble pattern, while August Calacatta delivers bold, gray veining with warm highlights in a white background.

“Larisis Marble and Augusta Calacatta bring the beauty of natural stone into a space with an ultra-modern marble pattern and a large-scale veining pattern, respectively,” said Kimberly Watson, global VP of materials replacement at Wilsonart LLC. She added that both designs support the growing trend of neutral colors being used to create casual, comfortable environments that are still timeless.

The patterns are part of the Wetwall panel system that is designed for wet applications, such as tub/shower enclosure walls, wainscoting, wall cladding, backsplashes, and tub skirts.

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The patented wall system consists of two high-performance laminate sheets bonded to a wood-plastic composite core. There is a choice of panel edges–flat, tongue and groove, and bullnose.

Meanwhile, Toppan, a forerunner in printing and coating, took things in a different direction when it teamed up with Widner Products, a finishing company, to develop a paper-based veneer alternative called KIRI, that is due to be launched in August. KIRI is designed to be bonded to a core (MDF, plywood and particleboard) and can be stained and finished using the same process as traditional wood veneer. “KIRI provides the same level of durability, increased aesthetic and more consistency of finished goods, all while reducing material cost and delivering a more environmentally friendly product,” said Allison Jenesky, design & marketing manager for Toppan.

TOPPAN, A FORERUNNER IN PRINTING AND COATING, TEAMED UP WITH FINISHING COMPANY, WIDNER PRODUCTS, TO DEVELOP A PAPER-BASED VENEER ALTERNATIVE CALLED KIRI.

Another company that is readying itself to impact the industry later this year is Profol, a leader in cast film and sheet.

Profol will release its new super-matte, fingerprint-resistant product (ranging from up to 35 to as low as 2) at the end of this year, once it has added a second coating line in Harbke, Germany, according to Scott Bruner, director of sales at Profol Americas, Inc.

Super-matte products are a popular choice among homeowners as they look for paneling surfaces that resist fingerprinting, smearing or streaking.

PROFOL AMERICAS HAS DEVELOPED SUPER-MATTE, FINGERPRINT-RESISTANT PRODUCTS.

GLOBAL COMPANIES, SUCH AS FURNISHING RETAILER IKEA, ARE MOVING AWAY FROM MFC CHIPBOARD AND TOWARD POLYPROPYLENE FILM WRAPPED ON BOARDS.

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In fact, Susie Darrah, Allied ASID, creative director at Surteco, one of the world’s leading providers of decorative surfaces, said that homeowners are looking for matte finishes “where fingerprints, smears, smudges and streaks are hardly seen.” She added that the smudgefree surface “gives the panel a velvety appearance and soft tactile hand.”

Darrah said that Haptic textures on finish foils, and deeper, heavier embossing are other trends to watch out for this year.

Interestingly, deeper and heavier embossing will becoming more important as MDF is harder to acquire and more companies move to using lower-quality particleboard instead, Bruner added.

“As the paneling is getting cheaper and cheaper, there’s a need for a deeper embossed product to hide the poor surface of panel. You can’t achieve this with a paper product,” he added.

Another significant move in the industry has been the move away from MFC chipboard (made with short cycle presses) toward polypropylene film wrapped on boards, Bruner said. One company, global home furnishing retailer Ikea, has invested $40 million in equipment to produce this additional volume, he added.

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With exciting new product launches, advancements in finishes and coatings, and changes in the substrates being used, laminates will continue to play a starring role in a wide variety of settings.

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“Polypropylene is highly versatile and is quickly rising to the forefront as the laminating film of choice for the furniture and cabinet markets. Its recyclability is in high demand from both manufacturers and consumers,” Bruner said.

In addition to the cost-effective wrapping process, it is possible to use honeycomb boards, which reduces the amount of material needed, as well as the cost, he noted.

There has also been a shift away from PVC toward polypropylene, which has a density average of 40% compared to PVC, Bruner said. The big advantage of polypropylene versus paper is its resistance to liquids, making it a popular choice for kitchens, bathrooms, or any high-humidity environment.

“PVC and polypropylene are similarly priced, which has created a lot more interest in polypropylene now that the prices are similar, and it is more cost effective and environmentally friendly,” he said.

With exciting new product launches, advancements in finishes and coatings, and changes in the substrates being used, it is not surprising that the companies we spoke with are excited about what else is to come this year. s p