The Stocklists - December 2022

GAIA® - AW’s POLYESTER BRAND

Polyester is the most widely used textile fibre in the world. Polyester is alluring & smooth to the touch

Gaia ® carpet with its excellent colour fastness, rich lustre and 100% virgin pile materia l will certainly enrich your home. And no maintenance issues whatsoever: Gaia ® carpet is bleach cleanable

, Dorado , Tigris , Ganges … names of famous and less well-known rivers. But all are threatened by plastic and other pollution. Start contributing to solve this problem now by buying products containing recycled plastics.

ECO FusionBac is a unique premium carpet backing. It is made from 100% recycled pet plastic bottles.

Lectern Tigris & Ganges

Lectern Dorado & Indus

TAKING WATER-MIX UNDERLAYMENTS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Stopgap 1500 AquaPro is the next generation of water-mix underlayments. Using innovative technology, Stopgap 1500 AquaPro combines the application performance of a water-mix underlayment with the ability to bond directly to adhesive and bitumen residues. It offers fast drying properties and its moisture tolerant formulation makes it suitable for use under DPMs. When you need more from a water-mix underlayment, Stopgap 1500 AquaPro takes you to the next level. Visit f-ball.com/1500 or call 01538 361 633. A great finish starts with F. Ball.

Preston sales tel: 01772 696787 fax: 01772 311921

Gloucester sales tel: 0845 520 0800 fax: 01452 222515 London sales tel: 01322 628707 fax: 01322 698733

Armed with over 160 years of knowledge and passion, Kährs have drawn from their expertise of working with wood to create CRAFT, a brand-new range of 6mm Rigid Click Luxury Tiles, made up of three collections: Breeze, Nature and Nordic Classic.

With an even greater focus on a natural appearance, the three collections include Kährs’ most popular existing LT wood design floors, as well as floors in brand-new colours and designs.

This superb heathered range is made from quality British wool in a perfect 80/20 blend. Available in 2 weights (40oz & 55oz) and 20 shades, this range adds effortless style to any home.

EAST MIDLANDS STEVE FURNISS M: 07773 384 787

OXFORDSHIRE, WILTSHIRE, HAMPSHIRE ANDREW JEFFERIES M: 07831 457102

NORTHERN IRELAND GARY O’BOYLE M: 07831 220 675

FLOORINGNEWS

Country's coming home in classic style

Abingdon Flooring has released Royal Wilton Charter Berber Deluxe, a wool-rich carpet that captures classic country home style.

With wool enjoying a strong surge in popularity as homeowners look for natural and more sustainable carpet choices for their home, Abingdon Flooring’s Wilton Royal collection gives retailers the chance to capitalise on the interest. Through a collection of wool carpet ranges that bring quality and value, homeowners can find their ideal style.

The latest addition to the Wilton Royal collection is Charter Berber Deluxe, a wool-rich carpet that captures classic country style.

Using a premium 80/10/10 blend (wool/polypropylene/meltbond), the carpet has the unmistakable look of wool a nd delivers competitive value for a heavyweight quality. Multiple width options improve value further by cutting down on waste.

Charter Berber Deluxe comes in a palette of 20 colours including muted greys to tomes of mustard, nutmeg, sage and cinnamon. Whatever colour, each benefit from wool’s superb dye-take for a depth of colour that’s unique to the yarn, with the Berber fleck adding a rustic quality and enhancing a natural appearance for a classic country look.

T 01274 655 694 www.abingdonflooring.co.uk

Check out our snappiest floor photography of 2022 page 41-52

Apps add

agility

Rita Bancroft looks at flooring tech to make life easier for retailers pages 37–39

Racked and ready Wholesalers are all set to deliver competitive flexibility pages 34–35

Extreme performance, naturally

Made in Norway for extreme locations, High Pressure Floors from BerryAlloc are ready for the world’s toughest commercial projects. From busy shopping malls to international airports, BerryAlloc’s High Pressure Floors bring faultless performance for a floor that stays looking good.

Extremely impact-resistant, AC6 scratch-resistant (that’s the highest protection in EN 13329 Class 34), water-resistant, featuring a patented aluminium locking system and with attached SilentSystem underlay; High Pressure Floors (HPF) are ideal for bringing the natural look of wood and stone with the assured performance that comes with the world’s strongest floor.

Scott Arundell, sales director UK, BerryAlloc, says: “Whether Original, Grand Majestic or Grand Avenue, our HPF styles all share one thing in common –exceptional performance. For a natural look in high-traffic environments, there are few floors more capable. HPF have been proven in tough commercial locations and have continued to deliver a surface that’s easy to maintain and which stays looking good thanks to its excellent scratch and impact-resistance.”

Every part of BerryAlloc’s HPF is about strength and that’s why it’s been selected by Heathrow, Apple, Volkswagen and Crowne Plaza to deliver a premium floor finish.

All High Pressure Floors are equipped with BerryAlloc’s SilentSystem built-in underlay. This integrated solution reduces impact sound by 19dB for lowered noise levels in busy commercial spaces. As a bonus, it also speeds up installation, eliminating the need for a separate underlay and helping to accommodate for subfloors that are not perfectly flat.

www.berryalloc.com

"Wool is enjoying a strong surge in popularity as homeowners look for natural and more sustainable carpet choices for their home."

"Whether Original, Grand Majestic or Grand Avenue, our HPF styles all share one thing in common – exceptional performance."

Domotex plans eventful return

Only a few weeks remain until the start of Domotex 2023, the world's leading trade fair for carpet and floor coverings in Hannover. From 12 to 15 January, the upcoming event will once again offer numerous highlights in all product segments.

"We are delighted to finally offer an eventful and innovative Domotex again after such a long time. In January, visitors can look forward to new formats and contact points, as well as plenty of inspiration and information in all exhibition areas," explains Sonia Wedell-Castellano, Global Director of Domotex.

The themes of sustainability and the circular economy run like a golden thread through the Domotex On Stage conference, which takes place in hall 23. Interested listeners can expect diverse and informative contributions on the focus topics "Connecting Markets", "Conscious Living" and "Colourful Nature".

The new Domotex Mood Spaces are an exciting source of inspiration for retailers and interior designers. Designed by five international interior architects, the room installations represent the latest furnishing trends and reflect the interplay between floor coverings and interior design. In the spirit of concept stores, the installations show how product combinations can form a coherent world.

Anticipation for Domotex 2023 is high. Over 700 exhibitors from nearly 50 countries have confirmed their participation. www.domotex.de

Alpha vinyl fits fast

Lion trainers?

Lion Floor is a trusted fabricated underlay used under resilient flooring and carpets at the Europe's largest independent training centre.

With over 28,000ft2 of dedicated training area, FloorSkills is responsible for skilling up installers from all corners of the country. Providing dedicated NVQ and apprenticeship programmes, as well as training courses for all levels of experience; it’s imperative that FloorSkills independently tests the products it uses. So, when it came to finding a more reliable alternative to plywood, it rigorously tested Lion Floor to make sure it lived up to its promises as a worry-free solution that it could confidently recommend. Testing reliability through compatibility tests with screeds, smoothing compounds and adhesives from major manufacturers, FloorSkills passed Lion Floor with flying colours.

Alongside its reliability, FloorSkills is also a big fan of the boards ease of installation. Pre-conditioned, so with no need to wet before use, it can be easily cut with a knife or saw, making its fitting fast, mess-free and using exactly the same methods as plywood. At a 4.8mm thickness that’s thinner than the 6mm BS compliant plywood it replaces, Lion Floor also ensures a lower build-up height in refurbishment work. Once laid in accordance with BS 8203, it’s immediately ready to receive a skim coat or smoothing compound, creating a strong and reliable bond.

The team at FloorSkills says: “We’re preparing the next generation of installers with the skills and knowledge they need to adopt good working practices and to deliver high-quality flooring installations. With this in mind, it’s important that the products we use are among the best on offer –reliable, affordable and easy to work with. We’ve been impressed by Lion Floor and as the base of a good quality and lasting installation, there are few other products that we can recommend with the same level of confidence..”

T +358 (0)20 110 3300 www.finfib.fi

Alpha Vinyl, the latest innovation from flooring pioneer Quick-Step, is now available with an attached underlay, bringing a floor that’s fast and easy to install. Quick-Step’s Alpha Vinyl features quality in every layer for a high-performance rigid floor. Now available with an attached underlay, Alpha Vinyl is also fast and easy to fit – an installer’s dream. The secret of Alpha Vinyl lies in its multi-layer construction that brings multiple benefits. With a high-performance 5S wear layer, authentic décor layer, flexible comfort layer, anti-telegraphing and impact resistance rigid composite core, along with its high-quality attached underlay; it’s a construction that’s truly the sum of its parts.

Strong, comfortable, quiet and easy to install, this version of Quick-Step’s Alpha Vinyl is a revelation. Its strength and rigidity mean that in most cases it can be installed without any subfloor preparation. The underlay makes installation fast by absorbing minor irregularities, floor joints and more to give a smooth and level base. Suitable for use with poor condition subfloors and on top of old floors, the cross-linked PE foam used is light and strong and with Quick-Step’s famous Uniclic joint, fitting Alpha Vinyl with attached underlay really is a case of click and go. The underlay is precision fitted right to the edges of the plank, providing optimal support throughout its lifetime and ensuring excellent acoustics. As its waterproof, it’s also completely safe for bathroom and kitchen use, making it a great option for a unified flooring look. Of course, it wouldn’t be Quick-Step if this wasn’t a great looking floor, so Alpha Vinyl is available in beautiful and authentic wood and stone effects. With a matt surface finish, natural structure and a special bevel technique, it’s a vinyl floor that looks impressively realistic. Also in modern concrete and classic marble, Alpha Vinyl with attached underlay comes in small planks and tiles, so that any home can enjoy its impressive performance. www.quick-step.co.uk

Heavy on home comfort

Multi award-winning carpet manufacturer Cormar Carpet Company has added a new heavyweight wool twist to its wool carpet collection..

Made from 80% Pure New Wool, 10% Polypropylene and 10% Tuftbond, Pembroke is suitable for extra heavy domestic and medium contract use, making it ideal for high traffic areas such as stairs and hallways.

This classic, heavyweight wool twist has a strong palette of 18 contemporary colourways, including a deep bronze (Rosewood) charcoal grey (Anvil) and relaxing green (Chervil), accompanied by some classic neutral beiges and greys. Durable, resilient, and luxurious, Pembroke combines the natural beauty of wool with long lasting looks. As well as being moth resistant, the range also comes with a 10-year wear warranty for added peace of mind.

David Cormack, marketing director of the Cormar Carpet Company, said: “Pembroke comes at the perfect time as consumers are looking for value for money coupled with the durability that wool carpets offer. “This new collection looks great, is tough and hardwearing and offers a mix of bolder tones alongside on-trend greys and neutral shades, the perfect palette to bring style and distinction to any room.”

The collection is available in four and five metre widths to suit all homes and will be delivered via the Cormar nationwide delivery fleet. Cormar Carpets is proud to produce its extensive range of carpets at its two Lancashire mills and delivers across the UK and Ireland from its distribution sites in Hemel Hempstead and Bury, using its fleet of over 70 vehicles to ensure a fast, reliable service.

With an industry-leading trade portal and dedicated, experienced sales and customer service team, Cormar offer retailers 24/7 access to ordering, delivery tracking, and online account management, as well as servicing its customer base through a team of over 30 sales representatives.

T 01204 881234 www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

Museum's call to meet costs

An appeal to raise up to £20,000 has been launched by the trustees at the Museum of Carpet in Kidderminster because of a slow return of visitor numbers following the Covid-19 pandemic and soaring energy bills.

Guests invited to the tenth anniversary celebrations of the museum were told that it was important that the money should be raised in the next six months to cover costs while an action plan for the future was put in place.

Vicky Bagnall, chairman of trustees,said that the coming year was likely to be "among the most difficult".

“Over the last two years people have been nervous to come out into closed environments. School visits have picked up but group visits have also fallen,” she said. “There is the expectation of another fall-off in visitor numbers as the cost of living increases and starts to impact.”

Levelling up for Dutch luxury

Products from F. Ball and Co. Ltd.’s System LVT range have been used to install floorcoverings as part of the stylish Overkamp Park residential development in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, consisting of three apartment blocks, each with 53 luxury apartments and two penthouses.

F. Ball’s Stopgap 300 HD heavy-duty levelling compound was used to create a perfectly smooth base for floorcoverings. The product’s high compressive strength will ensure a long-lasting, professional flooring finish even when subjected to heavy daily usage, while its excellent self-levelling properties provide a perfect base for resilient floorcoverings.

Once the levelling compound had cured, a combination of Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVTs) and linoleum sheet floorcoverings were installed. F. Ball’s Styccobond F58 PLUS fast-drying, fibre-reinforced, pressure sensitive adhesive was used to install wood-effect LVTs in both straight planks and herringbone formations. Its fast-drying formulation enables LVT tiles and planks to be secured from just five minutes following application. Since its launch last year, it has become F. Ball’s best-selling product in the Dutch market.

Flooring contractors installed Forbo Marmoleum sheet in other areas using Styccobond F54 and cracks in the substrates were also repaired using F. Ball’s Stopgap Micro Rapid.

The Museum is £20,000-a-year short to pay staff and earlier this year its gas bill went from £4,000 to £16,000 a year.

She said that the museum had "an extensive archive" and that there were ways of licensing the designs through which it was hoped the museum would generate money.

Vicky said that it might take twelve to eighteen months before the project generated income and that meanwhile it was hoped the appeal would bring in £15,000 in the next six months through donations and fundraising activities. To donate, please visit: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-the-kidderminster-museum-of-carpet www.museumofcarpet.org

Sharp celebration for floorwise

Now available at your local and independent floorwise distributor, the 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Dolphin Knife comes in an exclusive petrol anodised finish, so you can bring some serious style to your tool bag. The one-off finish is matched by a coordinating hard holster to complete the look.

The knife is part of floorwise’s continued celebrations as it marks fourdecades of supplying the flooring trade with high-quality installation products, accessories and tools. The release coincides with special anniversary promotions on its best-selling grippers, profiles, spray adhesives and underlays.

Richard Bailey, managing director, floorwise: “Alongside our attendance at The Flooring Show, a fabulous gala dinner and special promotions on some of our best-selling products, we wanted to mark our 40th year in business with something a little different for our loyal installers. The premium finish on our limited-edition 40th anniversary knife means that no two finishes are the same and they are available now at floorwise distributors across the UK and Ireland.”

The company’s 40th anniversary comes in a year that has seen it continue a long-running record of award-winning success. A winner in the Flooring Innovation Awards with dichloromethane-free F597 spray adhesive and then being voted Best Wholesaler at the Interiors Monthly Awards, demonstrates that floorwise remains true to its founding ethos of great value products available with the exceptional service of independent local distributors.

T 01509 673974 www.floorwise.co.uk

Ship-shape showcase

F. Ball and Co. Ltd. will showcase its range of products for creating flawless flooring installations on board cruise ships at this year’s Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Europe, which takes place at London’s ExCel exhibition centre from 30 November –1 December.

Exported globally, F. Ball’s Maritime Equipment Directive (MED) certified products have been used to install flooring in some of the world’s most prestigious cruise ships, as well as polar exploration vessels, Mediterranean super yachts, New Orleans paddle steamer showboats, and offshore oil rigs.

All of the company’s products for marine applications are tested in accordance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards. These include adhesives for almost every type of decorative floorcovering. Amongst key products is Stopgap 700 Superflex levelling compound, which is recommended for substrates subject to flexing or movement with temperature changes, such as steel decking.

Other solutions help to ensure a long-lasting, aesthetically pleasing flooring finish when subject to conditions typically found in marine environments. For example, F. Ball’s Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound is moisture tolerant and can be applied directly over old adhesives residues as well as steel subfloors. Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS temperature tolerant, pressure sensitive vinyl adhesive forms a waterresistant bond that is able to withstand extreme temperature changes. Together, they can be part of a system for installing floorcoverings in areas exposed to high levels of moisture, such as bathrooms and kitchen and galleys on board vessels.

F. Ball will also use the Cruise Ships Interiors Expo to reinforce the company’s leading credentials in the manufacture of subfloor preparation products, highlighting the continual innovation and development of its products, supported by certification of its manufacturing and quality processes to international standards ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001.

Royal re-think for BGNFS

Commenting on the company’s presence at the show, F. Ball Export Business Manager Jonathan Goold said: “Achieving a perfect finished appearance for the flooring in cruise ships is as important as every other aspect of the internal décor and furniture. In addition, ensuring the flooring maintains its integrity over the lifetime of the installation – both in terms of appearance and safety – is a critical consideration for any marine environment. F. Ball products are developed and exhaustively tested to ensure that both of these benefits can be guaranteed.”

T 01538 361 633 www.f-ball.co.uk

Show from the usual mid-week dates in May to a Sunday/Monday schedule to boost visitor numbers have had to be dropped given the date King Charles has set on May 6 for his coronation and the consequent announcement of a bank holiday on May 8.

Plans to change the 2023

The show will now take place on May 10-11 (Wednesday–Thursday, 9:00am–6:00pm) at the Cranmore Park event venue (pictured left).

Over 60 leading flooring brands will take part and the event is open to members of a buying group who have registered. The BGNFS website is already open for registrations. www.bgnfs.co.uk

Buying Group National Flooring

The popular summer buying group show in Solihull has rescheduled by Royal appointment!

Agility and flexibility – wholesalers are ready to help FLOORING FOCUS

Surviving and thriving in 2023 is going to demand more agility and flexibility across the trade to find the most competitive options to appeal to cost-conscious consumers while maintaining margins within a lower volume of sales.

Wholesalers played a key role during the pandemic in providing new sources of stock as demand soared and the supply side struggled to keep up. Now, with the market turned on its head, the wholesaling sector has a new mission – to give retailers more options for maximum competitiveness in the face of heightened consumer price sensitivity.

The good news is that the UK’s wholesalers are more sophisticated and savvy than ever to meet this need with smart sourcing, high levels of stocking, reliable logistics and own label exclusivity.

Successful business in a tight market is all about reliability and the job of a distributor is to ensure retailers can keep their promises to customers on every one of those hard-won sales.

For Headlam, the headline is “Everyroom”, a new, price-competitive brand which has been launched as a direct response to the cost-ofliving crisis. “Headlam is delighted to be able to offer our customers a new and competitively priced product collection under the exclusive Everyroom brand,” said Chris Payne, Headlam CEO. “Everyroom will help our customers to secure sales, particularly at a time when consumers are more cost-conscious.“

The "Everyroom" brand comprises 15 ranges – 16 carpet and two cushion vinyl – exclusive to Headlam with trade prices from £3.58m2 for rolls and £4.19m2 for cuts.

Kellars are expanding fast and have recently introduced a selection of new carpet products, a whole new LVT range and branded pointof-sale stands at high and low-price points. Expect more in 2023!

The group invests strongly in its own exclusive brands to grow this portfolio including over 300 products in its Centicus, Amphora and Senteos carpet collections; 22 decors of LVT/SPC in its Unico Allora Herringbone, SPC Plank and Rigid-Tile ranges and 11 ranges in the Octavian Vinyl Collection.

Kellars has been building its distribution network to become one of the largest across the UK with warehouse space of over 400,000 ft2 in four depots – Shildon, Stockport, Glasgow and Rugby – and investment in stock, transportation and logistics system to match.

The much higher than usual energy bills expected this winter, and the rampant inflation will be driving consumers to shop around more in the coming months or even completely refrain from spending money on non-essential purchases, like flooring, says Ballister

To help retailers and flooring contractors stay competitive, and to lend a hand in their effort to convince the end users to spend their money with them, Ballister has added F. Ball & Co. Ltd. adhesives and smoothing compounds to their stock portfolio.

Furthermore, Ballister stocks a comprehensive range of private label carpets, carpet tiles, LVT and laminate flooring that give their customers an upper hand when quoting against flooring contractors that only use the national distributors.

Delivering on that promise nationwide needs commitment and investment and fast-growing distributor Likewise has a lot of both going into its logistics network, providing a daily service in most of the UK. The logistics capacity of the Group has increased from 8 million cubic feet to 15 million cubic feet over the last year, from its two national distribution hubs in Leeds and Birmingham, plus distribution centres in Glasgow, Newcastle, Newbury, Sudbury and Peckham. A new distribution hub in Glasgow opens early next year, in addition to a new facility in Sidcup replacing Peckham.

Meanwhile, Likewise is growing its portfolio of products to offer competitive ranges across the widest range of sectors, including established brands like A&A, Bruce Starke, Dandy, H&V, Delta and Lewis Abbot alongside a growing selection of Likewise own brands. “We have become a leading flooring distribution business in the UK. With a scale and scope that means that we can provide retailers with the very best service to back up for their business,” says Likewise CEO Tony Brewer.

Two of the country’s other biggest brands in wholesaling, Headlam and Kellars are powering forward with major business development projects backed by substantial investment.

“Faced with the uncertain times ahead, we believe that the smaller, local wholesalers will be able to maintain their service levels better than the larger ones, and they will prove to be a more dependable partner to flooring retailers in need of flexibility and personalised service,” says Marius Lazar of Ballister

Through a network of independent wholesalers across the UK and Ireland, for the last 40 years floorwise has offered retailers an extraordinary range of quality products backed by the very best in local service.

“Successful business in a tight market is all about reliability and the job of a distributor is to ensure retailers can keep their promises to customers on every one of those hard-won sales.”

Working hard to ensure that its impressive product portfolio meets the needs of retailers looking for quality and value, floorwise leads the way in solutions that provide valuable up-sell opportunities while improving the quality of installations. Retailers have come to rely on the floorwise name as the start of fantastic floors, but also for providing service from a network of distributors that truly understand the needs of its customers.

Richard Bailey, managing director, floorwise: “We are unique in the way in which we operate, a collective effort of members that combines local knowledge and an understanding of customers with products that are specified to deliver retailers exceptional value and great quality. Whether underlay or our new healthier F597 Heavy Duty Spray Adhesive; the floorwise name will always stand for quality and value backed by great service and this is something we are hugely proud of.”

With 25 branches throughout the UK and Ireland, floorwise members are equipped to provide retailers with a service that places reliability above all else, delivering on time with care and attention. It is this that has helped to keep floorwise a constant for 40-years in a changing retail landscape, providing independent retailers with muchneeded security and a confidence in the service which it provides.

STS are a key flooring distributor in the South East which has invested strongly in developing an impressive network of five depots and trade counters in Orpington, Croyden, Hemel Hampsteasd, Basildon and Cambridge.

STS stocks over 6,000 product lines from more than 50 manufacturers and offers a next-day delivery service from stock of all flooring materials and accessories, including luxury vinyl tiles, safety floors, carpet and carpet tiles, hardwood, laminate, and accessories including screeds, adhesives, nosings, underlays, metals and tools.

The latest cloud-based logistics management platform is giving customers access to live delivery tracking and the company’s commitment to the demanding standards of ISO 9001-2015 ensure maximum professionalism and reliability.

“The business ethics of STS have served the test of time and are based on the premise that distributors need, above all else, quality products, immediate service and technical assistance with the personal touch,” says STS MD Ray Colgate. “We continually strive for excellence in all we do – dedicated to meeting the needs of our customers and staff.”

The company’s online loyalty scheme is becoming increasingly popular, with more than 700 customers signed up to earn points which go towards an abundance of rewards.

November uptick in consumer confidence

Consumer confidence data is bad, but not quite as bad for November as last month's historic low.

GfK’s long-running major purchase index has risen by three points to minus 38. This index tracks consumer appetite for "big ticket" items like furniture, flooring and appliances. This time last year, the figure was minus 3.

"This month’s fillip is likely to reflect nothing more than a collective sigh of relief as a new prime minister takes charge following the alarming fiscal antics we saw in September,” says GfK director Joe Staton.

" External factors have changed little and, with UK inflation recently hitting a new high, more bad news is inevitable," he said. "Household budgets remain shrouded in massive uncertainty with fresh jumps in food prices, energy still uncomfortably expensive, the prospect of new interest rate rises pressurising mortgage and rent payments, potential future hikes in council tax and squeezed real pay."

GfK's overall Consumer Confidence Index also rose three points to minus 44 while its forecast for confidence in personal finances over the next 12 months has increased by five points to minus 29 this month – this time last year it was plus 2.

Flooring inflation still rising

Retail price inflation in the flooring sector is still climbing despite some easing in the furniture sector as a whole.

Inflation in the flooring retail sector was expected to stabilise but latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows it has risen nearly 2% from September's figure of 7% to 8.7% for October.

Flooring inflation is almost half that of the furniture sector as a whole, though rising prices in furniture shows a small decline in the latest figures, down to 13.7% for October from over 14% last month.

A large part of flooring inflation is exascerbated by the situation in LVT and vinyl sectors but sustained pressure on raw material costs is now being offset by the rapidly reducing prices for shipping containers, in some cases 25% of the price this time last year, which reduces the cost of imported goods, especially from Asia. This is expected to reduce flooring inflation by next month.

Latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows general inflation has hit 11.1% – a 40-year high.

Carpet imports recover for Q4

The decline in carpets imports into the UK slowed for September and showed the first increase in value for more than four months.

HMRC data compiled by The Furnishing Report showed imports were down 8.9% for September, compared to a fall of 19% in the previous month.

The value of those imports was £79.6m – up nearly 2% on the same time last year and the first rise in imports value since June, though the uplift compared to lower volumes is accounted for by inflationary pressures.

Belgium, usually the biggest exporter to UK, is still performing poorly with volumes down 14% in September, while volumes were up from the Netherlands (+11%) and Turkey (+28%).

Europeans defer flooring spend says Mohawk

Mohawk, the world's biggest flooring company, says the market is under pressure as European consumers "are deferring purchases and trading down."

In a trading statement to investors, Chairman and CEO Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum said: "The high cost of energy has forced European consumers to concentrate on necessities and defer discretionary purchases. The retail sector is reducing inventories, and consumers are trading down in all categories. The weakening markets are making additional price increases more difficult to implement."

He added:. "We expect our businesses to remain under pressure. Residential remodeling drives a majority of our sales, and consumers are deferring purchases and trading down." But in a more hopeful note, Mr Lorberbaum added: "These postponed purchases will increase demand when the economy rebounds and enhance our results."

Mohawk's global sales were up over 3% on its fourth quarter to October 1 but non-US sales were down nearly 5%.

Furniture sector faces squeeze

Confidence has plummeted among furniture manufacturers as the consumer spending squeeze bites, though there is a glimmer of hope on order volumes.

The twice-annual survey by the British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM) reports that rising costs have made a massive impact on margins and more than a quarter (27%) of survey respondents said trading is worse now than 12 months ago, and 64% are not optimistic about the general business situation.

Sean Holt, MD of the BFM, commented: “Across the economy we are seeing the impact of the squeeze on consumer spending and rising costs of materials and labour. “One in five of the respondents to our survey reported that they were either making a loss or were breaking even. The BFM Trade and Price Trends Survey does show there is some hope however. In April, 54% expected a drop in orders, but in the October survey, only 14% reported orders were down,” he said.

Likewise warns on "volatile" consumer spending

Fast growing UK floor coverings distributor, Likewise plc, has warning that profits will fall below expectations due to volatile consumer spending.

In a trading update to shareholders, the group reported organic sales growth of 23% in Q3 and says full year sales will be ahead of forecasts. But profit before tax margins are now expected to be below current expectations, with little growth from 2021, at c.2%.

"Notwithstanding the increase in revenues, it is expected that the Group's profitability will be lower than originally anticipated due to unfavourable market conditions caused by the terrible war in Ukraine, political instability in the UK and a particularly hot summer," said the company's statement.

"Consumer spending is likely to remain volatile and inflationary cost pressures to continue into 2023," it added.

Likewise said Investment in all aspects of the business had driven the revenue growth and created a nationwide platform with a current logistics capacity of 15m ft3. "This provides the opportunity to grow revenues and profitability to achieve the long term aspirations of the Group," said the statement.

Marketing insights

Online, apps and technology

There’s no doubt that sharing inspirational interiors and access to easy to use online tools have taken the stress out of choosing flooring. At the same time, trade portals and estimating tools makes the ordering and fitting process much more efficient for retailers.

Technology is brilliant for showcasing new product imagery and innovative product/laying pattern combinations, and Amtico’s social media platforms and website are bursting with inspirational photography of this kind.

Starting with social media, Amtico’s Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook platforms are ideal for seeing how they, and their professional installers, use different products in various interiors to create sophisticated looks that are just right for the space. It’s easy to follow these social platforms for ideas for different rooms – or simply for flooring designs that stand out as unique.

Amtico’s website features all Wood, Stone and Abstract LVT products, using imagery of product swatches and in-situ photography of the product in various laying patterns. There’s the option to order up to six free samples and brochures to see the product close up, too. Their website also features a Room Visualiser that makes it simple to experiment with different products and laying patterns in virtual rooms or by uploading specific room photos for a more personalised impression.

And technology doesn’t just mean online and apps. The Amtico One showrooms feature an in-store Room Visualiser so that expert teams can advise on different flooring ideas and bring them to life on screen.

“Technology is brilliant for showcasing new product imagery and innovative product/laying pattern combinations, and Amtico’s social media platforms.”

At Alternative, their savvy online tools make choosing flooring enjoyable.

Make Me A Rug is an awardwinning online service that

lets consumers create their own personalised rug from Alternative’s great range of fabulous flooring and brilliant borders. If consumers want to order their rug online, their chosen rug can be delivered to their nearest Alternative Flooring retailer with the Click ‘n’ Collect option.

“Make Me A Rug is an award-winning online service that lets consumers create their own personalised rug from Alternative’s great range of fabulous flooring and brilliant borders.”

Alternative’s Show Me My Room visualiser now works for stairs giving customers confidence in choosing carpet and making a purchase. See how Alternative carpets look in all rooms in your space and on your stairs in just four easy steps.

Simply scan the QR code with your mobile or visit their website. Show Me My Room even includes links to save carpets to a ‘Favourites’ library which will be remembered when consumers access the visualiser, order samples or search for their local Alternative Flooring retailer.

For many years, Karndean Designflooring has been innovating virtual reality apps and user generated content to help customers choose the right floor for their homes.

Stella Coyle, national retail sales manager of Karndean Designflooring, explains the vital role technology plays today, “Technology is helping us design our homes like never before. A host of websites, design tools and apps are available at the touch of a screen, allowing us to visualise a new colour scheme or flooring.

Our Floorstyle designer and visualisation tool allows customers to upload a photo of their room and explore flooring choices including wood, stone, geometric and abstract designs. At a click, they can see the full range of Karndean floors in any space and try out different layout options such as 45 degrees and herringbone. There is also the choice to combine up to three different wood and stone designs to create a truly bespoke look.”

“Technology is helping us design our homes like never before.

A host of websites, design tools and apps are available at the touch of a screen, allowing us to visualise a new colour scheme or flooring.”

Social media is now the go to place for home style inspiration. On its popular Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest channels, Karndean Designflooring features real homes which amply demonstrate the endless style possibilities of its designs. This user generated content is inspiring others to experiment with different flooring patterns and colour combinations, from traditional oak designs in a straight lay to the ever popular herringbone wood floors and bespoke designs using contrasting or complementary designs. Continued on page 36

Technology in today’s flooring sector delivers everything from innovative visualisation apps, and inspiration social platforms, to dedicated trade portals and estimating tools for retailers.

Rita is Director of Bancmarketing Ltd and has over 30 years of marketing experience with a proven track record in both business to business and business to consumer multi-channel marketing.

Alternative, 'Show Me My Room' visualiser

Karndean Designflooring, FloorStyle Design and Visualisation

Amtico's social media platforms in action

Marketing insights

Furlong Flooring has launched an online visualiser tool – Room Viewer – to help customers see what its flooring ranges would look like in their own homes, offices, schools and other buildings.

Room Viewer is designed to allow users to select flooring options, take a picture of their room and see how it would look with the chosen style. The visualiser works across the whole flooring range, covering carpet, hard wood, laminate, vinyl and LVT ranges. The new interactive tool is available on the website and directly from store via QR codes on points-of-sale, taking interested customers directly to see the product of choice displayed in their own location.

“We know that customers love the opportunity to choose their flooring by seeing how it would look in their room,” says Ian Collacott, Sales Director Furlong Flooring. “Building a visualiser tool brings an additional service experience to our retailers and commercial partners as part of their sales processes, as well as enabling end customers to make informed choices about the flooring they want, based on a view that’s as accurate as possible.”

Always a trailblazer when it comes to branding, Associated Weavers brings the Invictus experience onto every desktop or mobile screen via social media. You can stay up-

to-date and follow the official Invictus social media accounts and join their community of over 17,500 Invictus fans! They share the latest product launches, tips and tricks to maintain luxury vinyl flooring, inspiring room shots, behind-the-scenes photos and much more.

We are all encouraged to join the Invictus community and share a photo of our home. To join you simply post an inspiring photograph of your interior on Instagram and use #invictuscarpetflooring and include a link to their profile.

You can go straight to the Invictus room visualiser using their unique QR code - making it ultra-easy for anyone looking for flooring ideas but not sure where to start. A photo of your room can be uploaded with your smartphone, or you can choose a pre-set room and start exploring the many possibilities Invictus Luxury Vinyl Flooring has to offer.

With a host of new features introduced this year, Cormar Carpet Company's successful online Trade Portal is now better than ever, making it the place to go for online trading amongst carpet retailers.

Since its launch in 2011, the portal has gone from strength to strength with over 60% of customers now benefitting from 24/7 access to order processing, live stock checks, order tracking, invoicing, and statements. In the last

12 months, Cormar has focused on improving their Trade Portal, investing over £75,000 towards further enhancements.

Following extensive research amongst portal users to gain insight into the needs and desires of their customers, Cormar have introduced a number of new and highly requested features and improvements throughout the past year, including a brand new after-sales area. The first of its kind in the carpet industry, this feature now allows customers to register ‘fitted’ or ‘non-fitted’ faults, along with consumer details and pictures, to allow for a more streamlined process without unnecessary delays and with the added benefit of time saved for the customer.

Recently debuted at The Flooring Show, Cormar have also introduced a new text delivery notification feature. Another useful service enhancement, this exciting new addition allows customers to receive delivery notifications via text message; further streamlining Cormar’s service and communication with customers.

Cormar are committed to continuing to work with their customers to further enhance user experience and bring useful and exciting new features to their Trade Portal, enabling customers to carry out most of their interactions with Cormar online,

should they choose to do so.

“Always a trailblazer when it comes to branding, Associated Weavers brings the Invictus experience onto every desktop or mobile screen via social media.”

“The first of its kind in the carpet industry, this feature now allows customers to register ‘fitted’ or ‘non-fitted’ faults, along with consumer details and pictures.”

“Building a visualiser tool brings an additional service experience to our retailers and commercial partners as part of their sales processes, as well as enabling customers to make informed choices about the flooring they want.”

Associated Weavers, Invictus Room Visualiser

Cormar Carpet Company, Trade Portal

Furlong Flooring’s Room Viewer

Online, apps and technology continued from page 35

British carpet manufacturer Abingdon Flooring, has boosted its service to retail customers with their trade-only portal, which provides access to real-time stock levels, account management, orders, and progress tracking.

Abingdon’s trade-only portal was designed specifically for its retailer network. Simplifying account management, the secure online platform makes the entire customer relationship management process easier. Featuring real time stock updates and order processing on its Stainfree, Love Story, Royal Wilton, SoftStep and Abingdon Carpet Tile Division brands.

Providing ultimate flexibility, MasterPiece Cloud runs on Android, Ipad, Windows or Mac, to suit both the on-site estimator and in-store operations. As well as being the ‘go to’ software for measuring and planning, MasterPiece supports the selling process towards closure of the sale via costing, emailed estimates, reduced wastage and application of discounts.

MasterPiece is easy to pick up and run with, via a one hour ‘hands-on’ familiarisation over the phone. Once familiar with the core system, additional functions can be added as required.

The ‘Advanced Costing’ module provides further automation of the costing and selling

process, to give consistency among all involved. Minimum charges are applied automatically and rules for HSL charges configured. T&Cs are automatically emailed with the estimate and customer signatures taken on-screen.

Manual planning can be added for extra flexibility: the autoplan result can be manually adjusted and the plan split into a number of cuts.

The LVT estimating module allows borders and stripping to be estimated; it comes with the Amtico, Karndean, Moduleo & Invictus product sets.

For those undertaking insurance work or wishing to give best guidance to fitters, photos can be taken on site and attached to rooms, with associated notes. A diary module is available to schedule fittings and estimator visits, and a useful ‘in-store sales ‘ module is available where no measure or fitting is involved.

For New Build and Commercial/Contracts specialists, Windows MasterPiece offers the ability to import PDF floor plans, autoplanning to multiple whole rolls, plus multiple permutations of what rooms will be in which material.

Live stock updates allow consumers to make an informed choice about their carpet or cushion vinyl flooring, allowing retailers to manage availability expectations at the point of sale. A simple to use filter or search field makes it easy to find the right style, with stock levels available on all width options. This includes the ability for retailers to request cut lengths or full carpet rolls. The portal also allows orders to be placed and progress of orders to be checked, again helping retailers to manage customer relationships throughout the entire buying process. Ensuring that its customers stay closely connected to account management is a key priority for Abingdon Flooring.

“MasterPiece is easy to pick up and run with, via a one hour ‘hands-on’ familiarisation over the phone. Once familiar with the core system, additional functions can be added as required.”

Top dog for animal hospital

F. Ball and Co. Ltd.’s Stopgap Fill and Prime thixotropic primer and Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound, have delivered a fasttrack solution for installing floorcoverings in one of the largest small-animal referral hospitals in Europe.

Contractors from Veatu Flooring, based in Colchester, installed vinyl safety flooring and luxury vinyl tiles throughout a total area of 1100m2 at Southfields Veterinary Centre, in Basildon, Essex.

Requiring a timesaving solution for working over chipboard as an alternative to overboarding with plywood, the contractors contacted their regional F. Ball technical representative, who advised preparing subfloors with Stopgap Fill and Prime prior to the application of a levelling compound. Stopgap Fill and Prime is a cement-based primer that is designed for use over raised-access panels and flooring grades of plywood, chipboard, MDF and oriented strand board (OSB 3). It has a thixotropic consistency, meaning that it flows freely when stirred but sets to a gel-like consistency on standing, enabling it to fill gaps between panels to prevent imperfections transferring to the finished installation.

F. Ball’s Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound was then applied in all areas to create a perfectly smooth base for floorcoverings. The product is fastsetting and fast-drying and can also be applied over old adhesive residues, in which case there is no need to prime subfloors beforehand.

Polyflor vinyl safety flooring was installed in the treatment rooms using F. Ball’s Styccobond F44 solvent-free acrylic emulsion adhesive –designed to give a strong initial tack, high bond strength and a long open time.

In the canteen, Forbo Allura Flex Wood luxury vinyl tiles were adhered using Styccobond F46 pressure sensitive adhesive, which provides instant grab, preventing floorcoverings from sliding as tiles or planks are subsequently placed. Styccobond F46 was also used to secure Polyflor vinyl safety flooring in the corridors connecting the treatment rooms. Capping and coving were installed in the corridors using F. Ball’s Styccobond F60 contact adhesive. The formation of an instant bond makes it suitable for securing floor and wallcoverings on vertical surfaces.

Commenting on the project, Ben Montgomery, head of projects at Veatu Flooring, said: “While we use a lot of F. Ball products and they're our first choice because of their quality and availability, it’s the first time we’ve used the tech rep service. They came out and provided a tailored specification for the project we were working on, which ended up saving us a lot of time and expense.”

Before any floor preparation work was carried out a moisture test was conducted, which determined that subfloor moisture levels were low enough that a moisture management solution was not needed. T 01538 361 633 www.f-ball.com

Online adverts excel

The Carpet Foundation's online consumer campaign has powered ahead in Q4 with high levels of responses suggesting there is still a good level of demand among consumers.

The third burst of online advertising has just finished and the results were very encouraging. For the 5 week period October 1th – November 11th, the Foundation website saw visitor numbers increase by 225% on the same period in 2021.

The campaign of distinctive website banner adverts which appeared across the online platforms of homesandgardens.com, idealhome.com livingers.com and real homes.com, yielded 4,340 responses.

Commenting on the results, the Foundation's Rupert Anton said: “Our toe in the water with online advertising has exceeded all expectations and has proved that it is a highly cost-effective and powerful tool.

"This latest burst, our longest to date, suggests that there is still pent-up demand and it is interesting, although perhaps not surprising, that of the 4,340 responses, 4,322 were new users, illustrating categorically that people don’t go on to carpet sites unless they are ‘in the market’ for carpet or certainly ‘in the funnel’," he said.

The Foundation's success means that it is already planning for a 2023 campaign, "subject to market conditions," it says.

www.carpetfoundation.com

We’ve selected the very best photos from our editorial pages over the last year which demonstrate that style, quality and creativity is alive and well in the flooring industry.

Associated Weavers • Sedna Sedna carpet is soft, luxurious and durable. It is made with ECONYL®, a yarn made from recycled waste material such as old carpets and abandoned fishing nets, helping to save sea creatures from this lifethreatening waste. Sedna has an ECO FusionBac textile back, made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles.

Associated Weavers • Gaia, Dorado

Gaia is a brilliant carpet with a natural touch, Its excellent colour fastness, rich lustre and the silky touch of 100% virgin pile material will certainly enrich any home. And no maintenance issues whatsoever – Gaia carpet is bleach cleanable. Moreover, Gaia carpet has an ECO FusionBac textile backing made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles.

This quality has been in the Lano range for as long as we can remember, making it an established name and trade classic in the carpet industry. The colours of the new Heatherwist, available in 40oz & 50oz, are aligned with the contemporary classic interior design trends. www.lano.com • T 00800 5266 5266

Lano • Heathertwist Supreme & Elite

When Lano named the new quality Fascination at the time, they could not have thought of a better name for this pioneer of softer carpet qualities, and are delighted that the quality has lost none of its success to this day. The latest revamp continues to fascinate people, both in colour and quality.

www.lano.com • T 00800 5266 5266

Lano • Fascination

Manx Tomkinson • Seasonal Views

The Wool Britannia Yarn has been sourced exclusively from England, Northern Ireland Scotland and Wales, making it truly British. Available in 16 colours all inspired by the seasonal views across our nation. Our new, heavier weight Seasonal Views, Seasonal Views Supreme still made from 100% British Wool, Wool Britannia.

Alternative • Quirky Tartan

A new tartan by Alternative with Sophie Anne Campbell from The Glasgow School of Art. Her fresh spin on this classic is now part of the Quirky collection of patterned carpet, rugs, and runners. Available in six colourways, the names are inspired by Scottish poet Robert Burns This tartan proudly has the British Wool Certification and champions wool as a wonder natural fibre and sustainable textile.

Hugh Mackay • Custom Made Axminster Hugh Mackay specialise in custom made Axminster carpet, with a minimum order quantity of 4m x 5m. This is a recent installation using the Elegance colour palette, in a giant, monochrome, herringbone design. This service allows the end user to create their own flooring masterpiece!

Cavalier Carpets • Pennine Heathers

FLOORING FACTSHEET ADHESIVES

SELECTION CHECKLIST

The criteria to select an adhesive will cover the following points.

Larger manufacturers offer detailed guides to select the correct adhesive – even indexing floor manufacturer’s products by name to ensure an accurate match. For accurate and up-to-date information consult the F. Ball Recommended Adhesives Guide.

Open Time:

The time you have to fit the flooring into the adhesive after which the bond will no longer be ideal. The time until the floor may be walked on should be checked.

Odour:

Low odour, solvent-free and low VOC products are increasingly favoured and now have the same performance characteristics of older products.

Coverage: How thick and how far can the adhesive be spread.

Application Method:

Different adhesives may be applied by roller, trowel or spray.

Strength:

Including how quickly the adhesive will “grab” the floor covering and its strength when fully cured.

Underfloor Heating:

A lot of modern adhesives are suitable for use with underfloor heating but this criteria must be checked where appropriate.

To find out more visit f-ball.com/training

Subfloor:

What surface will the adhesive stick to most effectively including concrete, sand cement screeds, levelling compounds, plywood and chipboard.

While there are multi-purpose adhesives, specialist products will be better suited to certain surfaces.

The porosity of the floor is a key determinant of the type of adhesive to be used and its performance during installation.

Special Performance:

Certain adhesives are more suitable for damp, humid or high temperature environments.

Air Quality and the Environment:

The old wisdom that the more it smells, the better it sticks is no longer acceptable to modern consumers and solvent-based products are increasingly replaced by water-based adhesives.

Acrylic/Resin: Ideal for plasticised PVC and most modern flooring.

Bitumen: A tar-like material, bitumen has a high degree of moisture resistance and is used for damp-proof membranes and installing tiles, wood blocks and mosaics.

Epoxy Resin: A two-part chemical curing system that is used in aggressive environments such as conservatories, wet rooms, commercial kitchens and exterior installations.

Polyurethane: An adhesive with rapid bonding characteristics, typically used for wood floors.

Polyvinyl Acetate: Typically used for close fitting joints in timber, laminate floors and panels.

Tackifier: An adhesive for carpet designed to increase the tackiness – or the tack range –of an adhesive.

Water-based Adhesive: Many different types of adhesives now use water as their carrier to avoid odours and flammability issues which are common with chemical solvents.

Flooring factsheet

Carpet trouble-shooter

Colour matching

Carpets are produced in batches - known as creels - and usually each batch produces between 500m2 - 3000m2 in a single width, depending on the creel size. Whilst the recipe used by the dyer remains constant, and is followed to the letter, in each separate production the colour reproduction will vary from batch to batch. However production is matched back to the original or master sample to ensure that the colour remains ‘within a commercial toleranc e’.

This process if not an exact science and a commercial tolerance is subjective but nevertheless is usually the professional judgement of the head dyer based on his/her experience.

A greater level of tolerance is required on blended colours (Heathers etc). To ensure perfect colour matching it is advisable that a single width be used in any installation requiring exact colour matching.

N.B. Carpets which are laid with the pile travelling in different directions, even though they be from the same batch will appear not to match. For further information please check with the manufacturers recommendations.

Sprouting

Occasionally an odd tuft or two can work its way to the surface and stand proud of the rest of the pile. This is probably due to one end of the tuft being longer than the other i.e. J shaped tuft instead of V shaped. Remedial action merely requires that the offending tufts be scissor trimmed level with the rest of the pile. They should never be pulled out.

• shedding • pulled loops

Fading on Wool

Carpets made from wool can and do fade in use. The degree of fade can vary depending on the colour chosen and the local conditions to which the carpet is subjected.

Fading can be caused by exposure to ultra violet light which is found in daylight, but is accelerated when sunlight shines directly onto the carpet. This has the effect of lightening or “Bleaching” the colour just as exposure to sunlight will lighten human hair. Wool is after all animal hair.

Protection should be given to carpets exposed to such conditions just as you would protect other furniture or fabrics.

A complaint on fading would be considered justified if it failed to meet the required shade standard when tested to the British Standard BS1006 (1990).

Soiling

Soiling is usually the result of some local condition to which the carpet has been subjected to, or maintenance, or lack of maintenance programme. There is nothing we as manufacturers can do to prevent soiling in use. There are several types of soiling which are quite common: Spillages - Liquids such as soft drinks, cordials or any drink which contains sugar, particularly hot drinks, is likely to leave a stain. In such instances, professional help should be sought.

Shampoo - if incorrectly applied, can leave sticky soap residues in the fibres which can result in the soiling reappearing quite rapidly.

Dust - which is carried on draughts can soil carpets in various ways, apart from the obvious soiled edges, at gaping skirting boards for instance, dark lines appearing on surface might suggest airborne dust vacuum-drawn through poorly fitted floorboards. Sometimes the shape of floorboards can be seen quite clearly. Air borne dust sometimes shows itself as spots on the carpet, this is due to the air carried on a draught under the carpet escaping through minute holes both in the underlay and the carpet, leaving dust deposited on the pile much like a filter action. In such installations, the use of a lining paper is essential as a preventative measure.

It is the responsibility of the retailer to advise the consumer when the carpet is measured of any poorly fitting doors, skirtings, or floorboards and the consumers responsibility to ensure any remedial work to seal draughts, is carried out before the carpet is fitted, if a resulting complaint is to be avoided.

Static

Carpets do not produce static but like other household fabrics and objects have the capacity to store it. Static is caused by the build up of static electricity upon personnel in a dry environment and is discharged when a person makes contact with an object which can conduct electricity (i.e. door handle or filing cabinets, etc).

The static charges will vary in intensity depending upon the individual, air humidity and the contact materials. Static is more usually associated with synthetic materials as they do not retain moisture very well but it can and does occur with wool in very dry room conditions.

Preventative measures include the introduction of moisture into the room or in situ carpet treatment.

Flattening

Flattening will occur as a result of traffic which eventually flattens the pile particularly in the main areas of use.

All pile fabrics will flatten to greater or lesser degree dependant on the amount of traffic to which it is subjected and the construction (tuft density/pile fibre/height/weight) of the product concerned.

Shading

Shading occurs because the pile of the carpet has become crushed, flattened or brushed in a different direction to the natural lie of the pile whilst in situ. This causes light reflection at differing angles resulting in the creation of light and dark patches on the carpet. This will occur on all pile fabrics but can be more noticeable on plainer carpets because the shadows created by pile pressure will not be disguised by a heavy pattern or design.

Pile Reversal

Like shading, this occurs when the pile or nap of the carpet changes direction and thus reflects light at different angles showing the effects of shading which can become permanent. It is also described as ‘watermarking’. This can happen to every carpet construction be it Axminster, Wilton, Tufted, Hand Woven, Persian, Chinese, Indian or even Coir Matting. Like shading it can be more apparent on plain carpet because heavy patterns can disguise the effects. It can occur quite quickly after installation. A tremendous amount of research has been carried out over many years by many institutes to determine the cause of this phenomenon but none of it has proved conclusive.

There is no commonly known manufacturing process which can cause or cure this phenomenon and therefore it is not a manufacturing fault. For further information please check with individual manufacturers recommendations.

Shedding

All cut pile carpets will lose short fibre, which is created during production when spun yarn is cut for tuft formation. These fibres fall onto the surface of the pile and appear as ‘fluff’. The effect varies with yarn type and may be removed without detrimental effect upon the carpet by vacuum cleaning. This excess fibre is only a small fraction of the total fibre contained in the carpet.

Indentations

When a carpet is subjected to a heavy point load, such as under the legs of furniture, it is unreasonable to expect the carpet not to indent. Usually, the longer the load is in place, the longer will be the time for the pile to recover. In the case of very heavy loads in place for a considerable time, the recovery time can be very considerable.

It must be remembered that it is not only the pile of the carpet that becomes indented. The underlay will also indent and the backing of the carpet may also distort into the indentation in the underlay. Some underlay’s will recover well and some less well depending upon their composition, thickness, density etc. The use of cups below furniture legs can spread the load and the net result is a larger area of less deeply indented carpet. The ability of a carpet to recover from a heavy static load can be measured in the laboratory, using the test method described in BS 4939 and many manufacturers will have data on this aspect of carpet performance. In this test the carpet is loaded for 24 hours and the degree of recovery is measured after 1 hour and 24 hours. Since there are so many different underlay’s however, it is very rare for the recovery from a heavy static load to be evaluated on carpet and underlay.

Often normal maintenance (vacuum cleaning with a rotating brush machine) will speed up recovery but in the case of serious indentations the use of an iron and damp cloth or a steam iron together with a blunt darning needle to carefully tease up the pile can be beneficial. Care must be take not to over wet the carpet, of course.

Pulling Loops

Pulled loops occur only in looped pile carpet where one or more loops in the continuous pile is pulled through the primary backing of the carpet. This is usually due to some local condition, possibly some sharp object which has caught in a loop in situ and has resulted in a pull. Pulled loops are easily dealt with by trimming the offending end level with the rest of the pile. They should not be left as this could result in further loops being pulled and developing into a ladder.

Samples

The samples held by individual retailers may not be from the same batch as current production and therefore should be used as a guide and not an exact colour match.

Installation

soiling

This information is given by responsible manufacturers to help you help your customer to make an informed choice.

The original carpet tile

Flooring factsheet

LVT Supplier Directory

Abingdon SoftStep info@abingdonflooring.co.uk 01274 655 694 www.abingdonflooring.co.uk

Adoretouch +1.631.843.0900 www.adorefloors.com

Alsapan g.folkes@alsapan.com 03 88 59 29 89 www.alsapan.com

Altro enquiries@altro.com 01462 489 516 www.altro.co.uk

Amtico info@amtico.com 0121 745 0800 www.amtico.com

Aspecta +31 (0) 88 1662500 www.aspectaflooring.com

Avenue Floors info@avenuefloors.co.uk www.avenuefloors.co.uk Beauflor sales@beauflor.com +32 56 67 66 11 www.beauflor.com

Brampton Chase support@bramptonchase.co.uk 01604 664855 www.bramptonchase.co.uk

Earthwerks saleseurope@earthwerks.com 0800 689 1657 www.earthwerks.eu.com

Forbo Flooring info.flooring.uk@forbo.com 01773 744 121 www.forbo.com

Furlong enquiries@furlongflooring.com 01772 316155 www.furlongflooring.co.uk

Harvey Maria info@harveymaria.com 0330 330 1231 www.harveymaria.com

Interface interface.uk@interface.com 0800 313 4465 www.interface.com

Invictus Info@invictus.co.uk 01422 431100 www.invictus.co.uk/lvt

IVC – Moduleo + Leoline www.ivcgroup.com

Kährs UK sales@kahrs.com 023 9245 3045 www.kahrs.com

Karndean Designflooring 01386 820100 www.karndean.com

Kellars sales@kellars.co.uk 0161 443 0970 www.kellars.co.uk

Kraus sales@qep.com 01283 245430 www.krausflooring.co.uk

If you would like to be included in this section or upgrade your listing, please contact Diane Martin on +44 (0)1482 659396 or email diane@mayvillepublishing.co.uk

Lifestyle Floors info@lifestyle-floors.co.uk 01827 831448 www.lifestyle-floors.co.uk

Leoline info@leoline.co.uk 0800 032 3970 www.leoline.co.uk

Moduleo salesuk@moduleo.com 01332 851500 www.moduleo.co.uk

Polyflor info@polyflor.com 0161 767 1111 www.polyflor.com

Tarkett communication@tarkett.com 01622 854040 www.tarkett.com

Quick-Step 08448 118 288 www.quick-step.co.uk

Victoria Design Floors (Distinctive Flooring/Universal Flooring) info@myvictoria.co.uk 01562 749300 www.myvictoria.co.uk

Wineo info@wineo.de +49 (0) 5237 6090 www.en.wineo.de Westex info@westexflooring.co.uk 01274 861334 www.westexflooring.com

Landscape Parquet by Victoria Design Floors

Victorian Treasure by Invictus

Van Gogh Classic Oak by Karndean Designflooring Studio Designs by Brampton Chase

Flooring factsheet

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl is a fast growing sector of the flooring market due to its durability at relatively low cost and huge range of designs available. Sheet vinyl and cushion floor by the roll are popular but the sector is dominated by LVT. In reality, most of the products sold today are “LVP”, Luxury Vinyl Planks, as wood decors are more popular than ceramics and stone but the term LVT is still used to cover the whole non-sheet market.

Benefits

• Huge choice in terms of decors across wood, ceramic, stone and geometric designs

• Impressive realism – not just in the design but infinishing techniques that allow for wood knots you can feel, tiles you can grout, etc. See appearance options.

• Excellent performance in durability for high traffic areas, scratch resistance and cleanability. Vinyl also tends to be much more nonslip than natural materials. Some products are water resistant for bathrooms and kitchens.

• Warm and soft to touch compared to ceramic and stone floors - and a good heat insulator anyhow, and suitable for use with underfloor heating systems.

• Sound reduction – vinyl has neglible impact sound compared to the tap/click of laminate and transmits less sound and vibration compared to solid floor.

• Considerably cheaper than the ‘real’ thing – both to buy and to fit – and tile/plank approach minimises wastage.

Installation

Installation preparation

Vinyl requires a dry, sound, level subfloor as the relative thinness of vinyl and its light reflection performance will quickly reveal imperfections after installation as well as cause potential wear issues.

Exisitng wooden/MDF floors may need a plywood underlay up to 6mm thick and then the joints will need to be skimmed or taped. Non-wood sub-floors will need a self-levelling screed to be laid to ensure a suitable base for the floor. A damp-proof membrane may be required depending on sub-floor moisture levels.

However, new rigid core products are less flexible and can be laid more easily over existing floors – see Construction.

Product options

• Dry back – a sheet or tile that needs to be fixed to the sub-floor using an adhesive.

• Self-adhesive – tiles with a peel-off backing paper to stick to the sub-floor. Some tiles have adhesive overlaps to stick to each other rather than the sub-floor.

• Loose lay vinyl – tiles that simply drop onto the floor and rely on a high friction backing to keep them in place – they demand a very sound, level sub-floor but are the easiset type of tile to lay or replace.

• Click – tiles that have a mechanical jointing system to attach to one another (like a locked tongue and groove system) and ‘float’ on the sub-floor without being glued down. There are many proprietary versions of the click system which offer fast, clean installation and stability.

Appearance options

Vinyl tiles and planks cover a hugh variety of sizes and shapes and can be mix-and-matched to achieve an infinite number of designs. Current fashions include extra wide and long planks for wood through to very small planks for wood. Border effects can be easy to achieve in LVT.

Other notable options include:

• Embossed – this is where the top clear layer of the tile has been embossed to create a realistic texture that matches the style of the stone of wood decor. Registered embossed is the most authentic –the texture matches the design so that, for example, a wood knot or hand-scraped element in the wood design can be felt on the surface of the flooring.

• Grouting and grooving – vinyl tiles can be laid with grouting inlay strips or beads of vinyl for addewd realism – and there are acrylic grouts that can be applied. In wood decors, planks are available with v-grooves or bevelled edges between planks for added realism.

LVT construction

www.bramptonchase.co.uk

www.invictus.co.uk www.karndean.com www.krausflooring.co.uk

www.myvictoria.co.uk

Top coating – A polyurethane or aluminium oxide coating provides protection against scratches and stains and gives enhances anti-slip.

Wear layer – This is a key layer - determining the performance and resilience of the product. A 0.3mm (12 mil) wear layer is a good for heavy wear areas. Commercial installations need 0.5mm wear layers or above with 0.7mm at the top end. The wear warranties and guarantees carried by products will be based on this thickness.

Decor layer – This is the decor itself - in essence it is a paper- or filmbased photographic inkjet print. (A few LVT floors have the image printed directly to the surface of the floor but this implies less image definition and different wear characteristics.)

PVC and fibre glass layers – The construction ‘sandwich’ can vary between products but a combination of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) layers for strength and flexibility and fibre glass layers for structural stability may be used. Any click-system profile will be incorporated into these layers. Products often use a combination of recycled vinyl which is cheaper and virgin PVC which lasts longer and is more stable.

Rigid core LVT has a solid, less flexible PVC layer with maximum stability which means it can be laid over exisiting, less even flooring without showing imperfections and therefore avoiding wear problems.

Base (or backing) layer – The final high density PVC layer varies according to the installation requirement and is designed for taking adhesive or as an ‘underlay’ for loose-lay and click installations.

Sustainable underlay Flooring factsheet

Interfloor ‘Says NO to Waste’ Eco-friendly underlay

renu® is a game changer. Interfloor’s new underlay meets the concerns of our modern world in reducing waste and being environmentally sustainable.

It’s made by bringing together raw materials that we save from going to landfill with some that have a positive effect on the environment.

renu® is a sustainable, recycled carpet underlay and is without question the most sustainable underlay in Interfloor’s long history.

We have used post-consumer waste, car tyres and plastic bottles in the manufacture of our underlay for many years. But with renu® we have gone even further responding to the aspiration for a fully sustainable product. It’s made from 98% recycled materials, using ethically sourced and genuinely recycled materials, which means keeping waste from going to landfill and is 100% recyclable itself!

The main body of the underlay is made of foam reclaimed from recycled soft furnishings, this foam is them mixed with a binding agent and subjected to high temperature steam under high pressure. The backing is made from 100% recycled and unbleached paper and we use vegetable-based inks for printing. The facing film is made from an ethically produced, carbonnegative bio-based film made from sugar cane. The sugar cane actively captures CO2 from the atmosphere whilst at the same time releasing oxygen – making this material not just green, but proactively green.

Let’s not forget, the point of underlay is that it feels great and prolongs the life of a new carpet and renu®, being made from highdensity foam and with a thickness of 9mm, is suitable for all areas of the home.

renu® stockists will be included in the online stockist locator on the Interfloor website.

For more information visit www.interfloor.com/renu

Flooring factsheet

Underlay

In a tight market for margins, underlay for carpet and hard flooring offers retailers one of the best opportunities to add value to every sale – with good profitability, trade-up potential once benefits are understood and high customer satisfaction levels.

The Carpet Foundation and its Consumer Code of Practice approved by the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) recommend that new carpet underlay is bought with every new carpet.

Many consumers are now aware of the benefits of underlay but more needs to be done to provide information about the different types available and their suitability for different areas of the home.

Setting up in-store demonstrations so customers can walk on samples with different grades of underlay and feel the difference has shown excellent results. Some manufacturers offer point-of-sale units and foot testers.

Benefits

Good underlay will...

• Improve underfoot comfort

• Increase appearance retention, reducing flattening

• Absorb the pressure of foot traffic and reduce wear

• Improve thermal insulation and warmth

• Increase sound insulation

• Smooth out sub-floor imperfections

• Last the lifetime of the carpet

Poor or old underlay will...

• Feel hard and unwelcoming

• Reduce carpet life

• Cause wrinkling and premature wear spots

• Cause carpet fibres to break down more quickly

• Not meet British Standards

How thick?

A maximum of 12mm is recommended (working with gripper will be difficult thereafter) but rooms with heavy traffic will need a thinner, denser pad. The combination of thickness and density is all important as a thick underlay with low density may not perform well. Typically, the thicker the underlay, the better quality it will need to be – 11mm is often used for luxury installations with 9mm and 7mm the common domestic thickness.

Types

PU (polyurethane) foam • This is now the market’s most popular underlay and is typically made from recycled foam offcuts. The foam provides excellent comfort and performance levels with lots of thickness options and densities and provides great insulation – and its light weight helps handling.

Sponge rubber • A more traditionally manufactured underlay available in flat or waffle patterns in a wide range of weights for different applications. It performs well for comfort and has a durable spring retention.

Crumb rubber • Flat and dense, crumb rubber is good for heavy footfall – offering maximum protection but a little less comfort (and very good over stair nosings).

Laminate underlay • There’s still an opportunity to sell underlay with laminate flooring, improving the acoustic performance of the floor and helping the boards float above any imperfections in the sub-floor.

Combination • A rubber crumb base with a felt top layer offers a good combination of protection, durability and comfort. It also allows carpet with seaming to bed into the top felt.

Underfloor heating underlay • Always ask if there is underfloor heating. Most manufacturers offer specialised products. Underlay and carpet with a combined tog rating of 2.5 can be used – which means the underlay would normally have a tog rating of 1.0.

Felt • This traditional (but environmentally friendly) undelay is made from recycled fibres – wool, jute and synthetic – to create a firm, dense pad with excellent thermal insulation. Still a very popular choice among contractors when stretch fitting woven carpets.

Pre-tackified underlay • A self-adhesive single stick underlay in both needlefelt and PU. A removable system for heavy use when comfort is desired.

Underlayment for LVT • This provides a smooth surface on which you can glue down immediately. If there is a time or acoustic issue or a problematic underfloor, a stable, smooth dual underlay system will provide the best solution.

www.interfloor.com

www.floorwise.co.uk

www.carpenterunderlay.co.uk

CLASSIC

www.unifloor.nl

www.underlay.com

www.wilsons-carpet-underlays.co.uk

Sponge rubber Crumb

Combination

PU foam

Flooring factsheet Buying Groups

Buying groups have been a highly successful feature of the floor retailing scene in the last decade or so, giving independents the extra edge they need to compete effectively with the retail park chains.

More than 1000 retailers are now members of one of the several buying groups which operate in our sector and the numbers are slowly, but steadily growing.

While the benefits of bulk buying power are self-evident, the resistance to the buying group concept among nonmembers appears to be centred on fears of surrendering some control to a committee – and most particularly compromising long-established relationships and negotiated terms with current suppliers.

The bottom line is the bottom line. A retailer selling across a broad range of products is likely to improve margins within a buying group – but you don’t need a leap of faith to join up. Ask the buying groups for answers...

How to decide whether to join a buying group

– and which one…

• Evaluate all buying groups as they all work differently

• Talk to the main marketing contact and/or a member of the committee

Why join?

• Get a list of members and call up two or three for a ‘real-world’ view

• Establish your territorial exclusivity – where’s the next nearest member of each buying group

• Ensure you understand the financial arrangements, any fees that would relate to your membership, how the bills are paid and whether your fees are refundable if it doesn’t work out. Ask the buying group for a consultation to estimate your potential savings

• Review all the extra benefits and services to see what you would actually use

• Check out the product ranges offered including the own-label options and the UK/European mix

• Ensure you understand any rules that may limit your flexibility to run your business the way you want

Key benefits

Pick the right one Increase margins

•

One of the key reasons to join a buying group is to benefit from the discounts they negotiate as a bulk buyer from manufacturers. The way discounts and rebates are passed on to members varies between groups so make sure it’s absolutely clear how this will be done. You’ll need to work out how this compares with discounts you have already negotiated locally with preferred suppliers.

Access professional services

• Business and financial services

• IT and internet support

• Training and workshops

• Professional bodies

Some buying groups offer an excellent range of other services which may be valuable to your business.

Financial services include invoice factoring, credit, loans and insurance. Some of the more sophisticated groups offering marketing packages, software systems to help you run your business operations and customised websites ready to use. Relationships with professional and training organisations can also offer discounts.

Increase sales

• Best of both worlds’ proposition

• Wider ranges and exclusive products

• POS, displays and merchandising support

Your customers will like the proposition that you are independent but with the buying power of a group –this gives them (and you) the ‘best of both worlds’ with personal service and competitive pricing. Most groups will also offer you ‘own label’ ranges and support with pointof-sale, merchandising and displays. Central stockholding may also be on offer.

Network with other independents

• Members-only exhibitions with preferred manufacturers

• Regular meetings and supplier presentations

• Regional workshops

• Helpline

A lot of retailers enjoy the buying group environment of being independent but not alone out there on the High Street. Groups hold regular meetings and some have their own trade shows, regional meetings and workshops to help you develop your business. The network gives you someone to call when you need advice on, for example, an unusual installation, a technical consumer complaint, legal issue or business dilemma.

www.greendalecarpets.co.uk Contact: Rob Harding Tel: 01432 852000 Fax: 01432 852005 rharding@greendalecarpets.co.uk

Metro Group www.carpet1st.co.uk Contact: Jill Coward Tel: 01204 393539 jillcoward@carpet1st.co.uk

www.smg-group.co.uk Contact: Mike Reed Tel: 0118 932 3832 info@smg-group.co.uk

Associated Carpet Group www.acgcarpets.com

Contact: Jon Richardson Tel: 01942 825520 jon@acgcarpets.com

www.beautifulflooring.co.uk

Contact: Carl Harris Tel: 01892 549050 charris31@sky.com

www.flooringone.co.uk Peter Karra Tel: 0121 683 1426 peter.karra@flooringone.co.uk

THE STOCKLISTS Feburary 2022

Flooring factsheet Carpet types

Tufted

With advances in manufacturing technology, 95% of all carpet produced today is tufted. It takes about an hour to make a roll of carpet that might take eight hours to weave. To make tufted carpet, hundreds of yarn-threaded needles are pushed through the primary backing fabric to form loops or tufts, which may be left as is or cut. A heavy adhesive coating is applied to hold the tufts in place and a secondary backing is usually glued on for strength and stability. A wide variety of styles and textures can then be created using various techniques.

LOOP PILE

Berber Berber carpets look like and are named after a handmade, bulky wool carpet made by the Berber tribes of North Africa and Asia. The loops are made from thick or bulky yarns of wool, nylon, polypropylene or a blend of these fibres to give a cushioned effect underfoot. These carpets are available in an assortment of colours and may be flecked and can be either level loop or multilevel loop.

Level loop When all the loops are of the same height, a highly flexible and durable carpet is created which has a natural, casual appearance even when (commonly) it is made from synthetic fibres. The tight loop texture tends to hide marks so it’s a good blend between luxury and practicality.

Multi-level loop The loops vary to two or sometimes three loop heights to create informal, random textures which are very forgiving for marks and stains and therefore very suitable for high traffic areas and busy family rooms.

BONDED

Bonded carpets (sometimes called ‘fibre-bonded’ or ‘fusion bonded’) are created by firing fibres into an adhesive material – the fibres are not stitched into the backing in any way. The technique is principally used for commercial carpet tiles.

CUT PILE

Freize Frieze or frisée (pronounced freesay) carpets are similar to saxony, but the yarns are more tightly twisted and should always be heat set. They have a dense, low pile surface which creates a coarse, pebbly texture. Frieze carpets are very durable and hide footprints, dust and dirt, which makes them suitable for heavy traffic areas.

Saxony Saxony textures are made of twisted yarns, which should be heat set. The tips remain very distinct, rather than blending together to form a very elegant finish. Saxony textures show footprints and vacuum marks so are suitable for more occasional rooms in the home. More textured variations improve the practicality of saxonies.

Twist The popular twist carpet is the cut-pile standard. The yarn is tightly twisted and often heatset to retain this feature and the result is a versatile, textured finish that is ideal for plain colours.

Velvet Velvet textures (sometimes called ‘velour’ or ‘plush’) all have a level surface pile of approx 5mm to 10mm height, which is then sheared to give a smooth finish. With very little twist in the yarn, the ends blend together which then further enhances the overall finish. These carpets tend to ‘shade’ with heavy use. Footprints show easily and the colour looks different from place to place because fibres lying in different directions reflect the light differently. A luxury for occasional rooms.

CUT AND LOOP

When some of the pile is cut and other left as loop, a variety of surface textures and patterns can be created (in a variety of colours). The multi-level surface is excellent for hiding footprints and stains so cut and loop is good for high traffic areas and general purpose rooms in the home.

Shag pile Shag pile has varied in popularity. The pile is up to 50mm long and the texture is casual and loose but the surface can flatten easily and may lack durability.

Woven

Woven carpet may be in a tiny minority of today’s production but still produces some of the finest carpets which are used for prestigious installations.

Axminster

The pile of the carpet is inserted into the backing as it is woven and cut to length, creating U-shaped tufts to give a velvety surface. The process locks in the fibre to create a carpet of high durability and performance retention as well as a luxury feel. The process allows for intricate designs and colours to be used – although modern trends mean that the traditional patterned axminster has given way to current fashion trends for plain carpets.

Wilton

Wilton woven carpets are produced in a similar way to axminsters – the principal difference being that a continuous fibre is woven all the way through. The carpet can be sheared to create a range of cut and loop textured effects. The result is a high quality carpet of unrivalled durability.

Flat weave

Manufactured in the same way as wilton, flat weave is a loop pile which allows the yarn to be woven across a wider area to created a flatter, more textured effect.

The Stocklists

Wholesale Distribution Directory

NATIONAL

Fells Carpets

Leeds - see page 18 0113 3071900 carl.cummings@fellscarpets.co.uk www.fellscarpets.co.uk

TCS “The Carpet Specialists” Morecambe 01524 840177 info@tcsthecarpetspecialists.com www.tcsthecarpetspecialists.com

Xylo Wood Flooring London 020 8368 8122 infouk@xyloflooring.com www.xyloflooring.com

NORTH WEST

A&A Carpets Manchester 01204 701188 sales@aandacarpets.co.uk www.aandacarpets.co.uk

Hathaway Flooring Manchester - see page 19 and Floorwise page 89

Fells Carpets

Goole - see page 18 0113 3071900 carl.cummings@fellscarpets.co.uk www.fellscarpets.co.uk

Kellars Limited Manchester 0161 443 0970 sales@kellars.co.uk

Lakes Flooring Supplies Kendal - see Floorwise page 66

Millbrook Carpets Darwen 01254 703999 millbrookcarpets@live.co.uk

Preston Underlay Centre Ltd Preston/Lancashire - see Floorwise page 66

EAST

Beds Flooring Bedford 01234 341234 sales@bedsflooring.co.uk www.bedsflooring.co.uk

Salesmark Ltd St Neots Tel: 01480 212888 sales@salesmark.co.uk www.salesmark.co.uk

STS Flooring Distributors

Cambridge - see page 22 and Floorwise page 66

NORTH EAST

Fells Carpets

Leeds - see page 18 0113 3071900 carl.cummings@fellscarpets.co.uk www.fellscarpets.co.uk

Kellars Limited Darlington 0161 443 0970 sales@kellars.co.uk

MIDLANDS

Birch Distribution Sheffield - see Floorwise page 66

Birch Distribution Leeds - see Floorwise page 66

Birch Distribution Hull - see Floorwise page 66

Cornerstone Flooring Supplies Doncaster - see Floorwise page 66

Cornerstone Flooring East Midlands and Warwickshire 01159 444711 sales@cornerstoneflooring.co.uk www.cornerstoneflooring.co.uk

DMS Flooring Supplies

Northampton - see page 13 01604 664850 sales@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

Floorwise D & J Ltd Southam - see Floorwise page 66

Matty’s Wholesale Carpets Birmingham 01675 433072 sales@mattys.co.uk

STS Flooring Distributors

Hemel Hempstead - see page 22 and Floorwise page 66

Trade Counter Carpets Leicester 0845 604 3055 tradecountercarpets@gmail.com

Woodall Brothers Ltd Shrewsbury - see Floorwise page 66

SOUTH WEST

BL Flooring Supplies

Bristol - see Floorwise page 66

BL Flooring Supplies Gloucester - see Floorwise page 66

Fitwell Flooring Ltd Redruth - see Floorwise page 66

Fitwell Flooring Ltd Newton Abott - see Floorwise page 66

Flooring Supplies (Wessex) Amesbury 01980 625888 orders@flooringsupplieswessex.co.uk

R & M Wholesale

Bristol 01179 531222 Tiverton 01884 258266 sales@rmwholesale.co.uk

Salesmark West Ltd Amesbury - see Floorwise page 66 Tel: 01980 880933 sales@salesmark-west.co.uk www.salesmark.co.uk

Solent Wholesale Carpet West Sussex 01243 774623

sales@solentwholesale.co.uk www.solentwholesale.co.uk

SOUTH EAST

Ashmount Flooring Supplies Tottenham 0208 808 2158 sales@ashmountflooring.co.uk www.ashmountflooringsupplies.co.uk

Ballister London 020 8570 1668 london@ballister.co.uk www.ballister.co.uk

Ballister Reading 0118 931 3535 reading@ballister.co.uk www.ballister.co.uk

Beds Flooring Bedford 01234 341234 sales@bedsflooring.co.uk www.bedsflooring.co.uk

Clifford Floors Strood 01634 285900 sales@clifford.uk.com

Culpeck Strood 01634 299000 sales@culpeck.uk.com

Columbia Flooring Middlesex 020 8443 3322 sales@columbiaflooring.co.uk www.columbiaflooring.co.uk see page 12 for details

DMS Flooring Supplies Hemel Hempstead - see page 13 01442 502562 sales@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

DMS Flooring Supplies Milton Keynes - see page 13 01908 049006 sales@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

DMS Flooring Supplies Colindale, North London 0208 036 9945 - see page 13 colindale@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

Flooring Storage UK Potters Bar 01707 245999 sales@flooringstorage.com www.flooringstorage.com

Littner Hampton London 020 8520 8474 littnerhampton@aol.com www.littnerhamptoncarpets.co.uk

John Palmer Carpets Fareham 01329 221933 sales@johnpalmercarpets.uk.net

Potts & Ward, Woodcocks Ltd Brighton 01273 557211 sales@pwwflooring.com www.pwwflooring.com

Salesmark

Lancing - see Floorwise page 66 Tel: 01903 750522 sales@salesmark.co.uk www.salesmark.co.uk

Solent Wholesale Carpet West Sussex 01243 774623 sales@solentwholesale.co.uk www.solentwholesale.co.uk

STS Flooring Distributors

Basildon - see p22 & Floorwise p66

STS Flooring Distributors Croydon - see p22 & Floorwise p66

STS Flooring Distributors

Orpington/Croydon - see page 22 & Floorwise page 66

Trade Carpet London Wimbledon 0208 247 3891 sales@tradecarpet.com www.tradecarpet.com

IRELAND

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Dublin - see Floorwise page 66

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Belfast - see Floorwise page 66

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Limerick - see Floorwise page 66

TCS “The Carpet Specialists” Co. Louth 00353 429 351 351 info@tcsthecarpetspecialists.com www.tcsthecarpetspecialists.com

SCOTLAND

Kellars Limited Glasgow 0141 647 7685 sales@kellars.co.uk MCD Scotland Uddingston Glasgow 01698 808000 mcdscotland@mcd.co.uk www.mcdscotland.co.uk Neil Smith Ltd Glasgow - see Floorwise page 66

WALES

Matty’s Wholesale Carpets Birmingham 01675 433072 sales@mattys.co.uk

Floorwise Wales Merthyr Tydfil - see Floorwise page 66

1 Neil Smith Ltd Glasgow, G4 0TX Tel: 0141 552 1141 sales@neilsmithltd.co.uk

2 Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Belfast, BT15 3GU Tel: 028 9075 3202 Fax: 028 9075 3901 salesbelfast@pfl.ie

3 Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Dublin, D12 E540 Tel: 00353 (0)1 626 3913 Fax: 00353 (0)1 460 4669 salesdublin@pfl.ie

4 Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Limerick, V94 W863 Tel: 00353 (0)61 227 100 Fax: 00353 (0)61 227 000 sales@pfl.ie

5 Lakes Flooring Supplies Kendal. LA9 5RR Tel: 01539 726500 sales@pucflooring.co.uk

6 Preston Underlay Centre Ltd Preston, PR1 1PN Tel: 01772 556345 sales@pucflooring.co.uk

7 Birch Distribution Leeds, LS10 1AG Tel: 0113 244 4363 Fax: 0113 244 8665 l.sales@birchdistribution.co.uk

8 Birch Distribution Hull, HU7 0XD Tel: 01482 826654 Fax: 01482 878693 h.sales@birchdistribution.co.uk

9 Hathaway Flooring Manchester, M17 1EB Tel: 0161 872 8003 sales@hathawayflooring.com 10 Cornerstone Flooring Doncaster, DN3 3FE Tel: 01302 835117 Fax: 01302 302542 cornerstonefloor@ btconnect.com

11 Birch Distribution Sheffield, S9 5PH Tel: 0114 243 1230 Fax: 0114 243 5118 s.sales@birchdistribution.co.uk 12 Woodall Brothers Ltd Shrewsbury, SY1 3JE Tel: 01743 441584 Fax: 01743 441629 sales@woodallbrothers.co.uk 13 Floorwise D & J Ltd Southam, CV47 0DR Tel: 01926 814922 Fax: 01926 817899 sales@fwdj.co.uk 14 Floorwise Wales Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 4TQ Tel: 01685 374243 sales@floorwise-wales.com 15 BL Flooring Supplies Ltd Gloucester, GL2 5HY Tel: 01452 223355 Fax: 01452 371284 info@blflooring.co.uk 16 BL Flooring Supplies Ltd Bristol, BS2 9SH

Floorwise Group Ltd. Floorwise House, 22 High Street Kegworth, Derby, DE74 2DA, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1509 673974 Fax: +44 (0)1509 674841

Area Sales Manager - WF, S,

Due to pending retirement, we are looking for an enthusiastic, results driven individual to strengthen our UK sales force.

Victoria Carpets & Design Floors house an extensive portfolio of both carpet and hard flooring (LVT) solutions.

The ideal candidate must be able to demonstrate:

• The ability to build and maintain strong customer service relationships

• Be self-motivated

• The ability to multi-task, manage time effectively and produce IT based data on time, every time.

• Display a ‘can do’ attitude

• Residential based customer facing sales experience

Benefits of the role include a competitive basic salary, uncapped bonus, company car, phone, tablet and expenses.

Applicants should send a CV and a covering letter to Martin Pitcairn at martin.pitcairn@myvictoria.co.uk

J O I N T H E I N V I C T U S L V T F L O O R I N G T E A M

We are looking for a motivated & committed Area Sales Manager to join the team and enable the company to drive for ward in the fast growing Luxur y Vinyl Flooring market We have an oppor tunity in the Nor th of the Thames and Nor thern Home Counties area.

INVICTUS Flooring is par t of Associated Weavers family and has quickly become a serious contender in the UK LVT market in since its launch in 2019, this is an oppor tunity to join a dynamic for ward thinking company at an exciting period in its development

The ideal applicant will have proven detailed experience of Luxur y Vinyl Flooring with a good understanding of the market, ideally living on the territor y, you will be required to visit existing INVICTUS floors customers as well as sourcing new customers selling display stands, managing their Luxur y Vinyl Flooring account and of course building the brand

The role is suited to someone who is a great communicator with good sales, IT and planning skills, you must be driven to succeed and enjoy working hard, you will also hold a full driving licence

A competitive salar y, attractive bonus structure, pension scheme with a company car, laptop & phone will be offered to the successful applicants

A R E A S A L E S M A N A G E R N O R T H O F T H E T H A M E S A N D N O R T H E R N H O M E C O U N T I E S

Interested applicants should send their CV and covering letter to jonathan davies@invictus co uk