The Stocklists - May 2023

Our market-leading twist carpet has been relaunched with improved specification; designed to be suitable for busy domestic and commercial settings, providing you with the perfect carpet, no matter the space. Like neutral tones to complement existing home décor or make a statement with an added splash of colour, this carpet has all the choices! Contact us to arrange a closer look at the newly relaunched Trident Range!

FLOORINGNEWS starts on page 26

FLOORINGNEWS starts on page 23

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HM Queen Elizabeth 1926–2022

Solihull showtime

The agenda setter for the season opens on May 10 with all the latest products for 2023 pages 46–58

"Disruptive"

Stylish stone

Sophisticated stone, concrete, slate and ceramics are making statement floors pages 42–44

@THESTOCKLISTS ON LINKEDIN + TWITTER FOR KEY ALERTS AND NEWS UPDATES

DISCOVER OUR REDEVELOPED CASSIUS & DARIUS RANGES

Cassius and Darius in our renowned Invictus brand will get a fashion update this year. 14 updated colours in a 70oz and 50oz pile weight respectively offer a soft saxony product with a heathered appearance, one of the few products to offer this in the market today, the recoloured ranges are planned for launch in May.

Please ask your local area sales manager for more details

2023-2026

Wool THE WONDERS OF

AT

Image: Studio Designs Smokey Bay Herringbone CLH15

FLOORING INSTALLATION PRODUCTS

LOOKING AFTER FLOORS AND REPUTATIONS FROM THE GROUND UP.

F. Ball’s System LVT range is a comprehensive subfloor preparation system that helps you achieve the best results when installing LVT floorcoverings. The range includes the full system of products that flooring installers need to ensure a perfect installation every time. Use the right products from the System LVT range and follow our installation guidance for a lifetime guarantee. Not only is the installation protected but so is your reputation. Find out more: f-ball.com/systemlvt

I'M RECYCLED

100% RECYCLED POLYESTER YARN FROM PET BOTTLES

I'M UNIQUE

A PATTERNED WILTON FROM PET

NEW RUNSWICK BAY • ELEGANCE, GRACE, SIMPLICITY & COMFORT

6 patterns in 4m width. Bleach cleanable. 120 PET bottles makes every square metre.

Your customers know right now that we need to give the planet a break. Make it easy for them with a superb carpet range with the comfort, appearance and performance of polyester – with the impeccable environmental credentials of recycled PET.

www.fellscarpets.co.uk

Love your choice

Love your future, love your home with our Thinking Beyond carpet marking the beginning of the next step forward for generations to come.

Made with ECONYL®; a regenerated nylon, a yarn made from recycled waste material from landfills and oceans around the world.

Embrace the future, order your FREE samples and begin the journey to a more sustainable future.

Kingsmead Carpets Ltd

Relay Park, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B77 5PR

T | 01827 831424

E | sales@kingsmead-carpets.co.uk

kingsmeadcarpets.co.uk

Meet the team!

FIND YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE HERE:

SCOTLAND & BORDERS

Stephen Cawley

M: 07718 762236

E: stephen.cawley@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: All Scottish Regions.

NORTH

WEST & NORTH

Ian Henderson

M: 07974 141919

WALES

E: ian.henderson@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire (inc SK9, SK10, SK11), Greater Manchester, (inc SK1 to SK8, SK12, SK14 to SK16), Clwyd and Gwynedd.

SOUTH EAST, LONDON (N,W&E) , HERTS & ESSEX

David Harris

M: 07801 538763

E: david.harris@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: Hertfordshire, Essex, North London, West London and East London.

WEST MIDLANDS & WORCESTER

Emily Davis

M: 07753 983714

E: emily.davis@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: Gloucester, Avon, West Midlands, Shropshire, Hereford and Worcester.

EAST MIDLANDS & SOUTH EAST

Simon Beeby

M: 07775 913380

E: simon.beeby@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: Berkshire (split), Oxfordshire, Wrwickshire, Leicestershire and Northhamptonshire.

NORTH EAST, CUMBRIA & ISLE OF MAN

John Pringle

M: 07825 991405

E: john.pringle@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: Cumbria, Kirby Lonsdale via. Carnforth, Isle of Man, Cleveland, Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear.

YORKSHIRE & THE HUMBER

Christine Searle

M: 07939 051608

E: christine.searle@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: North Humberside, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.

SOUTH EAST & LONDON (South & Central)

Chris Gee

M: 07919 047930

E: chris.gee@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: Kent, South London, Central London, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex

SOUTH YORKSHIRE & EAST MIDLANDS

Guy Legg

M: 07801 357622

E: guy.legg@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: South Yorkshire, Sheffield, South Humberside, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire (inc SK13, SK17, SK22 and SK23).

EAST ANGLIA, CAMBRIDGESHIRE & BEDFORDSHIRE

Gavin Walters

T: 07711 353 982

E: gavin.walters@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.

SOUTH WEST SOUTH COAST

Graham Wood

M: 07825 171482

E: graham.wood@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

NORTHERN IRELAND & REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Herbie Montgomery (Agent)

M: 07774 695333

E: herbiehsm@gmail.com

Areas covered: Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.

To find out more, please call our sales team on 01706 639 866 or visit penthousecarpets.co.uk

Nigel Woollard

M: 07767 213236

E: nigel.woollard@penthousecarpets.co.uk

Areas covered: Berkshire (split), Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset and Isle of Wight.

WALES (East, Mid, South & West)

James Thomas (Agent)

M: 07932 458032

E: juncture2002@aol.com

Areas covered: West Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan, South Glamorgan, Gwent, Dyfed and Powys.

Wood Stone

Please note that the screen representation of these decors will vary depending on the settings of your computer screen and printing capabilities.

Chestnut Oak 6342 08

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm Order: URBN 0007

Monastery Oak 6342 02

Order: URBN 0004

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm

Boardwalk Oak 6342 24

Order: URBN 0012

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm

Boardwalk Oak 6341 04 Order: URBN 0012

Tile Size: 496.5mm x 996.5mm

Rural Oak 6342 23

Order: URBN 0011

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm

Excelsior Oak 6342 01

Order: URBN 0003

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm

Hunters Point Oak 6342 03

Order: URBN 0005

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm

Riverside Oak 6342 17

Order: URBN 0010

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm

Forest Knolls Oak 6342 01

Order: URBN 0008

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm

Lakeshore Stone 6341 05 Order: URBN 0012

Tile Size: 496.5mm x 996.5mm

Ashbury Grey Oak 6342 16

Order: URBN 0009

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm

Order: URBN 0006

Plank Size: 208 x 1243mm

Introducing the new Tudor Co-ordinates.

20 plain and 4 co-ordinating stripes make up our newest 100% wool range, Tudor Co-ordinates.

Taking the best selling colours from our beloved Tudor Twist range, creates a modern colour palette with a splash of colour.

POS available to order now, contact the sales office to find out more.

Tel: 01562 749300 / Email: sales@myvictoria.co.uk

Award winning state-of-the-art underlay.

FLOORINGNEWS

Back to the future

Moduleo, has launched a new luxury vinyl flooring collection which reimagines its classic styles. Now available to retailers, the new Roots collection has been created with the future in mind – floors which embrace the newest interior trends and are manufactured with the latest technology.

Comprising six distinct themes and a choice of 130 different SKUs to appeal to a broad variety of tastes, Roots offers floors designed for self-expression that are appealing, aspirational and in tune with nature. Each come with their own unique aesthetic and feel with the ability to combine different styles. The company’s home of Belgium is a country with designorientated people at its roots, and this comes through in the manufacturing of Moduleo luxury vinyl flooring.

Evoking a true to life sense, Roots luxury vinyl floors are made to last, with a natural look and touch. Inspired by biophilic design - the concept of bringing the outside in - floors contain real oak grooves you can actually feel, and cloud-like concrete colours which stir the senses.

Two different wear layer options of 0.40 mm and 0.55 mm are available and improved scratch and stain resistance is also a key standout, providing peace of mind for retailers that floors will stand the test of time.

Matthew Brook, national sales manager for Moduleo, commented: “With the reimagining of our core collection, we wanted to show that we haven’t forgotten our roots and are investing in the future. Retailers can now provide customers with classic Moduleo designs but with a modern twist, manufactured with the latest technology to suit changes in interior trends. Our six themes allow boldness and exploration without sacrificing on strength or longevity.

T 01332 851 500 www.moduleo.co.uk

Timeless refinement

Nothing can quite match the elegance of a refined cut-pile carpet and with Abingdon Flooring’s new Stainfree Timeless, homes can enjoy a carpet that epitomises the classic look.

Available in a palette of 11 tones that reflect modern taste, Timeless has a dense 1/10th gauge construction and inviting pile for a Stainfree carpet that’s luxurious to walk on as well as eminently practical. Thanks to the latest generation of Abingdon Flooring’s polypropylene yarn, the carpet comes with a soft feel and a lifetime of stain-resistance – the perfect choice for modern lifestyles.

Timeless also benefits from a fleece backing to improve underfoot comfort and make fitting easier. It also comes in three different width options to deliver better value. Suitable for heavy domestic use, Timeless is perfect for use right through the home, bringing elegance to hallways, stairs, living spaces and bedrooms.

Charlotte Coop, marketing manager, says: “The last few years have seen homeowners want extra-deep piles and silk-like yarns, but we’re seeing the first signs of a return to a more refined look that’s less showy and glamorous."

The agenda setter for the season opens on May 10 with all the latest products for 2023 pages 46–58

Sophisticated stone, concrete, slate and ceramics are making statement floors pages 42–44

launch new designs from around the world pages 28-29

“With a matt effect, our Stainfree yarn is perfect for creating this more reserved appearance and with fabulous softness in its latest generation, it gives nothing away in terms of feel or luxury. The elegance of a dense cut pile ensures that Timeless is right on-trend and we’re looking forward to its impact in store as being one of the first new ranges to welcome classic style back.”

The new range is made in Britain and begins a series of launches in Stainfree for this year, as Abingdon Flooring keeps the original easy clean carpet collection up to date with the latest trending styles.

T 01274 655 694 www.abingdonflooring.co.uk

"With the reimagining of our core collection, we wanted to show that we haven’t forgotten our roots and are investing in the future.”

Stylish stone

Contemporary charm Karndean Designflooring

Solihull showtime

Natural safety

Now with a better natural look, improved 42+ and R12 slip restraint, and Sanitec antibacterial protection; the improved Isafe 70 collection from IVC Commercial brings a high-quality look from a reassuringly safe surface underfoot.

An ideal solution for schools, colleges and other commercial locations demanding a hardwearing floor that not only performs faultlessly but looks fantastic, the new Isafe 70 collection owes its newfound performance to enhanced Hypergrip+. Not only giving impressive R12 and 42+ slip-restraint, the improved coating also has a matt appearance with crystal clear definition and avoids tell-tale sparkle. The result is simply, a safety floor that looks more natural.

For each of the 26 designs available in Isafe 70, including natural wood, concrete and terrazzo, Hypergrip+ also means easier maintenance for minimal dirt build-up and stain and scratch resistance. Combined with a 0.70mm wear layer for heavy duty use and Isafe 70 is a Heterogeneous Vinyl floor that’s made to last. Coping with high levels of footfall in corridors, receptions, classrooms and more, its added Sanitec antibacterial treatment brings an extra layer of protection.

Focus on the family

Major UK franchised flooring and beds retailer United Carpets & Beds has launched their new-look logo and refreshed route to market. Focussing on the local connections that the many family and local owned stores have, paired with the expertise and reputation that comes with a bigger brand.

"As a brand we remain firmly focussed on providing both a high level of service and a customer centric shopping environment," says Paul Newton, Operations Director for United Carpets and Beds. "We have listened to the consumer and after a great deal of hard work from the entire management team, we are very excited to present our evolved brand identity which will now be applied across all media platforms and ultimately across our entire store network.

"Moving away from our historic red, white and yellow colour palette to a whole new look is a huge undertaking, however, we firmly believe that staying focussed on what our customers told us was important to them will help us future proof our business and ensure that the United brand continues to be the consumers preferred choice for flooring and beds for years to come," said Paul.

"As the largest franchised carpet and beds retailer in the UK, we want to celebrate what that brand evolution means for our customers. The United brand is perhaps unique in our sector in that the majority of our stores are still local, family run businesses, and we think that the passion that a local business has to serve their local community is hard to beat."

“Isafe 70 is designed and efficiently made in Belgium for a highquality Heterogeneous Vinyl floor. All production waste is recycled at IVC Commercial’s own recycling facility as backing for other floors and Isafe 70 can be taken back after use through the manufacturer’s ReCover recycling programme.”.

You can find Isafe 70 stocked at distributors across the UK and Ireland.

T 01332 851 500 www.ivc-commercial.com

"At United Carpets and Beds we're one big family of flooring and bed experts, and our experts are passionate about bringing amazing products at great prices into the homes of our customers in our local communities," added Paul.

United Carpets and Bed's new brand identity and TV adverts were launched at the end of March..

T 0330 311 2442 www.unitedcarpetsandbeds.com

Moduleo advert rpt. April???

We’re delighted to share our latest collection with you.

Curated into six distinctive themes and a choice of 130 different SKUs, Moduleo’s new Roots collection is appealing, aspirational and as diverse and vivid as nature itself. Designed to handle whatever life throws at them, these slip, scratch and stain resistant floors are warm, comfortable and silent underfoot.

They’re sustainable too - being fully recyclable and made from up to 50% recycled materials. So, for floors everyone can be proud of, make it Roots by Moduleo.

Discover more at moduleo.co.uk

We’re exceptionally proud of our Roots

Make An Entrance inspires success

Lincoln based entrance matting manufacturer Make An Entrance, has scooped the sought-after Business Transformation Award at a glittering awards ceremony in London’s Canary Wharf.

Hosted by TV personality Huw Edwards, the Business Champion Awards 2023 received over 800 nominations and a very select group of just 28 winners were announced.

Make An Entrance co-founders Samantha and Stuart Burlton impressed judges with the inspirational story of how they transformed their business from a simple e-commerce operation to an impressive UK manufacturing operation, and in doing so prevented a traditional heritage skill from dying out.

Sam Burlton said: “We are absolutely blown away to come home with this award. The calibre of the other nominees in the Business Champion Awards was so high that we feel extremely privileged to have been chosen as a winner. Business is hard work, and the journey we have been on to transform our business into a UK manufacturer has not always been easy. It is a testament to the hard work and determination of our entire team that today our business is thriving and we have been recognised with this prestigious award.”

The Business Transformation Award specifically recognised those businesses that had faced significant challenges and whose leaders had seized the opportunity to completely overhaul the way they do things to achieve significant success. Awards Director, Richard Alvin said: “Make an Entrance proved just what can be achieved when a company evolves and transforms to changing market conditions transforming their business for growth.”

T 01522 24 68 38

www.makeanentrance.com

Installation influencers

The power of social media to drive new business sees many installers uploading pictures of recent installation work, including progress shots displaying their choice of accessories such as carpet grippers and underlays.

On a regular basis, these progress shots capture floorwise Diamond Gripper expertly installed to provide a secure hold alongside floorwise recycled PU underlays and luxury carpet.

While some fitters are still relying on the false economy of basic gripper and double runs for their installations, savvy installers recognise that a single pass of Diamond Gripper does a superior job and looks far more professional, says floorwise. Using it has become a mark of a high-quality carpet installation carried out by a professional who’s proud of their work.

Super Plus

COMBINATION UNDERLAYS NEEDLEFELT UNDERLAYS

For orders and further information, please ring P&R Ratcliffe (Underlays) Ltd.

Burnley, Lancashire BB10 3BH Tel: 01282 421026, Fax: 01282 412321

www.foxirugtamer.co.uk

Diamond Gripper’s extra performance comes from a thicker and wider plywood and 20% more pins than basic gripper. Add in more nails for extra stability, and it’s a combination that doesn’t like to let go easily. This makes it the right choice for any fitter looking to offer customers a firstrate installation.

Andrew Gill, group product manager, floorwise: “Diamond Gripper is undoubtedly one of the best grippers available today and its popularity among fitters across the country shows that its appreciated for its ability to hold luxury carpets in place. In fact, the resulting grip is so good that Diamond Gripper takes power stretched installations in its stride. Diamond Gripper really is another reason why fantastic floors start with floorwise.”

T 01509 673974 www.floorwise.co.uk

Sam and Stuart Burlton from Make an Entrance with Huw Edwards (right) and Manley Hopkinson (left).

Charm and individuality

Karndean Designflooring introduces new designs from around the world with gluedown and rigid core format convenience. It’s all in the detail. From contemporary Italian slates, natural organic oaks to opulent marbles.

Karndean Designflooring, is expanding its popular Van Gogh range with a stunning dual format collection of contemporary designs, giving unrivalled versatility to conceive personalised interiors. The launch will introduce stone designs to the range for the first time as well as wood designs in on-trend herringbone and chevron options.

Available now, the new Van Gogh range will offer Karndean’s widest collection to date with a total of 70 unique wood and stone designs. The collection oozes character and elegance with options to suit individual tastes, from traditional English country style to modern minimalist. Home decorators will appreciate the extensive variety of colourways and tile sizes as well as a convenient choice of formats to suit different installation needs.

Inspired by the beauty of the natural world and materials sourced from different countries, Karndean’s refreshed Van Gogh collection offers highly realistic wood and stone designs in a range of warm, neutral and cool colour palettes.

The new range is set to introduce nine brand new wood designs, from characterful Highland Oaks and rustic Farmhouse Oaks to warm American Cedars, as well as 15 new stone designs featuring the striking veining and natural variation of marble, slate and terracotta.

Tortora Breccia Marble

Canadian Urban Oak

Gavin Smith, marketing director at Karndean Designflooring, said:

“Our new designs have been created to authentically replicate the charm and individuality of each sample of wood and stone sourced from places as diverse as a school in San Diego, a railway station in the Scottish Highlands and high mountain quarries in Italy.

“We understand that people are looking for surfaces that not only looks like real wood and stone but also comes with the convenience and flexibility of cutting edge flooring. Our latest collection has been designed to bring these organic colours and textures into our homes so we can benefit from the healing powers of nature, while a choice of tile sizes allows for interesting laying patterns.”

Adding warmth and comfort to off-white monochrome spaces or a mature timber look to a traditional home style, new designs Glenmore Oak and Croftmore Oak feature the distinct grain details of the original timbers in rich honey or pinky-beige tones. Enhancing this authenticity, a natural wood grain emboss matches the surface texture to the grain patterns, bringing the floor to life.

Introducing a mid-range tone to Van Gogh’s popular brushed oak designs, Neutral Brushed Oak has a warm grey wash that’s ideally suited to pale earthy colour palettes. Available in a full sized plank, a smaller herringbone tile and a chevron option, this is the perfect flooring for those of us looking to take a single colourway from room to room.

With the popularity of grey interiors showing no sign of waning, the addition of new wood and stone designs in cool tones offers outstanding choice to add depth and character. Inspired by time worn painted floorboards, Silver Farmhouse Oak is just one example, presenting a unique rustic patina with white paint remnants for a comfortable shabby chic feel.

Introducing stone designs into the range for the first time, Karndean has created a collection of iconic marble, slate and terracotta designs in cool tones, from the fresh white colouring and distinctive veining of Palazzo Marble to the clean charcoal hues of Milanese Slate. Four Breccia marbles feature the natural stone’s characteristic embedded fragments in a new large 18” x 36” tile which amply highlights the natural variation of the product.

The new range offers the ultimate selection of beautiful designs with most available in both a rigid core and gluedown format to cope with common subfloor conditions. Quick and easy to fit, rigid core is suitable for uneven floors such as existing floorboards or tiles and can be installed over new floors that are still drying. Home decorators looking for bespoke designs with inset feature zones and coordinating borders will find the flexibility they need with the collection’s gluedown planks and tiles.

An ideal alternative to real wood and stone, Karndean flooring has all the charm of real wood and stone but without any of the practical downsides. Waterproof, easy to keep hygienically clean and comfortable underfoot, this is a flooring that’s perfectly suited to busy modern life.

Grigio Breccia Marble

Silver Farmhouse Oak

*Terms and conditions apply. For more details visit: https://www.tradechoice.com/red-carpet-club/red-carpet-club-terms-conditions/

FLOORINGNEWS

Recofloor aids zero waste

Collaboration with Recofloor can assist architects, specifiers and construction companies with minimising CO2 emissions and help towards achieving zero waste targets on projects where vinyl flooring is being specified.

With growing pressure on the construction industry to reduce its carbon footprint, Recofloor offers a sustainable, straightforward and affordable solution to reduce and recycle the waste generated from project sites.

Set up in 2009 by flooring manufacturers Altro and Polyflor to preserve vinyl flooring circularity, Recofloor is a reliable take-back collection service for this recyclable material. Collecting vinyl flooring through Recofloor ensures waste vinyl flooring gets a second life beyond the product’s first use, saving on raw material resources and recovering PVC for future reuse.

Getting involved with Recofloor is a straightforward process. Architects and specifiers can specify Recofloor on their project tender documents for both uplifted vinyl materials being discarded during a refurbishment project and for waste vinyl offcuts created during the project.

The scheme can then be deployed by anyone involved in the project and flooring contractors can be briefed by a Recofloor representative for proper collection of the material. They can attend meetings to explain how the scheme works to the team onsite, which will facilitate smooth collections. Bulk waste can be collected in one go, or at stages during a project.

Building a relationship with Recofloor is beneficial for specifiers, as Scheme Manager Carla Eslava explains: “When specifiers come on board with us, they can use Recofloor as proof of their efforts towards achieving zero waste targets, for minimising their projects’ CO2 emissions and for adopting greener work practices. We can also provide a Statement Letter which certifies your participation, including volumes diverted from landfill.

“As a collection service for commercial waste vinyl flooring, Recofloor offers savings on carbon emissions and waste disposal, so it’s friendly to the environment as well as to your project costs.”

The UK-wide scheme collects a range of flooring types, such as Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVTs), smooth, safety and loose lay vinyl offcuts, roll-ends as well as uplifted smooth and loose lay vinyl. Altro and Polyflor support the scheme by using their vehicles to backhaul the Recofloor collections, where possible, when new flooring is delivered.

All the material collected by Recofloor goes back to Polyflor and Altro’s UK plants for sorting. Suitable material is recycled into new flooring, while the rest is sent to a UK recycler for use in traffic management products, such as traffic cones and sign bases.

So, what are the carbon savings? Recofloor has calculated that, on average, recycling PVC flooring through its scheme is estimated to save 1.17 tonnes of CO2 for every tonne of flooring recycled. This calculation is based on displacing the concrete in traffic management products, the primary application for the recycled flooring.

T 0161 355 7618 www.recofloor.org

Cybergold R Stops Rugs Moving

New

Primo Ultra by

A fresh new look for the popular Easy Clean, Primo Ultra

A firm favourite in family homes for over 10 years, Primo Ultra has been re-launched with brand new colour options. Made from 100% Excellon Polypropylene using two-fold yarn, Primo Ultra is suitable for use all around the home, providing uncompromising quality alongside a competitive price.

Manufactured by Cormar in a range of 20 heather and plain shades, it has a strong palette including a steel blue and a relaxing jade green to extend the appeal to consumers. Practical yet stylish, Primo Ultra comes with a 10-year Stain and Wear Warranty for added peace of mind and is available in 4 and 5 metre widths.

www.cormarcarpets.co.uk portal.cormarcarpets.co.uk

Installing for Palazzo perfection

Products from F. Ball and Co. Ltd., including the company’s Stopgap 700 Superflex fibre-reinforced levelling compound and Styccobond F3 and F40 adhesives, have been used to install floorcoverings at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire, as part of a £40 million renovation.

Contractors from Carter’s Flooring of Derbyshire, installed a range of high-spec floorcoverings throughout more than 6,000m2 of the site’s public areas, including in the 300-year-old, Grade II-listed stately home and adjoining hotel complex, which are set in a 440-acre estate. The project included work in the entrance and atrium of the 17th century Baroque-style manor house, state rooms and orangery, as well as restaurants, bars and corridors in the modern part of the hotel. In the Renaissance palazzo-style courtyard of the old building, contractors installed sections of bespoke Newhey carpet surrounded by brass edging on top of the original wood flooring in seating areas and walkways, as well as on the staircase leading up to the first floor, where it was secured with custom-made solid-brass CAT stair rods

VINYL REMNANTS

RBV Flooring

• 1000’s of Vinyl Rems in stock

• Wide selection of colours, designs and lengths

• Mixed qualities with nothing under 2mm thickness

• Ideal for retailing

• Cost effective with the added advantage of stock available to cash and carry

• Delivery available (min order required)

COMMERCIAL MANAGERS:

Chris Bellaby 07740 718170 | John Miller 07846 771146

AGENTS:

Matt Bell – Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancs - 07980 223303

Paul Hugo – Midlands, Fylde Coast - 07813 714498

Phil Brough – Staffs, North Wales, Cheshire - 07773 022206

RBV Flooring Ltd, Bradford – 01274 670011

SALES/GENERAL ENQUIRIES/TRADE COUNTER

UK major Colourbank is inviting retailers into a franchise partnership to create a powerful new force in flooring, with access to highly competitive pricing and a full support package.

"A compelling retail investment opportunity"

One of the UK's most successful flooring retailers and distributors has announced a new franchise model to partner with independent businesses to "build a secure and profitable future."

Colourbank's superstore in Leicester is among the largest in the East Midlands and is backed by a major warehousing facility and a national distribution network.

The company enjoys substantial discounts as a bulk buyer from all the major manufacturers for its own operation and now franchisees will be able to buy at these prices – a major opportunity to enhance their margins far beyond what they could achieve individually.

“We have the buying power to ensure our franchisees are competitive and the expertise and resources to ensure they can offer a reliable, professional service to consumers,” says Trevor Johnson, chairman of Colourbank.

“This is a compelling retail investment opportunity.”

Franchisees run their own business independently but have access to Colourbank's 400 carpet and vinyl ranges plus wood, laminate and artifical grass.

and comfortable - all at guaranteed lowest possible prices”.

This franchise model is perfect for sales people, managers, company representatives or other persons within the carpet and flooring trade who would love their own business. It is also ideal for established carpet retailers who want to increase their profitability

“Franchisees could already be independent carpet and flooring retail operators looking to strengthen or extend their business," says Trevor.

"The extensive Colourbank benefits of our franchise and our entire supply chain and bulk buying power, with own-brand products make this a compelling proposition for independents. It will improve your competitiveness, strengthen your business, expand your customer base, sales, profitability, and cash flow," he said.

Established retailers can use the franchise to overhaul their existing business and streamline their operation, reducing hassle and improving financial security. Colourbank is an ideal model to refresh existing shop displays as well as displaying more profitable ranges.

Colourbank was established 30 years ago and is a leading "forward-thinking" brand with a reputation for

A unique retail business opportunity to partner with the UK’s leading independent carpet & flooring retailer and build a business with a secure & profitable future.

A unique, professional franchisee support package designed to offer you a genuine profit opportunity and return on investment.

How the franchise opportunity works:

• As a franchise business owner, you will own and operate your own Colourbank carpet and flooring store in your chosen location.

• You will follow Colourbank's systems and processes, deploy its marketing and promotional campaigns, and use an agreed store design and layout

• Colourbank will be your dedicated supplier for everything you need for each and every customer order – from carpets & flooring to underlays, glues, and consumables.

• The franchise licence fee is £10,000 plus training fees and store fitting and POS costs.

• There are no stocking costs, Colourbank supplies just in time for every customer order.

The comprehensive support package from Colourbank includes:

• Guidance in selecting suitable retail premises and recruiting staff

• Advice on store fittings, displays and technology.

• An initial training programme, covering all aspects of the business

• Professional marketing activities, website and social media

• Market trends monitoring with continual updating of ranges

• Colourbank’s expert team is always at hand to advise & support you in all aspects of operations.

T 0116 274 7958

franchise@colourbank.net

MISSION STATEMENT: “To simply and effortlessly enable all our customers to make their homes more luxurious

quality, service and reliability.

Turning the tide

Condor Group is launching a partnership with Swiss-based company Tide Ocean SA to support solutions against plastic pollution and poverty. Products labelled #tide ocean material are made with ocean-bound plastic waste collected by fishermen in Southeast Asia and Mexico. The project contributes to fair wages for fishermen, clean coastlines and reduced CO2

Every year, Condor Group provides millions of square meters of floorcoverings and many of these products are still made in a conventional way, but in recent years, more and more recycled materials have made their appearance. The newest collaboration is with #tide ocean material which is not just a recycled material, but ocean-bound plastic waste.

Every year the plastic soup - the biggest environmental problem of our time - grows with 10 million tons of plastic dumped in our oceans.

Thomas Schori, founder of #tide: “Our solution does not only contribute to reduce CO2 and cleaner oceans, but we also work closely with NGO’s and local communities to close the circle of plastic waste pollution. We organize beach clean-ups and pay fair wages to wastepickers and fishermen collecting plastics.

Flanders showcase for COREtec

As a proud founding member, COREtec is looking forward to the return of Flanders Flooring Days on 22nd – 25th May 2023.

COREtec is an innovative, multilayer design floor with patented click profile that puts the world at your feet. COREtec distinguishes itself on the market through the wide range of authentic and natural decors, the unique composition of the individual cores, its remarkable characteristics and its exceptional comfort.

The extensive range now consists of over 230 floors in different sizes and a unique colour palette, with 122 of these floors stocked in the UK exclusively by The Likewise Group.

There are wood, stone and contemporary finishes across 4 collections, available in a huge range of plank & tile sizes, herringbone, multi-series and more.

The latest addition to the UK range is the impressive COREtec XL-End. A brand new collection of wood finishes with an unprecedented 15mm thickness, 0.8mm wear layer and 2100 x 228mm plank size. Each board has ultra realistic registered embossing, high definition printing and is backed with 3mm of sustainable cork underlay. As with all COREtec floors, there is also the security of a lifetime warranty and the back-up of a complete suite of waterproof matching accessories.

With the use of ocean waste, the recently launched mono-material innovations and state-of- the-art production facilities in the heart of Europe, Condor Group makes carpets ready for the future and takes a leading role in the circular economy.

• Read a longer version of this item online: www.thestocklists.com/condor-tide

www.condor-group.eu

Country focus for Domotex

Flanders Flooring Days is a unique concept where you can explore 10+ leading manufacturers in a concentrated radius of only 25-kilometers over 4 days. Get maximum insight in a minimum of time.

You will also discover innovations at the ‘home’ of the manufacturers. A traditional trade fair only shows you a selection of what each manufacturer can offer you. Here you’ll see everything COREtec and Flanders has to offer. www.coretecfloors.com

After a successful comeback in 2023, preparations for the 34th edition of the world's leading trade fair for carpets and floor coverings are once again in full swing.

As a source of inspiration and a global marketplace, Domotex is constantly evolving – with a presentation area for wholesalers, mood spaces for residential and contracting, new formats for contractors and architects, and for the first time an exciting country focus.

"Together with partners, we are going to present a country focus in the future. The focus is on trends and designs, colors and innovations from the particular country. However, naturally, manufacturers and designers from the respective country will also be highlighted. In addition, we are happy to focus on other distinctive aspects, such as marketing concepts from the country. In 2024, Italy will be the focus of the event, marking its kick-off," explains Sonia WedellCastellano, Global Director Domotex, Deutsche Messe AG.

"Our goal is not only to unite the worlds of carpets and floor coverings in one place. Rather, we want to give the industry a place where it feels comfortable, which they can make their own platform and where individuals can meet who have one thing in common: a passion for flooring and carpets. A strong and united home for floor coverings of all kinds!" announces Wedell-Castellano.

Numerous international flooring brands have already confirmed their participation at the upcoming Domotex. For Annika Windmöller, Chief Marketing Officer at Windmöller, participation in the upcoming event is a matter of course: Domotex is not only a place to show up with innovative flooring but also the best stage for national and especially international contacts. This has been Domotex for decades for us and will continue to be so."

Yasmine Khamis, President of Oriental Group, considers Domotex a mandatory event: "Our products are there to be touched. No online event can replace personal contact. We look forward to being at Domotex 2024 and meeting with our partners in person."

www.domotex.de

The start of a new adventure.

Premium quality laminate floors.

The premium quality of the BerryAlloc laminate floor collection is made in Belgium for all kinds of people and all kinds of lifestyle. Choose the 100% water-resistance of Ocean+, classic herringbone of Chateau or the affordability of Connect, matching or mixing styles for a beautifully coordinated floor that brings something special to every room.

BerryAlloc

North: Richard Comboy

T + 44 7496 293150

richard.comboy@berryalloc.com

berryalloc.com

Midlands & South West: Ross Tooth

T + 44 7949 151269 ross.tooth@berryalloc.com

London & South East: Guy Ferguson

T + 44 7940 455917 guy.ferguson@berryalloc.com

laminate.

FLOORINGNEWS

Super smooth affordability

Any good flooring installer knows that a great installation comes with careful preparation and choosing the best quality products to carry that out. That’s why more installers are choosing Lion Floor to lay the perfect subfloor for installing their LVT and sheet vinyl floors.

Lion Floor is a pre-conditioned engineered fibreboard that’s made in Finland from locally sourced and highly sustainable wood by-products to be an alternative to BS 8203 compliant plywood. Unlike other oil-tempered hardboards, it doesn’t need wetting before installation and is ready to receive screeds and feather compounds. Fitting Lion Floor is simple – it can be cut with a knife or saw and is laid in the same way as plywood.

Class-leading school floors

Xtreme by Beauflor is the sheet vinyl answer to high-traffic environments. Featuring a 0.70mm wear layer and packed with performance enhancing features including 42+ slip-restraint, Premium Coating PU reinforcement, Bacteria Shield+ and high-strength backing; Xtreme is ready for everything a busy school or college can throw at it.

Thanks to the floor’s outstanding performance, every one of Xtreme’s 60 designs can be installed with confidence. So, whether it’s a classic oak plank, herringbone, stone, concrete or colour, projects benefit from a great value sheet vinyl floor that will deliver long-term performance and simple maintenance. With 18 wood looks alone, Xtreme is sure to have a design suitable to any environment.

Reliability is one of Lion Floor’s strengths. The dense board is exceptionally resistant to impacts and the construction eliminates the problems that come with the core gaps and overlaps found in plywood. It’s a fast and effective way to deliver a first-class resilient floor installation. Lion Floor is also a cost-effective alternative to BS 8203 compliant plywood. Made in Finland from readily available wood by-product and free from the highly volatile shipping and material costs encountered by flooring grade plywood, the engineered fibreboard is also consistently affordable.

Lion Floor has also been rigorously tested to make sure it lives up to its promises as a worry-free solution to vinyl flooring installation and is the first hardboard panel to be designed and manufactured specifically for the flooring industry.

Xtreme is available in two, three or four-metre widths (selected designs two or four-metre only) so can be installed with minimum seams in large areas, eliminating potential failure spots at welds. It’s also compatible with heat welding, a method for a stronger and seamless joint.

For schools and colleges looking to add a unique floor, say adding a school logo and motto to a reception or creating an inspirational oceanic design in a classroom, then Beauflor offers its Create custom print service, turning an idea into bespoke sheet vinyl floor with the performance to deliver excellent value throughout its life.

All of Beauflor’s vinyl floors are using a REEACH compliant supply chain to ensure a floor free from hazardous substances, including harmful ortho-phthalates.

T +32 56 67 66 11 www.beauflor.com

Powerful partnership “disrupts market"

Two major flooring manufacturers behind some of the most well-known brands in residential and commercial sales, have joined forces in "one of the most disruptive alignments that the UK flooring industry has seen."

Leading flooring companies Unilin Distribution Limited and IVC Group UK Limited have announced a merger to become Unilin Flooring UK & Ireland Limited with a turnover of €230m in these territories alone.

The new "supercharged" organisation sees the manufacturers behind brands such as Quick-Step, Moduleo, Pergo, Elka, Leoline and IVC Commercial become a single powerful company. Merging sales and distribution in Newry, Derby, St Neots and Liverpool, Unilin Flooring UK & Ireland’s head office will be based in Newry, Ireland. The Academy for Excellence in Flooring will continue to operate from its newly opened facility in Liverpool.

David Bigland, vice president sales and marketing, Unilin Flooring UK & Ireland, says: “The merger of Unilin Distribution Ltd and IVC Group UK ltd represents one of the most disruptive alignments that the UK flooring industry has seen. Bringing together some of the country’s best-known flooring brands active in multiple categories, we’re supercharged and ready to strengthen our position in the UK flooring market.”

The merger comes as Unilin, parent company for Unilin Flooring UK & Ireland, reveals a new brand identity that brings together all divisions with a shared purpose to make better spaces for better lives.

Operating in flooring, decorative panels, insulation and technologies, Unilin is a Belgian company with a 60-year history. It was purchased in 2006 by Mohawk Industries Inc., the world’s largest flooring company with $11.2bn in global sales. Mohawk Industries Inc., purchased IVC Group in 2015. www.unilin.com

Sophisticated style in stone

Flooring retailers have every reason to celebrate the continuing success of wood decors and the undiminished appetite for all things herringbone and parquet which has driven LVT so strongly in the last five years.

But there’s also a distinct trend among discerning consumers to consider stone designs to make more of a statement and achieve uniquely blended styles in their homes. Manufacturers have duly responded with creativity and innovation, with increasingly sophisticated portfolios in stone, slate, concrete and ceramic options. One of the market’s leaders, Karndean Designflooring is seeing consumer trends evolve. “Stone luxury vinyl flooring is a popular and timeless choice. Whether it be in a period home or rustic farmhouse, they bring warmth and texture to a room. That being said, stone can be just as at home in modern living spaces, adding charm and character to any home style,” says Stella Coyle, national retail sales manager of Karndean Designflooring.

“Whereas stone has most commonly been used in kitchens and bathrooms, they are now being used more frequently in other areas of the home including hallways, living rooms and bedrooms,” she says. “Opting for tiles can lend texture and depth to any space, and give the home a sense of age or modern twist.

Four Breccia marbles feature the natural stone’s characteristic embedded fragments in a new large 18" x 36" tile which amply highlights the natural variation of the product. The Milanese Slate is a contemporary Italian charcoal slate with subtle variation to offer a clean finish with slight flecks of tonal colour to add depth and interest. With a smooth texture, Milanese Slate will work perfectly with an industrial or modern interior scheme.

UK manufacturer, distributor and supplier, Furlong Flooring is dedicated to providing its customers with the latest advancements in LVT flooring that are not only diverse and easy to maintain but also costeffective and visually stunning.

The demand for LVT flooring in stone, ceramic, slate and concrete designs has risen among retailers looking to keep up with consumer trends and Furlong Floorings LVT collection boasts contemporary designs and quality construction for any price point while offering a vast selection of wood and stone styles to suit any design preference.

The latest update to the company’s all-time favourite Van Gogh collection has seen them introduce 15 new stones in a range of gluedown and rigid core formats and new 18” x 36” tile size.

Introducing stone designs into the range for the first time, Karndean has created a collection of iconic marble, slate and terracotta designs in cool tones, from the off-white colouring and natural variation of Bianco Breccia Marble to the clean charcoal hues of Milanese Slate.

Karndean Designflooring – Milanese Slate Pink

Furlong Flooring – Ravenden stone

Karndean Designflooring – Bianco Breccia Marble

“Opting for tiles can lend texture and depth to any space, and give the home a sense of age or modern twist."

“We recognise that it can be challenging for brands and products to stand out and capture customers’ attention in competitive retail environments. That’s why we are extending our support to retailers by providing attractive and user-friendly POS to help you drive sales,” says Ian Collacott, Furlong Flooring’s sales director.

Moduleo’s new Roots collection brings the authentic look of stone across a range of stylish designs.

From classically elegant limestone in the new Millstone to the veins and marbling of York Stone and the colourful terrazzo of Fiastra, Roots is a collection with huge variety in classic and modern stone within which homeowners can find their dream stone floor in a finish that’s beautifully easy to live with.

Moduleo presents six themes in the new Roots collection, letting consumers explore stone designs in the palettes of Escape to the Desert,

Breeze in the North, Echo the Sea, Orbit the Future, Awaken the Forest and Rock the Classics. Guiding homeowners to key stone looks such as the rose pink of Mattina 46547, the clear icy blues of Fiastra 46630 and the coastal overtones of Triana 46922, these themes hold the start to a perfect stone floor.

One of the big advantages of using vinyl over genuine stone floors, other than accessibility and affordability of course, is the low maintenance nature, says specialists BerryAlloc. Without the need for specialist cleaners and with a surface that’s stain and scratch-resistant, Pure stone tiles can be easily cleaned with just a mop and vacuum cleaner.

The quality of BerryAlloc Pure luxury vinyl tiles brings the beauty of stone indoors in a worry-free floor finish for every kind of lifestyle. From the cool look of Bluestone Dark to trending Terrazzo and the metallic edge of Zinc, BerryAlloc Pure luxury vinyl tiles bring contemporary stone style to homes with a quiet, comfortable and easy to look after floor.

Pure’s Rigid Composite Board makes for a stone effect floor that’s lightweight, stable under temperature changes, rigid and which can be installed directly onto almost any subfloor without preparation.

Because of DreamClick, BerryAlloc’s innovative 360o locking system, Pure’s stone styles are not only twice as fast to install but can be laid in a range of patterns and used alongside Pure wood planks without profiles. Mixing between stone tiles and wood planks is a great way to make feature floors of kitchen areas in open living.

BerryAlloc – Pure Bluestone Dark

"Roots is a collection with huge variety in classic and modern stone within which homeowners can find their dream stone floor in a finish that’s beautifully easy to live with."

"The quality of BerryAlloc Pure luxury vinyl tiles brings the beauty of stone indoors in a worry-free floor finish for every kind of lifestyle."

Moduleo – Fiastra

Furlong Flooring – Waldron stone

“We recognise that it can be challenging for brands and products to stand out and capture customers’ attention in competitive retail environments."

FLOORING FOCUS

Sophisticated style in stone

continued from page 43

Kahrs expertise extends beyond their highly regarded wood collections into 20 beautiful Stone design floors in SPC Rigid Core and Dry Back formats. Using the highest quality virgin PVC and finished with an advanced ceramic coating, this not only gives greater durability and ease of everyday cleaning, but also an ultra matt finish for enhanced beauty.

real stone. This collection is also recognised for their low impact on the environment, both indoors and out.

Nuance Stone is available in a gentle palette of six stone designs - Off Grey, Charcoal, Duck Egg Blue, Off White, Blue Grey & Greyline. Feature strips can be added between the tiles to give the appearance of traditional flagstones - a trending look that is more budget-friendly than a real stone floor.

“We’ve been really looking forward to introducing these exciting new designs to our award-winning MSeries collection. We are proud that MSeries is recognised for its low impact on the environment in all a spects - production process, product composition, emissions & indoor air quality and sustainable construction.” explains Harvey Maria’s founder, Mark Findlay.

Harvey Maria has been creating luxury vinyl tiles since 1995. Their floors are incredibly durable and easy to maintain - completely waterproof, slip resistant and compatible with underfloor heating. The resilient floor finish is easy to care for by sweeping or mopping with a neutral detergent; no harmful chemicals needed.

“With today’s growing desire for open plan living we have noticed an increasing demand for large tile formats. That’s why alongside our more conventional 300 x 600mm and 457 x 457mm tiles, our Click Impression Stone Collection consists of 8 XXL options measuring 457 x 914 mm,” says Kahrs.

These large formats also make smaller rooms feel bigger and give larger rooms an impressive yet elegant look. Five contemporary designs in sublime slate and concrete headline the range, whilst Kahrs Aneto Terrazzo floor is proving to be one of the hottest design trends for 2023. Bringing style and flow between entryways and modern family rooms, the range is completed with a duo of stunning marble floors.

Harvey Maria has introduced an exciting new collection of authentic stone effect LVT called Nuance Stone. These stylish, extra large tiles give an ultra-realistic textured concrete look and feel, so are perfect for creating a modern rustic look. A contemporary and practical choice for kitchens, hallways, bathrooms and boot rooms - they look and feel like

“We’ve been really looking forward to introducing these exciting new designs to our award-winning MSeries collection. We are proud that MSeries is recognised for its low impact on the environment in all aspectsproduction process, product composition, emissions & indoor air quality and sustainable construction.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

BERRY ALLOC www.berryalloc.com

FURLONG FLOORING www.furlongflooring.com

KAHRS www.kahrs.com

KARNDEAN FLOORING www.karndean.com

MODULEO www.moduleo.co.uk

HARVEY MARIA www.harveymaria.com

KAHRS – Style on show

Harvey Maria – Nuance Duck Egg Blue

"With today’s growing desire for open plan living we have noticed an increasing demand for large tile formats."

Guarantee optimum results for LVT

Given the premium associated with LVTs and customers’ high expectations for finished results, it is useful to know how to ensure a flawless finish when installing them. Neil Sanders, technical director at the UK’s leading manufacturer of subfloor preparation products and adhesives for floorcoverings, F. Ball and Co. Ltd., talks through what is involved.

A long-lasting, visually attractive flooring finish when installing luxury vinyl tiles or planks involves following the basic principles of subfloor preparation, as well as taking precautions to avoid common causes of floor failure. This can be broken down into a few simple steps. Careful product selection at each stage of the process will also help optimise the installation.

Creating a base

F. Ball recommends that a smoothing underlayment is applied over the subfloor to create a perfectly smooth base for the receipt of floorcoverings and ensure that the visual appearance of an installation is not compromised by imperfections in the subfloor showing through.

Before you apply a smoothing underlayment, the first step in any flooring installation should be to check that the subfloor is suitably sound, smooth and dry. Any laitance and contaminants should be mechanically removed.

At this stage, a moisture test should be conducted to determine if the subfloor is dry enough to receive floorcoverings. Where Relative Humidity (RH) levels are higher than 75%, a moisture management solution will be required to prevent moisture attacking flooring adhesives and causing resilient floorcoverings to blister and lift, potentially ruining the appearance of the installation. The usual solution for suppressing excess subfloor moisture is the application of a liquid waterproof surface membrane.

F. Ball recommends the application of a smoothing underlayment to ensure the finished appearance of a flooring installation

Prime importance

You also need to prime the subfloor. Primers promote adhesion between the subfloor and the smoothing underlayment applied over it. Applied over absorbent subfloors, they also stop the unacceptably rapid drying of smoothing underlayments, which can result in insufficient strength build up and a reduction in the open time or wet edge of the smoothing underlayment. Another benefit of priming is reducing ‘pinholing’: small holes in the smoothing underlayment that have the appearance of pinholes or blisters caused by the slow escape of air from absorbent surfaces as the smoothing underlayment cures.

Adhesive selection

To adhere the LVTs to the smoothing underlayment, pressure sensitive adhesives, such as F. Ball’s Styccobond F46, are usually the best choice. They form an instant grab upon contact, so installers don’t need to worry about tiles or planks sliding about when they are working, making them ideal for installations with intricate designs or patterns.

Styccobond F46 is part of F. Ball’s ‘System LVT’ range, which comprises waterproof surface membranes, primers, smoothing underlayments and adhesives that used correctly and in combination F. Ball guarantees will result in an aesthetically pleasing floor finish that lasts the lifetime of the installation. The range also features pressure sensitive adhesives with a variety of other specialist attributes, including moisture tolerance and the ability to hold vinyl floorcoverings firmly in place in areas exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations (from -20°C to +60°C).

Compatibility check

Finally, it is highly recommended that contractors always check the compatibility of particular floorcoverings and adhesives. To do this, you can consult the floorcovering manufacturer’s guidelines. Alternatively, F. Ball produces a Recommended Adhesives Guide (RAG), which lists adhesives recommended for use with over 6,000 floorcoverings produced by over 200 manufacturers. The guide is available as a free app or a printed booklet. An interactive version can also be found on the F. Ball website. Alternatively, contractors can contact F. Ball’s technical service department, from 8.30am–5.00pm, Monday to Friday, for advice on adhesive compatibility.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

F.

Buying Groups National Flooring Show

May 10/11 Cranmore Park Solihull

Showtime in Solihull

The

agenda setter for the season

The Solihull showcase of all that’s fashionable in flooring opens on May 10 as more than 60 top companies gather to meet their buying group customers.

The BGNFS - The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show - is seen as an essential event for many retailers as the latest products are shown off in time for the Summer and Autumn buying season.

Five major UK buying groups are participating together in this members-only event – BRM, Flooring One, Greendale, Metro Carpet 1st and SMG.

The show takes place at one of the UK’s premier exhibition venues – Cranmore Park Conference, Event & Exhibition Venue – with unrivalled show facilities, excellent catering and ample free car parking just minutes from J4 M42, only 8 miles from the NEC.

There are details on the BGNFS website - don’t forget to pre-register as only buying group members are able to attend: www.bgnfs.co.uk

“ Most trade shows can carry products not relevant to your business but this show helps you meet suppliers who are crucial to everyday requirements.”

Tim Sedgewick, Floor Depot

“ I regard the BGNFS as the best flooring show in the UK! ”

Ian Philp, Gillies of Broughton Ferry

Register now at www.bgnfs.co.uk for members of the affiliated buying groups only

“ The BGNFS is a fantastic event for any carpet and flooring retailer who are part of a buying group, with all the top suppliers under one roof in a great location! ”

Ashley Horne, Wall Brothers Carpets

“ The annual Buying group show at Solihull in May is one of the highlights for our ranging and promotional activities throughout the year. It is an opportunity not to be missed for anyone serious about selling flooring.”

Andy Laird, Managing Director at Fludes Carpets

What retailers reckon to BGNFS...

Strathmore... and more! Victoria Carpets & Design Floors

Victoria Carpets & Design Floors will be showcasing their two latest wool product launches at this year’s show.

Firstly, the updated Strathmore range. Featuring 12 berber shades, these have been influenced by the fauna and flora of hedgerows and mountain passes in the Scottish Highlands. The construction has been updated to include melt bond which gives the product a precise look that helps show off the colours in a rustic finish. Launched in 2013, Strathmore Berber is one of their most wellloved wool ranges.

Also on display will be the new Tudor Co-ordinates range containing 20 plain and 4 stripe loop pile carpets. Taking the bestselling colours from the beloved Tudor Twist range, this new launch delivers a modern colour palette with a splash of colour giving the consumer multiple options.

On the man-made front, the new EasiCare Vision will be on display. This is an incredible collection made from a 6-ply yarn that creates a substantial 97oz finished product. Coming with a 20-year wear warranty the range is made from 9 shades created from tri coloured yarn. The result is a spectrum of colours that come together to form outstanding heathered tones reminiscent of the night sky.

The team will also be showcasing some exciting new POS options, so visitors to the show will get an exclusive sneak peek! Stand

Tudor Coordinates in Mink

Strathmore Berber in Mineral

Filip Poelman, sales and marketing director, says: “The Balta Carpets name has always stood for exceptional value, and we’re committed to ensuring this remains close to the heart of our business. However, in an age when customers expect goods on an almost ‘on demand’ basis, we also know that service must come front and centre. Through a quick delivery service with production and high stock levels in the UK, Balta Carpets is now able to back exceptional value in our products with service that will leave even the most demanding of customers satisfied.

"We are ready for today’s customer, bringing better service and a stronger product offer than ever,” he added

Stand P540 • T +32 (0)56 62 22 11 • www.baltagroup.com

The Best of British Abingdon Flooring

In the latest ranges from its popular Stainfree collection and new wool loop pile styles in the Wilton Royal family, Abingdon Flooring will be at The Buying Groups National Flooring Show with carpets that deliver the best in British made quality and value. So, if you’re visiting this year’s show on the hunt for the latest in carpet style, then a stop at Abingdon Flooring’s stand is one that should be high on your list.

An updated colour bank 36 shades that perfectly reflect the current interior trends in two weights (Classic & Regal). Aura has also had a colour refresh bringing colour pop with it. Finally, Habberley has two new designs and 6 new colours added to the collection making this a must for anyone looking for a luxurious loop pile carpet.

LVT will also be on display where you will get to see the fresh new look and feel. The refresh also sees all products (except parquets and Tapestry) now available as both click and dryback as well as a stunning new herringbone design in the popular Universal range.

Better & stronger than ever Balta Carpets

Balta is back, better and stronger than ever. Under the ownership of Victoria PLC since 2022, Balta Carpets is majoring on value focused carpets with an eye on stock and fast service.

With the revival of the Made in Heaven luxury soft collection, the Woolmaster by Balta collection and the ever-popular Stainsafe collection, customers can expect exciting carpet styles that meet the needs of today’s homes.

Stainsafe Pinnacle

Prestige Design

Stainfree Festival

Royal Windsor

The unstoppable one-stop shop! Furlong Flooring

Furlong Flooring bounced into 2023 with the big launch of updated best-selling Trident and aims to keep up the momentum with new innovations and developments across the complete portfolio of its carpets and LVT – the unstoppable one-stop shop!

“Our mission is to offer only the most stylish, contemporary and well-fitting flooring whilst helping our customers to sell to their consumers to build their business and reputation,” says Furlong Sales Director Ian Collacott.

“Today’s flooring market is all about reliability,” says Ian. “You can rely on us to deliver new ideas and innovations that keep customers interested in buying – and when they do make a purchase, we’ve got the proven operation that delivers their flooring on time.”

The Trident re-launch set the agenda for the start of the new year – a re-launch of Furlong’s best-selling twist with improved features and a larger range of contemporary colour options. The 2-ply tenth gauge construction delivers easy care with hardwearing qualities, designed to be suitable for busy domestic and commercial settings – the perfect carpet for reliable performance.

Alongside a selection of new carpet ranges being introduced this year, Furlong has launched a new LVT collection which has been carefully curated to provide the widest choice in an accessible format.

Hard wearing, durable and stylish, the collection features contemporary designs and quality construction. On-trend, authentic wood designs and herringbones sit alongside beautiful modern tile designs in natural stone.

Another key innovation to motivate more sales is Furlong’s Room Viewer – a stateof-the-art visualiser 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 and leads consumers to select a retailer to buy their choice.

You can rely on Furlong to keep the biggest, best ideas coming!

Stand P450 • T 01772 316155 • www.furlongflooring.com

“Our mission is to offer only the most stylish, contemporary and well-fitting flooring whilst helping our customers to sell to their consumers top build their business and reputation”

says Furlong Sales Director Ian Collacott

Trident Rose Quartz

Trident Tweed

Preview: Showtime in Solihull

The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show May 10/11 2023

Distinctively different in wool Hugh Mackay

Hugh Mackay has a showcase stand at the BGNFS with a lot to talk about that’s new and distinctively different.

The Infinity Range of axminster carpet has new stock ranges alongside the existing portfolio and the custom-made offer and it’s all presented in brand new point-of-sale which is guaranteed to brighten up any showroom.

Hugh Mackay is building on the strength of its core ranges to remaster the next generation of products with the launch of the Origins Collection. Riverside Origins is an 80/20 wool twist derived from the company’s iconic Riverside range, while 100% wool Natural Origins is new loop in three designs –herringbone, boucle and rib, based on the popular Natural Weave Range. The two ranges have a complementary colourbank. Durham Alternates is a new 3-ply loop inspired by the tones of Durham Twist Naturals and Durham Twist Elements. The new loop designs in herringbone, hobnail and boucle coordinate with their sister twist ranges to give an alternative choice across the home.

Stand P300/280 • T 01429 892555 • www.hughmackay.com

Passion for flooring Associated Weavers

Associated Weavers (AW) is one of the leading European manufacturers of tufted wall-to-wall carpet and a challenger to be reckoned with in the world of luxury vinyl flooring

The company’s 630 dedicated employees achieve an average production and sale of 26 million square meters of carpet each year, which translates into a turnover of around 172 million euros. Associated Weavers exports to over 55 countries, with the UK being its primary market. From its headquarters at the iconic Dean Clough Mills in Halifax, the company over the years has built strong and lasting relationships with its partners nationwide.

A passion for flooring, thorough product knowledge and an eye for great design are the strengths of Associated Weavers’ 40-strong dedicated UK sales team. By keeping a close watch on the trends and innovations in terms of colour, texture and technique in interior decorating, the company succeeds in standing out from the crowd with creative and contemporary carpet and flooring for the residential market. With luxury vinyl flooring, carpet tiles and wall-to-wall carpet, Associated Weavers is now also determined to become a trustworthy name in commercial flooring.

Always a marketing trailblazer, Associated Weavers is sure to create commercial concepts as successful as its notorious residential brands, like Invictus, iSense and Sedna.

Stand P580 • T 01422 431100 • www.carpetyourlife.com

Origins Collection

Riverside Origins

Helping

Every underlay Interfloor

Interfloor have underlay solutions to suit every area of the home and every kind of commercial project, including luxury brand Tredaire Premier and sustainable option renu.

Tredaire Premier is Interfloor’s premium underlay range. Its striking paper backing design tops 100% recycled foam that offers a superb, sumptuous feel. The combination of comfort and quality adds their signature touch of luxury to any home.

Thinking innovation? Think renu. The sustainable brand is 100% recyclable at end of life, with environmentally friendly considerations a key focus throughout its design. Sustainability doesn’t compromise comfort though; the underlay is made from highdensity PU foam and helps keep homes warmer whilst saving energy.

With over 60 years of manufacturing industry experience, Interfloor have developed an array of innovative brands and products that speak for themselves.

Stand P410 • T +44 (0) 1706 238 810 • www.interfloor.com

Stand-out style Lano Carpets

Lano has been very busy over the last year looking for new qualities that stand out from the current offerings in the market and it has managed to develop a few gems within its X A Touch of Luxury range.

With SmartStrand, still one of the best performing carpets in the world, Lano sets the bar very high and are happy to introduce Sofia – it really doesn't get any better than this in terms of quality and luxury.

In its Touch Down Premium range, Lano is presenting something new, refreshing and very different. If you want to know more, visit Lano at the BGNFS.

Stand P190 • T +32 (0)56 65 40 00 • www.lano.com

Natural choices

Phoenox Textiles

Phoenox Textiles are an international supplier and the leading UK independent manufacturer of flooring textiles for the home, an award winning family run business, friendly, helpful and customer focused.

Based in Yorkshire – the heart of British textiles since 1954 – they specialise in manufacturing high-quality doormats and runners plus importing ethically sourced rugs using natural and recycled materials wherever possible.

Owners of the well known eco-friendly Hug Rug brand, this British company takes pride in their commitment to sustainability, utilising materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and natural wools.

They offer a wide range of designs and sizes to suit any home or business, from traditional to contemporary, and their products are durable and long-lasting, making them an excellent investment for any space.

Shop with this UK company for eco-friendly and stylish home décor solutions.

Stand P310 • T 01484 863227 • www.phoenox.co.uk

Preview: Showtime in Solihull

The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show May 10/11 2023

Exciting and enticing Cormar Carpet Co

Cormar Carpet Company is delighted to return to the Buying Group’s National Flooring Show with a selection of enticing new ranges including the resilient, yet sumptuous Trinity, and the recently relaunched Primo Ultra range – a firm favourite in family homes for over a decade. Alongside their latest easy clean launch, Cormar will also be unveiling two exciting new ranges for spring. In addition to their portfolio of award-winning ranges, the show will see Cormar introduce the newest addition to their refreshed range of in-store carpet displays. Perfectly showcasing the wonders of wool, Cormar’s brand-new wool textures lectern allows customers to meet the increased demand for a more natural product and is carefully designed to create an eye catching and unique shopping experience, without dominating the retail space.

Stand P480 • T 01204 881234 • portal.cormarcarpets.co.uk

Proudly independent SMG

SMG are the largest flooring group in the UK with over 430 retail outlets. SMG Members proudly retain their complete independence while enjoying the most profitable and comprehensive benefits package around.

Established retailers with existing direct accounts will still benefit from SMG’s special pricing, rebates and promotions to improve their profitability and competitiveness. In addition to these financial advantages, members without direct accounts can still access products from any Approved Supplier via the unique central purchasing scheme.

At this year’s Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show, SMG will be showcasing the latest additions to their supplier portfolio and offers for members. There will be all the latest in show offers and updates on initiatives from the Group. SMG look forward to seeing Members at the Show and discussing all the new advantages exclusive to SMG Members.

Stand D300 • T 0118 932 3832 • www.smg-group.co.uk

Know your waste Carpet Recycling UK

Carpet Recycling UK (CRUK) is urging visitors to BGNFS to bring knowledge and information of their current waste and recycling contracts with them if they want help in finding sustainable solutions for their carpet and textile flooring wastes.

The not-for-profit association will be offering advice on latest outlets for carpet and textile flooring wastes with retailers and manufacturers alike.

CRUK Manager Adnan Zeb-Khan says: “We’re encouraging people to come equipped with knowing their existing waste and recycling contracts, such as how much they spend, which contractors they use, and to have some knowledge about their different waste streams and where they are going.

“With this preparation and by understanding your waste streams and all associated costs, we can then see if we’re able to help them further.”

Latest CRUK figures reveal that the industry is diverting approximately 70% of textile flooring waste from landfill. Around 470,000 tonnes of carpet and textile flooring waste arises annually in the UK.

Stand P260 • T 0161 440 8325 • www.carpetrecyclinguk.com

Primo Ultra

The original Cloud 9

Manufactured in the UK from recycled PU trim to BS EN 14499 standards Cloud 9 carpet underlays have excellent recovery characteristics, and are easy to lift and handle. Their exceptional insulation properties can make a signi cant differenceeven reducing the cost of your heating bills.

Ball & Young has been championing sustainability for over 25 years and its many green initiatives have helped its parent company, The Vita Group, achieve a Gold rating from EcoVadis, in recognition of its advanced sustainability credentials.

Over 25 years of sustainability and innovation. It’s in our DNA.

Preview: Showtime in Solihull

The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show May 10/11 2023

Into the right ballpark MasterPiece

MasterPiece now adds value to both ends of your business process with an innovative pre-visit ‘ballpark quoting’ engine; a diary for scheduling estimator visits and fittings; and support for in-shop sales.

The ballpark quoting engine enables both inexperienced and experienced sales assistants to produce better ballpark quotes than is possible without a software tool. So, either the potential customer is primed well and commits, or else time and effort of a wasted visit is saved.

The dairy for scheduling fitters is a graphical diary for allocating fitters to events by drag and drop. Fittings are allocated to a team according to capability, with duration estimated; the agreed time band within which the fitter will arrive is also captured.

The fitter is provided with own dairy on his phone.

Stand P240 • T 01737 355831 • www.masterpiece-system.com

Doing a runner, with Richlieu Louis de Poortere

Showing an exclusive preview of 23/24 additions to its rug collection, as well as the Richelieu Mix and Match runner programme, Louis de Poortere’s stand is one of newness.

Visitors to the show will be able to see how easy it is to create a fabulous wool-rich bespoke runner in the Richelieu Mix and Match programme – recently expanded to nine patterns and 144 colour options, to give homeowners an extraordinary choice.

Louis de Poortere will also show prototypes of new designs to its 23/24 collection, which will launch in September. Alongside these new designs, the 23/24 collection will also become mono-polymer, using a 100% polyester construction.

“By going to a mono-polymer construction, our 23/24 collection lets us explore the possibility of recycling the rugs back into themselves,” says UK sales director Alan Russell. “It’s a journey that we’re only just beginning and there are certainly challenges to overcome. However by going to a recyclable mono product, our new collection meets one of the industry’s biggest challenges head-on and makes product circularity truly possible. It’s a really exciting time for us at Louis de Poortere.

Stand P350 • T +32 9 384 11 01 • www.louisdepoortere.com

10-11 May 2023

Exclusive show for all flooring buying group members

Discover over 60 leading brands at The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show.

If you’re a member of a buying group, register for your free ticket to see the latest in carpets, rugs, laminates, woods, vinyl, LVT’s, underlays and so much more.

10-11 May 2023

Proudly supported by:

Exclusive show for all flooring buying group members

Discover over 60 leading brands at The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show.

If you’re a member of a buying group, register for your free ticket to see the latest in carpets, rugs, laminates, woods, vinyl, LVT’s, underlays and so much more.

For exhibitor enquiries visit www.bgnfs.co.uk or email info@bgnfs.co.uk

Cranmore Park Conference and Event Centre, Cranmore Avenue, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4LF

Proudly supported by:

Likewise Floors has a fantastic collection of ranges including Carpet, Vinyl, LVT, Laminate, Artificial Grass and more, presented on our superb retail displays. We will be showcasing many new ranges at this year’s show on our stunning wall units and lectern displays.

Likewise Rugs&Matting have some fantastic new rug and doormat ranges with an ever extended offer of eco friendly high quality products.

We look forward to welcoming you at the show on stand P110.

Holland Park

Loft Oak Classical Pinnacle Carpet

Duo Weave Rugs

Jaya Rugs

Chester Square Washed Oak

Recylon Indoor Mats

Preview: Showtime in Solihull

The

2023 Floor Plan BGNFS Floor Plan

Diamond Suite

Platinum Suite

2023 Exhibitors List

FLOORINGNEWS

Freedom refreshed

With BerryAlloc’s refreshed laminate flooring collection, homeowners can enjoy the same wood look in the herringbone of Chateau, Ocean+ 100% water-resistant laminate or the versatility of Connect. That means a beautifully unified look with the freedom to mix features and different laying patterns from room to room.

In Chateau, BerryAlloc has captured the elegance of historic parquet flooring in 15 natural wood designs. The uniquely small and narrow planks are perfect for recreating the herringbone style, as well as shipdeck, ladder and mosaic laying patterns.

Ocean+ is a 100% water-resistant laminate floor that’s available in all 15 matching wood designs of Chateau, as well as 35 other original wood looks. A superb choice for bathrooms, kitchens and busy living spaces, it features Hydro+ technology. First developed in 2008, hydro+ made BerryAlloc the pioneer of water-resistant laminate floors. Sealing joints with hydrophobic technology, hydro+ guarantees a lifetime of water-resistance and makes Ocean+ suitable for bathroom use. Alongside Ocean+ 8 V4, the collection comes in a selection of planks with integrated underlay, XL planks and the superior performance of 12mm floors.

Connect is a versatile, everyday flooring option that brings the natural beauty of wood in a surface that’s dependable and easy to live with. All 50 designs, including the 15 wood looks of Chateau, come in a standard plank size, with a handful of styles also in BerryAlloc’s impressive XL plank. Homes can also choose from the minimalist look of a floor with no bevels or the classic plank effect of fully bevelled edges.

Scott Arundell, sales director, BerryAlloc, says: “Laminate flooring is loved for its durability, scratch resistance and easy maintenance. As a living proposition, it’s a floor that lets homes concentrate on the more important things in life, particularly with innovations like hydro+, but that certainly shouldn’t mean having to compromise elsewhere.

“We’ve thought about our new-look laminate flooring collection a little differently, giving customers the freedom to choose a floor that fulfils their practical needs across beautiful and authentic wood looks. The collection’s ability to let customers choose herringbone for living areas, Ocean+ for moisture prone areas and Connect for all-round use in a perfectly coordinated natural wood look, shows how we’re thinking about our floors as part of a bigger interior design journey.”

T +32 56 52 84 80 www.berryalloc.com

Sad loss of Woolsafe pioneer Paul

Paul Bakker, WoolSafe founder and chairman, passed away peacefully on 5 April 2023, aged 82 years. Paul had been very active in the carpet and cleaning industries as well as with standardisation work for many years.

He was dedicated to WoolSafe which he built into a global business, and ITFA, the International Textile Flooring Academy, that he had helped set up for the preservation of knowledge about carpets and rugs. He will be greatly missed in our industry.

Paul was born near The Hague, The Netherlands where he trained in textile sciences. He got his Diploma in Textile Research in Enschede, then came to the UK with his then fiancée (future wife), Titia to further their studies at Manchester. Paul wrote his ‘Master of Sciences’ thesis on silk dyeing in 1968, but soon after he changed his focus to the other great animal fibre: wool. The family moved to Ilkley, West Yorkshire, where Paul worked as a research scientist for the International Wool Secretariate and later for Wools of New Zealand.

It was during his time at Wools of New Zealand, that Paul, with other experts from the carpet and cleaning industries, developed the WoolSafe testing and approval programme for carpet cleaning products. This ground-breaking, and at its time unique testing programme paved the way to the safe and effective way to clean wool carpets. When Wools of New Zealand’s focus changed, Paul established an independent company, The WoolSafe Organisation, to administer the programme.

Paul proved himself to be a very good businessman as well as an excellent scientist and grew WoolSafe to the successful international company it is now. He recognised that even the best product can cause harm in the hands of untrained operators, so he worked out and promoted the WoolSafe Fibre Care Specialist training programme (1998) and established a global network of the trained professional carpet cleaners, now called WoolSafe Approved Service Providers. In 2006 the first training course to recognise and deal with wool carpet issues was held and the WoolSafe Registered Inspector network launched. Though Paul handed over the day to day running of the company in 2010 (after his 70th birthday), he never fully retired. Always up for new challenges, in 2017 Paul initiated the establishment of the International Textile Flooring Academy (ITFA), for the preservation of accumulated knowledge about carpets and rugs. Together with fellow founder Malcolm Sims, and working with many industry professionals with a wealth of practical skill and experience on textile flooring, they dedicated time and energy to pass this information on.

T 01943 850817 www.woolsafe.org

Chateau in Java Brown

Powerful partnership “disrupts market”

Two major flooring manufacturers behind some of the most well-known brands in residential and commercial sales, have joined forces in "one of the most disruptive alignments that the UK flooring industry has seen."

Leading flooring companies

Unilin Distribution Limited and IVC Group UK Limited have announced a merger to become Unilin Flooring UK & Ireland

Limited with a turnover of €230m in these territories alone.

See page 40 for the full story.

Flooring inflation remains stubbornly high

Floorcovering price inflation remains stubbornly high and still in excess of 10% – above the rate for the furnishing sector generally – according to the latest data from the Office for National for National Statistics.

Carpets and other floorcoverings prices increased 10.3% during March, marginally down from 10.4% the previous month, but ahead of the rate for this time last year which was 7.4%.

Prices for furniture and furnishing generally rose by 9.2% in March, down from 10% in February, while also declining from 16.8% compared to the same month last year. This is the the seventh consecutive month of easing price inflation for furniture and the lowest rate in well over a year.

The data forms part of the monthly Consumer Prices Index (CPI) report which showed the overall consumer rate was 10.1% in the 12 months to March 2023, down from 10.4% in February. Analysts were predicting that UK inflation would finally fall below 10% but food and energy costs are continuing to impact the statistics hard.

Meanwhile, Producer Price Inflation (PPI) saw the rate of furniture output prices, factory gate, rise 10.7% in March on the same month in 2022.

Carpet imports depressed in Q1

Carpet imports into the UK have continued their Q1 slump with a double-digit reduction and notable declines from Belgium and Turkey.

The latest figures compiled by The Furnishing Report from HMRC data for February show the dip in volumes of 11% to 11.6m sqm and while inflation has boosted prices, even the value of imported goods slipped nearly 1% to £75m.

The results follow January data which showed a decline in volumes of 6.5% and most striking is the 4.3% drop in values to a total of £73.2m. February was positive only for The Netherlands which saw carpet exports to the UK up over 5% on the same month last year but Belgium continued its very sluggish performance with the value of its exports falling 12%.

The earthquake in Turkey had a major impact in a country that had seen value growth of nearly 20% in UK exports in January (and over 10% in December) but even with inflation, values for February reversed with a 3% decline.

Turkish trade body ITHIB reported last week that textile exports to Europe were 21.2% down in volume following the earthquake but UK manufacturers have said there have been only minor interruptions to the supply chain for polypropylene yarn for which Turkey is a key supplier.

Flooring sales bounce back after sluggish start

Flooring sales have bounced back after a sluggish start to the year with March showing a major increase according to the latest retail data from the Office for National Statistics.

March floorcovering retail sales were up 28.5% month-on-month since February, up by to £268.1m from £208.5m. However, compared to the same time last year, performance is still subdued – sales decreased by 3.8% from £278.1m compared to March 2022.

The furniture and lighting sector overall did slightly better with retail sales increasing 31% to £1.675bn for March from £1.2bn in February. This marked the highest result so far this year and is also up on the previous year, with sales up 4.3% i 2023 from £1.605bn in 2022.

Overall, total retail sales volume in March fell by 3.1%, while the value increased by 4.5% to £47.2bn year-on-year due to the effects of inflation. On a monthly comparison, volumes were down 0.9%, with the value spent also down by 0.9%.

Likewise post 20% sales growth

Fast growing UK floor coverings distributor Likewise plc says Q1 sales are 19.7% up on this time last year and announced more expansion to its national logistics network.

In a trading update to its shareholders, the plc also announced that its Likewise branded business grew by 25.7% in the same period.

The Plc which had sales of £124m in the 2022, up from £61m in 2021, says it expects to grow to revenues to "well in excess of £200 million in the medium term."

"Q1 has been positive and the Group will continue to take market share in existing geographical regions notwithstanding the huge opportunity as the Group moves into new UK territories," says chief executive Tony Brewer.

The Group says it now has possession of the 47,000 square feet high bay Distribution Centre in Glasgow which will become operational during Spring 2023 which will allow the business in Scotland to significantly enlarge and also provide additional stocking capacity to support the Likewise Logistics Network in England and Wales.

Confidence builds but "continuing concerns"

Consumer confidence for major household purchases has continued to strengthen after last month's "suprise rebound" in sentiment, says leading retail analysts GfK.

GfK's Major Purchase Index which follows a survey of consumer purchase intentions for furniture, flooring and home appliances has gone up four points in March, following a three point rise in February. The Index is still at minus 33 however and that's nine points lower than this time last year.

The overall Consumer Confidence Index covering all purchases saw an increase by two points to minus 36 in March.

GfK's director Joe Staton is cautious. "“A small improvement in the Overall Index Score this month masks continuing concerns among consumers about their personal financial situation. This measure best reflects the financial pulse of the nation and it remains weak."

Enter the industry Oscars now!

“This year has started with a new set of challenges and a tight market but the industry has plenty of innovative ideas to tempt consumers to make purchase decisions,” said Flooring Innovation Awards organiser Bridgette Kelly.

The national Flooring Innovation Awards (FIA) sets out to identify products and services that are genuinely new and exceptional in the sector. Award categories cover not only flooring products, but also recognise achievements in service, technology and marketing.

Last year there were more than 100 submissions to the award scheme and 34 shortlisted entries received the coveted Innovation Star. The judges then went on to select the Innovation Gold in each of 10 categories to receive the ultimate award.

The awards scheme website is at www.flooringinnovationawards.com and gives full details of all the categories for 2023 and has an entry form.

Pure Gold

Sponsored by THE

Debbie Turvey of Victoria

TWITTER @flooring_awards

INSTAGRAM flooringinnovationawards

“Star” judge Bridgette Kelly was able to present several of the Gold awards at The Flooring Show in Harrogate, last September.

Charlotte Coop and Martin Peace of Abingdon

Emmanuel Lioen of Associated Weavers

Ann Shaw of Ball & Young (left) with Bridgette

Diane Martin of The Stocklists magazine with Peter Jones of Lion Floors

Scott Arundell of BerryAlloc

Debbie Turvey of Victoria

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:

Di erent 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

ADHESIVE TYPES

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.

Subfloor: What surface will the adhesive stick to most e ectively 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.

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.

STYCCOBOND F58 PLUS is a fast-drying, pressure sensitive adhesive that is ideally suited for the installation of LVT floorcoverings. Fibre-reinforced for quicker installation, -meaning you can get to work faster. Trust the yellow bucket.

f-ball.com/f58plus

NO TIME TO WAIT? USE F58 PLUS. FIBREREINFORCED, PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF LVT

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.

Sponge rubber

Crumb

Combination

PU foam

Buying Groups

Pick the right one

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?

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...

Key benefits

Increase margins

• Group purchases to get beneficial rates

• Rebates

• Exclusive higher-margin products

• Special promotions

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.

• 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

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.flooringone.co.uk

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

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

Vinyl + 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

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

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

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.

The Stocklists

Wholesale Distribution

NATIONAL

Fells Carpets

Leeds - see page 12 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 14 and Floorwise page 69

Kellars Limited

Manchester 0161 443 0970 sales@kellars.co.uk

Lakes Flooring Supplies

Kendal - see Floorwise page 69

Millbrook Carpets

Darwen 01254 703999 millbrookcarpets@live.co.uk

Preston Underlay Centre Ltd

Preston/Lancashire - see Floorwise page 69

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 18-19 and Floorwise page 69

NORTH EAST/YORKSHIRE

Fells Carpets

Leeds - see page 12 0113 3071900 carl.cummings@fellscarpets.co.uk www.fellscarpets.co.uk

Kellars Limited

Darlington 0161 443 0970 sales@kellars.co.uk

Fells Carpets

Goole - see page 12 0113 3071900 carl.cummings@fellscarpets.co.uk www.fellscarpets.co.uk

RBV Flooring

Bradford –w see page 36 01274 670011 rbvflooring@yahoo.com

Trade Carpets and Floors Ltd

Rotherham 01709 437723 sales@tradecarpetsandfloors.co.uk

MIDLANDS

Birch Distribution Sheffield - see Floorwise page 69

Birch Distribution Leeds - see Floorwise page 69

Birch Distribution Hull - see Floorwise page 69

Cornerstone Flooring Supplies Doncaster - see Floorwise page 69

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

DMS Flooring Supplies Northampton - see page 10 01604 664850 sales@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

Floorwise D & J Ltd

Southam - see Floorwise page 69

Kellars Limited

Rugby 0161 443 0970 sales@kellars.co.uk

Matty’s Wholesale Carpets

Birmingham 01675 433072 sales@mattys.co.uk

STS Flooring Distributors

Hemel Hempstead - see page 18-19 wand Floorwise page 69

Trade Counter Carpets

Leicester 0845 604 3055

tradecountercarpets@gmail.com

Woodall Brothers Ltd

Shrewsbury - see Floorwise page 69

SOUTH WEST

BL Flooring Supplies Bristol - see Floorwise page 69 BL Flooring Supplies

Gloucester - see Floorwise page 69

Fitwell Flooring Ltd

Redruth - see Floorwise page 69

Fitwell Flooring Ltd

Newton Abott - see Floorwise page 69

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 69 Tel: 01980 880933 mail@salesmark-west.co.uk www.salesmark-west.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 9 for details

DMS Flooring Supplies

Hemel Hempstead - see page 10 01442 502562 sales@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

DMS Flooring Supplies

Milton Keynes - see page 10 01908 049006 sales@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

DMS Flooring Supplies

Colindale, North London 0208 036 9945 - see page 10 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 69 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 p18-19 & Floorwise p69

STS Flooring Distributors

Croydon - see p18-19 & Floorwise p69

STS Flooring Distributors

Orpington/Croydon - see page 18-19 & Floorwise page 69

Trade Carpet London

Wimbledon 0208 247 3891 sales@tradecarpet.com www.tradecarpet.com

IRELAND (NI + ROI)

Flanagan Flooring Distributors

Saintfield, Belfast 028 9751 0932

sales@flanagan-flooring.com

www.flanagan-flooring.com

Flanagan Flooring Distributors

Republic of Ireland 048 9751 0932

sales@flanagan-flooring.com

www.flanagan-flooring.com

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd

Dublin - see Floorwise page 69

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd

Belfast - see Floorwise page 69

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd

Limerick - see Floorwise page 69

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

SCOTLAND

Flanagan Flooring Distributors

Baillieston 0141 773 1122

scotland-sales@flanagan-flooring.com www.flanagan-flooring.com

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 69

WALES

CBW Flooring Supplies

Pontypridd 01443 492510 www.cbwflooringsupplies.co.uk

Floorwise Wales

Merthyr Tydfil - see Floorwise page 69

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

Tel: 0117 955 5454

Fax: 0117 955 2626 info@blflooring.co.uk

17 Salesmark West Ltd Amesbury, SP4 7LN Tel: 01980 880933 mail@salesmark-west.co.uk

18 Salesmark Lancing, BN15 8UN Tel: 01903 750522

Fax: 01903 851111 sales@salesmark-floorwise.co.uk

19 Fitwell Flooring Ltd Newton Abbot, TQ12 6TR

Tel: 01626 835935 sales@fitwell.co.uk

20 Fitwell Flooring Ltd Redruth, TR15 1SS Tel: 01209 214344 sales@fitwell.co.uk

21 STS Flooring Distributors Ltd Cambridge, CB23 8UD Tel: 0345 899 1000 sales@stsflooring.co.uk

22 STS Flooring Distributors Ltd Hemel Hempstead, HP2 7ER Tel: 0345 899 1000 sales@stsflooring.co.uk

23 STS Flooring Distributors Ltd Basildon, Essex, SS14 3DW

Tel: 0345 899 1000 sales@stsflooring.co.uk

24 STS Flooring Distributors Ltd Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4WP

Tel: 0345 899 1000 sales@stsflooring.co.uk

25 STS Flooring Distributors Ltd Orpington, Kent, BR5 3SS Tel: 0345 899 1000 sales@stsflooring.co.uk

Registered Inspectors Network

Registered Inspectors Network

Wool

Approved

WoolSafe Approved Products The WoolSafe Academy

TRAINING COURSES — 1 TO 4 DAYS

Carpet Fitting — Basic

Carpet Fitting — Intermediate

PROFESSIONAL FLOORING TRAINING

FITA provides short training courses, workshops and assessments for both commercial and domestic markets. Both our fully equipped training centres at Loughborough and Kirkcaldy are run by seasoned professional instructors with specialist knowledge of the flooring industry.

Carpet

Carpet Fitting — Advanced

NEW! Carpet — Borders

NEW! Natural Floorcoverings

Sheet Vinyl Installation — Commercial — Basic/Intermediate

Sheet Vinyl Installation — Commercial — Advanced

Vinyl

Linoleum

Resilient

Wood

Sheet Vinyl Installation — Domestic

Sheet Vinyl — Wetrooms Installation — Advanced

Linoleum Installation — Basic

Linoleum Installation — Intermediate

Resilient/LVT Fitting — Basic

Resilient/LVT Fitting — Intermediate

Resilient/LVT Fitting — Advanced

Laminate and Floating Wood Fitting — Basic

Wood Fitting — Intermediate

Wood Fitting — Advanced

Wood Sanding and Finishing

Subfloors Subfloor Preparation — Commercial

Subfloor Preparation — Domestic

Cost-Effective Estimating and Planning — Commercial

Supplementary

Profitable Measuring and Quoting — Domestic

Moisture — Preventing Floor Failures

CARPET WORKSHOPS — ALL 1 DAY DURATION

NEW! Bullnose and Double Bullnose

NEW! Joins (including Repairs)

Carpet

NEW! Stairs (including Open Plan)

NEW! Stretching Techniques (including Power Stretching)

Flooring Specialist – Insurance Sector

Cannock, Staffordshire : OTE £30,000-£40,000 + benefits

Flooring Specialists are required to join a growing insurance claims handling company. The ideal applicant will possess a broad knowledge of all types of flooring (carpet, wood, tile, manufacturers, brands, quality and costs) gained from working within retail, trade, insurance claims or other relevant sectors requiring flooring knowledge.

The successful applicant will join a motivated team of around 40 staff at a leading insurance claims handling specialist. As a Flooring Specialist, you will process insurance claims in accordance with the company’s best practice and clients individual claim philosophies, ensuring a positive experience for every client. This is a busy role for an organised and confident individual. Full training on insurance and claims handling will be provided.

Responsibilities:

• Provide excellent customer service – deal with customers in a positive and friendly way

• Liaise with the policy holders and Insurance Companies to accurately validate claims circumstances and identify and report any potential fraud indicators

• Establish the type and specification of customers’ existing flooring and identify a suitable like-for-like replacement

• Using your flooring expertise, ensure the most cost-effective solution for customers and client’s expectations

• Arrange inspections and restorations via authorised panel of Inspection Agents

• Arrange delivery of replacements goods within contractual time frames

• Provide the highest level of customer service at all times ensuring compliance

• Achieve monthly targets in closing out claims to achieve bonuses

Skills and experience:

• Experience working in the flooring industry in a relevant role

• Excellent customer service skills

• Highly-organised

• A confident communicator in all situations

• Able to understand insurance policies would be helpful (although full training will be provided)

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced, personable and motivated Flooring Specialist to join a leading insurance services company, offering flexible tailored solutions and delivering a personal service to clients and policy holders alike. In addition to your flooring knowledge there is the opportunity to acquire other product knowledge too.

Fantastic Base Salary with a realistic OTE of £30,000-£40,000 + benefits. Apply now!

See

page 73

To strengthen the sales department of our broadloom division and to make a better & stronger Balta, we are currently looking for a:

Sales Representative

Scotland, N.I, Cumbria & Northumberland

Your Challenges:

Managing key retailers and buying group members in your area Expansion of the exisiting customer base

Increasing the product ranges with exisiting customers based on a clear sales strategy combined with a wide range of new products

Your Talents:

• Experienced Sales Manager looking to challenge themselves and thrive in a busy and fast paced environment

• Eager to drive sales and able to spot opportunities for growth

• Excellent time management with the ability to work with numbers and data

Able to travel approximately 4 days of the week

Experience in carpet & flooring industry preferrable but not essential

What We Offer:

• Opportunity to have a direct influence on accounts in your area

• The chance to be a part of a world leader in broadloom

• A working environment based around sustainability, safety and strong communication

• Attractive salary and other excellent benefits

To register your interest, please send you CV to careers@baltafloorcoverings.co.uk

JOIN THE Furlong Flooring Sales team

Furlong Flooring is a dynamic, ambitious, award winning, familyowned company that produces and supplies a wide range of high-quality flooring to leading retailers across the UK.

Due to the strength of the group and continued growth we are now looking for an additional 11 high calibre Area Sales Managers to join our teams across our UK operations and take our successful business to a higher level.

You will be responsible for managing, nurturing and developing current customer relationships, your knowledge of product, the industry and contact-book will help you to develop and grow new business in the retail and commercial sectors.

In return we will support you with:

• A company that cares about customers and high levels of service.

• A growing product portfolio that covers industry leading Carpet, LVT, Engineered Wood, Laminate and Vinyl flooring.

• Over 500,000ft2 of stocked warehouse space. (Dartford, Preston & Stonehouse)

• Our own fleet of 40+ delivery vehicles

• A friendly and supportive working environment where people stick around because they believe in working for a company that is always striving to be the best.

• A competitive salary and uncapped commission structure, company car, phone and laptop.

So if you are a great communicator with great sales and planning skills, hardworking and driven to succeed plus a full UK driving licence, you should send your CV and covering letter to dowen@furlongflooring.com today.