The Stocklists - February 2023

GRASS 27 +31 38 477 8911

CORMAR CARPET CO. 25,35 01204 881234

CYBERGOLD 36 01494 761814

DMS 9 01604 664850

FELLS CARPETS 12 01977 662211

FITA 58 01159 506836

FLOORWISE 57 01509 673974

F.O.T.Y. 11 0115 958 3077

FURLONG FLOORING 1,13 01772 696787

HATHAWAY FLOORING 14 0161 872 8003

HUGH MACKAY 15 01429 892555

INTERFLOOR 23 01706 213131

KAHRS 16 023 9245 3045

KARNDEAN DESIGNFLOORING 01386 820 100

NICF 58 0115 958 3077

PENTHOUSE CARPETS 01706 639866

STS 17 0345 899 1000

UNIFLOOR 31 07881 451682

UZIN UTZ 33 01788 530080

t VICTORIA FLOORING 18,34 01562 749300

GAIA ® - AW’s POLYESTER BRAND

Polyester is the most widely used textile fibre in the world. Polyester is alluring & smooth to the touch . Gaia ® carpet with its excellent colour fastness, rich lustre and 100% virgin pile materia l will certainly enrich your home. And no maintenance issues whatsoever: Gaia ® carpet is bleach cleanable .

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

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

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Home of beautifully crafted flooring to fall in love with

myvictoria.co.uk

Aura, Puddle Duck with Universal 55, Nimbus Cloud

Award winning state-of-the-art underlay.

Designed specifically for underfloor heating systems, the perforated holes allow for quicker heat transfer

46oC heat transfer at 200kw ≈0.8 functional TOG rating ≈36 dB noise reduction ≈80kg density

FLOORINGNEWS

Underlay energy saver

With a poorly insulated, aging housing stock and rising energy costs finding ways to reduce heating bills is high on the list for homeowners. When replacing carpet, floorwise says thinking carefully about the underlay can make a discernible difference in energy bills.

Typically, it’s estimated that up to 15% of a home’s lost energy is through its floor, so taking a considered approach to its thermal performance is worth considering. With current building regulations, new build homes may require over 100mm of rigid foam insulation to combat this heat loss, but the bulk of the UK’s housing stock predates these requirements.

When refurbishing carpet in all but the newest homes, it’s often laid directly onto a concrete slab or suspended timber floor. Not only will the right combination of carpet and underlay help to cut down on wasted energy, but it will also stop drafts through suspended timber floors and help to make homes feel warmer, also giving homeowners the option to turn down the temperature on thermostats.

Typically, it’s estimated that up to 15% of a home’s lost energy is through its floor, so taking a considered approach to its thermal performance is worth considering.

Most modern underlays come with a tog rating, which can be added to the tog value of the carpet – typically between 0.7 and 3 tog – for a total ‘system’ thermal performance. Depending on factors like material, thickness and density, tog ratings of carpet underlays range from 0.7 to more than 3.5 tog.

If you’re looking to recommend an underlay with the best insulation to a homeowner worried about their energy bills, then turn to floorwise Maxi, an EHD+ 11mm recycled PU underlay that’s among the brand’s best thermal performers. With a 3.5 tog value, it maximises the insulation ability of carpet and underlay ‘systems’, as well as providing great underfoot comfort and lasting support.

T 01509 673974 www.floorwise.co.uk

Lovin' it!

For Valentine's month, we celebrate the best-sellers that consumers love the most page 34–37

Grass is growing

The artificial grass business is not just growing in the UK, its sustainability is getting greener pages 26–28

Natural inspiration

Rita Bancroft looks at how the influence of nature is driving future trends pages 40–41

Wilton Royal on parade

Abingdon Flooring has unveiled new look point of sale for its Wilton Royal wool carpet collection. As wool carpeting continues to enjoy a resurgence, Abingdon Flooring has revealed a brand-new visual identity for the made in Britain Wilton Royal collection.

The new look for point of sale and hanging books, brings Wilton Royal in-line with Abingdon Flooring’s fresh and modern brand and brings unity across Wilton Royal, Love Story and Stainfree collections. Showcased on displays for Royal Charter Deluxe and New Royal Windsor ranges, the identity highlights the natural qualities of wool carpets as well as reinforcing Abingdon Flooring’s strong brand.

Charlotte Coop, marketing manager, Abingdon Flooring, says: “While wool maybe the most traditional of yarns, it doesn’t mean that it’s not without modern appeal. In fact, with 75% of consumers wanting to buy products that stand with their belief and the future of the planet a growing concern for everyone, it’s perhaps a more appealing choice than ever. With this in mind, we felt it was the right time to modernise the look of our Wilton Royal collection while capitalising on wool’s natural origins.”

Abingdon Flooring has a strong reputation for affordable carpets made in Britain and bringing this sentiment to the forefront of the identity has been a key part of the merchandising redesign. Now featuring heavily alongside signature graphics, the high-profile of Abingdon Flooring ensures these are recognised as wool carpets with great value.

“We’re delighted to be launching this new look for our Wilton Royal merchandising as it brings the collection firmly into the Abingdon Flooring family,” says Charlotte. “We’re sure that the displays will help to make wool a star once again and give our retailers the opportunity to present wool carpets from a youthful and dynamic brand.”

Regency earns top credentials ITC appoints for UK

Furlong Flooring's production operation Regency Carpets has achieved a series of three top accreditations which bear testament to its high-quality products and service

The award-winning UK-based carpet manufacturer has achieved ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification for quality, environmental management, and health and safety.

Achieving ISO 9001: Quality Management System demonstrates the company has effective processes and people in place to consistently deliver high quality products time after time. As a UK-based carpet manufacturer, the company has worked hard to secure this important industry standard, which is commonly required across all manufacturing companies.

The company has also been awarded ISO 14001 for its Environmental Management System, which measures the impact that an organisation has on its environment. This is particularly significant for a business that sets standards for both current operation and future improvement, ensuring that all its product developments and manufacturing processes have environmental considerations at heart.

The third of its trio of accreditations is ISO 45001, which focuses on Occupational Health and Safety. This is critical across the business, ensuring that employees and site visitors are safe, and their wellbeing always managed.

Stephen Large, Managing Director of Regency, explained: “The ISO Accreditations form an integral part of Regency’s 2030 Vision. Realised, this vision will see Regency become a company within an organisation that has a benign impact upon our environment, whilst striving to support the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

"The accreditations are a testament to the behaviours and performance of the company within the Furlong Group over many years," he said. "Its reputation for quality, service and reliability having grown consistently. However, within the past 12 months, new dynamic leadership at every level of the Furlong Group and Regency Carpet Manufacturing has created the culture and conditions to propel us forwards at the speed required to achieve our goals”.

Deborah Owen, Furlong Group Head of Marketing added: “We are delighted to see Regency being awarded all three of these important industry standards. They demonstrate our determination to not only design and manufacture the best products, but to do it in an environmentally-friendly way whilst putting our people at the centre of everything we do.”

www.furlongflooring.com

ITC Natural Luxury Flooring has announced the appointment of Steve Haesler as the UK Country Manager.

Steve has a wealth of knowledge in the industry having previously run several businesses within the flooring industry throughout his career and he will be responsible for the day to day running of ITC's UK business.

With the appointment of Steve, ITC says it is confident to further build and expand the brand in the UK. "Steve is very much looking forward to continuing to develop good client relations with all our valued UK customers and we welcome him to the team," says the company..

Steve Haesler's contact details are: steveh@itcnaturalluxuryflooring.com mobile :07961 864112.

www.itcnaturalluxuryflooring.com

Harrogate showing strongly

The Flooring Show for September in Harrogate is selling out quickly say organisers with 70% of the available space already committed.

Leading players in the flooring sector have already confirmed their attendance including Adam, Axminster, Ball & Young, Bostik, Cavalier, Cormar, Coretec, F. Ball & Co Ltd, Furlong, Interfloor, Kellars, Lano, Lifestyle, Likewise, Penthouse, Tarkett and Westex.

The event has also been nominated for prestigious awards which recognise innovation and best practice in the sector in the Exhibition News Marketing Awards.

The two nominations cover B2B Marketing Campaign of the Year and Best email Campaign of the Year - digital marketing initiatives which are offered as part of the package to promote all exhibitors at the event.

"We’re so proud that The Flooring Show has been nominated for these top awards," says Suzy Makin, of organisers Ocean Media Group. "We'd like to offer an extra special “thank you” to all our exhibitors who make the event what it is: we couldn’t do it without all the suppliers and manufacturers who join us every year."

The Flooring Show runs from September 17 to 19 in Harrogate this year. www.theflooringshow.com

Golden giveaway for RAG mag

F. Ball and Co. Ltd. is celebrating the launch of the 50th issue of its industry-acclaimed Recommended Adhesives Guide (RAG) with a golden giveaway.

Golden tickets have been hidden inside 50 copies of the 2023 edition of the guide, with the lucky recipients entitled to claim one of a range of prizes. Copies will automatically be sent to members of F. Ball’s Ball Rewards scheme and can also be requested for free.

F. Ball’s sales director, Darren Kenyon, explained: “It is always recommended that flooring professionals check the compatibility of chosen floorcoverings and adhesives to ensure that the resulting bond will perform as required for the lifetime of the installation. For 50 years, the RAG has made this process effortless. We wanted to celebrate the milestone by giving contractors the chance to win a range of prizes.”

F. Ball’s sales director, Darren Kenyon, explained: “It is always recommended that flooring professionals check the compatibility of chosen floorcoverings and adhesives to ensure that the resulting bond will perform as required for the lifetime of the installation."

The origins of the RAG can be traced back to 1973. Each year since, F. Ball has published an update to what has evolved into the industry’s leading guide to floorcoveringadhesive compatibility.

The RAG enables contractors and specifiers to quickly check the compatibility of F. Ball adhesives with over 6,000 branded floorcoverings from over 200 leading international floorcovering manufacturers – offering flooring professionals the most comprehensive guide to floorcovering-adhesive compatibility available.

In addition to an A5 printed book, a constantly updated version of the guide is available on the F. Ball website, and as a mobile app, which is free to download from the Apple App store or Google Play.

Recommendations are only included in the guide after the completion of a rigorous 56-day testing programme at F. Ball’s state-of-the-art testing facilities and following endorsement by the relevant floorcovering manufacturer. Furthermore, every recommendation listed guarantees the resulting bond performance for the entire lifetime of the flooring installation – as long as the advised subfloor preparation and installation procedures are followed – giving flooring professionals peace of mind.

T 01583 361 633 www.f-ball.co.uk

Sustainable sub-floor

Building on its rapid growth in availability throughout 2022, flooring contractors and installers can now enjoy a reliable supply of Lion Floor pre-conditioned engineered fibreboard, ensuring that whatever the scale of project, there’s a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to flooring grade plywood.

Because it’s made in Finland from locally sourced wood by-products, Lion Floor has a simpler supply chain that’s less prone to delays and which enjoys a far lower carbon footprint than the cross-continent shipping needed for flooring grade plywood. This reliable and regular supply, along with excellent product quality and consistency, means that installers can trust the Lion Floor name.

Peter Jones, Finnish Fibreboard, says: “We’ve designed Lion Floor to meet the demands of use beneath floorcoverings. Every aspect of its function and performance has been made with a simple and reliable installation in mind. That’s seen many flooring installers make the switch from flooring grade plywood and as we continue to broaden availability in more locations, we’re confident that it will become trusted as the number one choice in British Standard compliant fabricated underlays.” As well as flooring distributors and stockists, Lion Floor has also seen adoption at other trade distribution channels, further widening availability and reaching an audience of builders and DIYers keen to find a simple and reliable alternative to flooring grade plywood.

Peter Jones, Finnish Fibreboard, says: “We’ve designed Lion Floor to meet the demands of use beneath floorcoverings. Every aspect of its function and performance has been made with a simple and reliable installation in mind."

With a construction that eliminates the core gaps and overlaps commonly found in plywood, there’s no doubting that Lion Floor is a high-quality and reliable alternative to BS 8203 plywood. Thanks to its high-grade construction that’s denser and more rigid than plywood, similar strength can be achieved with thinner board, So, when replacing a BS 8203 6mm compliant plywood, installers should choose the 4.8mm thick Lion Floor.

Because Lion Floor is pre-conditioned and doesn’t need wetting before installation, it’s just as easy to install as plywood. In fact, as it can be cut cleanly and quickly with a knife or saw, it’s arguably even easier to achieve a high-quality flooring installation with Lion Floor at your side. Fixed with ring shank nails and suitable for screeds and feather compounds, there’s no longer a reason to choose BS 8203 compliant plywood.

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

NewTrinity by

A premier, heavyweight easy clean carpet manufactured in a collection of 14 Tri-Colour heather shades

Durable, resilient and luxurious, Trinity is made from 100% Excellon Polypropylene and comes with a 10-year Stain and Wear Warranty for added peace of mind.

MADE IN BRITAIN

SINCE 1956 www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

FLOORING FOCUS

Artificial grass is growing, and greener!

Two truisms of the artificial turf market. Synthetic grass is growing! And it’s getting greener!

It’s growing as the market within the UK is seen as one of the fastest growing territories in a global market estimated to be worth around £3bn and which is expected to grow to £5bn over the next five years.

And investment by homeowners in their garden space has grown 77% over the last two years according to the Nationwide Building society. That financial incentive has encouraged manufacturers to invest heavily in product development so the offer in artificial grass has got increasingly sophisticated, diverse and attractive. The authenticity and comfort of modern synthetic products has come a long way from the DIY astroturf of 10 years ago.

All of which means opportunities for flooring retailers to add an extra revenue stream, catering for middle-market consumers who want something more impressive than the basic rolls the local DIY shed has to offer.

Point-of-sale is a key motivator. Consumers are intrigued to see synthetic turf sold like carpet in their local flooring store and surprised to see the quality and variety of the options on offer.

And for small areas, consumers can generally fit it themselves – it’s a lot easier than installing carpet and LVT!

The maturing artificial grass market has led PARQ by Betap to develop four new collections.

“As the market place evolves, a more diverse consumer base requires clearer product grouping to simplify the mesmerising amount of products available,” says Andrew Bramall of Betap.

“Retailers are now seeing returning customers who have had artificial grass for some years and are now wanting a replacement. This group of buyers are more specific in their requirements,” he said. “At the other end of the spectrum we are seeing buyers purchasing for the first time that need guidance and recommendations.”

“As the market place evolves, a more diverse consumer base requires clearer product grouping to simplify the mesmerising amount of products available,” says Andrew Bramall of Betap.

Research by home insurers Aviva in July 2022 said one in ten UK households have already replaced their natural lawn with artificial grass and a surprisingly high 29% “plan to or would consider making the swap.”

And artificial grass is getting greener – more environmentally aware. The sector has had a bad press in some quarters for its environmental credentials but increasingly products are more sustainably produced and recyclable. Supporters also point to the requirement of real turf for treatment chemicals, energy-inefficient mowers and its insatiable thirst for precious water.

But the bottom line is that UK householders like the convenience of low maintenance of artificial lawns, especially for smaller areas and increasingly variable weather conditions swinging from drought with hosepipe bans to floods and mud have made a perfect natural lawn difficult to stay on top off.

Research by home insurers Aviva in July 2022 said one in ten UK households have already replaced their natural lawn with artificial grass and a surprisingly high 29% “plan to or would consider making the swap.”

PARQ created the Start, Premium and Elite collections to help their customers easily identify the right product for the end user. These collections have been complimented with the NextGen range that offers a special coating made within the same polymer family as the pile making it fully recyclable.

Synthetic grass is growing! And it’s getting greener!

Betap – Vinci from the PARQ Premium collection

FLOORING FOCUS

Artificial grass is growing, and greener! continued from page 26

Sustainabiliy is central to the success of leading maufacturer Condor Grass. Sustainable production is a huge step, but ultimately the products must also be more sustainable.

“That is why years ago we commissioned our R&D department to develop circular products," says Netherlands-based Condor.

Over the years, Lano Carpets has earned its spurs as a reliable and high-quality supplier of artificial grass. In the spotlight this season is the Green12345 and the Enso collection.

Green12345 is the flagship collection, comprising eight stunning qualities in a variety of weights and pile heights. Five different widths from one to five metres plus pre-cut rolls are available alongside a set of accessories to create a “simple and easy” one-stop package for lawn installation.

Lano’s Enso collection contains 100% efficiently recyclable landscaping qualities. The Enso recycling process is easier, more effective, more affordable and guarantees to yield in a higher-grade recycled end-product.

Green12345 is the flagship collection, comprising eight stunning qualities in a variety of weights and pile heights.

The most recent development at Condor is Alloa. It stands for “All Over Again” and represents the company’s uncompromising focus on sustainability and the environment.

This new type of artificial grass consists of only mono-material, namely polypropylene and its unique DNA allows the product to be recycled.

"With the arrival of our Alloa brand, this dream has become reality. With this Alloa Pura range, we are able to come full circle and reuse our raw materials in new products again and again. With this, we will contribute to the developments of the circular economy with our circular artificial grass products,” says Condor.

Demonstrating their commitment to this approach, the company has invested strongly with an expansion of the production building and the installation of advanced, robotic yarn handling systems to make the process as efficient as possible. Alloa can also be produced in 5m widths.

Condor is very customer serviced oriented and perpared to go beyond their extensive range to meet and specific needs of their customers.

And the latest part of the push to promote the virtues of Condor Grass is the launch of a smart new website marking a "decade of excellence" in artificial turf (see link in panel, right).

Condor

Flooring inflation keeps going up

While overall inflation in the UK economy appears to have peaked and furniture shows a fall, flooring inflation just keeps going up.

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows carpet inflation up almost 1% to 9.4% for December with LVT, vinyl and all other flooring up 3% to 19.7%. This compares to the overall UK retail price inflation of 10.5% which is 0.2% less than last month while inflation in the furntiture sector fell 1% to 12.1%.

Melrose Interiors bought by Headlam

The Headlam Group has confirmed the acqusiition of Melrose Interiors, one of the UK's biggest rug manufacturers and importers.

Melrose brings a number of new larger customers to the Headlam Group, including major high street and online retailers. A high propotion of its rugs are manufacturered in the UK and the business, recently moved into modern new facilities at Park View Mills in Wibsey, near Bradford. Melrose has invested heavily in design, product development, technology and logistics. It ships 1.5m items annually and has a turnover of around £10m.

The award-winning [RE]lay brand of recycled rugs is a key part of the company's keen focus on sustainability and commitment to avoid carpet waste going to landfill. Established for 50 years, the business has been led by Andy Murphy, who has been Managing Director since 2010 and employs around 45 people.

The terms of the acqusition deal have not been disclosed to date.

Q4 carpet imports show further fall

Carpet imports in the critical pre-Christmas period showed a substantial 14% fall with deliveries from key UK partner Belgium down 27%.

The figures for November 2022, compiled by The Furnishing Report from HMRC data show the fourth consective month of decline on year-to-year comparisons.

However, price inflation meant the value of carpet imports in November was stable, up 0.1 percent to £81.9 million compared with November 2021.

Furniture sector insolvencies at record levels

The number of furniture/flooring companies filing for insolvency have climbed to the highest level since records began.

424 companies were either placed into administration or liquidation through the 12 months of last year according to the latest data compiled by The Furnishing Report. This figure, which is 81% up on 2021, is seen as the consequence of the withdrawal of Government Covid support measures alongside the end of the pent-up demand that sustained the industry so successfully during the pandemic.

The 424 total includes only major companies where administrators or liquidators were called in. In data that includes companies that were dissolved voluntarily, there were 4,818 companies that closed in 2022, up from 4,157 in 2021.

Domotex makes a comeback

After having to cancel Domotex two years in a row due to the pandemic, the Hannover event proved once again that it remains one of the world's most important trade shows for flooring, albeit with a significantly reduced attendance.

Domotex closed on Sunday, January 15, having seen 20,000 visitors visit over 700 exhibitors in the eight halls of Hannover.

"We are overwhelmed by the positive response as well as the energetic spirit of this year's Domotex," said Sonia Wedell-Castellano, Global Director. "The atmosphere in the halls was super – exhibitors and visitors were delighted to finally come together again at their industry trade show to meet face-to-face, exchange ideas, make new contacts and close deals."

Organisers said they were "pleasantly suprised" by the attendance figures after the extreme challenges to the event, although the statistics are well down pre-pandemic results which used to see attendance in excess of 35,000 and double the number exhibitors.

"What pleases me is that the quality of visitors at the show is outstanding," said Ms Wedell-Castellano. "After all, the decision-maker share is 80%. Those who come to Domotex come with very specific intentions."

Sustainability was a common thread running throughout the exhibition halls with the guiding theme of "Floored by Nature" and the special "Green Collection" presentation which formed the heart of the event.

Strong sales growth at Likewise

A confident trading update from ambitious UK flooring distributor Likewise plc shows 27% sales growth in Q4 2022 and strong performance across its expanding network..

Like-for-like sales grew by 26.6% in Q4, contributing to a 25.7% improvement for the full year to December 31. However, the total sales revenue for the year ended 31 December 2022 increased by 103.9% to £124.4 million. This result shows a major contribution from the acquisition of Valley Wholesale Carpets Limited in January 2022.

"In an undoubtedly challenging market, we are very pleased with the contribution from Valley to sales and profitability," says Likewise CEO Tony Brewer. "The Valley logistics network, with its main distribution hub in Erith, is now enhanced by extra storage and cutting capacity in Derby in addition to the previously unused centre in Newport."

The Likewise Group says it has made significant progress in the last two years through investment in infrastructure with new operations being established in Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham and Newbury. The Sidcup site will be operational during January and Glasgow in Q2 2023.

"The Group is on target to achieve the current market expectations and is confident in reaching its medium term objectives," says Likewise.

Fast operation in hospital

F. Ball and Co. Ltd.’s newest high-performance water-mix smoothing underlayment, Stopgap 1500 AquaPro, has been used alongside the company’s Styccobond F46 pressure sensitive vinyl adhesive to provide a time-saving solution for installing floorcoverings in Derbyshire’s largest hospital.

Derbyshire Flooring Contractors installed an eye-catching bespoke vinyl flooring design in the waiting area and connecting corridors of the children’s outpatient ward at Royal Derby Hospital, a total area of 800m2

The floors in the ward required refurbishing as the old floorcoverings had become worn. Work needed to be carried out in the evening, in stages, so that it would not interfere with the day-to-day running of the ward. Requiring a time-saving solution, contractors opted to use F. Ball’s Stopgap 1500 AquaPro water-mix smoothing underlayment, avoiding the need to remove old adhesive residues.

Stopgap 1500 AquaPro uses the latest technology to offer a water-mix smoothing underlayment that can be applied over old adhesive residues, including bitumen, carpet tile tackifiers and ceramic tile adhesives. In such applications, there is no need to prime beforehand, saving further time and expense. Fastsetting and fast-drying, it is walk-on hard in as little as 60 minutes after application and ready to receive floorcoverings from just four hours.

Work began with the labour-intensive task of uplifting old floorcoverings. Stopgap 1500 AquaPro was then applied at a thickness of 3mm over the subfloors to create a perfectly smooth base for new floorcoverings.

A bespoke two-tone design, resembling a river running through the children’s ward with ‘islands’ of colour either side, was created by cutting shapes from two different colours of Polyflor Classic Mystique PUR vinyl sheet flooring, with the pieces adhered using F. Ball’s Styccobond F46 pressure sensitive adhesive. Styccobond F46 provides instant grab, preventing floorcoverings from sliding when placed, helping with the creation of designs and patterns. The adhesive is also formulated to minimise the incidence of trowel serrations showing through thin vinyl flooring potentially affecting the finished appearance of installations.

Commenting on the project, Mark Grant, Managing Director at Derbyshire Flooring Contractors, said: “We like using F. Ball products – they’re really good quality and reliable. Also, their tech reps are always available, if needed, to provide advice on products to use and procedures to follow throughout a project, from start to finish, including keeping us up-to-date with the latest technology that can help us achieve optimum results efficiently. That’s how I found out about Stopgap 1500 AquaPro, which saved us a lot of time outside of normal working hours and enabled us to complete the work while the ward wasn’t in use, minimising disruption to services.”

T 01583 361 633 www.f-ball.co.uk

Hugh Mackay’s legendary sales director Vince Holden is retiring after inspiring and entertaining the flooring industry for 46 years!

Vince has been planning his retirement since September last year and gradually reducing his working time to allow the Hugh Mackay business to adjust and prepare. He has now decided that the time has come for him to hang up his pattern books following an illustrious career spanning 46 years, starting in retail passing through frozen food and culminating in the giddy heights of the carpet trade where he has firmly established himself as a legend in the industry.

“His jovial persona and endless football analogies have entertained and educated us all over the years,’ said colleague Steve Donlan. “Behind that affable exterior is a fiercely competitive man with strong commercial acumen and creative flair which has allowed him to drive the Hugh Mackay business forward over the last decade.

“And so, the end is near and on 31st January 2023 the curtain will come down and Vince will officially retire. He will be greatly missed, and I know that you will all join me in wishing him a very long, happy and healthy retirement,” said Steve.

T 01429 892555 www.hughmackay.co.uk

The best-sellers they LOVE

Valentine in vogue

As love is in the air this February, we’re looking at the trade’s most enduring relationships – the best sellers that consumers have taken to their hearts and which retailers know they can rely on through thick and thin...

Victoria

♥ Long term relationship rekindled

Strathmore was first introduced in 2013, so it’s fair to say that after ten years in the market, this is a carpet that has stood the test of time.

2023 not only sees a colour refresh for the collection, but also a new and improved construction making Strathmore Berber better and more luxurious underfoot than ever before.

The addition of 10% acrylic and 10% PP to 80% wool keeps the finish soft yet durable. Being 8th gauge, this carpet has a beautiful rustic appearance which allows you to take in the colour pallet.

Inspiration has been sought from the fauna and flora of hedgerows and mountain passes in the Scottish Highlands. Shades such as Rolling Heather, Bright Skies, Bracken, Natural Alba and Fairy Pool give an indication to the exciting new tones.

Available in both 4m and 5m widths and with a 15-year wear warranty, Strathmore Berber is proudly made in the UK.

Contact your local ASM now to discuss display options and preferred terms or visit our website for more information. See also advertisement on page 18.

F. Ball ♥ Sticking together, forever

Flooring retailers love the peace of mind provided by the F. Ball guarantee, which assures that their products will perform for the entire lifetime of a flooring installation, as long as the advised subfloor preparation and installation procedures are followed.

If ever there was a floor failure as a result of F. Ball products, the company will fund the replacement of the entire flooring installation.

This means that customers can rely on combinations of the company’s waterproof surface membranes, primers, levelling compounds and adhesives to deliver an aesthetically pleasing floor finish that will last for the lifetime of the floorcovering.

Retailers can be confident that they won’t be facing costly and time-consuming callbacks and remedial work.

Flooring contractors can also check the compatibility of F. Ball adhesives and floorcoverings using the company’s industry-leading Recommended Adhesives Guide (RAG). So confident is F. Ball in the recommendations featured in the RAG that it guarantees the resulting bond performance for the entire lifetime of the flooring installation.

T 01538 361633 www.f-ball.com

Cormar Carpets

♥ Loving luxury

Launched in the New Year, Trinity is one of the newest additions to Cormar’s enduringly popular Easy Clean collection.

Available in both 4m and 5m widths, in a collection of 14 tri-Colour heather shades, this exciting new range offers a strong palette that every homeowner is sure to love, including a deep copper (Russet), charcoal grey (Jet) and chocolate brown (Autumn Trail), accompanied by some classic neutral beiges and greys.

Made with 100% Excellon Polypropylene and produced using a durable 2-ply yarn, Trinity is a premier, heavyweight carpet perfect for high traffic, domestic areas of the home such as stairways and hallways. Durable, resilient and luxurious, the new range comes with a 10-year stain and wear warranty, providing the perfect hard-wearing solution for every room in the home.

Deliveries are made via Cormar’s own fleet to retailers across the UK and Ireland.

See also advertisement on page 25.

T 01204 881234 E portal.cormarcarpets.co.uk www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

“Trinity is a premier, heavyweight carpet perfect for high traffic, domestic areas of the home such as stairways and hallways..”

The best-sellers they LOVE

Valentine in vogue – the top products consumers have fallen for

Cybergold ♥ Love your rug all over again

What’s not to love about an underlay that’s carefully crafted to meet the needs of the consumer.

Customers everywhere are talking about their love for Cybergold's anti-slip underlays. They produce a range of high quality underlays, made in the UK, designed to stop rugs moving on all hard floors and carpeted floors, using non-slip grip technology - keeping your rugs in place and enhancing their look and feel underfoot. Rugs won’t become a dangerous slip hazard particularly on hard floors.

Cybergold underlays are available on the roll or in handy pre-cut rug sizes ready to hand out with every rug sale you make. Simply cut the underlay with scissors about 1cm smaller than the rug and place on the floor with the rug on top. You can still pick up the rug and underlay to re-position without damaging the floor.

T 01494 761814 www.cybergolduk.com

Cavalier

♥ Rekindling relationships

Fall back in love with wool… nothing comes close to the underfoot comfort of a quality wool carpet.

For nearly five decades, Cavalier have been passionate about producing the finest floorcoverings, from tactile super fine, pin point twists to the most sumptuous soft velvets.

Wool has natural charm, a sensual warmth and at its heart, strength and longevity.

Cavalier marry the qualities of wool, to its passion for design and colour to create brands which look and feel exquisite.... what’s not to love about a distinctive wool carpet.

T 01254 268 000 www.cavaliercarpets.co.uk

“Stop your rug from slipping and sliding –keep it in place with the nations best loved anti-slip underlay.”

“A natural charm, a sensual warmth and at its heart, strength and longevity”

Abingdon Flooring ♥ Love

Story - the sequel

The Love Story collection from Abingdon Flooring features new Wild Silk, an award-winning carpet that’s sure to find a place close to the heart of homeowners across the UK, as Charlotte Coop, marketing manager explains.

"With the launch of Wild Silk, Abingdon, we've added a fresh new look to our Love Story collection of luxurious polyester carpets. Since the collection first launched, Lasting Romance and Deep Feelings have made it a popular option, capturing the mood for deep pile, silk-like carpets with a modern look. However, we've been seeing a return to classic styles over recent months –just like fashion, interior design is cyclical – and so we've blended the best of both for Wild Silk.

"Our product development team have created a brand-new polyester yarn for Wild Silk, which gives a ‘natural’ Berber fleck," says Charlotte. "The speckled appearance creates a rustic, country feel that harks back to early 90s and one that’s on the rise today. Using polyester keeps Wild Silk feeling wonderfully soft though, unlike rough feeling Berber carpets of old. It also adds stain-resistance and makes Wild Silk bleach cleanable, for a carpet that’s brilliantly easy to live with in family homes.

"Made in Britain, Wild Silk is now available in 12 neutral natural hues, including stone greys and warm beige and sand tones. With a fleece backing for better comfort and warmth, we think it’s a carpet that homeowners are sure to fall in love with, making it the perfect addition to our Love Story collection," she said.

See also advertisement on page 6.

T 01274 655 694 www.abingdonflooring.co.uk

“Made in Britain, Wild Silk is now available in 12 neutral natural hues, including stone greys and warm beige and sand tones.”

Ball & Young ♥ Love is in the air when you're on Cloud 9

Cloud 9 underlays provide a layer of support and protection improving how your floor feels underfoot, as well as extending the lifespan of your flooring.

Manufactured in the UK from recycled PU trim to BS EN 14499:201 standards with excellent recovery characteristics, Cloud 9 is easy to lift and handle. Its exceptional insulation properties can make a significant difference - even reducing the cost of your heating bills.

Most of the Cloud 9 range feature Ultra Fresh anti-bacterial technology and are certified for indoor air quality control. These underlays contain a built-in deodoriser and helps to prevent growth of fungi and bacteria for healthy homes.

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.

Scan the QR code to see our sustainability story.

T 01536 200502 www.underlay.com

Crowning glory of carpet museum

Kidderminster’s exceptional Museum of Carpet has plans to raise its profile – and much-needed revenue – in 2023 with activities, talks and workshops, including a feature on coronation carpets to mark the King Charles’ accession to the throne.

The initiative responds to a series of challenges faced by the museum which started with the closures during the pandemic period and the slow return of visitor numbers to today’s soaring energy costs.

Working exhibits

Vicky Bagnall, chairman of trustees, said that the coming year was likely to be "among the most difficult". The Museum is £20,000-a-year short to pay staff and late last year its gas bill went from £4,000 to £16,000 a year. It has a programme of money-raising activities ahead and you can donate via the website at museumofcarpet.org.uk

A unique venue

The museum has excellent facilities to host events for the flooring trade with attractive spaces for presentations, sales meetings, product launches and celebrations – all of which can include hands-on guided tours of the exhibits.

The Museum is a resource centre for the carpet industry and related industries. It shares its skills, knowledge and collection with its partners and gives them the opportunity to advertise their own products and services in the information point at the Museum and on its website. Whatever the size of your company you can benefit from becoming a Corporate Partner, whilst making a real difference to the Museum's unique heritage venue. Please contact them if you would like more information."

Intriguing talks

The museum has an active programme of talks (see panel) of which the centre-piece this Spring is a Collections Talk on Coronation Carpets on Thursday 27th April, 10.30am-12pm.

Ahead of the King’s coronation in May, a talk by Geoff Gilbert from the Collections team at the Museum will look back at the history of coronation carpets using designs and photographs from the Museum archives. Book your tickets at https:// museum-of-carpet.arttickets.org.uk

Spin into the new year

From January, the museum is offering spinning for just £10 to help people learn a new skill and find out how to turn wool into textiles.

There is also a monthly series of workshops for beginners in crochet.

Or just visit! The exceptional quality and diversity of the exhibits with working installations and friendly, knowledgeable staff will not disappoint!

https://museumofcarpet.org

Kidderminster conversations at the Museum

“This town stinks from one end to the other!”

Wednesday 15th February

The transformation of Kidderminster town included a revolution in healthcare following a fearsome outbreak of typhoid in 1884.

The Great Golden Jubilee Baths Insurrection

Wednesday 15th March

Kidderminster was a pioneer with one of the countries’ very first municipal public baths but ambitions to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 were met with public resistance.

Breaking through the boundaries

Wednesday 5th April

Taking a cue from the BBC TV series ‘A House in Time’; this talk looks at the expansion of Kidderminster beyond its original boundaries from the 1880s to World War II.

Collections Talk on Coronation Carpets

Thursday 27th April

In anticipation of King Charles’ celebration in May, a look back at the history of coronation carpets (see main article).

Mr Mitchell’s wonderful wall

Thursday 25th May

Find out all about how world-renowned sculptor and artist William Mitchell came to build the astonishing Grade II listed 320m long relief wall in Kidderminster.

For all these events, book your tickets at https://museum-of-carpet.arttickets. org.uk

Spool Axminster loom

Marketing insights

Nature inspires future fibres

This feature has historically focused on innovations in both synthetic and natural fibre technology, whilst honouring materials that have been used in carpets for centuries. Technological advancements in synthetic fibres have seen a host of new carpet collections that deliver softness underfoot and are easy to maintain. At the same time, we have seen a consumer shift towards using natural materials in our homes.

flooring. The interwoven fibres of the wool and sisal create three nuanced patterns. The designs are Woosie Check, Woosie Panama and Woosie Bouclé in a palette of warm comfortable neutrals to cool contemporary greys.

Alternative’s vision is to be in the hearts, minds and homes of stylish individuals everywhere. “Doing the right thing means the world to us. We make carpets with a conscience, being totally transparent about what’s in our products and using ethically-sourced natural fibres wherever we can,” explains Lorna Haigh, creative and marketing director at Alternative.

Through their pledge with Ecologi, Alternative are involved in many worthwhile, well managed projects which help the planet. Some of these projects are in countries where some of Alternatives plant fibre materials are sourced. For example, sisal is harvested in the dry arid areas of Madagasca, so through Ecologi they are actively supporting local Mangrove re-planting in these areas.

This year’s keynote theme at Domotex, the world leading flooring trade show which took place in Hannover from 12 to 15 January was “Floored by Nature”. Interestingly both manmade and natural materials featured during the topical discussions around the responsibility towards our environment and nature. Sonia Wedell-Castellano, Global Director Domotex explained in a press release, “Floored by Nature means discovering new environmentally compatible possibilities and making optimum use of existing resources. The goal is to create healthy, sustainable and at the same time inspiring spaces.”

There were three elements within the Floored by Nature keynote theme: Connecting Markets, Conscious Living, and Colourful Nature. Connecting Markets addressed the challenges in the supply chain, the impact of increasing energy costs, and new online trading platforms. Conscious Living, looked at the desire for healthy living and working, and the commitment to environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing processes, including the circular use of materials. The third focus theme, Colourful Nature, presented nature as a new focal point and a source of inspiration both in terms of design and materials.

We caught up with two companies who are paying particular focus to nature for their design inspiration and the materials they are sourcing.

Alternative Woosie brings out the best qualities of two natural sustainable fibres which are firm favourites in interiors. The ultimate mix of hard-wearing sisal fibre with the softness of a 3-ply woollen yarn means that the Woosie Wise carpet (pictured) is both beautiful and textural. It is a great example of how Alternative invests in innovative

“Floored by Nature means discovering new environmentally compatible possibilities and making optimum use of existing resources. The goal is to create healthy, sustainable and at the same time inspiring spaces.”

“Alternative Woosie brings out the best qualities of two natural sustainable fibres which are firm favourites in interiors.”

Domotex – Floored by Nature

Alternative – Woosie Wise

Brockway, the home of wool carpet believe that a wool carpet provides soft and luxurious underfoot comfort that just can’t be beaten. Wool provides effective sound insulation, reducing noise from foot traffic and absorbing sound from within the room and between floors, leading to a calmer, quieter and warmer atmosphere in your home.

Brockway’s Dimensions Berbers collection is a cut pile twist carpet with a modern rustic appearance in 80% wool that will look good for a very long time. Practical and decorative, the palette of 16 subtle, earthy shades perfectly reflects the colours of nature. It is ideally suited to the busy family home, as it is luxurious yet high-performance carpet. The high wool content means it is very hard wearing yet soft and cosy under your feet. Dimensions Berbers is available in both 4 and 5m widths.

There’s only one Helvellyn (pictured). This eye-catching chunky textured loop pile carpet has a uniquely ‘freckled appearance’. Brockway have taken inspiration from the natural beauty of the Lake District's favourite fell and the muted, earthy tones of the landscape, Helvellyn exudes the luxury and feel of 100% pure wool to create a stunning backdrop for any room in your home.

With six natural colourways, it’s available in 4m and 5m widths. Helvellyn is British wool certified and features Brockway’s revolutionary Envirobac system, an eco-friendly carpet backing.

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

Brockway – Helvellyn

FLOORING FACTSHEET ADHESIVES

SELECTION CHECKLIST

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

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

Open Time:

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

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

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

Application Method:

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

Strength:

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

Underfloor Heating:

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

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

Subfloor:

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

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

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

Special Performance:

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

Air Quality and the Environment:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flooring factsheet

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

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

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

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

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

THE STOCKLISTS Feburary 2022

Flooring factsheet

Carpet types

Tufted

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

LOOP PILE

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

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

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

BONDED

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

CUT PILE

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

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

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

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

CUT AND LOOP

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

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

Woven

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

Axminster

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

Wilton

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

Flat weave

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

The Stocklists

Carpet Company Directory

Abingdon Flooring 01274 655694

Adam Carpets Ltd

Be Tu Tw W Ww 01562 829966

Alternative Flooring 01264 335111

Associated Weavers

Tw Tu 01422 431100

Avena Carpets Ltd

Tu Ww 01422 330261

Axwoven Carpets Ltd

Ax Be 0121 550 5788

Axminster Carpets Ltd

Ax Be Tw 01297 32244

Balta Industries

Tu Tw W Ww +32 56 62 2211

Beaulieu International Group

Be Pr Tu Tw +32 56 67 66 11

Belvedere Carpets

Belvedere Carpets

Tu W 020 8800 0740 sales@belvederecarpets.co.uk www.belvederecarpets.co.uk

Brockway Carpets Ltd

Tw W 01562 828200 sales@brockway.co.uk www.brockway.co.uk

Bronte Carpets Ltd

Be Tu Tw W 01282 862 736 office@brontecarpets.co.uk www.brontecarpets.co.uk

Burmatex

Tu 01924 262525

Cavalier Carpets Ltd

Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww 01254 268000

Christy Carpets

Tu 019078 308777

Clarendon Carpets Tw 01827 831480

Classis Carpets Tu W Ww 0870 020 1725

Condor Carpets BV Tu +31 38 4778911

Craigie Carpets

Be 01294 558400

Creative Carpets Ltd

Be Tu Tw W 0116 284 1455

Creatuft Carpets

Tu W +32 56 35 4444

Custom Carpet Company

Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww 01737 830301

Dan-Floor UK W 0844 9151000

Domo Floorcovering

Pr Tu Tw +32 55 335211

E & WE Carpets W 01562 825952

Edel Telenzo Carpets Ltd

Tu Tw W 01422 374 417 sales@edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk www.edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk

Enterprise Weaving Co

Be Ww 01562 745030

Betap Tufting BV

Tu Tw W +31 383 861 060

BIC Carpets Be Tw W +32 56 23 54 10

Bizspoke Custom Carpets

Be Tw W 01924 488882

Blenheim Carpets

Ax Be Tw W Ww 020 7823 3040

BMK 0113 380 5333

Bond Worth Ltd

Ax 01562 745000

Brintons

Ax Tu Tw W Ww 0800 505055

Contempo Carpets 0800 689 4741 sales@contempocarpets.co.uk www.contempocarpets.co.uk

Cormar Carpets Ltd

Tu Tw W 01204 881 234 info@cormarcarpets.co.uk www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

Couristan Carpets

Ax Tu W Ww 800 223 6186

Fells Carpets Ww 01977 662211 cummings@btinternet.com www.fellscarpets.co.uk

Fletco Taepper A/S Tu W +45 96 60 3000

Flock-living Limited Tu Wa +44 (0)20 8440 8777 info@flock-living.com www.flock-living.com

Firth Carpets & Flooring Be Pr Tu Tw W Ww 01484 721529

Durham Twist from Hugh Mackay

Brockway’s Vogue

Love Story Deep Feelings by Abingdon

Furlong Flooring

Tw W 01772 696 787 enquiries@furlongcentral.co.uk www.furlongflooring.com

Gaskell Wool Rich

Tu Tw W 01827 831525

Gaskell Mackay Carpets Ltd Ax Tu Tw W 01429 892525

Georgian Carpets

Tu Tw W 01827 831430

Godfrey Hirst (GB) Ltd Tu 0800 526696

Halbmond Teppichwerke

Be Pr Tu +49 037 421 420

Le Tissage d’Arcade

Ax Ww +32 05685 4747

Lecaflor Ltd Ax Be Pr Tu Tw W Ww 0800 78 33 712

Leigh Spinners Ltd Tw 01942 673232

Louis de Poortere W +32 56 393 386

Lusotufo Tu +35 12 56 750 500

Manx Carpets Tw W 01827 831 434

Master Weaver W Ww 01562 754 382

Mayfield Carpets Tu Tw W 01706 639 866

MID NL Be +31 38 851 8700

Signature Carpets

Be Tu W 01422 845075

TAT Carpet 07976 607657

Tapibel NV Pr Tu Tw 01623 481 221

Tasibel NV Tw +32 52 499600

The Grosvenor Wilton Co W Ww 01562 701456

The Sultana Carpet Co Ax 01299 822300

Wilton Carpet Commercial

Ax Tu Tw Ww W Be 01722 746000

Thomas Witter UK Ltd Tu Tw 0870 1128318

Timzo Tufting Industry BV Tu +31 38 385 4477

Tisca Tiara Tu Ww 07860 911748

Trendy Tuft Designs Be Tu Tw W 01274 855080

Hammer Carpets 01473 826870 infouk@hammercarpetsuk.com www.hammercarpets.com

Heckmondwike FB 01924 410544

ITC Be Pr Tw Tu 0032 51 424 411

John Lanham Watts Carpets

Ax Tw Ww 01937 588511

John Evans Ltd Ax Tu Tw W 07850 935301

Joseph Hamilton & Seaton W 01827 831400

Kingsmead Carpets

Tu Tw W 01827 831 424

Lano NV

Ax Pr Tu Tw W Ww +32 56 65 4300 marketing@lano.be www.lano.com

Millennium Weavers Europe

Tu Tw +32 55 50 9050 sales@millenniumweavers.eu www.millenniumweavers.be

Modulyss

Be Tu Tw Pr +32 52 457211

Mr Tomkinson Tw Ww 01827 831 450

Penthouse Carpets Tu Tw W 01706 341231

Phoenox Textiles Pr Tu 01484 863227

Pownall Carpets Tw W 0845 6528811

Roger Vanden Berghe.NV Tu Ww +32 56 73 57 11

Ryalux Carpets Ltd Be Tu Tw W 0845 652 8811

Sans Frontieres Ltd Be Pr Tu Tw W Ww 0844 5611977

Shaw Home Foundations Tu 01675 433 501

Ulster Carpets

Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww 02838 334433

United Carpets & Beds Tw W Ww 01709 732 666

Victoria Carpets Tu Tw W Ww 01562 749300

Vorwerk Flooring 01282 332025 Westex Carpets Tu 01274 861334

Weston Hammer W 0845 644 9090

Whitestone Weavers Ltd Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww 01429 892555

Wilkies Carpets Tw 0113 307 9955

Woodward Grosvenor Ax Tu Tw W Ww 0800 526696

Wool Classics Tu Ww 0207 349 1560

Woven Carpets of

W 01299 827477

Pimlico by Cormar Wellington Stripe from Ulster

Flooring factsheet

Carpet trouble-shooter

• shedding • pulled loops

Fading on Wool

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

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

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

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

Soiling

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

Colour matching

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

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

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

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

Sprouting

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

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

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

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

Static

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

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

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

Flattening

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

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

Shading

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

Pile Reversal

Like shading, this occurs when the pile or nap of the carpet changes direction and thus reflects light at different angles showing the effects of shading which can become permanent. It is also described as ‘watermarking’. This can happen to every carpet construction be it Axminster, Wilton, Tufted, Hand Woven, Persian, Chinese, Indian or even Coir Matting. Like shading it can be more apparent on plain carpet because heavy patterns can disguise the effects. It can occur quite quickly after installation. A tremendous amount of research has been carried out over many years by many institutes to determine the cause of this phenomenon but none of it has proved conclusive. There is no commonly known manufacturing process which can cause or cure this phenomenon and therefore it is not a manufacturing fault. For further information please check with individual manufacturers recommendations.

Shedding

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

Indentations

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

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

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

Pulling Loops

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

Samples

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

Installation

sprouting • shading • static • fading • pile reversal • shedding • flattening • soiling

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

The original carpet tile

Flooring factsheet

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

www.bramptonchase.co.uk

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

www.myvictoria.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sustainable underlay Flooring factsheet

Interfloor ‘Says NO to Waste’ Eco-friendly underlay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.interfloor.com/renu

Flooring factsheet

Underlay

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

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

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

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

Benefits

Good underlay will...

• Improve underfoot comfort

• Increase appearance retention, reducing flattening

• Absorb the pressure of foot traffic and reduce wear

• Improve thermal insulation and warmth

• Increase sound insulation

• Smooth out sub-floor imperfections

• Last the lifetime of the carpet

Poor or old underlay will...

• Feel hard and unwelcoming

• Reduce carpet life

• Cause wrinkling and premature wear spots

• Cause carpet fibres to break down more quickly

• Not meet British Standards

How thick?

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

Types

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.interfloor.com

www.floorwise.co.uk

www.carpenterunderlay.co.uk

CLASSIC

www.unifloor.nl

www.underlay.com

www.wilsons-carpet-underlays.co.uk

Sponge rubber Crumb

Combination PU foam

The

Stocklists

Wholesale Distribution Directory

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 57

Fells Carpets

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

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

Lakes Flooring Supplies Kendal - see Floorwise page 57

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

Preston Underlay Centre Ltd Preston/Lancashire - see Floorwise page 57

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 17 and Floorwise page 57

NORTH EAST

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

RBV Flooring Bradford 01274 670011 rbvflooring@yahoo.com

MIDLANDS

Birch Distribution

Sheffield - see Floorwise page 57

Birch Distribution Leeds - see Floorwise page 57

Birch Distribution Hull - see Floorwise page 57

Cornerstone Flooring Supplies Doncaster - see Floorwise page 57

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

DMS Flooring Supplies Northampton - see page 9 01604 664850 sales@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

Floorwise D & J Ltd Southam - see Floorwise page 57

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

STS Flooring Distributors

Hemel Hempstead - see page 17 and Floorwise page 57

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

Woodall Brothers Ltd Shrewsbury - see Floorwise page 57

SOUTH WEST

BL Flooring Supplies Bristol - see Floorwise page 57

BL Flooring Supplies Gloucester - see Floorwise page 57

Fitwell Flooring Ltd Redruth - see Floorwise page 57

Fitwell Flooring Ltd Newton Abott - see Floorwise page 57

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 57 Tel: 01980 880933 sales@salesmark-west.co.uk www.salesmark.co.uk

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

SOUTH EAST

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

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

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

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

Clifford Floors Strood 01634 285900 sales@clifford.uk.com Culpeck Strood 01634 299000 sales@culpeck.uk.com

Columbia Flooring Middlesex 020 8443 3322 sales@columbiaflooring.co.uk www.columbiaflooring.co.uk see page 8 for details

DMS Flooring Supplies Hemel Hempstead - see page 9 01442 502562 sales@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

DMS Flooring Supplies Milton Keynes - see page 9 01908 049006 sales@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

DMS Flooring Supplies Colindale, North London 0208 036 9945 - see page 9 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 57 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 p17 & Floorwise p57

STS Flooring Distributors Croydon - see p17 & Floorwise p57

STS Flooring Distributors

Orpington/Croydon - see page 17 & Floorwise page 57

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

IRELAND

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Dublin - see Floorwise page 57

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Belfast - see Floorwise page 57

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Limerick - see Floorwise page 57

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

SCOTLAND

Kellars Limited Glasgow 0141 647 7685 sales@kellars.co.uk

MCD Scotland Uddingston Glasgow 01698 808000 mcdscotland@mcd.co.uk www.mcdscotland.co.uk

Neil Smith Ltd Glasgow - see Floorwise page 57

WALES

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

Floorwise Wales Merthyr Tydfil - see Floorwise page 57

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9 Hathaway Flooring Manchester, M17 1EB Tel: 0161 872 8003 sales@hathawayflooring.com

10 Cornerstone Flooring Doncaster, DN3 3FE Tel: 01302 835117 Fax: 01302 302542 cornerstonefloor@ btconnect.com

11 Birch Distribution Sheffield, S9 5PH Tel: 0114 243 1230 Fax: 0114 243 5118 s.sales@birchdistribution.co.uk

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

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

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

Sales Executive

An opportunity has arisen for the right person to join our Retail Sales Team in the following territory:

Yorkshire, North East, E. Mid!ands

The ideal candidate should reside in the territory and be able to demonstrate the essential drive and commitment to produce the highest levels of customer service to our existing customer base whilst being able to identify and develop new opportunities to grow the business of this dynamic and vibrant company.

Experience with both woven and tufted products is preferable but not essential.

Applicants should possess the skills and disciplines necessary for the successful management of this important sales area.

Requests for an application form should be made in your own hand, accompanied by a current CV to: Mr. Hans Lowe (Retail Sales Director )

Cavalier Carpets

Dixon Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 1TX.

Tel: 0044 1254 268000 www.cavaliercarpets.co.uk

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

WE ARE RECRUITING Be part of a great success story

Britannia Carpets, based in Northwich Cheshire, is entering its 27th year and is looking forward to continued growth.

To ensure that we achieve our objectives, we need to expand our existing team. We have an excellent record of inducting people into our business and helping them to develop their potential.

Enthusiasm is as important as experience and with help you can convert your enthusiasm into experience. SALES ESTIMATOR

FULL TIME POSITION We are looking for someone to join our estimating team, either experienced or just as important, willing to learn.

You may be looking for a career change or a fresh start.