The Stocklists - July 2023

Image courtesy of Victoria Carpets & Design Floors

FLOORINGNEWS

FLOORINGNEWS

Flanders festival

Sustainability and up-market product development dominates Belgian showcase pages 38-44

starts on page 26

starts on page 23

Advertisers

1926–2022

Enduring design

Rita Bancroft examines how flooring designers create lasting impressions for consumers pages 46-47

Vinyl Hotshots

A selection of the vinyl roomsets that have topped our charts for the last year. pages 49-53

BGNFS trends

Clicks

DISCOVER OUR REDEVELOPED CASSIUS & DARIUS RANGES

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

Please ask your local area sales manager for more details

2023-2026

High Quality, Affordable Design

Image: Studio Designs Chicory Haze Herringbone CLH16

FLOORING INSTALLATION PRODUCTS

LOOKING AFTER FLOORS AND REPUTATIONS FROM THE GROUND UP.

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

I'M RECYCLED

100% RECYCLED POLYESTER YARN FROM PET BOTTLES

I'M UNIQUE

A PATTERNED WILTON FROM PET

NEW RUNSWICK BAY • ELEGANCE, GRACE, SIMPLICITY & COMFORT

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

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

www.fellscarpets.co.uk

Making a House a Home

Perfect Home is an 80/20 wool blend, constructed with our 100% British Wool Britannia Yarn, where every linear metre contains yarn from each of the four nations. This carpet is available in four and five metre lengths, and is suitable for heavy domestic use, including living rooms, bedrooms and hallways

Choose from 20 incredible colours: whether it’s the cool green Limestone, the deep blue Bloomsbury or the inviting grey Heirloom, there’s a perfect colour for everyone!

Get in touch

Kingsmead Carpets Ltd

Relay Park, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B77 5PR

T | 01827 831424

E | sales@kingsmead-carpets.co.uk kingsmeadcarpets.co.uk

Colorado

WELCOME HOME

Interior furnishing trends are ever changing and at Penthouse Carpets we’re loving the latest warm natural tones, which is why we’ve added four brand new up-to-the-minute shades to our stunning Colorado range. Created using a bespoke blend of the finest wools, Colorado offers the ultimate in both comfort and durability. With the added bonus of our signature sustainable jute backing, making it a dream to fit and better for the environment. Available in 18 gorgeous contemporary whisper soft tones, in a choice of 45oz and 55oz, and 4m or 5m guaranteed widths, this beautiful carpet is the finishing touch to make any home both welcoming and ultra-stylish. Penthouse quality – naturally.

For samples and further information please call 01706 639 866 or visit penthousecarpets.co.uk Scan me

Colour shown: Bayfield

Saxon Oak

Saxon

HERRINGBONE COLLECTION

Each herringbone pattern has been skillfully created using a new super matt technology (Gra-Matt Ultra) that makes the floor visually closer to natural wood, unlike many other glossy LVT products. The herringbone design accurately mimics the texture of natural timber while incorporating multi-tonal variance to give your herringbone floor realistic character and depth.

Decors are also available in our Acoustic Rigid Core plank and herringbone collection.

Award winning state-of-the-art underlay.

FLOORINGNEWS

Harrogate's bigger and better

As exhibitor bookings for The Flooring Show outpace last year’s impressive performance, organisers have confirmed the show’s expansion into Hall Q at Harrogate Convention Centre for September 17–19, 2023.

With 164 companies already confirmed to exhibit, Halls A-M are at capacity and with an ever-growing waitlist, the choice was made back in May that the show would need to expand into Hall Q and the King’s Suite to accommodate demand.

Flanders festival

Sustainability and up-market product development dominates Belgian showcase pages 38-44

The Flooring Show is one of the longest standing exhibitions in the UK. Having celebrated its 60th anniversary in Harrogate last year, the show is firmly cemented as the UK’s market leading event for the flooring industry.

3,000 buyers, specifiers, contractors, fitters, architects, and interior designers descend on Harrogate each year for three days of networking and buying. This year’s show boasts new features including the ‘LVT Pavilion’ where visitors can see the latest designs and trends in luxury vinyl tiles, alongside much loved features such as NICF’s ‘Fitter Of The Year Competition’ which is also dedicated to LVT this year.

The names that visitors know and love will be returning once again to support the three-day show, bringing with them all new ranges across all types of flooring for the contract and retail markets. Suppliers include Adam Carpets, Ball & Young, Bostik, Cavalier Carpets, Cormar, COREtec Flooring, Kellars, Furlong Flooring, F Ball & Co, Hugh Mackay, Interfloor, Lifestyle, Likewise, Moduleo, Oneflor, Penthouse Carpets, Tarkett, Westex, to name just a few.

Alongside the big names returning to the show, there are plenty of new names joining this year including All in All Flooring Accessories, Artisan Luxury Flooring, Brampton Chase, Cockerill and Co, Excelsior Flooring, Fathom, G.T. Floor B.V., Plusfloor, RBV Flooring Ltd, Sahara Knights, Wilkies All Floors, plus many more. www.theflooringshow.com

Contemporary cushionfloor reimagined

The LeoLine collection brings vibrancy and energy as the brand looks to make cushion vinyl flooring the contemporary and savvy way to give people the floor they want.

Across nine cushion vinyl flooring collections, homeowners can now discover a LeoLine floor that’s as unique as they are. So, whether they are hunting out herringbone or tracking down tiles, the LeoLine collection holds the perfect look.

For homeowners looking for an affordable option that’s all about being individual, Aspire is just the thing. It’s range of tile and ceramic designs makes a bold statement. Riviera keeps the affordable theme, this time with warm wood looks mixed in with smart stone and the Mediterranean style of the Es Vedra tile. There’s also a wide range of textile backed floors with loose lay fitting for makeover projects. The allround Comfytex PU, versatile Velvetex and premium Comfytex Deluxe Pro give homeowners a fantastic choice of looks all with the added comfort and easy going nature of LeoLine’s Luxatex backing.

LeoLine has also thought of those that are super serious about performance. Atomic XT, Diamond XT and Natural Trends are all castor chair resistant and come with a commercial warranty, so make the ideal choice for garden offices, studios and more. There’s a stunning selection of designs to pick from across these ranges, including herringbone wood and hexagon stone, Italian marble, bamboo strips and endless wood.

The LeoLine collection also features Premium, which blurs the boundaries between cushion vinyl and LVT. Featuring an embossed texture, matt finish and defined grooves in a range of authentic plank designs, as well as smart architectural finishes, Premium is the ticket for homes needing the very best looks.

Enduring design

Rita Bancroft examines how flooring designers create lasting impressions for consumers pages 46-47

BGNFS trends

Part 2 of the Solihull show feature with a trends report and more company reviews page 54-61

Stuart Reeves, sales director, LeoLine: “The LeoLine brand has been completely reinvented to appeal to a new generation of householders and tenants looking to add style to their home in a way that’s accessible and affordable. Across nine collections, it provides a wide range of designs and options at all price points, so that there’s a LeoLine to suit every customer’s sense of style.”

T 0800 032 3970 www. leoline.co.uk

Event Director, Alex Butler, says “We couldn’t be happier with the response we’ve had for The Flooring Show 2023. Last year’s show was 30% bigger than the previous year, so to already be ahead of those final numbers surpasses all expectations”.

Fast and affordable for housing

With Blacktex sheet vinyl floors from Beauflor, affordable housing refurbishments can benefit from a floor that’s fast to install, durable and comfortable in use.

The BBC has reported that anti-poverty campaigners are calling for housing associations to stop ripping out carpets and leaving tenants with bare floors. The report also recorded that there is a number of forward thinking organisations looking for a solution to the crisis. Finding a floor that’s affordable, fast to install, durable and comfort in use is paramount in the hunt for answers.

Beauflor’s Blacktex sheet vinyl flooring makes a good option. With a format that can be installed over old floor coverings and without glue (rooms up to 35m2), these floors make refurbishing within properties fast and easy. Available in two, three and four-metre width options on selected designs, it can also reduce installation waste.

Stepping up to iconic staircase

F. Ball and Co. Ltd.’s rapid-setting, ultra-smooth floor finishing compound has delivered a fast-track solution for refurbishing the iconic Nelson Staircase at Somerset House, London.

As part of ongoing maintenance and improvement works, flooring contractor Carpet Culture was commissioned to restore the steps and one of the main landings of the historic Beaux-Arts staircase, which spans six floors and dates back to the late 18th century, when the Royal Navy occupied the building.

Contractors began by removing old floorcoverings and adhesive residues from the steps and the 40m2 landing.

The landing was destroyed by a bomb in the Second World War and subsequently restored with concrete, meaning that it would require raising in order for floorcoverings to meet the level of the original stone border, but less than the minimum application thickness of a smoothing compound. Additionally, work required completing over two nights, between the hours of 6-11pm, while the building was unoccupied, meaning there was not time to mechanically prepare the concrete area.

In a range of modern wood and stone tile looks with Natural Look texture, Blacktex leaves tenants with a comfortable and warm finish that feels homely and inviting. As well as the minimum requirement for floors in kitchens and bathrooms, it is suitable for living areas, bedrooms and hallways.

The collection features a Premium Coating that reduces the chances of permanent stains and marks and that makes maintenance easier for tenants, preserving the floor’s look and enhancing its durability. Along with R10 slip-restraint and a Class 32 general commercial wear rating, this means Blacktex has the performance to avoid replacement between tenancies.

“Nobody should be left without a floor finish because the specification was inadequate or the previous tenant didn’t care for the floor properly and it had to be removed,” says Beauflor Regional Sales Director Chris Roberts. “Our textile backed sheet vinyl floors can help Housing Associations to overcome the current crisis and to find a way to make sure that every tenant has a floor that contributes to a good quality of life.”

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

Contractors, therefore, applied two coats of F. Ball’s Stopgap Micro Rapid floor finishing compound to create a perfectly smooth surface for the receipt of floorcoverings. The product can be applied to a seamless feathered edge to repair minor surface defects in a wide range of absorbent surfaces, including sand/cement and calcium sulphate screeds. It is also used to fill indentations formed by screws used to secure plywood and hardboard sheets as well as the gaps at joints between the panels. Ideal for use where a flawlessly smooth surface is required to prevent imperfections affecting the finished appearance of new floorcoverings, Stopgap Micro Rapid is walk-on hard and ready to receive new floorcoverings from just 20 minutes after application. Priming is also not required prior to use, saving further time.

Stone effect LVTs were then installed on the landing and risers and treads of the stairs, and F. Ball’s Stycco Flex rapid-curing, flexible tube adhesive was used to affix Gradus stair nosings. The high strength build-up and fast curing time of the adhesive means it can secure stair nosings and trims in as little as 60 minutes, without the need for mechanical fixings.

Tom McCullagh, senior flooring manager at Carpet Culture, said: “We were grateful to our F. Ball technical representative for suggesting using Stopgap Micro Rapid as an alternative to applying a smoothing compound so that we could complete the work out of hours, on time. It worked a treat, and we received compliments for how it looked even before the floorcoverings went down.”

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

Safe and striking vinyl

IVC Commercial’s Isafe 70 is the ultimate Heterogeneous Vinyl safety floor for projects needing a floor that delivers design integrity and underfoot safety.

Isafe 70 Heterogeneous Vinyl from IVC Commercial can be used in any location. From school to healthcare, offices, leisure and housing; Isafe 70 brings a high-quality look that’s also safe underfoot, durable and easy to maintain.

One of the most significant new developments in the updated collection is the upgraded Hypergrip+ finish. The new Isafe 70 not only boosts slip restraint (42+ and R12), but also avoids tell-tale sparkle for a less ‘safety’ looking safety floor. The improved clear and matt appearance also makes every design feel more authentic.

Hypergrip+ also means easier maintenance for minimal dirt build-up and stain and scratch resistance. Combined with a 0.70mm wear layer for heavy duty use and Isafe 70 is a Heterogeneous Vinyl floor that’s made to last. IVC Commercial has added Sanitec antibacterial treatment to bring an extra layer of protection and improve the floor’s suitability for sensitive areas.

Striking design is a key part of the new-look Isafe 70 and with 26 looks to choose from, there’s a suitable option for every interior. From modern terrazzo and concrete to classic wood and on-trend herringbone as well as colours, it’s an impressively versatile collection that’s equipped to fit with almost any interior scheme.

Isafe 70 is designed and efficiently made in Belgium for a high-quality Heterogeneous Vinyl floor. All production waste is recycled at IVC Commercial’s own recycling facility as backing for other floors and Isafe 70 installation waste can be reclaimed through the manufacturer’s ReCover recycling programme. www.ivc-commercial.com

Clicks for carpets up 65%

The latest campaign by the Carpet Foundation has boosted online interest by consumers by 65%, the latest in a series of successful promotions by the organisation.

The first burst of consumer online advertising in 2023 has just finished with the Foundation using four leading home interest magazines –homesandgardens.com, livingetc.com, idealhome.com and realhomes.com – with the objective of promoting Carpet Foundation independent retailers as the people to buy carpet from.

As a result, visitors to the Foundation’s website were up 65.4%, new users were up 65.2% while overall page views were up 19.2% on the corresponding period in 2022 (when its first online campaign was launched).

Abingdon's lifetime promise

Abingdon Flooring has updated its Stainfree for Life promise, bringing a lifetime guarantee against food and drink spills for its popular Stainfree and Love Story collections

For homeowners wanting a carpet that stands up to family life, Abingdon Flooring’s Stainfree and Love Story collections have always been a popular choice. Both these collections benefit from the Stainfree for Life promise, Giving peace of mind that occasional spills can be cleaned without lasting stains being left behind.

Thanks to the latest no-stain technology, Abingdon Flooring has been able to update Stainfree for Life. Owners of Stainfree and Love Story carpets now enjoy protection against most household, food and drink stains. Keeping the carpet safe from any food and drink stain, Stainfree for Life guarantees carpet replacement should the stain not be removed by professional cleaning.

Charlotte Coop, marketing manager, Abingdon Flooring, says: “Stainfree has been synonymous with Abingdon Flooring since we introduced it many years ago on the original collection. Since then, fibre technology has taken a leap and the latest generation carpets are softer, more resilient and better protected from spills penetrating the fibre surface. That’s allowed us to update our promise and make sure that everyone enjoying our Stainfree and Love Story carpets can benefit from the confidence and peace of mind that comes with a Stainfree for Life carpet.”

One of the biggest benefits of the company’s no-stain technology is that it makes carpets easier to clean using normal household products. Dealing with spills quickly is one of the best ways to minimise the risk of permanent staining.

T 01274 655 694 www.abingdonflooring.co.uk

Andrew Stanbridge, Carpet Foundation Chief Executive said: “All the indications are that our creative and messaging continues to strike a chord with consumers – and suggests that there is still a healthy appetite for carpet. “Interestingly, and perhaps indicative of the market, for the first time Real Homes (which has a lower demographic) was the least productive title –although still outperforming the industry norm,” said Andrew. “This also perhaps gives further credibility to the stats as it is representative of market conditions from what we hear.”

Another online campaign is planned for the Autumn.

The Carpet Foundation continues to get carpet in front of consumers editorially, both in print and online. The May issue of Real Homes included an article on how best to revamp rooms and, online, Ideal Home ran an exhaustive piece on how to choose carpet and on stairway carpet ideas. The Foundation was extensively quoted as one of the experts.

T 01562 755568 www.carpetfoundation.com

The new LeoLine is ready for the colour, vibrancy and variety of every space. Drawing upon our flooring know-how, we’re making cushion vinyl the contemporary and savvy way to create the floor you want. After all, everybody deserves their perfect floor.

Strong choice for safer chefs

New Altro Stronghold 30 adhesive-free is the first adhesivefree flooring designed specifically for the rigours of commercial kitchens. It delivers sustainable, carbon-saving performance with minimum downtime and quick return to service for busy areas.

Like all Altro adhesive-free floors, Altro Stronghold 30 adhesive-free delivers huge time and cost savings over traditionally adhered floors as well as up to 50% saving in CO2. And like the well-established Altro Stronghold 30 adhered floor, this adhesive-free version achieves Altro’s highest rating for slip resistance (PTV ≥55, R12) and is designed to minimise risk in wet and greasy conditions for the lifetime of the flooring. For design freedom, it matches Altro Stronghold 30 in 8 versatile colours.

Roots rolls out in style

Aberdeen-based independent flooring retailer, Sainsbury & Sons Flooring & Furniture, has recently updated its Moduleo in-store displays with the new Roots collection. Opened in 1932, the third generation family-run store stocks a wide variety of flooring brands.

Since 2017, the store has been a Moduleo retailer and it’s 12,000ft2 store is now home to the Moduleo Showroom concept featuring the new Roots luxury vinyl tiles collection and LayRed engineered acoustic flooring. Serving a loyal customer base, the local community and undertaking contract work; the store is an example of the UK’s unique strong independent flooring retail market.

Richard Sainsbury runs the store alongside his brother, Philip: “We’ve been a Moduleo retailer for six years after a recommendation from an industry peer. With great price points across the collection, good quality and the right designs; Moduleo has been a strong addition to our residential offering.

Altro Stronghold 30 adhesive-free can be welded and walked on the same day, significantly reducing kitchen downtime and getting busy kitchens back to service – an adhesive-free floor installation can reduce installation time by up to 50% compared with an installation using adhesive.

Over 95% of the installed floor can be recycled or reused after use. Waste is minimal as you do not need to use a damp-proof membrane (DPM), reducing unwanted landfill content. The floor can be uplifted quickly and easily and any leftover floor can be used elsewhere. At the end of its life the floor can be recycled via a Recofloor collection point and regenerated into useful traffic calming products such as traffic cones.

T 01462 489516 www.altro.co.uk

Lion's low carbon alternative

“We’ve recently updated to the new Roots collection with the Moduleo Showroom and it’s given the brand a superior presence in our store. Customers are drawn straight to the stand and it beautifully showcases the design and quality of Roots. As it’s organised by collection rather than colours, it’s also easy to navigate.

“We enjoy our status as a Moduleo Showroom retailer. The constantly evolving designs and innovations like LayRed, which are also really popular with customers, keeps Moduleo ahead of the competition. Most importantly, we’ve the confidence to recommend Moduleo as it’s a worry-free product that’s always good to install. Ordering, delivery and build of the display was also seamless.”

T 01332 851 500 www.moduleo.co.uk

Lion Floor is the low carbon footprint alternative to plywood and HDF subfloors

that locks in more carbon.

As it works towards presenting the results of its third-party certified carbon footprint assessment, manufacturer of Lion Floor, Finnish Fibreboard, has teased early findings that suggest the credentials of the engineered fibreboard as a low carbon alternative to plywood and HDF flooring underlayment.

In fact, results indicate that Lion Floor has a minimum 50% lower carbon footprint compared to plywood and MDF boards. Thanks to its locally sourced raw materials, ability to lock-in carbon and its high wood density with no added chemicals, Lion Floor performs significantly better than alternative materials under life cycle analysis.

Lion Floor has been compared against other high quality European made boards and found to be the choice for anyone looking to make more sustainable decisions in the products they use to install resilient floorings.

Peter Jones of Finnish Fibreboard: “Using by-product from wood processing and with the raw material coming from Finland’s PEFC certified forests, we’ve always had a ‘local is best’ approach to material use. All of our wood can also be traced from forest to finished board and what we can’t process, we turn to biofuel as a production energy source.

“With local sourcing and full traceability, as well as efficient production, we know that our boards are made with consideration for the environment. Our commitment to independently verifying our carbon footprint will help specifiers, contractors, retailers and independent installers make a better choice with confidence.”

Alongside, Lion Floor’s high wood density locks in carbon for the lifetime of its use, keeping it out of the atmosphere and amplifying wood’s ability to act as a carbon sink. Finnish Fibreboard is also careful to minimise the use of water and production wastewater is made free of contaminants through evaporation technology. It monitors water emissions weekly and is regulated by Finland’s Environmental Protection Act, which prevents pollution and conserves a varied ecological system. www.finfib.fi

Get your nose ahead

Through the wide range of high quality nosing from floorwise, you can ensure that any commercial building enjoys visible, safe and secure stair edges. Selecting the right stair nosing depends on the type of surfacing on the treads and the design of the risers, so when taking on any commercial staircase, having a choice of nosing is important. Thankfully, floorwise is on hand with one of the widest ranges of nosing and ancillary products on the market.

The floorwise nosing range includes everything from heavy duty nosing through to low profile designs. With flat, bullnose and rake fronts, along with single or double inserts and the option of ramp backs, there’s a floorwise nosing for any staircase. Tread inserts are available in a range of 34 colours to provide a great range of LRV (light reflectance value) options which will ensure a difference of 30 points or more to the tread finish. The floorwise stair nosings range also includes the option of a Super Grip anti-slip material inserts to provide additional safety - particularly in wet conditions.

To make fitting easier, floorwise provides a complete design and cut solution, including hole drilling if required. This service is available for free with all floorwise nosings and helps to make short work of specifying a high-quality nosing solution for your project. Alongside the floorwise stair nosings range is a selection of complementary ancillary products such as edge trims and angles to help ensure a perfect finish to any staircase.

T 01509 673974 www.floorwise.co.uk

Lane to train

F. Ball and Co. Ltd. has expanded its team of flooring installation experts to meet growing demand for industry-leading training courses delivered at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence, with the appointment of Steve Lane as training officer.

Going deep for Decorette

Stopgap 600 Base deep section base compound and Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS adhesive were amongst products from F. Ball and Co. Ltd. used to install floorcoverings in the new premises of the Echt franchise of the Dutch home deco retailer Decorette.

After installers began by removing old ceramic tiles and mechanically preparing the subfloor to remove adhesive residues, floor levels needed to be raised by 11mm. To do this, flooring contractors applied Stopgap 600 Base deep section compound at a thickness of 7mm. The product is suitable for applications at thicknesses between 5–50mm prior to being capped with a suitable F. Ball smoothing compound. Its fast-drying properties meant that this could take place in just three hours.

Pressure sensitive adhesives from F. Ball were then used to install PVC planks in a herringbone formation in the 200m2 area. Floorcoverings were adhered using Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS temperature tolerant adhesive in the areas near the showroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows, which had the potential to cause solar gain and, consequently, extreme temperatures and temperature fluctuations. This can cause floorcoverings to expand and contract significantly, leading to unsightly tenting and gapping at the edge of vinyl floorcoverings over time. Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS develops the ultra-high bond strength to hold floorcoverings firmly in place in these situations.

Raymond Schuijt, franchise owner and installer at Decorette Schuyt, said: “We love using F. Ball adhesives and smoothing underlayments as they are top quality and very easy to work with. The range is well thought out and contains solutions for every situation you can imagine. I can always count on their technical support if I have any queries too.

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

Working alongside F. Ball head of training, Tim Green, Steve will promote best practice in flooring installation by delivering training courses at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence and further afield according to customer requirements.

Steve brings over 30 years’ experience in the flooring trade to the role, starting his career as a flooring apprentice at 16 years old and fitting all kinds of textile and resilient floorcoverings in domestic and commercial settings. He has had a preference for using F. Ball subfloor preparation products and adhesives ever since and later started his own flooring business, building up a small team of floor fitters while always remaining hands-on.

Commenting on his appointment, he said: “In my opinion, F. Ball are the leading floor preparation products and adhesive manufacturer. I’ve used their products throughout my career, and I’ve always been impressed by them, as well as the ethos of the company, and been supported by the Technical Service Department. I have always been passionate about flooring, and I think it’s time for me to help the next generation of fitters coming into the trade, so when I saw the position advertised at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence, I thought it was the perfect opportunity.”

The F. Ball Centre of Excellence offers free training for all flooring professionals, including specialist courses for both apprentices and seasoned professionals, covering subfloor preparation and floorcovering installation through practical demonstrations and exercises using highperformance F. Ball products.

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

Entries to the Flooring Innovation Awards

close on Friday, July 14.

The national Flooring Innovation Awards set out to identify products and services that are genuinely new and exceptional in the sector. Award categories cover not only flooring products, but also recognise achievements in service, technology and marketing. The awards scheme website gives full details of all the categories for 2023 and has an entry form for companies to make their submissions to the judges or for readers to suggest their favourite innovation products.

New

Fairisle by

A natural, chunky loop pile carpet manufactured in a collection of heather shades

Inspired by the Shetland Islands, Fairisle is made from 100% Pure New Wool in a premium quality 3-ply yarn and comes with a 10-year Wear Warranty for added peace of mind.

MADE IN BRITAIN

SINCE 1956

"Shrinkflation" hits home spending

The sluggish start to the year reported by many flooring retailers has been confirmed by Barclaycard who say spending is down on home furnishing for the fifth month in a row.

The credit card company's Consumer Spending Index which covers both credit and debit card payments, reported that consumer spending on home furnishing was 5.6% down in May.

Esme Harwood, Director at Barclays, commented: “Consumers are still paying close attention to their everyday spending, and we are seeing growing concerns around “shrinkflation” in the weekly shop. Many are having to forgo discretionary purchases to offset rising food prices, with clothing and restaurants most impacted.”

Silvia Ardagna, Head of European Economics Research at Barclays, said: “Although the latest headline figures show that inflation has fallen due to lower energy prices, the prices of core services and goods remain stubbornly high and continue to constrain real household disposable income and spending.

“The UK economy has escaped a technical recession for now, but the forward-looking outlook remains one in which the economy is likely to stagnate as the impact of monetary tightening will more than offset the relief from lower energy prices,” she said.

April showers for flooring sales

Carpet company complaints about a slow Spring for trading has been born out by the latest official data which showed an 18% decrease for April compared the previous month

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said floorcovering retail sales declined month-on-monthby 18.1% to £219.6m from £268.4m.

But, compared to the same month last year, sales increased slightly by 0.04% from £219.5m.

In the same statistics, furniture and lighting retail sales decreased 18% to £1.3bn from £1.6bn in March, but again, compared to the previous year, sales rose 8% from £1.2bn.

This result underperforms the consumer retail market as a whole where total non-food stores sales volumes rose by 1.0% over the month.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, holds out some hope: “Sales should improve as we enter the summer months, especially with inflation starting to ease and consumer confidence slowly stabilising."

Imports slide again amid low demand

The slump in UK carpet imports from Europe continues for the fourth consecutive month as demand fails to lift the sales of volume ranges.

The latest figures compiled by The Furnishing Report from HMRC data shows the volume of carpet coming to the UK in April was down 19% year-on-year. This is a marginal improvement on the 24% decline reported for March.

Even high inflation in the sector doesn't mitigate the decline - the value of these imports was down by 15%.

Belgium continues its steep fall, 37% down by value, following factory closures in the Flanders region and the shift of manufacturing into Victoria's operations for the Balta business. Other key exporters to the UK all showed a slide with The Netherlands down 7.4%, India 24% lower and Turkey down 2%.

Likewise makes progress in tough market

Fast growing UK floor coverings distributor Likewise has said sales are up nearly 18% despite challenges in the new build and refurbishment markets.

In a trading update ahead of the plc's AGM on June 29, chief executive Tony Brewer announced year to date group revenue has now increased by 17.7% against the corresponding period last year and the Likewise branded businesses were up 24.5% due to the ongoing investment in sales and marketing continuing to accelerate gains in market share.

He said the Group was "absolutely committed to developing Likewise to achieve its medium term objective of progressing through £200 million sales revenue."

Likewise's new High Bay Distribution Centre in Glasgow will commence operations today to provide significant extra storage and processing capacity for both Scotland and into the Likewise logistics network for England and Wales.

AW accelerates service

Associated Weavers is going for growth and is taking its retail partners along with a major investment programme in product development and service in the UK.

The new Northampton warehouse will be fully stocked by the end of June with 6,000 rolls of carpet and 3,000 pallets of the Invictus LVT ranges will be stored on site to ensure a fast, efficient service from stock.

AW is also all set to super-charge its service this summer with the launch of its smart new Customer Portal.

See full report on page 40.

Betap's "sleeping giant" awakes

Betap is a major manufacturer in Holland, established over 100 years ago and with substantial operations in carpet, tiles, grass, non-woven and automotive, with their own yarn extrusion. It currently serves more than 75 countries and the UK is a third of its turnover.

At the moment, about 30% of its output is seen under the Betap brand –including the established best-seller Devotion – but it expects this to grow and also move the brand up market a little with more tenth gauge ranges. “We are a sleeping giant,” says Andrew Bramall. UK R&D Product Manager “We already play a major role in the UK manufacturing white label carpet ranges for many distributors but we also see an opportunity to grow our position with products under the Betap label.”

See full report on page 39.

RBV Flooring

Our new man in the North!

Welcome to Rahim Ali, our new agent for North Yorks, East Yorks, West Yorks & Cleveland. M 07487 812470 • E rahim_rbv@hotmail.com

Rahim joins us with a strong customer service/sales background and will be a hard-working, intelligent and enthusiastic addition to the RBV Flooring sales team.

COMMERCIAL MANAGERS:

Chris Bellaby 07740 718170 | John Miller 07846 771146

AGENTS:

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

Paul Hugo – Midlands, Fylde Coast - 07813 714498

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

RBV Flooring Ltd, Bradford – 01274 670011

SALES/GENERAL ENQUIRIES/TRADE COUNTER

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

Unique carpet and flooring franchise opportunity

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

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

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

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

“This is a compelling retail investment opportunity.”

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

make their homes more luxurious and comfortable - all at guaranteed lowest possible prices”.

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

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

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

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

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

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

How the franchise opportunity works:

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

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

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

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

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

The comprehensive support package from Colourbank includes:

• Guidance in selecting suitable retail premises and recruiting staff

• Advice on store fittings, displays and technology.

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

• Professional marketing activities, website and social media

• Market trends monitoring with continual updating of ranges

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

T 0116 274 7958

franchise@colourbank.net

MISSION STATEMENT: “To simply and effortlessly enable all our customers to

Colourbank was established 30 years ago and is a leading "forward-thinking" brand with a reputation for quality, service and reliability.

Flanders success prompts Euro expansion

A new European flooring exhibition is developing following the success of the Flanders Flooring Days (FFD) event in Belgium last month which saw visitor numbers increase 60% from 2022 with 1,552 visitors from 68 countries.

FFD was launched last year as a new model of trade show with each company presenting its latest innovations at their own premises or hired venues across a small geographical area of Belgium around Ghent and Kortrijk.

The presentations are of the highest standards and the organisation across the various venues is exceptional. A key feature in the format of this event which is much appreciated is that meetings are typically by appointment – suppliers and customers get one-on-one focussed time together which creates better business.

"This event is like being invited to the house of a friend versus being invited to a restaurant", said Ruben Desmet, CEO of Unilin Flooring.

And there is an increasingly social aspect to the occasion. Each venue offers sophisticated hospitality and lunches and this year the event culminated in an impressive party event with live music.

This year, non-Flemish manufacturers such as Condor and Betap from The Netherlands were invited to join and after such a success, the organisers are planning to open up the event still further. The intention is to invite a larger number of manufacturers to set up showroom hubs within the Kortrijk Xpo trade show venue next May.

“The organising partners want to respond to the high demand from abroad to be part of it. This is why the 2024 edition of FFD will also feature foreign manufacturers,” says the organising committee.

“FFD combines insight into the carpet and flooring industry with the warm atmosphere and welcoming hospitality that characterises Flanders. This new initiative will make the event even more relevant for visiting wholesalers, retailers and 'purchasing consultants' such as interior designers,” it says.

The attractiveness of this area with Bruges and Ghent close by creates an opportunity for visitors to add a weekend of leisure to their visit.

Although the FFD members have gone out of their way to suggest the event does in no way compete with Domotex, many of these manufacturers have pulled out of recent events in Hannover and Domotex has been forced to contract to some extent after difficulties exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. Flanders Flooring Days takes place next year May 13–16.

T +32 56 24 11 11 www.flandersflooringdays.com

IN FLANDERS

The sleeping giant awakes

The Betap brand is getting better known in the UK market for its design-led approach to manufacturing sophisticated, affordable carpets and UK R&D Product Manager Andrew Bramall wants to drive that recognition forward.

“We are a sleeping giant,” he says. “We already play a major role in the UK manufacturing white label carpet ranges for many distributors but we also see an opportunity to grow our position with products under the Betap label.”

Betap is a major manufacturer in Holland, established over 100 years ago and with substantial operations in carpet, tiles, grass, non-woven and automotive, with their own yarn extrusion. It currently serves more than 75 countries and the UK is a third of its turnover.

Smarter sustainability

Sustainability is also all important in its approach.

At the moment, about 30% of its output is seen under the Betap brand – including the established best-seller Devotion – but Andrew expects this to grow and also move the brand up market a little with more tenth gauge ranges, a new fleece backing and further development of the wool offer, currently less than 10% of its portfolio. Product development is running strong at Betap

The most recent introductions include tenth gauge Montague in 10 colours and Winchester, a new entry-level tenth gauge frisee in 10 colours – plus a herringbone wool loop Maroc.

“Betap is a core member of Carpet Recycling UK (CRUK) and believes strongly in the circular economy,” says Andrew. “There are massive changes in the market and we’re very active in the introduction of recycled PP and PET yarns.” Betap is also introducing “next-generation” monopolymer constructions across its collections for full recyclability. This agenda is fully reflected in Betap’s increasingly successful grass business. Parq by Betap started only 6 years ago but already has 22 ranges and a growing market share. Grand is the latest grass product and the first to take up the monopolymer approach for its construction, using a dispersion backing without latex for fully circular recycling. Betap expects to move all its grass ranges to this construction in the new few years. www.betap.com

Devotion

Betap Director John Jaakke (left) with UK R&D Product Manager Andrew Bramall (right)

Vinci

Sustainable success in going for growth

Associated Weavers is going for growth and is taking its retail partners along with a major investment programme in product development and service in the UK.

The company’s presentation at Flanders Flooring Days (FFD) focussed on AW’s impressive “Six Pillars of Growth” – see below left – and the company had many new initiatives to talk about which demonstrate this commitment.

AW Six Pillars of Growth

Evolution – the ultimate one-stop shop in carpets, LVT, carpet tiles and tailor-made rugs, leading the way with iconic brands

Standing out - POS that creates the best possible in-store and online experiences with award-winning displays and smart visualiser technology

Learning - “Sales people who know more, sell more” – the highly successfully AW Academy launched in Halifax last year offering carpet and LVT retail training

Ambition - Building leading positions in the carpet market, following by the impressive launch into LVT with the growth of Invictus into a leading brand.

Proximity - Investing in distribution networks across the UK, centred on a major new warehouse in Northampton, with instant access to ordering and delivery information through the AW Portal.

Sustainability - with a portfolio of environmental initiatives in production processes and the use of a range of sustainable materials in yarns.

Accelerated service across the UK

The new Northampton warehouse (above) will be fully stocked by the end of June with 6,000 rolls of carpet and 3,000 pallets of the Invictus LVT ranges will be stored on site to ensure a fast, efficient service from stock.

Successful Sustainability

A key announcement at FFD was the launch of Re-verse –an impressive polyester yarn made wholly from recycled PET materials which is being introduced across the Gaia range of luxury carpets.

“Gaia has had a very successful launch in the UK and the sustainability story will add to the appeal,” says AW marketing manager Emmanuel Lioen. “The key advantage is that with polyester, the quality remains the same – the recycled yarn is just as high quality as the virgin material.”

With a backing that is also made from re-cycled PET bottle, Gaia has excellent environmental credentials and exciting new Re-verse ranges launched at FFD including Rio Grande, Orinoco and Parana which will be coming soon to the UK.

Sedna – a range that set the agenda for sustainability with its use of the Econyl polyamide yarn that is made from abandoned fishing nets and other nylon waste – has gone a step further by declaring its 100% carbon-neutral credentials.

Already 70% neutral due to its yarn construction and its eco-fusion backing, the remaining 30% is neutralised with the offset of a programme in Kenya sponsored by AW to train farmers to use soil more effectively and so reducing their need to cut down carbon absorbing forests.

Portal powers service

AW is all set to super-charge its service this summer with the launch of its smart new Customer Portal.

Through the portal, AW customers will be able to benefit from:

• 24/7 order entry with all-time access to the product portfolio of wall-to-wall carpet and luxury vinyl flooring

• Track & trace – higher transparency and reliable tracking of open orders up to delivery

• Live stock availability and immediate access to your invoices and statements.

"The AW customer portal is scheduled for release this summer and we're looking forward to this important new step to further improve the service level in our partnership with our customers," says AW marketing manager, Emmanuel Lioen.

Ideal debut

The debut of the Ideal brand of carpets to the Associated Weavers’ portfolio was another talking point in Flanders, adding a collection of products that is highly regarded in the UK for both entry-level ranges and iconic marks like the classic Dublin Twist.

AW’s acquisition last October of the Ideal brands, machinery and knowhow from Beaulieu brings 16 residential ranges. The yarns are mainly polypropylene with some polyamide constructions and latest to be launched is Allure which is a luxurious mixture of both.

T 01422 431100 www.associated-weavers.co.uk

Invictus carpets are one of the UK's best selling brands

Invictus LVT will build on its success with a range update later this Summer

Thomas Schori, founder of #tide, told The Stocklists in Ghent: “This is a partnership between two family companies who care about the human mismanagement of waste – and realise that waste has a value.

“Condor committed to the scheme right from the start and are a great partner as they are as serious about sustainability as they are about the quality of their products,” said Thomas.

#tide works with local fishing communities to organise beach clean-ups – often it’s a family affair with the old members catching fish while the younger people collect ocean-bound waste from rivers and beaches.

#tide pays fair wages for the project and also employs workers in the region in processing factories which convert the waste back into polyester pellets that can then be used in the plastics industry and to make carpet, without any loss of quality compared to virgin fibre.

The project was created by #tide along with a Swiss university who developed a scalable process to turn the waste into re-usable material.

Turning the tide of marine pollution

Environmentally-conscious Condor used Flanders Flooring Days to present its new exclusive partnership with one of the world’s most innovative enterprises against marine pollution, Swiss-based Tide Ocean SA, or #tide. Appropriately, they booked the Auberge du Pêcheur near Ghent for the occasion, a fisherman’s inn on the banks of the River Lys, to showcase the initiative which recruits fisherman in South East Asia and Mexico to fish for plastic waste which can be turned into carpet.

Condor will use the material in conventional and mono-polymer carpets, with several ranges planned for this year and next. They have 80,000 kg of fibre ready for production – equivalent to about 80,000 square metres of carpet.

Each carpet will carry the #tide brand alongside a QR code which will show consumers the exact location where the plastic waste for that batch of carpet was harvested. This traceability reinforces the real integrity of the scheme as well as engaging consumers in the story of the carpet’s origin, creating greater consciousness about pollution issues.

Every year, nine millions tons of waste is dumped in the oceans to create a plastic soup. “We can go a long way to stop this and give local people a living and give Condor customers a great carpet with a feel-good factor,” adds Thomas.

T +31 (0)38 477 89 11 www.condor-group.eu

L to R: Condor's Kim Koning withThomas Schori, founder of Tide Ocean SA; and below, gathering ocean-bound plastic waste in Thailand.

Circle of colour and choice

Ecology and colour are themes that go hand in hand at Lano and the presentation at the Flanders Flooring Days demonstrated their focussed commitment to both.

Its flagship Ensō portfolio is the centrepiece of this initiative and Lano were launching three new ranges in Belgium as part of the

Greener grass

Ensō is not just for indoors. Lano has an Ensō landscaping range using the same polyester yarn with the same environmental mono polymer benefits. Ensō grass has been hugly popular in the UK, with strong sales though flooring retailers.

There are four ranges with different densities and pile heights with highly authentic Rosemary the UK best-seller and Wilder also a popular, natural-looking choice..

Touch of Luxury collection – silky plain Fame and heathered Jade in 14 vibrant colours, and shaggy Midori in 15 colours.

Ensō means circle in Japanese and here the circularity refers to the 100% recyclability, achieved by making the carpet in mono polymer - one single polymer that covers the whole construction, including the backing. The Midori option is also made from recycled PET bottles.

The soft polyester felt backing brings other benefits – it makes softer samples that consumers like, it’s fitter friendly, and its lighter, saving energy on transport. This backing doesn’t split or fray so it’s ideal for cutting carpet into rugs.

“We have a long history of environmental awareness,” says Gary Alp of Lano. “If you are a producer, you have a duty to produce responsibly. With Enso - we can do this and deliver a whole lot of other benefits too.”

T +32 (0)56 65 40 00 www.lano.com/en

See page 32 for details or visit www.flooringinnovationawards.com

Strong support for Domotex

Strong visitor registrations and exhibitor commitment will make the 2024 edition of the world's leading trade fair for flooring a major success, says Domotex organisers.

Domotex will once again unite both worlds at the Hannover exhibition grounds from 11–14 January 2024. Major international brand manufacturers have already announced their participation in the upcoming event, underscoring the global significance of Domotex. Some exhibitors who had not participated for several years are also returning in 2024.

"The response to Domotex 2024 has been huge, with many global brand manufacturers already confirming their participation," says Sonia WedellCastellano, Global Director Domotex at Deutsche Messe AG.

Partners for sub-floor success

The Academy for Excellence in Flooring is only too aware of the importance of a correctly prepared subfloor when it comes to a successful and lasting installation of installing Quick-Step engineered wood, laminate and luxury vinyl planks and tiles. So, it has patterned with market-leading installation products manufacturer, Uzin, to include subfloor preparation within its Master Installer programme.

The initiative was begun by the academy’s technical manager, Lee Thompson: “We’ve been training installers in the correct way to install engineered wood, laminate and vinyl floors for over a decade. We’ve always stressed the importance of subfloor preparation as critical to the installation long-term’s success. Site conditions encountered often mean the subfloor needs remedial attention before installation can start and so we wanted to make sure that Master Installers had the right knowledge and experience to deliver the perfect surface.

"The current number of registrations has not only exceeded last year's figures, but we're also approaching the size we had in 2020 once again. This underscores the importance of Domotex in its role as a global marketplace and a source of inspiration for the entire industry."

Niclas Håkansson, Managing Director of Välinge, is looking forward to the reunion in Hannover in January: "We were positively surprised about the number of qualified visitors and business opportunities in 2023 – despite the difficult world situation. This shows that Domotex remains an important platform for the industry. We are very satisfied with the visitors' quality and internationality."

www.domotex.de

Dream displays in Milton Keynes

“Uzin is one of the industry’s most-respected installation products manufacturers and offers a full system of time-proven subfloor preparation products to overcome all sorts of on-site challenges. It shares similar values of quality and innovation with Quick-Step and also has a great technical department ready to offer Master Installers the best possible route to achieving the ideal subfloor. It’s a pairing of two premium brands that has strengthened the Master Installer programme.”

Wood and Laminate and LVT Master Installer training programmes now include a half-day session on achieving the correct subfloor, including moisture levels, smoothing compounds and what constitutes a correctly prepared subfloor for Quick-Step floorcoverings. All Master Installers will receive certification of completion from Uzin, as well as the usual benefits that come with the Quick-Step accredited programme. www.quick-step.co.uk/en-gb/academy uk.uzin.com

Renov8Kitchens became a BerryAlloc retailer in 2021 and stocks a range of floors and walls from the Belgian company, showcased at their 2,500ft2 showroom in Milton Keynes with BerryAlloc's impressive display units. The store’s current flooring portfolio includes Pure and Live luxury vinyl planks and tiles, Ocean+ and Chateau laminate, as well as the Grand Avenue and Grand Majestic high pressure floors collections. It also stocks the Wall&Water concept of fast-fit 100% water-resistant wall panels.

Tim Ferebee, owner, Renov8Kitchens: “Our success has been built on giving customers high quality fitted kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms that are affordable and the BerryAlloc range fits perfectly with this ethos. There’s a great range of patterns and designs and a solution for every customer. For example, the Wall&Water panels have been really popular for bathrooms as an alternative to tiles. There’s never been an issue with quality or a single warranty claim.”

“We really rate BerryAlloc displays,” continues Tim Ferebee. “The large format boards show off the detail and quality in the designs far better than small samples. The DreamClick puzzle pieces demonstrate the simplicity and versatility of the system and what’s more, they’re brilliant for entertaining customer’s children while they discuss their dream floor.”

www.berryalloc.com

Design inspiration for a lasting impression

Today the choice in flooring is endless, so we invited some leading brands to share how they create captivating designs that leave a lasting impression. We all know that flooring has the power to transform an interior – so it’s been fascinating to discover that design inspiration comes from a myriad of sources, whether it’s cherished vintage styles, a love of travel and discovering new places, or a true appreciation of nature.

Selecting the right flooring takes a little time and it’s time well spent, as the end result will have a huge impact on the overall look and feel of a room. Flooring should ideally suit the style of the space that it’s laid in. So, period properties look great with geometric Victorian-style LVT for instance while realistic wood and stone effects complement classic interiors, and a more decorative design works wonderfully in a modern setting.

To help customers pick their perfect flooring, Amtico’s Designers’ Choice is a ready-tobuy collection that mixes tones, textures and patterns to create something a little different and give homeowners a helping hand. Simply choose a laying pattern – there’s everything from Basket Weave and Parquet to Aspekt and Pleat – and colour combination for endless possibilities that allow customers to design their own space. Key Stone for instance is a distinctive geometric pattern of diamonds and squares that can blend in with a subtle colour combo or create instant impact in bold and vibrant tones.

across the 4 ranges not only tap into the mid-century modern aesthetic, but are easy and comfortable to live with. The designs have a cocooning effect which ties into creating a happy place and enjoyable interior”.

Their Cascade design (pictured) has a clever geometric wave effect. Kelly adds, “Waves are often associated with water and the ocean, which is known to evoke feelings of calm and relaxation. Cascade is offered in 5 thoughtful colourways that are the perfect backdrop for encouraging moments of mindfulness in the home”.

All designs are made in Adam Carpets Kidderminster factory using premium accredited UK wool and available in 4 metre and 5 metre widths.

There’s plenty more inspiration online in Amtico’s Inspiration Gallery, all of which are great for a quick makeover or full room revamp. The gallery also focuses on LVT inspiration room by room, with kitchen, bathroom, living room, hallway, bedroom and dining room designs to kick-start that next project.

Adam Carpets has built a reputation for their in-depth research on interior trends. We caught up with Kelly Butler, head of design and colour at Adam Carpets to find out what is inspiring them, she said: “With the enduring popularity of mid century modern design, interiors are now being influenced by the seventies. You can tap into this key trend by using warm brown, gold, and red tones such as Sandstone, Nutmeg and Redwood”.

We can see the colour and design influence in Adam Carpets new geometric ranges, Enigma, Cascade, Nexus, and Parquet. Their new designs reinvent vintage geometrics to create the perfect base for any modern interior design scheme. Kelly explains, “You can build the interior look with layers of fun shapes, pattern and colour to add interest into your rooms. The soft shapes and the subtle colouring of the 23 items we offer

We discovered it’s all in the design details as Karndean Designflooring celebrates its 50th anniversary with its biggest collection update.

Talking to Stella Coyle, national retail sales manager of Karndean Designflooring we discovered what connects a San Diego school, a railway station in the Scottish Highlands, and high mountain quarries in Italy. It appears they are just a handful of the character floors and materials that inspired the new designs joining the all-time favourite Van Gogh collection from Karndean Designflooring.

With nine beautiful new wood and 15 stone designs in warm, neutral and cool colour palettes, there are many interesting laying pattern options. Many designs are available in gluedown and click (rigid core) formats, ensuring a floor can work well over various subfloor conditions.

Stella Coyle, national retail sales manager of Karndean Designflooring, explained: “We have been travelling the world for 50 years, seeking

Adam Carpets – Cascade, Lagoon

Amtico – Kura in Key Stone

"Waves are often associated with water and the ocean, which is known to evoke feelings of calm and relaxation."

“There’s plenty more inspiration online in Amtico’s Inspiration Gallery, all of which are great for a quick makeover or full room revamp."

by Rita Bancroft

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.

out beautiful wood and stone samples that ooze charm and individuality. Our latest collection is the ultimate expression of our journey so far and brings you our widest choice of flooring so you can express your personal style.

“We understand that customers are looking for flooring that not only looks like real wood and stone but also comes with the convenience and flexibility of

Inspired by floorboards sourced from an old railway station tucked away in the Highlands of Scotland, Aviemore Oak (pictured) shows wellbalanced cracks and marks that bring a sense of maturity, this design is the perfect choice for an authentic real wood finish with its unique natural wood grain emboss.

Moduleo design manager, Elise Bylo says that designing a floor is about what’s going on in the world:

“When developing Roots we looked at what’s going on in the world first. There’s a strong sense of getting back in touch with ourselves and rediscovering nature. From there on we searched for ways to translate these ideas into design characteristics. The sensory and tactile feature of Roots is a result of this.

cutting-edge flooring. Our latest collection has been designed to bring these organic colours and textures into our homes so we can benefit from the healing powers of nature, while a choice of tile sizes allows for interesting laying patterns.”

Palazzo Marble is just one of the new stone designs. Originating from an exclusive mountainous area of Italy known as the Apuan Alps, Calacatta marble oozes elegance and luxury. With a pure white background and bold veining, this design has taken over a year of craftmanship to recreate in a luxury vinyl tile, ensuring to protect the original quality and intricate detailing. The result is a beautiful Palazzo Marble design with striking beauty available in an 18” x 24” tile and 28”x 7” small plank herringbone.

“For Roots we’ve created six worlds that explore this idea in interior themes. Each floor is an expression of this sensory experience, so whether homes are looking for a wood or a stone, or even concrete or terrazzo, the underlying essence and complementary patterns, materials and finishes remain the same. For example, our Breeze in the North theme blends fresh whites, grey wood structures and natural raw stones to bring a serene and understated feel whatever the floor.

“We really want people to play around because that’s how you’ll ultimately find a floor that feels just right, but to do that takes confidence. By selections rooted in unique interior themes, our six worlds give people this belief and let them think beyond the obvious.”

Karndean

Moduleo – Breeze in the North Theme

Karndean Designflooring – Palazzo Marble, Washed Grey Ash

Karndean Designflooring – Aviemore Oak

"We understand that customers are looking for flooring that not only looks like real wood and stone but also comes with the convenience and flexibility of cutting-edge flooring."

"When developing Roots we looked at what’s going on in the world first. There’s a strong sense of getting back in touch with ourselves and rediscovering nature."

FLOORING FOCUS with F. Ball & Co. Ltd.

The heat is on!

Temperature tolerant adhesives have been developed for installing resilient floorcoverings, such as LVTs, in areas where temperatures have the potential to fluctuate. F. Ball technical service officer Andy Mees advises on when and why you need to use a temperature tolerant adhesive and how to select the right one.

Extreme temperatures or temperature fluctuations can cause floorcoverings to expand and contract significantly. This is frequently the case in heavily glazed areas that are subject to solar gain during the day, such as conservatories, which then rapidly cool at night. Over time, this can lead to unsightly tenting and gapping at the edges of floorcoverings, particularly between adjacent vinyl tiles or planks. Once fully cured, temperature tolerant adhesives hold floorcoverings firmly in place, restricting these movements and ensuring that flooring installations maintain their aesthetic appearance for years to come.

Where and why?

Where and why?

The availability of temperature tolerant adhesives raises questions about exactly where they need to be used. There is sometimes confusion about why a temperature tolerant adhesive is required to install LVTs in conservatories but not over underfloor heating. F. Ball’s Technical Service Department answers calls from installers who believe it is necessary to use a temperature tolerant adhesive to install floorcoverings where underfloor heating is present when, in fact, it is not always required.

This is because temperature fluctuations as a result of underfloor heating systems are much more gradual and less extreme than changes in temperature resulting from solar gain, which can be result in swings of 60°C. To meet British Standard guidelines of resilient and textile floor coverings, underfloor heating systems should not exceed 27°C at the bond line. Temperature tolerant adhesives are therefore only always necessary where there are heavily glazed areas, including conservatories and areas with floor-to-ceiling window, such as extensions fitted with bi-fold doors. F. Ball’s full range of adhesives can be used over all kinds of underfloor heating.

Wet-lay adhesives

Wet-lay adhesives

Where a temperature tolerant adhesive is required, there are a number of options.

Wet-lay temperature tolerant adhesives are available for contractors who are installing vinyl floorcoverings in areas that will be exposed to high temperatures and are available with a range of additional properties.

F. Ball’s Styccobond F48 PLUS, for example, is a fibre-reinforced, high temperature grade adhesive for installing a range of vinyl floorcoverings. Fibres in Styccobond F48 PLUS allow it to offer high initial grab to hold floorcoverings securely in place while contractors are working. It is also fast drying, and as a one-part solution, there’s no mixing required..

Hybrid adhesives

Hybrid adhesives

When installing vinyl tiles and planks, it is useful to have the benefits of pressure sensitive adhesives, which form an instant grab upon contact, ideal for installing floorcoverings featuring intricate patterns and bespoke designs that need precise alignment. They also offer a long open time, reducing the risk of late placement.

F. Ball’s Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS is a water-based vinyl adhesive with the familiar characteristics of a pressure sensitive adhesive, which develops the extremely high bond strength and dimensional stability required to hold vinyl floorcoverings firmly in place in areas exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations (from -20°C to +60°C). Whilst providing high initial tack, the adhesive allows contractors to lift and reposition floorcoverings in the initial stages of drying.

Styccobond F49 has also been approved for installing vertical flooring accessories, such as PVC skirting, capping and coving, meaning it offers an alternative to traditional contact adhesives. However, unlike contact adhesives, the hybrid adhesive only needs to be applied to one surface. Styccobond F49 is also water resistant, allowing it to be used to install floorcoverings in damp and humid environments, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Floorcovering compatibility

Floorcovering compatibility

Flooring contractors should always check that an adhesive is suitable for use with a particular floorcovering. For these purposes F. Ball produces its industry-leading Recommended Adhesives Guide (RAG®). The 2023 edition of the guide lists adhesives recommended for use with over 6,000 floorcoverings, produced by over 200 manufacturers. A continually updated version can be found on F. Ball’s website and as a free app. It is also available as an A5 printed booklet. Alternatively, F. Ball’s technical service department are on hand Monday to Friday, 8.30am–5.00pm, to answer your questions about F. Ball products and how to use them.

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

Polyurethane treatment PUR | Easy maintenance

Wear layer 0.55 mm - Class 33/42 | Heavy commercial Design | Realistic Design & colours

Calendered PVC | Resistant to indentation

WARRANTY 10 COMMERCIAL YEAR

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

Planks Resized no price.indd 1

The demand for LVT flooring in stone, ceramic, slate and concrete designs has risen among retailers looking to keep up with consumer trends and Furlong Floorings LVT collection boasts contemporary designs and quality construction for any price point while offering a vast selection of wood and stone styles to suit any design preference. T 0322 628700 www.furlongflooring.com

Furlong • Ravenden Stone

Karndean Designflooring • Palazzo Marble and Canadian Urban Oak Make a lasting impression with a beautifully modern herringbone luxury vinyl floor using a complementary North American plank and Italian marble tile. Full of style, this Canadian Urban Oak and Palazzo Marble are just two of the new designs inspired by nature introduced as part of Karndean’s Van Gogh collection. T 01386 329025 www.karndean.com

Moduleo Roots brings the authentic look of stone across a range of authentic designs. From classically elegant limestone in the new Millstone to the veins and marbling of York Stone and the colourful terrazzo of Fiastra, it’s a collection with huge variety in classic and modern stone. With Moduelo Roots, homeowners can find their dream stone floor in a finish that’s beautifully easy to live with. moduleo.com

Moduleo • Roots Collection

Buy ing Groups National Flooring Show

A warm welcome with energy and innovation

The 2023 edition of the Buying Groups National Flooring Show recently took place at West Midlands exhibition venue Cranmore Park, and the two-day May event hosted an expertly selected showcase of marketleading suppliers and emerging brands.

Exclusive to Buying Group Members, the 2023 show welcomed in excess of 330 visitors, and featured the latest ranges and innovations from over 40 brands, across carpets, rugs, laminates, woods, vinyl, LVT’s, underlays and flooring accessories.

Renowned for its warm welcome and professional, relaxed environment, the show is the perfect opportunity to connect with and celebrate the industry, and this year’s attendees enjoyed free entrance, free onsite parking, and complimentary refreshments sponsored by first-time exhibitor Berry Alloc.

The Victoria Carpets & Design Floors sponsored drinks reception was appreciated by visitors, who were ready to take a break after a busy day of buying. It was also time to celebrate as Hugh Mackay lifted the Best Stand at Show trophy - their newly extended stand created a focal point in the show room, with striking monochrome designs and sumptuous textures (pictured top right).

Held only a few days after the Coronation Weekend, The Campaign for Wool, Crown the High Street winner was also announced during the show, with Warm Sanctuary taking first prize with a dramatic instore display, congratulations to Dible & Roy Interiors and Flooring One Member, Barsleys who were runners up

The energy of day one continued throughout the following day, as visitors continued to place orders, meet with potential new suppliers, and connect with fellow Buying Group Members.

The dates for the 2024 show will be released later this month and interested parties should follow @BGNFS on Twitter for the latest updates.

Renowned for its warm welcome and professional, relaxed environment, the show is the perfect opportunity to connect with and celebrate the industry.

Review: Showtime in Solihull

The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show 2023

Pattern for the 2020s Adam Carpets

Plain or pattern? One Kidderminster company has quietly captured the high ground in both styles with an uncompromising approach to quality, colour and contemporary trends. Undoubtedly Adam Carpets has an impeccable reputation in exemplary plain twist – ranges such as Fine Worcester Twist and Castlemead Twist set a high bar for quality in the sector. But at the moment it’s their attention to detail in smart, modern patterned carpet with wide appeal that is catching the eye of discerning retailers and consumers.

Recent years have brought us the zippy stripes of Panache, the tekkie herringbone of Flare and the distinctive diamonds of Deco Design. Innovative but hugely acceptable modern patterns.

Now it’s the turn of Geometrics, an impressive collection of four designs varying from discrete textures to bold statement styles – any of which might be a “must have” choice for a contemporary consumer.

Geometrics had a sneak preview at Harrogate last year and has now been refined still further, ready for its launch right now.

The four styles are the organic curves of Cascade, the playful lines of Nexus, a 3D retro Parquet and the vintage, abstract micro pattern of Enigma. And because this is Adam Carpets, the thoughtful choice of bold colours is exceptional.

A stylish new POS unit presents them all to great effect with roomset imagery for all. “Put this in the window and I’m guaranteeing a reaction,” says Chris Adam.

Retailers who buy the £399 lectern get a significant discount on their Geometric carpet orders. The carpet’s credentials are impeccable – a 2-ply 80/20 with nylon, the wool is accredited fibre, all grown in the UK. It is treated for insect resistance to the industry gold standard Woolmark Level Two.

All designed, dyed, machine-made and hand finished in Kidderminster and available in 4 and 5m. What’s not to like?

T 01562 829966 www.adamcarpets.co.uk

We have been working intensely for two years, talking to retailers to find out what they want and what might work best,” says company MD Chris Adam. “One amazing thing was we found many people had never lived in a house with a patterned carpet and have never bought a patterned carpet. We must change that!

Parquet

Cascade

Nexus

The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show 2023

All things bright and beautiful Trends review from the show in Solihull

Sales may be slow right now but there’s nothing sluggish about the product developments in the sector which are looking increasing bright and cheerful – and upmarket. Let’s hope the buyers return in the Autumn to take advantage of these trends.

Colour is coming through more strongly across all sectors. Greys are less dominant and there's a sense that consumers have become bored with grey and that this is a motivator to drive sales to warmer, brighter ranges. So naturals are doing well and the warmer tones of greys are more popular but brighter, cheerful colours in golds, greens and blues are popular and apricot is being touted as the colour of 2024.

And there’s lots of positivity towards pattern – and especially if its small and subtle. Geometrics are becoming especially on-trend and abstract creations are doing well – definitely in the rugs department, but also in concrete, urban carpet designs.

The other unmistakable trend is the move upmarket to secure better margins in challenging economic conditions for consumers – getting the maximum value from those buyers who are still active and accepting that the budget, entry-level sector is performing very poorly at present.

So carpet manufacturers are making more tenth gauge, denser, ranges and luxury collections, and even man-made market leaders are extending their wool portfolios. Wool is performing strongly and new product developments in both twist and loop – and the newer herringbone loops – is trying to keep pace with demand.

Vinyl manufacturers have curated their collections to create fewer, better options – increasing the margin where possible but also helping them manage the supply chain and stocking inventory more efficiently. Wood décor herringbone and chevrons continue to drive demand but there’s also several new introductions in stone and concrete tiles.

There’s increasing attention in vinyl to making sure there’s the widest range of matching accessories, again an approach that derives the greatest possible value from every sale.

Sustainability is rising right to the top of the agenda with a host of environmental commitments and the growing trend towards mono-polymer construction. The use of recycled materials in yarn production is increasingly widespread but the future belongs to mono-polymer, where the whole of the construction is based on a single polymer group, typically polyester, and without potential contaminants such as latex backing.

This means the carpet (or artificial grass) can be fully recycled after use into new polymer pellets to be re-used in the plastics industry or in man-made carpet production. LVT manufacturers are also looking to these developments with some success – but there is further development being done regarding adhesive contamination with glue down vinyl.

There's a move upmarket to secure better margins in challenging economic conditions for consumers – getting the maximum value from those buyers who are still active.

Karndean Designflooring is famous for its attention to detail, taking its inspiration for new styles from real samples such as natural wood from a school in San Diego and a railway station in the Scottish Highlands and marbles from the mountain quarries in Italy.

Nine new wood designs join Van Gogh with the warmth of the new Glenmore Oak and Croftmore Oak option and stylish, warmer greys in the Neutral Brushed Oak. Cooler tones for the continuing popularity of grey interiors is reflected in Silver Farmouse Oak.

The introduction of 15 new stone designs into the Van Gogh collection for the first time continues that fashionable theme of cool, clean tones in marbles and slate as well as warmer terracotta.

Most of the Van Gogh collection is now available in two formats, gluedown and rigid core, to offer maximum flexibility for both installation over varying sub-floors and for design configurations that mix decors for inset features and borders.

The art of inspiration

Karndean Designflooring

Karndean Designflooring celebrated their 50th anniversary in some style in Solihull with the impressive debut of its expanded Van Gogh collection, adding authentic new designs from around the world to create a class-leading range in wood and stone.

This flagship collection now comprises 70 options, adding stone decors for the first time as well as the latest wood decors in on-trend chevron and herringbone designs and the emphasis is on character and authenticity.

Gluedown and Rigid Core formats are available in Van Gogh

The Solihull stand showed off many of the inspirational new roomset photographs that are being used in marketing and pointof-sale to support the launch of the expanded collection.

The company’s Floorstyle visualiser tool lets consumers and retailers explore all the possibilities of the new collection and all the other iconic ranges from Karndean Designflooring.

T 01386 820 200 www.karndean.com/newfloors

Canadian Nude Oak

This flagship collection now comprises 70 options, adding stone decors for the first time as well as the latest wood decors in on-trend chevron and herringbone designs...

Review: Showtime in Solihull

The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show 2023

Bespoke by the square centimetre Misura tailor-made rugs

In an exciting new departure for Associated Weavers, the company is measuring up to the tailor-made rug market with the launch of their Misura brand in the UK. Misura has been growing successfully in Europe since its launch 3 years ago and AW anticipates an appreciative audience here for this quality new concept.

“The offer is totally bespoke in terms of size, shape, texture and backing,” says AW’s Karl Van Der Speigel (pictured left). “This fits well with our Invictus LVT offer in that rugs are very complementary to vinyl flooring and consumers can make a match that really suits them.”

That choice starts with a sample box of 30 styles that consumers can then customise to their specific requirements – the rugs are charged by the square centimetre, so it really is that bespoke, without any waste.

Once a selection has been made in the retail store, delivery can be made back to the retailer in approximately 3 weeks.

Misura rugs are made from a wide array of yarns and the backing can be felt or anti-slip rubber.

Contact your AW area manager for more details. orders@misura-rugs.co.uk www.misura-rugs.eu

Growing the options Greendale Carpets & Flooring

Greendale Carpets & Flooring is a buying group with an important difference, one that can pay dividends to its growing network of members by reducing supplier costs.

The group is fully owned by its members – they hold shares in the entity – making Greendale a truly not-for-profit organisation which can invest all its funds into better services for the membership. One clear demonstration of this is that Greendale, uniquely among buying groups, has its own warehouse, stocking 2,800 rolls and so allowing the greater discounts of buying in bulk from suppliers and increased exclusivity of key ranges.

Eamonn Prescott, who took over as chief executive a year ago, gives the example of the flagship best-seller Greendale Twist, a 16-colour stock 80/20 which is £4 per sqm cheaper to members than the comparable product.

Eamonn is looking to develop a stronger brand in the market for Greendale with more own-label strength and exclusive offers. One member who was visiting in Solihull was enthusiastic: “Greendale are giving us more and more options all the time,” says Chris Senogles of Uppingham Carpet Centre (pictured right). “The group really brings everything together for us in the business and I like the community of it, being part of something bigger.”

T 01432 852000 www.greendalecarpets.co.uk

Custom shapes and sizes with Misura

L to R: Eammon Prescott, Latona Potter and member Chris Senogles

Happy Atmosphere Fells Carpets

We love a carpet with a happy atmosphere (there’s a song there somewhere!) and Fells continue to innovate and add interest to the patterned sector with bold and creative concepts.

The latest is Atmosphere, a very on-trend print with an urban abstract effect coming in two designs – a concrete style and a cloud theme – which is available in 15 options. The concrete design was displayed to great effect on the floor of the stand.

The fibre is bleach cleanable polyester for practicality and performance and, unusually, the range is manufactured on a coloured base which matches the overall carpet colour to give the design greater depth.

T 0113 307 1900 www.fellscarpets.co.uk

Best of British Abingdon Flooring

In the latest ranges from Abingdon Flooring’s popular Stainfree collection and new wool loop pile styles from the Wilton Royal family, the British manufacturer underlined its ability to deliver exceptional quality and value across a broad selection of carpets at this year’s Buying Groups National Flooring Show.

With Charter Berber Loop and Charter Plain Loop from the Wilton Royal family, visitors saw affordable entries into 100% wool with the relaxed, country look of loop pile carpet. With a range of natural colours, these carpets are a must for retailers looking to make the most of the yarn’s return to the spotlight. Abingdon Flooring also showcased a new look point of sale for its Wilton Royal family, bringing the much-loved collection in-line with the company’s energetic and modern feel.

It wouldn’t have been an Abingdon Flooring stand without some exciting additions to its British made Stainfree family, so the manufacturer showed Festival, one of latest styles to join the original easy clean collection. A luxurious deep pile carpet that’s eminently practical, Festival comes in colours such as oyster, white smoke, glacier grey and almond – a palette that’s the perfect backdrop to bold and colourful home accessories and soft furnishings. Alongside Festival, visitors to the stand also got close to Affection and Timeless. These elegant Stainfree styles have improved softness without sacrificing practical performance. Offering homes a luxury look and sumptuous underfoot comfort in a carpet that’s easy to live with, they are quickly defining the best in value focused mid-tier carpeting.

Abingdon Flooring also used the BGNFS to tell of its relaunched Stainfree for Life warranty. Making it clearer about the spills and accidents covered by Stainfree for Life, the new warranty ensures that retailers and homeowners have a better understanding of the performance of these carpets, helping to create a better after-sales service.

Charlotte Coop, head of marketing, Abingdon Flooring, says: “As always, this year’s show provided a great opportunity to talk to our buying group customers and show the latest carpets coming out of our development centre. With the relaunch of Stainfree for Life we have taken a positive step to improve after-sales service and make our promise clear – it’s changes like this that make sure we are a winning choice for buying group retailers looking for the best in British.”

T 01274 655 694, www.abingdonflooring.co.uk

L to R – Shona Buchanan and Mike Craggs

Review: Showtime in Solihull

The Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show 2023

Pattern fashionistas Axminster Carpets

Of course, Axminster excels at pattern and this iconic company, founded in 1755, is still innovating. Modern Classics is the latest launch to extend the legend in an exciting and creative way.

The Modern Classics Collection is 100% wool, woven in the town of Axminster in Devon, and features in the company’s ‘Woven to Order’ range – available with just a four to five week lead time in 3.66m width to any length.

“We’re very proud of our patterns and have applied contemporary colours to a select portfolio of 14 designs,” says Amanda Grabham, marketing director. “We have had an enthusiastic reaction at the show and have high hopes that these are going to be very popular among discerning consumers.”

Axminster started with more than 40 possibilities and have been trialling them across retailers and trade shows to get the right mix – the result now includes small geometrics, Greek key designs and attractive animal print designs.

Retailers with Axminster’s striking new POS display units, introduced last year to great acclaim, will get the first sampling as the Modern Classics rolls out across the UK and Ireland.

T 01297 32244 www.axminster-carpets.co.uk

PROFESSIONAL FLOORING TRAINING

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

TRAINING COURSES — 1 TO 4 DAYS

Carpet

Carpet Fitting — Basic Carpet Fitting — Intermediate Carpet Fitting — Advanced

NEW! Carpet — Borders

NEW! Natural Floorcoverings

Vinyl Sheet Vinyl Installation — Commercial — Basic/Intermediate Sheet Vinyl Installation — Commercial — Advanced

Sheet Vinyl Installation — Domestic

Sheet Vinyl — Wetrooms Installation — Advanced

Linoleum Linoleum Installation — Basic

Linoleum Installation — Intermediate

Resilient Resilient/LVT Fitting — Basic

Resilient/LVT Fitting — Intermediate

Resilient/LVT Fitting — Advanced

Wood Laminate and Floating Wood Fitting — Basic

Wood Fitting — Intermediate

Wood Fitting — Advanced

Wood Sanding and Finishing

Subfloors Subfloor Preparation — Commercial

Subfloor Preparation — Domestic

Supplementary

Cost-Effective Estimating and Planning — Commercial Profitable Measuring and Quoting — Domestic Moisture — Preventing Floor Failures

CARPET WORKSHOPS — ALL 1 DAY DURATION Carpet

Amanda Grabham, marketing director

Abstraction and inspiration

Asiatic

Asiatic always has an inside track on contemporary trends in the rug market and curates a dynamic collection of styles that show how diverse this sector can be.

“We have been trying out a wide range of new textures,” says Asiatic director Neil Farrell.

“We’re seeing a lot of interest in geometric and assymetrical designs and subtle abstract patterns.” Urban abstract designs, with a sheen are increasingly popular and Torino in wool and viscose and bestselling Aurora and new Kuza in PP and PE are great examples where Asiatic has been adding to its gallery. Matrix shows strong geometric designs which it carries though to the shape of the rugs with curved and assymetrical corners.

For people who like their patterns big and bold, Astra offers a big bobbly texture and Valley (pictured with Neil, above left) follows a dramtic linear approach.

T 020 8800 2000 www.asiatic.co.uk

In the right ballpark MasterPiece

The cleverness of the MasterPiece suite of software tools for flooring is nothing if not practical. Alongside the sophisticated measuring, planning and estimating functions, the company has integrated seamlessly four new features: The ballpark quoting engine enables both inexperienced and experienced sales assistants to produce quick quotations with more accuracy than is possible without a software tool. The result is that potential customers are given enough information to be confident to put down a deposit, or else time and effort of a wasted visit is saved.

A new diary for scheduling fitters and estimators graphically allocates fitters to installations with drag and drop functionality. Fitting and measure events have their duration automatically estimated; the time band within which the fitter will arrive at the property is also proposed and confirmed as agreed. The fitter can also see his own dairy on his smartphone: customer signature can be captured on completion and there is an option for fitter to take photos, for the record.

MasterPiece in-shop ‘sales without measure’ tool captures the sale and provides a receipt. A Customer database can be added alongside the jobs database; this also presents payments due and received.

T 01737 355831 www.masterpiece-system.com

Kuza-Borde

Asiatic director Neil Farrell

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

ADHESIVE TYPES

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

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

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

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

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

Subfloor: What surface will the adhesive stick to most 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.

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.

YOU GET MORE WITH BALL REWARDS

EARN 10% CASHBACK ON THESE SELECTED PRODUCTS FROM OUR SYSTEM LVT INSTALLATION RANGE THIS MONTH.

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

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

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

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

Benefits

Good underlay will...

• Improve underfoot comfort

• Increase appearance retention, reducing flattening

• Absorb the pressure of foot traffic and reduce wear

• Improve thermal insulation and warmth

• Increase sound insulation

• Smooth out sub-floor imperfections

• Last the lifetime of the carpet

Poor or old underlay will...

• Feel hard and unwelcoming

• Reduce carpet life

• Cause wrinkling and premature wear spots

• Cause carpet fibres to break down more quickly

• Not meet British Standards

How thick?

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

Types

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sponge rubber

Crumb

Combination

PU foam

The Stocklists

Belvedere Carpets

Durham Twist from Hugh Mackay

Brockway’s Vogue

Love Story Deep Feelings by Abingdon

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

Bronte’s Cream Shagpile

Pimlico by Cormar

Wellington Stripe from Ulster

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

Beauflor sales@beauflor.com

+32 56 67 66 11 www.beauflor.com

BerryAlloc +32 56 52 84 80 www.berryalloc.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

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 www.leoline.co.uk

Moduleo salesuk@moduleo.com

01332 851 500 www.moduleo.co.uk

Polyflor info@polyflor.com

0161 767 1111 www.polyflor.com

Tarkett communication@tarkett.com

01622 854040 www.tarkett.com

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

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

01562 749300 www.myvictoria.co.uk

Wineo info@wineo.de +49 (0) 5237 6090 www.en.wineo.de

Westex info@westexflooring.co.uk

01274 861334 www.westexflooring.com

Landscape Parquet by Victoria Design Floors

Victorian Treasure by Invictus Van Gogh Classic Oak by Karndean Designflooring

Studio Designs by Brampton Chase

Vinyl Flooring

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

Benefits

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

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

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

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

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

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

Installation

Installation preparation

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

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

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

Product options

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

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

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

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

Appearance options

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

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

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

LVT construction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sprouting

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

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 Installation

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.

The original carpet tile

Registered Inspectors Network

Registered Inspectors Network

Wool

Approved

WoolSafe Approved Products The WoolSafe Academy

The Stocklists

Wholesale Distribution

NATIONAL

Fells Carpets

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

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

Xylo Wood Flooring

London 020 8368 8122 infouk@xyloflooring.com www.xyloflooring.com

NORTH WEST

A&A Carpets

Manchester 01204 701188 sales@aandacarpets.co.uk www.aandacarpets.co.uk

Hathaway Flooring Manchester - see page 14 and Floorwise page 73

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

Lakes Flooring Supplies

Kendal - see Floorwise page 73

Millbrook Carpets

Darwen 01254 703999 millbrookcarpets@live.co.uk

Preston Underlay Centre Ltd

Preston/Lancashire - see Floorwise page 73

EAST

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

Salesmark Ltd

St Neots

Tel: 01480 212888 sales@salesmark.co.uk www.salesmark.co.uk

STS Flooring Distributors

Cambridge - see page 18-19 and Floorwise page 73

NORTH EAST/YORKSHIRE

Fells Carpets

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

Kellars Limited

Darlington 0161 443 0970 sales@kellars.co.uk

Fells Carpets

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

RBV Flooring

Bradford - see page 36 01274 670011 rbvflooring@yahoo.com

Trade Carpets and Floors Ltd

Rotherham 01709 437723 sales@tradecarpetsandfloors.co.uk

MIDLANDS

Birch Distribution Sheffield - see Floorwise page 73

Birch Distribution Leeds - see Floorwise page 73

Birch Distribution Hull - see Floorwise page 73

Cornerstone Flooring Supplies Doncaster - see Floorwise page 73

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

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

Floorwise D & J Ltd

Southam - see Floorwise page 73

Kellars Limited

Rugby 0161 443 0970 sales@kellars.co.uk

Matty’s Wholesale Carpets

Birmingham 01675 433072 sales@mattys.co.uk

STS Flooring Distributors

Hemel Hempstead - see page 18-19 wand Floorwise page 73

Trade Counter Carpets

Leicester 0845 604 3055 tradecountercarpets@gmail.com

Woodall Brothers Ltd Shrewsbury - see Floorwise page 73

SOUTH WEST BL Flooring Supplies

Bristol - see Floorwise page 73

BL Flooring Supplies

Gloucester - see Floorwise page 73

Fitwell Flooring Ltd

Redruth - see Floorwise page 73

Fitwell Flooring Ltd

Newton Abott - see Floorwise page 73

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 73 Tel: 01980 880933 mail@salesmark-west.co.uk www.salesmark-west.co.uk

Solent Wholesale Carpet

West Sussex 01243 774623 sales@solentwholesale.co.uk www.solentwholesale.co.uk

SOUTH EAST

Ashmount Flooring Supplies

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

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

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

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

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

Culpeck Strood 01634 299000 sales@culpeck.uk.com

Columbia Flooring Middlesex 020 8443 3322 sales@columbiaflooring.co.uk www.columbiaflooring.co.uk see page 9 for details

DMS Flooring Supplies

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

DMS Flooring Supplies

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

DMS Flooring Supplies

Colindale, North London 0208 036 9945 - see page 10 colindale@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk

Flooring Storage UK

Potters Bar 01707 245999 sales@flooringstorage.com www.flooringstorage.com

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

John Palmer Carpets

Fareham 01329 221933 sales@johnpalmercarpets.uk.net

Potts & Ward, Woodcocks Ltd

Brighton 01273 557211 sales@pwwflooring.com www.pwwflooring.com

Salesmark

Lancing - see Floorwise page 73 Tel: 01903 750522 sales@salesmark.co.uk www.salesmark.co.uk

Solent Wholesale Carpet

West Sussex 01243 774623

sales@solentwholesale.co.uk

www.solentwholesale.co.uk

STS Flooring Distributors

Basildon - see p18-19 & Floorwise p73

STS Flooring Distributors

Croydon - see p18-19 & Floorwise p73

STS Flooring Distributors

Orpington/Croydon - see page 18-19 & Floorwise page 73

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

IRELAND (NI + ROI)

Flanagan Flooring Distributors

Saintfield, Belfast 028 9751 0932

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

Flanagan Flooring Distributors

Republic of Ireland 048 9751 0932

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

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd

Dublin - see Floorwise page 73

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd

Belfast - see Floorwise page 73

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd

Limerick - see Floorwise page 73

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

SCOTLAND

Flanagan Flooring Distributors

Baillieston 0141 773 1122

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

Kellars Limited

Glasgow 0141 647 7685 sales@kellars.co.uk

MCD Scotland

Uddingston

Glasgow 01698 808000 mcdscotland@mcd.co.uk www.mcdscotland.co.uk

Neil Smith Ltd

Glasgow - see Floorwise page 73

WALES

CBW Flooring Supplies

Pontypridd 01443 492510 www.cbwflooringsupplies.co.uk

Floorwise Wales

Merthyr Tydfil - see Floorwise page 73

0161 872 8003

sales@hathawayflooring.com

10 Cornerstone Flooring Doncaster, DN3 3FE

Tel: 01302 835117

Fax: 01302 302542

cornerstonefloor@ btconnect.com

11 Birch Distribution Sheffield, S9 5PH

Tel: 0114 243 1230

Fax: 0114 243 5118

s.sales@birchdistribution.co.uk

12 Woodall Brothers Ltd Shrewsbury, SY1 3JE

Tel: 01743 441584

Fax: 01743 441629

sales@woodallbrothers.co.uk

13 Floorwise D & J Ltd Southam, CV47 0DR

Tel: 01926 814922

Fax: 01926 817899 sales@fwdj.co.uk

14 Floorwise Wales Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 4TQ Tel: 01685 374243 sales@floorwise-wales.com

15 BL Flooring Supplies Ltd

Gloucester, GL2 5HY

Tel: 01452 223355

Fax: 01452 371284

info@blflooring.co.uk

16 BL Flooring Supplies Ltd Bristol, BS2 9SH

Tel: 0117 955 5454

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

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

18 Salesmark Lancing, BN15 8UN Tel: 01903 750522

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

19 Fitwell Flooring Ltd Newton Abbot, TQ12 6TR

Tel: 01626 835935 sales@fitwell.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buying Groups

Pick the right one

How to decide whether to join a buying group – and which one…

• Evaluate all buying groups as they all work differently

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

Why join?

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

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

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

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

Key benefits

Increase margins

• Group purchases to get beneficial rates

• Rebates

• Exclusive higher-margin products

• Special promotions

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

Access professional services

• Business and financial services

• IT and internet support

• Training and workshops

• Professional bodies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Increase sales

• Best of both worlds’ proposition

• Wider ranges and exclusive products

• POS, displays and merchandising support

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

Network with other independents

• Members-only exhibitions with preferred manufacturers

• Regular meetings and supplier presentations

• Regional workshops

• Helpline

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

Metro Group www.carpet1st.co.uk

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

www.smg-group.co.uk

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

Associated Carpet Group www.acgcarpets.com

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

www.beautifulflooring.co.uk

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

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

Super Plus

The Rug Tamer! Keeps Rugs In Their Place

COMBINATION UNDERLAYS NEEDLEFELT UNDERLAYS

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

Burnley, Lancashire BB10 3BH

Tel: 01282 421026, Fax: 01282 412321

www.foxirugtamer.co.uk

Carpets 4 Less is a highly profitable company in retail flooring running a group of Corporate and Franchised stores.

Buying Assistant (Bedford)

We have an opportunity for a self-motivated and competent person to ability to turn their hand to a number of interesting tasks. The role will involve dealing with the Manufacturers and Suppliers on a daily basis covering purchasing, merchandising and customer service.

an attractive salary with the opportunity of advancement into senior management

Sales Advisors / Trainee Managers –Whittlesey (Peterborough), Bedford and St Neots

We are looking for highly motivated , customer focused and friendly Sales Advisors. Their primary role will be to assist retail customers on their ooring requirements and help with the everyday running of the store. There will be some physical work each day and the working hours would be 9am – 6pm with an amount of weekend and bank holiday cover required.

Franchisees

Assistance with funding considered.

Email CV to info@carpets4less.com

The home of professionals working in the DOMESTIC FLOORING TRADE

Membership gives clients assurance of quality workmanship

Use of NICF logo — promote yourself as a quality installer

FREE NICF website listing — helps to gain work opportunities

FREE Technical Advice and Business Support Helplines

15% OFF FITA* Standard Training Courses/Workshops: Improve your existing skills, learn to fit new flooring types, learn new fitting techniques and reduce the number of complaints

Discounts on tools and workwear

Joining the NICF has worked really well for my business and me. Customers can find me listed on the NICF website where they can read the reviews of my work, giving peace of mind that the job will be carried out to the highest standard. Getting a big discount on FITA courses helped me improve my skills too.”

FREE use of the NICF Guide to Domestic Flooring

FREE annual magazine subscription to The Stocklists and CFJ

SCAN ME!

nicfltd.org.uk

Tel: 0115 958 3077

E: info@nicfltd.org.uk

NICF Fitter

Rob Fitzgerald

national institute of carpet & floorlayers