Special Underlay : part III

Floor Forum International N° 134, December 2023

'The market makes strict demands, including for acoustics.’

The subfloor sector is moving on at the speed of the demands made by modern homes (acoustics) and the legislative framework for elements such as fire safety. We chatted with Melissa Mican over the proverbial cup of coffee. This lady has an impressive technical knowledge and is technical engineer for sales at James Hardie Netherlands, the manufacturer of fermacell® Floor Elements. She explains the market demands for subfloors in which both fitters and end clients have their say. ‘The reduction of external sounds in a home is increasingly becoming an essential feature instead of a pleasant luxury,’ Melissa explains as she gives further clarification about the solutions which fermacell® Floor Elements offer.

Special Sanding machines - part III

Floor Forum International N° 134, December 2023

‘The choice of the right edge sander for professionals is highly personal.’
Everyone in the parquet world has heard of Devomat Industries. This company from Edegem, which has operated since 1980, has its own research and development centre, operates in various parts of the market, and focuses on four key segments (primers and adhesives, sanders, abrasives, and finish products). Devomat presents most of its products and machines under the general brand name Devo.

Special Producers of ecological adhesive

Floor Forum International N° 134, December 2023

"Renewable is the most important thing we can offer"
Sustainable and ecologically responsible working has outgrown the stage of mere product thinking for some time now. What can a far-reaching 'green' way of working look like when we talk specifically about adhesives? We ventured into the market and found the ideal interlocutor in Kleiberit. Based in the southern German town of Weingarten Baden, Kleiberit has more than 75 years as a specialist in adhesives, with the flooring industry as one of its main markets.

Special Who has lacquers specifically for wooden staircases?

Floor Forum International N° 134, December 2023

An interview with Thomas Viellevoije, sales manager at RIGO Pro Nederland

An interview with Thomas Viellevoije means access to a man with knowledge and experience. The sales manager at RIGO Pro Nederland has a wealth of experience in the paint and lacquer sector and is ideally placed to consider developments on the market. He talks about the activities and position of RIGO Verffabriek, the range of lacquers for applying to items such as wooden staircases, and how sustainability legislation has caused the paint and lacquer sector to develop.

Special Top Belgian companies focused on export

Floor Forum International N° 134, December 2023

A look behind the scenes at the Belgian top player and trader in wood

Stating that Vandecasteele Houtimport belongs among the very top Belgian companies would be an understatement. This trader with its headquarters in Aalbeke, West Flanders (Belgium), can boast a rich history in the timber trade and the international market. Export manager Geneviève Standaert comments: ‘We regularly supply timber for projects in countries like Canada, USA and even Indonesia.

Special Producers of multi-layer floors

Floor Forum International N°133, November 2023

‘Presenting just one trade name (Chapel Parket) streamlines communication to the outside world.’
These are exciting times at Chapel Parket. In 2023, they have been working hard on both drastically refining the production apparatus and the manner of communication from the start of 2024. The ultimate aim is to streamline the various forms of overlapping from the past and communicate with the outside world with just one trade name, namely Chapel Parket.

Special Producers of solid wood or multilayer Hungarian point and herringbone

Floor Forum International N° 133, November 2023

"With our products and finishes, we can respond to all possible requests"
As a parquet manufacturer, Design Parquet, based in Torcé, France, has been earning its spurs for many years. Found on the Rennes-Paris axis, Design Parquet combines know-how in solid and semi-solid parquet with state-of-the-art production resources. This enables it to offer both standard and made-to-measure parquet with more than a million possible combinations. Its parquet floors are available in a wide range of substrates, sizes, species (oak, hardwood, exotics), installation methods, looks and finishes.

Special Producers of skirting boards

Floor Forum International N° 133, November 2023

‘With a new branch in Wilrijk, PPC has strengthened its position for Belgian parquet floor fitters.’
When it comes to fully supplying parquet floor fitters and other flooring specialists, PPC (‘Plinten en Profielen Centrale’) has been a partner for many years in its homeland, the Netherlands, which you simply couldn’t ignore. Since 1999, this company, which was formed by Drees Klaassen, has supplied clients from its headquarters in Wijk bij Duurstede with all possible floors in wood, laminate, and PVC, edge finishing, and products for installation, finish, and maintenance.

Special Underlay : part II

Floor Forum International N° 133, November 2023

"Additional knowledge is no luxury, which is why we are launching an updated, handy tool with our new catalogue from 1 January"
When it comes to subfloors, there are a number of hot topics. How do you make them, for instance, as ecologically sound as possible? And how do you link that to things like good sound or impact sound insulation or the best possible thermal resistance? To find out more about this, we contacted the German company Parkettfreund, a subsidiary of Küberit Profile Systems.

Special What are the major benefits of silane adhesives for PVC, LVT and vinyl floors

Floor Forum International N° 133, November 2023

‘It’s logical to believe that PU products will disappear in the long term.’
If you look for the major assets of silane adhesives, such as for wooden floors, LVT, PVC, and vinyl, there is a good chance that one of your first steps will be to contact the Dutch company Lecol BV, which belongs to a German parent company (Maiburg). Indeed, few companies are so committed to minimising the impact of its own products on both the user’s health and on the environment.

Special Producers of laminate, LVT, PVC and vinyl in XXL format

Floor Forum N° 133, November 2023

"Extra-long will also play a prominent role in the latest update of the range"
Extra-long and wide continue to do exceptionally well, in these economically less favourable times. This is also experienced at flooring specialist Parador, which has been developing and producing high-quality floors in both Germany and Austria since 1977, and in various materials. XL performs in all product categories, not just engineered wood or laminate.

Special Stair renovation with PVC, LVT, vinyl or laminate

Floor Forum International N° 133, November 2023

‘ICM20 is about to change the European market for staircase renovation!’
‘The real experts are getting older, new ones are hard to fi nd. The costs of training new technicians is high. It’s almost impossible to fi nd new people. Too little margin feasible.’ Those are just some of the reasons for manufacturers, wholesalers and specialised dealers to ignore staircase renovation. That’s no longer necessary: The ICM20 unique innovation is the ideal solution to many problems and off ers a high-margin solution.
Simple, precise and practicable all over Europe!

Special Air humidifiers for consumers: a necessity

Floor Forum International N° 133, November 2023

‘An air humidifier isn’t an expense, but an investment with an undeniable return.’
What is one of the biggest challenges for producers of air humidifiers? Hans van Beurden, director of Venta Benelux B.V., doesn’t have to think long about that: ‘Convincing end clients that an air humidifier contributes tangibly to a better quality of life and to the quality of materials in an interior.’ Indeed, an efficient humidifier not only regulates the humidity to a healthy level, but also reduces dust accumulation and increases the durability of wooden elements.

Special Top Austrian companies focused on export

Floor Forum International N° 133, November 2023

A visit to… Stöckl Parkett

When we talk about wood in Europe, you almost automatically end up in Austria. After all, almost half the land in this country is used for forestry. What is it like to operate as a company from Austria? With this question we knocked on the door of a company that has been in the wood flooring business for many generations, and this from the south of the country (Kematen an der Ybbs in the state of Lower Austria, in the district of Amstetten): Stöckl Parkett.

Special Subfloors : part I

Floor Forum International N° 132, September 2023

Speed plays a big part in fitting subfloors, certainly for projects. If the job happens to be a renovation, the lowest possible fitting height is also an issue. If your product also has excellent ecological and acoustic credentials, then you as a floor or tile fitter have found a real winner. This is the case with the new Fermacell® Therm25TM, a milled gypsum fibre board which is ideal for use with floor heating.