The company Esco Vloerenimport bv had registered a great number of names of domains, in which were, amongst others, the words ‘Hertogvloer’ and ‘Abdijvloer’. Esco used the names Hertogvloeren and Abdijvloeren as metatags. The judge of the court in ’s-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) has ruled on December 27th 2005 that Esco cannot use the words ‘Hertog’ and ‘Hertog Vloeren’ for wooden floors, because this creates confusion about the origin. The judge furthermore ruled that Esco obviously tries to benefit from the reputation and goodwill Hertog Vloeren has established over the years. So, this is unlawful and as a consequence forbidden. The names ‘Hertog Vloeren’ and ‘Abdijvloeren’ are protected as a brand.
Junckers
The last newcomer in the range is the parquet in smoked oak by Junckers, a solid parquet full of character, for those who love floors without limitations! An extremely dark and tempting parquet, an ebony floor, at the same time exotic and solid, which provides your home abundantly of the necessary ‘chic’. Real oak and, even though it looks that way, no wengé, for it is clear people want to imitate the latter wood species, because its colour of cacao is very ‘trendy’. Here we don’t have the ‘disadvantages’ of wengé, because, as we know, wengé is an African wood species from the forests, which are threatened by uncontrolled deforestation. So, it would be sheer ‘heresy’ to use it. Instead, a wood species that originates from carefully governed woods with a reforestation programme and with respect to environmental rules is used. Moreover, as is most of the times the case with rare things: wengé is an expensive wood species. This means there is a financial argument to be taken into account, certainly when one knows the price of smoked oak is about half of that of wengé…!
TREfix Staircase Renovation Systems
Your old staircase as good as new!
Since January 2005, we offer you the famous TREfix system. This renovation system for staircases helps you give back your old staircase its full glory, without dust, high cost or other troubles. The TREfix system can be used for all indoor staircases, weather they are made out of ceramics, stone or wood – twisted, bent or straight. – A wide TREfix range of products ensures the possibility to install all kind of floor types imaginable.
A quick and easy installation of the profiles, without dust or dirt.
We look forward to welcome you at our stand at the professional fair ‘Europarket’ in Maastricht (NL) from the 23rd till the 25th of April 2006
UZIN MK 100 - MSP parquet glue
The UZIN MK 100 was launched some time ago by UZIN in Germany and is offered from this year onwards by Unipro Belgium on the Belgian market, following intensive and successful tests. The combination of a powerful and not too flexible glue rill with both a fast initial adhesion ànd tension reductive qualities make UZIN MK 100 one of the most powerful 1-component MSP parquet glues in its kind.
This solvent and water free, emission poor (EC1) 1 component MSP parquet glue will also continue to harden with very small quantities of surrounding moisture. As it grabs very quickly, this glue builds up very good suction power fast and prevents the parquet from "floating", like e.g., the movement of the planks shortly after the installation.
Next to this, the glue will be, in combination with other UZIN underlayers, with acoustic and/or tension reducing qualities, like UZIN Multimoll®SoftSonic, Multi-moll®Top 4/9 and 15, the ideal solution for all kind of problematic undergrounds and parquet species and thus make you, as a parquet installer, rest in peace.
Woodbrokers BV’s new look!
Following a successful first year, in which Woodbrokers has proven they are an added value to ‘floorland’, the company has chosen to extend its assortment. According to Rex Bunschoten, Woodbrokers BV’s new sales manager, the retailer needs novelties in order to make the difference in the competitive market of wooden floors. That’s why Woodbrokers has developed the Special Line, next to the existing and familiar Mammoet Line (distressed floors in a herringbone pattern, made to measure, tapis, solid and lamellae floors in several colours) and the Vulcano Line (baked oak in several finishes). This line consists of custom made floors, which are produced in dialogue with or to monster of the flooring specialist company, on a commission basis. Oak up to 26 cm wide, oak for floor heating, trendy black or ultra white bamboo, exclusive American walnut, wengé or through and through black oak are only some examples!
These floors can be produced according to the customer’s wish and offer the retailer the unique opportunity to distinguish and profile himself in the market.
Woodbrokers’ new look not only comprises the extension of the assortment. There is also a new face for the field organisation: Rex Bunschoten. The person to contact for the indoor staff is called Suzanne Otto. For more information, contact Woodbrokers.
The future of communication becomes online: Parador launches its first e-journal.
Parador becomes ‘interactive’ with a new type of online communication, which is innovative and very trendy. Welcome to the Parador e-journal. Only one year ago, Parador surprised the sector by launching their internet site. In this website one could find the latest technological novelties and it’s both emotional and visually attractive. Since February 1, interested surfers can consult this website. This renewed Parador homepage draws the visitor’s attention by the overview of the paperless product collection catalogues and directs them to the newest e-journal.
HARO INNOVATIONS
HARO, Germany’s biggest producer of parquet floors, presents the flooring innovation of 2006: CELENIO. CELENIO unites the natural warmth of wood with the authentic look of a tiled floor. CELENIO is made out of ‘Harolith’, which is made through a complex and breveted procedure, in which the ingredients based on natural wood are step by step mixed and afterwards pressed together. After they have acclimatised, the tiles are cut to measure and treated with a light resisting varnish. The result is a warm, elastic floor, which is resistant to cracks. CELENIO moreover is light 9,2 kg/m2 (marble 30 kg/m2) and as easy to work as wood. CELENIO Classic is fully glued and jointed. CELENIO Lock Connect is equipped with a ‘click system’ and is not jointed. This floor is also available with the unique sound damping underlayer Silent Pro. For the other innovation, Haro found its inspiration in the Soccer World Cup. It launches a new collection of laminate floors that imitate a grassed surface. There are numerous potential buyers for this products: soccer clubs, sports shops,…
A NEW COMPANY: VIVIPARQUET.
We have established a solid basis which gave us the strength to enter the world market of floors with determination. This is a necessary asset that allows us to continuously take it one step further all the time.
A charming and natural quality: that’s our slogan! A selection of the best materials, environmental friendly veneer and natural oils are the most important ingredients which make the difference on the market, together with all our experience and creativity. This is an important element a new generation of customers keeps asking for all the time.
Gebo takes the Innovation tour
Last year, the already vast collection of Gebo was completed with a number of new finishes. The finishes Mont-Blanc and Montana are completely in line with up-to-date interior decoration standards. Over the past year, not only the 4 parquet motives, ‘carro’ ‘ladder motive’ ‘fougère’ ‘herringbone’ in both 14 mm and 20 mm solid, but also the wainscot in solid oak was perfected. From 2006 onwards, the major part of the Gebo Collection is available, next to the well-known Trip Trap finishes, with the high technological Saicos hardwax system.
Henkel and Ursa Paint join forces
Recently, Henkel Nederland from Dutch Nieuwegein and Ursa Paint Quality & Environment from Dutch Ijmuiden announced they would join forces in an intensive cooperation. In doing this, both companies aim at upgrading their level of service towards their customers. ‘Through this cooperation a complete assortment of products for both under and on top of the parquet can be offered’.
Ursa Paint develops and produces waterborne lacquer systems and natural, solvent free oils and waxes. Henkel is an important supplier in the Benelux of parquet gluing systems. Both Ursa and Henkel notice the parquet market becomes ever more demanding and that relations ask for more knowledge, service and support on the workfloor. Through the cooperation of Ursa Paint and Henkel, there is now a wide technical knowledge with which both partners can meet the demands of the specialist.
Prominent
According to Henkel and Ursa Paint, the product assortments of both suppliers are already prominently present with many parquet wholesalers and parquet installers, and are often used side by side. ‘Through this agreement of Henkel and Ursa Paint, we can now answer better to questions that are asked during visits. Next to this, we will make a joint programme of trainings for the trade sector and for the professional user.’
New products
Next to the transfer of knowledge, this cooperation gives Henkel and Ursa Paint the chance to jointly develop new products. Both companies expect they will reach optimal system solutions, both under and on top of the floor. They develop products which match each other seamlessly.
Also in the fields of fairs, actions and promotions, schoolings in the Gildevaart Instituut and other initiatives, both join forces.
The field organisation of both Henkel and Ursa Paint already underwent a thorough training, in which they got to know each other’s products more intensely.
NEWS
FORM THE NETHERLANDS
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NEWS
fROM tHE FRENCH mARKET
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CORK
NEWS
AMORIM
On January 1st 2006, Paula Andrade was appointed Marketing & Product Portfolio Manager of Amorim Benelux BV. She will coordinate the marketing activities of Amorim Benelux in her four markets (The Netherlands, Belgium, England and France). Next to this, she will coordinate and develop the product portfolio for these markets, and will partly because of this conduct market analyses. Paula Andrade has been working for the Amorim group since early 2000 already, in her last function she was international Product Portfolio Manager of Amorim Revestimentos in Portugal. Amorim Revestimentos is the mother company of the Floors and Wallcork Business Unit of the Amorim group. Amorim Benelux BV imports and distributes Wicanders and Corklife cork floors and wall cork in the Benelux, England and France, and also distributes Ipowood lamellae parquet and Quick.Step laminate. Paula Andrade also successfully completed a doctoral study in economics at the University of Coimbra and also completed an MBA study in Marketing at the Catholic University of Porto.
MEISTER LEISTEN, GERMAN SPECIALIST IN PARQUET AND CORK FLOORS HAS A NEW WEBSITE AND A NEW VISION ON CORK
Meister Leisten, German manufacturer of several types of parquet, is also a specialist in cork floors. This German company now also has an innovative website://www.meister-leisten.de. On it, one finds information about their products and service. Interesting is also their 2 pages long contribution about the advantages of cork as a floor. Floor Forum is happy to present these to you. First of all, they write cork is elastic and warm. This means cork is the ideal floor to walk on barefoot and it moreover heightens the walking comfort. Next, the Meister Leisten cork floors are equipped with the 3 layer click system, under which are HDF and a 2.7 to 3 mm thick cork layer. The advantages of this system are their stability and sound reduction. The ease of installation without the use of glue are also emphasized here. Finally, a cork floor offers an ideal protection against moisture because of its AquaSafe 50 carrier board, that stops the influence of water.
SHORT
INDUSTRY NEWS
BERRY FLOOR WINS TRENDS GAZELLE AWARD WEST-FLANDERS
Today, for the second year running, Berry Floor was singled out as the winner of the Trends Gazelle Award for fastest growing enterprise in West-Flanders. A prestigious ac-colade awarded by Belgian finance magazine Trends, the Gazelle Award is presented to the fastest growing enterprise in West-Flanders over a five-year time span. The time span concerned covers the 2000 to 2004 period. In order to establish actual growth, Trends sets out from data relating to workforce size, turnover and cash flow.
Berry Floor and Beaulieu International Group are delighted with the award which is widely considered as a token of apprecia-tion and recognition for the sustained investments the company has made in people and resources to put top drawer products out on the market. Berry Floor sets itself apart from many competitors through its unrelenting investments in new manufacturing technologies, licences, patents, designs and brand policy. A successful policy which is certain to be continued in the future.
Berry Floor is part of the Beaulieu International Group. The group comprises four divisions (raw materials, soft flooring, hard flooring, fabrics), employing a total workforce of 4,781 staff in 8 countries and effecting a joint turnover of d 1.4 billion (2004 consolidated).
LOGISTICS FOR THE WORLD MARKET
A worldwide logistics concept and the unique online delivery status tracking for our customers - that is the new service offensive of FN Neuhofer Holz - according to their motto 'We offer you more'.
As a 'Global Player' it is particularly important to provide prompt and reliable worldwide delivery to all customers. FN has now found an extremely competent partner with a worldwide network in the logistics specialist 'Expeditors'. 'Expeditors', with its worldwide warehouse network at over 252 locations, enables FN to realise its extremely flexible logistics concept and thus to ensure shortest delivery times. Neuhofer comments: 'We are using four of the 252 possible locations today already, whereby further expansion is already in the planning stage. Innovations and modern customer service on the Internet are also a priority for FN Neuhofer Holz. FN now offers a cutting-edge service, which is currently unique in the trade, irrespective of time or location via its homepage: online order de-livery tracking and status monitoring. FN makes order processing transparent and at the same time controllable with 'Order Tracking' - status queries concerning production and shipping are available at any time and are just a few mouse clicks away.
ASSOCIATION
NEWS
‘DE PARKETPLAATSERS’ PAMPERS ITS MEMBERS DURING EUROPARKET 2006
On 23, 24 and 25th of April 2006, Europarket, the biggest specialised trade fair for wooden floorcoverings, takes place in the Dutch MECC Maastricht. During this important event in the sector, visitors and exhibitors will once more enjoy the great number of products and services. During this edition of Europarket, Europarket especially targets the (international) trade visitor of the fair. Our federation will not miss to help assist the goal of the organisation. During Europarket, ‘Dé Parketplaatsers’ organises a ‘Belgian day’ on Sunday April 23rd. On that day, all Belgian exhibitors will offer a Belgian beer. On that day, the federation will also provide special transport: we bring members from all over Flanders together in a bus and take them to the fair. Upon arrival at the fair, we offer our visitors a tasty breakfast. Following that breakfast, our guests can begin an elaborate visit to the fair. Those who want to take a short break are welcome at our stand (number 208), where they can have something to eat or drink. The federation shares a stand at the fair with the Dutch parquet training centre Gildevaart. Part of the stand will be reserved for a veritable wood recognition competition, which our federation organises in collaboration with Gildevaart. There will be four different ‘letter trays’, containing ten different wood species. In that way, all day long four candidates can at the same time take part in our competition and at the same time test their knowledge of wood. At the end of every day, the winners will be announced. Of course, they win a valuable price. We conclude our ‘Belgian day’ in a befitting way and in the early evening plan an event at our stand with walking dinner, accompanied by a stylish musical performance. All of our members will receive an invitation around March 15th. On this invitation they will find all of the necessary information, together with a free, personal entrance ticket for Europarket 2006. For all further information you can contact the secretariat of ‘Dé Parketplaatsers’ by phone or e-mail.
FEDERATION ORGANISES NEW YEAR’S RECEPTION IN BRUGES
On Friday February 3rd 2006, ‘Dé Parketplaatsers’ organised its New Year’s reception in the building of the ‘Confederatie Bouw’ in Bruges. About 85 members, sponsors and guests came to Bruges on this occasion. President Xavier Desmit started his elaborate world of welcome by thanking all those present for their numerous attendance at this event of the federation, which is proof enough the association is alive and kicking. At the same time, the president also remarked that we need a lot more engagement. The parquet school of the federation also has already proved its success as state-of-the-art training centre for the installation of parquet. Several long term and modular courses have already taken place and at the moment there is also an updating course for teachers. He used the occasion to thank all of the teachers, who helped make these parquet trainings become successful: Xavier Vannieuwenhuyse, Chris Decaesstecker, Bart Leen, but also the supporting companies who participated in these courses by providing their products and materials. Furthermore, the president emphasized how important this full support by participating companies remains, in order to keep these trainings on the right track and at the same time called for even more engagement. This New Year’s reception is of course also a unique occasion for the handing out of awards. Two parquet companies received their Label – obtained following the successful conclusion of their training in the parquet school: Rommens Joost uit Celles and De Brauwere Georges from Oudenaarde.
PRODUCT
NEWS
RUBIO MONOCOAT FLAMAWAY! UNIQUE FIRE RETARDANT HARDWAX OIL FOR PARQUET
Rubio Monocoat Flamaway is the new system within the Muylle Facon Rubio Monocoat concept. Rubio Monocoat Flamaway is applied in 2 layers: first the primer is applied, next it’s time for the Rubio Monocoat Oil Flamaway. This fire retardant hardwax oil is available in the 21 standard colours. The certificate was officially handed out on February 10th by professor Vandevelde, in the name of the Warringtonfire laboratory from Ghent (Belgium). Rubio Monocoat Flamaway gets a class A2 on fir-tree and on oak or according the BS476 a class 2. Rubio Monocoat is an added value to the parquet, the parquet installer and the end consumer!
RENOTEC DUO® ADDED THE PRICE FRIENDLY HUMY 6 WATER EVAPORATOR TO HER ASSORTMENT
The electronic Humy has a hygrostat and an ionisator, which allows an optimal picking up of the air. With her tank contents of 6 litres, the Humy evaporates 50 to 400 ml water per hour. It consumes only 45 Watt per hour. Depilatory filter included. Is suited for spaces up to 55 square metres. For spaces of 250 to 500 square metres, such as offices and showrooms, there is a professional cold water damper, the Hygro Air 146.
OSMO… WOOD NEEDS MAINTENANCE
As a natural material, wood needs maintenance to ensure that it continues to retain ist positive properties.
So that the precious wood in your house keeps looking great, Osmo has developed a range of environmentally friendly maintenance products.
These are specially tailored to the various properties of timber and to the specific demands of the areas in which wood is used.
All Osmo maintenance products are produced on base of natural waxes and oils.
OVERMAT
For a periodical maintenance of parquet and planked floors which are treated with Floorservice Hardwax oil White, Overmat Industries BV developed the Floorservice Maintenance oil White. This wear resistant oil gives the wood a much longer lifespan, complies to the highest demands of resistance against, for instance, coffee, wine, water, cola, etcetera. Thus, the nice white floor retains its radiance.
GRANWAXPRODUCTS DIVES UNDER VOC-NORM
Granwax Products announces it is the first producer of floor finishes in the UK which is fully prepared for the coming obligation to bring the level of volatile substances below the 140 g/l limit. This obligation becomes valid in January 2007. Granwax reformulated its existing products and now reaches an emission level of 90 g/l. This means Granwax does a lot better than required by the norm. The Classical, as well as the Masterfinish, Granfinish and Aquathane were ‘improved’. “We not only wanted to comply to the EU Directive, but also wanted to express our continuous concern for the environment “, explains managing director Ron Scullion.
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