Flooring Aug-Sept 2016

august/september 2016

p 10

FLOORING LINE WWW.ECOFLOORING.COM.AU

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incorporating

FLOORS

aug/sep 2016 | vol 34 no 04 www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Industry News

Special Features

Regular Reports

FrontCover

04 DomotexAsia/Chinafloor 2017 expands furnther

24 Timber & Parquetry

01 Choices Flooring

26 Entrance

16 Airstep Retailer of the Month: Choices Flooring Niddrie and Bulleen, VIC

30 Resilient

20 Training

38 Stone & Ceramics

25 Business

06 Two new hubs for design enthusiasts 10 Choices Flooring Joondalup named Best Retail Business 14 Welcome to the Dunlop family

34 Software 36 Product Update 42 Preparation, Installation & Care 55 Exhibition Calendar

Flooring Aug/Sep 2016 3

News DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR 2017 expands further DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR 2017 expands further as a multisegment leading international flooring show in Asia – Pacific.

The booked exhibiting space less than eight months before the show is 13.3% larger than the space booked the same period last year.

The 19th edition of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR will take place on March 21 to 23, 2017 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

The show is getting more international than ever with a substantial increased demand for participation from all over the world. International brands, to date, occupy 31.7% of the total confirmed exhibiting space. World’s leading brands such as Armstrong, Gerflor, Amorim, Haro, Swiss Krono Group, Jaipur and Oriental Weavers have already signed up for DOMOTEX asia/ CHINAFLOOR 2017. Five country pavilions – Belgium, India, Pakistan, US (American Floorcovering Alliance) in the carpet sector and USA (National Wood Flooring Association) in the wood sector have also confirmed their return to the show.

The exhibition ground comprises of 12 halls among which five are dedicated to carpet and rugs, four to wood, laminate, cork, bamboo, other hard floors and FloorTech and three halls

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4 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

are dedicated to resilient floorings for commercial, industrial and residential purposes. Special areas for the manufacturers of the ceramic tiles and Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) (outdoor decking) are created for the first time in the heart of some of the most popular halls in the wood sector.

In 2016 the show gathered 1,303 exhibitors from 40 countries and attracted 50,398 trade visitors, of which 11,963 international, coming from 106 nations. The 2017 edition is expected to continue its success, attracting even more professionals and offering the flooring world a unique platform to access and do business in the Asia–Pacific, the biggest flooring market in the world.

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BE PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE 144 members and growing

For a strictly confidential discussion about the future direction of your business, please contact: Andrew Lewis Chief Executive Officer Mobile: 0400 400 036 Email: alewis@choicesflooring.com.au

Tim Drew Group Manager - Retail Development Mobile: 0425 751 756 Email: tdrew@choicesflooring.com.au

choicesflooring.com.au

News Two new hubs for design enthusiasts July saw Myaree and Auburn locals invited to join Carpet Court ambassador and TV personality, Shelley Craft for a glass of bubbly and some nibbles to open the flooring retailer’s newest stores, Myaree Carpet Court and Auburn Carpet Court.

The events also gave locals the chance to be part of a live Q&A with Shelley on all things renovating, and celebrate the new hubs of home improvement and interior design.

The new stores offer valuable advice, service and expert installation on both flooring and window solutions.

With over 15 years’ experience owning and operating Carpet Court stores and additional experience

in the retail industry, Myareestore owners, Michael and Edele Taboni, can tackle any flooring challenge. Myaree Carpet Court is Michael’s and Edele’s third Carpet Court store, already operating both O’Connor and Jandakot Carpet Court.

“We are excited to open our third Carpet Court store.

Over the past 15 years we have enjoyed being part of Australia’s largest retail floor covering group and are proud to provide Carpet Court products to our local community,” said Michael.

At Auburn, over 20 years’ combined retail experience for store owners, Jung Yau and Christian Judianto, means they can tackle any flooring challenge.

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Norris, is excited to welcome the new stores to the Carpet Court family.

The locally-owned businesses will become members of Australia’s largest flooring retailer, joining a network of almost 200 Carpet Court stores nationwide.

AusMumpreneur awards and conference

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“Our decision to open a Carpet Court store was easy.

As Australia’s largest retail floor covering group, Carpet Court offers a large range of flooring options at competitive pricing, which we are proud to provide our local community,” said Jung.

Carpet Court’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kara

Carpet Court Australia is a proud partner of the AusMumpreneur Network, a community of women that supports, elevates and inspires thousands of women to create their own businesses that work around their family life.

On 13 and 14 August, the AusMumpreneur Awards and Conference took place in Melbourne with 200 Mumpreneurs, ten business workshops and 25 guest speakers coming together to celebrate and connect with fellow women in business and gain new skills.

Carpet Court CEO, James Hayward, joined ambassador, Shelley Craft to attend the event as a keynote speakers.

“Carpet Court has a great number of store members and employees within our network who play a very

important role and who are also mums. It’s really important to us that we foster parents, both men and women, to achieve the best work-life balance and feel supported,” said Hayward.

Shelley was also a panel judge and Gala Dinner MC. As an AusMumpreneur herself, Shelley appreciates firsthand and supports women in business.

The awards and conference concluded with a Gala Dinner, during which attendees walked down a specially designed, Carpet Court branded red carpet.

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News Kennards online hire makes the customer's job even easier It has taken a small, dedicated army to build the new website for Kennards Hire, which is now officially live. Using the first live equipment hire platform in Australia, customers can now browse, select and book all the tools for the job from their computer, tablet or smartphone.

The new website is fully accessible via the existing www. kennards.com.au website.

Chief Operating Officer and acting CEO of Kennards Hire, Bill Whitehouse said delivering a convenient, anywhere, anytime option for hiring was a key motivator for producing the new and innovative website.

“We know our customers can be time poor and unexpected jobs can pop up on-site last minute,” Bill

explained. “To help customers we wanted to provide an easy browse, order and pay online service available 24/7.”

Theo Triantafillides, Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We spent months refining it to be something that made sense and is easy for the customer, as well as providing an excellent self-service experience,” Theo said.

The site includes ‘how to’ guides and videos to help customers do a great job safely. Account customers can access their accounts and also pay invoices online.

Widening its scope, the new website appeals to all varieties of Kennards Hire customer, from tradies and commercial users to DIYers, weekend warriors and everything in-between.

Providing comfort under paws for pets The RSPCA rescued more than 133,400 animals in the past year and its 40 shelters across the country are mainly funded from public donations and fundraising initiatives.

In support of the excellent work the RSPCA does, national flooring retailer Choices Flooring plays a small part by donating carpet sample mats of discontinued ranges to several RSPCA shelters to ensure their four-legged friends have a comfortable stay.

As all Choices Flooring stores are locally owned and operated, community is at the heart of each business.

“Community is a large part of each of our 140 stores and it’s fantastic that we can extend this support to the rescued animals in some of

the RSPCA shelters,” said Choices Flooring’s GM Marketing, Jason Verstak.

Over the past year, Choices Flooring has donated more than seven pallets of carpet sample mats to different RSPCA shelters across Sydney and Melbourne. RSPCA Victoria, Peninsula Shelter Supervisor, Anand Shiva said the carpet sample mats have made a big difference for the cats and dogs in their adoption areas.

“I would like to thank Choices Flooring for their generous donations of carpet sample mats for the animals in our shelters,” Mr Shiva said.

“The mats provide comfortable flooring and very valuable enrichment, especially for our cats awaiting adoption.”

One thing is for sure, no matter how big or small you are, there’s nothing quite as comforting as sinking your feet (or paws) into the softness of quality carpet.

Davco launches new website Davco’s new website www.parexdavco.com. au - is packed with product information to ensure professional tilers and retailers can confidently select the right products for each project.

With a modern and clean layout, coupled with simple to use navigation, Davco is putting the power of information at the fingertips of the professionals with a minimum number of clicks. Its responsive design ensures it works equally well on mobile devices so it can be easily accessed on-site.

Website features include: • The System Selector, which enables professionals and store staff to easily choose the right products

8 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

for all stages of their project according to the application and substrate.

• The Grout Colour Selector demonstrates how different grout colours can change the look of a job and help your clients make the best decision for their project.

• The Grout Calculator works out the right amount needed for the job ensuring minimal wastage and overspend.

Product data sheets with detailed features and benefits, application information and detailed technical specification data, as well as material safety data sheets (MSDS) can all be easily found and downloaded.

THE PRINCIPLES OF MEASURE ESTIMATING

News Choices Flooring Joondalup named Best Retail Business Supporting the local community for over 22 years, Choices Flooring Joondalup was named Best Retail Business in the JBA’s 2016 North West Metro Business Awards in Western Australia.

Locally owned and operated by Sue and Steve Blackwood, and managed by son Adam Blackwood, Choices Flooring Joondalup has always had the local community at the heart of their business. From being amongst the first of over 140 Choices Flooring retailers in Australia to undergo the group’s Store Evolution showroom layout, to sponsoring a wide range of community organisations and events.

“As a local family business, the key to our success has always been to ensure we continue to grow with our community’s changing requirements, endeavouring to always offer them the very best service, product selection, and experience,” said Steve Blackwood. “I am very proud of our team, and we are all very honoured to have received the award from Joondalup Business Association.”

Supported by 15 fulltime employees and over 30 subcontract installers, Choices Flooring Joondalup’s welcoming and inspiring showroom, teamed with their exceptional service ensures success.

John Nicholls

Choices Flooring touches down in New Zealand Choices Flooring continues to pave the way towards its New Zealand launch with the appointment of a new GM – Retail Operations New Zealand, John Nicholls.

After establishing and working within several SME start-up businesses for over 30 years, John then progressed his career into the floorcoverings industry, which, over the past six years, has seen him lead progressive retail and commercial developments within the New Zealand market.

Impressed with Choices Flooring’s core values and model, John said he jumped at the opportunity to establish the Choices Flooring group within the New Zealand market.

“The Choices Flooring group is a model that New Zealand desperately needs,”

10 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

said Mr Nicholls. “It is a true co-operative group: they are all about their members and, as a result, their professionalism across all business areas, in particular member services and marketing, is very impressive.

“I feel honoured to be appointed as their GM – Retail Operations New Zealand and am excited about the future.

My vision is to build a team of retailers who are passionate and proud, in addition to develop stronger relationships with both our customers and alliance partners.”

Based in his home town of Hamilton, John has now taken the lead on all new member enquiries, in addition to working closely with Choices Flooring’s Central Office team as they start to finalise the details of their New Zealand launch.

Australia’s

number one

Floor Coverings Retailer...

is coming to

New Zealand

For a strictly confidential discussion about the future direction of your business, please contact: John Nicholls Group Manager - Retail Development Mobile: +64 27 322 8679 Email: jnicholls@choicesflooring.co.nz

choicesflooring.com.au Flooring Aug/Sep 2016 11

News Identity Matters acquisitions The Identity Matters Group has recently acquired Melbourne based signage company SignAction and General Mat Company as the latest affirmation of its commitment to expand and improve services to its customers.

The joining of forces will give a stronger presence in

the Australian market and further strengthen buying power.

The company’s specialised range now consists of products in all areas of branded matting, commercial matting, point-of-sale items, safety matting, signage manufacture and related services.

Floorworld opens in Queensland Floorworld officially launched its brand new store in Toowoomba, Queensland in August. As the group’s only store in Queensland, this is a big move for Floorworld to grow the business further.

Owners, Josh and Katie West are very eager to help service not only Toowoomba but surrounding areas

including Crows Nest, Gatton, Warwick, Dalby and Chinchilla.

With products to match every room, budget and environment and a wide selection of carpets, timber, laminate, bamboo and vinyl cushion flooring, the newest Floorworld store aims to cater to everyone’s needs.

Rory Kennard and Paul Weaver

Makinex grows and so does the team Makinex Construction Products continues to grow, launching new products into new industries and territories with new experienced team members.

The new National Sales Manager – Stuart Reynolds – has a plethora of industry knowledge and contacts with 30 years’ experience in the construction industry. He has sold and been associated with brands such as Master Finish, Chapin, Marshalltown, Bartell and Easymix.

Stuart says that he hopes to build business growth and the Makinex brand profile across a greater breadth of the market, utilising his skills, experience and knowledge to better service and support the Australian Market, with products that provide consistent performance benefits.

Paul Weaver is moving to Group General Manager.

12 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

Stuart Reynolds

Paul will be looking at more strategic elements of the business, allowing CEO Rory Kennard to take a more design led route within the company This will ensure Makinex continues to design and manufacture innovative products that make inefficiencies extinct.

Rory Kennard said: “We are proud to be able to welcome experts within the industry into our team. We pride ourselves on producing and selling excellent products, and we want to ensure the service and experience we give to our customers is second to none. Having a dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable workforce means we can continue to grow and design truly unique and innovative products globally.

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News Welcome to the Dunlop family Dunlop Flooring has welcomed a number of new employees to its team.

Jacqueline Littlefield is the newest member of the NSW Dunlop sales team. With over 10 years sales experience, Jacqueline has settled into her role quickly and is creating new opportunities within the NSW commercial and retail markets.

Gary Doyle has joined the Victorian sales team as an experienced, driven and energetic sales representative with a strong track record of sales and business development across the FMCG industry.

Outside work, Gary is a passionate Carlton supporter, enjoys playing golf and is hoping one of his syndicate horses may win the Melbourne Cup one day!

The Queensland Dunlop Sales team also welcomed Leah Williams as its new commercial sales representative in July. Leah brings a wealth of experience in interior design and soft furnishing sales and will provide a new perspective for the floorcovering industry.

Andrea Borsos has been appointed Dunlop’s new marketing assistant and, after only two months, she has proven her worth as a valuable member of the team. Andrea comes from a background of retail experience at EB Games, and has tertiary qualifications – Bachelor of Arts - Media and Communication – from the University of Melbourne.

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The Dunlop Flooring Team

Andrew Spence (National Sales Manager), Craig Lester (NSW Sales Rep) and Sean Forde (General Manager).

and sisters Amber and Olivia welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Harley, into the family.

Born at St Vincent’s Private Hospital and weighing in at just under 3.4kg, Anna and Tony were overjoyed to meet their newest family member.

Sending our love and congratulations, the Dunlop team is looking forward to meeting baby Harley.

2016 Salesperson of the Year The Barrel Room at the Innocent Bystander in Healesville, Victoria provided the perfect venue to announce the Dunlop Flooring

2016 Salesperson of the Year awards.

Surrounded by wonderful food and great people, the atmosphere was lively and full of energy as people caught up with old friends and acquainted themselves with new ones.

Congratulations go out to Anna Petkovski from Victoria named 2016 Salesperson of the Year.

“While Anna couldn’t join us for the festivities she was thrilled to receive the award for all of her hard work and unwavering dedication.”

Runner up Salesperson(s) of the Year were Craig Lester from NSW and Anita Crestani formally Qld now VIC.

Our industry leading commercial and domestic foam underlay range continues to dominate the market, with our paper backed dual bond range proving to be particularly popular.

At Underlay King we are extremely proud to be 100% Australian owned and operated. We would like to thank our customers for your business and continued support of Australian manufacturing.

Gary Doyle

Jacqueline Littlefield

We pride ourselves on supplying the highest quality products and are committed to providing excellent customer service with prompt delivery throughout Australia and next day delivery to metro areas in Victoria and NSW. In fact to increase our delivery efficiency, we are looking for distributors of our products in QLD, WA and Tasmania.

Please contact our office with your interest.

Leah Williams

14 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

Andrea Borsos

Golf Day brings out the flooring industry

Northwest Carpetbaggers Golf Day brings out the flooring industry's top trades and sellers. Unfortunately there's no one named Wally in the great big group photo of golfers but certainly a few wallies when it came to getting it on the green, stopping the shanks and actually avoiding the water when this mob took to the Longyard course.

It was a great day out surpassed only by the extreme nature of the shots on show for this year's Carpetbaggers Golf Day in Tamworth. The Northwest Carpetbaggers has been going for 21 years and has certainly come of age now.

The business Golf Day was the brain child of the team at Choices Flooring Tamworth but now has become a 'must-goto' on the carpet calendar.

"Usually 60 to 70 turn up to play a three-person ambrose event and 90 or so for the presentation dinner on the Thursday night following the golf," organising partner Shane Chillingworth said. "The initial get-together is on the Wednesday night of the last State of Origin night every year.

About 20% of those represent Queensland supporters but, unfortunately, that number is growing due to the dominance of the Maroons.

"The players are mainly retailers and executives from all of Australia's major manufacturing firms."

There were 20 different flooring stores represented and 30 suppliers with people from

all over the northwest, the north coast and every capital city on the eastern seaboard.

"It's used as a get together for the flooring industry and it's recognised as the best in the industry," Choices Flooring partner Dave Russell said.

"We raised $2,500 this year for the Westpac rescue helicopter but we've raised over $50,000 for local charities over the last 21 years."

The winners on the day were the team of four – Andrew Smith, Debbie Drinkwater, Paul McCormack and Michael Roberts with a net 55.

"Debbie was the first women to ever win the carpet challenge event," Chillingworth said.

Among the carpetbaggers were Moree father-and-son visitors Barry and Scott Croft, the retailers and layers who ran their own businesses at Inverell and Moree for some 25 years.

"Then they worked at Harvey Norman in Moree before Scott moved to Coffs Harbour to work for John Harris Carpet and Blinds," he said. "Barry has since retired but comes back to the golf day every year and has missed only one in that 21 years, when he hurt his back in 2010.”

The father-and-son combo teamed up with the state manager for Tuftmaster Carpets, Les Stockdale, who lives and works in Sydney and is another carpetbagger who's been doing the rounds of the annual golf trip for nearly all of that time.

Celebrating 30 years Australian rug company, Designer Rugs is proud to celebrate 30 years at the forefront of the handmade custom rugs industry. The family-run and owned business, which opened its first factory in Marrickville in July 1986, specialises in quality bespoke rugs and carpets for both residential clients and commercial professionals worldwide.

Founder and chairman, Eli Tal, and his wife Nurit, now both aged 81, together with their son Yosi, continue to work for the business they started three decades ago and pride themselves on the strong relationships they have with their long-serving and dedicated team.

Designer Rugs, which has showrooms in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland, New Zealand, has collaborated with some of the world’s most respected artists and designers, including Akira Isogawa, Alex Perry, Camilla, Catherine Martin, Dinosaur Designs, Easton Pearson, Linda Jackson and Wedgwood, among others.

On top of the long list of internationally renowned designers with whom they have worked, Designer Rugs has also executed a host of impressive local and international projects including creating custom pieces for prestigious hotels such as the Feana hotel in South Beach,

Florida; Emirates One&Only, Wolgan Valley and the Laucala Island Resort in Fiji, which commissioned over 60 rugs for its new and exclusive hotel owned by Red Bull’s Dietrich Mateschitz.

As testament to their focus on exceptional quality and unique designs, Designer Rugs was also approached

by Parliament House to create a one-off piece for the Queen’s Bicentennial visit in 1988. However, it was the commission of a custom made rug by St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne, for Pope John Paul II’s Australian visit two years prior, in 1986, that remains among their most notable collaborations.

Managing Director Yosi Tal said his family was proud to have seen the business grow from its humble beginnings into the innovative and indemand company it is today.

Flooring Aug/Sep 2016 15

Retailer of the month

Planning for growth Choices Flooring Niddrie and Bulleen,Victoria Philip Ashley reports:

16 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

“W

e strive to ensure that our clients, no matter who they are. have the best possible floorcovering experience when dealing with us," said Scott Shearer.

It's this simple but effective philosophy that has driven Choices Flooring Niddrie and Bulleen to the success they enjoy today and the high esteem in which they are held by their many clients. You may expect such a comment from a flooring store but, with Scott, it's much more than a marketing slogan. He added: "I treat every installation as if it’s my own, then, if I am happy, I know the client will be as well".

Scott Shearer started in the flooring business in 1988 working for a mate's Dad. A stint cutting and joining carpet in a work-room of a carpet retailer was followed by a few years in sales. It's fair to say Scott learned the trade ‘on the job’ and knows both sides of the flooring retail business. In 1995 Scott moved to the Newfurn (Choices Flooring) central office, working in various capacities and, some five years later, decided it was time to branch out on his own.

At that time Ross Mackintosh had an existing five-year old

flooring business in Bulleen and Scott started a partnership with Ross that lasted 15 years. Ross sold out to Scott on his retirement in December 2014. However, during their successful partnership they bought an existing store in Niddrie and also set up a central warehouse in Thornbury.

Early this year the warehouse relocated to a new, purposebuilt facility of 900m2 to handle the current distribution and administration but also to cater for future expansion. As Scott said: "Our business has grown exponentially over the last 15 years and we need to be ready for future growth".

The business currently employs 21 full-time staff along with eight sub-contractors with experience ranging from six to 22 years. In total he has 12 people in retail sales, five in logistics and admin and 12 installing.

There are also usually one or two apprentices and Scott holds training in high regard. In addition to apprentice trade training, everyone else involved in sales completes the Choices Flooring online modular training program and undertakes regular product and skills training programs, ensuring they are at the forefront of the industry. In addition to

Scott, operations manager Steve Karakitsos and Brendan Smart make sure the business runs smoothly and clients’ needs are always met.

Scott advocates that his success is not just down to him but also the fantastic staff that works with him across all areas of the business, as they too share the same vision in ensuring the experiences of their clients is second to none.

He says that the retail flooring industry has seen more changes over the last five years than in the previous 15, mainly due to the internet.

"Buyers are more savvy and informed than ever; it's never been as easy to sell as it is today. Around 95% of the clients coming to our stores have already been online and know what they're looking for so all we have to do is continue with the same experience in store. While it often means that their expectation is higher, we now do less qualifying and spend more time matching products to their needs," he said.

Melbourne is booming with the population expected to overtake Sydney within a few years, with growth both in the

inner suburbs, with apartment developments and a lot of single standing homes making way for unit developments, and also the outer areas of Melbourne with new housing.

Choices Niddrie and Bulleen are poised to take advantage of this as well as the opportunities that are always there locally with home refurbishments and commercial projects. With the two stores, their primary market area is a good size; however, their clientele comes from all over Melbourne. Commercial installations also play a big part of the business and Scott lists office fitouts, health and aged care, libraries and hotels amongst the many market segments they cater for.

Unlike with some retail outlets, the experience of Scott's team allows him to work a normal 38-hour week. He's either at Thornbury or one of the two stores and gets out seeing clients regularly. His young family keeps him busy the rest of the time.

As Scott said: "We've planned for growth, we look after our customers and we're ready for whatever the future holds". You just know that it's all coming together beautifully.

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News

India Carpet Expo: trendsetter for global flooring market India is the world leader in the exports of handmade carpets and other floorcoverings both in terms of value and volume and has retained this position for the last few years against all odds.

The 31st Edition of India Carpet Expo 2016 enabled retailers, distributors and institutional buyers from around 58 countries across the globe, to compare products, prices and deliveries instantly and to make their sourcing efficient, competitive and cost effective.

The expo has established itself as a great sourcing platform for carpet buyers from all over the world and provides an opportunity for small and medium exporters from all over the country to showcase their products and latest innovations to overseas buyers under one roof.

Inaugurating the India Carpet Expo, Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar said that from a modest beginning three decades ago, India Carpet Expo has evolved into a truly large, comprehensive and trend setting platform for international product buyers and sellers from all parts of the globe. He felt that the India Carpet Expo will truly define the

18 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

future trends in and around the world. He further added that: “I am delighted to say that Indian handmade carpet industry, despite a week international market situation, is maintaining its number one status and is growing at around 17% per annum. We assure our support to the carpet industry for their efforts for the betterment of small manufacturers and artisans”.

The Indian handmade carpet sector is a very important segment of the Indian economy as it is almost 100% export oriented, earning valuable foreign exchange to the tune of USD1448.23 million during the fiscal year 2015-16. It also provides employment to around two million rural artisans including women in their own homes.

The expo is an ideal platform for visiting International carpet buyers and buying houses from India to meet and establish long term business relations.

CEPC provides platforms to the exhibitors where they can show all their creations under one roof.

Since its inception three decades ago, this trade show has grown almost 100 times in area, 200 times in terms

The lighting of the ceremonial lamp of the 31st India Carpet Expo on 11 March 2016 at New Delhi in the august presence of Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, the then Hon Union Minister for Textiles (I/c) and Smt. Rashmi Verma, IAS, Secretary (Textiles}.

of number of exhibitors and 50 plus times in terms of visitors – all indicating its growing popularity and impact on business of exhibitors and visitors.

Over 90% exhibitors and visitors repeated their participation for the third consecutive time. Most visitors felt that India Carpet Expo has made sourcing of hand knotted, hand tufted products convenient for them.

The fair was concluded with a closing ceremony on 14 March 2016. The Chairman CEPC, Shri Kuldeep Raj Wattal, in his press briefing said: “This year we are expecting a growth rate of about 10 to 15% in terms of dollar and 15 to 20% in rupee term. This expo will lead opening up of new market opportunities for the industry and help small and medium Indian carpet exporters in promoting their products to

overseas countries. E “Eventually, this ongoing process on a broader scale, is instrumental in projecting the “Made in India” brand in overseas markets.”

This year, 58 countries participated in the expo, where buyers from countries like Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Palestine, Bulgaria, Israel, Egypt, Poland, Ukraine, Malaysia, Mauritius, Taiwan, Serbia, Colombia and Hungry attended for the first time.

During the expo, the trends included bold colours and daring designs. “The time when floors played a subordinate role to other interior furnishings is over,” stated Shri Kuldeep Raj Wattal. “The current diversity of materials, colours and designs is unlimited, making floors an interior design object, which was clearly visible throughout the exhibition at New Delhi.

Training

Best in the trade recognised Top-performing apprentices in New Zealand’s flooring industry were recognised at the annual Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) Flooring Apprentice of the Year Awards in Auckland in July.

The awards presentation event is the largest annual get together of the flooring industry in New Zealand and serves to celebrate the exceptional work happening in the field, said BCITO chief executive Warwick Quinn.

“The awards recognise those who are making a valuable contribution to this industry; it gives them the chance to be celebrated by their peers.

All this year’s winners are strong role models for those who may be considering an apprenticeship in the flooring industry,” he said There is a vital need to address the drastic shortage of apprentices in the flooring industry, Quinn added. “The industry needs to train more people and they need to do

Quick-Step Academy Quick-Step is offering professional flooring installers first class skills and accreditation in the preparation, installation, finishing and maintenance of engineered timber and laminate flooring.

The Quick-Step Academy of Excellence in Flooring in Adelaide will offer a comprehensive three-day flooring installation course that has been meticulously created by Quick- Step’s trained expert staff in Australia and overseas.

The purpose is simple - flooring installers who

20 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

complete the course will get a competitive advantage over their rivals and the Academy will provide installers with knowledge, skills, formal credentials and qualifications that makes them the best in the business.

Training will begin at the state-of-the-art training academy, which is fitted out with a large training area and seven dedicated training bays.

The bays are equipped with the latest floor installation tools and technology, giving the installers the best of the best when it comes to training excellence.

it now.

“New Zealand needs more young people to move into the trades and these skills are in high demand. School leavers who decide they want to start an apprenticeship can be confident they are making an excellent choice for themselves and the industry.”

The winners were selected based on the achievement and skills they displayed at their respective block courses.

The 2016 top achieving flooring apprentices are:

• Supreme Apprentice of the Year and Stage 2 Flooring Apprentice of the Year – Jacob Paraha, Hayes Carpetlaying Ltd, Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay • Stage 1 Flooring Apprentice of the Year – Sean Fletcher, Coastal Flooring Contractors, Wellsford, Northland • Stage 3 Flooring Apprentice of the Year – Ramil Mifrano, Dominion Flooring, Christchurch • Villars Trophy awarded for best attitude and enthusiasm toward training – Mavi Leofo, Natural Stone Grinders Ltd, Wellington • Flooring Planning and Design Trainee of the Year – Christopher White, Dunedin Carpet Flooring Xtra, Dunedin Quinn thanked the generosity of its sponsors: Carr Group, Cavalier Bremworth, Dunlop Flooring, FloorNZ, Gilt Edge Industries, Godfrey Hirst Carpets, Handley Industries, Karndean International NZ, Look Floors, Robert Malcolm Ltd, Sleepyhead Manufacturing and Techspan Group.

breathe easy with

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Timber&Parquetry

Stylish French oak floors Bring a genuine piece of European styling into the home with Signature Floors’ newest engineered timber collection – Oak De France.

For centuries the French have been known for their craftsmanship and quality oak flooring. Now, customers across our nation can enjoy the same artesian skills and quality in today’s family home.

Grown in certified, sustainable oak forests in the Bois region, Oak De France oak flooring is manufactured in France using time-honoured processes combined with modern technology to offer the highest quality timber flooring. These planks feature the beauty and charm of real French oak that can never be truly replicated, giving an authenticity and uniqueness that will age beautifully right on the floor.

Oak De France timber floors differ from the accepted Australian standard engineered timber flooring, with a French oak layer affixed to a solid core, in accordance with the latest European design expertise.

This increases durability, gives exceptional dimensional stability to help withstand our dramatic climatic conditions and the usual issues associated with solid timber floors.

The Oak De France collection features two beautiful ranges – Paris Oak and Riviera Oak. Paris Oak captures the tradition of classic French architecture with the modern style of today. The beauty of real oak is featured with a brushed matt finish and Ultimitec multi-layer lacquer, which adds wear protection and added scratch resistance. Paris Oak also features an exclusive Best Loc X-Treme locking system, which is guaranteed for life and makes for a fast installation. Additionally, there are no nested board lengths in the Oak De France collection, meaning that there are no surprises for you from unsatisfied customers.

Inspired by the marinas along the Mediterranean, Riviera Oak captures the look of parquet strips but in easy to install planks. Each Riviera Oak

Paris Oak

plank features multiple sawcut oak strips with shade, knot and grain variations, to enhance the character of the floor. With oiled or matt lacquer surface options, the Riviera Oak collection looks and feels rustic, yet delivers modern style and performance.

Oak De France is a great choice for home decorators seeking an interior with authentic oak charm, colour and design heritage with all of the benefits that modern manufacturing can bring.

Riviera Oak

Stained engineered flooring features Australian species To meet the growing demand for European-inspired stained wood flooring, Boral Timber has launched its Metallon flooring collection featuring Australian blackbutt and spotted gum species. This broad engineered flooring features local timbers applied with contemporary stained finishes The high quality, easy to install Metallon boards are inspired by the aesthetics of precious metals, transforming the earthy beauty of Australian hardwoods into the colours of copper, tungsten, pewter, cobalt (pictured) and titanium.

“Stained engineered floors are extremely popular

22 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

and, when matched with the natural beauty of Australian species, prove to be a versatile solution that aligns with evolving Australian architecture and design trends.

Incorporating the click-lock installation system, the hardwearing blackbutt and spotted gum boards are pre-finished for minimal fuss and mess, and can be sanded back for a more natural finish or restained as design preferences evolve.

Metallon is the sustainable engineered timber flooring choice that is Chain of Custody certified by the Australian Forestry Standard.

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Timber&Parquetry

NZ firm wins ATFA awards New Zealand firm James Henry Ltd took out two categories of the prestigious Australasian Timber Flooring Association (AFTA) 2016 Floor of the Year awards winning both Employee of the Year and Recycled Floor of the Year.

The AFTA Recycled Floor of the Year

“We entered three categories and were excited and proud to win two of these.” said Chris Northmore, owner and manager of James Henry Ltd. “This is also the first time a New Zealand company has won an AFTA award so we were extra proud to showcase Above: The James Henry Flooring Team. Front left: AFTA Employee of the Year and Factory Manager Morgan Pritchard. Middle left: Owner and Managing Director Chris Northmore.

Photo taken in February 2016 on the newly laid Jarrah parquet at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington.

the quality of New Zealand workmanship.”

Employee of the Year was given to James Henry Ltd factory manager Morgan Pritchard.

“Morgan’s contribution to our business has been outstanding” said Chris Northmore. “He started with us seven years ago as junior timber machinist and now runs our factory in Upper Hutt.

“We produce tongue and groove and parquet flooring manufactured from timber reclaimed from demolition sites.

Due in large part to Morgan’s efforts our factory output and quality has grown significantly and we now enjoy an enviable reputation for delivering precisely machined flooring and excellent customer service.”

James Henry won the Recycled Floor of the Year award for a stunning 60m2 parquet floor made from recycled Australian hardwood reclaimed from the former Memorial Hall in Carterton.

It was installed and sanded by hand into a new home on the coast in Okato, Taranaki.

“Our client was looking for truly one-of-a-kind floor. The house, both the architecture and the location, are unique and wanted a special wooden floor to complement their new home. We worked closely with them to create something really distinctive.“ said Chris Northmore.

24 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

Business

Seven step checklist for your business this new financial year https://www.business.gov.au Check out these tips to help you get ahead…

It’s still the beginning of the new financial year, which means it’s time to review, reset and plan for the year ahead.

Here are seven steps to help your business start the new financial year out right.

1. Assess your finances

Sit down with your accountant or bookkeeper and review your business finances. Look at whether you met your targets last financial year and what you can do differently this year to help your business grow.

2. Check your registrations and licences Your business operations may have changed throughout the year, so it’s

important to take stock of the current licences, permits and registrations your business holds.

3. Review your bookkeeping system

Not only does keeping good records make running your business much easier, depending on your industry, you might need to keep certain records to comply.

It also help you to keep track of how your business is going financially.

4. Update your business and marketing plans

Take time to set yourself up for the year ahead. Updating your business and marketing plan can help you review your goals and priorities, and assess whether your business strategies are working.

5. Get support and advice

Running a small business can be overwhelming and requires a variety of skills. From marketing to balancing the books, it’s important to remember not to be afraid to get help when you need it.

6. Review your insurances

Check that you have the right insurance policies in place for your business, particularly if your circumstances have changed. You may need to update your level of cover if you’ve moved locations, started employing people or changed your business structure.

7. Backup and secure your files

Don’t leave it until it’s too late. Backup and store your business registrations, financial information and customer data and other important business documents in a secure off-site location.

Flooring Aug/Sep 2016 25

Entrance High-performance matting systems with beautiful design to complete your entranceway.

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Recognised for quality and service including those for circular Entrance matting is such revolving doors. Birrus mats an important part of your can span six metres without building, it not only needs to www.birrusmatting.com.au a vertical join, making be practical, it also needs to them aesthetically pleasing aesthetically complement its and safe across multiple surroundings. When looking for doorways. architectural entrance matting, They are all Australian Birrus is a company that has Made from premium locally been recognised for quality and sourced materials. All Birrus service since 1948. mats pass the Australian Birrus is a specialist Standards in Slip Testing and at custom shaped mats

Fire Testing. The Ultramat and Duramat are also Green Star rated.

Birrus offers many beautiful shades of carpet as well as anodising of the aluminium to give a real wow factor. The company now manufactures its own Australian Made stair nosing at a very competitive price and specialises in all types

of tactiles and anti slip tapes.

Birrus prides itself on excellent customer service and short turn around times in both quoting and manufacturing.

They offer site measures and installation in most states. It is a preferred supplier to many large construction companies and is specified by many architects.

New crush-resistant carpet tile matting Specialist B2B Publisher

Classic Architectural Group has released its new Studio ribbed carpet tile entrance matting.

This high quality product has been specifically developed with a unique ribbed pattern, which provides a highly effective scraping action. Its special construction and the density of its polypropylene pile forms an effective moisture-absorbing

Supporting the industry since 1981

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26 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

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barrier to competently arrest the spread of moisture and dirt, thereby maintaining the life and safety of your floors.

Available in a modular tile of 500x500mm, it is possible to achieve unlimited size and design combinations including patterns and borders.

Information and samples are available by contacting Classic.

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ResilientFlooring

Kenbrock’s innovative approach Celebrating its 50th year in the industry, Kenbrock is transforming its commercial vinyl and rubber ranges to meet the demands of the current marketplace.

From illustrious beginnings back in 1966 with the introduction of the Italian Pirelli Rubber range in Australia, Kenbrock Flooring has developed into one of Australia’s premier resilient floorcovering companies.

“The flooring industry is an ever changing one,” said Trevor Morris, Kenbrock Flooring’s Managing Director.

“In order to stand out from our competitors we have taken the strategic approach of differentiating ourselves through our large and unique collection of designs and colours,” he said.

Mr Morris said that listening to customer feedback was paramount to Kenbrock Flooring’s ongoing success. “It is our customer centric approach to business which ensures we are putting

30 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

our customer base first in all our decision making processes.”

This fresh approach to business has led to several new commercial ranges and services introduced to improve the total package that Kenbrock provides its commercial customers. As part of this program, there are two new homogeneous ranges, a safety flooring range including R12 sheet vinyl and an update of the popular Pinnacle 55 commercial LVT range. The company has also recently updated its LG heterogeneous vinyl ranges, Supreme and Durable, to meet the ever-changing colour and design trends in the Australian market.

Kenbrock Flooring’s National Sales Manager, Bill Moore has been an integral part of the Kenbrock team for 28 years and has witnessed the demands of customers evolve. “Our goal is to provide specifiers, retailers and flooring contractors with a full

range of products, which are suitable for major commercial environments – these being education, health, retail and industrial,” he said.

The long and close relationships that Kenbrock has built with its manufacturing partners has produced a large and ever expanding selection of quality commercial flooring options with up-to-date colour and design options to suit any commercial space.

The company has also increased its service to the specification market by incorporating a team of technical advisors who are available, at any time, to provide assistance on any issues that may arise, whether they are issues relating to meeting technical regulations or an on-site problem such as the subfloor or material/s. This new service also includes the option of on-site maintenance training for any of Kenbrock’s product ranges.

The company has a dedicated customer service

department which looks after any inquiries relating to the Kenbrock product range, as well being able to arrange a next day delivery on product sample requirements.

Currently under construction is a new electronic commercial specification library, which will make the process of specifying Kenbrock’s product ranges more efficient.

Bill Moore said that Kenbrock Flooring now truly offers innovative flooring solutions for commercial resilient floorcoverings in Australia.

“As a 100% Australian owned and operated company we understand the local market and always strive for complete long term customer satisfaction with all we do.

That is why all of our products are fit for purpose; meet BCA and NCC requirements; achieve ISO international manufacturing requirements and offer unique design and colour options at a competitive price.”

ResilientFlooring

Gerflor holds the floor in cancer centre Floor 91 and Gerflor formed a winning team taking out the Flooring Association of Victoria award for best Healthcare installation at the new Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

Advanced new technologies and surface treatments are inherent in Gerflor vinyl floor and wall surfaces found throughout the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, a purposebuilt centre-of-excellence for cancer research, treatment, care and education.

The facility features a variety of Gerflor products in wards, clinical areas and laboratories. The majority of the approximately 100,000 m2 of Gerflor products installed is made up of new generation homogenous Gerflor Symbioz. Its low maintenance features, together with marketleading stain resistance, equip it well for demanding

settings including pathology and cytotoxic laboratories.

Symbioz can be manufactured using bio plasticisers that earn valuable points for Green Star projects.

Introducing and gaining confidence in a new generation product was not without its challenges, according to Gerflor project leader, Andrew Fenner. “We knew Symbioz would deliver lower maintenance costs due to new Evercare technology that eliminates sealing, polishing and dry buffing. Our challenge was to engender that confidence in others,” Andrew said.

Four hundred square metres of Symbioz was installed and rigorously tested in a prototype building offsite.

“The trial demonstrated it is easy to clean, delivers superior stain resistance and will not need buffing or polishing for life,” Andrew said.

Gerflor’s Commercial Manager Vic/Tas, Andrew Fenner is pictured at the awards dinner with the Floor 91 team Shane Ward, Managing Director, David Lauder and Bruce Fuller.

32 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

Grocon PCL Project Manager Joseph Taouk saw first hand that confidence spread throughout the project team.

“After rigorous review and testing against comparative products we were satisfied the product was the best application for the VCCC and we continued with the selection process,” Joe said.

“While visually appealing we were not going to compromise the operation of the facility with form over function.

Gerflor made significant effort to ensure all our concerns were addressed,” he added.

Design Manager for facilities manager, Honeywell, Ian McGrath was satisfied Gerflor Symbioz was the right flooring solution for this project that he rates as a career highlight.

“We had more confidence in what we were told and saw from Gerflor than any alternative. We did a rigorous risk assessment and still came out with confidence in the Gerflor product,” Ian said.

As part of the Plenary Health consortium contracted to maintain the facility for the next 25 years, Honeywell has a vested interest in ensuring products and services are fit for purpose.

Floor 91 took out the Flooring Association of Victoria Award for best Healthcare project for the VCCC

installation. “We are incredibly proud of this project and it is a reflection on the skills and experience of the layers,” Managing Director Floor 91, David Lauder said. “Symbioz is a beautiful product that has its own unique characteristics when it comes to coving and cornering so there is a level of skill required to get the very best out of this new generation product,” David added.

Gerflor wall vinyl adds to hygiene and aesthetics within the hospital but Andrew Fenner insists this was no off the shelf solution. “This project is a true showcase of Gerflor capabilities and our preparedness to go the extra mile to deliver innovative solutions that tick all the boxes – not just for today but well into the future. It speaks to our capacity to supply and project manage large scale projects.

“This was a challenging and very rewarding project and it was a pleasure to work with the Plenary Health team including Plenary Group, the Grocon PCL joint venture builder, STHDI+MCR and Honeywell, and our installation team at Floor 91, all of whom were committed to a quality outcome.

‘The VCCC will be a project we refer to with pride for many, many years to come,” he said.

GERFLOR AND FLOOR 91 FORM A WINNING DUO Congratulations to the Floor 91 team on the outstanding installation of Gerflor Symbioz flooring throughout the new Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

WWW.GERFLOR.COM.AU 1800 060 785

Software

Sales process for success What does effective follow up look like?

By Chris Ogden, consultant and Managing Director of RFMS Australasia In the past two articles I have talked about the large numbers of leads and quotes that we currently have in our business, and how we can calculate their value to incentivise ourselves to ensure they get followed up. I have talked about how important the follow up process is, and how most salespeople, sales managers and sales trainers underestimate how important follow up is in maximising our sales numbers. In this article we will look a little closer at the follow up process.

Lip service is paid to follow up, but the reality is that very little effective follow up is actually being done by our salespeople simply because, as a process, it is widely misunderstood and we don’t know what effective follow up looks like. The result is that every sales organisation is spending money on marketing while existing sales leads languish on desks and in drawers and folders.

These sales opportunities are being wasted while we spend money to generate fresh leads.

To understand what follow up is and what it looks like, think for a moment about what would happen if you noticed a $100 note on the street. All of us, I’m sure, would go to the $100 note, bend over, and pick it up.

What would happen, however, if at the point of picking it up, a breeze took it from our grasp and sent it off down the street. Would we leave it at that? No, most likely we would walk a little faster and we would pursue the note down the street continuing to do so until we have successfully pocketed the note or until the opportunity has escaped us; perhaps it gets picked up by someone else or, it gets blown out of our reach, maybe into heavy traffic or into the ocean.

Either way we stop chasing the $100 when we have it in our pocket, or when we know that it has gone.

This is what follow up looks like. Follow up is the energetic pursuit of a sales opportunity until we either have the sale or we know the opportunity for the sale has passed.

“…every sales organisation is spending money on marketing while existing sales leads languish on desks and in drawers and folders. These sales opportunities are being wasted while we spend money to generate fresh leads.”

34 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

“By following an effective follow up process, we inevitably become much more aware of the sales that we lose but, paradoxically, in the process we make more sales and our conversion rate increases.”

It is worth emphasising the point; effective follow up will always have one of two possible outcomes; we win the sale or we finally learn that we have been unsuccessful. Clearly one is more desirable than the other, but both are acceptable outcomes.

How can it be acceptable to lose a sale? It is acceptable if we have found out as the result of diligent follow up. Every salesperson knows that we won't win every deal. The sooner that we find out from the prospective client that we have not won a deal then we can move on to focus on those clients who are going to buy from us.

The problem with follow up is that the majority of salespeople believe that follow up must lead to a sale.

Follow up that leads to a lost sale they see as failure. It needs to be understood that we won't win every sale; if we don’t understand this simple fact about following up, then we are setting ourselves up for failure; and when we experience failure our behaviours are affected.

Sales require confidence and if, as a result of feeling failure, we lose confidence and stop following up, then we have undermined ourselves as salespeople.

Understanding that we will be told that we have lost sales, and understanding that this is a perfectly acceptable outcome of the follow up process, is a paradigm shift that helps salespeople embrace follow up as the single most productive activity they do.

By following an effective follow up process, we inevitably become much more aware of the sales that we lose but, paradoxically, in the process we make more sales and our conversion rate increases.

Effectively managing the sales process is best done with an industry specific and fully integrated IT system. Chris Ogden is a consultant and Managing Director of RFMS Australasia, a supplier of IT to the flooring industry. Chris has an extensive background in all aspects of the flooring industry, and he can be contacted at cogden@rfms.com.

TRYING TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER? Layers Diary Financials Debtors Quotes Stock

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ProductUpdate

Effortless Intergrain has introduced Intergrain UltraFloorPRO and UltraSeal –a two pack water based formula that provides an extremely durable finish that is ideal for high traffic interior areas.

UltraFloorPRO has commercial strength resistance to abrasion, water, alcohol and most household chemicals.

Intergrain UltraFloorPro is also fast drying, enabling you to save time as floors can be finished in up to one day.

Unlike oil based finishes, UltraFloorPRO preserves the natural colour of timber and will not darken or yellow over time. With a water-based formulation, the system also has low odour.

More grain with Cabot’s flooring stain Ahead of renovating season, Cabot’s launched its first interior flooring stain.

Formulated to enhance the natural grain of timber, Cabot’s Flooring Stain can be used with an oil or water based clear flooring grade varnish, to finish the look of timber and parquetry flooring.

Joining the Cabot’s interior flooring options already in the market, Cabot’s Stain and Varnish and Cabot’s CFP Floor (water or oil based), there is now the option to highlight the natural characteristics of timber with Cabot’s Flooring

Stain available in Mocha and Dark Roast.

Emulating the mid-level tone of milk chocolate, Mocha is perfect to achieve a look inspired by mid-centaury modern or industrial chic. For a classic style or to anchor an overall look with a dark base, Dark Roast is a perfect choice.

Paired with a protective clear flooring grade varnish, Cabot’s Flooring Stain is suitable for areas exposed to scuffing and high traffic, offering the perfect balance between style and functionality.

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salesau@rfms.com

With over 45,000 unique visitors per month and more than 3000 members, Infotile.com is the place to go for all the latest news, product profiles, installation guides and advice dedicated to the ceramic tile and natural stone industries.

ADVICE

and cost effective product that can be rolled out over floorcoverings while the construction process is in place.

Once laid, Polyweave can be joined with duct, cloth or masking tape to ensure it holds in place.

Being a woven plastic means it can be vacuumed over as much as needed during the construction process to clean off any excess dirt or dust that settles, keeping the jobsite clean.

NEWS

From timber, to carpet, vinyls and tiles, resilient floorcoverings or coatings there are more and more refurbishment and new projects that need their flooring protected while other trades come in to make the finishing touches.

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“I install Desso Airmaster® flooring by Tarkett so my clients can enjoy a healthier indoor environment.”

Desso Airmaster® by Tarkett contributes positively to indoor air quality by trapping airborne dust particles within its structured loop pile. These are released during cleaning to ensure continual regeneration of the carpet’s filtering functionality.

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The Floor is Yours

Stone&Ceramics

Cersaie 2016 preview

By Joe Simpson, International Correspondent Cersaie is the beating heart of the global ceramic tile industry. Now more than ever, the Bologna-based exhibition showcases the truly global nature of the industry, both in the diversity of exhibiting manufacturers but also in the international melange of buyers attending what is the greatest tile show on earth.

Nowhere else can attendees view such a diverse range of tiles from across Europe, North and South America, Asia, and even Africa. A show that was once dominated by Italian and, to a lesser extent, Spanish manufacturers, now features tile factories from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, UEA, UK, Vietnam … the list goes on and on. In total, the 2016 event will see exhibitors from more than 40 countries showcase their latest designs.

For the organisers, four factors - the exhibition, the meeting place, interactions between people and knowledge of the material – will form the foundation stones of Cersaie 2016.

"The new image is focused on the concept of exhibition, as a place in which the various levels

38 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

and spaces of ceramics, in all its manufacturing and expressive variety, can meet and intersect, but also a place for meeting people interested in knowing, innovating and designing this extraordinary material".

Cersaie has always prided itself on its ‘value added’ range of events, talks and exhibitions within exhibitions that run alongside the tile show itself. Highlights of these will appear later in this article, but Tile Today understand that, for most Australian visitors, Cersaie is all about the tiles: seeing and evaluating the latest trends, exploring new commercial opportunities and meeting up with tried and trusted suppliers.

So what is on horizon for Bologna 2016? Regarding floor tiles I expect to see increasingly prominent displays of 20mm thick external tiles that allows designers to really explore inside-out design at its most coherent and sophisticated.

The progression for 2016 is likely to be 10mm and 12mm ‘standard’ floor tiles in more coherently co-ordinated settings with 20mm outdoor tiling, and even some 30mm think slabs for ultra heavy duty applications.

Surface finishes will continue to concentrate of

simulations of sandstone, limestone, quartz and slate; alongside concrete effects.

Expect to see more distressed and semi-distressed finishes, some made to look like reclaimed materials, other recreating the affect of ageing from the abrasion of the passage of thousands of shoes, or the weathering

caused by rain, sand and salt spray. In all cases the objective is to achieve instant character: an interior or exterior finish that looks settled and comfortable; warm and welcoming.

Regarding formats, while factories that have invested in either Continua by Sacmi or Supera by Siti B&T will show off mega formats up to 1,800 by 3,600mm, I expect that the dominant formats for new floor tile ranges will be 800 by 800mm and rectangular formats from 300 by 600mm up to 500 by 1,000mm. In wood-effect tiles, one can also expect more elongated plank formats, like 200 by 1,200mm and 300 by 1,200mm.

Modular floor tile formats will be increasingly prominent, because both Continue and Supera technologies encourage manufacturers to cut up large slabs, after firing, into a range of rectified

40

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StoneCeramics

New design centre for National Tiles

38 tiles formats such as 400 by 400mm, 600 by 600mm, 800 by 800mm, 300 by 600mm, 400 by 800mm, etc.

I am also expecting to see many new terracotta-effect tiles in 2016, as the market returns to its roots in search of warmth, tonal variety and semi-polished patinas.

One can also expect manufacturers to have picked up on the impact of Vives’ OSB-inspired Stand range – the stand-out tile at Cersaie 2015 – to produce more floor tiles that evoke basic board materials.

The brick trend, so dominant in the wall tile sector in 2015, will also increasingly find its way into the floor, with parquet-style wood effects, clay pamments, brick-style paviours and other small format tiles with a high degree of tonal variation.

Regarding wall tiles, the dominant design trends will be light marbles, brick-effects, chevrons, textured finishes, complex 3D forms and new small rectangular formats.

One can also expect to see more and more ranges that mix matt, satin and gloss glazes on the same tile surface, in the manner of Ceramica Sant’Agostino’s Flexible Architecture created

by Philippe Starck, or Mutina’s

40 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

Numi created by Konstantin Grcic. This type of tile has strong architectural appeal, and is also now easier to manufacture due to the use of inkjet-applied glaze effects.

The subtle play of light created by such ranges looks set to fascinate tile designers for some years to come.

The explosion of hexagonal tiles in 2014 will be followed in 2016 by some new shapes, from asymmetric interlocking pieces through to an old favourite, the Provençal tile. To see the most avant garde wall tile creations, I would suggest visiting Peronda, Dune, Aparici, Lea Ceramiche and CIR. I am also hopeful that 2016 will also see more startling fabric effects to match the impact of Sant-Agostino’s Digital Art collection. Early experiments with fabric effects were generally gruesome: some of worst tile designs ever created. Now, the ability to reproduce accurately on textured surfaces using digital inkjet technology has revolutionised the market, making this a very fertile ground for today’s tile design studios.

Cersaie 2016 takes place at the Bologna Exhibition Centre, Italy from 26 to 30 September. www.cersaie.it/en

National Tiles recently held an invitation-only launch event for its new Mornington, VIC store to celebrate its ‘best showroom yet’.

The state-of-the-art design centre has an impressive selection of premium tiles from the world’s leading designers and manufacturers.

National Tiles’ ever-evolving range includes cutting edge design and premium quality products from Australia, Europe, Asia and South America. The company can also source or produce tiles by request, tailored to specific feature or design briefs; they can even create tiles to complement an existing style.

Indonesian ceramic tile expo ASEAN‘s only dedicated ceramic event will bring the region’s ceramic manufacturers and international suppliers of raw materials, equipment and machineries together in March 2017.

One of the top ceramic producing country in ASEAN,

Indonesia is also one of the largest ceramic consumers in the world.

Co-located with MegaBuild Indonesia, Keramika will be held at the Jakarta Convention Centre from 16 to 19 March 2017. www.keramika.co.id

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Preparation, Installation & Care

Risk of shower waterproofing failure Waterproofing is different to most other trades within the building industry in that any defect no matter how small will result in some damage to the building’s amenity or structure. By Barry Schafer, Australian Institute of Waterproofing.

Being a fluid, water flows across the waterproofed surface testing every part for its integrity. The larger the area that requires waterproofing the bigger the risk of water finding a defect.

Once water finds a defect, no matter how small, then some leakage will occur.

The extent of the damage from this water leaking

through a leak point depends on the source of the water feed. The source can be either from a flow that occurs during usage or a feed from storage of water within the waterproofed area. Water stored within the waterproofed area can continue to feed out through the defect for hours after use, often by capillary action.

44

Figure 1. Enclosed shower.

Figure 2. Unenclosed shower.

42 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

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Preparation, Installation & Care 42

Figure 3. Water-stop under screen where floor level inside and outside shower is the same.

With internal waterproofing the slope that can be provided on the horizontal surface is very limited so there will always be a considerable amount of water on this surface held in place by surface tension. It therefore makes sense to contain water within a building to the area where water regularly flows or splashes. This minimises the risk of water being able to find a defect in the waterproofing.

From a risk point of view any large area that requires waterproofing, is more likely to contain a defect.

Showers where water flows across the horizontal surface are naturally at high risk of failure. This is why AS3740 – 2010 ‘Waterproofing of

domestic wet areas’ has requirements to keep shower water within the defined shower area.

There are two types of showers defined within AS 3740: an enclosed shower where water spread is controlled within the screened shower area, and an unenclosed shower where water is not confined within the screened area. A typical enclosed shower is shown in figure 1 and an unenclosed shower in figure 2.

With a shower that has its floor level at the same level as the bathroom floor, there is a requirement to install a water-stop angle that protrudes above the floor level under the base of the shower

Figure 4. Water leakage out from a frameless glass screen door.

44 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

screen. This is designed to prevent water leakage out from under the base of the screen as shown in figure 3.

Frameless glass screens have a water leakage problem at the base of the screen door unless they are fitted with a device to prevent water tracking across the bottom of the door, and dripping off the outside edge by surface tension. A typical example of such leakage from a door not fitted with such a device is shown in figure 4.

Here water flowed out from under the screen door across the floor behind the WC pan, and into the bathroom floor waste located on the right-hand side of the pan. This occurred in spite of the presence of a small metal hob fitted below

Figure 5. Damage to nib wall bottom plate.

and just on the outside surface of the glass door.

Some shower screens with frames still have leakage from under the door. Figure 5 depicts the damage to a bottom plate of a nib wall outside the shower with a screen similar to that shown in figure 1.This shows that even some framed glass screens do not control the spread of water within the shower area. Without actually running the shower that caused the damage shown in figure 5, it was not possible to find the water leakage that was causing the damage.

Apart from the damage to the bottom plate the water also leaked onto the ceiling of the room below the bathroom.

This type of damage occurred in what looks like an enclosed shower. It makes me question if there is a requirement for a testing protocol to determine the effectiveness of shower screens in the control of the spread of water? There is a testing protocol of water leakage in windows in AS 4420.5 – 1996 ‘Methods of test – Water penetration resistance test’. Uncontrolled water leakage from showers can result in just as much damage, or even more, than that occurring through leaking windows.

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Preparation, Installation & Care

Ardex celebrates 50 years In 1966, a new player, Australian Building Adhesives (ABA), entered the construction industry here. It was a big year: Australia replaced the pound with the dollar; built its first satellite communications station and saw the rate of home ownership reach 70%. For 50 years, Ardex Australia has been helping Australians build those homes.

When the company started in 1966, it had four equal shareholders who were all committed to the development of tile adhesives for the Australian market.

From the beginning, ABA was developing products for tiling systems, introducing new methods for the trade and was rewarded with a following of loyal customers.

Some of the early products such as ABA Tileset, Super Tileset, Abaflex and the CTF and Resaflex ranges have maintained a proud reputation over this halfcentury.

Australia rewarded ABA’s investment in research and the company grew.

Whilst shareholders changed, investment continued and the ABA brand remained strong.

Development continued to thrive with the introduction of revolutionary under-tile waterproofing membranes such as Superflex as well as innovative wall tile adhesives such as Abamastic. By 1996, Norcros Building Products (Australia), which owned 50% of ABA by this stage, bought the remaining 50% making ABA a wholly owned subsidiary of Norcros. The ABA business complemented Norcros’ extensive range of quality-driven products and solutions for the building industry including Shelter (formerly Dunlop) sheet membrane systems and Hydrepoxy coatings.

46 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

As ABA succeeded in the Australian market and toughed out recession and periods of uncertainty, the brand also developed a foothold across Asia Pacific in various locations including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and New Zealand. This network would soon be further strengthened through extensive investment by the Ardex Group in the region.

Fifteen years ago, in December 2001, Norcros was acquired by Ardex GmbH and the company continued to revolutionise tiling systems.

The next year, 2002, Vibro Products Pty Ltd joined the Ardex family, bringing its expertise in the manufacturing of floor levelling and knowledge of adhesives to the company.

There was a natural fit of quality and innovation to then integrate the Norcros, ABA, Shelter, Superflex, Hydrepoxy and Vibro brands under the one Ardex umbrella.

This was a turning point for Ardex Australia.

It reached a position with an extensive range of engineered products and a superior level of technical and manufacturing expertise to deliver a complete system solution to the Australian market. Above all, Ardex recognised the importance of fostering best in class employees and continued to nurture the loyal customer relationships that are key to the company’s innovation and success.

From the new kid on the block in 1966, ABA has grown into Ardex Australia with a revenue exceeding AUD$100 million today. There are 160 employees who operate and innovate at the headquarters in Sydney as well as five manufacturing facilities and seven warehouses, making sure products reach customers when they need them. Ardex Australia is proud to be part of the international Ardex Group with 47 subsidiaries in more than 50 countries employing more than 2,500 people around the world.

Ardex continues to look to the global market, sourcing technical excellence to develop new products for its portfolio.

When innovation is identified by other Ardex subsidiaries, the Australian team embrace it and vice versa. Ardex will continue to deliver its excellent system solutions to customers tomorrow and into the future by staying alert to what’s happening around the rest of the world.

Ardex continues to invest in people that are rich in experience and an asset to their many loyal customers.

The close relationships, support and invaluable dialogue between Ardex and its customers over its 50 year history is instrumental to the company’s success today.

Ardex first employed a technical services team in 1999 to provide another level of support to its growing customer base. This deliberate

approach entering the new millennium was to provide the highest of guidance and resource based on decades of experience. This service continues to evolve with a range of digital resources, including instant online specifications, calculators and product information tailored for each client. In 2012, Ardex built an Ardex Training Academy in Sydney and will open two new academies in Melbourne in 2016 and Brisbane in 2017 as part of this commitment to providing the best technical support possible.

Ardex Australia is proud of its technical excellence and product innovation. It has secured a position of market leadership by combining the best of blue sky thinking with continual investment in the business, which includes its valued people. Its team is entrenched in a culture of excellence, where creative, global thinking and local action ensure that new milestones are reached regularly.

Ardex employees created the innovative products and services and they harness the customer relationships that are core to the business.

Fifty years of innovation has occurred through a supportive network of those thirsty for excellence and it is these partnerships between employees, customers, suppliers and the global Ardex community that will ensure the next 50 years of success.

PICFloors

Preparation, Installation & Care

Make floor removal faster

From tiles to carpet, timber to vinyl, parquetry or linoleum floor removal is tough, hard work. Alongside the floor removal there’s often a tight work schedule as well as noise and dust restrictions to fit along with.

National Flooring Equipment machines allow for all of this and make the process easier.

From a walk along to self-propelled or ride on battery powered floor lifter the National Equipment floor strippers are the most popular on the market.

Being made, designed and engineered in the America they are strong sturdy machines and tough enough for whatever floor you put them on.

All Preparation Equipment has been working with a number of the larger floor removal contractors working in Westfield shopping centres, nursing home refurbishments, hospitals and multilevel commercial fitouts.

48 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

The better the finish you leave the floor in once the floorcovering is removed the easier the process of cleaning and grinding the floor will be. Grinding, levelling and preparation of the floor is critical to ensure the longevity of the floorcovering or coating you apply, so it’s important that you don’t damage the floor in the removal process to make the following steps easier.

Rougher floor removal tools such as jack hammers can dig into or damage the concrete slab too much leaving damage that needs to then be patched, repaired or removed in order to get a sound substrate for relaying.

After being asked by a number of the major commercial flooring installers for a guide on how to make sure your using the right blades and attachments on floor removal machines, All Preparation Equipment has put together a quick handy APE ‘Guide to Floor Lifting.’

Show stopping carpets Canberra Casino has relaunched in spectacular style.

Casino manager Rhiannon Bach, who was poached to oversee the refurbishment from a major casino in Macau, said the refurbishment would surprise many. “Quite frankly, this casino is unrecognisable from what it used to be,” she said.

Cox Architecture specified a selection of carpets from 1956 by Tai Ping including a revolutionary first – Mega Plank Axminster carpet with EcoSoft backing, available in lengths up to 20m long x 2m wide. Custom Mega Plank offers all the benefits of woven construction, endless design possibilities and the added strength and convenience of an engineered modular system.

Installed over timber access flooring, modular Mega Plank offers access to underfloor services, allowing sections to be lifted multiple times with minimal disruption and no damage.

The EcoSoft backing offers enhanced thermal and acoustic propensity. (The

Canberra casino repurposed the equivalent of 95,000 recycled 600ml PET bottles (50 bottlesm2) by installing EcoSoft).

The revolutionary product also proved to be a huge success with installers.

Darrell Ubels from Canberra Floorcraft summarised: “Mega Plank looked and performed brilliantly and was much easier and faster to install over standard BLM Axminster carpet”.

A series of rugs from the 1956 Design Collective (Archipelago by Gaelle Villadery) were also supplied for lobby and corridors.

Rhiannon Bach commented: “The various carpets were carefully selected with Cox Architecture. The feature rug in the foyer was the last element to be installed and was like watching the final piece of the puzzle slot into place. The beautiful design, colours and distinctive quality of the rug encapsulates exactly what we were trying to achieve, a sense of luxury”.

Above Left is the Australian Distributor for 1956 by Tai Ping.

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Preparation, Installation & Care

Burwood Hospital Project importance that we were provided clear unimpeded work space away from other trades. Normally this is not possible on a large commercial project. However, we developed a strategy where we split the job up into 26 separate zones and programmed our work accordingly.

“We were given one zone at a time and the main contractor completely screened off our working zone from all other trades.”

Recently, The Flooring Centre Ltd undertook a large flooring project at the new Burwood Hospital in Christchurch, NZ encompassing some 50,000 m2 of floor vinyl, wall vinyl and carpet tiles.

“The thought of undertaking a project of this scale was somewhat daunting and required some serious planning,” said Steve Musson, The Flooring Centre’s MD. “To do this we firstly put together a skilled management team who could each take on some key responsibilities and aspects of the project.

“To have any chance of making this project run effectively, it was of extreme

Heating

One of the biggest challenges was going to be how to deal with the freezing cold

Are you getting what you have paid for? conditions in the middle of winter in Christchurch. Given the isolated work spaces in screened-off zones, each one was heated using custom built commercial glasshouse heaters. This ensured the working environment was at a constant 18ºC providing optimum conditions for screeds, adhesives and flooring products.

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Health and safety was always going to be a major consideration in undertaking a job like this.

Some initiatives included a policy of not allowing any power leads on the floor (all ceiling hung); clean trip-free work site with a compulsory daily clean out each night; a high level of staff training including daily meetings each day as well as fire extinguisher training,

compulsory PPE and daily H&S inspections.

Adhesives and solvents

An important initiative was to endeavour to minimise the use of solvents and solvent based products. With a huge quantity of wall vinyl to install, the company sought an adhesive type that was solvent free and was as effective as traditional solvent based methods.

Summary

“As with all projects we continue to learn from mistakes and hopefully find ways for continued improvement,” said Steve.

“However, to implement all of the above to a high level, it is important that the project is costed effectively in the first instance. This will help to run the job successfully and profitably.”

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PICFloors Preparation, Installation & Care

Mapei's new production facility in Wacol, Queensland.

Mapei: new production facility in Wacol Mapei recently opened a brand new production facility in Wacol, Queensland. Flooring magazine talked with Philip Gray, the Managing Director of Mapei Australia about this and other Mapei news.

Q: When we last spoke back in 2013, you were on the cusp of building a new 16,300 m2 production facility in Wacol, Queensland. Has the plant been full commissioned?

A: Yes. We moved the accounting, customer service, marketing, sales and technical support in around the middle of September and then moved the production and warehouse teams and started production of powders and liquids on the 15th of November last year. Leading up to that we were running double shifts 6 days a week to meet the demand. So it is nice to have the new plant capacity, extra warehouse space, meeting rooms, product demonstration areas and a facility to show off to our customers.

52 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

Q: Readers of Tile Today will appreciate that Mapei manufactures adhesives, grouts and waterproofing products for the installation of tile and stone. They may not be aware that you also produce adhesives for carpet, vinyl, rubber and timber as well as the fact that Mapei markets 15 distinct product groups, which are relevant to practically every element of the construction industry.

Which of these product groups makes the biggest contribution to Mapei’s turnover in Australia?

A: Well, of course, the ceramic business is our largest business unit and continues to grow; however, Mapei is also focused on the resilient market where our levellers, waterproofing and

adhesives are recognised as the benchmark. The construction market with our structural grouts, repair mortars, epoxy and cementitious flooring, and joint sealants is also gaining traction.

Last year we officially launched the Mapei Sport System Technology range, which includes systems for tennis courts, multisport coatings for netball and basketball courts, the Urban Range for school and community play areas, as well as the Mapei Soil and Vertical drainage for artificial and natural playing pitches.

Q: Does the same apply in other key international markets?

A: Yes. All Mapei subsidiaries increase their product range

Philip Gray

annually and strive to be the leaders in the building and construction industries. Our R&D facilities around the world are always working tirelessly to formulate products that will assist builders, architects, designers, contractors and end users.

Q: Which products do you manufacture at the new facility?

A: We manufacture a full range of cementitious adhesives, grouts, levelling compounds and repair mortars, as well as admixtures for concrete and cement production.

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PICFloors Preparation, Installation & Care

Mapei manufacture an extensive range of products at their new premises including cementitious adhesives, grouts and levelling compounds.

38 Q: You previously stated that: “as the market (in Australia) becomes more aware of our professional, but easy to use products”, that you anticipated wider acceptance of Mapei materials. Is this process occurring or are Mapei products still primarily recognised for their use in commercial applications?

The Wacol Tower stands out on the local skyline.

A: Mapei’s reputation for quality products in the commercial sector will always continue. In addition, however, Mapei products are becoming more and more available through the retail market. This is a positive outcome for the professional contractor as Mapei products are available through a wider range of outlets. These same outlets can also cater for the DIY market, enabling clients’ access to the right product for the job.

A: When I joined Mapei back in January 2012 I inherited a dedicated, talented and loyal team, and based on this I was then able to attract further experienced and talented sales people.

People want to work with good people: Mapei is an employer of choice – people want to work for Mapei.

A: Mapei builds their plants to run efficiently as they possibly can. So, for example, in the Asia Pacific Region we have plants that manufacture different products to supply to the other Mapei companies.

It works very well and we understand our supply chain.

Q: Realta Mapei, a magazine which is circulated in numerous countries, focuses on company developments and recently completed projects. I imagine that each of these projects provides fresh challenges in regards to nominating the right products and overcoming potential hurdles. Do you turn to your peers overseas for guidance when you come across a particular problem; for example, which adhesive can be used for a particular stone in a certain environment?

Q: The tile adhesive market in Australia is ultra-competitive: Mapei’s products are recognised worldwide. You need a talented sales team to penetrate the market.

Have you built a team that is capable of taking Mapei to the next level in

A: Mapei is a technical company and, in turn, Mapei Australia is a technically strong company. We employ qualified people to support the specifiers and our customers in choosing the correct systems. When people deal with Mapei they understand why. We

Q: I assume that the new production facility is designed to provide Mapei with the potential to penetrate all areas of the market?

54 Flooring Aug/Sep 2016

Australia, or is that a work in progress?

have eight qualified people working in the laboratory and technical department.

Q: Mapei does have all the bases covered in regards to your product mix. Nevertheless, research and development has always been important for Mapei. Are there any interesting new products about to be launched in Australia?

A: Good question, but the answer is we have all our systems in place for now and don’t envisage making any additional changes in the short term. But, in saying that, there is always the opportunity to grow in new markets like our successful launch into the sports surfaces market.

Q: The new facility in Wacol will host an Australian Stone Advisory Association seminar at the end of October.

Mapei will provide one of the speakers. Will you take the opportunity to show the new facility to individuals who register for the seminars?

A: We are really looking forward to hosting this seminar and showing off the facility, and to share our experience with those attending. It’s good to contribute.

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Exhibitioncalendar

2016/7 Exhibitions

SEPTEMBER 2016 11-13 NYICS 2016

New York International Carpet Show New York, USA http://www.nyics.com 17-19

The Hotel Show 2016 The Middle East's premier showcase for suppliers to the hospitality industry Dubai, UAE https://www.thehotelshow.com/index.cfm 20-23

Heimtextile Russia 2016 International trade fair for hometextiles, floorcoverings and interior furnishings Moscow, Russian Federation http://heimtextil-russia. ru.messefrankfurt.com/moscow/en/ visitors/welcome.html 21-24

100% Design London 2016 Contemporary Interior Design Exhibition London, UK http://www.100percentdesign.co.uk 26-30

Cersaie 2016 International exhibition of ceramics for building industry and bathroom furnishings

Bologna, Italy http://www.cersaie.it/en/index.php

OCTOBER 2016 13-16 Index Wall & Floor 2016

International trade fair on wall & floorcoverings & claddings

Mumbai, India http://ubmindexfairs.com JANUARY 2017 10-13 Heimtextil Frankfurt 2017.

International trade fair for textiles

Frankfurt, Germany http://heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com/ frankfurt/en/aussteller/willkommen. html?nc 14-17

Domotex 2017 World trade fair for carpets and floorcoverings Hannover, Germany http://www.domotex.de/home 18-20

TISE 2017 The International Surface Event including SURFACES, StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, TileExpo. Floorcovering, stone and tile industry event

Las Vegas, USA https://tisewest.com *** For more information on the fairs or to confirm dates, please check the individual event websites.

Airstep Australia 16 & 17 Ardex Australia 47 Birrus Matting 27 Bostik Australia 49 & 51 Carpet Court 7 CCS Colour Systems 42 Choices Flooring Front Cover,

5, 11 & 21 Classic Architectural Group 28 & 29 Con-Treat Pty Ltd 6 Duracore 50 Eco Flooring Systems 2 Gerflor Australasia 33 Gibbon Group/Intafloors 13 GMK Logistics 8 India Carpet Expo 19 Kenbrock Flooring 31 Laser Measure Australia 9 Laticrete 41 & 43 Mapei Australia 53 Oxtek Australia Back Cover Protecrete International 12 RFMS Australasia 35 & 36 Signature Floorcoverings 23 Tarkett 37 Underlay King Pty Ltd 14

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THE NAME  



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

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AUSTRALIA

THE NAME  

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