Flooring Feb/March 2019

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THE NEW EVOLUTION IN FLOORING ADHESIVES IS COMING

COMPLETE PRODUCT SOLUTIONS for the installation of carpet, vinyl, LVT and rubber floorcoverings Visit our website at www.mapei.com.au to find more information on our NEW Resilient Adhesives Range

www.mapei.com.au

It’s what you can’t see that makes the difference.

Comfort For Life dunlopunderlay.com.au

The new Springtred stand makes selling carpet underlay a whole lot easier!

1 2

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1

Holds the updated brochure with the new branding and selling points.

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Take home sample swatches to remember the feel of softness first hand.

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Walktesters add an additional level of realism, allowing customers to experience the underfoot comfort.

For more information contact your Dunlop Flooring Sales Representative or the Customer Service team on 1800 622 293

The Collection Supreme (11mm) supreme

is of higher density and thickness, delivering a superior feel and maximum performance.

Ultimate (10mm) ultimate

takes it to another level, offering greater luxury and softness.

Extra (9mm) extra

provides extra density and thickness for improved underfoot comfort.

Classic (8mm) classic

is your first step towards comfort and better carpet performance.

Contents News

Editor’s Note

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Vinyl: the journey towards sustainability

Icons 22

Bill Stahmer

Welcome to the first issue of Flooring Magazine for 2019. You will notice the magazine has been redesigned and now has a new look and feel reflective of the vibrant nature of our industry.

Inside you will find the 2019 Adhesives Guide which provides a valuable reference point and insight into the various types of adhesives, including their application, available right now in the marketplace.

Feature 30

2019 Adhesives Guide

Airstep - Retailer of the month 42

Staffords Warehouse

Safety 44

Tactile ground surface indicators

Software 46

Improve quantifying and quoting

Overseas News 48

The International Surface Event (TISE) in Las Vegas

Earlier this year our team at Flooring Magazine went to Las Vegas to attend The International Surface Event (TISE), a trade show co-located with StonExpo/Marmomac and TileExpo. Betty Tanddo, our editor at large, brings you a complete overview of this year’s event including trends and stories from various exhibitors relevant to the Australian market.

This issue’s ICON is Bill Stahmer of Stahmers Carpets the oldest floor covering business in Australia spanning across five generations. Bill’s story is one of hard work and monumental achievements making it a truly fascinating read.

If any of you know of a person who deserves to be acknowledged as an industry ‘icon’ or if you would like to contact me directly regarding any relevant industry news or events please email me on michelle. cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au Until next time…enjoy.

Michelle Cammiade Editor

Front Cover Mapei www.mapei.com.au

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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News

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VALE: Jorn Ejvind Jensen 14.10.1926 – 24.12.2018 International Icon Jorn Jensen of Carpetland, or Taepperand as the company was known in Denmark, passed away on December 24th 2018. Jensen, one of Europe’s largest carpet retailers with more than 300 ‘supermarket’ style carpet retail outlets throughout nine countries, started his business in a small Copenhagen shop in 1964. Intrigued

by Jensen’s highly successful marketing strategies, Noel Kiely (the man who brought Berber Carpets to Australia) met with Jensen in Copenhagen in the 1970’s. Jensen graciously showed Kiely his stores, explained his marketing concepts and having always been fascinated with the idea of going to Australia, he then asked Kiely to arrange a visit for him, his wife Jytte and their family.

It was this family holiday that sparked a life

long love of Australia which Jensen often referred to as the “land of milk and honey.”

After several more visits Jensen opened his first of three Victorian Carpetland stores in Nunawading, followed by Preston in 1987 and Footscray in 1992. The family purchased a holiday home in Merimbula that they fondly refer to as the ‘summer house’ and visit every February/March to escape the Danish winter. Jensen’s last visit was in 2018.

Jensen was 92 year old and died of pneumonia following and operation and a short stay in hospital in early December.

A very sad goodbye. ▲

Resin Flooring Club is now open to all Australian applicators Australia’s only purpose-built club for resin flooring applicators has been launched, with Resin Floor Club officially opening its doors in December 2018.

The club was formed to help applicators deal with the unique challenges of the Australian resin flooring industry and aims to make all application businesses more equipped, informed and enjoyable.

Founder Jack Josephsen explains, “Resin

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

Flooring Club is not just another slick business strategy or cheap marketing trick. It’s a real passion motivated by talking to thousands of applicators over the years and listening to their stories.

While the club offers great value for businesses, we also want to make a real difference to the people behind those businesses.”

only dedicated resin flooring buy and sell group, regular updates on trade qualification and industry news, as well as meet-ups and industry events for networking, support and fun. ▲

In addition to great discounts and special offers from a growing list of industry suppliers, the club has the

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Vinyl: the journey towards sustainability

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ver the past two decades, the Vinyl Council of Australia has made considerable progress in guiding the continuous improvement and sustainable development of the Australian vinyl, or PVC, industry. Vinyl Council Chief Executive Sophi MacMillan charts their achievements to date.

efficiency, energy and greenhouse gas management and transparency. Information and data collected through the program helps to drive innovation throughout the Australian PVC industry, influencing product design and encouraging more efficient manufacturing processes.

Our 20th anniversary celebrations in 2018 coincided with some significant milestones on PVC’s journey towards sustainability.

Unlike other materials, PVC has suffered decades of scrutiny and misinformation. But that is all changing thanks to our sustained efforts in transforming perceptions and attitudes towards this versatile, recyclable and widely-used material.

This evolving, annually audited program is delivering important results and driving industry performance improvements.

Industry successes include the most stringent manufacturing benchmarks for raw material suppliers and the avoidance of toxic heavy metal pigments and additives, plus a newlyenacted commitment to confirm avoidance of classified ortho-phthalate plasticisers.

It’s worth remembering that no material – whether man-made or natural – can be considered inherently ‘sustainable’. What’s important is how a material is managed throughout its lifecycle – from raw material extraction to end-of-life - that determines its degree of sustainability.

All the vinyl flooring sector signatories reporting in 2017 complied with the heavy metal commitment and all confirmed avoidance of the use of classified orthophthalate plasticisers in the products they supply to the market.

Launched in 2002, the PVC Stewardship Program (PSP) is now supported by 47 companies representing most of the Australian Vinyl industry. All are committed to continuous improvement in the environmental footprint of their products, whether they manufacture locally or source product from overseas. Around a dozen suppliers and manufacturers of vinyl flooring products are current signatories to this program.

More recycled PVC is being used in products, driven by initiatives for innovative recycling solutions in several sectors including commercial vinyl flooring. Several vinyl flooring suppliers supply products to the market that contain recycled PVC and/ or offer take back arrangements for vinyl installation offcuts and end of life materials.

In 2017, two flooring suppliers joined a record 17 companies in achieving PVC Stewardship Excellence Awards, rewarding their perfect scores in compliance with the strict criteria relating to the environmentally-responsible production and supply of their vinyl-related products that year. Companies achieving this standard can be recognised using a specific annual licence mark.

The introduction of Best Practice PVC Guidelines, in 2010 by the Green Building Council of Australia, was partly based on the industry’s PVC Stewardship Program at the time and led to Best Practice PVC accreditation of products, recognised in the Green Star building rating system.

Best Practice PVC products are fully compliant with world-leading, stringent manufacturing guidelines. Holding this accreditation is a great demonstration of supply chain transparency and verification, leading to companies taking greater responsibility over how their suppliers, as well as their own operations, perform.

PVC’s successful use in countless building and construction products over the decades is testament to its durability, functionality and recyclability. Its strength, versatility and resistance to the elements makes it ideal for use in a variety of applications, from windows to flooring and even as a sustainable alternative to timber planks.

The PSP requires signatories to report annually against strict criteria that measures positive change in five key areas. These cover best practice manufacturing, safe and sustainable use of additives, resource

As a relatively low carbon durable plastic, PVC provides solutions through its track record of stewardship, alignment with several global Sustainability Development Goals and its demonstrated potential for circularity. Each tonne of recycled PVC

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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News In 2017, two flooring suppliers joined a record 17 companies in achieving PVC Stewardship Excellence Awards, rewarding their perfect scores in compliance with the strict criteria relating to the environmentally-responsible production and supply of their vinyl-related products that year.

7 will replace about one tonne of virgin PVC compound in new products, consuming 80% less energy and reducing carbon emissions.

The PVC industry in Australia has made great strides towards sustainability through its approach to continuous improvement that is driving change, innovation and better understanding of supply chains for vinyl products placed on the Australian market.

Significant breakthroughs have been made, both in how PVC is perceived and how it is increasingly being specified for sustainable applications. Specifiers considering vinyl products for their next project should look for PSP licence marks and/or Best Practice PVC accreditation to be assured they are choosing wisely.

Through our ‘whole of life’ approach to PVC stewardship, today’s vinyl is a sound material choice. ▲

European Hardware offers lifeline to flood-affected Queenslanders As Townsville residents embark on a heartbreaking clean up in the wake of a once in a century flood event, Australian TV personality Chris Milligan (Neighbours) has come to the rescue of flood-affected families.

Born and bred Queenslander Chris said he was unable to sit back and watch his fellow Queenslanders in their hour of need.

“As a partner with my brother in Queensland based timber flooring company European Hardware, I have access to the very resources that will provide Townsville families with relief, so together we have launched the ‘ReFlooring’ project,” Chris said.

European Hardware will supply an entire house with inside and outside timber flooring including French Oak for the inside and pre-finished coloured Merbau decking for the outside.

Families who are struggling financially face the sad reality of their flooring being washed away or having to move back into their homes and rip up water damaged floors.

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

The Re-Flooring projects aims to get floodaffected Townsville families back into their homes as quickly and safely as possible.

European Hardware will provide the flooring materials for one family to get back into their home and Chris has also set up a fundraising page with the initial goal of doing the same for 20 more flood-affected households. Every dollar donated goes directly towards supplying the materials

required to settle more Townsville families in need, back into their homes.

They will also be extending the offer of cost price, to the greater Townsville communities, on all building materials and have ordered large quantities of stock to meet the demand.

To donate to the fundraising campaign, visit https://www.mycause.com.au/page/194946/ townsville-relief-reflooring-project ▲

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Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2019

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or the fifth successive year MAPEI has been a proud PREMIUM SPONSOR of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road

Race.

A record 120,000 cycling fans packed Geelong and the Surf Coast to watch the Australia Day weekend event that started on the Saturday morning with over 3100 eager cyclists lined up to participate in the Peoples Ride. This ever popular ride enables the general public to ride the circuit that the professional athletes will also complete during the weekend.

Participating cyclists ranged from as young as twelve to an amazing eighty-four year old, making this year’s event even more diverse than in previous years. Cyclists were offered the choice to register for the 35km, 65km or the full 115km circuit.

The Participation Ride is a truly unique opportunity to ride alongside Australia’s only Tour de France winner, Cadel Evans.

Since Cadel’s retirement back in 2015 (Cadel announced his retirement following his completion of the first Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race where he placed fifth) he leads out the Peoples Ride generally alongside young Australian cyclists, TV and Sporting celebrities as well as local dignitaries.

MAPEI hosted a VIP Hospitality Area on the First Floor of the Novotel Hotel situated on the waterfront in Geelong. With over 500 VIP guests attending, MAPEI provided food and drinks while guests sat back on lounges and watched the race unfold. Those wanting to sit on the outdoor balconies were treated to the entertainment from Steampacket Gardens that continued over the weekend.

The hospitality area overlooked the start/ finish line and offered one of the best vantage points to watch the elite cyclists start and finish their respective races.

MAPEI also hosted some interactive games in their branded marquee in Steampacket

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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Gardens (situated opposite the VIP area on the Esplanade). Thousands of people lined up to play a soccer target game where they needed to kick a soccer ball and try to beat the Mapei Sassuolo goalie. Participants also had the option of shooting a netball into the ring thanks to the assistance of Maddie Okley (Western Regional Co-Ordinator from Netball Victoria). MAPEI have developed a special relationship with Netball Victoria

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as a Programs Partner Sponsor to support the development of young children into the world of netball.

Both children and adults competed in the games to win a Mapei soccer ball, Mapei cycling cap or Mapei water bottle.

The games were extremely popular with spectators forming a continuous line to play both activities on Saturday and Sunday.

The winner of the Women’s Sprint was Chloe Hoskings from Australia (Chloe also won this title last year) and the Men’s winner was Nathan Elliott (also from Australia).

The MAPEI Sprint is comprised of two sections in the race – one in Barwon Heads and the other in Torquay. Both towns are situated on the Great Ocean Road with beautiful, natural beach and ocean views that can be seen by the cyclists from the road.

The overall winner of the Men’s Elite Race was Italian cyclist Elia Viviani from team Deceuninck-Quick Step and the winner of the Women’s Elite Race was Belgium cyclist Arlenis Sierra from team Astana.

The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race generates around A$10 million dollars to the region with more than 20,000 interstate and overseas visitors choosing to holiday and stay in the area and attend the event. ▲

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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Company Profile: Honest. Australian. Quality.

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BS began its modern manufacturing life in Dandenong in 2002. Initially they were known as Halex Flooring Products changing their name to BBS when their American partners left abruptly during the 2008 financial crisis.

The company’s experience in making Australian carpet gripper and Australian carpet joining tapes dates back decades earlier to the origins of the locally made industry. Key members of their manufacturing team (Young, Will and Steve) all started their careers working at The Roberts Company, back in the day when they produced their carpet gripper and tape in Moorabbin, Victoria.

BBS Flooring Products continues the tradition of locally made carpet gripper and carpet joining tape, ignoring the shortterm gains from off-shore manufacture.

Their manufacturing team have between them accumulated over 100 years of practice taking the time to get to know their

materials and refine their manufacturing techniques.

However, it is not just a few managers at BBS who have built up their skills. Their shop floor workers are highly experienced, as are the selected suppliers who produce the plywood, nails, cartons and other materials required for quality manufacturing. Over the years as different Australian and New Zealand gripper and tape manufacturers retired, BBS was able to acquire their knowledge and equipment as well as the use of their patented processes.

This allowed BBS to incorporate a variety of manufacturing techniques with their own and importantly retain both the experience and knowledge within Australia. In this way BBS absorbed the ‘know-how’ from most of the local manufacturers that went before them including, Metro (in Auckland, NZ), RooGripper (in Clayton, Vic), Multifloor (in Pooraka, SA), Decro (in Brunswick, Vic) and several others.

Multifloor purchased the gripper manufacturing technology from The Roberts Company when it closed in 1996 and The Roberts Company had previously purchased all the assets of Chemhouse Industries when they closed in 1994. As such, when BBS acquired Multifloor’s factory in Pooraka they picked up the manufacturing equipment and expertise from both The Roberts Company and Chemhouse.

Through this process of constant consolidation BBS has accumulated and retained the manufacturing history from the many Australian companies preceding them. Combining the knowledge together in a modern Australian manufacturing facility to deliver quality Australian carpet gripper and Australian carpet joining tape by using the right materials in the correct process, without taking shortcuts. ▲

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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Sub Floor Moisture Testing Speed-Up

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ecent changes to ASTM F2170 and related standards will have a positive effect on flooring installations down under, says Patrick Atherton, ICRI–certified Moisture Testing Technician and owner of Floor Test Australia.

The US- based guidelines released by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) are otherwise known as the Standard Test Method for Determining Relative Humidity in Concrete Floor Slabs Using in situ Probes. This method of testing has been referenced in Australia by AS-1884, Resilient sheet and tiles - Installation practices, since 2012. It has also been widely adopted in warranty specifications for many products.

“It has been accepted for some time that the most accurate way to determine the slab moisture, in relation to flooring installation at least, has been the sensors-at-depth

method stipulated by ASTM F2170. Surface tests are simple and easy but cannot always provided sufficient information,” says Atherton. “In-situ probes understandably presented headaches for contractors and stakeholders.” Atherton claims that many viewed in-situ testing as “just too hard and time-consuming”, which exposed the project to risks of failure and liability.

“It is now a lot easier to undertake the proper testing and still allow the project to move along. This small change will speed things up and hopefully encourage more project managers to ensure the testing is done correctly. Still, high RH% readings can be unexpected for some stakeholders and they must be encouraged to take them seriously.”

One of the hardest things is the 72 hour period required for the sensors to equilibrate.

Most of the best equipment on the market doesn’t need that long to provide an accurate reading, but to be fully compliant with the standards, that amount of time puts pressure on many projects.

The good news is that the ASTM’s regulators acknowledged this, and have now reduced the required equilibration time to 24 hours.

Two days is a big deal and these changes take a lot of pressure off large flooring projects. Atherton explains, “It is now a lot easier to undertake the proper testing and still allow the project to move along.”

As the only independent RH testing technician in Australia, Atherton warns that there are still risks. “This small change will speed things up and hopefully encourage more project managers to ensure the testing is done correctly. Still, high RH% readings can be unexpected for some stakeholders and they must be encouraged to take them seriously.” He states that, “Floor Test Australia have been asked to undertake different testing regimes in the hope that it will produce a lower, less problematic result.

However, it is highly unadvisable to overrule the RH% results just because something else gave a more palatable answer.” ▲

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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Single Touch Payroll Regardless of whether you’re a franchisee or a franchisor, if you have 19 or fewer employees you are required to implement Single Touch Payroll (STP) by 1 July 2019.

The ATO wants to have greater visibility into employers’ payroll to ensure they pay their PAYG withholding and meet SGC super obligations. The benefits to employers are also huge, as it will save time at the end of the financial year, as they will no longer be required to issue group certificates to employees.

So, what does it mean for those who haven’t started the process yet?

For franchisors Here are three hot tips on how a franchisor can prepare for successful STP implementation: 1. Educate, educate and educate your franchisees all about STP 2. Direct them to contact their bookkeeper, advisor or accountant for help 3. Ensure they have STP-ready accounting software

According to the Bureau of Statistics, there are approximately 781,908 businesses with 19 or fewer employees in Australia. That’s about 36.8 percent of Australian businesses required to be STP-ready come 1 July.

Part of the education process is understanding what it all means and how it will impact your franchise.

Some franchises have already taken up the STP challenge, with the likes of Retail Zoo (Boost Juice, Salsas Fresh Mex) and Soul Origin already rolling out their STP setup.

1. Ensure they have STP compliant payroll software.

2. Encourage them to speak with an advisor about the change and book in for setup and training

Six steps to get franchisees started

3. They’ll need to review all employee payroll information, making sure it’s correct in their software 4. Have their software connect to the ATO using their Auskey 5. They’ll nominate a person who will be making the declaration when reporting STP 6. Finally, advise them to speak with their employees about the change and why they should set up a myGov account For many employers and payroll officers, getting a business STP-compliant means they’ll need to be up to speed with system updates, as well as learn how to use them for STP. Their advisor can guide them through with ease if they don’t have internal resources to do so.

Our advice is: Don’t let your franchise run into trouble with the ATO because your processes or your franchisees processes aren’t up to scratch. Get in touch with your advisor and begin discussing your STP requirement and payroll systems today. ▲

Sydney Carpet Baggers 50th Anniversary Charity Golf Day This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Sydney carpet baggers annual charity day. The event will be held at Stone Cutters Ridge Golf Course in Colebee on May 10th. All proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to the Starlight Children’s Foundation. An amazing

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

organization that helps young people flourish, build resilience and shape their individuality. Partners in business are invited to support the event by sponsoring a hole.

Hole sponsor packages are available for

$1300 and include four players, carts breakfast and lunch. Both hole and clubhouse signage can also be provided for advertising.

For more information contact Glen Bryon - gbryon@carpercutters.com.au ▲

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Introducing Express collections from Amtico.

A carefully curated selection of Amtico Spacia and Colour Anchor Carpet designs, fully stocked here in Australia so we can offer short and convenient lead times, ready to meet your deadline.

Speak to your Amtico sales representative for samples or to find out more.

Wayne Schofield Sales Manager NSW +61 (0) 499 091 049 Megan Bilecki Sales Manager SA/WA +61 (0) 400 995 497 Mark Taylor Sales Director +61 (0) 477 708 418

Product Update

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Express Collection from Amtico Flooring Amtico Express is a carefully curated selection of Amtico Spacia and Colour Anchor Carpet designs, in versatile colours and sizes, created to make it simple to specify and receive high quality flooring at speed.

With its high density 0.55mm wear layer and Quantum Guard Elite urethane coating, Amtico Spacia is extremely hard wearing, with a high level of resistance to scuffs and scratches. Phthalate free, and made with 30% recycled content, it meets the M1 and Indoor Air Comfort Gold standards required for low emissions. Available in a selection of woods, including Parquet, the palette covers on-trend cool greys and traditional warm shades, while the stones are a mix of pale and dark concrete and ceramic finishes.

Colour Anchor Carpet has been chosen for the new Express collection for the specification opportunities it provides. A blend of different tones combine to create a soft linear texture that the shades of Colour Anchor work to complement or contrast. Extra security comes from the solution dyed nylon yarn construction, resistant to staining with added protection of two technologically-advanced treatments to protect against fading from liquid and even bleach spillages.

and Carpet are some of our bestselling designs, so to have them stocked here and available for quick delivery will really make a difference to customers who are looking for high quality flooring on a fast turnaround. With the extensive choice of flooring that Amtico has, myself and the team are looking forward to promoting the new Express Collections alongside the fantastic to-order flooring available in the wider offer.”

For over 50 years Amtico has been designing, innovating and manufacturing flooring that is not only beautiful but flexible, durable and sustainable. In 2017 it added Carpet Tiles to its offer, giving customers an even greater choice of flooring solutions.

Amtico has considerable knowledge and expertise in the commercial and residential sectors, providing flooring products to a wide range of worldwide applications, including healthcare, education,

hospitality, offices and retail. The company specialises in working with architects, specifiers and designers to maximise the potential of interiors by utilising Amtico’s in-house design and technical teams.

Amtico’s complete flooring offer comprises nine to-order luxury vinyl tile (LVT) collections, each offering their own unique features and benefits. The Signature collection is the premium offering of 163 Woods, Stones and Abstracts, all with Amtico’s highly durable 1mm performance wear layer, and over 100 predefined and ready-to-lay patterns as part of Designers’ Choice.

For quick specification and installation, Amtico Spacia, Form and First offer hard working and streamlined product ranges, while for specialist applications, Amtico has developed the 36+ safety floor, Acoustic, Marine and Cirro PVC-Free collections.

There are also 12 to-order Carpet collections to choose from, plus Entryway, Amtico’s heavy duty entrance matting. ▲

The new collection combines design originality, high-quality durability and is backed by a 10 year Commercial warranty.

All designs in the collection are fully stocked in Australia, meaning Amtico can now offer short and convenient lead times, ready to meet client deadlines.

Mark Taylor, Sales Director of Amtico Australia explains, “I’m delighted that as part of our investment in Australia & New Zealand we’re able to offer our customers these new Express Collections. Spacia

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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Product Update

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What has more bacteria than a toilet seat?

Can’t filter what you can’t pick up

According to research phones, desks, elevator buttons, food chopping boards and carpet are on the list. Carpet dirtier than a toilet seat? Surely not.

Many vacuums on the market today are fitted with a HEPA filter and suction only head, however, research conducted by CHOICE the Consumer group indicates most vacuums struggle to pick up debris within carpet.

Bacteria love munching on dead skin cells and considering the average person sheds about 1.5 million every hour, that turns your soft floor furnishings into a fine dining experience when you add food particles, pet dander and pollen.

About 200,000 bacteria live in each square inch of carpet (nearly 700 times more than on your toilet seat), including E. coli, staphylococcus, and salmonella.

What about the indoor air quality (IAQ) in commercial premises? Cleaners tend to use cheap, suction-only vacuum cleaners that only clean the top surface of the flooring investment. This leaves behind embedded dirt and grit in the carpet base as well as a breeding ground for allergy causing agents.

Carpet care guides generally advise ‘a good quality vacuum cleaner’ to care for carpet.

So, with the above in mind what constitutes a good quality vacuum cleaner? Filtration?

Pick up? No loss suction?

No matter if it’s residential or commercial flooring, embedded dirt and grit causes matting, packing or crushing of the carpet pile. With every footstep on the carpet, the fibre is slowly severed at its base causing the once valuable investment to turn soiled.

Also labelled as S-CLASS by European Manufacturers, only high-quality filter material used in combination with an excellent sealed vacuum cleaner casing achieve the requirements of SEBO’s S-CLASS filtration.

SEBO Recommended SEBO vacuum cleaners remove up to 92% of debris. For the 8th year running CHOICE the consumer group has rated the SEBO K3 Premium the best overall performer. With superior debris removal and 100% pet hair pick up. You can’t go past a vacuum cleaner that is light, quiet, and easy to manoeuvre, has a long cord and has a neat compact design for easy storage.

All SEBO vacuum cleaners commercial and domestic come as standard with S-CLASS filtration technology which trap 99.97% of harmful allergens down to 0.3 microns from the airstream and retains them inside a sealed bag for hygienic debris disposal. SEBO models are recommended by the British Allergy Foundation because they enhance the air, filtering allergens such as: dust mites, faeces, mould spores, pollen, bacteria, pet dander, dust and more.

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Building Biology Using a SEBO vacuum cleaner as part of a routine carpet maintenance program can contribute to positive ‘building biology’ by removing harmful allergens (house dust mites, mould, pollen, pet and pest dander) and improving indoor air quality (IAQ) not to mention also keeping soft floor furnishings looking great for many years to come. ▲

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Product Update Signature Floors launches contemporary carpet planks As design led innovators, Signature Floors pride themselves on fusing the traditional world of flooring with the endless creativity of fashion and art. For their latest OSLO carpet plank collection, the Signature in-house design team were inspired by the tranquillity and stillness of Scandinavian nature. OSLO carpet planks are designed to perfectly echo the quietness of the Nordic landscape and provide a modern cocoon for any interior installation.

The OSLO Planks range include three Scandinavian inspired designs; Malmo, Skandi and Norse. Perfectly reflecting the outside world, each design features the same delicate colour palette with a striking linear design that is reminiscent of earth, stone and rock suggesting a moody Nordic light appeal.

Each design differs in expressive pattern and texture. The sophisticated combination of

Beaulieu Fibres International launches UltraBond Beaulieu Fibres International (BFI) unveils a unique opportunity for carpet manufacturers to create fully recyclable needlepunch carpets, and benefit from production and resource savings, without influencing performance.

Launched at Domotex 2019, UltraBond is a patented polyolefin bonding staple fibre that eliminates the need for latex or other chemical binders to bind nonwovens. It opens up a new path for creating 100% polypropylene (PP) needlepunch carpets which meet the same performance requirements as traditional latex-bonded carpets while reducing the end-of-life environmental impact. Properties such as pilling resistance, resistance to wear

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20 neutral colour ways, with a soft textile touch, allows designers to create flooring with aesthetic harmony and balance. The modern range creates opportunities to play with colour in a single hue and give floor areas of any space a distinctive look.

OSLO Carpet Planks are Signature Floors’ latest premium high-performing commercial carpet tile suitable for work spaces, multi-residential living spaces, educational precincts and retail environments. With a subtle interaction of colour tone and pattern, the collection will propel any interiors skyward into new levels of comfort and style. ▲

OSLO can be coordinated with all of Signature Floors existing carpet plank range and can be ordered in all SHAPES by Signature modular carpet tiles. With ten shapes available and limited only by the imagination, the design options are endless for creating a truly unique floor.

Providing more than just a timeless and cool appeal, OSLO is the ideal functional flooring choice for any application and importantly features green tag certification. The solution dyed nylon fibres guarantee superior colourfast characteristics, whilst also offering the highest durability and wear. OSLO is also available in Comfi Bak for increased noise and heat insulation, impact absorption and reducing damage and wear.

and abrasion, and also UV resistance are guaranteed.

Using UltraBond manufacturers finally gain the potential to cost-efficiently produce 100% recyclable carpets. In addition to the general benefits of making recycled PP available for the plastics production chain and reduced waste generation, environmental advantages and financial savings arise from a total lack of water and less energy use. As a 100% dry process, thermal bonding uses no water and

results in a total absence of waste water leading to a significant reduction in a needlepunch carpet’s ecological footprint.

Karena Cancilleri, Vice President Beaulieu Engineered Products, commented, “Recyclability and achieving a greener, more cost-effective production process without compromising on current performance levels are significant unsolved topics within today’s carpet industry. By eliminating the need for latex and chemical binders through UltraBond, we offer needlepunch manufacturers a breakthrough they have been looking for that boosts environmental and economic sustainability. We see textile flooring as just the beginning. Together with our customers, we look forward to exploring the potential of this unique thermal bonding fibre in other applications such as laminated nonwovens or as an alternative to dry powders.”▲

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22

Bill Stahmer:

Work Hard, Play Hard Story by Philip Ashley

Below: Bill and Matthew Stahmer.

The Stahmer dynasty goes back to Bill’s great grandfather in the goldfields of Creswick in 1867. Stahmers Carpets is the oldest floor covering business in Australia and the 71st oldest registered business in Australia’s history.

Bill’s son Matthew is now the fifth generation of the family business.

B

ill’s story is one of hard work; sporting achievement; fights and two stints as a guest of Her Majesty.

It’s been a wild ride but it’s not over yet. At seventy years of age Bill Stahmer still has a lot of living to do, now that the business based in Moorabbin is safely in the hands of his son Matthew.

We caught up with Bill on a recent trip to Australia for a full right elbow replacement, the result of a collision between his Yamaha scooter and a tour bus in Phuket, Thailand where he has lived for the last 12 years.

Bill was born in Elsternwick, Victoria to father Lester Henry and mother Hazel Doreen. His grandparents on his father’s side were Robert Henry and Alice Whitely and he remembers his Grandmother fondly. He

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

recalls going to Creswick to spend holidays with his grandma who lived there. Her driver would pick him up at the railway station in their Dodge Desoto, “I had the best roast dinners there” he said.

Bill lived in Caulfield most of his life where as a young boy, everyone around had stables.

He says “I was always up at 5 to ride to the Caulfield Racecourse, and also helped with the milkman!”

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23

Bill has one older brother, Robert who he hasn’t spoken with in twenty five years, although when they were young they enjoyed similar pursuits and when married, lived around the corner from each other. Bill went to school at Caulfield North Central School but it didn’t end well.

Below: Bill at Caulfield North Central School 1962

Above: Bill with Ray Duthy, Japanese Embassy, 1989

In year nine he was ‘thrown out’ after the Maths teacher caught him betting on the horses. Bill said “I was the class bookie and the teacher caught me following a race on my old transistor radio. I admit there was some pushing and shoving, most of it from me but Mum was called and they thought it best that I leave.”

He delivered telegrams for six months and then one day his father “Yanked me out of bed and took me to our carpet warehouse at 67 Chapel Street Windsor where I started sweeping the floors,” he says. “We were situated at 72 to 74 Chapel Street but in 1956 we bought an old Moran and Cato grocery

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

shop opposite at 67 Chapel Street and in 1960 moved in fulltime. Those were good days for a boy, the Linoleum and 69 CM Body carpets were moved with Piano trolleys and wooden Hand Trucks, so we used to have Billy Cart rides around the floors and ramps; and hide in the mattresses.”

Bill recalls “My father knocked me around a bit, but was much easier on my brother Robert. Dad had gone to war where he served in landing craft all the way up the N.E Coast of New Guinea. He left a non-smoker and non-drinker and came back doing both. He never spoke about the war; it must have been very traumatic. As mum said later, he would

walk around at night and talk to the walls!

The government sends you away to fight and then does nothing for you when you return.

My mother’s father served in Gallipoli and unfortunately passed away near destitute and drinking. Dad’s father passed away at the end of 1939 before the war, so Dad took over the business. He also bought the family home in Caulfield from Bill’s grandmother. With the advent of tufting Machines our business changed. At 15 I went out with one of our 4 carpet layers and learnt installation; laying carpets for another 21 years!”

Early days Bill learned how to sew 27-inch ‘body carpet’ with a hand-held Singer sewing machine he still owns. He tells that he went to night school at Pascoe Vale Tech where they ran a Carpet Laying Course for 2 hours a night, once a week. He says he couldn’t do the maths so he failed but it doesn’t seem to have affected his business sense. He recalls “During my year at night school in 1966 we had a session at the Myer workroom at Flemington Flats. They had 44-gallon drums filled with blue tacks, I was amazed at the scope of their operations, and sadly they closed down several years later.” Bill recalls

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Icons the time Dad took him to visit the Invicta Carpet mill where Arthur Shaffir showed them around. Bill was impressed that Arthur seemed to know the names of every one of the seven hundred people who worked there, mostly women. Bill dealt with all of the greats: Invicta; United Carpet Mills; Godfrey Hirst; Minster; Quest; Hycraft; Homfrays; Tascot Templetons; Brintons; Feltex and Victoria Carpets who he describes as ‘one of the best.’

“I recall my father taking me out to meet some of the people he dealt with, even when I was at school. When you were in the boardroom you would be given tea and biscuits, then the buying would take place.

Bartering was an education in itself; in those days everyone carried stock, there were no Franchises, your buying was paramount.

The Jewish fraternity was a large part of our business and Ted Lustig comes to mind. Ted built the Hilton Hotels in partnership with his brother in law. He was a small, mean man but I respected the fact that he came to Australia in rags after the Second World War and ended up a multi-millionaire.”

Later, Bill remembers Ted owed a balance of $170 after a development in Toorak, saying he didn’t have the money. Visiting him on a Friday he recalls Ted saying “You may call me mister Lustig” to which Bill responded, “And you may call me mister Stahmer; and I will be paid.” Bill said “I can be as nice or as rude as anyone.” Bill hounded Ted for three months until he finally paid up.

During those early years Bill started to take some serious interest in cricket and lacrosse. At 14, he went to the M.C.C Dowling Shield under 16 training and represented Melbourne as a wicketkeeper and top order batsman. He played Lacrosse at Caulfield and started cricket with Caulfield Sub District although never reaching the senior 11. He does recall joining the club where Shane Warne started. Other top shelf cricketers Bill came across were the very likable Glenn

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

24 Below: Bill and his lacrosse stick.

“Bill believed in discipline on field, off field and anywhere in between.”

McGrath and the one and only Dennis Lillee who Bill describes as “A real gentleman,” and Brad Hodge.

Lacrosse Outside of the carpet industry Bill has made quite an impact in Australian sport. Lacrosse is a game passed on by the North American Indians and was once a significant sport in Australia played on such great venues as the MCG, SCG, the WACA and Adelaide Oval. It hosted its first international tour of a Canadian team in 1907 where over 14,000 spectators witnessed a game of lacrosse on the MCG and other great venues. Lacrosse Victoria first mentions Bill in the 1967 Victorian team losing to South Australia.

Bill was 18 at the time and went on to play fifteen consecutive years including the 1968 and 1970 Champion teams and the

All-Australian team to defeat a touring U.S.A. team.

In 1971 a special consideration for selection was the players’ previous reputation concerning behaviour and conduct. The committee was all too aware of the poor reputation brought upon by some Australian lacrosse players on the 1967 tour of America and Canada. In later years Bill Stahmer didn’t improve Australia’s reputation at all.

He recalls “Near the end of our tour of the States I was billeted with an American club player whose friend ran a bar up on Long Island. I was with our Goalkeeper; a guy named Evan Jones, whose nick name was the Reverend Evan. We spent the afternoon drinking beer with Schnapps Chasers and by the time we got to the New York City Mayoral Reception we were tired and emotional.

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Icons One thing led to another and I deliberately tipped a drink over the senior coach. It didn’t bother me; he was one of the most disliked Coaches you would come across.

The following day they were going to send me home, but the team backed us up, saying if we went, they went! I got to stay and then played my best lacrosse in the last 4 games including an unfortunate loss to England; Australia’s first ever!”

Bill played for Caulfield Victoria and in 1975 co-captained the State team. Bill was in the Victorian team for 1977 championships and his brother Robert was manager. The overseas team for 1976 also included Bill.

The Australians got little or no outside help on their expenses, and most of them used up savings and borrowed money on the trip, which cost each of them several thousand dollars. Having played twelve matches, they

25 had lost only three. In 1980 Bill was again on the team and was head coach of the 1989 team to Japan. In 1990 the Victorian and MCC coach Bill Stahmer was again selected for the national side. In all, Bill played for twenty-eight years and coached for thirteen years.

In contradiction to Bill’s past behaviour, Lacrosse Victoria reports of Bill as National coach that ‘Bill believed in discipline on field, off field and anywhere in between. His no-nonsense requirements were not always immediately understood by players selected from other states, but he communicated well, and got his messages of discipline and fitness across to members of Australian teams very soon after they came under his influence. Bill Stahmer was aghast at the attitude of some of the players. It was felt, not least by him, that some of the

selected players had a far better opinion of their own skills than reality warranted. As Stahmer had shown in Victoria, and at the MCC club, he was a man of ruthless and resolute action. He immediately removed a number of players from the touring team on the grounds of lack of commitment and courtesy. He felt that fitness trials held in Adelaide were a disgrace due to the degree of fitness achieved by some players and their general attitude. Among younger players he found a certain complacency and readiness to allow older players to fall out by attrition, rather than forcing their way into selection by superior skill and endeavour. This tour underlined the task that lay ahead of the Australians, who won 5 of the 9 games played against the American team.’

Bill’s Dad passed away twenty-five years ago when Bill was forty-five. Nine years before

Icons Below: Bill with golf legend Peter Thomson

and while they were still in Chapel Street, his older brother walked out after a physical altercation with their mother and moved to Mission Beach. “Dad changed the will and Robert got a lot less than he expected” Bill said. And so, Stahmer’s Carpets fell under the control of Bill Stahmer. Their work is mainly commercial and their clients included Metricon Homes until they changed suppliers without even a word to Bill, who values respect in business but didn’t get any him-self on this occasion. Bill says “My pet hates of the industry are manufacturers who supply shops who then close their doors; open up again and get re-supplied, howbeit at an additional cost per metre. I also never liked manufacturers who lie about project prices when all along someone else has price protection.” Bill also has a dislike for several major suppliers who he says “Are all lies and bullshit, there’s never any problem with the product, it’s always our fault. They shift the goalposts.”

Bill had his fair share of run-ins with the constabulary and has spent two occasions in custody. Once as the result of a scuffle with police at Adelaide railway station for which he received two weeks and the other, a term of thirty days. He recalls with a laugh, “A mate, ‘Rags’ had come home from a tour of Vietnam; in fact he was still in his jungle greens. We headed straight to our local, got pissed, fought with the local garbos and the coppers, got arrested again, overnight at Malvern police station then fronted court on assault again! Both let off with bonds.”

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

26 On another occasion after an end of season trip to Adelaide, the team spent the Monday at the Beaconsfield hotel St. Kilda. Bill recalls “A mate’s brother called in and said he would drive my mate ‘Fat Harry’ and I home.

His name was ‘Slim’, a big government meat inspector who worked at the abattoirs. After more drinking we hopped in a car and Slim took off. We got to Elsternwick then all of a sudden there was a police siren and lights and we got pulled over by a motor cycle cop.

I thought we were in big trouble when Slim jumped a fence and did a bolter; it turns out the car was stolen. I chested the copper who then pulled his gun and told us to stand up against the fence. Pretty soon there were more cops, the chopper and a dog squad.

The dog got slim hiding under a house six houses up the street. Fat Harry and I were up against the fence when this attractive police woman came up and Fat Harry said, ‘I’ve seen you before’ She asks where and he said on TV, Miss Piggy. Next thing we were poleaxed against the fence, you could say she wasn’t happy.”

and they had to take refuge on the roof of a nearby hotel. It turns out Kevin was getting a massage when the masseuse warned him and he got away. Bill spent the next two days helping the locals to move bodies, something he will never forget. Officially listed as missing, Bill returned home ten days after the Tsunami and broke down at the airport.

The fact is that Bill still suffers from the effects of that day, even after fourteen years!

Bill returned to Thailand the April following the Tsunami and saw some property for sale.

Suddenly, out of no-where he decided this was for him and bought a block. Prices had plummeted after the tragedy but this wasn’t the reason he bought the property. He now has a two-storey home there and has been retired a year and a half now. Sitting in a Tuk-Tuk one day he realised “This is for me” and returned to Australia to hand the business over to his son Matthew. He still suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder but feels the lifestyle Thailand offers will do him good.

Tragedy Strikes And then in 2004 Bill’s life literally turned upside down. In Patong Thailand on holiday, Bill was caught up in the Boxing Day Tsunami that killed almost a quarter of a million people across fourteen countries.

Bill recalls that he was still in bed at 9:20am when he sensed that something wasn’t right.

“There was water all over the floor and the room stank like a sewage overflow. Then I heard a high-pitched whine like a truck would make. Suddenly the wall exploded and the wave smashed through and pinned me against the back wall of the bedroom. I’d drawn the curtains so the glass didn’t cut me up but it was like being in a washing machine” he said.

Compared to many others Bill was lucky, only receiving minor injuries. He recalls looking for his mate Kevin McGrath but couldn’t find him; and helping a woman with a severed foot before the second wave hit

Above: Bill’s old singer hand sewing machine

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ÂŽ

signaturecarpets

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28 National Park. He’s done 3 canoeing trips down the Zimbabwe at Mana Pools and tells us the story of the time “I was tipped out of the canoe on my first trip by a hippopotamus, absolutely frightening.

On another trip in the same area I found a snake in my tent, that was hair-raising also” he says. He’s going again this year and loves to shoot animals. With a camera, not a gun, something he feels is “not sport.” A believer in the circle of life, Bill loves the outdoors and says “I could go around an 18-hole golf course without hitting a ball and I’d be happy.”

Below: Bill with ‘Peter’ from the Mala

Above: Boxing Day Tsunami headlines Bill has been in their current premises for twelve years now. He bought it from the Pellicano family. “Over the years I’ve worked hard, even after late nights and early mornings, I’ve still been at work on time.

I’ve got a great team around me and I’m blessed with two great kids. I’ve been out of the business a year or so now, I admit that I haven’t a clue what’s going on here anymore; give me a pencil, paper and a rule and that’s all I ever needed, but it’s all changed now,” he says.

Friends and legends Ask him who he looks up to and Bill jokes “Me! I’ve had many so-called friends who’ve only been too happy to back-door you but I did admire a lot of people in the industry, particularly Arthur Shaffir at Invicta Carpets; Wolf Fink at United Carpets; Michael Oakley of Victoria Carpets and John Sunderland at Quest Carpets. I’d also like to mention the Bramwell brothers and ‘The Don,’ Don Curry and his family.

Don Curry is a notable exception” he says.

“Don’s retired now, he was fantastic and we were great friends. We colluded on many jobs so if a customer went to me first, Don would add on another thousand or so in his quote so I would get the job; of course

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

Mala camp in Kruger I always returned the favour. Wolf Fink was also a character. I met him once at a function and he asked which car was mine.

I said ‘the Commodore’ and he told his partner to sell me whatever I wanted, that I had money. He thought that all those carpet guys with expensive cars never paid him.”

Over the years Bill has met and enjoyed the company of some of Australia’s finest sports personalities. His ‘friends’ include Glen McGrath; Doug Walters and Stuart McGill from cricket. From AFL Wayne Carey; Glen Archer and Brent Harvey of North Melbourne, a player Bill sponsored in 2007.

In golf its Miguel Jiménez; Adam Scott and Peter Thompson. From Formula One it’s Mark Webber who he spent a weekend with on a yacht at the Monaco Grand Prix. His loves are his family who he says “In life is number one,” the MCC; his safari’s; the North Melbourne Football Club and travel.

Bill loves to travel, something he got used to while representing Australia, in fact he’s been to the United States twenty times, including several times to present Lacrosse clinics. Something he’s done a lot of is safaris in Zambia, Tanzania and Kruger

Bill’s been in the midst of a major natural disaster; has been threatened by union officials; has carried a shotgun for his own protection; has been imprisoned; stabbed several times and even almost had his nose bitten off. But his story is also one of representing Australia; running a great business; of family and long-time friends; of his beloved cattle dogs; of belief in the industry he is so proud of. From humble beginnings to marching behind the Australian flag in Perth at the World Lacrosse Series, one of the proudest moments in his life, his is a story of achievement and in a way, a lust for life. ▲

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To discover more about SEBO or become a stockist:

1300 697 326 sebo.com.au

30

Adhesives Guide

2019 Adhesives Guide

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

Welcome to the 2019 Flooring Magazine Adhesives Guide. This year’s guide features product information from participating companies including: Australian Flooring Supplies, Mapei, Polyflor Australia and RLA Polymers.

The lift-out guide has been designed to support flooring industry professionals as they select the appropriate adhesive required for their specific needs.

Used as a valuable reference point the guide provides insight into the various adhesive products available right now in the market place.

Companies represented have nominated specialist adhesive products best suited to the various flooring applications including: carpets, carpet tiles, concrete, engineered boards, laminates, rubber, vinyl planks, vinyl sheets, vinyl tiles and wood.

The brands featured in this year’s guide include: Roberts, Holdfast, Capitol, Ultrabond Eco, Kiesel, Oxtek and Aftek just to name a few. All companies offer exceptional technical support and advise on the adhesives featured in the guide. Flooring Magazine encourages our readers to look out for the various new high performing products designed to improve workplace practice.

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Roberts adhesives offer improved performance for the installer

Adhesives Guide

32

Okatmos star 100 Plus

T

hrough successful product innovation, Kiesel is now well equipped for the future. In addition to establishing and extending the Okatmos product rage in the floor adhesive industry, they have achieved significant successes in a variety of other areas, always with a keen focus on the environment and product quality.

During the development of new products, as well as wanting product quality and easy reliable processing, an increasing amount of attention is being paid to the person doing the laying. For this reason, criteria such as the eco-friendliness and compatibility of the substances are used are becoming increasingly important factors in the field of research and development within the company. Further developments of products are essentially influenced by the conviction that our environment must be handled with care. These products are characterised by low resource consumption, the avoidance of emissions and ease of processing (during manufacture and installation).

Okatmos star-technology created a new generation of flooring systems adhesives that are antimicrobial. They combine adhesive strength with workability, excellent coverage, and the best possible protection of the health of the installer and end user due to ‘very low’ VOC emissions. One of the most well-known developments in this area is the “Okatmos” laying system. It is based on inorganic active substances that are non-toxic to humans.

These substances have been tested in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry and provide long-term protection from the growth of bacteria and mold.

Okatmos star 100 Plus is a solvent-free (according to TRGS 610), very low-emission wet bed and pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Suitable for bonding, homogeneous and heterogeneous PVC flooring in sheet and tile format, CV floor coverings, LVT floor coverings, rubber sheet and tile flooring up to 4.0 mm thickness, linoleum and textile floor coverings with latex and PVC or PUR backing.

Okatmos star 100 Plus can be used as a wet bed or pressure sensitive adhesive as well as in the contact method (double-drop).

Okatmos star 100 Plus contributes to the prevention of odours with its antimicrobial properties.

Substrate Preparation • The substrate must comply with VOB Part C, DIN 18 365, current data sheet BEB as well as Australian Standards and must be ready for installation. The surface must be sound and clean.

• Remove dirt, paint, oil, grease wax and other contamination which might act as a bond breaker. Prepare all nonabsorbent substrates with suitable Kiesel primers and level using Kiesel selflevelling compounds (minimum 2-3mm thickness).

• Before installing vapor-tight coverings prepare substrate with self-levelling compound.

• Okatmos star 100 Plus should be used as a product component together with other Kiesel floor installation system products.

Processing / Installation

Okatmos star 100 Plus can be used as a wet bed or pressure sensitive adhesive as well as in the contact method (double-drop).

Stir Okatmos star 100 Plus well. Use appropriate notched trowel to apply the adhesive onto the substrate. Install covering after a drying time of 5 - 40 minutes and roll down. Ensure a full area application on the back of the covering and repress covering after approximately 30 - 60 minutes.

Follow the installation instructions of the floor covering manufacturer, especially the directions for covering acclimation. Then weld joints no earlier than 24 hours after the installation. ▲

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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OkatmosÂŽ star 100 Plus Odourless during and after working

Universal adhesive for all common floor and wall coverings

Great working properties

Excellent tack with stringing

Anti-microbial properties

Solvent-free

(according to TRGS 610)

Excellent Coverage Download the Kiesel Bauchemie app on Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Available for purchase through Polyflor Australia.

For more information visit our website www.polyflor.com.au/kiesel/ or call 1800 777 425

1718-5

555-5 / 555-25

Roberts two part epoxy adhesive

Roberts two part polyurethane adhesive

Rubber

6355-500 / 6355-5

1017-10 / 1017600

Polymer 1017 one part PU adhesive

Roberts cross linking PVA adhesive

H7800-10

Holdfast 7800 one part PU adhesive

H220-20

Holdfast artifical grass outdoor cprt adh

6355-500 / 6355-5

6037-20 / 6037-4

Roberts artifical grass outdoor cpt adh

Roberts crossing linking PVA adhesie

AF180-12

H640-15

Holdfast ECO-Grab P.S. adhesive

Adrex one part heavy duty adhesive

PS150-15

Capitol pressure sensitive adhesive

Laminates

Engineerd Boards

Concrete/ Outdoor

GS444-15

Roberts Green/Sol P.S. adhesvie

Holdfast VOC low odour carpet adhesive

GS300-15

H108-15

Capitol VOC low odour carpet adhesive

Roberts Green/Sol P.S. adhesvie

CA150-15

Roberts 85 fast grab carpet adhesive

656-15 / 656-4

85-15

Roberts green solution carpet adhesive

Roberts pressure sensitive adhesive

GS100-15

Roberts 95 high tac carpet adhesive

Carpets

Carpet Tiles

95-15

Product Name

Category

Ultrabond Eco V4SP

Ultrabond Eco VS90 Plus

Ultrabond ECO S955 1K

Ultrabond P990 1K

Ultrabond ECO S955 1K

Ultrabond ECO FIX

Ultrabond ECO Tack

Rollcoll

Ultrabond ECO Fast Track

Ultrabond ECO V4 Evolution

Ultrabond ECO V4 SP

Ultrabond Eco 170

Product Name

www.mapei.com.au

www.australianflooringsupplies.com.au

Product Code

07 3276 5000

1300 737 155

Contact Number

Website

Mapei

Australian Flooring Supplies

Company Name

067216

0657116

074315

244415

074315

358010U

358215

115112

0666407

0672116

067216

1946516

Product Code

PROC-X20015 PROC-X22015

Oxtek X200 Densi-Proof™ Oxtek X220 Moisture Fix®

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100 Plus

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

KE-O-STAR100+

KE-O-STAR100

KE-O-BRTWIPES

KE-O-BRTWIPES

KE-O-BRTWIPES

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

KE-O-GF

KE-O-DSG

KE-O-EG20

KE-O-BRTWIPES

KE-O-K5PLUS

KE-O-STAR150+

KE-O-STAR100+

KE-O-BRTWIPES

KE-O-K5PLUS

KE-O-STAR100+

KE-O-STAR100

Product Code

Kiesel Okapox GF Epoxy

Kiesel Okatmos® DSG Moisture Barrier & Primer

Kiesel Okatmos® EG20 Primer

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

Kiesel Okamul K5 Plus

Kiesel Okatmos® star 150 Plus

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100 Plus

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

Kiesel Okamul K5 Plus

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100 Plus

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100

Product Name

www.polyflor.com.au

1800 777 425

Polyflor Australia

R6355

Roberts R6355 PVA Adhesive

Roberts 555 Polyurethane Adhesive

R555-5

RL1718-5

620651

Aftek MS Timber Flooring Adhesive

RLA 1718 Epoxy Adhesive

RL1017-10

RL1018-310

620651

RL1017-10

R48-5

RMS-15

GS420-15

RL1017 Timber Flooring Adhesive

RL1018 Polyurethane Adhesive

Aftek MS Timber Flooring Adhesive

RL1017 Timber Flooring Adhesive

Roberts Universal Primer

Roberts Medi Seal

GS420 Nu Slab Seal

RL20G Kit-20

H777-15

Holdfast 777 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive RL20G WPM Moisture Barrier

H640-15

H400-15

GS444-15

PE999-15

R656-15

H104-15

R100-15

R95-15

R85-15

R59-15

Product Code

Holdfast 640 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive

Holdfast 400 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive

GS444 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive

Polymer 999 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive

Roberts 656 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive

Holdfast 104 Carpet Adhesive

Roberts 100 Commercial Carpet Adhesive

Roberts 95 Extra Tack Carpet Adhesive

Roberts 85 Fast Tack Carpet Adhesive

Roberts 59 Carpet Adhesive

Product Name

www.rlagroup.com.au

(03) 9728 1644

RLA Polymers

Wood/ Hardwood

Vinyl Tiles

Vinyl Sheet

Vinyl Planks

212-15

H7800-10

1017-10 / 1017600

Roberts/Polymer parquetry adhesive

Holdfast 7800 one part PU adhesive

Polymer 1017 one part PU adhesive

PS150-15

H2007-15

Holdfast 2007 com vinyl adhesive

Capitol Pressure sensitive adhesive

AF180-12

Adrex one part heavy duty adhesive

H777-15

VI150-15

Capitol vinyl adhesive

Holdfast 777 VOC pressure sensitive adh

GS220-15

Roberts green solution high tac vinyl adh

656-15 / 656-4

285-15

Roberts 285 universal adhesive

Roberts pressure sensitive adhesive

265-15

R2000 -12.5

Roberts 2000 universal adhesive

Polymer universal vinyl adhesive

285-15

Roberts 280 high temp adhesive

AF180-12

Ardex one part heavy duty adhesive

285-15

H451-3.3 / H451-11

Holdfast two part polyurethanne adhesive

Roberts 285 unversal adhesive

R2000-12.5

Roberts 2000 universal adhesive

3586115

Ultrabond Eco MS 4 LVT

244415

0672116

Ultrabond ECO V4 Evolution

Ultrabond P990 1K

067216

0657116

358010U

0666407

0672116

067216

0657116

Ultrabond Eco V4SP

Ultrabond Eco VS90 Plus

Ultrabond Eco Fix (VCT)

Ultrabond ECO Fast Track

Ultrabond ECO V4 Evolution

Ultrabond Eco V4SP

Ultrabond Eco VS90 Plus

1943416

3586115

Ultrabond Eco MS 4 LVT

Ultrabond Eco 380

0672116

067216

0657116

067316

Ultrabond ECO V4 Evolution

Ultrabond Eco V4SP

Ultrabond Eco VS90 Plus

Ultrabond Eco V4SP Fibre

KE-O-BRTWIPES

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

KE-O-BRTWIPES

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

KE-O-BRTWIPES

KE-O-PU

Kiesel Okamul PU

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

KE-O-K5PLUS

KE-O-STAR120

KE-O-STAR100+L

KE-O-STAR100+

Kiesel Okamul K5 Plus

Kiesel Okatmos® star 120

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100 Plus L

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100 Plus

KE-O-STAR100

KE-O-BRTWIPES

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100

KE-O-PU

KE-O-K5PLUS

KE-O-STAR120

KE-O-STAR100+L

KE-O-STAR100+

Kiesel Okamul PU

Kiesel Okamul K5 Plus

Kiesel Okatmos® star 120

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100 Plus L

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100 Plus

KE-O-STAR100

KE-O-PU

Kiesel Okamul PU

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100

KE-O-K5PLUS

KE-O-STAR120

KE-O-STAR100+

KE-O-STAR100

KE-O-BRTWIPES

KE-O-PU

KE-O-K5PLUS

Kiesel Okamul K5 Plus

Kiesel Okatmos® star 120

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100 Plus

Kiesel Okatmos® star 100

Kiesel Bakit RT Wipes

Kiesel Okamul PU

Kiesel Okamul K5 Plus

H416-15

Holdfast 416 Vinyl Adhesive

H2007-15

Holdfast 2007 Vinyl Adhesive

Roberts Tru- Grip

Aftek MS Timber Flooring Adhesive

RL1017 Timber Flooring Adhesive

Holdfast 416 Vinyl Adhesive

Roberts 285FR Universal Flooring Adhesive

Roberts 2000 Universal Flooring Adhesive

Roberts 280 HT Vinyl Plank Adhesive

R60-500

620651

RL1017-10

H416-15

R285-15

R2000-15

R280-15

R656-15

H416-15

Holdfast 416 Vinyl Adhesive

Roberts 656 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive

GS220-15

R18-10

R2000-15

R285-15

R200-15

PE365-15

GS220 Hi Tack Universal Vinyl Adhesive

Roberts 18 Conductive Vinyl Adhesive

Roberts 2000 Universal Flooring Adhesive

Roberts 285FR Universal Flooring Adhesive

Roberts 200 Vinyl Adhesive

Polymer 365 Vinyl Adhesive

PE265-15

GS220-15

GS220 Hi Tack Universal Vinyl Adhesive

Polymer 265 Vinyl Adhesive

R2000-15

R285-15

R280-15

R200-15

PE365-15

PE265-15

HV451-5

R2000-15

R285-15

Roberts 2000 Universal Flooring Adhesive

Roberts 285FR Universal Flooring Adhesive

Roberts 280 HT Vinyl Plank Adhesive

Roberts 200 Vinyl Adhesive

Polymer 365 Vinyl Adhesive

Polymer 265 Vinyl Adhesive

Holdfast 451 Polyurethane Adhesive

Roberts 2000 Universal Flooring Adhesive

Roberts 285FR Universal Flooring Adhesive

Adhesives Guide

36

Australian Flooring Supplies – your one stop flooring shop

A

s both a design-led flooring company and one of Australia’s largest flooring accessory distributors, Australian Flooring Supplies (AFS) is a total flooring solution. AFS understand that flooring is the foundation of a space, both literally and from a design point of view. AFS stock everything to ensure the end product is both beautiful and strong including: premium laminates, luxury vinyl, stylish carpet tiles, renowned primers, levelling compounds, adhesives and trims.

Australian Flooring Supplies recognises the importance of providing high quality, well known, leading industry brands to their customers whilst also supporting Australian made products. Upon walking into a local trade store customers can expect to find quality products from brands such as

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

Roberts, Ardex, Holdfast and many more.

Supporting locally produced products means supporting Australian manufacturing and Australian jobs, whilst also having the handy benefit of increasing shelf life.

Using an A1 trowel coverage is up to 40m2 per 12kg and working time is approximately 35 minutes. â–˛

AFS is proud to introduce a new onecomponent heavy duty adhesive to their catalogue. ARDEX AF180MS is a solvent free, low odour, wet bond MS Polymer based floor covering adhesive that is moisture resistant, protected from biodegradation and has good resistance to plasticiser migration.

ARDEX AF 180MS can be used both internally and externally and applied to a range of floor coverings including resilient floor coverings, linoleum, rubber and artificial grass.

ARDEX AF 180MS can be used both internally and externally and applied to a range of floor coverings including resilient floor coverings, linoleum, rubber and artificial grass.

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

LEADING THE WAY IN FLOOR PREPARATION

ARDEX FEATHER FINISH Rapid Drying Smoothing Compound

ARDEX FEATHER FINISH is a cement based smoothing compound designed to provide a smooth, permanent finish to a variety of internal substrates prior to the installation of floorcoverings such as vinyl, carpet and ceramic tile.

AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST FLOORING ACCESSORY DISTRIBUTOR

australianflooringsupplies.com.au | afscustomerservice@qep.com

Adhesives Guide

38

Fast Tract Ready

I

ntroducing another product from the R&D laboratories at MAPEI. Ultrabond Eco Fast Track is a fast grip, high performance universal adhesive specifically developed by MAPEI for the quick repair and renovation of resilient floorcoverings as well as the installation of skirtings, coves and profiles.

Ultrabond Eco Fast Track is a synthetic resin-based adhesive in water dispersion formulated by MAPEI in a ready to use pale beige paste with a very fast initial grab and a high final bond strength.

Ultrabond Eco Fast Track has an open time of 15 minutes and a waiting time of just 5-10 minutes. Floors can be walked on after 1 hour and put into use after only 12 hours.

Use Ultrabond Eco Fast Track for the fast restoration of limited surfaces including: homogeneous and heterogeneous PVC floor coverings, sheets and tiles, CV floor coverings, LVT floor coverings, sheet and tile rubber floorings, semi-flexible vinyl floor tile coverings, textile floor coverings with common backings, needlepunch woven floorings in latex, flocked floorings, linoleum flooring, polyolefin-based and chlorine-free floor coverings.

MAPEI can now offer the ultimate Fast tract ready systems allowing contractors and clients to repair or renovate flooring within a day as well as supplying Work Method Statements or Project Specifications to include:

• Mapeproof 1K Turbo – moisture vapour barrier • Eco Prim T Plus – primer for levelling compound • Ultraplan Fast Track – levelling and smoothing compound • Ultrabond Eco Fast Track – adhesive for installing resilient floorcoverings ▲

Ultrabond Eco Fast Track has an open time of 15 minutes and a waiting time of just 5-10 minutes.

Floors can be walked on after 1 hour and put into use after only 12 hours.

Product properties include: • very easy to apply and very fast initial grab • waiting time: 5-10 minutes and open time: 15 minutes • set to light foot traffic after 1 hour and ready for use in 12 hours • good peel and shear strength after a very short time from the installation of the floor covering • let the floor coverings to be sealed or welded after a very short time (3 vs the 24 hours commonly recommended with traditional acrylic adhesives) • very good dimensional stability • prevents open joints • solvent free and APEO free • non-flammable • contributes valuable points towards Green Star™ credits • harmless to the health of the installer and the end-user

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

LEADING THE WAY IN FLOORING ADHESIVES

ROBERTS GREEN SOLUTIONS R656 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive

Roberts 656 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive is a solvent free pressure sensitive adhesive specially formulated for installing PVC backed and fibre backed carpet tiles and reinforced vinyl composition tiles.

AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST FLOORING ACCESSORY DISTRIBUTOR

australianflooringsupplies.com.au | afscustomerservice@qep.com

iQ Vinyl NEW FOR LIFE™

iQ stands for “Intelligent Quality” and is Tarkett’s well-known homogeneous vinyl flooring for public spaces. The iQ range has products for all sorts of environments including specific solutions for acoustic, wet room, safety and static dissipative flooring. Combined with unique performance, durability and easy maintenance characteristics, the iQ range has the lowest life cycle cost on the market.

NEW iQ NEXT-GENERATION SURFACE TREATMENT: iQ floors have a PUR surface layer that sets a new standard for durability and stain resistance. It provides the market’s best protection against scratched and stains – even from chemicals used in hospitals and laboratory environments.

EASY TO INSTALL iQ vinyl flooring is fully flexible for a perfect coving and a watertight finish from floor to wall, making the installation faster and easier to achieve. Multicolour welding rods for a seamless finish are available in a range of complementary colours to make unsightly joins disappear.

BEST LIFE CYCLE COST Thanks to iQ unique surface restoration, the iQ ranges produce significant economies in the cost of cleaning and maintenance and provides the lowest life-cycle costs on the market. With no wax, no polish, ever, save 30% on maintenance and see payback within 3 years thanks to iQ’s superior performance.

UNI-COLOUR

MULTI-COLOUR

iQ’s UNIQUE SURFACE RESTORATION TECHNOLOGY Our iQ ranges now come with a next-generation surface treatment that sets new standards in performance. Exclusive Previous PUR to Tarkett, it brings best in-class protection against marks and stains, even from Eosin 1% in Ethanol chemicals like Iodine and Betadine. Combined with our unique 2 hours exposure after drybuffing technology, it keeps iQ flooring new for life. cleaning with Ethanol

New iQ Surface Treatment Eosin 1% in Ethanol 2 hours exposure after cleaning with Ethanol

Retailer of the Month

42

To be, or not to be Story by Philip Ashley

C

hris Johnson is a relative newcomer as the owner of a flooring business; in fact he’s only been at it for four years. But in this short amount of time he now owns two flooring shops in Adelaide; Staffords Warehouse in Brighton and Staffords Warehouse in Croydon Park. He’s a third-generation installer and remembers starting with his uncle at the age of seven, taking out the carpet offcuts on Saturday morning back in England and going with him to the football in the afternoon. Of him becoming an installer he said “It had to be.”

of Kent but since the capital expanded nearly 50 years ago, Bromley has been swallowed up into greater London. Chris said “We came here first when I was ten; that was back in 1990. Mum and Dad came over for a lifestyle change but for various reasons we went back after only eight months. We came back again and my parents left when I was twenty-one but I stayed and continued to work in the flooring trade” He continues. The family still runs Carpetright in Croydon in the UK. They have fourteen full-time installers and Chris says “I’m related to eight of them.”

Chris was born in Bromley in the United Kingdom. A market town chartered in 1158, Bromley was an ancient parish in the county

Chris learnt his craft ‘on the job’ but his family connection to the industry has meant that he’s actually been doing it for most of

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

his life. “When I started at fifteen years old just before the last time I came to Australia it was mostly carpet and sheet vinyl. I’ve seen the products change dramatically over the years” he says. “I worked as a floor installer until I was thirty-three before I was offered the opportunity to buy the Staffords store in Croydon Park. My dad used to work for him so he knew us quite well.” The store was mostly furniture with a corner devoted to flooring. Eventually the flooring took over and it’s about this time Chris was asked if he’d be interested in buying it.

Chris took the challenge; he said “When you’re installing you think you know it all anyway. You’re always calling the store to complain about something. I thought I could do it better and so I decided to give it a shot. The first year we had an increase in turnover of over 40% and we’ve been able to grow every year since then. I figure it’s because the more we are around, the more connections we make.” They bought Staffords Warehouse Croydon Park in January 2015 and opened their second store; Staffords Brighton in January 2017.

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Retailer of the Month

43

Staffords Warehouse Adelaide, Sth Australia some growth in the next twenty years. We’ll continue to grow the business and we’ll do that by being honest with our customers from the start. We’ll find out what they want and provide it for them.”

Chris has subbed for Choices, Solomons and Carpet call so he knows the business in and out. Of the change from subbing to owning the business, he said “When you’re installing you only have to worry about what’s in front of you; as the owner you worry about everything, you can’t switch off.” They have five staff, himself and Peggy; an interior designer, at Brighton. At Croydon Park they have Mick and Braden in sales; Karen in Admin and Kevin in the warehouse. Another ‘asset’ is Chris’s own brother who is an installer himself. Chris says

that they’ve won a lot of jobs because of the perceived ‘family’ connection.

A large percentage of Chris’s work is retail.

They did some work for the Adelaide casino but they don’t chase commercial jobs. Chris says “There are too many people quoting for them.” Chris says there are too many flooring stores in Adelaide, “There’s not the population growth as other capital cities but there are lots more stores now. Adelaide is like a big country town but we expect

Chris’s private life still revolves around the business. He tells us “I’ll wake up at three in the morning, wondering if I ordered the carpet for the order we took today.” Chris loosely follows the Adelaide Crows in the AFL, mainly because they started the first year he came to Australia. He also follows Crystal Palace, a football (soccer) team in the UK. Apart from that and the odd re-charge trip away Chris’s life is all business. He does have plans to expand and maybe even leave the business to his son. He would even love to retire early but for now and to quote another line of Shakespeare; ‘Once more unto the breach, dear friends,’ its work, work, work. ▲

…AIRSTEP UNDERLAY …“THAT’S CONFIDENCE” www.airstep.com.au • Bonded Foam Underlays • High quality Natural Rubber Underlays • SBR Double Bond Commercial Underlays • Floating Floor Underlays • Recycled Textile Underlays THE COMPLETE UNDERLAY COMPANY Manufactured and distributed by AIRSTEP AUSTRALIA LTD, PO Box 166 Dandenong Sth Vic 3175 Ph: VIC/TAS 1800 803 545 NSW 1800 802 926 WA/SA/NT/QLD 1800 806 375 Fax all states (03) 9706 8553 In New Zealand distributed by

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

Jacobsen Creative Surfaces Auckland (09) 574 0640 Wellington (04) 4954 300 Christchurch (03) 3664 153

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Safety

44

Five Places That MUST Have Tactiles

M

ost people have seen tactile ground surface indicators (TGSI’s) in action, but unless you are vision impaired you may not realise just how important they really are. These products assist visually impaired pedestrians in avoiding hazards and enjoying confident, independent mobility within the urban environment. TGSI’s are offered in two main types: Warning (dots) which indicate the presence of hazards, and Directional (bars) which help provide orientation guidance along a continuous accessible path of travel.

The following standards provide everything you need to know about where, when and how TGSI’s should be installed: • Australian Standards (AS 1428.1-2009| Design for Access and Mobility) • The National Construction Code/ Building Code of Australia • The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) This article will look at five places that MUST have tactiles installed, as well as highlighting the need for quality installations to ensure the products do their job exactly as intended.

1. Stairways Stairs are everywhere – from the entrance to the train station through to shops, lobbies, office buildings, shopping centres and many other places we interact with daily. People with full sight have no trouble recognising them, but to the vision impaired these structures can pose significant danger.

The vision impaired experience twice as many falls as fully able individuals, and to reduce their level of risk the hazards need to be clearly identified. This is particularly important on stairs which have irregular steps or lack handrails.

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

or stairs with an approach of 3 metres or greater must have tactiles installed at a minimum depth of 600mm. Ramps or stairs with an approach of less than 3 metres can have tactiles installed at a depth of 300mm.

NOTE: TGSI’s are not generally required on intermediate landings when stairways are equipped with handrails on both sides that extend the full length without any breaks.

The handrails are another crucial aid to the vision impaired, and they will rely on these to indicate the beginning and end of the stairway. If there is a break in the handrail, or if another path leads into the landing, TGSI’s should be applied.

2. Escalators Many vision impaired people rely on escalators for their convenient conveyance between floors. As moving structures, it is important that all pedestrians can clearly determine where the escalator begins and ends.

3. Passenger conveyor/moving walk Commonly found in airports and large public facilities, conveyor belts/moving walks significantly reduce the level of effort required to walk long distances. They are generally very safe, as they feature a flat surface and have handrails on either side. However, for the vision impaired, it is imperative that they know they are about to approach a moving conveyor, as they could otherwise be at risk of injury or shock.

4. Ramps Sudden change in incline can be quite disconcerting to the vision impaired. Ramps

5. Areas which lack suitable barriers Sometimes hazards are not protected by railings or other suitable barriers, and this could include everything from overhead pipes through to open spaces with shared vehicle/ pedestrian access at the same gradient, public phones and ferry/train platforms. In areas which lack suitable barriers, tactiles must be installed if there are any overhead hazards less than 2 metres above ground/floor level, and this is specified within section D3.8 of the Building Code of Australia.

Importance of Proper Installation The visually impaired expect and deserve consistent and reliable feedback from tactiles.

Australia has an aging population, and the 65 and over age group is set to more than double over the next 25 years. Many of these people will experience a degree of vision impairment and need to rely on products such as tactiles for safe, independent mobility.

Tactiles are designed to be felt under feet and with the tip of a cane, but those who still retain some degree of sight can also visualise the light contrast between the floor surface and the colour of the TGSI’s – so meeting the minimum standard for luminance contrast as well as layout requirements is highly important. Pride in workmanship and a collective effort to ensure standards are upheld across the country will go a long way in ensuring that public spaces remain accessible to the wider community both now and into the future.

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Safety

45

TGSI’s should ALWAYS be installed at the top and bottom of all places discussed above. When installed in line with Australian Standards, they provide the visually impaired with adequate warning that they are about to approach a hazard, allowing them plenty of time to prepare for safe ascent/descent and avoid danger.

Australian Standards and Future Proofing Public Spaces There should be no reason for premature product failures or substandard applications of tactiles. It is important to provide the following information to assist builders, developers, architects and building surveyors in recognising the importance of carrying out high-quality installations of TGSI’s.

You should keep in mind that Australian Standards require tactiles to be installed: • 300mm +/-10mm setback across the full

path of travel at a minimum depth of 600mm. NOTE: Some special situations such as train platforms and ferry wharves require a 600mm setback due to the significant danger of falls.

• In a consistent grid pattern as specified in AS/NZS 1428.4.1:2009 • With a minimum luminance contrast value of 30% You should also consider the following when specifying a product: • Method of application – We would wholeheartedly recommend the use of mechanical fixing to the surface as opposed to adhesive, as this will last much longer and will offer more reliable performance.

• Materials – The most durable tactiles are made from stainless steel, aluminium, ceramic, and high-quality rubbers or plastics.

• Slip Resistance and UV Protection – Some tactiles have the added benefit of slip resistance, which benefits everyone. It is always best to opt for a product with proven slip resistance and UV protection qualities.

• Take your time – All too often we come across tactiles which have been poorly laid out in a haphazard manner.

Indeed, the standards themselves state that visually impaired people may, “become disoriented if presented with an unpredictable, incorrect, incomplete or over-supplied set of indicators”.

Safer Cities for All We’ve all seen tactiles before, but we hope this article has helped you to understand a little more about their purpose for the visually impaired community and the need for quality implementation. ▲ Story by Classic Architectural Group.

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Software

46

Improve quantifying and quoting Distinguish between habit and best practice.

I

dislike change as much as the next person; it’s disruptive, and it takes me out of my comfort zone. I will adopt change where I can see it will bring benefit, but the older I get, the harder it seems to be.

So, in my role selling IT solutions to the flooring industry, I can empathise with the personal challenges that come with adopting change. It’s not easy and we often trip ourselves up by believing that because something has been done in a particular way for a very long time, it must be the best way of doing it.

An area where I often see people assume that little or no improvement can be made is to the traditional

methods of quantifying. The situation is probably a little more complicated than simply assuming traditional methods are best and often the default response to seeing Measure in action is that “I could have quantified the plan just as quick”. So, let’s break that down.

Firstly, in some cases, let’s concede that, depending on the complexity of the plan used in a Measure demo, my prospective client might have quantified it just as quickly. Even so, some questions arise: • You might be able to quickly and confidently quantify a plan. What about your salespeople? What about the next salesperson you employ? Not everyone has the quantifying skills you have honed over years or decades.

• When the customer wants options, how quickly can you calculate them? All of

a sudden quantifying software has a significant advantage.

• Once quantified in the traditional way, where is the information? Often it’s on a piece of paper, on a desk, in a file or drawer. Using quantifying software, the information is stored centrally and is instantly available to anyone who needs it without having to mount a search.

• What is the likelihood you have made a mistake? Maybe numbers were copied incorrectly, or maybe a cut left off the cut list? Mistakes happen, and as much as we might not want to acknowledge it, humans are more likely to make these mistakes than a computer.

• How consistent are the plans generated by salespeople in your business? In my experience plans can vary depending on the skill of the draftsperson from quality through to almost illegible scratchings.

Measure gives you consistent quantifying plans across the process.

Quantifying traditionally, on paper, with coloured pens, scale rule and calculator, is habit. For the reasons outlined above, and for many others, electronic quantifying using Measure or Measure Mobile is best practice.

Overcoming habit is difficult, but if you talk to quantifiers who have successfully made the transition to EQ, you will find that they would not go back. ▲ Story by Chris Ogden (Consultant and Director of RFMS Australasia)

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Go Mobile

Business Management Software Solutions For Your Flooring Business Manage every aspect of your flooring business in one integrated system Layers Diary

Mobile Sales

Financials

Measuring

Debtors

Reporting

Quotes

Projects

Stock

Sales Australia: 1800 229 427 New Zealand: 0800 643 012 www.rfms.com

salesau@rfms.com

Overseas News

48

Surfaces event encourages engagement Story by Betty Tanddo

Flooring, stone and tile professionals make the trek to The International Surface Event 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA).

T

he annual gathering of surface industry professionals happened once again in Las Vegas at The International Surface Event (TISE), a trade show co-located with StonExpo/Marmomac and TileExpo.

It’s an event conducted on a scale unlike most trade shows in Australia. According to organisers, Informa Exhibitions: “Attendees came from 77 countries and from every corner of North America to buy, source, network, and discover what is new, needed, and up-and-coming for their businesses”.

Above: The product demonstration stage at the Design + Installation Showcase Hub (DISH).

A major benefit of attending live markets is to be able to catchup and network with business acquaintances, old and new. As with most major trade events, it presents an opportunity to conduct face-to-face meetings with key and potential customers and see the latest products first hand.

A trend discovered at TISE 2019 related to the ease of installation for floors, walls and backsplashes. New exhibitor, Cal-Flor Accessory Systems, featured its OMUR On the Wall, a unique wall mount system which allows mounting of click floors on the wall.

Emerging for the second year in a row are magnetic installation products as displayed

by Intelli-Force Magnetix and Magnetic Building Solutions. They have a magnetic backing and base underlayment that adheres wood, stone, and tile to nearly any commercial and residential surface.

Above: Attendees came from 77 countries and from every corner of North America,

TISE also has a strong education program that begins a day before the trade exhibits are open. This year, it launched CONVERGE which “offers the industry a new way to gain training, knowledge, and information”. The program was reconfigured into three targeted personabased interest groups: Creatives, Suits and Hammer + Nails.

according event organiser Informa.

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Overseas News

49 Technical topics included “Moisture Mitigation Roundtable” and “The Ways of Water: Critical Considerations for Shower Construction”. Design-centric, forecasting sessions had topics such as “Colour Vibes: A Journey Through Colour and Trends” and “The Power of 5: The 5 Hottest Trends in Flooring & The 5 Types of People Buying Them”. TISE plans to grow, adjust, and make ongoing improvements to ensure it meets the education needs of the industry.

Above: CONVERGE is an education program launched at TISE 2019.

With its flexible scheduling to give participants time to see exhibits and attend other events, the CONVERGE program came about after feedback and is designed

for “immersive, targeted discussions”.

Participants also had the flexibility to pass freely between sessions to gain the type of knowledge needed.

Above: Mohawk invited TISE attendees to create fun, social photo opportunity moments.

Be Accurate. Be Efficient. Be Profitable

MEASURE MOBILE • Draw Scale Plans • Add, Delete and Move Seams • Include Doorways and Stairs • Calculate Material Quantities • Create and Email Quotes • Take Signed Acceptance on Tablet • Take Payments Australia: 1800 229 427 New Zealand: 0800 643 012 measureflooring.com measuremobile.com

Overseas News Mandalay Bay Convention Center is a 93,000sqm facility that hosts TISE. Over 800 companies – 135 were new to the event – presented their products. The exhibit hall experienced the return of Shaw Industries presenting its Anderson Tuftex, COREtec and US Floors lines. There were creative displays and events from Mohawk brands including Quick Step, Daltile, Marrazzi/ American Olean, PERGO, IVC, Australia’s Godfrey Hirst and large sets from Mannington and Engineered Floors.

TISE 2019 also had the Product Demo Stage at The Design + Installation Showcase Hub (DISH), located on the show floor. Mapei USA and building materials company USG offered daily demonstrations each hour, covering topics from shower and floor prep to installing floors in a flash.

Participating companies at The DISH were Custom Building Products, DriTac Flooring Products, Johns Manville, Merkrete/Parex and DryTile North America.

Sharing stories Leading up the event, industry participants provided their perspectives on their products, and what makes them unique in the #mySURFACEstory campaign.

50 Mannington, Measure Square Corp., Mohawk, PERGO, Raskin Gorilla Floors, Southwind Carpet & Hard Surface, and Tarkett were all actively taking part in Surfaces Live 2019.

Below: (l-r) Armstrong Flooring general manager (ANZ), Richard Ye, president and chief executive officer, Donald R. Maier, and strategic marketing manager (ANZ) Michael Keam.

Armstrong Flooring Australian made products, Accolade® Plus, Accolade Foothold, Accolade Safe and Wallflex were shown to the Flooring magazine team when it visited the Armstrong Flooring stand. “They are all developed and manufactured at our factory in Braeside (VIC) from where we export to 22 countries, including China and the USA,” explains Melbourne-based strategic marketing manager, Michael Keam.

Accolade Plus is the company’s most durable vinyl sheet floor. Designed in a range of colours to complement individual designs, it has a highly accented jaspe (multi-colour chip) visual and an embossed surface texture to help hide dirt created in high traffic conditions. It’s an exclusive homogeneous formulation that includes replenishing polyurethane throughout the thickness of the floor and a protective polyurethane finish to reduce initial and ongoing maintenance.

Above: Australian made products at the Armstrong Flooring stand.

Once on-site, TISE presented Surfaces Live in conjunction with Floor Covering News magazine. Exhibiting companies shared their product innovations, the ingenuity behind their products, and live demonstrations on camera. People were encouraged to view the videos online, on Facebook, and to share this content directly with their customers via their own company’s social media pages.

American Biltrite, Anderson Tuftex, Congoleum Corp., COREtec/US Floors, Daltile, Dixie Home, DuChateau, Emser Tile, Engineered Floors, Forbo Flooring Systems, Hearthwood, HPS Schonox, Inhaus/Classen, I4F Patents & Technology,

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

Above: Armstrong Flooring hosted a group of retailers from Australia. www.flooringmagazine.com.au

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Overseas News Accolade Foothold features aluminium oxide particles for added slip resistance encapsulated in a polyurethane surface to aid maintenance and provide additional resistance against staining. It is recommended for use in “wet barefoot areas” such as bath and shower rooms.

Accolade Safe is an innovation in slip resistant vinyl sheet flooring. Developed as an enhanced slip- retardant, easy maintenance floor covering with a broad range of colours.

Wallflex has become the Australian standard for durable, hygienic wall covering, according to Armstrong Flooring.

Clean and simple by design, it provides a seamless coating for healthcare interiors needing a low maintenance, long lasting wall covering that resists scratching, scuffing and denting.

Karndean Designflooring Communications manager at Karndean, Katherine (Kat) Caringola told Flooring magazine that TISE has always been very effective in terms of both sales and a brand presence.

“Our booth structure allows us to introduce Karndean Designflooring to those who are unfamiliar and showcase what sets us apart from others in the flooring industry, including the way we search the world for intriguing natural forms and use what we recover to develop our own original product designs. This is the show where we introduce our new products each year, so there is always a new and exciting story to tell both new and existing customers,” she said.

52 Below: (from top) Karndean Australian chairman, Peter Wood (left) and Martin Bell, global liaison – product development.

Ed Perrin is Karndean’s CEO and global lead advisor with retail channel marketing manager Julie Thomas.

Communications manager at Karndean, Katherine (Kat) Caringola with some of the company’s LooseLay Longboard product.

Around 45 new Karndean products debuted at TISE 2019 with the latest designs available across gluedown, loose lay and rigid core constructions.

Following the success of the company’s premier rigid core collection, Korlok Select, Karndean will add Hawaiian Koas, English and European Oaks, and American Barnwood visuals to the range. Featuring waterproof, 100% PVC K-Core technology for installation over most existing hard floors, Korlok Select has the security of the HoldFast 5G Locking Mechanism, which guarantees securely locked planks stay in place.

“This is the show where we introduce our new products each year, so there is always a new and exciting story to tell both new and existing customers.”

Karndean Designflooring has exhibited at TISE since 2015 and it has proven to be a valuable show because it is the largest retail sector-focused flooring show in the US.

The company’s award-winning Karndean LooseLay Longboard collection, a noninterlocking floating range, adds eight designs that can be categorised as either Fabric Oaks, American Pines, or European Oaks. Due to its 59” length and loose lay application, this collection is ideal for overnight retrofits and projects that require a speedy turnaround. LooseLay Longboard allows for an easy transition to carpet tile, its planks and tiles may be individually replaced, and it reduces noise transfer by 16dB.

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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Overseas News Makinex Construction Products According to Makinex national sales manager, Stuart Reynolds, TISE is an excellent platform to showcase its product and brand to an audience that is very relevant to the flooring industry. “Leads were strong and generally related to performing a task or application with greater productivity or efficiency.

54 “The event also provides a good opportunity for our team to be educated on the products and brands that drive the industry and we can explore opportunities to partner or align with other companies.

“With the global footprint the US market offers us, we are encouraged to develop continued innovation in the surfaces-related industries. We will be attending this event again next year to build on the momentum we gained from this year’s show,” he said.

Some of the products displayed at the stand include the Jack Hammer Trolley that enables fast and easy removal of materials from concrete or wooden floor surfaces. It reduces impact and vibration on the user yet allows greater control of the jack hammer.

This product can work up to six times faster than using a jack hammer alone.

Above: The Makinex Mixing Station displayed at the stand.

The Makinex Mixing Station is marketed as a solution for self-levelling cements, compounds and epoxies. It mixes 100kg of product in less than three minutes and reduces fatigue and risk of injury. The Mixing Station is also easy to manoeuvre around a job site.

Below: The Makinex team at TISE 2019 (l-r): Mark Choate, Melissa Langstaff, Stuart

Above: A range of industrial tones from the Godfrey Hirst stand.

Godfrey Hirst Following Mohawk Industries’ acquisition of Godfrey Hirst in 2017, the wellregarded Australia brand built on its long-established heritage for quality and performance by offering the latest colours, patterns, textures and fibres at TISE including, for the first time, several SmartStrand carpets.

Reynolds and Pete Maginnis The Godfrey Hirst SmartStrand carpets benefit from this fibre’s softness, durability and built-in stain resistance that won’t wear or wash off. It has a mixture of textures, loops, patterns and tonal looks including Modern Passage, Delicate Tracery, Welcome Tradition, Exquisite Reputation, Beautiful Tradition and Subtle Tones. Godfrey Hirst’s full collection of 2019 SmartStrand will have a combination of styles from the SmartStrand family including SmartStrand Ultra, SmartStrand Silk and SmartStrand Reserve. In addition, Godfrey Hirst also presented four new tufted wool styles.

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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Overseas News Hybrid Luxury Floating Floor

is our primary show for signing new members and interacting with our current membership base. This year was no different. There was great interaction and a steady flow of people. The WFCA booth was once again one of the busiest booths at the show. That says a lot since we aren’t showing and selling product.

“One of our primary focuses was touting what we are doing to positively impact the installation crisis. We also focused on our online education offerings through the WFCA University, a new app based on the installation challenge, and lobbying efforts in Washington DC intended to free up our members to do what they do best – meet the needs of the end user and return a profit.”

World Floor Covering Association Scott Humphrey, president and CEO of the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) believes the event works well as way to recruit and promote members.

He said: “Overall we had a strong show.

As is tradition, since our selling of the show to Hanley Wood who later sold it to the current owner Informa, TISE

Below: The World Floor Covering Association was a major presence at TISE 2019.

Humphrey is enthusiastic about Australian companies becoming WFCA members and attending TISE. “Surfaces has moved from being a primarily US show to one that meets the needs of the entire global market. Because it is the first major show after the New Year, it is the place to go to see new products and better understand global trends,” he added.

Save the date: The International Surface Event will be held 28-30 January 2020 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas (USA).

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Overseas News

56

Getting to know Las Vegas On the second trip to Las Vegas, it seems like it is a city that never says “no”, but says “maybe” quite a bit. And “maybe” translates to “yes, but it’s going to cost you”.

Take our hotel, for example, which is located on “The Strip”. “The Strip”, the guidebooks tell us, is a dense collection of casinos and “resort” hotels along 6.8km of South Las Vegas Boulevard (and, interestingly, is not technically in Las Vegas). Our hotel prided itself on being one of the cheapest on “The Strip” because it lacked a few room amenities Above: The Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas that most business travellers take for granted celebrated the Year of the Pig with a stunning Lunar New Year display. like bar fridges and a kettle for making coffee.

When asked about this, the hotel concierge explained these had been eliminated for our convenience, as this made the rooms cheaper — though we could get them for a fee.

Being a visitor on The Strip can also incur a tourist tax for meals. We found out about this because at one restaurant they mistook us for locals for about two minutes — I put it down to our general air of exhaustion, and our priority in alcohol over food. If you are a tourist in town, you automatically pay 20% more than locals do, on The Strip.

The other thing we noted was that the relationship to technology seemed a little awkward. Imagine Frank Sinatra with a Twitter account, and you get the idea. Our first brush with this earnest awkwardness was trying, at the Surfaces event, to find the Media Room for journalists and editors where they can work — and, more importantly, score some free food at lunchtime. But we could find no mention of the Media Room, common to most trade events.

Eventually, we asked someone — who directed us to the “Influencer Suite”. Because they wouldn’t want bloggers, Instagrammers and Facebookers to feel they were somehow unworthy amateurs amongst the people of the traditional press.

But we joke. The reality was that, having been to Las Vegas before, we found ourselves constantly trying to find hints to the real city beneath the tourist city. We didn’t quite get there this time, but we did get some clues to the sort of things that the hardworking crew who keep the tinsel polished gets up to when they aren’t at work.

The people we met were friendly, warm, and always professional. This is a relief in a city when the free-wheeling, easy-spending casino culture can feel a bit relentless.

This trip was filled with typical activities associated with Las Vegas: some gambling, seeing a show (Human Nature – Jukebox) and shopping. But a colourful highlight was seeing the spectacular Lunar New Year display at the Bellagio hotel that was accessible for everyone. A genuine cultural exhibit that was free for all.

Above: Happy Hour margaritas were important to Sandie Velkovska and Betty Tanddo who travelled to Las Vegas on behalf of Flooring magazine.

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

Locating Happy Hour drinks (mainly margaritas) and food became very important as the Australian currency lost a lot of value against the American dollar during our stay in Las Vegas. And as part of trying to keep our costs down, we also discovered the importance of having correct change when riding a public bus in Las Vegas.

We hope to visit again soon. ▲

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Overseas News

57

DOMOTEX Hanover 2019: A trade fair to connect the continents

D

omotex Hanover (January 11 to 14) has underscored its reputation as the sector’s biggest and most important hub for business, innovations and trends. Over 1,400 exhibitors from more than 60 nations came to Hannover to kick off a successful new year of business. With close to 90 percent of all attendees having decision-making authority, the calibre of the show’s visitors remained extremely high.

Even though Domotex recorded a slight dip in attendance, according to the exhibition survey, orders received by exhibitors remained constant, while the purchasing volume per visitor went up.

About 70 percent of all Domotex attendees once again came from abroad, a clear sign of the flagship fair’s international appeal.

In terms of visitor backgrounds, attendance was notably up on the part of wholesale and retail professionals. The figures also revealed an increase in attendance by architects,

interior designers and contract business professionals. In addition, Domotex 2019 saw an increase in the amount of display space sold.

Dr. Andreas Gruchow, the Managing Board member in charge of Domotex

said, “Thanks to its strong international drawing power, Domotex serves as the sector’s definitive global marketplace. The positive and optimistic outlook on the 2019 business year that was tangible in the trade fair halls proves the success of this year’s exhibition.”

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Overseas News Sonia Wedell-Castellano, the new global director for Domotex, remarked: “Manufacturers and customers as well as partners, architects and designers from all over the world come together to network at Domotex, spawning new business relationships and collaborative opportunities previously not deemed possible,” adding, “That’s what this year’s theme of Create’N’Connect is all about.”

The Balta Group has remained faithful to Domotex since the origin of the fair.

Managing Director Geert Vanden Bossche explained, “The rug business is a global business and this is the best place to connect with people and customers from around the world. In only four days we can meet with a lot of customers, giving a good return on our investments.”

For Myriam Ragolle, Managing Director of Ragolle Rugs, Domotex represents the ideal opportunity to present the new products to a worldwide audience within just a four day period, “It is impossible to achieve that by traveling. We can also make contacts with new customers from all over the world.”

58 Exhibitors from the skilled trades also expressed keen satisfaction with the run of the show. “Here at Domotex 2019, we have once again succeeded in impressing a trade audience from Germany and abroad,” said Julian Utz CEO of Uzin Utz, adding “The show’s international focus gives us access to exactly the right potential customers.” As he pointed out, Utz is strongly focused on Asian and Arab-speaking markets. “Therefore, the strong turnout by customers from these regions is a real boon for us.”

Susanne Gerken, a colour & trim designer at Volkswagen, came to Domotex 2019 to discover the latest trends and check out innovative materials. As she pointed out, colour trends and issues such as sustainability, recycling and new material lifecycles are all equally applicable to the automotive industry, and her takeaway was much more than just new impressions. “At Domotex I picked up several ideas I can use to great advantage in my work.”

By contrast, business matters were the prime objective for Alex Hosseinnia, CEO of Dallas Rugs in Colorado. “My line of work is all about buying and selling,” he said, adding that what he liked about Domotex was the way it made it easy for him to meet up with suppliers, and that it was an ideal place to discover the latest trends, colours and patterns likely to be showing up in U.S. retail channels in the course of the next year or two.”

Create’N’Connect This year’s theme of ‘Create’N’Connect’ put the spotlight on digitisation and creative connectivity across all aspects of floor design, forming a leitmotif for the entire event.

A key topic at this year’s event involved solutions for the digital presentation of carpets and floor coverings. The new digital solutions ran the gamut of VR and AR applications, including visualisation aids

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

for every aspect of the marketing mix, plus innovative software which makes it easy for customers to discover and choose their favourite designs and collections while providing retailers with new options for digital product presentation and sales.

The ‘Framing Trends’ special showcase served as the creative hot spot for the overall event and featured presentations and innovative product displays creating a lively hot spot that was particularly appreciated by visitors with a lifestyle focus.

Internationally renowned designer Sebastian Herkner said, “The floor sets the stage for any interior.” Again, highlighting the vital connective function of carpets and floor coverings within the overall design concept. “Along with walls, floors define the context and basis of interior design. The choice of floor material affects how we live and communicate in the resulting interior space.” As a presenter at the Framing Trends speaker’s forum, Herkner addressed the lead theme of connectivity operating at the interfaces of architecture, interior design and design.

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Overseas News In another exhibition space, Visionme, a young, Hannover-based company, presented ‘IUNCO’, a package of innovative visualisation technologies and distribution channels for the floor covering industry. The virtual showroom offered a comprehensive display of virtual reality technology, while the product catalogue devoted itself to augmented reality.

One of the central attractions at Domotex 2019 consisted of the ‘Wood Lifecycle’ flooring space, a project created and designed by Total Tool Milano, featuring a lifecycle of wood in seven distinct steps, from the tree growing in the forest to the recycled product, completing and closing the cycle at the other end.

A ‘Connectivity Wheel’ from Schmidhuber, made up of coloured glass facets, invited tradeshow visitors to enter the wheel, set it in motion with their footsteps and watch as they generated multi-coloured light reflections on the surrounding floor coverings provided by Carpet Concept.

Again, within the context of the lead theme, Fletco Carpets, in partnership with its customers, created a special floor of digitally printed carpet tiles and a carpet mat. Most of the floor surface was printed with a precisely defined pattern to form a clear contrast with the pixelated outer zone which was continued on the walls, illustrating the almost limitless possibilities of digital printing technology for the development of brand identities.

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

In the Art and Interaction space, the artist Rena Detrixhe laid reddish sand taken from the American state of Oklahoma as a temporary carpet. To create this ‘Red Dirt Rug’, she began by sifting the soil into a fine sludge, which she then smoothed out into an even layer. At the corners, she used parts of old shoe soles to stamp geometric patterns and ornaments onto the surface. The artist’s aim was to draw attention to the massive environmental impact of mineral extraction on the landscapes of her homeland.

Portuguese artist Vanessa Barragão created a display of handmade underwater worlds from recycled materials using techniques such as crochet, macramé and knitting.

Her work portrayed a coral reef, contrasting bright colours which stand for bygone days with a colourless extinct scenery representing what is happening now.

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The emulation of nature also featured in the exhibition segment of quality parquet and wood floors. There was considerable interest in vintage floors with a history, such as reconditioned railway sleepers or beams from demolished buildings.

Also on display were a generous range of artificially weathered or handcrafted ‘used’ look wooden surfaces (Fetim, Heywood Vloeren, Cora Domenico). The three-layered Carcassonne parquet floor from Lamett consisted of wide floorboards, with an authentic living surface structure featuring visible knots and open cracks that were deliberately included in the design.

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Overseas News

60

Highlights among the application and installation techniques on show included intelligent labour saving products such as, Uzin NC 111 BiColor, a plaster compound for the preparation of smooth base that includes a compound which changes colour from bright green to salmon pink when ready for application. SELIT Dämmtechnik displayed their new Selit Style product featuring laser-printed strips that can be matched with the floor using an innovative printing process.

The Ô MUR system from the French firm of the same name allows uniform wall and floor design. With this wall installation system, parquet flooring with a click connection can be applied not only horizontally, but also to the walls. Stäubli, a developer of mechatronic solutions for looms, also displayed a wide range of ‘used’ look carpet patterns with realistic wear marks, woven on ALPHA 500 series carpet looms.

Also on show were products with a more understated sheen, for example in superior quality carpets such as ‘Ghom Copper’ from Hossein Rezvani, ‘Reflections’ from Art Resources and ‘Argent’ from Choudhary Exports. New wool carpet collections from Creative Matters such as ‘Veil’ featured silver-grey tones. Grey was featured as a trend colour for superior quality products at numerous stands. ‘Super Smooth on Red Denim’ by Rug Star attracted considerable attention with its tufted rayon surface and the red cotton material of the carpet base showing through at an open point in the design. ‘Dazzie’ from Saraswatii Global, a masterpiece of the knotter’s art, with a fine, irregular three-dimensional silk surface structure was particularly impressive in dark grey.

Much in demand along with these examples of outstanding design was the equally exclusive ‘used’ look in textile

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

floor coverings, woven carpets and handwoven carpets (De Poortere, Stefany Home & Living, Hossein Rezvani). Wool and silk handcrafted carpets and superior-quality woven carpets with coloured geometrical or graphic patterns and strong black-white contrasts also had strong appeal (Claire Gaudion, Osta Carpets, Jaipur Rugs, Hanse Home Collection, Zollanvari).

Flair Flooring displayed the results of its partnership with the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The striking zigzag design of ‘Salon’ is a magnified detail of an art deco carpet contained in the V&A collection.

Prado Rugs, a manufacturer and exporter of machine-made carpets from Egypt, delighted tradeshow visitors with its high-quality wool carpets following the patented design principles of bio geometry. According to this principle, geometric patterns, circles, angles and waveform patterns are thought to create harmonising and therapeutic effects by activating especially positive energies in the environment and our bodies.

Prizewinning exhibits in the Carpet Design Awards 2019 On Saturday evening came the much anticipated announcement of the winners of the Carpet Design Awards 2019, given in recognition of outstanding combinations of quality, design and innovation. The Best Studio Artist Design award went to Create & Connect, The Chameleon Carpet from the Beate von Harten studio. The jury praised the idea of literally getting lost in the multiple fabric layers. Edelgrund won two awards, for ‘Bijar’ (Best Flatweave Design) and Best Communication for its advertising campaign. The winner of the CDA for Best Modern Design Superior was ‘Spartan Plumage’ by Zollanvari International. The Berlin trend label Rug Star was the winner in the Best Traditional-Modern Design category with ‘Balouch LightPink’. It also won the Best Interior Installation award for its ‘Magnificent Old- Portland Style House’, a photo project realised in the USA. The jury experts stated that, “the new and old world come together in this exciting interior interpretation,” agreeing it was an outstanding example of how carpets can transform an interior. ▲

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Overseas News

61

MMFA focuses on quality criteria for modular multilayer flooring With modular multilayer flooring (MMF) currently booming and new types of product construction being launched all the time, the international flooring landscape has seen a significant change within a short space of time. Whilst sales figures are climbing, the wealth of products makes the market increasingly complex, meaning more technical expertise is required, when it comes to marketing.

In its role as a European association, the Multilayer Modular Flooring Association (MMFA) wants to actively shape future developments and as such is focusing on its own research projects and involvement with ongoing standardisation work.

Carl Ruland, Convener of the MMFA Market Development Committee, explains, “Sales figures for MMFA members continued to rise in 2018, and in 2019 we forecast continuing sales growth for all product categories and markets within the MMF segment. For MMF flooring with HDF core, the Association currently estimates that its members hold a world market share in excess of 90%. By 2017, MMFA producers had already achieved global sales in this category, of which 80% were accounted for by Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In 2018, the total quantity rose even further.

“The success of MMF flooring has attracted many new suppliers to the market, leading to a significant increase in the range of products on offer,” explained MMFA President Matthias Windmöller. “Naturally, this is why we always need to keep a close eye on the subject of quality control and product characteristics. One of the aims of our Association is to achieve transparency, which is absolutely essential to ensure that customers are not disappointed and to be able to fully exploit potential.”

It means that the communication between industry and commerce and the fast pace of innovation must keep up with each other.

A further aim of the MMFA is to impose reliable product quality. To achieve this, international standards should be adapted to product developments as quickly as possible. Some mixed products are currently not covered by clear evaluations or standards. To address this, MMFA members made the decision in spring 2018 to once again raise the Association’s research budget. The MMFA undertakes in-depth fundamental research so it can play a role in developing the

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

Below: MMF wood and cork flooring.

Above: MMF bioflooring

Floorcovering Association of Victoria Inc.

NEW APPOINTMENT As detailed in the previous edition, FAV were looking to appoint an OH&S / Compliance Officer. We are pleased to announce that the position has been filled and the successful applicant was Bob Dolman. Bob joins FAV after spending 14 years as an organiser with the CFMEU Manufacturing Division, formerly FFTS, FFPD divisions.

Both the FAV committee and Bob are confident and excited at the prospect of Bob not only carrying out his OH&S / Compliance duties, but also the potential to use his previous experience and business relationships to further grow the FAV membership and to address issues, either current or potential in a timely and confidential manner.

Bob can be contacted during business hours on 0419114530 or bdolmanfav@yahoo.com Don’t forget to submit your entries for the FAV awards 2019 Email : favawards@gmail.com

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Overseas News content of international standards. At the top of the to-do list is the key task of defining meaningful product clusters and appropriate evaluation criteria for the various types of multilayer floors. This will lead to a better understanding of the products and their application for all concerned.

62 Below: This multilayer flooring has been manufactured using epoxidises soybean oil as a bio-based plasticiser.

of innovative and ecological approaches and materials. The MMFA views this as a positive trend, as Windmöller commented: “We are delighted to see sustainable concepts being put into practice in our business sector. This is another area where our members can count themselves amongst the pioneers.”

MMF products groups now in categories Wood – Polymer – Mixed

Joining in 2019: new members Tarkett and Neodecortech

At their autumn meeting held in Cologne in November 2018, members of the MMFA agreed to reclassify the various MMF product groups.

In this regard, the Association also made a clear commitment to bring together the variety of products in this class under the generic term “MMF”. Sebastian Wendel, convener of the MMFA Technical Committee, gave a summary of the outcome: “We are retaining our existing classification system for MMF products, but we wanted to move away from the concept of Classes 1, 2 and 3.” So, from now on we will categorise according to the construction of the MMF – namely wood, polymer or mixed.

2018/2019 is a time of renewed growth for the MMFA. As of January 2019, Tarkett France and the Italian decor paper printer Neodecortech will be joining the ranks of the MMFA network. This means that from 2019 onwards, MMFA statistics will be able to reflect an even broader market situation. The Association is currently made up of 23 ordinary members, 26 associate members and two supporting members. For the benefit of its main buyer markets, the MMFA is also expanding its language options online at www.mmfa.eu.

Dating back to October 2018, all technical content has been accessible in French as well as German and English (including the MMFA Technical Bulletins which are available to download free of charge), and the plan is for Dutch to be added in 2019. This gives a wider range of international user’s direct access to the specialised information, thereby enhancing market transparency in the multilayer segment.

The category ‘Wood’ (previously Class 1) applies to products with a wood-based core.

The category ‘Polymer’ (previously Class 2) includes polymer-based and polymer composite-based substrates and is divided into heterogeneous, (semi-) resilient LVT Click products (mostly in accordance with EN 10582, previously Class 2A) and the more stable Rigid products (usually in accordance with EN 16511, previously Class 2B). ‘Rigid’ includes polymer Click products based on either EPC (Expanded Polymer Core – polymer foam middle layer) or SPC (Solid Polymer Core – high-filled middle layer). Lastly, the category ‘Mixed’ includes all other types of construction (previously Class 3). In all three categories, the polymers can be either PVC or other synthetic material alternatives. This classification system continues to form the basis of the sales statistics which are made up of quarterly sales figures reported by ordinary MMFA members (producers).

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

Above: This environmentally friendly flooring is made from recycled leather, natural latex, natural fats and natural tanning agents.

Products are becoming “greener” The MMF sector is investing heavily in the continuous improvement of MMF products in terms of application, installation and environmental performance. Bio-based products and those based on sustainable, renewable raw materials have very interesting potential, and much effort is being put into devising new formulations for flooring that is as low-emission and eco-friendly as is possible. Many brand manufacturers are already using alternative softeners or are dispensing completely with conventional PVC and in its place are using polymers belonging to the group of polyolefins. On the other hand, others are focusing on rigid products with a mineral core. This is where the current dynamics of the market are very exciting, due to the use

The MMFA is also collaborating with other industry associations – the ECRA, ERFMI and EPLF – working towards the establishment of the EuFCA (European Floor Covering Association), a new European umbrella organisation. This “Association of Associations” will be located in Brussels and its purpose will be to represent the interests of the industry in a universal, effective manner.

The MMFA will hold its next Annual General Meeting on 2 & 3 April 2019 in Augsburg and Buttenwiesen (Germany) at the invitation of associate member Surteco SE. ▲

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Overseas News

63

Large wins for Flowcrete at the FeRFA Awards 2018 Below: Flowcrete was awarded for its work

The Resin Flooring Association (FeRFA) represents major businesses and organisations involved in resin flooring, screeding and surface preparation. FeRFA’s annual awards event was held at St Johns Hotel, Solihull, on November 23rd to celebrate the best of the resin flooring industry’s achievements from over the past year.

This year Flowcrete won the Large Industrial Project of the Year and Large Commercial Project of the Year categories at the FeRFA 2018 Best Practise Awards. Flowcrete UK’s Managing Director, Kevin Potter said, “We’re so proud and delighted to have been presented with these awards! Winning two categories is a fantastic testament to the hard work and commitment of the Flowcrete UK team as well as the quality of our flooring solutions.”

At the awards ceremony Flowcrete was first presented with the Large Industrial Project of the Year award, in recognition of work at The Macallan’s new whisky distillery. This was soon followed up by winning the Large Commercial Project of the Year category for the Menai Science Park’s (M-SParc) Flowcrete floor.

on the Macallan Distillery in Scotland.

Above: Flowcrete accepting the Large Industrial Project Award at the FeRFA Awards.

The resin-flooring manufacturer was also nominated in the Innovation Award category for it’s fast curing terrazzo system Mondéco Rapide.

The Macallan, which was undertaken with applicator partner IFT, raised a number of challenges. The distillery’s floor had to withstand the demands of high-end whisky production while providing a safe, visually attractive and on-brand finish. Over 21,000 square metres of Flowcrete’s systems were chosen to ensure that the floor in each part of The Macallan’s site was up to the task at hand.

This included a robust polyurethane coating for the production areas, fast curing and slip

resistant floors for the main tourist routes, a high-gloss and shiny black epoxy surface in the cask room, a natural-effect stone carpet for the external perimeter as well as other assorted screeds, primers and coatings.

At M-SParc, it was vital that the flooring reflected the aesthetics and style of the site’s architectural concept. To achieve this, the applicator Coatech installed Peran Comfort with Rustik Glamourstone to create a continuous ribbon of flooring that connected the outside areas to the inside. The bespoke, decorative finish that was required was finished to the client’s high standards and in time for the science park’s grand opening. ▲

Overseas News

64

DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR Exhibition Update Shanghai From 26 to 28 March 2019, the floor covering industry will meet again in Shanghai to see the newest products and innovations in the world of flooring at DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR. This year’s show has attracted over 1,500 exhibitors from 40 countries spread out in 15 exhibition halls covering a total gross exhibition area of 175,000 square meters.

A focus on trending topics InnovAction will hold its 7th edition in 2019 covering new products from 18 companies which will compete to win one of the 2019 Best Products Awards. The other professional forums include events such as the World Flooring Forum, Luxury Brands Carpet Show, Chinese Original Carpet Design Show and MaterialDistrict. One day before the official opening of its 21st edition, the organizers of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR along with China National Forestry Industry Association are hosting the international Wood Flooring Forum 2019. The Forum will give wood flooring manufacturers, buyers and associations an overview of the opportunities and obstacles in the international wood flooring market addressing topics such as legal, trade and environmental issues affecting the flooring industry.

just as importantly, co-organized by Treniq international interiors network, the international crew of 20 flooring buyers will tour the carpet and wood halls.

Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands also come back to the show to present a large variety of products including but not limited to machine-made carpets and rugs.

Wood Flooring - (Halls E1-E4)

Resilient Flooring - (Halls E6-E7/N3-N5)

The wood flooring sector will present the latest innovations in solid wood, engineered wood, laminate, cork, bamboo, and WPC flooring. International companies like Swiss Krono, Classen, Kaindl, Faus, Parador, Alsapan, Balterio, Berry Alloc, Quickstep, Granorte, Home Legend are gathering in Halls E1 and E3 to expand their business in Asia Pacific. At the same time, Nature, the famous domestic wood flooring brand, returns to the Shanghai show. Last, but not least, the solid wood heating flooring pavilion will have famous brands such as Teclic, Bloor, Yanni, Jinyi, Linchang, Minghe, Nuogao, Moganshan, and Jinxiang in its premiere appearance.

In 2019, the resilient sector is expanding to a total of 5 Halls with famous international brands like Gerflor, Armstrong and LG Hausys returning to the show. The SPC flooring market continues to grow with even more attending exhibitors compared to last year’s show. Another highlight of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR will be E7 that was specifically created for sports flooring presenting all kinds of new products. WPC indoor and outdoor flooring has become another new trend in resilient flooring.

Carpet - (Halls W1-W5) The country pavilions from Iran, Turkey and India are returning to the show with a significantly increased space. In addition, the Afghanistan pavilion outstandingly expands from 171 to 355 square meters.

FLOORTECH asia - (Halls E5-E6) The FLOORTECH asia display area has more than doubled in size and will occupy over 21,000 square meters across two exhibition halls this year. In Hall E5 specifically, domestic companies such as Qingsu, Zhisheng Machinery and JWELL will be launching their newest products at the exhibition. ▲

International quality buyers The dedicated international buyer delegations underline the show’s international importance in the global flooring industry. An Australian delegation will be hosted for the second time; a hosted buyer program for wood and bamboo flooring will bring professionals from all around the world to conduct B2B meetings with exhibiting manufacturers;

Flooring Febrary/March 2019

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2019 Exhibitions

ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD ABN: 27 006 876 419 PO BOX 800, Templestowe Victoria, Australia 3106 Ph: + 61 3 9890 0815 Fax: + 61 3 9890 0087 Email: info@elitepublishing.com.au Website: www.elitepublishing.com.au

MARCH 2019 26 – 28 Domotex Asia / ChinaFloor 2019

International trade fair for the floor covering industry.

Shanghai, China www.domotexasiachinafloor.com/ exhibition-information

14 - 17 MegaBuild 2019

Architecture, interior design and building exhibition featuring bathroom and kitchen, lighting design, doors and windows, facility security and fire, HVAC, roof and flooring.

Jakarta, Indonesia www.megabuild.co.id/en-gb.html

PUBLISHER Vicky Cammiade Email: vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au

APRIL 2019

15 – 17 Salon de I ‘Habitat 2019 Furniture and interior decoration exhibition Le Mans, France www.salonhabitatdijon.com/

3–7

OTTHONDesign (HOMEDesign) 2019 The home furnishing and design exhibition.

Budapest, Hungary http://otthon-design.hu/en

EDITORIAL Michelle Cammiade michelle.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au

20 – 24 Indo Build Tech 2019

Specialised international trade exhibition for the building and interiors industry.

Tangerang, Indonesia www.indobuildtech.com/Home

9 – 12 Coverings 2019

Trade event for ceramic tile, natural stone, flooring and related products.

Orlando, United States www.coverings.com/

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Sandie Velkovska Email: sandie@elitepublishing.com.au

18 – 20 InterStroy Expo 2019

International exhibition of building and finishing materials.

St. Petersburg, Russian Federation www.interstroyexpo.com/en-GB/

25 – 27 IDO Interior Design Oman 2019

Décor, design and lifestyle exhibition covering the full spectrum of products and services required to design, fit out and upgrade residential, hospitality, office and retail spaces.

Muscat, Oman http://interiordesign-oman.com/

26 – 28 CBD-IBCTF 2019 International building decoration fair.

Shanghai, China http://en.cbd-china.com/

PRE-PRESS Prominent Digital

*** For more information on the fairs or to confirm dates, please check the individual event websites.

Ad Index Airstep Australia

42, 43

Godfrey Hirst Australia

Amtico International

16, 17

Kenbrock Flooring

Armstrong Flooring Australian Flooring Supplies

Back Cover 13, 37, 39, 51

Australian Select Timbers

9, 11 Inside Back Cover

Laser Measure Australia

21

Mapei Australia Polyflor Australia

BBS Flooring Products

45

Preference Floors

55, 57

Classic Architectural Group

53

RFMS Australasia

47, 49

65

RLA Polymers

31

Sebo Australia

29

Dunlop Flooring

Inside Front Cover

Flooring Association of Victoria (FAV)

61

ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD (established 1985) All rights reserved – No part of this publication maybe reproduced, transmitted or copied in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of Elite Publishing Co Pty Ltd. Viewpoints, opinions, claims, etc expressed in articles appearing in this publication are those of the authors. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the information supplied or for claims made by companies or their representatives regarding product performance, etc or for any errors, omissions, misplacement, alterations, or any subsequent changes, or for any consequences of reliance on this information or this publication.

ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD PUBLISHERS OF: Supplier Woodworking Magazine, Tile Today Magazine, Discovering Stone Magazine, FB Magazine, Flooring Magazine, Finishes & Surfaces Magazine

33

Signature Floorcoverings

27

FloorInsure 63

Tarkett Australia

40, 41

GMK Logistics

Tennant Australia

59

25

PRINTED BY Prominent Group Pty Ltd

Front Cover

5

Domotex asia/CHINAFLOOR

CIRCULATION For circulation enquiries please email: info@elitepublishing.com.au PRODUCTION For artwork and production enquiries please email: production@elitepublishing.com.au

20 – 23 Hong Kong Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair 2019

Trade fair covering: bedroom textiles, bathroom and kitchen textiles, carpet and floor coverings, design solutions and trade services.

Hong Kong, China https://event.hktdc.com/fair/ hkhometextilesfair-en/HKTDC-HongKong-International-Home-TextilesFair/

25 – 27 The Big Show 2019

International exhibition of building materials, construction equipment and interior furnishings.

Muscat, Oman www.thebigshow-oman.com/

TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Philip Ashley philipneilashley6@bigpond.com

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

W E N 100%

Waterproof

Hybrid

Flooring

Our Research and Development Team are proud to launch Aquasmart +. On top of the benefits afforded by Aquasmart we now offer a Valinge 5G locking system for strength and ease of installation, an enhanced surface abrasion resistance using Aloxplus, and matching waterproof scotia.

Other Smart features: Aquasmart flooring continues to be constructed from wood fibres and thermoplastics covered with a 2.0mm LVT cushion layer which includes a 0.55mm commercial grade wear layer, making it highly resistant to surface wear.

The WPC core maximises stability together with superior acoustic properties, whilst the LVT surface reduces noise, provides underfoot comfort, and eliminates chipping.

Use with confidence in residential kitchens, laundry, bedrooms, living and dining areas.

Also ideal for offices, retail stores, multi-unit developments and aged care facilities.

100% Waterproof Family and pet friendly Warm and quiet underfoot Matching 100% waterproof scotia

www.flooringxtra.com.au