Flooring Oct/Nov 2020

October / November 2020

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

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Andersens Floor Coverings Wagga Wagga Store

A Successful Curriculum Starts with Design This Australian Made carpet tile, New Curriculum offers a multipurpose colour palette, with a number of bright accent colours that are designed to foster innovation and create engagement. This range also offers neutrals and charcoal hues that allow for tasteful integration into most interiors where a classic and timeless look is required. With the health and wellbeing of students and teachers being top of mind, you can rest assured knowing New Curriculum is free from toxins and nasty chemicals, having been certified Declare Red List Free.

Contact your local GH Commercial representative to order sampling and discuss your next commercial project.

AU: 1300 444 778 | NZ: 0800 500 210 WWW.GHCOMMERCIAL.COM

SM

Contents

3

vol 38 no 5

News

Editor’s Note

4

Government subsidies flooring technology apprenticeships

Spotlight On 12

Andersens – unparalleled support to franchisees

Insurance Matters 16

How well prepared are you for an insurance claim?

Feature

Welcome to the October / November issue of Flooring Magazine. Inside you will find our Buy Local Feature where we discuss the Morrison Government’s push to rebuild the economy and the critical role the Australian manufacturing sector will play in the initiative.

Our Icon this month is Trevor Morris, well known as an industry innovator and by his unofficial title – the Rubber Man. Please feel free to contact me directly regarding any industry relevant news, training and events or if you know of a person worthy of Icon status, by email at michelle. cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au

18

Buy Local

Icon 42

Don’t forget to join our online community and visit us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Trevor Morris

Technical Bulletin

Until next time, enjoy your read.

48

Fast Fit Interlocking Commercial Flooring Solutions

Michelle Cammiade

Software

Editor

52

Improve your business - grow your customer base

Flooring Magazine is now on: @flooringmagazineaustralia

Front Cover Andersens Floor Coverings www.andersens.com.au

@flooringmagazine @flooringmagazine

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News

4

Government Subsidies Flooring Technology Apprenticeships

A

s industry across Australia emerges from what can only be called a tumultuous year, the need for the flooring industry to employ apprentices is more important than ever.

With the Australian Government’s Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements Scheme now in effect, employing apprentices has never been more cost effective in keeping businesses in business. Major flooring retailers have welcomed the government’s initiative to give employers a return on their investment in training the next generation of qualified installers.

“Flooring Xtra welcomes the investment in the future of our industry. This announcement is much needed and will assist business to underpin the long-term growth of the flooring trade, this in turn will benefit our industry and provide long term career paths for our youth which will be the life blood of our industry in years to come. Flooring Xtra will be actively promoting this throughout our store network and installation teams across the country to ensure that this opportunity is taken up wherever possible”. Adam Enno, Marketing Director, Flooring Xtra

The FCIA continues to lead the growth of apprentice enrolments in the national flooring industry and promotes high quality, industry driven training to ensure all apprentices develop skills to industry standard. The FCIA’s apprenticeship model, incorporating their unique residential workshops, has been embraced by their members and partner RTOs for more than 2.5 years, generating growth in the Certificate III in flooring technology by more than 150%.

Industry support of the FCIA apprenticeship model has already been immense. The additional government support, of up to 50% of the first year wages of an apprentice, for employers only accelerates the mission of the FCIA to eliminate skills shortages that have plagued the industry for decades.

“Carpet Court are heavily invested in the FCIA program through numbers of participants already enrolled and our commitment to the support of this vital part of our industry into the future.

Attracting new entrants into our already strong network of stores and their skilled

installation teams is a priority of ours to ensure continued high quality of installations for our customers.

The government incentives to support an apprentice through the stores are now substantial and the increased activity in consumer spending in our sector since COVID shows no sign of weakening soon.

There would be no better time to consider an installation apprentice and the FCIA program is fast becoming the preferred vehicle for our members with the experiencebased learning approach this model offers”.

Greg Zeegers – Operations Manager NSW/ QLD, Carpet Court “We have been using the FCIA for three years now, and currently have two apprentices enrolled in the program. The FCIA take all the hard work out of organising the training with their onsite assessments and residential training programs. The apprentices learn a lot from the onsite one-week intensive learning environment.

We will be using the FCIA training [model] for future apprentices, and I encourage all retailers to get on board and hire more apprentices and train up to be skilled installers”. Adrian Clegg, Managing Director, Carpet Court Taren Point and Kogarah.

FCIA will continue to grow and support the apprenticeship program to ensure that the quality and reputation of the flooring industry is elevated.

Employers wanting further information on apprentices or the government incentives, please contact FCIA National Training Manager on 0407 295 149 or email info@ fcia.org.au.

Flooring October/November 2020

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News

6

Purchase an icon - Expressions of interest

T

he businesses of Supertuft Pty Ltd and Supertuft Manufacturing Pty Ltd are to be offered for sale to a purchaser who has the credentials and ability to build on the long- term success of the current businesses.

Further information can be provided to prospective purchasers who are serious and capable in their ability to purchase and operate the company.

Supertuft 100% wool pile products are well known for their excellent style and colour range. Supertuft has a small team of knowledgeable people that service a large and loyal base of satisfied customers.

This business opportunity may be particularly attractive to purchasers who bring further advances to the company by: • Increasing sales through further promotion.

• Improve marketing efforts through their understanding of Supertuft customers including carpet retailers, architects and interior designers.

• Carpet companies that are currently buying product that they could make and manufacture themselves if they owned Supertuft.

• Larger carpet manufacturers wishing to relocate their production to a smaller and more profitable manufacturing base.

• Existing manufacturers wanting an iconic brand for their wool products or to separate the marketing of wool products from their synthetic brands.

• Manufacturers who could substantially increase their income by supplying spun yarn, or carpet backing and storage services to the acquired business.

• Highly qualified and experienced engineers, marketing managers or professionals who have substantial experience in the carpet industry and want to operate their own company.

Supertuft are seeking a purchaser with exceptional management expertise to bring new energy and vitality to the business to ensure future growth and increased profits.

To express interest in this opportunity, email your details to: company@supertuft.com.au

Flooring October/November 2020

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Expressions of Interest

Sale of an Iconic Manufacturer of Premium Quality Wool Carpet

www.supertuft.com.au

Since 1980 Supertuft has been manufacturing colour range to interior designers and specifiers. premium quality wool carpet for residential and Our head office, manufacturing and distribution commercial use. Supertuft uses premium quality wool fibre which is a naturally renewable centres are located in Melbourne. resource.

As a preferred supplier of pure wool carpets for architectural practices we provide an extensive

To express interest in this opportunity email your details to:

company@supertuft.com.au

Product Update

8

Preference Floors - exciting new ranges hit the market A range of new products arriving in October include:

0.3mm and 0.5mm for more robust use environments. The range is designed for hard set adhesive installation. Ultimo luxury vinyl planks deliver class leading attributes that include great acoustic performance, low maintenance and eyecatching visual appeal.

OAKLEAF HD PLUS is a 48hr Water Resistant Laminate with almost life like visual decors created using the latest high definition digital imaging. The digital technology enables multiple natural timber plank samples to be imaged delivering up to 30 pattern repeats.

Customers will be amazed how realistic the decors appear from a standing height. The 12mm range is presented in an extra-long,

wide plank format with a patented click profile and bevel coating system to ensure accidental spills remain on the surface.

T Seam-Swell and Spillage tested to 80 hours.

The Ultimo Vinyl Plank range has been completely overhauled with the release of a 2.5 and 4.5mm offer that includes high demand Australian Timber decors, Spotted Gum and Blackbutt along with contemporary oak visuals. The hardwearing decorative layer includes a

Quick fix tactiles are here to stay Floorsafe Australia’s new and cost effective self-adhesive Quick-Fix individual tactiles have already proven to be a huge success.

The new DIY self-adhesive tactiles released

by Floorsafe are quick and simple to install and require no additional adhesive. With no mess and no need to close of access points, installation and replacement of missing tactiles can be carried out quickly and effectively.

Flooring October/November 2020

Contractors have already discovered that using Quick-Fix tactiles eliminates drilling holes and takes away the fear of breaking or cracking tiles. 99% surface adhesion is also assured which makes the applied tactile almost impossible to remove. Applied to concrete, asphalt, vinyl and all types of hard floor tiles, tactiles can now be successfully installed by any handy tradesperson.

ICONIC WPC will be a positive addition to the 100% Waterproof Hybrid offer, with 14 smart looking decors and super competitive pricing: it is sure to be a winner in this hugely popular category.

The range features 228mm and 180mm width planks in an overall length of 1520mm. Easy to install with a patented click profile to keep the overall supply and install package for your customers as competitive as possible.

On the engineered Oak side of things, the Pronto 14mm Oak range is now reimagined with 8 new visuals on a cleaner grade wear layer to deliver sharp looking and fashionable decors. Pronto is manufactured on a T&G profiled multilayer hardwood core with a 3mm Oak wear layer to provide strength and stability.

have increased the Quick-Fix range. The extensive offering includes coloured PVC, black PVD, 316 stainless steel, brass and stainless steel with carborundum infills are all in stock and ready for dispatch.

For further information, best prices and samples contact Floorsafe Australia.

To make installation even easier, Quick-Fix tactiles also come with their own interlocking templates at no extra cost. Because of the high demand for this new system Floorsafe

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by Kenbrock Artloc is inspired by natural timbers found throughout Australia and combined with individual embossing chosen to complement each colour. This combination gives Artloc an authentic timber look and feel with the added benefits that come with Hybrid Flooring.

With a 0.5mm heavy duty wear layer and PUR surface protection it is suitable for the busy home and easy to maintain. Artloc is highly resistant to scratching and indentation making it perfect for the ever going family.

It is also 100% waterproof with matching scotia that is also waterproof, giving it the ability to be insalled in all areas of the home creating a seemless look.

www.kenbrock.com.au

www.kenbrock.com.au

VIC 22-24 Edison Road Dandenong South VIC 3175 T 03 9765 2222 F 03 9765 2233

QLD 2 Kingsbury Street Brendale QLD 4500 T 07 3881 1000 F 07 3881 3287

WA-NT T 1800 674 145 F 03 9765 2233 TAS-SA T 1800 674 145 F 03 9765 2233 NSW-ACT T 1300 785 000 F 07 3881 3287

Product Update

10

Karndean Designflooring introduces its first dual-format range

K

arndean Designflooring, has announced it is expanding its Van Gogh collection with a selection of the current gluedown luxury vinyl range now available in rigid core.

“It means those looking for the continuity of the same colourway throughout are not restricted to just gluedown, especially if they face the challenge of an uneven subfloor in the next room.

Designed to offer interior designers, architects and contractors greater flexibility, it means the same design can be specified in either gluedown or rigid core across different environments as part of the same project.

“It will come as no surprise to those who are familiar with our brand, our Van Gogh collection is one of our most go to commercial collections with a wide palette of designs from traditional rustic to cool contemporary, and we’re confident our new designs will be as well received.”

Whilst rigid core can be installed over most existing hard surface floors or uneven subfloors without the worry of exposing any imperfections underfoot, thanks to its innovative K-Core technology, gluedown is most recognised for its flexibility in design with bespoke cuts, laying patterns and added design features available.

With 14 of the authentic wood designs (1220mm x 180mm) now available, Van Gogh rigid core reduces noise transfer to rooms below, without the need for separate underlay; ideal for an array of commercial environments including multi-level spaces such as offices, apartments and student accommodation.

Van Gogh rigid core features a superior 5G vertical click-locking mechanism, backed

by Karndean’s HoldSafe warranty, ensuring once planks are locked together, they will stay locked for life.

“The designs encompass some of our most popular hues including classic Country Oak, traditional Reclaimed Redwood and Frosted Birch in a gluedown and rigid core option for the first time,” explains Rob Cannone, Head of Sales at Karndean Designflooring.

He explains: “As designers, architects and contractors look to us for more flexibility when specifying our floors, we’re delighted to be taking our first steps in expanding our palette across different formats.

Found in the mountains of the Great Dividing Range to the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, the two spotted gums – Mountain Spotted Gum and Lemon Spotted Gum – reflect the natural characteristics of this rich Australian wood with its subtle spotted appearance and large amounts of sapwood.

The Van Gogh redwood designs are rustic, industrial looking planks that will give homeowners and designers alike the look of reclaimed woods without the practical drawbacks of real timber such as splintering, cracking and warping.

Rounding out the collection are five oak designs offering unique colours and distinctive grain details. Perfect all-rounders that feature natural characteristics to complement any interior styles in the home.

Van Gogh Rigid Core is waterproof, easy to clean and maintain, and compatible with underfloor heating.

Available from August, Van Gogh rigid core offers a lifetime residential warranty.

Flooring October/November 2020

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NOW AVAILABLE

PULSE HYBRID | High Performance Hybrid Flooring Meticulously designed and produced in Belgium, Quick-Step’s Pulse Hybrid will bring style to any interior with its authentic designs, feature rich textures and true to nature aesthetics. An ultra strong core and unique top layer helps protect against stains, scratches and impact damage, while the innovative joining system ensures a fully waterproof floor; core, surface and joins.

For more information talk to your Premium Floors or Floorscape Account Manager. www.quick-step.com

Spotlight On

12

Leading flooring retailer offers unparalleled support to franchisees

A

ustralia’s leading flooring retailer Andersens Floor Covering has continued its growth by opening a new store in Wagga Wagga NSW. Demonstrating the company’s ongoing commitment to further strengthen its network of stores across the country and create pathways for business owners to leverage the huge success of the brand.

New franchisees David and Angela Smit are true locals with a young family. David has previous delivering experience, running his own floor installation business for the past 20 years and Angela had a successful career with the public service. Both David and Angela were looking for a professional and exciting franchise group like Andersens that could help them take their business to the next level.

Below: New franchisees David and Angela Smit with their children

franchises. They are genuine and are all about getting back to grass roots service.

Andersens were founded on honesty, integrity and respect and that is still true in every aspect of their business.”

David shares his thoughts on when and why they decided to joined the Andersens brand.

“Mid last year we decided a change was needed. The dream of owning our own store was something that excited us – we could see it happening, but we wanted help. Travelling through Coffs Harbour one day, we ducked into an Andersens store and were very impressed.

“This led to 6 months of research, comparing franchises, meetings with the Andersens leadership team and speaking with many current store owners - we were hooked!

Andersens seemed different to other flooring

“The dream of owning our own store was something that excited us – we could see it happening, but we wanted help.”

Wagga Wagga is the largest inland city in NSW and the central hub of the Riverina which has long been known as Australia’s food bowl. Rich in agriculture, the city is also home to two defence force bases, Charles Sturt University, amazing tourist attractions, diverse landscapes and some of the friendliest people you can meet. It is perfect for raising a family and has all the services that larger cities offer but a laid-back country feel where you are part of a community.

Andersens is committed to bringing the care and customer support of small-town service experience to its franchisees. Quick, easy and good value is the goal. To understand the success behind Andersens growth over the past 60 years it is important to look at history, specifically the country roots and how they formed Andersens steadfast belief in country town service.

Angela explains the support her team has been receiving from Andersens during the 14 COVID pandemic.

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Join Andersens Floor Covering to get more out of your Flooring Business Enquire 0408 067 439 www.andersens.com.au/franchising

Andersens Floor Covering is looking for existing or new business owners in the flooring industry to join our respected brand.

You will benefit from our own Warehouse, Groups buying power, operational support and training, 60 years of experience and strong supportive network.

The respected name in Floor Coverings for over 60 years

Please Contact Andersens Expansion Manager - Dean Lightfoot 0408 067 439 or email : dlightfoot@andersens.com.au

Spotlight On

14 David continued, “The benefits of joining Andersens are incomparable! Andersens strive to improve their business model every step of the way and pass on these benefits and knowledge to all store owners. They are like a big family. Anything that a store needs the leadership team and/or another store will go out of their way to provide.

“Our exclusive range of planks from Karndean is an exceptional product. Because of the large quantities Andersens order, we are able to offer this top shelf product at excellent prices.”

“Usually when Andersens open a new store, their national training managers as well as members of the leadership team are in store effectively holding your hand in what could be a daunting time. They share their wealth of experience and expertise. Due to border closures we were unfortunately unable to have them in store with us. But the support we received from afar was exceptional.

“We zoomed, we called, we emailed. We were told repeatedly to contact them day and night, weekends and public holidays and every single staff member from head office, including other Andersens store owners, were literally at our beck and call. We genuinely feel supported and encouraged and look forward to seeing the support team as soon as the borders reopen.”

“We zoomed, we called, we emailed ... We genuinely feel supported and encouraged and look forward to seeing the support team as soon as the borders reopen.”

Andersens Floor Coverings has been a leading provider of flooring and window coverings for over 60 years. Offering carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, tile, blinds, shutters and more. Andersens offer the broadest selection of flooring products in the industry.

Andersens offer unequalled benefits to its franchisees including connections to exclusive flooring products, colours and brands, a world class training portal, a great community of family business owners and a household name in floor coverings.

Andersens is looking to talk with existing flooring stores, installers looking to open their own store or even complimentary businesses looking to expand their business into flooring, window furnishings, shutters and blinds. Existing stores converting to Andersens are offered financial incentives and support, whilst maintaining their local brand identity and legacy.

Contact Dean Lightfoot for more Information to join the Andersens Family Mobile: 0408 067 439 Email: dlightfoot@andersens.com. au

Flooring October/November 2020

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QUALITY HARDBOARD UNDERLAY MADE IN AUSTRALIA PRODUCT DETAILS - Highly resistant to indentations caused by point loads from things such as table legs, chairs, stools, book cases, wall units and high heel shoes - 100% Australian made and owned Preconditioned to the Australian climate, Intalay Underlay is unlikely to be adversely affected by stability issues - Provides a flat, uniform, indent resistant surface on which to lay resilient sheet or tile floor coverings - Intalay Underlay is tough, flexible and resistant to cracking or fracturing

Intalay underlay is a high quality, highly durable underlay product. Designed to be used over strip timber, particleboard, plywood and concrete floors to provide a flat, uniform, indent resistant base for sheet floor coverings.

- The smooth surface of Intalay Underlay allows even and economical application of adhesive - Easy to work and fix with normal wood working tools and flooring installation equipment

Specifications Dimensions: 1220 x 915 x 5.5 mm Area: 1.12m2 Packaging: Bulk packs (120 sheets)

CONTACT YOUR NEAREST INTAFLOORS DISTRIBUTOR TODAY NEW SOUTH WALES Intafloors Trade Depot Seven Hills P: (02) 8678 5479

ACT Intafloors Trade Depot P: 0403 420 377

QUEENSLAND Intafloors Trade Centre Gold Coast P: (07) 5564 9999

Botnay P: (02) 8038 1111

Brisbane P: 0438 703 536

Silverwater P: (02) 9166 3981

Sunshine Coast P: (07) 54510856

VICTORIA Intafloors Trade Depot Vic P: (03) 9768 7248

SOUTH AUSTRALIA DE Seal & Sons Pty Ltd P: (08) 8346 9833

NEW ZEALAND Allnex Auckland P: +64 (09) 583 6500

www.intafloors.com.au

Insurance Matters

16

How well prepared are you for an insurance claim?

Article by Ian Jones That depends on your insurance policy. They are not all the same and provide different covers in the same way that floor coverings have different qualities.

Retail Flooring businesses have similar requirements and needs for insurance as other retail style businesses. There may, however, be aspects of some business package insurance policies that leave you high and dry at a time when you need protection the most. It is vital that you understand what policy exclusions, endorsements and sub limits are included to ensure absolute protection against the unexpected. This is not necessarily something that flooring retailers are well equipped to translate, and nor should they have to, so advice - the right advice is absolutely crucial.

If you arranged your insurance directly with an insurance company, they won't, and aren't able to give advice on matters such as sums insured, sub limit values and policy modifications so the onus is on the retailer to tell the insurance company exactly what they want and hope that they get it right. To get the right advice the best way is to engage an insurance broker and ensure that they have a good knowledge of your business, its workings and needs. A broker can make all the appropriate recommendations and ensure qualified options are available so you can

Flooring October/November 2020

make an informed decision with professional advice. Insurance brokers also deal with a wide variety of insurance companies so the advice comes based on the experience of the broker and knowledge of a wide variety of insurers and their policy differentials.

A typical insurance policy for a retail flooring business would protect against risks such as fire, storm, impact and a range of other perils listed within the policy. Including loss of business income and profits following a peril, burglary, theft, loss of money, plate glass, breakdown of motors and electrical items, stock in transit, public and products liability and much more. Other covers may include management liability, tax audit, legal expense cover, motor vehicles and professional indemnity. The list goes on, so once again it is important to get the right advice on what suits you and your particular business.

A flooring retailer needs to also ensure that they are fully protected against any claim bought against them for property damage or personal injury bought about by contractors or other parties in their course of business.

A consumer may consider these services provided as an extension of your business, disregarding the fact that these services may be contracted. Some insurers policies may exclude such claims made where a retailer / contractor relationship exists and the retailer may not be fully aware of what cover any contractor holds, or even if it is adequate.

The retailer may also have insufficient cover for civil claims brought about by contractors if they themselves are injured on a job. A web of confusion emerges very easily when it comes to liability claims so the right advice is vital.

The cost of insurance is always relevant but don't believe that all insurance policies are the same. Remember you always get what you pay for - just like differing qualities in flooring. If an insurance policy is slightly more expensive it is likely for a reason. Once again it pays to get the right advice as it can save you a lot of money in the long run, maybe even your business.

The one obvious point to make here is to ensure that you, as a flooring sector client, have absolute confidence and faith in the insurance cover you hold for your flooring business and that it has been reinforced by the advice you receive from an insurance professional. It is all too late after the event to look at your insurance cover. It is the old saying about shutting the gate after the horse has bolted.

If you have any questions or need an answer on your insurance problem, email us at insure@floorinsure.com.au www.floorinsure.com.au 1800 607 205

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no jargon no delays no hidden fees no worries…

Peace of mind with Australia’s ONLY Flooring Industry insurance broker on your side.

FloorInsure offers the benefit of large insurance firms with our superior capacity to manage complex insurance claims while retaining personal, flexible and tailored servce. We are dedicated to ensuring you get what you’re entitled to… every time.

For more all 1800 607 204 or email insure@floorinsure.com.au

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18

Feature

Buy Local - Manufacturing in Australia Today The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the need to better understand and address our supply chain issues and opportunities. The Australian Made Campaign Ltd (AMCL) is calling on all Australians to ‘Buy Australian Now and Support Aussie Jobs’ and the Morrison Government has announced the launch of a new era of Australian manufacturing in an effort to rebuild the economy, create jobs and recover from the COVID-19 recession.

“A thriving manufacturing sector is critical to Australia’s economic future and prosperity.

By buying Australian right now, not only are you getting products grown in our clean, green environment and made to the highest of manufacturing standards, you are also pumping money back into the economy, creating jobs, strengthening local industries and supporting local communities,” says Australian Made Chief Executive, Ben Lazzaro.”

It is timely therefore to review just how Australian manufacturing is doing, and to recognise those in our industry that continue to invest and do it well.

New analysis shared by The Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work reveals Australia does not fare well against its OECD counterparts. “Most other industrial countries have manufacturing sectors that are successful and large enough to, in aggregate, meet their own domestic needs for manufactured products," reports director of the centre, Dr Jim Stanford.

"Australia has one of the most underdeveloped manufacturing sectors of any industrial country in the world," said Dr Stanford. "I think there is a mistaken

Flooring October/November 2020

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Feature

assumption that if you're a rich, highwage, industrial country you just can't do manufacturing. We found that traditional assumption is absolutely false."

In the late 1980s manufacturing was the biggest employer in Australia, with 16.5 per cent of the workforce. Now less than 1 million people work in the sector, accounting for 6.4 per cent of jobs.

One company bucking this trend however is Armstrong Flooring who continue to make high quality commercial flooring products at their Victorian Braeside plant for well over 50 years. Commercial vinyl flooring manufactured at this facility is not only found on most of Australia’s toughest commercial floors but is also exported to many destinations around the world.

“We are very proud of the fact that when everyone is lamenting the demise of Australian manufacturing, Armstrong Flooring is not only making product here, but is also exporting. About 20% of our production goes to customers in 21 different countries on five continents. We even export to China,” says Rob Mclorinan, General Manager of Armstrong Flooring.

Like many Australian manufacturers, Armstrong Flooring are not only highly skilled at producing their core ranges but are also flexible enough to develop and deliver short run bespoke flooring, while adapting to changing trends and environments. They have continued to manufacture while safely

navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver products to essential projects like hospital, school and aged care developments.

Australian attitudes towards local manufacturing has shifted significantly with strong support for buying local. Roy Morgan research conducted in July 2020 shows that 9 in 10 Australians believe Australia should produce more products locally. When asked why, reasons given by Australians included; the pandemic has highlighted Australia’s reliance on other countries and to create new employment opportunities and keep jobs in Australia we need to support Australian businesses and industry. Also noted is that the pandemic has highlighted vulnerable international supply chains and manufacturing locally is essential to strengthen Australia’s economy and survive the recession.

Armstrong Flooring’s General Manager, Rob Mclorinan attributes the company’s strength to its 106 employees, many of whom have been with the company for over 25 years. There is a triple bottom line for a manufacturer like Armstrong. Not only do they keep jobs in Australia, but the business benefits from better customer service built on long term relationships, greater responsiveness based on shorter lead times and higher trust in the brand, product quality and environmental impact. Ultimately, supporting Australian manufacturing is about jobs and the knockon effect to other businesses around it.

20 Mclorinan talks about the value-add

Feature

20 Minister Andrews explains, “By playing to our strengths, strategically investing and boosting the role of science and technology in industry, we can open up new markets and take more of our quality products to the world.”

effect and the benefit to the local economy as many other businesses are also suppliers into the local facility. Where possible, as much as possible is sourced locally.

This is particularly important out in the field, where customers can deal with someone they have known and trusted for a long period. Armstrong prides itself on manufacturing and delivering product that will exceed customer expectations.

“In the major project space, it’s not unusual for product from our current range to be replacing product we manufactured decades earlier. The old flooring is still performing as well as it did the day it was installed. Putting the customer first is hardly a new and dynamic concept, but it reflects Armstrong’s culture. Many customers in the flooring market have been with us for decades.”

regions and to the capabilities that underpin the success of so many other industries.”

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said, “This strategy reflects the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as extensive work with industry before that.

“Our manufacturers have risen to the challenge to deliver during COVID-19 and now, we’re unlocking their potential to deliver for our future,” Minister Andrews said.

“We keep pace with the latest technology and have a research division, which ensures we are manufacturing vinyl flooring that is highly competitive and entirely appropriate for the market. Behind the product we have knowledgeable sales and service personnel who support our customers from order placement through to installation and maintenance.” Says Mclorinan from Armstrong Flooring.

“Every day we manufacture products at our Braeside Victoria factory for installation in some of the most demanding spaces, it is commonplace for our products to be installed in hospitals, schools, prisons and even airports. As such our products not only have to meet our customers demand to provide on trend colours, but to also provide extremely durable, hygienic, easy to maintain floors which assist in minimising costs for maintenance, as well as reducing resource wastage throughout the life of the floor,” reports Michael Keam, Business Development and Product Manager at Armstrong Flooring.

“We make things in Australia. We do it well.

We need to keep making things in Australia.

And with this strategy, we will,” Prime Minister Morrison said.

The company has a strong emphasis on product sustainability and its Green credentials. Armstrong Flooring’s Australian made vinyl floor and wall products, achieve third party certification by NCS International to the Green Building Council of Australia’s PVC Best Practice Guidelines and by Ecospecifier to GreenTag Greenrate Level A which permits use of Armstrong Flooring’s best practice PVC products in GBCA Green Star projects. This is becoming more important in building construction across all our commercial markets.

“Manufacturing is critical to Australia’s economic future, to the prosperity of our

web www.armstrongflooring.com.au www.australianmade.com.au

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced around $1.5 billion in new funding over 4 years in the Modern Manufacturing Strategy to make Australian manufacturers more competitive, resilient and able to scale-up to take on the world.

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INVESTING IN AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING SINCE 1968.

NOW THAT’S AN ACCOLADE WE ARE PROUD OF. Using innovation, collaboration and expertise to reinvent indoor environments.

armstrongflooring.com.au

Feature

22

Better products for happier people and a healthier planet In budget Priced at $25 per sqm or under, Interface’s QuickShip $ range is designed to provide simple yet striking installs with 36 modular carpet tile and LVT options, to suit any budget.

Furthermore, their QuickShip $$ range offers more colours, patterns and textures to choose from including 77 modular carpet tile and LVT options.

Interface is a global commercial flooring company that has been manufacturing locally out of South West Sydney, NSW, since 1971. Offering an integrated collection of sustainable carpet tiles and resilient flooring, including luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and Nora rubber flooring. Whilst having a global reach combined with local knowledge, Interface continues to build customer relationships that are collaborative, committed and productive.

Carbon Neutral Floors As a business, Interface has been leading the way toward sustainability since 1994 and has built a business that is steps away from a zero negative impact to being restorative to the planet. All Interface flooring sold is third party verified carbon neutral across the entire product lifecycle. They have taken a holistic approach to achieve carbon neutrality by first reducing the carbon footprint of all products, and then using carbon offsets for the remainder, including the emissions from raw materials, their manufacturing processes and product use to end of life.

With Interface’s QuickShip offering, customers are no longer forced to sacrifice style for quick turnaround times. Now offering an in-stock selection of 100+ colourways featuring some of the best-loved flooring product options with a promise to be dispatched from their manufacturing facility within 5 working days.

Flexible solutions to suit your budget and space.

In time All QuickShip products are in stock and dispatched within 5 working days from Interface’s local manufacturing facility. So, you can quickly meet your discretionary project needs.

Whatever your space With no minimum order quantity, Interface’s QuickShip range has products which are well suited for all spaces. Be it an office space, school, health or aged care facility. Delivering superior design flexibility that is functional, easy to install, where hard and soft surfaces work together seamlessly – with no transition strips.

Find more ideas and browse the full Interface QuickShip offering at www.interface.com/ quickship. web www.interface.com/quickship

Local support, training and maintenance Respirators: Positive vs Negative Pressure Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) and N95 Disposable Respirators are two of the respiratory protection options available to protect workers from dangerous or hazardous airborne contaminants such as crystalline silica, but the design and means by which these two types of respirators function are very different.

Flooring October/November 2020

Disposable N95 Respirators. Negative Pressure N95 Disposable respirators are specifically manufactured to be able to filter particles that are above 0.3 microns in size with 95% filtration efficiency. They achieve this level of filtration by using a filter layer in the mask that is created from non-woven fibre or material, such a polypropylene. N95s are negative pressure masks which means air is drawn in through the mask.

However, in order to be effective, N95 respirators are designed to be worn with a tight seal against the wearer’s face. This ensures that when the wearer inhales, the air being drawn in, is coming through the mask’s filtration layers, and not from leakage around the edges of the mask where it meets the face. Part of the procedures for proper use of an N95 mask requires that the mask be correctly fitted to assure that it is 24 properly donned.

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

QuickShip.

In time. In budget.

Whatever your space.

A budget-friendly range of over 100+ colourways. Easy to install, seamless and a unique system of carpet tiles and LVT, all dispatched within 5 working days.

Manufactured in NSW, Australia

Interface.com

15 YEAR

15 Year Warranty

Carbon Neutral FloorsTM

Tel: 1800 804 361 Email: info.au@interface.com

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24

Powered Air Purifying Systems – Positive Pressure Powered Air Purifying Systems (PAPRs) consist of a battery-powered air handler or blower that draws ambient air through a filter cartridge, directing the purified air to headgear such as a mask, hood or helmet.

The power unit generates positive pressure inside the mask, which serves to keep unfiltered ambient air from entering the headgear and being potentially inhaled by the user.

This positive pressure feature means that the fit of the headgear used with PAPRs need not form a tight seal, unlike the N95 mask where the tight fit to the face is a key requirement.

This capability means that users with facial hair are able to wear the respirators because if there is a break in the seal, the air is pushing outwards, preventing any air from entering.

PAPRs are capable of filtering anywhere from 96% of contaminants at the low end to upwards of 99.9% at the higher end of the filtration metric.

CleanSpace Respirators CleanSpace Respirators are PAPRs, but are seen as a revolution in the area of respiratory protection because while they provide all the protection of a PAPR, they a free from belts, battery packs and hoses making them more comfortable and easier to deploy.

Compared to disposable N95 respirators, CleanSpace Respirators offer more

protection and are more economical as the cost of replacing disposables stacks up.

With the current COVID-19 crisis, securing a reliable supply has also been an issue.

Disposable masks are well-known for causing fogging of eyewear and discomfort, leading to low compliance. When used in hot or humid conditions, CleanSpace Respirators provide cool, clean air to the user and eliminate fogging and moisture.

CleanSpace respirators are light, easy to put on, reliably safe and comfortable. These smart powered devices are easily operated using a one-button smart system, recharge in just two hours and have a 6-hour runtime. These unique features mean more workers wear these respirators for a full shift every time.

CleanSpace meets and exceeds Silica Dust Exposure Standard To guard against silica exposure, State regulators have moved to recommending staff wear respiratory protection using a minimum of a P2 filter. CleanSpace respirators

Flooring October/November 2020

meet and exceed these requirements with a P3 filter. CleanSpace Respirators are CE, NIOSH and AS/NZS 1716 approved.

Product Range CleanSpace Respirators have four models depending on the requirements of the industry.

• CleanSpace Ultra is IP rated 66, making it water tolerant, perfect for stonemasons carrying out wet-cutting.

• CleanSpace EX is intrinsically safe, so that it can be worn in potentially explosive environments such as mining.

• CleanSpace 2 can be used in a variety of industrial applications where water tolerance or intrinsic safety is not required.

• CleanSpace HALO is designed specifically for the Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Laboratory sectors.

Customer Support CleanSpace Technology, an Australian company based in Sydney, assists in product training, fit testing and instructions on maintenance and care with attentive customer support. web www.cleanspacetechnology.com

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

A REVOLUTION IN RESPIRATORY PROTECTION n

High protection PAPR P3/TM3 99.95%

n

Reusable and cost-effective

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No belts or hoses

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Comfortable and lightweight 500g

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IP Rated 66 water tolerant

n

AUST/NZ, NIOSH, CE approved

Request a demonstration, contact us today at sales@cleanspacetechnology.com WWW.CLEANSPACETECHNOLOGY.COM

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A true mark of Aussie authenticity

W

ith multiple manufacturing facilities in Geelong, Godfrey Hirst’s strong Australian history spans back to 1865. In the last issue of Flooring Magazine, they shared their journey on local design, manufacturing, and distribution across the last 150 years.

The Godfrey Hirst passion for manufacturing Australian Made products and supporting their local community remains stronger than ever. They recognise that supporting local industry and manufacturing will be vital to rebuilding the economy, which is why they are proud to announce their partnership with the official Australian Made campaign.

Partnering with the official Australian Made campaign aligns Godfrey Hirst with Australia’s most trusted, recognised and widely used country of origin symbol, underpinned by a third-party accreditation system which authenticates genuinely Australia Made products, a true mark of Aussie authenticity.

Key among the Godfrey Hirst collection of global products is an extensive range of Australian Made carpet tiles and planks, all available to buy now. They offer a large range of solution dyed nylon, Designer Jet and Pattern Perfect carpet tiles; designed for all budgets and all areas of installation. The Designer Jet tiles are made with the latest precision dye injection technology, offering a large array of patterns, style, and colour.

The Pattern Perfect carpet tile and plank products are made from the latest innovation of tufting technology right here in Australia.

Made to order locally, the pattern perfect technology delivers highly patterned, design driven ranges.

that have been known to cause poor health.

Importantly this provides customers with complete peace of mind that they are choosing a healthier carpet fibre for their home or commercial space.

Given 90% of Australian consumers recognise the familiar green and gold tag, and are more likely to buy Australian Made products, a licence to display the iconic logo is more important now than it has ever been. This allows consumers to easily assess whether a product is Australian Made therefore assisting in their overall purchasing decision.

The Godfrey Hirst Australian Made product portfolio includes residential and commercial broadloom carpets. They supply a broad range of synthetic and triexta carpets along with high quality Australian and New Zealand made wool carpets.

As well as being Australian Made, the solution dyed nylon and Designer Jet carpet tiles and planks and the residential triexta broadloom carpets have now been officially certified as Declare Red List Free. This ‘nutrition label’ for building materials transparently ensures the carpet has none of the nasty chemicals from the Red List

Flooring October/November 2020

All of Godfrey Hirst’s Australian designed and manufactured products make beautiful, high performance flooring for your home or next project. web www.godfreyhirst.com

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

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Proud to be Australian – Underlay King

T

his year has definitely been a challenging time in business.

However, the team at Underlay King have pushed through and will come out the other side of this bigger and better than ever thanks to their valued customers and their continued support of local business and manufacturing. Underlay King are very proud to be the only Australian owned and made manufacturer of underlay in the country.

Underlay King stay true to their values of keeping locals employed whilst looking after the environment, both now and for future generations. They are big on recycling and offer their customers a scrap pick p service by providing them with bale bags for their scrap underlay, which is then collected when the new product is delivered.

You can have the most luxurious carpet but unless the underlay supporting it will last and keep its shape, it is all for nothing.

Underlay King are committed to supplying the highest quality product possible, they put more foam into their rolls to consistently achieve the density required for a superior product.

Let’s face it, underlay is not the most exciting thing in the world. You don’t see it but you certainly do feel it and the comfort it provides you under foot day in and day out.

It has certainly been a learning curve during these COVID times sourcing raw materials.

The team at Underlay King have secure partnerships in place with suppliers of high-

quality materials to ensure their products are of the highest standards. Underlay King products are used extensively in high rise buildings, hotels, apartments, schools and of course in the residential building industry throughout Australia.

Sales and demand are increasing and as such they are looking for partners in distribution of their products in QLD, ACT and metro and regional NSW. Please contact Underlay King at, info@underlayking.com. au with your expression of interest. Please also feel free to make contact if you would like further information on their products as well as details for where you can view footage of their state-of-the-art plant in operation. It is quite impressive if we do say so ourselves and well worth seeing.

Underlay King have an abundance of stock available across their standard product range for both domestic and commercial use including: Integrity 7 Gold

7mm / 120kg m3 / 15mt roll

Integrity 8 Blue

8mm / 75kg m3 / 15mt roll

Integrity 10 Green 10mm / 90kg m3 / 15mt roll Integrity 11 Gold

11mm / 120kg m3 / 10mt roll

web www.underlayking.com.au

Flooring October/November 2020

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

YOUR CARPET IS NOTHING WITHOUT HIGH QUALITY UNDERLAY SUPPORTING IT!

100% Australian Owned & Made Phone: (03) 9408-9522 www.underlayking.com.au

Fax: (03) 9408-9544 info@underlayking.com.au

Reclaimed Recycled Recyclable

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Local manufacturing = long-term prosperity for Australia

B

ack in December 2006, Jonathon Clewlow had just nervously signed a lease on a factory in South Dandenong. He looked inside the empty 1,200 m2 factory and wondered how on earth he was going to fill a factory that, at the time, seemed too big.

Fourteen years on, Nexus Adhesives Pty Ltd is a respected established Australian manufacturing company and the same factory is proving a little too small for its daily business activity.

Back then, Jonathon Clewlow and his chemist friend Ishu Sofat, decided to start up an Australian manufacturing company at a time when many Australian manufacturing businesses where either closing, or going offshore. It was a bold move that bucked the market trend at the time.

Nexus Adhesives entered the market designing its own flooring adhesive range, and quickly became a local supplier of synthetic latex compounds to the Australian carpet and synthetic grass manufacturers. In doing so, Nexus Adhesives became an Australian manufacturer supporting other Australian manufacturers in the flooring market.

Starting an Australian manufacturing business was not without its challenges, the greatest of which was that Ishu contracted breast cancer and tragically passed away in 2013. This was a terrible time for all the team at Nexus. After Ishu’s passing, Nexus’ Flooring Adhesives Manager, Brett Nixon became a shareholder in the business.

Brett is a former vinyl layer and flooring commercial contractor.

“Brett brings enormous practical knowledge and resource to our business”, says Jonathon.”

Nexus produces its own range of Nexus branded flooring adhesives for resilient flooring, timber flooring, carpet tiles, LVT and broadloom carpets. Nexus also manufactures OEM products for many other organisations, such as the MJS Max Bond range of flooring adhesives.

Jonathon is proud of Nexus’ position in the market. “Our strength resides in innovative formulas and efficient production.

It is essential that we’re an efficient manufacturer as we have to compete with imported products. It is our aim to provide an Australian made alternative that is as good as, if not better, than the imported equivalent for our market.”

In 2019, Nexus entered a joint venture arrangement with ARDEX Australia and WAKOL Germany. “We liked ARDEX’s commitment to manufacturing in Australia – it has five manufacturing sites in five states. And WAKOL provides Nexus with huge technical depth and works closely with our two on-site full time Industrial Chemists.”

“We’re really buoyed by the huge groundswell of support for local manufacturers. We simply ask that flooring adhesive users and purchasers support locally designed and manufactured product because more successful Australian manufacturers means more long-term prosperity for Australia.”

Fourteen years on from that nervous first step, Nexus Adhesives’ factory in Dandenong is a hive of activity with a dedicated team intent on supporting long term manufacturing in Australia. web www.nexusadhesives.com.au

Flooring October/November 2020

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

P ro u d & P a s s i o n a te Au s t r a l i a n Formulated Flooring Adhesives Nexus Adhesives Proudly Manufactured in Melbourne for 16 years.

Utilising the latest raw materials, the technical staff at Nexus Adhesives have formulated a range of flooring adhesives with the End User in Mind.

Vinyl Plank Hard Set Adhesive Nexus 870 is hard setting full cure Adhesive with Low VOC. This high performance polymer blend based adhesive is designed, for the installation of commercial and domestic PVC planks and tiles.

Also suitable for sheet vinyl floorcoverings.

Nexus 870 has been used to install in excess of 500,000 m2 in 2020.

MADE

w w w. n e x u s a d h e s i v e s . c o m . a u

N

A

TRALIA US

Support Australian Manufacturing Buy Locally Made!

42 Healey Road, Dandenong South, Vic. 3175 info@nexusadhesives.com.au

03 9706 4022

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32

Buy Local, Buy Beaulieu

B

eaulieu Australia has been a part of the Australian Floor Covering landscape for many decades.

A local mill producing a variety of carpet options for the Australian and New Zealand public to choose from. Some of which include world first technologies developed right here in Queensland.

Another core value of the business is caring about the wellbeing of customers, employees and the environment. To this end Beaulieu are constantly accessing all chemicals used in their manufacturing process, and that of their suppliers. This ensures only natural and safe products are used. This is not always the case when purchasing products imported from other countries. Another great reason to buy local.

Innovation is one of the core values of the business, so partnering with likeminded innovative suppliers allows Beaulieu to offer products that no other manufacturer can produce.

One such range has been developed with the specific needs of asthma and allergy suffers in mind. Using Beaulieu’s world first patented technology, they have created a range of stylish, durable and safe carpets that not only eliminate dust mites, but also have the ability to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, fungi, algae, mould and mildew that are known to contribute to the effects of asthma and certain allergies. This makes Beaulieu the only broadloom carpet manufacturer in the world with products that have been tested and approved by an authority for the knowledge and care for asthma suffers, debunking the myths that all carpets are problematic for people living with asthma.

In another first for Australian consumers, all Beaulieu Solution Dyed Nylon products, both residential and commercial ranges, contain ActiveCare, a safe self- renewing odour neutralizer that improves indoor air quality.

Unlike topical treatments, ActiveCare forms a complex molecular bond with the carpet fibres that remains for the life of the carpet, even after repeated cleaning.

Flooring October/November 2020

carpet yarns with the appropriate levels of UV stabilizer to ensure colour fastness and fibre integrity, providing peace of mind for consumers.

A major part of product design and development relies on knowing the market in which products are intended to perform.

By being a local manufacturer Beaulieu can develop products to suit the needs of their customers. Australia has some of the toughest conditions in the world in which floorcoverings have to function. With some of the longest sunlight hours per year coupled with some of the harshest UV conditions, colour fade and fibre degradation can be big problems. By understanding these factors, Beaulieu demand, and only use,

When once Australia prospered off the sheep’s back, those days have passed.

Technology has moved forward at a rapid pace and so have the needs and demands of the Australian consumer. Beaulieu are proud to be a local producer here to meet these needs and demands and allowing consumers a choice to have Australian made carpet on the floors of their homes.

Beaulieu carpet ranges are available nationwide and can be found at any reputable carpet retailer. To find a retailer in your local area visit the Beaulieu website or contact their friendly customer service team. web www.beaulieu.com.au

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

Carpets made in Australia,

by Australians, for Australia’s future.

Beaulieu Australia is the premier producer of environmentally friendly textile floor coverings in Australia.

Select carpets have been approved by the National Asthma Council Sensitive Choice Program.

Activecare Exclusive.

Proudly Investing in Australian Manufacturing Since 1973 www.beaulieu.com.au Sales

1800 777 007

Beaulieu of Australia Pty Ltd PO Box 6160 Yatala DC, Qld 4207

The self-renewing odour destroying carpet treatment

5 STAR GREEN STAR RATED BUILDING

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34

Polivac – supporting their local and international communities

T

he team at Polivac believe building a safe working environment is paramount for employees, operators, and their community. They have taken measures to help promote workplace safety especially during these unprecedented times of COVID-19 and will work closely to keep on supporting their local and international community.

Polivac International is a proudly Australian owned manufacturer of commercial cleaning machinery and exporter of advanced cleaning technologies. All machines are designed and manufactured in their Melbourne facility. Polivac’s journey started in 1949 and with over 70 years of experience they have meticulously designed different commercial cleaning machines that excel on quality and productivity. They intend to carry out continuous research and development to discover the changing requirements of customers and develop machines which adapt to these changes.

The current Polivac range is diverse and versatile, covering hard floor maintenance, carpet cleaning, concrete grinding and finishing through to timber floor sanding, back-pack and canister vacuum cleaners.

They manufacture all of their products

Flooring October/November 2020

keeping in mind four main concepts; quality, safety, productivity, and sustainability.

Quality: Polivac’s manufacturing process is regulated to deliver highest possible standards. Polivac attained the International Quality Standard in August 1997, under the license QEC 10553 which pertains to ISO 9001:2015. Their products are extensively tested under QA processes during manufacture and after product completion, this ensures exceptional product quality.

Safety: Polivac follow the guidelines provided by the Victorian government and implement all the safety parameters for ensuring the protection of all operators and the community. They believe in providing the Australian community with training and risk assessment for each machine. They have worked closely with industry experts and curated the Polivac International Occupational Safety and Management protocol. This ensures that machine operators are equipped with knowledge of potential hazards and risks associated with different working environments and can take diligent measures to mitigate risks.

Productivity: Combining innovative technology, durability, and operator-

friendly machines the Polivac team have managed to deliver equipment that provides maximum productivity. All of their machines are manufactured in accordance with ergonomic design suggestions which improves efficiency and reduces operator’s fatigue.

Sustainability: Polivac strive to adhere to environmental guidelines and policies.

A cornerstone of their commitment is ‘The Polivac Conservation Cycle’ protecting the environment through intelligent design.

Focus on reducing environmental footprint has been possible with the solar panels installed in our manufacturing units and all the Polivac products being recyclable.

During these unprecedented times, the team at Polivac has shown resilience to meet the increased demand and support their local community. Their Melbourne manufacturing facility has been able to quickly supply machines at the time of need. They are grateful to their workers, who have put in all the hard work required to maintain high-standard quality of machines supplied in a short span of time. web www.polivac.com.au

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

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35

Classic Architectural Group – supporting the Australian economy An Aussie-owned business devoted to offering dignity, independence and accessibility for all With 1 in 5 Aussies living with a disability, ranging from low vision to hearing loss and physical disorders, Prof. Mohamed Jemni’s quote, “it is not the disability that is the problem, the accessibility is the problem,” is a profound reminder of the rights and privileges that many everyday Australians take for granted.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s report, 38% of people with disability had difficulty accessing building or facilities in the last year. Driven

by the need to address this inequality, Classic Architectural Group came to be in 1981 with an overarching mission to make public spaces safe, attractive and accessible to all.

Classic is proud to be officially acknowledged as an 100% Australian-owned business.

Director and National Fulfillment Manager, Garth McAlpin, reaffirms Classic’s passion to support the local economy, “for over 39 years we’ve been investing in local manufacturing and local jobs, with our team and services operating across the country. We are very grateful for the Morrison Government and their support for Australian manufacturing.

Let us continue to support Australia.” 36

AUSTRALIAN OWNED LEADING SUPPLIER AND INSTALLER OF PUBLIC ACCESS SYSTEMS TO THE FLOORING INDUSTRY

Supply and Install with People and Operations Australia Wide Certainty of Supply across Entrance Mats, Stair Nosings, Tactiles, Covers and Trims Customised Solutions with Quick Turnaround Our 100% Assurance program gives you complete peace of mind

Don’t put a foot wrong, contact us today.

Call 1300 244 377 www.classic-arch.com

Feature

36 and Queensland, Classic has always believed in creating employment opportunities that capitalise on homegrown talent. From their cleaners to accountants, installers, site coordinators and more, the team have a shared passion for enhancing public access and providing end-to-end quality access solutions.

With the economical gyrations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has highlighted the paramount importance of supporting the local business ecosystem by keeping Australian profits and jobs within our shores. Fondly referred to as the lucky country, the nation’s prosperity can be reforged by supplying the demanded stock and trade of Australian-owned products and services. Classic endorses Australian Made’s Campaign statement: ‘It’s never been more important to buy Australian than right now’.

Empowering building professionals with locally manufactured, customised public access solutions With over 30 staff placed Australia-wide, and operations out of Victoria, New South Wales

Setting the benchmark with unrivalled knowledge of Australian standards, and a can-do, innovative culture, Classic offers customised public access systems for building professionals from core industries.

Servicing the commercial, education, FMCG, retail, healthcare and hospitality sectors, the team has worked with household institutions including Victoria’s Etihad Stadium, the Sydney Cricket Ground and Gold Coast Convention Centre, to name a few.

Sourcing raw materials from Australia, with a focus on local manufacturing, Classic continues to drive the economic development within the nation. From creating safe workplaces to designing cities for pedestrian safety, Classic’s industryleading product range includes entrance mats, stair nosing, tactiles, covers and trims, car park safety, bike racks and skate deterrents. Their product innovation

offers premium versatility in terms of design, colour and application, proven to complement any project.

In an industry that is ever-evolving, Classic remains the trusted name due to their ongoing commitment to providing customers, regulators and partners with exceptional client service and world-class efficiencies. From research and design right through to installation and maintenance, Classic empowers building professionals with the confidence they need to succeed, build and progress.

To learn more about the Classic Architectural Group’s produce range and how they can help you achieve your project’s public access and safety goals, please visit their website. web www.classic-arch.com

Where floorcoverings meet Install solutions from BBS – Australia’s local installation accessories manufacturer Modern homes and commercial spaces consume many types of floor coverings – vinyl sheet and tile, plank and hybrids, timber, ceramic tile and traditional carpet – in different locations and for different purposes.

Flooring October/November 2020

Each floor covering has benefits that make it optimal in its chosen location.

Wet areas usually require a continuous waterproof covering. High traffic areas need a highly durable surface.

Entranceways need surfaces that are easily cleaned. In bedrooms and hallways, the focus is often on warmth and under foot comfort and most stairs require non-slip surfaces.

How these different floor coverings, made of different materials and to varying thicknesses, are installed alongside each other is seldom considered by their respective manufacturers.

The task of making the installation work is usually left to the installer to resolve.

www.flooringmagazine.com.au

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37

This is more challenging when adjacent floor coverings are of different thicknesses or heights, for example where carpet or ceramic tile meets thinner sheet vinyl, plank or hybrid floor coverings.

have a smooth transition and that in design this should not involve any step at all. The standard makes provision of a construction tolerance of up to a 3mm vertical step, or 5mm if it is beveled or rounded.

Carpets with underlay can sit around 15mm above the sub-floor and many ceramic tile or timber floor coverings are over 10mm in thickness. Making these thicker floorcoverings join thinner materials, for example sheet vinyl, plank and hybrids, without creating a step or trip hazard often requires a great deal of ingenuity.

The standard is telling us that the ideal way to transition between two floor coverings of vastly different heights is via a smooth inclined ramp. This allows both able bodied and impaired people to traverse the floor covering join without impediment or hazard.

Another technical issue the installer has to consider when laying different floor coverings side by side is how to protect the exposed edge of each covering from damage and wear. For carpet the solution is a tucking gully to hide the carpet edge; ceramic and timber floors require a hard metal protector bar running along the exposed edge; and for vinyl products a small raised lip is used to shield the leading edge from scuff damage.

Modern vinyl ramp designs combine all these requirements to simplify the installation considerably. 38

AS 1428.1-2009 Design for Access and Mobility, stipulates that the abutment of surfaces should

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* Supplied countersunk with screws and plugs

BBS Flooring Products

Feature

The construction of a good under-vinyl ramp involves a. A smooth ramping slope at a shallow gradient of around 1 in 12 for safety reasons. This smooth angle makes it easy for both able bodied and impaired people to traverse the join, especially if you are in a wheelchair or walking with the aid of a stick.

38

b. A leading edge to protect the vinyl that sits marginally higher than the vinyl itself. This protects the vinyl edge from foot traffic wear.

d. A vertical surface to act as a tucking gully (like a mini wall) for carpet installations. web www.bbscarpetgripper.com.au

c. A hard protective ending edge to run along the thicker floor covering. This is important for ceramic tile and timber planks that would otherwise chip and wear if they are left protected

Feature

39 Indesign Printing – the industry specialists

Indesign Printing is an Australian owned and operated business that was established in 2003 by the forward thinking and innovative team, Steven Woodfall, the CEO and Sales MD and Susan Woodfall, the Creative Director who together have carved out a niche in the printing sector by continuing to provide excellent customer service, quality of all point of sale and other specialised marketing products.

No expense has been spared in the design of their purpose built printing factory, fully equipped with a specialized A/C system which creates a climatised environment all year around to cater for all bulk and smaller print runs to a specified timeframe.

Indesign Printing provides specialised, point-of-sale products, with a guarantee of quality control. Amongst other categories they work closely with the flooring industry providing specialist flooring labels such as: • carpet labels • dome badges • sample book covers • cascade stand signs • ultimate strength adhesive labels for timber floors

The Indesign Printing reputation has been built by providing quality products and service within the industry that is paramount to the ongoing success of the company.

Their team of qualified staff understand the importance of customer service and adhere to a company code of excellence at all times. web www.indesignprinting.com.au

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A technological leap forward for RLA Polymers

T

oday RLA are a proud Australian manufacturer supplying products for the building and construction industry. Moreover, RLA have been a local manufacturer supporting the Australian flooring industry since 1967. RLA’s local manufacturing based roots, have allowed for the establishment of valuable supply chains with local Australian manufacturers.

RLA’s local supply chain provide many key raw materials used for the manufacture of a large proportion of products RLA produce.

None more so than the new Roberts range of SLC’s. The company proudly source more than 80% of their materials from local manufacturing based vendors, whom they are delighted to call value chain partners.

RLA commenced the design of its new SLC range in 2019 and they canvassed multiple flooring stakeholders to understand the key SLC drivers and system solution requirements for the flooring industry. This resulted in RLA developing a concise solution creating ease of product selection as well as a complete system solution for the flooring industry. The Roberts SLC range is also Green Star compliant with the product’s low VOC content meeting the Green Building Council Australia’s indoor air quality regulations.

Davide and his innovative team, including Richard Clinch RLA’s flooring R&D technical manager have designed, developed and engineered adhesives and SLC systems that provide ground-breaking solutions to speed up the installation process.

To achieve their goal of becoming a significant player in the SLC segment, RLA had to make significant investments in technology, equipment and process improvements to complement its strong evolving distribution channel and brand (Roberts). From a technological perspective, RLA secured the services of Mr. Davide Caprotti. Davide joined RLA as Technical Director and has enabled the development of its highly technical SLC range that is proudly 100% locally produced in Australia throughout RLA plants in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Davide’s career spans over 30 years and Davide is classed as a European expert in the field of inorganic cementitious engineered technology. Davide has held senior positions in Italy and developed innovative technological breakthroughs for the likes of Mapei, Kerakoll and Fassa. Davide’s technical tutelage ensures the Roberts range and system solution offering delivers not only on high European quality standards but also ensures the range is world class.

RLA’s latest system solution releases include Roberts Rapid Lay – Same Day System and Roberts Rapid Lay – High RH System.

The Roberts Rapid Lay – Same Day System provides a same day prime, prep and install solution and consists of Roberts Universal Primer, Roberts Pronto rapid drying selflevelling compound and Roberts Universal 2000 adhesive. The Roberts Rapid Lay – High RH System provides an overnight seal/prime, prep and install solution that consists of Roberts PU95 Vapour Barrier, Roberts Universal Primer, Roberts Generale/ Primo self-levelling compounds and Roberts Universal 2000 adhesive.

The support and investment in infrastructure lead by RLA Polymers dynamic Managing Director – Troy Hogan has enabled RLA to move from legacy Australian technology to the latest European technology - locally made. RLA’s advanced scientific team has developed an innovative range of SLC’s with high levels of performance and parameters of use. All new Roberts products introduced to the flooring market, have been meticulously engineered, researched and developed in RLA’s fully functional technical centre of excellence. RLA’s technical program is proudly lead by our chief scientist and global inorganic expert Mr. Davide Caprotti and is profoundly supported by his advanced team of chemists and chemical engineers. web www.rlapolymers.com.au

Flooring October/November 2020

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European Technology Locally Made

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Another innovative solution from the team at

Icons

42

Trevor Morris:

The Rubber Man Story by Philip Ashley

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revor Morris was born in Chester in the UK towards the end of the Second World War. The oldest of four siblings, Trevor has a brother Graham who owns a vineyard in East Gippsland; a sister, Penelope who lives in Los Angeles and who’s husband founded Crystal Cruises; and a sister, Jane.

His parents emigrated the family to Australia when he was four years old. Trevor, like so many who came to this country is a ‘TenPound Pom’ which was the price of the ticket on the ship. His father thought Australia would provide his children a bright future with great opportunities.

Trevor Morris will be remembered as a people person, an innovator who relied on his people to get the job done. He probably knows more about LVT and rubber flooring than anyone else in Australia, earning the unofficial title ‘the rubber man.’

Flooring October/November 2020

The family first lived in East Kangaloon near Bowral in NSW before moving to Melbourne.

Trevor grew up in Beaumaris and went to the local State School, then Mentone Grammar where he recalls the only subject he excelled at was history. Leaving school, he started a course in accounting, the only course available to him at Melbourne University, but dropped out after about a year. Getting a job with Felt & Textiles Ltd as a trainee accountant, Trevor finished his studies at night school at RMIT, known back then as the ‘working man’s college.’

After finishing his studies the young and enthusiastic 24-year old Trevor went back to the UK to live in London for five years, working as an accountant for a merchant bank; a publishing firm; a brewery and Hugh Hefner’s ‘Bunny Club’ where he recalls the great member lunches he was also entitled

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Icons to. He would work nine months of the year and travel around Europe for three months in a black mini van. And so, having spent all his money, Trevor said, “In 1975 I returned to Australia broke, and got a job at Kenneth H Brock and Son, intending to stay for six months.”

Trevor was the company’s first full-time accountant and found himself still there a year later when they made him a Director.

43 Below: Bill Moore and Trevor Morris

During the next nine years and before Kenbrock’s flooring division was founded, Trevor found the time to start a family. Trevor met his wife Liz at a dance. Liz said, Trevor’s ‘girlfriend’ at the time was going overseas and he needed, ‘A Christmas fill-in’ for the end of year functions coming up; and I’m still here.” They met in 1979 and two years later were married. They have two children, oldest is Anthony who has his own flooring business and daughter Michelle who is a Global Mobility Manager for a large multi-national company. They currently have one grand-daughter.

Kenbrock, the Beginning Kenbrock was founded by Kenneth Henry Brock circa 1925. At some point it became a partnership between Kenneth Henry Brock and his son James. On the 1st July 1952 the partnership was incorporated into a company; Kenneth H Brock & Son Pty Ltd., located at 297 Clarendon Street South Melbourne. At this point the company was mostly involved in the Glass business representing Glaverbel from Belgium and Flachglas from Germany. This involved specialty glasses for high rise buildings & transportation. Glass bricks and bullet resistant glass also formed part of the collection. In addition the company stocked and sold accessories for the glass trade.

In the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s the business expanded. Ian Warren; Jim Brock’s cousin, joined the company to assist with the glass side of the business. He later became the 3rd director of the company. Also joining the company as a young salesman was Norman Mallet who subsequently became the 4th director. It was during this period that two very significant product lines were taken on. The first was Cabots Wood Stain around 1962. Mission Brown was one of the colours imported and it is true to say that Kenbrock gave Australia ‘Mission Brown’ – now part of the language. The second product was Pirelli Rubber Flooring around 1966 and Kenbrock was the first company to introduce studded rubber flooring into Australia.

Kenbrock Flooring In 1984 Kenbrock Australia Pty Ltd comprised three operating divisions: Timber Finishes, Glass, & Flooring. Trevor had completed a Masters in Business Administration, earning a distinction in stragegic planning, again with RMIT. He was finding the job a little boring so he asked the General Manager Jim Brock if he could have 44 a go managing the flooring division. Jim agreed and so in

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Icons July 1984 the flooring division of Kenbrock Australia Pty Ltd was founded with Trevor Morris in charge. Realizing that sales of rubber flooring alone were not going to support a sales force, Trevor embarked on expanding the product range. The first addition was a range of commercial vinyl floor coverings sourced from the French Gerflex company which was introduced in 1985. In the same year a range of parquet was introduced.

Under Trevor’s leadership several major leaps were taken. Trevor set up a residential sales force to market Hellemann Cushion Vinyl imported from Germany. This range was introduced in January 1989 and had a swift impact on sales, taking them into second position behind Pegulan in a number of states including Victoria. But the most significant event during the year was the acquisition of a rubber manufacturing plant located at Auburn in NSW. A historic agreement was signed with the Pirelli Group enabling Kenbrock to manufacture under license to Pirelli and become Australia’s second only resilient flooring manufacturer – Armstrong being the other. Kenbrock was the only company in the World to manufacture outside the Pirelli Group.

Above: Trevor with his grand daughter Flooring October/November 2020

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On the 1st July 1989 the operating divisions of Kenbrock Australia Pty Ltd were rolled down into separate companies and Kenbrock Flooring (Aust) Pty Ltd was born with Trevor Morris as its first Managing Director. In 1993 the Cabot business was sold to Dulux and Kenbrock Flooring had to shoulder the majority of the Group’s overhead structure.

To counter this a new strategic direction commenced with a three year target of $10.0 million in sales. Between 1989 and 2002 however, Kenbrock Flooring Pty Ltd went through some major restructuring to start afresh in 2002.

A New Beginning Kenbrock is now one of Australia’s premier national resilient flooring companies. To get the company going again, Trevor was able to negotiate a range of LVT products, identified as the most profitable segment within the resilient flooring industry. LVT was perceived as having strong growth potential and utilized the same distribution channels as did their previous products. The first product was the Just Planks range followed by product which was branded Floorworks.

Down the track in 2013, accessing fresh technology Kenbrock was one of the first companies to introduce 5.0mm Modular LVT, also referred to as Loose Lay. The launch brand was Smartdrop. Over the years Kenbrock has developed the product to a high level of performance.

In 2018 Kenbrock launched their first Hybrid range that embraced a Limestone core packaged between 2 LVT layers. The 5G locking system is the most advanced available. In 2019 The owners of Kenbrock entered into an agreement to progressively

transfer ownership to the French company Gerflor SAS. This follows a long history of collaboration between the two companies.

Gerflor is the third largest resilient flooring company in the world & the second largest in Europe. Kenbrock continues to be a leader in developing products that represent the future of the Australian resilient flooring market. All products are sourced for their innovation, quality and sustainability.

Prime Movers Trevor said, “During the early days Kenbrock owed a lot to Bill Moore and his wife Christine. They were a major part in building the company’s initial success, running the Queensland branch as if it was their own company.” Trevor’s wife Liz has also been heavily involved with Kenbrock since 1993, first doing the payroll, then accounts manager and everything in between. When asked about her involvement she jokes, “I wasn’t there just to make up the numbers.” Trevor retired just last month at 76 and reflects, “We built the business on people, we never micro-managed anyone, we let them do the jobs they were assigned to, and they managed just fine. In fact, some years we were seeing growth up to 40%!”

Trevor and Liz are yet to figure out how their lives will change in retirement. Looking forward, Trevor will continue making their own wine. He plays golf, more for the company and exercise; and enjoys skiing in places like Whistler in Canada. For sport, it’s Melbourne Victory soccer club, Melbourne Storm in rugby and Essendon in AFL. Trevor covers all bases. Some travel is on the cards including back to the UK, but their last two cruises were both cancelled, one from an illness and the most recent due to COVID. He’s earned his place as an ICON of the industry, an innovator always prepared to bravely introduce new product to the market, testing the boundaries, overcoming adversity to build respect and a company people can rely on.

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Retailer of the Month

The Smile on his Face Story by Philip Ashley

Adrian Lengkeek and his wife Vickie operate JBA Carpet Court on Sydney’s mainly affluent North Shore. He’s been in business 40 years so far, and in 1981 was regarded as the youngest flooring retailer in Australia. At some point he’s certain to be the flooring retailer with the longest continual industry service. Not that this is a problem for Adrian; far from it. As he tells us, “Through the day I tend to find myself with the biggest smile on my face, I’ve been blessed with a fantastic team and I just love the work.”

Adrian has been in the flooring game since he started out with his father after leaving school. He studied computer programming for a short while but when his Dad asked if he wanted to join him in his new store, Adrian jumped at the chance. He said, “I really liked talking to people so sales looked like it might suit me. It’s really worked out

Flooring October/November 2020

well and has allowed me to reach my early goals before I was thirty years of age.” Adrian was able to buy some property and a secondhand, limited-edition Porsche 911 about the time he turned twenty!

46 Just three years after they started, Adrian’s Dad moved to Queensland and sold the business to Adrian, still only twenty years of age. His Dad still comes down from time to time and even does some measuring at 85 years old! Adrian says, “If you put in the hours, work hard and look after your customers, flooring can be a lucrative business. It’s a great industry to be involved in and I feel blessed with good people, a great business and a job I love.” Adrian also has the support of Vickie of who he says, “Behind every great man is an even better woman.”

Adrian tells us that the business is in the next suburb to where he grew up, so he knows the area well. Some of the first jobs they did were Village Cinema’s throughout Sydney and greater NSW. They do some commercial work, but Adrian prefers residential work.

He says, “In the beginning I started off handling the residential side, it’s interesting work with quick turnaround and none of the headaches you often get dealing with other trades.” Back then Adrian was told he couldn’t run a carpet store because he wasn’t a carpet layer but he said, “Rather than lay one house a day, as a businessman I’d rather sell five house lots a day and get those laid.”

His father was originally from The Netherlands, but Adrian was born in Australia.

His father used to sell Rolls Royce, and later Mercedes vehicles but eventually found himself NSW sales manager for Godfrey Hirst.

He left to buy JBA, an existing flooring retail outlet and almost immediately partnered with Carpet Court. Adrian joined from the very start. Two of the other five current staff members have also been with the outlet since they started, just on 40 years ago. Vickie and Adrian’s son Adam now works in the business and so, JBA is essentially a third-generation family enterprise.

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Retailer of the Month

47

Adrian’s business ‘tactic’ is to find something his customers are interested in and base a long-lasting relationship on common interests and trust. Everyone has an interest and on the North Shore it’s definitely houses, fashion, maybe cars, watches and art. Adrian says, “I listen and take a real interest in what they like, we often become friends for life.

It’s no problem to visit them in their homes even before they come to the store to look at product and I’ve done this for 40 years.”

Over the years Adrian and his team have seen steady growth. They’ve been through all the economic downturns, recessions, and high interest rates and along the way built a loyal army of customers. They don’t advertise outside the Carpet Court group and sell on referrals. They’re not even on a main road, situated in an industrial area of Hornsby. Their customers though are very astute. Adrian says there’s a diverse range of homes on the North Shore from California Bungalow and Hampton Styles through to ultra-modern and they cater for all tastes.

Adrian feels that while the people in his main catchment area are often time-poor, they appreciate high-quality products, something the family has been promoting since his father sold Rolls Royce.

Adrian thinks the age of Mum and Dad running the local flooring store could be over. He sees retail moving primarily to a group-based system. Of the groups, Adrian says, “Over the years I’ve seen the groups progress to a high standard, and I think the install part of the industry will continue to adopt a more well-presented, systematic and professional approach to their work. Look at some of the chain restaurants and how they have a procedure for everything they do.”

Adrian also believes that with layers leaving the trade in current numbers, future flooring could move to a more modular product like hard flooring and carpet tiles.

Outside of ‘work’ Adrian collects Porsche cars and has even raced them. Only three years ago in June 2017 you could have seen Adrian in his debut with the Wall Racing Team at Tailem Bend in South Australia.

His car, a 2011 Porsche GT3 Cup he raced in Class B. The car was sponsored by JBA Carpet

Court and Feltex Carpets. Adrian and Vickie also manage a small property they’ve set up to grow vegetables that includes major landscaping, sculptures, and an art display that they may soon open to the public. They also sponsor the local girls’ Asquith soccer team and the local golf club.

Adrian has no plans of leaving the industry or even of altering his current business structure. He still gets up at 4am and puts in a lot of hours but says, “Honestly, it doesn’t feel like it. I think if you are going to do anything, do it properly. Don’t be greedy, be honest and consistent in everything you do.” Adrian is blessed with a great family, great people to work with and a stimulating industry with great conversations. Ask him if he is happy and he says, “See the smile on my face?”

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Technical Bulletin

48

Fast Fit Interlocking Commercial Flooring Solutions Brought to you by Forbo

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here is a limited range of quality interlocking flooring systems that offer speed of installation and the opportunity to go over existing floors in heavy duty commercial environments. The applications where these systems could be useful, industry, supermarkets, popup or mobile defence projects, an existing building where the floor simply cannot be disturbed or is too expensive to lift and prepare. These scenarios present opportunities for true loose lay interlocking systems that can handle heavy rolling loads and heavy foot traffic.

Where to use interlocking tile adhesive free systems • Installations with limited downtime or even no downtime available.

• Where subfloors are not in great condition.

• Existing floor is expensive to remove.

• A fast-temporary floor is needed that can also be permanent or reused elsewhere.

• Circular flooring projects and adhesive free demands

Ease of installation Often all that is required is a non-rebound plastic hammer/mallet and basic cutting tools. The floor can also be used directly after installation allowing traffic and items to be moved back into and utilise the space immediately.

Subfloors requirements • New or existing concrete or cement screed substrates that are not in perfect 50 condition

Forbo offer two leading systems in this category. Colorex Plus interlocking tile 60.8 x 60.8cm (with conductive properties and R11) and the new Allura Puzzle 96 x 96cm, that offers a wider variety of appealing designs in timber and stone visuals. Both systems are unique in that they minimise the interlocking visual at the top allowing for an aesthetically pleasing all over visual.

Flooring October/November 2020

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luxury vinyl tiles & planks made with passion We are excited to release our NEW Allura luxury vinyl tile collection with contemporary designs in wood, stone, marble and terrazzo and available across multiple product constructions. Allura Flex, a popular format in Australia and New Zealand, is a high quality, dimensionally stable LVT with an acoustic comfort backing and leading impact sound reduction result.

Unique and matte embossing structures ensure realistic wood visuals with low repetition across planks in each box. There are 50 Flex designs all exclusive to Forbo, stocked locally and ready to go.

For more information visit, www.forbo-flooring.com.au/allura.

creating better environments

Technical Bulletin

• New or existing wood panel or particle board substrates (as per AS1884-2012 standard) • Over existing ceramics tiles (max 8mm wide with 3mm depth) • Over old in‐situ floor finishes (resin) at least 2 mm thick • Over old painted floor.

• Over compact resilient floors (semi‐ flexible tiles, vinyl asbestos tiles, sheet vinyl flooring and linoleum).

• Uneven floors (max deviation of 5mm over 2 metre length)

with a load capacity of 1300kg on Allura and Colorex can handle, for hard wheel forklifts up to 2.5tn and with air tyres up to 5tn. It is imperative to us the right wheels widths, speed and avoid skidding.

Colorex Plus with its homogeneous make up can also be heat welded using the same Colorex material and coved extending the variety of applications.

50

These cutting-edge products allow for rapid installation and immediately functional floors that can be removed without damaging the existing subfloor.

To find out more about Forbo loose lay zero adhesive commercial interlocking systems view the Forbo website www.forboflooring.com.au or contact technical.au@ forbo.com

Consideration for expansion (3-5mm) around all fixed objects and walls should always be considered and planned for along with expansion gaps in large installations where needed (500m2 plus for Allura Puzzle). Trims and edging need to be taken into consideration.

Setout – Traditionally with tiles one works from a centre line in a room, however, with Colorex and Allura Puzzle it is simpler to work from one end using the central line as a guide. Puzzle connectors are designed to be tight and are relatively easy to lock in.

With the Allura puzzle connection you start from each corner of the tile first and move towards the centre of the tile locking it in.

Static and dynamic Loads - Both products are designed to handle commercial traffic and heavy load pressures, Colorex Plus 50kg/cm2 and Allura 40kg/cm2. Hand and electric pallet forklifts can be used

Flooring October/November 2020

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Software

52

Improve Your Business – Grow your Customer Base Story by Chris Ogden Most of us have go-to people in our lives.

These people include our lawyer, accountant, electrician, plumber, and so on; we even talk about “my lawyer” or “my plumber”.

For those clients in our customer base, we are their “flooring guy” (or girl). The more people we have that think of us in these terms, the better it is.

So how big is our customer base?

When we were in flooring retail, we surveyed every client on the completion of each job.

To give you an indication of how times have changed, we included the survey with our invoice, which we mailed to the customer along with a reply-paid envelope.

As antiquated as the process seems today, it provided us with valuable information about our business.

One of the areas of performance we measured was where our business was coming from; existing customers,

Flooring October/November 2020

recommendations, and responses to various advertising types. Every quarter we would analyse these numbers, and each time, the numbers were consistent; 70-75% of our business came from existing customers, and recommendations. That was our customer base.

In hindsight, it would have been useful to dissect the numbers a little more, but it was sufficient that we considered 70-75% of our revenue came out of our customer base, as opposed to new customers. Initially, I was surprised at how high this percentage was, but I believe it will be similar across most retail flooring businesses. I recommend the exercise.

The thing about your customer base is that, left to its own devices it will shrink; customers move away, retire, close their business, and some we lose because we drop the ball. To maintain our business, we have

to grow our customer base just to account for this shrinkage, and if we want to grow our business, we need to be growing our customer base at a faster rate again.

Improving our conversion rate is the simplest way to grow our customer base, but I want to focus on two specific areas I see overlooked.

The first is small jobs. All of our competitors will be chasing the big jobs, but the small ones, not so much. If someone is in our store looking for flooring for a small project, the likelihood is they don’t yet have their “flooring guy”; if they did, they wouldn’t be talking to us for a small project. Maybe they are new to the area, they might be new homeowners, or perhaps their existing flooring guy let them down. Whatever the circumstance, these people are an opportunity that extends beyond this first small sale.

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Software

53

Small jobs are low risk and high margin opportunities to bowl over new customers with our expertise and service. If we do well, when they have a larger flooring project, we will be their go-to flooring destination. And, yes, invariably we will still have to quote for the larger work, but our relationship with these people and their experience with us will count for a lot.

Whether it’s small jobs or insurance work, we need to see beyond the immediate opportunity and recognise them as opportunities to grow our customer base.

Getting this insight into our business at the time was valuable, but it was very manual; we collected the data on paper and entered it into spreadsheets for analysis. In this day and age, the information you collect about your customer should be available for analysis with only a fraction of the effort it took us back then. If you would like to understand your business better, but your current business management system doesn’t make it easy, you might want to look at RFMS. RFMS is the business management system designed for the flooring industry, and we would be happy to show it to you.

The second area is insurance work.

Insurance work is often treated as low priority by salespeople. Certainly, it can be difficult and low margin, working with people who are in the flooring market unwillingly. Again though, it’s an opportunity to win over a new customer into our customer base, maybe even taking them off a competitor. Not to mention the benefits of impressing the insurance company.

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Whether it’s small jobs or insurance work, we need to see beyond the immediate small opportunity and recognise them as opportunities to grow our customer base.

Chris Ogden is a consultant and Managing Director of RFMS Australasia, a supplier of IT solutions specific to the flooring industry. Chris has an extensive background in all aspects of the flooring industry, and he can be contacted at cogden@rfms.com.

RAPID LAY

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When challenged with time and high RH constraints, select RLA's Roberts High RH Rapid Lay System as your solution!

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