Inside news

Correction from the article ‘Colouring Wood’ FFI no. 115, p22 (March 2021)

There was an error in the text of the testimonial by Mr Koen Willems (Williams & Koch Europe), namely that architects were not happy with the results of system oils and floarsoap from Scandinavia. In fact, the opposite was true. They almost literally got a kick out of the (often sparse) oil system. Koen Willems (Willams-Koch)

Koen Willems is the manager of Williams & Koch Europe. This company produces customised colour systems and colour applications for the woodworking industry. The company was formed in 2005 and chooses consciously for products which contain only natural raw materials and are free of elements which are toxic, irritating, and harmful to the environment. ‘The parquet industry is by far the leading buyer of our products. That’s logical, too, as floors take up the biggest surface. After working previously in the paint industry, I came into contact with the pioneers in Flanders and the Netherlands in the field of distressing and ageing parquet planks. Since the paint sector had paid little attention to this, I myself began to develop alternative wood colouring agents.’ ‘Colouring generally belongs in the upper segment and appeals mainly to architects and customers who want a unique look. This means that samples always have to be made in advance, so that we can continue looking until everything is fine. That can be a long process which takes weeks or months, but it is ideal if we can be involved in a project from the planning phase.’ ‘It’s important to draw a distinction between colouring with dyes and colouring agents on the one hand and chemical colouring on the other. I don’t immediately protest vehemently against the latter, as chemical colouring doesn’t necessarily mean toxic or bad, but in the final analysis it’s all about the acid-base balance.’ ‘With colouring you have to realise that it’s easy to start with a light wood sort and make it darker, but that the other way round is often very difficult. European oak is still the most popular wood sort by a long way. This wood sort is ideal because it is ring-porous, absorbs well, and usually contains enough acid. ‘ ‘Lacquering over colour? Until 25 years ago, there was only lacquer and floor polish. Then system oils and soaps came over from Scandinavia and you got results which were very much appreciated by architects due to the oil system, which was often too sparse. The problem is then the maintenance and that’s why there’s been a lot of demand for lacquer finishes in recent years. It’s also worth knowing that in Europe it has been obligatory since 2001 to finish using a waterborne lacquer if the wood is anchored in the building. If you have a waterborne colouring agent, you have to take care that the colour doesn’t dissolve in the lacquer, even though there are now solutions for that. Be sure also to read the maker’s instructions! Some lacquer systems have to be given a synthetic primer first in order to prevent them from leaking components or water stains!’

Renzo Borgonovo and FNT-Trabattoni Stampi

Renzo Borgonovo and FNT-Trabattoni Stampi would like to bring the spotlight onto the 60th anniversary of the company Renzo Borgonovo Srl! The company was founded in Verano Brianza, Italy in 1961 by Mr. Renzo Borgonovo. Step by step, the new brand got itself a name in the field of linear profiles and picture frames finishing, where it quickly became a point of reference. By the years, with the changing of the markets and the opening of new opportunities, Renzo Borgonovo Srl developed new machines and new models, and became an active player also into other sectors, such as the Parquet Industry one. Now led by Mr. Luca Borgonovo, the company is at its second generation and it is happy to celebrate with you this important landmark: 60 Years of Quality, Reliability, and Know-how!

Success at international design awards: MEISTER acoustic panels win Red Dot Award

MeisterWerke has successfully taken part in the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2021. The MeisterPanels. style felt acoustic panel was awarded the “Red Dot” award for excellent design quality by an international jury. MeisterPanels. style: Sound-absorbing acoustic panels with felt The MeisterPanels. style SP 800, winner of the Red Dot Award, has a surface of high-quality felt. The acoustic panel absorbs 35% of noise (absorber class D as per DIN EN 11654), providing a pleasant room

atmosphere in modern living environments, in which curtains and other textiles are used sparingly. MeisterPanels. style are available in five modern colours – and for the perfect overall look, every colour is complemented with matching felt mouldings (angled cover moulding and straight cover moulding). SP 800 scores points for sustainability too: Sound-absorbing, modern and now officially an award- the vegan felt winning design: the MeisterPanels. style acoustic panels! surface is made of (Image: MeisterWerke) recycled material (100% in grey tones, 50% in olive and terra brown), and is fully recyclable at the end of its useful life. Evaluation platform for excellent design The Red Dot Award: Product Design, which was established in 1955, is awarded annually to the best products of the year. “In search of good design and innovation”, the 50 jurors of the competition set out to find the most well-designed and innovative products among the submissions for 2021. The international expert committee consists of experts in a wide variety of disciplines. It intensively assessed the submitted products in a process lasting several days. Evaluation criteria, such as formal quality, ergonomics and durability, served as its guide. “The winners of the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2021 were particularly impressive this year,” remarked Professor Dr. Peter Zec, Founder and CEO of Red Dot. “The design of the products is outstanding – both in terms of aesthetics and functionality. Standing out among such strong competition and impressing our jury is not an easy task. With this in mind, I warmly congratulate the prize winners on their success.” MeisterPanels. style featured in exhibitions, online and in the Red Dot Design Yearbook From 21st June 2021, the acoustic panels will be displayed in the online exhibition on the Red Dot website. This same date is also the start of Red Dot Design Week, during which the award winners, including MeisterWerke Schulte GmbH, will be digitally presented with their awards. From 22nd June 2021, the MEISTER product will also go on display in the “Design on Stage” exhibition at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, which will exhibit all the award-winning products. There, visitors can see the quality of the latest design solutions first hand, against a backdrop of historic industrial architecture. The Red Dot Design Yearbook 2021/2022 will be published in August. The publication provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the art, as well as trends in product design. DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR successfully hosted its 23rd edition, 24-26 of March 2021

Shanghai. Right before the end of March 2021, Asia’s Hub for Flooring, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR, opened its doors to 1,000 exhibitors and 67,918 onsite attendees, reigniting confidence that, live trade shows are the most preferable platform and that the flooring industry in particular, is once again ready and eager to do business.

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The exhibition that was spread over 128,000sqm of gross space at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, was the first trade show of the industry in 2021 on a global scale. In its 23 years history, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR is not only an annual event of the international flooring scene, but rather a point of reference for flooring professionals looking to do business in Asia as well as worldwide. “The excellent response confirmed the strategic role of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR in the flooring industry, and it revealed the readiness of companies to boost their business in 2021” said Jessica Zhu, vice president of VNU Exhibitions Asia. In 2021, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR, welcomed back its well-known events and conferences and introduced new and innovative ones that were very warmly received by the industry. Read more on www.floor-forum.com/en/news

Sustainability at Pallmann

Pallmann relies on containers made from 100 % recycled material In addition to the development of very low-emission products that are compatible with health and the environment, the Uzin Utz Group has been pushing sustainable packaging solutions for years. Now Pallmann is also switching to containers made from 100 % recycled plastic. "Environmental awareness and sustainability are firmly anchored in the corporate strategy of the entire Uzin Utz Group. The careful approach to the environment and resources is therefore important to us not only at our site, but also along the entire supply chain," Pallmann Managing Director Stefan Neuberger says. "For years, we have been searching for a suitable packaging solution made of recycled material that is in no way inferior to the properties of a conventional container. Our containers are not only product packaging, but also transport packaging. Therefore, as a premium supplier, it is very important to us that the goods reach the customer undamaged and safely." Now a manufacturer has been found whose containers meet all requirements in terms of dimensional stability, stackability and robustness. From now on, primers and sealers will be gradually converted to the new containers. The new containers are made of 100 % recycled post-consumer

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recyclate, so-called PCR-HDPE. This is waste that is generated by consumers and is then available again as a raw material for plastic production. For this purpose, the waste is collected, cleaned, sorted and processed into granulate. The containers are purchased from a manufacturer in Germany who also produces in Germany. For labelling purposes, a corresponding embossing on the canisters will in future refer to the recycled packaging.

Chipps (B) at various European editions of Architect@Work

Chipps is working gradually to gain a better market share for its trendy OSB boards for floors, walls, and ceilings. Later this year, to reach out better to buyers and (interior) architects, they are taking part for the first time in a number of editions of the international event Architect@Work. The manufacturer stresses mainly the design of its product, hence the choice for Architect@Work. Once the central advisory board of this trade fair had assessed and approved the innovative value, Chipps, which is based in Zonhoven in Limburg, is taking part in the international editions in Paris (23-24 September), Düsseldorf (27-28 October), Milan (3-4 November), Madrid (24-25 November), and the Belgian edition in the home city of Kortrijk (21-22 October). Manager Roel Geraerts comments: ‘We’ve noticed that designers and architects welcome our product with open arms. Even without attending a trade fair, we’ve discovered that there is a big demand via interior companies and designers. We were also planning to take part in Batibouw (B) earlier this year, but that fell through due to the pandemic. Next year, we’ll certainly be there and our attendance will be linked to a special campaign to taget consumers, even with radio spots.’

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