Surface & Panel - Q1 2019

Q1 • 2019

& U N I T I N G M AT E R I A L S , T E C H N O L O GY A N D D E S I G N

TECHNOLOGY, SPECIALIZATION DRIVE GROWTH WHAT’S COOKING IN CABINET DESIGN NEXT LEVEL PANEL PROCESSING IT'S ALL ABOUT SPACE CLOSETS PIONEER GETS INSPIRED

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P U B L I S H E R

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PRESIDENT, BEDFORD FALLS COMMUNICATIONS JOHN@BEDFORDFALLSMEDIA.COM 920-206-1766

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T H E

JOHN AUFDERHAAR

F R O M

From Woodworking to WWII SHARED PASSIONS FORGED EVERLASTING BOND WITH ‘UNCLE STEVE’

My good friend Stephen Ehle passed away Jan. 15. I affectionately and respectfully referred to him as Uncle Steve.

We began our careers in publishing on the same day in 1986 as junior associ-

“Steve had a depth of understanding that was driven by an intense curiosity.

We shared a love for historic renovation and the works of Leopold and Muir.”

ates at Johnson Hill Press in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin—he as an editor and I as a sales-

car exploring the countryside as we often did on our German trips.

person for a magazine called Furniture

We stumbled onto a small village along the Rhine River. When we

Wood Digest (ultimately Wood Digest). We

saw the sign for Remagen, we had to explore on foot. We stood on

grew up in the business together, traveled the world together and

the abutments of the famous Ludendorff Bridge in silence imagin-

were often a team at industry events and trade shows.

ing what it must have been like to be there in March 1945 as the

Steve had an interesting story or an Ole and Lena joke for everyone he met. He was beloved and respected by those who knew him

Americans raced against the clock to capture the railroad bridge before the Germans could destroy it.

well. Steve had a depth of understanding that was driven by an

As night fell, we wandered back into the small village and to the only

intense curiosity. We shared a love for historic renovation and the

restaurant. Neither of us spoke German, and we had to point at menus

works of Leopold and Muir.

to order dinner. We talked at length about the bridge at Remagen, the

Steve and his wife, Jennifer, renovated the historic John Cook

war and what it must have been like to see the Allies cross the Rhine.

house in Cooksville, Wisconsin, which graced the covers of many

We assumed that no one in the restaurant spoke English. To our sur-

magazines. Steve was the editorial director of Wood Digest for 23

prise, a small gray-haired man wearing a beret approached our table.

years, interviewing and photographing business leaders and creat-

Steadied by a wooden cane, he said in English that he had been listen-

ing some of the best feature stories the industry has ever seen.

ing to our conversation and was pleased that we knew our history. He

Steve formed lasting relationships all over the U.S. and the world

told us he was a tank commander in Rommel’s corps in North Africa

and enjoyed traveling to the Interzum and Ligna fairs in Germany. We

and had been taken prisoner by the British. He said he learned to

often traveled together, and I know Steve cherished the experiences

speak English in a prison camp in England where he spent the remain-

we shared as much as I did. On our first trip to Koln for the Interzum

ing days of the war. We asked him to join us for schnapps, and he told

show, we checked into our hotel, eager to get some rest after a long

us what it was like to know and be under the command of the desert

flight. To our surprise, the room had only one bed. When we com-

fox. We could have talked all night.

plained to the front desk that we had reserved “a double” room and

Steve and I would relive that evening many times. We had many

were expecting two beds, we were told that a double in Germany is

more experiences, and it’s memories such as these that will keep

just a larger bed. Steve and I often reminisced about adventures

Stephen Patterson Ehle alive in my heart. I will miss my friend. Steve

such as this and “the old days” in the industry.

died one day before his 70th birthday.

Steve and I shared an interest in and reverence for World War II history. Nearly 30 years ago, we ventured south of Bonn in a rented

SURFACE & PANEL • Q1 2019

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PUBLISHER John Aufderhaar President | Bedford Falls Communications 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094 PH: 920-206-1766 john@bedfordfallsmedia.com CONTENT Scott W. Angus Editorial Director | Bedford Falls Communications 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094 PH: 920-261-1947 scottangus47@gmail.com A DV E R T I S I N G Ryan Wagner VP Sales & Marketing | Bedford Falls Communications 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094 PH: 920-261-1945 rwagner@bedfordfallsmedia.com Daniel Davidson Sales & Marketing Specialist PH: 920-261-1947 dan@bedfordfallsmedia.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Karen Leno Senior Graphic Designer | KML Design, Inc. kmldesigninc@gmail.com Mitch Tannis Graphic Designer/Photographer Bedford Falls Communications mitch@bedfordfallsmedia.com C I R C U L AT I O N / S U B S C R I P T I O N S 440 Quadrangle Dr, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440 subscriptions@cds1976.com PH: 630-739-0900, option 1 NEWS news@bedfordfallsmedia.com C O M P O S I T E PA N E L A S S O C I AT I O N MAIN OFFICE 19465 Deerfield Avenue, Suite 306 Leesburg, VA 20176 PH: 703-724-1128 FAX: 703-724-1588 Toll Free 1-866-4COMPOSITES www.CompositePanel.org CANADIAN OFFICE Post Office Box 747, Station B Ottawa, Ontario CANADA K1P 5P8 PH: 613-232-6782 FAX: 703-724-1588 I N T E R N AT I O N A L T E S T I N G A N D C E R T I F I C AT I O N C E N T E R 73 Lawson Road, Leesburg, VA 20175 PH: 703-724-1128 FAX: 703-724-1588 www.itcclab.org

V O L U M E

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From the Publisher

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Technology, Specialization Drive Growth New York cabinetmaker Nexis3 benefits from sharp focus.

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Q 1

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18 What’s Cooking in Cabinet Design America’s kitchens are getting warmer … and cooler.

2 4 How It’s Made Matters TFL meets specific market needs for high-performing, lower-cost surface options for a wide variety of applications.

3 0 Next Level Panel Processing Bauformat USA brings European trends to North America.

38 Material, Technology & Design Symposium A preview of the 2019 Material, Technology & Design Symposium, coming up in October in Denver.

40 It’s All About Space Surface & Panel asks top hardware sellers to highlight some of their best space-saving products.

46 Closets Pioneer Gets Inspired Mike Carson transitions from manufacturing closet, storage systems to becoming inaugural dealer for Stow’s Inspired Closets network.

5 4 Forecasts Are Cool for Housing, Remodeling in 2019 Rising interest rates cited among variety of factors.

60 Ahlstrom-Munksjö Invests, Adapts in Response to Decor Market Changes Surface & Panel poses a series of questions to Tomas Wulkan, executive vice president, decor, at Ahlstrom-Munksjö, a global leader in fiber-based materials.

64 From the Editor 6 6

Ad Index

O N T H E C OV E R : The Bauformat collection changes every year to include new innovations in materials and hardware—offering foils, glass, exotic woods, lacquers and deeply textured TFL and HPL.

OCTOBER 6 • DENVER, COLORADO mtdsymposium.com

Surface & Panel is published quarterly by Bedford Falls Communications, Inc., 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094, telephone 920-206-1766.

John Aufderhaar, President, Christine Aufderhaar, CFO. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical without written permission from the publisher. Subscription policy: Individual subscriptions are available, without charge, to manufacturers who engage in panel processing, qualified service providers and suppliers. Publisher reserves the right to reject non-qualified subscribers. One year subscription to non-qualified individuals: U.S. $50, Canada/Mexico $75, all other countries $100, payable in U.S. funds. Single issues are $15, and must be prepaid. Bedford Falls Communications, Inc., does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident, or any other cause whatsoever. Printed in the U.S.A. Postmaster: Send address changes to Surface & Panel, 440 QUADRANGLE DR, STE E, BOLINGBROOK, IL 60440-3455. Please direct all subscription questions to: Surface & Panel, 440 QUADRANGLE DR, STE E, BOLINGBROOK, IL 60440-3455; or call: 630-739-0900 option 1; or e-mail: subscriptions@cds1976.com

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Technology, Specialization Drive Growth

STEVE SCHOENACKER

New York cabinetmaker Nexis3 benefits from sharp focus

BY SCOTT W. ANGUS

S

teve Schoenacker knew early in his career as a woodworker that he wanted to own and operate a cabinetmaking company that relied heavily on technology and automation. And by early, we’re talking 20 years old.

That’s the age at which Schoenacker founded his company, Nexis3, in Rochester, New York. The year was 2001.

“Machinery and technology fascinated me, and as a perfectionist, automation was the only way for me to achieve unequivocal precision. So it became my goal to build a fully automated factory. It took a couple years of planning, but soon enough, I made my first major investment,” said Schoenacker, who is owner and CEO of Nexis3.

His first shop was 2,000 square feet, and he didn’t initially have much machinery. Two years in, though, he bought his first Homag CNC router and panel saw, beginning what he calls a partnership with Stiles Machinery that continues to this day.

Today, Nexis3 occupies 65,000 square feet, and Schoenacker is proud of his shop’s modern and growing machinery lineup, along with continually expanding technology that enhances the company’s efficiency and competitiveness. He’s also enthusiastic about the attractive, high-quality decorative panels increasingly being offered in the U.S. by companies such as Egger and Cleaf and that make up the majority of his materials.

When he first started, Schoenacker focused on residential work,

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but he quickly turned to commercial projects, including schools, hospitals and banks. By 2008, he had 10 employees. Nexis3 had outgrown its first location, where it had expanded to 5,000 square feet.

Schoenacker moved his operation to an old General Motors facility with virtually unlimited space, and he took 15,000 square feet.

“This was a huge move. Initially, I was worried about having too much space. But with my goal of having a fully automated factory still at the forefront of my mind, this was the next step I needed to take.

With every new machine came new opportunities to assimilate new customers. This steady but constant growth has led the company to where it is today.”

Nexis3 was still doing commercial work and retail store fixtures, and automation was key to its success.

“The business was running at a steady pace, but there was a lot of competition,” Schoenacker said. “I had to figure out what our competitive edge was and expand on it. At the time, I was one to two decades younger than most of my competitors. Building an automated facility isn’t that difficult if you have good cash flow and credit.

But I understood the software behind the automation. And I soon realized this was my competitive edge. The office was highly efficient, even with only a few people.”

About then, though, Schoenacker started rethinking his business model. He had traveled to Europe a number of times to visit

the automated shops in Germany, and he was impressed by their specialization and the resulting efficiency and quality.

“You’d go to one company, and they were just producing work surfaces. And you’d go to another company, and they were just producing casework.

Here in the U.S., everyone is trying to do everything—from wall panels to reception desks with all sorts of different materials—and it’s hard to be really great at anything.”

In the last five years, Schoenacker has narrowed and redeveloped his business. He gave up commercial work and began focusing on building casework and countertops of thermally fused laminate and high pressure laminate for other manufacturers.

“I often received calls from other businesses, asking me questions and my opinion regarding industry-related software and machinery. This made me realize we could be a good resource for other manufacturers and focus on becoming more specialized,” he said. “So we began collaborating with smaller shops that don’t have the equipment and mid-sized shops that don’t have the capacity. Often, we’re even sought out by very large companies that outsource the casework component because they simply aren’t set up for that type of fabrication.”

In many cases, the other manufacturers have Nexis3 private label components for them, and Schoenacker is fine with that.

“Nexis3 is not a design firm. My passion lies within the engineering and production. Private labeling components for other companies allows me to leverage the manufacturing capabilities of my facility. It’s a win-win situation for the customer and my company.”

With the change in focus came even more rapid growth. While expanding its footprint to 65,000 square feet, the company increased its employment to about 20, and it’s looking to hire.

“I have an awesome group of people. Change is hard, and I am continually changing things up within the business. But my employees are committed to the company’s vision, and it’s because of their willingness to adapt that I’ve been able to efficiently and effectively execute my plan.”

While making components for other manufacturers is now the biggest part of Nexis3’s business, it isn’t the company’s only work. Nexis3 also produces cabinets for kitchen dealers, and it makes casework and more for developers that build multi-family units in the region. The developer jobs initially involved mostly kitchens, but Nexis3 now is also doing bathrooms and

“We show them the materials we work with.

We show them what we’re doing. And they’re hooked.”

STEVE SCHOENACKER, OWNER AND CEO OF NEXIS3

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SURFACE & PANEL • Q1 2019

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Online Portal Enables Easy, Efficient Ordering

G

iven Steve Schoenacker’s commitment to technology, it’s no surprise he’s found a way to automate how some customers order his products.

For two years, Schoenacker and his company, Nexis3, have been developing an online portal that allows customers to configure their cabinets remotely and place their orders efficiently and at their convenience.

It’s called Netshop, and Schoenacker has high hopes for what he calls his “online configurator.”

Some Nexis3 customers are already using Netshop, and Nexis3 uses it internally. Schoenacker, however, is about to start marketing the program more broadly.

Customers can configure their cabinets to any size and incorporate a wide range of options from the types of drawers to the brand, color and texture of TFL as Netshop generates previews, Schoenacker explained.

While Netshop will be marketed and available to all customers, he believes it is especially helpful for smaller shops, whose best option now essentially involves selecting cabinets off shelves at big box stores.

“It’s a great tool for customers who know what they want. Customers are able log into the Netshop at their convenience and create a custom order. They have the ability to select custom sizes, materials, colors and hardware. With each selection, the program automatically generates the total price, allowing the customer to compare the price difference of each component, which is always helpful. Once they hit order, the data is automatically sent to the machines, and production can begin immediately.”

Schoenacker said the goal is a 10-day turnaround for “totally custom cabinets.”

“The Netshop eliminates the engineering and estimating processes, which makes it an awesome tool for a project of any size.” n

closets—“basically supplying all the components they need to build the entire space out,” Schoenacker said.

In all of its work, Nexis3 relies largely on TFL and HPL to meet customer needs. The company has turned out European-style cabinets since the beginning, and the emergence of textured and super-matte surfaces and more colors in recent years has made believers out of more developers and manufacturers, Schoenacker said.

“When people hear the word melamine, they often question the quality. They don’t realize melamine has come a long way. The product is of much higher quality and durability than it used to be. Plus, it comes in an infinite array of colors, patterns and textures. Once I show the customer the product, it’s usually love at first sight. The number of options and the price point make it a no brainer in most instances.”

Schoenacker is in a good position to guide his customers toward the newest and best in decorative panels and the latest in hardware. Customers ask Nexis3 for ideas, and the company shows off the latest from Egger, Cleaf, Tafisa, Uniboard and others. It doesn’t take long to convince the builders—many of whom previously sold Shaker-style cabinets, often with dark stain--that today’s TFL is the way to go, said Schoenacker, who relies on Upper Canada Forest Products for distribution.

In addition, Schoenacker offers many options for cabinet hardware, from connecting devices to door and drawer hardware. Lamello connectors have become especially popular. Schoenacker was recently contacted by three new customers to create goods for them simply because Nexis3 works with this type of hardware, which allows case CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 ›

ALONG WITH MAKING COMPONENTS FOR OTHER MANUFACTURERS, NEXIS3 PRODUCES CABINETS FOR KITCHEN DEALERS AS WELL AS CASEWORK AND MORE FOR DEVELOPERS THAT BUILD MULTI-FAMILY UNITS IN THE REGION. IN ALL OF ITS WORK, NEXIS3 RELIES LARGELY ON TFL AND HPL TO BUILD EUROPEAN-STYLE CABINETS.

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Nexis3 machinery Technology has helped propel Nexis3’s impressive growth. Here’s a rundown of the primary machinery in the company’s Rochester, New York, plant: n HOMAG INTELLISTORE WITH LABEL PRINTER n HOMAG PANEL SAWS – 2 n

HOMAG NESTED ROUTER

n HOMAG EDGEBANDER n

HOMAG CNC DRILLING MACHINES

n

HOMAG DOWEL MACHINE

n

HOMAG ASSEMBLY EQUIPMENT

n

JOOS HOT PRESS LAMINATING LINE

n

SNX TECHNOLOGIES CONTOUR BANDER

n

PACKSIZE BOX-ON-DEMAND MACHINE

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goods to be flat packed and assembled on site, he said.

“Our customers love the products. They are trying to create cool spaces, and the new materials and hardware help them differentiate themselves from what other people are doing.”

In some cases, Nexis3’s customers aren’t exactly sure what they are buying, but that doesn’t deter them. “They know it’s not wood.

They know it’s a little different. But they don’t question the quality,” Schoenacker said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 ›

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STEVE SCHOENACKER CREDITS HIS EMPLOYEES' COMMITMENTTO THE COMPANY’S VISION AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ADAPT AS PART OF HIS ABILITY TO EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY EXECUTE HIS PLAN.

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‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

For cabinet fronts and work surfaces, some customers still specify HPL, which Nexis3 buys from major suppliers such as Formica, Wilsonart, Nevamar and Pionite. Schoenacker, however, often pushes them toward TFL, at least for cabinet fronts, because Nexis3 offers so many options and TFL “is usually a much better value.” Boxes are always TFL, he said.

“We really like to use Egger TFL because they have the complete program with matching banding and HPL if needed,” he said.

One of Nexis3’s top developer customers is Dutton Properties of Springwater, New York. Dutton is a construction firm that redevelops historic buildings into multi-use environments while promoting sustainability through technologies such as geothermal heating and cooling, said Luke Dutton, who co-owns the company with his father.

Dutton chose to work with Nexis3 “because of Steve’s passion to create well-thought-out quality products,” Dutton said. The companies have worked on five large projects together and countless smaller ones. “Regardless of project size, Steve’s attention to detail and ingenuity bring each project to the next level,” Dutton said.

The latest big project for Nexis3 and Dutton is The Factory in Rochester, an abandoned warehouse that Dutton dismantled to create modern space. It features the latest in geothermal technology, daylighting and LED lighting that allow corporate, restaurant, mercantile and residential tenants to work and live sustainably, Dutton said.

The residential units in The Factory, in particular, favor a more modern approach with flex layouts, Dutton said. Nexis3 is making CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 ›

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movable partitions, beds, kitchen cabinets and vanities for the project, which is nearing completion.

“The look and feel of the millwork are critical. We wanted materials that relate well to each other and complement our design.

The finish and quality of the TFL is what solidified our selections,” he said.

While attractive and functional new materials have been vital to Nexis3’s growth, so has the addition of machinery to enable increased production, which now totals 800 to 1,000 parts per day. Schoenacker has worked with Stiles from the beginning, and his shop is full of Homag equipment. In 2018, he installed the Homag IntelliStore inventory management system and worked with Schuler Consulting to reorganize his plant. He’s got space designated to add a second edgebander this year, and he has two saws connected to the Intellistore, a nested router and several CNC machines. (See Nexis3 machinery, page 12.)

Nexis3 uses Homag’s Wood Cad Cam for its design software, and it often relies on Hettich for hardware for its metal drawer systems. When its cabinet designs include flip-up and bifold doors, Blum gets the call for hardware.

As Nexis3 has grown and word has spread about its wellequipped facility and quality work, customers are more often coming to the company for guidance and production.

“We show them the materials we work with. We show them what we’re doing. And they’re hooked.” Schoenacker said. s&p

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What’s Cooking in Cabinet Design America’s kitchens are getting warmer … and cooler.

BY RICH CHRISTIANSON

Warm wood tones and cool blues are stand-out trends in kitchen cabinet décor for 2019, according to design experts contacted by Surface & Panel.

Eight representatives of kitchen cabinet manufacturers and decorative surface companies each stated his or her case for what is already hot or is heating up as popular color and woodgrain options in decorative laminates and painted finishes. Expect to see these trends make a splash at KBIS, the AWFS Fair and other industry trade and consumer events throughout the year.

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DIRECTOR OF DESIGN AND TRENDS, MASTERBRAND CABINETS, JASPER, INDIANA “The introduction of color into these spaces continues to remain strong. Blues are top hues, but we also see green tones picking up the pace. Blue paints can be found across almost all our cabinetry lines.

Although these are darker, there are no boundaries to this color’s potential in cabinetry. From dark to light, all shades of blue are up for consideration.

“We certainly see an opportunity to continue to grow our laminate products in both framed and frameless cabinetry. Kitchen trends still have a strong modern influence, and slab laminates are a perfect complement for any style that blends modern elements into the design. Mid to light wood grain tones that derive color influences from nature such as weathered grays, bleached whites or warm walnuts are key.

“The evolution and growth of islands continues, as well, with multipurpose work areas that serve typical kitchen functions but also work as central hubs for family interaction, dining and socializing.” n

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Jeff Wolfe DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, WOOD-MODE FINE CUSTOM CABINETRY, KREAMER, PENNSYLVANIA “Color trends in the kitchen continue to shift from all white to softer palettes of gray, blue and taupe. As part of the shift away from the sterile, all-white kitchen is the trend to mix smooth matte or high-gloss finishes with textured, weathered finishes or metallic finishes. Accent pieces, such as an island, become a focal point when applying a sandblasted walnut or a cerused rift-cut white oak. High-quality HPLs also provide contemporary design solutions for this trend and

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Angela O’Neill are available in a wide variety of looks from woodgrains to metallics to ceramics.

“Extremely low-sheen super matte finishes that are velvety smooth dominate the European contemporary market and are making their way to the U.S. These super matte surfaces have the quality and durability of HPL but also have an anti-fingerprint finish. The latest HPL technology incorporates

a surface texture that is synchronized to the pattern, creating a visual and tactile effect that is barely distinguishable from solid wood or veneers. Wood-Mode’s introduction of high-quality laminates in luxury kitchens means even the edgebanding can be customized with unique end grain creating the authentic and natural look of a solid wood slab door in every detail.” n

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, WELLBORN CABINET, ASHLAND, ALABAMA “Designers keep telling us they want to bring color back that is warm and inviting into everything. We have seven new paint colors being introduced in our standard paint collection that are warmer, including white, off white, blue, green and red.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 ›

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UNIBOARD

“Under stain, it’s brown, brown, brown.

Our walnut brown has no yellow or red. Also, the gray stain is still popular. Acrylics and textured laminates also are warmer. All of that graining under the TFL is warm.

“Lighting cabinet interiors is becoming very hot. We have a partnership with Häfele Loox Lighting. Every time a door and drawer is opened at our display at KBIS, the entire interior will be lit.” n

Cindy Draper HUNTWOOD INDUSTRIES

MARKETING MANAGER, CANYON CREEK CABINET COMPANY, MONROE, WASHINGTON “Kitchen cabinet trends that I see continuing to make their mark in 2019 include: • “Industrial-inspired kitchen design with concrete, burnished metals and copper accents.

• Unexpected pops of color with appliances and cabinets.

• Matte finishes for cabinets.

• Kitchens moving toward simpler designs.

• Mixing vintage pieces with modern cabinetry.

DIRECTOR, HUNTWOOD INDUSTRIES, LIBERTY LAKE, WASHINGTON “In our primary markets (western U.S. and western Canada), the ‘big’ sellers are painted finishes, textured TFL with woodgrain patterns, super matte TFL and acrylic slab door styles. We’ve added a series of slab door styles in a variety of textured TFL colors and a couple of door styles in super matte finishes.

“Our expectation is that we’ll see a greater demand for heavily textured TFL in woodgrain tones that are modern in color, such as gray and ‘cooler’ colors and some charcoal and black tones, as well. We also expect to see a significant increase in off-white slab door styles with super matte finishes.” n

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PRODUCT MANAGER, UNIBOARD, LAVAL, QUEBEC “Navy, (such as Uniboard’s Wave Blue TFL), appeared from all sides in 2018 and is a color story that will last well into 2019, becoming one of those instant classics.

One trend that has been growing slowly is the return of warmth to wood tones. This is achieved by keeping the colors on the mid to dark range while always having a neutral tone underlying the color. Wood with a black charred feel or flint colored, first seen in metal household components such as hardware, faucets and deco pieces, are migrating over to wood designs.

“We added several new designs to our 2019-2020 collection to touch different design segments, such as mid-century modern and sophisticated rustic trends.” n

Bill Lane DECORATIVE SURFACES AND DISTRIBUTION SERVICES MANAGER, STEVENS INDUSTRIES, TEUTOPOLIS, ILLINOIS

CANYON CREEK CABINET COMPANY

“The Curated Surfaces Collection for our premium Millennia frameless cabinetry line was designed to capture the textures, colors and materials that are popular in today’s kitchen and bath designs. This selection of muted tones extends across a wide range of wood grains, matte finishes and high-gloss surfaces. Late last year, we added three new thermo-structured surface patterns to Katana, our budget-priced frameless line.” n

Chris Stookey

Christina Lambert

“I continue to see more warmer colors mixed with something that ‘pops’ in the overall design. This could be either a very contrasting color used intermittently or a mix of materials. Even the traditional all-white colors are being dressed up a little by the introduction of white woodgrains that are picking up in popularity. They’re still very clean but now have a little more play and attractiveness to them.

“It seems ‘fingerless’ super matte finishes are still growing in popularity. They’re pretty cool in door applications and offer a ‘warm’ feel when touched.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 ›

touchwood

TM

ARCHITECTURAL PANELS

CopyrightAvailable © Columbia as Forest Products. All Rights Reserved.

FSC® Certified upon request.

As shown: Clear Birch painted white with taupe stain

As shown: Clear Birch painted white with warm grey stain

Some of our best ideas go against the grain.

TM

Rough Sawn Faces

Textured, real wood panels that beg to be felt as much as seen.

We’re proud to debut our new TouchWood™ Collection with a series of Rough Sawn hardwood faces in Red Oak and Birch. These all-wood panels capture the natural warmth and authenticity of yesterday’s milled lumber, but in an efficient and abundant form. Both Rough Sawn faces are available in two styles, giving your ideas a broad range of visual expression. Finishing options — from painting and staining to clear sealing — offer even more possibilities for style and impact.

With a rich, tactile quality that pleases the senses, TouchWood provides an inspiring surface for today’s texture-driven interior trends. Order samples now to discover the real, Rough Sawn wood panels your customers have been waiting to get their hands on. Additional textures are coming soon.

Eastern US 1 800-237-2428 Central US 1 800-760-3341 Northeastern US & Canada 1 888-664-1964 • 1 888-525-1964 Western US/Canada 1 800-547-1791

TouchWoodPanels.com

“We have several new designs coupled with matching synchronized textures to provide the realism that consumers demand matched with the latest on-trend colors.

They include synchronized HPL for countertop and post-laminating requirements.” n

E VAILABL NOW A CURED WITH UV OAT CLEAR C

SALES MANAGER, SYNERGY THERMAL FOILS, CORAL SPRINGS, FLORIDA “I thought high gloss was dying, but it seems to be bigger than ever with white representing over 50 percent. It could have to do with kitchens getting smaller so people want more of an impact. When you see a highgloss yellow, orange or green, you’re probably not going to forget that.

“Blue is the next gray. We have a dark blue called Deep Blue Sea, but customers are already asking for a range of blue from light to navy. That’s how gray started. We began with one gray, and now we have four.” s&p

1 PART

Wood Veneer

1 PART

SuperMatte 3D Laminate

MIX & ENJOY.

mixology

SYNERGY THERMAL FOILS

STEVENS INDUSTRIES ‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

Amir Bakhtyari

866-344-8132 | www.northerncontours.com

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DISCOVER!

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How It’s Made Matters TFL Performance Is Built Right In

BY TEO N G TAN, ARC LI N VI C E PRESI D ENT, BUSI N ESS & TEC H N O LOGY AND JOE MEDGES, ARCLIN TECHNICAL SALES MANAGER, DECOR ATIVE SURFACES

I

t’s no secret to any of us in the decorative surfaces industry that TFL, or thermally fused laminates, may just be the least understood surfacing option on the market. Lack of “brand” identity (and especially strong recognition of its closely allied product, HPL) or lingering perceptions tied to once-imperfect manufacturing standards—who’s to say what exactly is to blame.

But as technologies have vastly improved and the application of TFL continues to grow throughout the world, we thought the opportunity ripe to offer a little insight into the product category. And as a couple of technical guys with combined resin and treating expertise, we wonder if a little “how it works” background might gain the market better understanding about just what you get—and can expect—from TFL. It does, after all, meet very specific market needs for high performing, lower-cost surface options for a wide variety of applications.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE What goes into TFL and how it’s made contribute equally to its performance success. And just what does success look like? Let’s start there.

All North American-made and sold TFL must meet NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) performance standards for impact and scratch resistance, cleanability, UV light resistance, surface wear durability and more. A number of other organizations, including the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), provide criteria—and often certification and regulation—for air quality and sustainability.

How they get there is a combination of the complementary efforts of suppliers along the manufacturing supply chain—and smart chemistry.

ABOVE: TODAY, PRINTER TECHNOLOGIES AND CREATIVITY COMBINE TO ENABLE HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED AND HIGH FIDELITY DESIGNS FOR TFL (AND OTHER SURFACE OPTIONS).

HERE, ARCLIN'S CHARLES BRIDGE DESIGN. RIGHT: TFL IS A PERFECT SOLUTION FOR ON-TREND KITCHENS THAT COMBINE SURFACE MATERIALS AND DESIGNS. HERE, ENGINEERED TILE, MARBLE, METAL, WOOD, AND TFL-SURFACED COMPONENTS IN WHITE AND WOOD GRAINS. USED MORE OFTEN ON VERTICAL SURFACES, TFL ALSO REDUCES OVERALL PROJECT COSTS

BY COMPLEMENTING HIGH PRESSURE LAMINATES (HPL) THAT ARE USED FOR COUNTERTOPS AND OTHER SURFACES THAT REQUIRE HIGH IMPACT RESISTANCE.

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From an environmental standpoint, paper suppliers meet FSC standards for sustainably harvested fiber sources. Printers of décor papers are largely using environmentally friendly water-based inks.

Paper treaters’ (of which Arclin is one) plants are typically FSC chainof-custody certified. Our resin systems also meet all CARB Phase II compliance regulations for air quality and may contribute to LEED credits for air quality as set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The laminators we work with prefer industrial grade substrate materials (typically particleboard or MDF) that meet a variety of industry standards for environmental sustainability and safety and are also fire rated and moisture resistant.

Performance characteristics are also built in, ensured by a number of steps and contributions along the supply chain.

HOW WE GET THERE Not only do all of us in the TLF supply chain have a stake in making sure the final product meets performance standards and market demand, many of us are also committed to continuous innovations that improve performance still further. By leveraging enhanced technologies, we’re ensuring that end customers reap the benefit of products that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are high performing and cost effective.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 ›

• Your hometown team • Trend in design • World class technical • State of the art facility

ISO 9001:2015

KMI is the sole sales agency for Marathon & Heimbach press pads in North America

AS 9100:2016

ISO 9001:2015 / AS9100D Certified

1755 S. Battleground Avenue. Kings Mountain, NC 28086 United States Tel: 704-739-4227 Fax: 704-739-4223 www.kmiinc.net Email: sales@kmiinc.net

ABOVE: RESIN TECHNOLOGIES FOR TFL ARE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING TO MEET MARKET NEEDS

FOR EVERYTHING FROM SMUDGE RESISTANCE TO ANTIMICROBIAL SURFACES. RIGHT: ARCLIN USES A PROPRIETARY MULTIPLE-COAT RESIN TREATING PROCESS FOR TFL PAPERS, ENHANCING PERFORMANCE AND DURABILITY.

EVERGREEN ENGINEERING • • • •

Engineered Wood Woodyards Material Handling Preliminary & Detail Engineering • Complete Greenfield Plant Installation • Continuous Process Improvement

Call 888-484-4771 Eugene, Oregon

Atlanta, Georgia

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

Printing. “It used to be, we’d prop a piece of wood up against the wall and take a picture,” said Bill Schmittgens, U.S. national sales manager for printer Schattdecor, of the process of capturing designs to transfer to décor papers. Just a few short decades ago, poor design fidelity made surface overlays a weak substitution for real wood surfaces. Not so anymore. Highly creative and high fidelity designs are being driven by printers’ often-global design teams and technological advancements that have customers scratching their heads asking if this is “real wood.”

Ink technologies have also come a long way. “We solved any fading issues many, many years ago,” Schmittgens said. Today, technology enables printers to consistently replicate colors with exacting accuracy and ensure those colors not only hold up under persistent light exposure, but also hold their consistency under a variety of light sources (e.g., sunlight, fluorescent and incandescent).

Treating. The most critical element of successful TFL production is the resin systems employed during the treating process. We can speak only for our own manufacturing approach, but Arclin uses a proprietary multiple-coat treating process. First, décor papers are “dipped” into thermoset resins that fill the gaps, so to speak, in the paper core—much like a sponge absorbs water. We then coat the top and bottom of the paper with resin layers that hold the key to many of its ultimate performance characteristics. The “inside” resin ensures the paper holds up—it becomes virtually impossible to tear apart. The “outside” layers seal the paper, providing a top that is heat-, scratch-, water- and chemical-resistant, and color stable. The resin on the bottom serves as a glueline that reactivates during the lamination process to ensure a strong and consistent bond on the panel substrate.

Resin systems can be and are altered for a variety of reasons: They are often customized for individual laminator manufacturing environments. They can be engineered to enable the application of textures, effectively and without weakening the fibers. And they can CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 ›

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We have only seen the beginning of what our fiber-based materials and solutions can bring to the decor industry: Top Quality Print Base Papers Color Collections for High & Low Pressure Applications High GSM Colored Core Papers Inkjet Decor Papers Clean & Green Pre-impregnated Papers

AHLSTROM-MUNKSJÖ GERMANY HOLDING GMBH Nördlicher Stadtgraben 4 - 73430 Aalen, GERMANY decorative.papers@ahlstrom-munksjo.com - www.ahlstrom-munksjo.com USA Sales Contact: Wayne Franklin – wayne.franklin@ahlstrom-munksjo.com

“By leveraging enhanced technologies, we’re ensuring that end customers reap the benefit of products that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are high performing and cost effective.”

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

include additives that offer additional attributes like antimicrobial properties—namely for hospitals and schools—and smudge resistance. Seals can be included in resin systems to make it possible to erase pencil marks, for example, and so a hot cup of tea won’t leave a mark.

With customization, these same treated papers can also be used for flooring. In this case, chemicals are added to ensure greater wear resistance. A cap sheet, applied during lamination, provides extra protection.

Complex and varied in purpose, the right resin system is essential to product performance. (Arclin has the benefit of producing our own resins, which allows us to affect the attributes and outcomes.)

The treated paper is cured (dried) and provided to the laminator in single sheets, cut to their manufacturing specifications.

Lamination. The laminator then uses a combination of heat and pressure to fuse treated paper and substrate. By heating the paper, the partially cured resin is chemically reactivated, becoming sticky and ready for lamination. Laminators manipulate heat, resin flow and curing speeds to ensure proper bonding and surface integrity. “Time, pressure and temperature, that’s our formula,” noted Gary McGillivray, head of sales and product development for KML Designer Finishes in Tacoma, Washington. How much of each goes into the process predicates the success of the finished product.

Texture and surface finishes are added at the lamination stage, created by various press plates and enabled by additives to the resin system.

ABOVE: PRINTERS, TREATERS, LAMINATORS AND FABRICATORS EMPLOY MYRIAD QUALITY CONTROL STEPS, COMBINING TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE PRODUCT CONSISTENCY AND MORE. RIGHT: THE DEMAND FOR TEXTURES ON TFL HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN RECENT YEARS, OFTEN PROVIDING A SURFACE FINISH THAT MAKES IT NEARLY INDISCERNIBLE FROM REAL WOOD OR VENEER. RESIN SYSTEMS ARE ENGINEERED TO ENSURE PAPERS HOLD UP DURING LAMINATION TO THE APPLICATION OF DEEP TEXTURES.

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QUALITY…ASSURED You can see that there are a lot of moving parts to this manufacturing process. There are just as many safeguards to make sure the finished panels hold up to every standard we’ve outlined, plus meet the market’s increasing demand for these high quality and versatile panels.

Printers govern color consistency and design integrity. Treaters first check for paper and design/color consistencies. Arclin’s resin batches are tested extensively to ensure they meet what we call “golden batch” criteria. We have electronic monitors along the treater to check for defects and sight monitors that go through papers as they are cut and bundled. Quality laminators use industrial grade substrate panels to guarantee even resin distribution for smooth surface finishing. They also employ their own set of quality control measures.

And we all work together throughout the manufacturing process, monitoring, evaluating and customizing our products to net an end product worthy of its application, whether stylish kitchen cabinet or high-end desk system, custom closet configuration or boutique hotel lobby fixture.

Together, we’ve come a long way. And still, the market is changing rapidly. As demand for the product grows, so do expectations for, for instance, deeper and more detailed textures (often called EIR, or embossed in register) and greater performance, including enhanced abrasion, impact and chemical resistance. Arclin is leading the way in the development of chemistries to meet—and drive— market expectations.

We all know that the more the downstream market knows and understands the processes and properties of TFL, the more opportunity it creates for everyone in the industry. The more the industry works together to innovate and educate, the better our collective outcomes. s&p

Our resins make beautiful laminates

© 2018 Hexion Inc. All rights reserved.

When it comes to advanced resins and additives for laminates, Hexion is the global leader.

Our products’ processing and performance benefits, global reliability and customized technical service are second to none. Hexion can help you deliver the beautiful, functional and sustainable materials today’s designers, architects, builders and regulators insist on.

For extraordinary rooms, start with exceptional resins and additives.

Visit us at Hexion.com.

Next Level Panel Processing

BY SUZANNE VANGILDER LARSEN

Bauformat USA brings European trends to North America NATASHA MNAT

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I

n Germany, the analogy is strong between the automotive industry—often considered the most vivid expression of what a culture is about in a time—and the kitchen industry. In both, the end product not only has to function, but it has to look great, be efficient to manufacture with regular modifications and give pleasure to the operator.

The Baumann Group, one of the top 10 kitchen manufacturers in Germany, carries that analogy into leading-edge kitchen concepts sold in more than 60 countries worldwide. With just over 645,000 square feet of state-of-the-art panel-processing power between two facilities (located in Löhne and Burg) and partnerships with leading hardware and accessories manufacturers, the company builds furniture-quality performance kitchens.

Making slight adjustments to positioning, it’s brought three brands of “The Kitchen Family” to the North American market.

On this side of the Atlantic, Bauformat occupies the mid-to-high residential kitchen segment and includes a premium custom line called Baulux. Burger Kitchens serves modern multi-unit developments. Badea is dedicated to bathroom spaces.

“Our company has done successful business in Europe for the past 100 years,

and the North American market was different and exotic for us,” said Natasha Mnat, branding strategy and design manager for Bauformat USA. “So we researched the market and relaunched the Bauformat brand for American consumers. There are many different competitors in North America, but the trends run 5 to 10 years behind the European styles. Even with modern materials, we noticed most people stick to the old styles. We saw an opportunity to bring in our newest high-end kitchen innovations and expedite the arrival of European trends.”

GETTING FROM THERE TO HERE Bauformat’s presence in North America marks an arrival in concept as much as product.

In North America, the most popular kitchen and bath style currently and in recent history is transitional. To meet that demand, much of the progress in the segment is aimed at using modern materials and methods to build a bridge to traditional kitchen archetypes. For cabinetry, developments focus mainly on visual and tactile fidelity of classic woodgrains and replicating five-piece door construction—with some high-gloss neutral to push the boundaries. Work surfaces work hard at emulating natural or composite stone. The success in reproducing these kitchen standbys—but with the increased durability, performance and precision of engineered materials—is unquestionable.

However, while Bauformat has the technology to imitate classic kitchen finishes, the company uses engineered materials to surprise and delight—designing for aesthetics that regularly go beyond what can be achieved with natural materials.

“The Bauteam designers believe that the time of a kitchen as a ‘punishment place’ for the woman to cook meals and wash dishes is over. Nowadays, it is a place to gather. Kitchens must be ergonomically correct, functional, easily maintained and look like beautiful furniture,” Mnat said.

“To this end, our entire collection changes every year to include new innovations in material and hardware. We offer HPL, foils, glass, exotic woods, lacquers and deeply textured TFL. But CONTINUED ON PAGE 32 ›

-standoffs.com

Kitchen Design Trends from Bauformat USA n OPEN FLOOR PLANS REQUIRING SUBTLE STORAGE FOR CLEAN SIGHT LINES BETWEEN KITCHEN AND LIVING SPACES. n KITCHEN CABINETRY MOVING AWAY FROM TRADITIONAL AND TOWARD STANDALONE FURNITURE. n POCKET DOORS AND FINISHED FRONT PANELS THAT HIDE APPLIANCES. n DARK FINISHES PLEASANT TO THE TOUCH, SUCH AS SILKY MATTE.

“Gone are the days when kitchens looked like kitchens. What counts today is individuality.”

NATASHA MNAT, BRANDING STRATEGY AND DESIGN MANAGER FOR BAUFORMAT USA

n HANDLE-LESS KITCHENS THAT SHOW OFF MODERN SURFACE INNOVATIONS. n ALTHOUGH WHITE IS STILL POPULAR, MOVEMENT TOWARD BLACK, DARK BROWN AND EVEN NAVY BLUE. n TEXTURED AND UNIQUE MATERIALS ON KITCHEN FRONTS. n NATURAL STONE AND PORCELAIN USED TO CREATE “BLOCK”-LOOKING KITCHENS WHERE CABINETS, FRONTS AND COUNTERTOPS ARE MADE FROM THE SAME MATERIAL. n DARK NEUTRALS FOR CABINET AND DRAWER INSERTS, ACCESSORIES, FIXTURES. n USE OF METALLIC DETAILS SUCH AS TOE KICKS AND PLINTHS.

ABOVE: NATURAL MATERIALS SUCH AS MARBLE COORDINATE BEAUTIFULLY WITH ENGINEERED MATERIALS IN TODAY'S MODERN KITCHENS. LEFT: DESIGN TRENDS INCLUDE FUNCTIONAL ACCESSORIES THAT ARE ALSO AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, SUCH AS THIS 3D DRAWER ORGANIZER.

n POWERFUL ACCENT COLORS ALONG DRIP LEDGES AND TOP/BOTTOM GRIP LEDGES. n HARDWARE WITH AUTOMATED MOVEMENT TO OPEN CABINETS AND BRING SHELVING TO YOU. n INTEGRATED LIGHTING.

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

also a lot of door fronts from materials most people can’t imagine will be used for kitchen doors, like porcelain, metal, leather and fishskin lacquered any color of the rainbow.”

OTHER INTERESTING SURFACES IN BAUFORMAT’S COLLECTION INCLUDE: • Textured HPL and TFL made using a two-step process with two layers of lamination to achieve customizable, deep, natural textures.

• A ceramic surface laminated to particleboard with aluminum back available in a black TFL finish. The material can be used to build a block design incorporating a hidden induction cooktop for a seamless, solid look.

• A metallic shimmering front panel called Enigma developed exclusively in-house at Baumann Group.

• Fenix fronts by Arpa Industriale made with a multilayered coating of nanoparticles, which makes the material fingerprint, water and heat resistant. The material is also “self-healing,” so micro-scratches on the surface are reparable with heat.

Bauformat’s offerings encompass 10 price points and myriad options— including marine-grade plywood cabinet boxes for coastal customers. Kitchens are sold in North America through a select network of dealers, as well as architects, designers and developers.

“Our end customers like the modern materials because of the durability but also the affordability and integrity. For example, if an installer makes a mistake, CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 ›

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OPENING LIFTING SLIDING STORING… ALL FROM SALICE

For every type of movement… the answer is Salice. A comprehensive range of products that combines excellence in research-based design and technical expertise to provide solutions for every cabinetry application.

-Hinges & mounting plates -Lift systems -Sliding systems -Runners & drawers

saliceamerica.com

THE BAUFORMAT COLLECTION CHANGES EVERY YEAR TO INCLUDE NEW INNOVATIONS IN MATERIALS AND HARDWARE—OFFERING FOILS, GLASS, EXOTIC WOODS, LACQUERS AND DEEPLY TEXTURED TFL AND HPL.

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

a panel can be replaced much faster and easier than if it was a bookmatched veneer door,” Mnat said. “It allows us to offer excellent customer service and a lifetime warranty.”

CNC ROUTERS AND MACHINING CENTERS

Flexibility, Quality and Reliability

FLEX TG Get Help When You Need It KOMO’s toll-free customer service hotline is available 24/7/365 by calling 1-800-528-4570.

KOMO MACHINE, INC. One Komo Drive, Lakewood NJ 08701 U.S.A. 1-800-255-5670 • 1-732-719-6222 www.komo.com

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Production facilities for Bauformat employ 950 people and make 130,000 kitchens per year, 32 percent of which are exported. “Most of our Bauformat door fronts are made in house, with the exception of some of our exclusive Baulux doors, which we source from Italy and France,” Mnat said. “We try to be as independent as possible from outside suppliers to eliminate potential problems.”

Continual investment in robots, automatic storage and retrieval systems, material tracking and material handling—much of it from the Homag family—allows the Baumann Group to efficiently produce a wide, customizable and frequently changing product offering.

“It is very German in that everything is automatic. This minimizes human error and allows us to manufacture a lot of kitchens quickly and with premium quality,” Mnat said. “There are not many people in the factory. In Germany, they’re mostly doing quality control and adding special details that require a craftsperson’s touch.”

If necessary, Bauformat can deliver a finished kitchen to North America in 28 days.

The Baulux line is fully customizable. The basic Bauformat kitchen line is built on a cube system, which utilizes standard dimensions for building kitchen cabinet boxes and fronts, while allowing for personalization of carcass, substrate and surface materials.

“Many of our production lines are very flexible in terms of the materials we are able to process on them,” Mnat said. “We also have CONTINUED ON PAGE 36 ›

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Current trends, designs and surface highlights!

Visit us from May 21 – 24, 2019 at Interzum in Cologne, Germany in Hall 6, Booth C20 / E29. www.schattdecor.com

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34

BASE CABINETS FEATURE FENIX FRONTS BY ARPA INDUSTRIALE MADE WITH A MULTILAYERED COATING OF NANOPARTICLES, WHICH MAKES THE MATERIAL FINGERPRINT, WATER AND HEAT RESISTANT. THE MATERIAL IS ALSO “SELFHEALING,” SO MICRO-SCRATCHES ON THE SURFACE ARE REPARABLE WITH HEAT. THE MATERIAL OF THE WALL CABINET IS ENIGMA GLASS.

UNCOMPROMISING EDGEBANDING PERFORMANCE

specialty processes. For example, we offer lacquer doors where the front and back are coated and the edges edgebanded. It is a nice, affordable option. But we have another door, lacquered on all profiles, and for that particular process we have a special segment in the factory and special equipment, which actually polishes each edge of the door.”

The other differentiator for Bauformat USA is maximizing available functional hardware and accessory technologies, which again echo amenities found in automotive design. Touchless sensors lift doors and open drawers. Stacked shelving inside drawers recedes with automated movement at the push of a button to reveal storage inserts. Integrated LED strip or puck lighting adds big convenience to small spaces.

“It is not enough for the kitchens to look great. They need to be functional. Sometimes, we say our intention is to ‘bring the kitchen to you.’ We use a lot of Blum hardware, sometimes even collaborating with them to develop specific solutions,” Mnat said. “Blum and Häfele are leaders in hardware. We also offer organization inserts from Kesseböhmer.”

Gone are the days when automation meant trading personalization for efficiency.

“Gone are the days when kitchens looked like kitchens,” Mnat said.

“What counts today is individuality. When we design with Bauformat, we are able to make kitchens our clients want while eliminating all the unnecessary charges for customization.” s&p

Novimat Compact R3 Edgebander

Designed for high-end, quality products, the Novimat Compact R3 Edgebander from IMA redefines traditional edgebanding.

301 Kitty Hawk Drive, Morrisville, NC 919.544.0430 | www.imaschelling.us 36

SURFACEANDPANEL.COM

USA

N ATURE RED EFINED

3dLUXEsurfaces.com

Aiming High in

WHEN:

Oct. 6-8, 2019

WHERE: WHO:

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Hyatt Regency Denver

Architects, designers, fabricators, suppliers, distributors

THE MILE HIGH CITY OF DENVER, where urban sophistication meets outdoor adventure, is the perfect spot for the 2019 Material, Technology & Design Symposium, co-sponsored by Surface & Panel and the Composite Panel Association.

A hub of style, creativity and frontier spirit, Denver boasts 300 days of sunshine, a thriving cultural scene, diverse neighborhoods and natural beauty, all of which make it one of the world’s most spectacular playgrounds.

Those elements also make it a prime location for the decorative surface industry’s premier annual gathering.

The Material, Technology & Design Symposium is a high-powered, must-attend event that unites panel producers, surface material manufacturers, specifiers and endusers to learn about cutting-edge

trends. Among many other things, it exposes the world’s finest interior décor materials to the specification and design professionals who will ultimately select and apply them in residential, professional and commercial environments.

The symposium features notable speakers, dynamic education sessions, broad networking opportunities and an exhibit hall displaying the world’s finest décor materials and technology.

The symposium hotel, the Hyatt Regency Denver, is in the heart of downtown, offering easy access to a wide selection of arts, entertainment and other prime attractions, including the 16th Street Mall.

Mark your calendars and visit mtdsymposium.com for more information and updates.

SURFACE & PANEL • Q1 2019

39

It’s All About

SPACE Walt Whitman wrote,

“Every cubic inch of space is a miracle.”

Whitman, a 19th-century poet, essayist and journalist, wasn’t referring specifically to kitchens, but he could have been. Homeowners know the value of space in today’s efficient kitchens, and they look for every opportunity to maximize what they have. Fortunately, the world’s hardware companies are looking out for them. For this feature, Surface & Panel asked top hardware sellers to highlight some of their best space-saving products.

‹

Blum

‹ AVENTOS HK TOP Opening, closing and constantly dodging wall cabinet doors can disrupt a good flow in the kitchen. With AVENTOS HK top, doors lift up and out of the way, providing easy access to everyday kitchen items, maximizing efficiency, style and storage space. The uniqueness of this lift system enchants anyone, beyond design to overall product experience. A self-positioning template is built in to the mechanism, making for easier, more confident installs, reducing the number of callbacks. This easy-to-implement innovation saves time on installation, while meeting customer demands for a highly functional kitchen. n www.blum.com 40

SURFACEANDPANEL.COM

Grass TAVINEA OPTIMA › With Tavinea Optima, Grass introduces a comprehensive interior drawer divider system for Vionaro 185mm- and 249mm-deep drawers. The system is simple and flexible; Tavinea Optima offers dividers that can be cut to the width of your drawer and spring-tensioned clips that hold the dividers in place. The Tavinea divider profiles simply snap on to the divider rail, keeping large and small items securely in place. The system can be adjusted without tools and can also be retrofitted at any time.

Tavinea Optima dividers match the color of the Vionaro drawer, in white, silver gray and graphite finishes.

Tavinea Optima—drawer space organized to your personal preference. n www.grassusa.com

Häfele ‹ KESSEBÖHMER TANDEM SOLO The all-new Kesseböhmer Tandem Solo pantry unit from Häfele allows you to take advantage of all the available space inside tall cabinets. As the door opens, the unit automatically glides forward to provide a clear view of stored items.

Because Tandem Solo is mounted on the side panels and base of the cabinet, this product is an easy fit for your tall frameless cabinets.

• Shelves are adjustable in height.

• Easy to view through sides for a clear view of all contents.

• Smooth gliding roller guide with soft open and close.

• For 18-inch, 21-inch and 24-inch cabinet widths.

• Two heights available for minimum openings of 51 inches and 71 inches.

• 220-pound load rating.

• Effective design keeps the weight of the door trays off of the hinges.

The Kesseböhmer Tandem Solo pantry unit from Häfele is available for sale in April 2019.

CONTINUED ON PAGE42 ›

HAILO LIBERO 2.0 AUTO OPENER › And just like that. Open. The all-new Hailo Libero 2.0 Auto Opener, debuting at KBIS 2019, is an electronic, hands-free opening mechanism for practically any base cabinet pull-out. Because sometimes using your hands just isn’t an option. The mechanism operates the pull-out via a foot sensor or with an optional remote control, making it ultra-friendly.

Want it in an existing pull-out? The Libero 2.0 is for base cabinets from 12 inches (300mm) to 48 inches (1,200mm) wide, making it easy to retrofit. It can also be used in face-frame applications, provided the unit is blocked out and activated via the optional remote. Users can even customize opening force and other features via an easy-to-use mobile app. n www.hafele.com

SURFACE & PANEL • Q1 2019

41

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41

Hettich INNOTECH ATIRA DRAWER SYSTEM › The InnoTech Atira drawer system by Hettich is full of character: Straight lines, clean contours, different colors and a variety of additional elements complemented by versatile interior organization solutions form the perfect mix for more individuality. InnoTech Atira combines attractive options for differentiating with high cost efficiency by means of a platform concept.

The sleek design of InnoTech Atira fits into any home and offers a wide variety of options for differentiating drawers and pull-outs. Various side elements—such as railing, TopSide below the railing or DesignSide, colors, rear panel widths and runners—provide individually tailored solutions that can be produced with flexibility and ease.

The high quality designer profiles create visual highlights, emphasize the system’s corners and edges and—combined with decors of the same color for internal front panels, DesignSides or interior organization—produce an overall concept with plenty of scope for differentiation.

Perfect differentiation also is possible in terms of function: from the partial extension runner without soft closing to the full extension runner with Silent System or push-to-open Silent.

With respect to interior organization, InnoTech Atira leaves you wanting for nothing. The interior organization, perfectly coordinated with the style elements, offers many practical storage details and organization aids. With just a few articles, it is possible to provide a wealth of options covering all price categories and application segments, also helping to keep stocks lean. n www.hettich.com

Richelieu ‹ OPLA-TOP COUNTER-EXTENSION MECHANISM

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Add extra counter space only when you need it with Richelieu’s OPLATOP counter-extension mechanism. This pull-out mechanism is installed in the same space usually occupied by a drawer and hidden behind a hinged panel. The surface adjusts to the same height as the counter, effectively adding a 20-inch work area. The surface can match the existing countertop or be made from another countertop material.

Whether in a small or large kitchen, multipurpose islands are a great way to save on space. The MILO countertop slide mechanism is an innovative sliding concept for kitchen islands. A 19-inch-thick countertop, made from any countertop material, is installed over the entire surface of the kitchen island anchored with aluminum slides on either side. Closed, the extra countertop covers the entire surface of the island. When additional space is needed to eat or entertain, slide out the top layer over the one underneath to increase working space. n www.richelieu.com CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 ›

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‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 42

Salice America ‹ FLY MOON The Salice Fly Moon is an innovative and unique space-saving corner unit. The shelves can be pulled out independently and also feature a soft-close mechanism. Trays are also designed to greatly increase storage surface. With a height adjustable shaft, the Fly Moon is easy to install and can easily be fixed in on one side of the cabinet. It features a non-slip surface for both framed and frameless cabinets. n www.salice.com

Titus TITUS T-TYPE PIE-CUT CORNER HINGE The Titus T-type Pie-Cut Corner comes equipped with Titus’ 3Way snap-on mounting for easy manual installation. For manufacturers, there is no special edge drilling required. This hinge is simply mounted onto the standard 35mm drilling pattern.

The Titus Pie-Cut Corner hinge offers a unique user experience. The gap between both doors is easily aligned through the cam adjustment screw on the hinge arm, making performance smooth and reliable. The hinge allows the first door to open 70 degrees and give easy and comfortable access to the cabinet interior, while the second door remains closed. n www.titusplus.com s&p

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Closets Pioneer Gets Inspired

BY RICH CHRISTIANSON

Mike Carson transitions from manufacturing closet, storage systems to becoming inaugural dealer for Stow’s Inspired Closets network

M

ike Carson is widely acknowledged as a closet and home organization visionary. He imagined a closets industry when none existed—no dedicated supply chain, no trade association and no standards.

When Carson established Closet Works of Elmhurst, Illinois, in 1987, the industry consisted of California Closets, a handful of other fledgling closet franchises and a small but unquantified number of independent manufacturers scattered across the country.

Carson was as instrumental in bringing this fragmented industry together as anybody. In 1999, he helped organize and served as the first president of the National Closet BOBBI AND MIKE CARSON Group, which provided a forum for the

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owners of about 40 regional manufacturers to network. The NCG’s annual conventions caught the attention of Häfele, Rev-A-Shelf and other suppliers who saw an opportunity to introduce products specifically designed for the closets market.

As a growing number of closet professionals clamored to join the NCG, Carson helped found the Association of Closet and Storage Professionals, a more inclusive, full-fledged trade association. In addition to electing Carson as its first president, ACSP chose him to receive its inaugural Pioneer Award, further acknowledging his myriad contributions to the closet industry.

In yet another and more recent first, Carson, with his wife, Bobbi, became the flagship dealer for The Stow Company’s new Inspired Closets program. Stow, a longtime manufacturer of closet and home storage products sold under the ORG, EasyClosets and Easy Track names, launched Inspired Closets in 2017 as a national dealership network. In addition to manufacturing products at its headquarters in Holland, Michigan, Stow arms its Inspired Closets dealers with sales and marketing tools and national advertising support.

WHAT GOT CARSON INSPIRED Carson founded Closet Works in a two-car garage. Over the next two decades, the company grew to become the largest Chicago-area manufacturer of closet and home storage solutions, employing more than 100 people with sales of more than $11 million. Carson sold his business to a private equity firm in 2007 but stayed on as president for the ensuing five years.

In 2013, Carson became an ORG dealer and opened up Carson’s Closets & Cabinetry.

“That was all working fine for me. Then Stow determined they had

a great opportunity for national branding of the dealership portion of their business,” Carson said. “I think because of my experience and proximity to Holland, they chose Chicago to launch the first Inspired Closets showroom.

“What stood out to me is that Inspired Closets is a national brand backed by an unrivaled marketing campaign,” Carson added. “It’s really a dealership model on steroids because they also offer training manuals and videos and a proprietary 3D software design program that doubles as an incredible sales tool. The dealership model CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

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Closet Systems: THEN & NOW

oday’s closet products are a far cry from the ones Mike Carson manufactured when he entered the industry in 1987. While his company’s predominantly white melamine closet systems represented a substantial upgrade from the more spartan wire products of the day, they were still designed more with function than fashion in mind.

Jump forward three decades. The decorative panel industry, especially due to the innovation of textured thermally fused laminates, has been a huge change agent promoting more stylish, yet affordable closets. Hardware and accessory suppliers have also played a key role in helping redefine the form and function of closets, garages and every other room of the home that can benefit from organizational space economy.

Surface & Panel asked Carson to highlight some of the most significant product advancements that have taken place during his tenure.

DECORATIVE PANELS: “The laminate panels weren’t very sophisticated when I started. They were very flat and looked like printed paper. If you wanted a real-wood look, you would use wood veneers or solid wood doors. Not only were those options more expensive, they were harder to clean, less scratch-resistant and subject to fading over time,” Carson said. “The enhancements in panel and decorative surfacing technology have given us the ability to more affordably sell upscale closets. The new textured materials have a great aesthetic that also looks good in other parts of the house. When I started, you wouldn’t think of putting these materials in your living room for say an entertainment center, but the advancements in TFL have opened a world of opportunity for the industry to do more, such as buffets and wet bars.”

HARDWARE: “In the beginning, everyone used epoxy-coated wheel drawer slides, and that was considered good enough for the closet. Now, we won’t use anything but soft-close, fullextension, ball-bearing slides. The drawer box used to be melamine slapped together. Now people want wood dovetailed drawer boxes with undermount soft close slides.”

ACCESSORIES: “The only available accessory back in the day was a hanging basket,” Carson

said. “Everything else you had to make on your own. I used to make tie racks by attaching plastic clips I purchased from a department store supplier to a valet rod. Now, there are pull-out baskets in a wide variety of finishes, tie and belt racks, jewelry tray inserts, closet rods that pull down from the ceiling and a lot of other products that we take for granted.”

LIGHTING: “Nobody put special lighting in the closet. It was all ceiling lighting,” Carson said.

That’s all changed with the advent and improvements of LED lighting, he added. “Consumers expect to have lighting incorporated in their closet systems. It might be accent lighting up and down the interior of a cabinet or puck lighting to showcase their nicer items. It’s very common to have lighted cabinets with glass doors to display handbags and other valuables.”

“I think a leading trend is having closets that do more than just hold clothes.” Carson concluded. “We’re seeing master bedroom closets incorporate coffee bars and chaise lounges.

There are a lot of people who want their closet to feel like a luxurious shopping experience.

There’s a lot of applied mouldings, accent lighting and even chandeliers.” n

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is built on a simple four-step process. We consult, we design, we prepare the space, and we install. I was quickly on board as an Inspired Closets dealer because I understood the value and saw it as an opportunity to grow my business faster.”

TRANSITIONING FROM MAKER TO BUYER Before re-entering the closets market, Carson carefully weighed the pros and cons of making versus buying closet and home storage products. He rattled off many of the standard benefits favoring the buy- versus-make argument. He could focus on design, sales and installation and not worry about setting up a factory, investing in equipment and finding and retaining qualified workers to man the shop floor.

Perhaps the overriding factor for opting to outsource his products is that a maturing closets industry has spawned a number of manufacturers specializing in closet components.

“This is really the model that the industry is going to now. When I decided to jump back in, I realized that I didn’t have to manufacture because there are viable options available today that simply didn’t exist when I got started in this business,” Carson said.

“Stow operates a world-class panel processing facility. Because of their volume, they can manufacture a wider breadth of products, inventory more colors of TFL and edgebanding, and purchase hardware and accessories in bulk prices.”

The development of industry standards and CAD/CAM software-driven machine automation to make products on demand CONTINUED ON PAGE 52 ›

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“The enhancements in panel and decorative surfacing technology have given us the ability to more affordably sell upscale closets. The new textured materials have a great aesthetic that also looks good in other parts of the house.”

have also been key to putting manufacturing control in the hands of a company with deeper pockets, Carson said. “Stow is very good at logistics. If we put in an order on Monday, it’s shipped to our warehouse on Thursday. The turnaround time is phenomenal.”

SHOWROOM DRIVES SALES Carson operates a 3,000-square-foot showroom in Oak Brook Terrace, about 20 miles due west of downtown Chicago. The showroom features some 15 customer-engaging vignettes from walk-in and reach-in closets to home offices, laundry rooms and garages.

“Closets are ground zero. People have always been trying to create more living storage space in their bedrooms, like putting dressers in their master closet. We take that idea and create custom storage products that cohesively maximize the space,” Carson said. “Once we’ve done someone’s closet or garage, we might do their home office or mudroom.”

Having a showroom is an invaluable sales tool, Carson said. “We offer 20 standard TFL colors, and when you consider the choice of materials, styles, hardware, accessories and lightings, the overall choices have more than quadrupled in the last 10 years. That’s why having a showroom where you can bring clients in and actually show them all of the different options is more important today than it was in the past. This is their chance to see what the options look like and how they

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THE CLOSET INDUSTRY IS ALIVE AND WELL AND GROWING. NEW HOUSES ARE BEING BUILT WITH CLOSET AND GARAGE ORGANIZATION IN MIND. MANY EXISTING HOMES HAVE YET TO BE OUTFITTED WITH CLOSET SYSTEMS, WHILE CLOSET PRODUCTS IN OTHER HOMES ARE BEING REPLACED FOR THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME. CLOSET ORGANIZATION IS BEING EXTENDED TO VIRTUALLY EVERY ROOM IN THE HOME, CREATING “AN AMAZING MARKETPLACE WITH A NON-ENDING SUPPLY OF CUSTOMERS” SAID MIKE CARSON, INSPIRED CLOSETS' FLAGSHIP DEALER.

can pull together all of these different products and finishes to create what they want.”

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MORE (CLOSET) DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY “When I first started in 1987, I was worried that the closet market was saturated,” Carson said. “I thought, ‘California Closets has already been at this for 9 years. Everyone is going to have a closet by 1990 and then what?’”

Carson’s early concerns have proved unfounded. The closet industry is alive and well and growing. New houses are being built with closet and garage organization in mind. Many existing homes have yet to be outfitted with closet systems, while closet products in other homes are being replaced for the second or third time. Add to this the concept of closet organization being extended to virtually every room in the home, and Carson now sees “an amazing marketplace with a non-ending supply of customers.”

Eighteen months into his experience as an Inspired Closets dealer, Carson believes he is well positioned to continue to succeed in the industry he has helped advance for more than 30 years.

“We already share a showroom in Chicago with a sliding door company. In the next year and a half, I’d like to set up a showroom in the north suburbs, as well. We’re just continuing to work on efficiencies and fine tune our standard operating procedures to make this system more easily scalable.” s&p

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SURFACE & PANEL • Q1 2019 2/13/19 1:08 PM

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RISING INTEREST RATES CITED AMONG VARIETY OF FACTORS

BY JIM LEUTE

S

tart with rising, stabilizing and then falling mortgage interest rates. Throw in stock market volatility, a partial shutdown of the U.S. government and global economic uncertainties.

The result for economic forecasters trying to make predictions for the remainder of 2019 has been a challenge.

For those looking at U.S. housing markets and related activity, however, the expectations are fairly consistent: The 2019 housing market will be one of the coolest in years.

“This is the most difficult forecasting period since the end of the Great Recession,” said Robert Dietz, senior vice president and chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders. “You’ve got all the political stuff, the shutdown, interest rates and market volatility, which makes it quite difficult to call the timing of some of these things.”

That said, Dietz and others watching a variety of housing sectors pressed on with expectaROBERT DIETZ tions for the rest of this year.

EXISTING HOME SALES Uncertainty aside, realtor.com and Redfin are united in their forecasts for 2019.

“We predict that the housing market will continue to cool into the first half of 2019,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist for Redfin, a discount online search site and brokerage.

A few takeaways from the 2019 forecasts of Redfin and realtor. com, which is operated by News Corp. under a perpetual license from the National Association of REALTORS:

• The housing market will continue to cool. Redfin’s forecasts have price growth settling around 3 percent in the first half of the new year, down from 7 percent in the first half of 2018. Realtor.com forecasts price growth of 2.2 percent.

• It will cost more to borrow, but more people will have access to credit for home-buying. Both sources said mortgage rates could increase to 5.5 percent by the end of 2019.

• The home ownership rate will continue to rise, with Redfin expecting that homebuyers will enjoy more inventory and less competition from speculators and house-flippers. Realtor.com expects inventory increases will remain moderate with less than a 7 percent increase.

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“Inventory will continue to increase (in 2019), but unless there is a major shift in the economic trajectory, we don’t expect a buyer’s market on the horizon within the next five years,” Danielle Hale, chief economist for realtor.com, said in a news release. “Unfortunately for buyers, it’s only going to get more costly to buy, especially the mostdemanded entry level real estate.”

NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION When it comes to new home construction, the second half of 2018 was somewhat disappointing. That’s likely to continue, said Dietz of the home builders association.

“There was a run-up in interest rates and rising supply costs, particularly lumber, which kind of stalled the market,” Dietz said. “This year, we expect a growth rate for single-family starts of less than 2 percent, which is fairly close to flat. It will probably be the same for multi-family starts.”

To a certain extent, builders and their consumers weathered the increased costs. Demand remained consistent.

But rising interest rates and home prices have now made new home affordability a concern, Dietz said.

He noted that interest rates hit 5 percent late last year but have since dropped, which typically helps the housing market.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 56 ›

SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS VALUE PER UNIT

$300,000

$275,000

$250,000

$225,000

$200,000 2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Note: All values are a three-month moving measure (e.g., March includes January, February and March for that year)

2017

2018

2019

REDFIN

©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM_IARCHIVIZ

Amid Uncertainty, Forecasts Are Cool for Housing, Remodeling in 2019

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“It will be a challenge for builders,” he said. “We had years of price appreciation, which made it possible to cover cost increases, but now we’re looking at lower volumes and affordability.

“Builders have to know their neighborhoods, what’s going on with the demographics, what’s going on with the schools, who is moving in and who is moving out.”

Despite uncertainty in many areas, Dietz said, many core economic fundamentals remain sound, so there are markets for expansion. For example, he noted the townhouse market, which recently experienced double-digit growth.

“Builders need to continue to manage rising construction costs to keep home prices affordable, particularly for young buyers at the entry level of the market,” he said.

Redfin expects homebuilders will be more cautious about building during a cooling market and focus on starter homes that are easier to sell than luxury homes. It also expects building permit values will decline and higher labor costs will limit the number of homes built. Meanwhile, higher wages will be a boon to demand for starter homes among working-class Americans.

REMODELING Stagnant bidding, fewer new jobs and a decreasing backlog are combining to dim the outlook for remodelers through the end of 2019.

In fact, annual growth in the national market for home improvement and repair is expected to slow considerably, according to January’s “Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity” from the

Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

The LIRA forecasts gains in renovation and repair spending to owner-occupied homes will drop from 7.5 percent in 2018 to 5.1 percent in 2019.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 58 ›

LEADING INDICATOR OF REMODELING ACTIVITY — FOURTH QUARTER 2018 Homeowner Improvements & Repairs Four-Quarter Moving Totals Billions

Four-Quarter Moving Rate of Change

$450

10%

$425 $400 5.1%

4.5%

$375

5.0%

5.7%

6.4%

6.2%

6.3%

6.1%

6.7%

6.2%

7.0%

7.4%

279.0 284.4

7.0%

6.7% 5%

$325 278.0

7.2%

5.1%

$350

$300

7.5%

297.0 302.3 290.3 295.2

316.9 308.0 313.6

323.5

330.7

336.9 339.5

346.2

352.9 354.2

0%

$275 $250 -5%

$225

4

20

16

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2

3

4

20

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● Historical Estimates

3

4

20

18

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2

3

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3(

p)

4(

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▲ LIRA Projections

Note: Historical estimates since 2015 are produced using the LIRA model until American Housing Survey data become available. Source: Joint Center for Housing Studies.

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“Slowing house price appreciation, flat home sales activity and rising mortgage interest rates are deflating owners’ interests in making major investments in home improvements this year,” Chris Herbert, managing director of the Harvard center, said in a release.

“Continued slowdowns in homebuilding, sales of building materials and remodeling permits all point to a more challenging environment for home remodeling in 2019.”

Abbe Will, associate project director in Harvard’s Remodeling Futures Program, said this year’s remodeling activity will still fall near the historical average.

“Despite the growing headwinds, improvement and repair spending is still set to expand this year to more than $350 billion,” she said.

“Overall, the sentiment is for a softer housing market, and while we don’t expect declines in remodeling activity, we expect growth to be 5.1 percent, which is pretty close to the historical ABBE WILL average of 5.2 percent.

KITCHEN AND BATH OUTLOOK Similar to the remodeling industry, the outlook from the National Kitchen & Bath Association calls for slower growth in 2019.

The association of designers, retailers, remodelers, manufacturers, distributors, fabricators, installers and other industry professionals is forecasting growth of 4.1 percent in the U.S. kitchen and bath products market. That follows expected growth of 7.6 percent in 2018 to $170 billion.

For 2019, the kitchen and bath market is expected to climb to $177 billion, according to its recently released 2018-19 Kitchen and Bath Market Outlook.

The association noted the overall market is split almost equally between residential kitchen and bathroom projects. For 2019, the kitchen market is expected to grow 5.1 percent to $90.2 billion, while bathroom spending will increase by 4 percent to $87.2 billion.

In the kitchen market, the association said cabinetry will account for about $21 billion, a 4.2 percent bump over 2018. Breaking the segment down further, NKBA said the majority of cabinetry spending, $16.8 billion, will be on remodeling, while $4.2 billion will be on projects within new homes.

Meanwhile, the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association said its participating cabinet manufacturers reported sales totaling $7.3 billion for 2018, a 2 percent increase compared to 2017. Stock sales increased 4.8 percent, while semi-custom sales decreased 1.8 percent and custom sales increased 4.5 percent. s&p BAUFORMAT KÜCHEN GMBH & CO. KG

“If home building or existing home sales are going well, then remodeling will be good, as well,” she said. “A lot of remodeling happens around sales, either the sellers before or the buyers after.”

“Maybe it’s just a return to a sustainable growth rate after two or three years of above-average activity.”

Will said growth or declines in the remodeling market typically follow the general housing market.

“If home building or existing home sales are going well, then remodeling will be good, as well,” she said. “A lot of remodeling happens around sales, either the sellers before or the buyers after.”

The National Association of Home Builders said the overall market remains strong, but rising labor and material costs are causes for concern.

“Many of the fundamentals for the remodeling market, including demographics and economic and employment growth, remain favorable,” the NAHB’s Dietz said. “However, remodelers continue to face challenges in keeping their prices competitive while dealing with the increasing costs of labor and building materials.”

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Ahlstrom-Munksjö Invests, Adapts IN RESPONSE TO DECOR MARKET CHANGES

2018 was an eventful year for the decor paper business in general and Ahlstrom-Munksjö in particular. To assess what happened and what lies ahead, Surface & Panel posed a series of questions to Tomas Wulkan, executive vice president, decor, at Ahlstrom-Munksjö, a global leader in fiber-based materials. Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s products include decor paper, filter media, release liners, abrasive backings, nonwovens, electrotechnical paper, glass fiber materials, food packaging and labeling tape, medical fiber materials and solutions for diagnostics. The company is based in Helsinki, Finland.

Here are S&P’s questions and Wulkan’s responses:

Q. After a year of leading Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s decor business, what are your key priorities and have you restructured or made new appointments to better pursue your business strategy?

A. As an introduction, I would like to give you a few words about my

career path. I started with Ahlstrom-Munksjö as executive vice president of the decor business area and member of our group’s executive management team in January 2018. I am a Swedish citizen but have lived abroad for more than 20 years (Germany, U.S. and Turkey). I am now living in Ulm, Germany, close to our sales and marketing head office with my wife and our two youngest children. My professional career has mainly been with the Swedish paper and hygiene company SCA/Essity. The first 10 years were in finance positions, and the last 15 years were as general manager for different business areas, providing me a sound foundation for the challenge to lead the decor business of Ahlstrom-Munksjö.

With regards to priorities for our business, during the spring of 2018, we made a thorough market review to ensure that we are addressing the most important and attractive market opportunities while keeping our valued customers at the forefront of our business. At the same time, we reviewed our organization and developed a strategic plan to achieve these goals. Our new “Imagine Decor” strategy builds upon our strengths but also addresses our most important future challenges.

While we already had a strong and well-respected team in place, I have started to adapt our organization to address areas of need and enhance our offer to the market. For instance, to optimize our supply chain and to implement our best practices across all our decor paper plants, Michael Schirle, former plant manager in Unterkochen, has been appointed VP technology and engineering with responsibility now for all our decor paper plants. To bring our innovation capabilities closer to our customers and their end-user requirements, we have also changed our R&D set-up. Our aim is to bundle our technical 60

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customer service and innovation resources, utilizing our state-of-the art R&D facilities and team to further improve our technical support to our customers and remain their preferred innovation partner.

We were also happy to have industry veteran Thomas Gehring join Ahlstrom-Munksjö in 2018 as plant manager in Dettingen, with the objective to implement several top priority actions for the mill:

• Further enhance Dettingen’s leading position in the pre-impregnated paper market segment.

• Improve the cost competitiveness of the Dettingen plant.

Finally, I have also done some finetuning to our sales organization to further streamline and strengthen our ability to serve our customers.

I am confident we are now well positioned to take on the challenges of our strategic plan and serve our customers, shareholders and employees to the best of our ability.

interzum.com

Q. Ahlstrom-Munksjö recently acquired U.S. specialty

paper producer Expera Specialty Solutions and the MD Papeis Caieiras plant in Brazil. What are the synergies and benefits of those purchases for your decor business?

A. Expera has now been integrated into our group as a sepa-

Years

Furniture production Interiors Cologne, Germany

rate business unit named North America Specialty Solutions (NASS). This acquisition was primarily made for other reasons than decor paper. However, it could be considered to rebuild an existing NASS paper machine for decor paper production, which could allow us to better serve our North American customers.

That said, this is not a short-term priority but is something we will evaluate in the future. For now, we will at least take advantage of any synergies and opportunities our new platform in North America provides us.

On the other hand, the MD Papeis acquisition was primarily made for decor paper purposes. With Caieiras now being part of Ahlstrom-Munksjö, we have a strong base to serve our customers across South America. Our acquisition has also been well received by customers. During the coming months, we will define a strategic action plan based on input from our customers to better serve this region. As part of that program, some investments will be made to ensure that we can meet the quality expectations of our customers.

These are exciting times at Ahlstrom-Munksjö as we grow and are able to better serve our customers in all regions of the world.

To this aim, another short-term focus of Ahlstrom-Munksjö Decor is to define an entry strategy to China, the world’s largest decor paper market, which we plan to address in due time.

Q. After the recent acquisitions, are you still in a position to invest in your existing manufacturing facilities?

A. To ensure our quality leadership and competitiveness, we

have already initiated a comprehensive investment program in our existing plants. Recent quality investments in the wet end (sheet-forming) section of our paper machines in Unterkochen, Dettingen and Tolosa form part of this program.

At our Dettingen mill, the quality rebuild of PM 34 has just been successfully completed. This project related to further quality improvement for our decor and pre-impregnated papers, including installation of a new headbox and a complete new approach flow system. The project targets, which included improved sheet formation, better grammage profile control and improved cleanliness, were all met. Production re-started successfully in early January.

We will continue this journey in the coming years and address our remaining production assets, including the Arches paper mill, currently our main platform serving the US decor market.

Our investment program will also further limit the environmental impact from our operations and help us to achieve our ambitious sustainability and biodiversity targets.

Q. As one of the leading decor paper manufacturers,

how do you assess the American market? What opportunities do you see? What challenges?

A. 2018 was a challenging year as we continued to face steep raw material cost increases, particularly during the first half of the year. After raw material prices seemingly peaked during late summer, we also experienced a highly volatile order inflow impacted by inventory reductions across our industry.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 62 ›

’s d ’s orrlld Wo W din ingg eaad LLe nt EEvveent

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‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 61

Looking at the different geographies, we faced a slight weakening of demand in our European home markets (including Turkey), while the North American market remained strong throughout the year.

2018 was also another year of strong demand growth in China and adjacent Asian markets.

Globally, we are seeing more and more customer consolidation and/or ownership changes, and we expect this market evolution to continue into the coming year, including in North America. The decor market as a whole is in a transformation process, and we will adapt accordingly. In North America specifically, there are some big panel producers making major investments that will come online soon and continue to change the market dynamics. The European model of integration is having a more important role in this market.

For 2019, we foresee a stable demand in Europe and North America.

While we expect order inflow to remain volatile in the beginning of the year, we expect business activity to pick up during the second half of 2019 following Interzum with new designs and new decor paper products contributing to demand. Beyond then, we certainly can be optimistic about North America specifically due to the already announced investments by our customers. As for China and rest of Asia, we expect this region to become increasingly more competitive for us during the year due to significant capacity additions in decor paper making.

Q. The cost of raw materials for the paper industry increased considerably in 2018. What do you anticipate regarding raw materials in 2019?

A. The size of our group, which as we have discussed continues to

grow, certainly helps provide some leverage with our suppliers. We have also tried to mitigate the rising raw material costs through investments to improve production efficiencies and furthering the sharing of best practices among our plants (40 plus across our group). However, 2018 was difficult for all involved in this industry due to the rapid increase in the cost of raw materials, which we did not fully pass to our customers. For the beginning of the year, we foresee short-term price stabilization for pulp and slight price erosion for TiO2. The outlook beyond the first quarter is, however, unclear.

Rising feedstock prices for TiO2, as well as the increase in demand that will follow the start of the coating season in the spring, is likely to reverse the price trend again. For pulp, the outlook remains highly uncertain. We will continue to do all we can to support our customers and manage these unpredictable times together.

Q. What is your approach for bringing innovations

to the decor market?

A. Our R&D team, led by Sébastien Charignon, includes a group of engineers with strong expertise in papermaking and a deep insight into the decor market, its end-use requirements and technical thematic. With our new dedicated R&D platform, we have the ambition to be a better partner and to establish a deeper collaboration with our customers on product innovations and breakthrough technologies.

Our two R&D centers in the south of France with their advanced scientific equipment give us unique advantages in this innovation work.

Innovation in the area of sustainability forms an important part of our agenda today. It is our ambition to continue to lead the sustainability agenda and be the benchmark in our industry. In 2017, AhlstromMunksjö signed the United Nations Global Compact to show our commitment to people and the planet. We have defined targets in nine prioritized areas: human rights, community engagement, employee

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well-being, supply chain, “energy, water and waste,” carbon dioxide, profitability, innovation and business ethics. R&D work to design the next generation of our clean and green formaldehyde-free preimpregnated MFoil-PN is one important example in this area.

Our innovation in the color segment continues to open new opportunities for designers and also bring additional product functionalities to the surface material. Let’s not forget inkjet, which continues to be an important development area that we pay attention to, but it is not the only one. We will continue to use our vast resources and knowledge along with close cooperation with our customers to be on the cutting edge of the decor market.

Q. Interzum 2019 is the next key event for the industry.

What will you highlight at Interzum?

A. During the 2019 INTERZUM, we will focus on novelties in preimpregnated papers for finish foil applications, as well as what’s fresh and trendy in solid colors for the HPL and LPL market segments.

Concerning pre-impregnated paper, we will highlight our M-FOIL-PN quality with its environment friendly advantages. For solid colors, it will be the opportunity to introduce our new and exciting color trend collection for 2019/2020.

This new trend collection called TERRA NOSTRA will express the human being tribute paid to Mother Earth and the necessity to take care of our environment. The collection is made of three different color families reflecting three different stages of our universe: At the beginning, our planet was on fire; then, elements and material became solid minerals; finally, nature and life appeared on Earth. It is a proposal made of 40 trendy solid color papers offering to our HPL, LPL and panel producer customers a new source of inspiration.

The color palette from TERRA NOSTRA will also confirm several clear trends, such as:

• The gray family is one of the most important color orientations,

especially medium grays in matte finishing. It expresses elegance and neutral feelings and can be used universally.

• The green group is another trend, especially the very natural and medium tones, such as army green, lemongrass and grayish greens, while emerald color will bring a touch of sophistication.

• Antique reds, Marsala red and Pompeian red bricks become more and more important, especially for kitchen, living room, shop fittings and hotels but will appear also for offices.

• Finally, black is the key color for the coming season in super matte finish, but also with different kinds of texture and focusing on important anti-fingerprint characteristics.

We look forward to welcoming our customers, suppliers and other industry professionals to our booth. Come visit with us in Hall 6, Booth B20/C21. See you there! s&p

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Composite panels that carry the ECC seal are manufactured in facilities that are certified to meet rigorous environmental requirements utilizing objective-based criteria and annual on-site audits. The standard specifies that three or more of the following requirements are verified:

The Composite Panel Association is committed to advancing and certifying the sustainability of industry products for residential, commercial and industrial uses. www.ECCproduct.org

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100% EPA & CARB COMPLIANT – 100% OF THE TIME! An ECC-certified facility must ensure that 100% of its production meets the EPA TSCA Title VI and California Air Resources Board (CARB) formaldehyde emissions requirements for 100% of its panels 100% of the time. ECC-certified mills are not permitted to sell products that exceed EPA and CARB emission requirements in any market, even if panels are sold in countries where these regulations do not apply.

TRUSTED STANDARD ECC is a voluntary industry standard developed by the Composite Panel Association (CPA) in 2011. With over 40 mills earning certification, auditors conduct on-site assessments to ensure facilities meet the standard’s strict criteria and verify compliance. CPA administers ECC as a third-party certification body accredited to ISO/IEC 17065 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

LEED CREDITS Panels from ECC mills may help achieve LEED credits in eight material and resources (MR) categories and one environmental quality (EQ) category.

SCOTT W. ANGUS

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• EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, BEDFORD FALLS COMMUNICATIONS SCOTTANGUS47@GMAIL.COM • 920-261-1947

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BEACHWOOD, OHIO, JANUARY 24, 2019— OMNOVA Solutions introduces a new design resource in an easy-to-use laminate sample box that brings a fashionable array of 245 decorative surfaces choices to designers everywhere.

Included in the OMNOVA Laminate Sample Box are on-trend surfaces in woodgrains, stones, metallics, solid soft-touch matte, abstract designs and more. OMNOVA laminate decorative surfaces are ideal for kitchen and bath, corporate office, food service, retail, healthcare, residential, and recreational vehicle use.

“Our new design box is a tactile experience that simplifies selection of on-trend decorative surfaces,” said Dan Lamb, OMNOVA’s Global Director of Communications. “It features one of the industry’s broadest ranges of laminate surfaces with large 5x7 samples. It’s a new must-have resource for designers, architects, brand leaders, and fabricators.”

The surfaces featured in the Sample Box come in a range of 3D and 2D laminate constructions to meet performance, design, cost and fabrication requirements, including OMNOVA’s leading surf(x)® 3D laminates that feature exceptional stain and abrasion resistance. OMNOVA’s harmony Exclusive™ program features matching designs across constructions so that fabricators can value engineer products without color variance or the complexity associated with coordinating products across suppliers.

“Much like a fashion subscription box, the OMNOVA Laminates Sample Box will receive regular updates of the freshest trends in decorative surfaces,” said Lamb. “It will be a living tool that becomes a go-to resource for our customers.”

Laminates Sample Boxes can be requested through OMNOVA Sales Representatives.

To contact OMNOVA Solutions, visit: www.omnova.com/corporate/about-us/ contact-us

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Introducing the OMNOVA Solutions Laminates Sample Box 2019

A Magazine Like No Other WHAT SETS SURFACE & PANEL APART?

That’s a frequent question posed by advertisers and potential advertisers and one I regularly answer when I approach story subjects about featuring their businesses in the pages of our magazine.

What’s the answer? While we aren’t the only publication that covers the panel and decorative surfaces industries—and we have great respect for the others—no other magazine does what we do.

For starters, most of every issue is original editorial content. We research and write timely and relevant features on innovative suppliers and fabricators, and we look closely at trends and developments. The high-quality stories are written by professional journalists and accompanied by engaging and illuminating images.

Additionally, we regularly publish submitted content from the industries’ top manufacturers, suppliers and consultants. They offer a high level of expertise on important topics, ranging from the latest in synchronized textures to the important role of resins in decorative panels. Before we accept such articles, however, we carefully vet the subjects and edit the submissions to our high standards. The content must be understandable and valuable to as many of our 30,000-plus readers as possible.

Regardless of the source, all of our editorial content is displayed in ways that enhance the reader experience. Critical design elements include type choices, style and clarity of headlines, effective use of images and unparalleled creativity. The result is nothing short of beautiful.

Not to be overlooked is the critical role of advertising, which not only supports the publication but provides its own, important level of information. Many of the top companies in our industries advertise in every issue, and their attractive ads promote their products and provide thought-provoking ideas for potential customers.

The final touch is the high-quality paper on which we print Surface & Panel. The paper and the fabulous resolution that it allows further confirm our commitment to making this publication special.

The ends result is a magazine that stands alone.

This issue is a great example of it all coming together—from original features on Nexis 3 and Bauformat to housing and kitchen design trends stories to an excellent roundup of the best in kitchen hardware to timely, informative submitted content from Arclin and Ahlstrom-Munksjö.

From cover to cover, this issue features quality content about and for the panel and decorative surfaces industries, along with those who use or specify their products. As always, though, we’re determined to get better. If you have ideas for how we can do that, please let us know.

For now, however, enjoy the year’s first-quarter edition. We’ve got four more coming in 2019, including the Master, which drops in July and has become the go-to source for all there is to know about panel processing and decorative surfaces.

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Ahlstrom-Munksjö 978.342.1080 www.ahlstrom-munksjo.com

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Komo 800.255.5670 www.komo.com

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Arclin 877.689.9145 www.arclinTFL.com

6–7

materialicious 920.206.1768 www.materialicious.com

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Blum 704.827.1345 www.blum.com

56

Milesi +39 0384 2544.1 www.milesi.com

49

BMK Group 336.731.1425 www.melamine-papers.com

22

Northern Contours 866.344.8132 www.northerncontours.com

31

Button Fix +44 (0)20 8150 7190 www.button-fix.com

55

Omnova Solutions 866.332.5226 www.omnova.com

21

Columbia Forest Products 800.637.1609 www.cfpwood.com

13

Panolam 203.925.1556 www.panolam.com

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Composite Panel Association 866.4Composites www.ECCproduct.org

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Renolit +1.973.706.6912 www.renolit.com

43

Daubert Chemical Company, Inc. 866.368.3983 www.daubertchemical.com

58

Riken 248.513.3511 www.riken-usa.com

59

Decotone 908.301.0600 www.decotonesurfaces.com

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Roseburg 800.245.1115 www.roseburg.com

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Dieffenbacher Zaisenhausen +49 7258 609 – 0 www.dieffenbacher-zaisenhausen.de

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Salice 800.222.9652 www.saliceamerica.com

12

DVUV 216.741.5511 www.dvuv.com

45

Sappi 207.856.4000 www.sappirelease.com

26

Evergreen Engineering 888.484.4771 www.evergreenengineering.com

35

Schattdecor 800.600.6100 www.schattdecor.com

19

Genesis Products 877.266.8292 www.genesisproductsinc.com

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Smartech 704.362.1922 www.smartechonline.com

15

Grass 336.996.4041 www.grassusa.com

23

Stevens Industries 217.857.7100 www.stevens-wood.com

29

Hexion 888.443.9466 www.hexion.com

16

Stiles Machinery, Inc. 616.698.7500 www.stilesmachinery.com

36

IMA Schelling 919.544.0430 www.imaschelling.us

53

Synergy Thermal Foils 954.420.9553 www.synergythermofoils.com

2

Interprint, Inc. 413.443.4733 www.interprint.com

50

Tafisa Canada 877.882.3472 www.tafisa.ca

37

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Interzum 773.326.9926 www.koelnmessenafta.com

Toppan 770.957.6447 www.tia.toppan.com

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47

King Plastic 800.780.5502 www.kingplastic.com

Uniboard 800.263.5240 www.uniboard.com

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25

Kings Mountain International 704.739.4227 www.kmiinc.net

Union Tool Corporation 574.267.3211 www.uniontoolcorp.com

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Vortex 800.355.7708 www.vortextool.com

9

Wagner Meters 888.266.8073 www.wagnermeters.com

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Wilsonart 800.433.3222 www.wilsonart.com/discover

5

Woodgrain 888.264.7372 www.woodgrain.com

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Engineered with design in mind.

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