Surface & Panel Q3-2016

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

MATERIAL DECISIONS ARE CRITICAL AS TREK BRINGS NEW LOOK TO STORES SETTING THE MOOD WeLIVE: A NEW SPIN ON THE CO-LIVING CONCEPT WALL MURALS WITH A ‘VIEWNIQUE’ PERSPECTIVE WHAT'S HOT IN HARDWARE?

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Find out more: www.renolit.com/design | www.laminatefinder.com | Phone: 610.780.1893

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6 PBS Series Host Stephen Chung to Present at Surface & Panel Symposium The 2016 Symposium is coming up in Austin, Texas, in November.

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Material Decisions Are Critical as Trek Brings New Look to Stores TFL is back in the picture as bike maker strives to make inspiring design replicable and cost-effective.

D E P A R T M E N T S ]

64 Advertiser Index 66 From the Editor

20 Synchronized Finishes Take TFL to New Level of Realism Don Raymond, Uniboard's vice president of sales and marketing, discusses embossed-in-register printing.

24 Setting the Mood HPL, textured MDF, etched glass and lighting help define special space.

30 WeLive: A New Spin on the Co-Living Concept HPL, TFL are key materials for pilot facilities.

36 Slow but Steady Growth Seen in Office Furniture

P U B L IS H E R

BIFMA official notes interest in embossed in register and digitally printed laminates.

John Aufderhaar President | Bedford Falls Communications 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094 PH: 920-206-1766 jaufderhaar@surfaceandpanel.com

40 New Name, New Energy for Merged Retail Association Shop! aims to provide research-based value through leadership and education.

CONTENT

Scott W. Angus Editorial Director | Bedford Falls Communications 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094 PH: 920-261-1947 scottangus47@gmail.com

44 Wall Murals with a ‘Viewnique’ Perspective Large format, digitally printed vinyl canvases from OMNOVA Solutions transform mere walls into dramatic, artistic statements.

A DV E R T ISI N G

Ryan Wagner VP Sales & Marketing | Bedford Falls Communications 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094 PH: 920-261-1945 rwagner@bedfordfallsmedia.com Shana Ollarzabal National Accounts Mgr. | Bedford Falls Communications 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094 PH: 920-261-1944 shana@bedfordfallsmedia.com Steven Wolf Client Services Director| Bedford Falls Communications 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094 PH: 920-261-1947 administrator@bedfordfallsmedia.com

48 12th Annual Wilsonart Chair Design Competition Detroit students are challenged to "design happy."

56 What's Hot in Hardware?

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As summer heated up and the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta approached, we posed the question to some of the world’s top hardware companies, and here’s what a handful had to offer.

G R A P H I C D E SI G N / P R I N T P U B L I C AT I O N S

Karen Leno Graphic Designer | KML Design, Inc. kmldesign@mchsi.com

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C I R C U L AT I O N

surfaceandpanelcirculation@gmail.com N E WS

ON THE COVER:

news@bedfordfallsmedia.com

Entering the front door of the newly designed store introduces you to Trek as it is today – the high-tech advancements, the customization options, the multiple categories in the feature rooms, the E-bikes, the mountain bikes, the road bikes, the kids bikes.

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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, 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094. Please direct all subscription questions and mail to: Surface & Panel, 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094.

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‘Cool Spaces’AND Hot Materials PBS Series Host Stephen Chung to Present at the Surface & Panel Symposium in Austin A man who knows and understands “Cool Spaces” like no other will be the featured speaker when architects, interior designers and members of the composite panel and decorative surfaces industries gather for the second annual Surface & Panel Symposium.

Stephen Chung is executive producer and host of the PBS series “Cool Spaces: The Best of New Architecture.” He will be one of eight speakers at the symposium, which also will feature roundtable discussions and networking with leading innovators in materials, technology and design.

The symposium is Nov. 6, 7 and 8 at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas.

In “Cool Spaces,” Chung leads viewers on a tour of the world’s newest and most provocative architecture. Chung also is working on a special titled “Presidential Libraries: Building a Legacy,” which will showcase the George W. Bush and Clinton libraries.

John Aufderhaar, president of Bedford Falls Communications and publisher of Surface & Panel magazine, is excited about the second symposium, especially the speaker lineup.

Chung is a registered architect and principal of Stephen Chung Architects. His Boston studio focuses on small to mid-sized residential and hospitality projects. In 2009, Metropolitan Home named Chung a “rising star” and profiled several of his residential projects. He received his M.Arch. from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Chung has taught design and drawing at several institutions, including Cornell, the Rhode Island School of Design, Yale and the University of Texas at Austin. Most recently, he was a visiting critic at Syracuse.

Register Now! Admission to the S&P symposium is free for architects, interior designers, educators and students of qualified A&D programs.

For manufacturers of end products – kitchen cabinets, store fixtures, office furniture, etc. – admission is $150.

For industry and technology suppliers, admission is $450.

To register for the symposium and book your hotel reservation at the JW Marriott Austin, go to sandpsymposium.com/register. The deadline for hotel reservations is Oct. 17.

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“Stephen Chung is an absolutely dynamic individual and one of the top architects in the business. His presentation is a can’t-miss opportunity for attendees to learn about what’s on the cutting edge today and what we’ll see tomorrow in commercial and residential spaces.”

J O H N AU FD E R H A A R

The symposium connects architects, interior designers, fabricators and other design specialists with material specifiers and producers for a better understanding of the industry and innovative technologies driving it. It serves as a platform for attendees to collaborate and learn about global design trends, decorative surface materials, valueadded surface components and advances in panel-based products.

Surface & Panel’s first symposium in September 2015 attracted more than 200 people to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.

ROUNDTABLES

Roundtable discussions led by industry experts will be conducted throughout the symposium. For more information on roundtable topics, go to www.sandpsymposium.com SPEAKERS

Featured speakers at the S&P symposium include:

• Stephen Chung ARCHITECT AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF PBS’ “COOL SPACES”

• Jill Jones NATIONAL SURFACE MATERIALS MANAGER FOR NATIONAL OFFICE FURNITURE

Become a Sponsor

• Krista Browne

Symposium sponsorship includes four free attendees. For more information on sponsorship benefits, contact Ryan Wagner: rwagner@bedfordfallsmedia.com 920-261-1945 or 920-988-4141 (cell)

• Geoffrey Hoffman

surfaceandpanel.com

LEAD STORE DESIGNER FOR TREK BICYCLES

OWNER AND ENGINEER OF HOFFMAN MANUFACTURING, MADISON, WIS.

• Randy Tallman

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND COO, THE STOW CO.

For the complete lineup of symposium speakers, go to www.sandpsymposium.com.

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PHOTO BY MICHAEL R . CONWAY

Material Decisions are Critical as TREK Brings New Look to Stores PHOTO BY GARY PORTER

TFL back in the picture as bike maker strives to make inspiring design replicable, cost-effective B Y

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W ABOVE: TREK BICYCLES HAS ITS HEADQUARTERS IN WATERLOO, WIS., WHERE IT WAS

FOUNDED IN A BARN 40 YEARS AGO. TOP: TREK’S NEW LOOK WAS UNVEILED IN ONE OF TWO CORPORATE STORES IN MADISON THAT HAVE BEEN OPEN FOR 15-PLUS YEARS. THE NEW LOOK WILL BE “THE FOUNDATION” FOR REMODELS AT THE SECOND MADISON SITE AND OTHER STORES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

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hen Trek Bicycle began considering materials for a revolutionary new store design, many factors came into play.

The Waterloo, Wis.-based company needed to meet a reasonable budget, and it had to develop an innovative, inviting and inspiring look that showcased the company’s cutting-edge bikes and could be replicated in stores around the world. Finally, the design and its materials had to reflect the essence of Trek and pass muster with its exacting executive team.

The bulk of the job fell to Krista Browne, who had held several positions with Trek before being appointed store designer.

After much research and consideration, Browne thought laminates were right for the project, and she selected thermally fused laminate for the prototypes that were presented to Trek’s executives.

The executives liked much about the design, but something wasn’t right. In the end, the laminate was set aside in favor of veneer.

The new look debuted in March to rave reviews in a renovated store on the east side of Madison, Wis. Now, however, as Browne and the others plan for the next store and others after that, they are putting TFL back into the mix. How and why have they come full circle?

To fully understand the material discussions and decisions at Trek, it’s important to go back to the beginning of the story – a story that involves a vision for just the right environment, a determined search for the right materials and a special partnership between the store designer and a manufacturing company just a few miles away.

For Browne, the new store design was her biggest assignment at Trek, and she brought to the task a background from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s interior design school and a philosophy involving third places and a desire to make the store accessible to all – from beginning riders to longtime bike enthusiasts.

“Whether it’s your first time in the store or you’ve been there 100 times, you know exactly where to go,” Browne said. “The design has to work for everyone.”

Traditionally, bike stores have been disorganized, overwhelming and often intimidating with little or no hierarchy or helpful “wayfinding” cues for consumers, she said.

“Change was necessary to inspire, intrigue and truly reflect our brand – one that welcomes and invites participation,” Browne said.

“By organizing and giving meaning to the space, the product becomes the focal point of the consumer’s experience. The barriers come down, and navigating to the right bike and paired essentials becomes an intuitive and engaging experience.”

Browne also wanted the new store to have the feel of a “third place,” referring to gathering spots away from home and work, such as coffee houses, cafes and neighborhood bars. The key ingredients, she said, are the right location, the right space and the right people.

Trek has two corporate stores in Madison that have been open for 15-plus years, and the company had never made such a drastic change to the shopping experience. The new look will be “the foundation” for remodels at the second Madison site and other stores, Browne said.

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LEFT: KRISTA BROWNE FACED HER BIGGEST ASSIGNMENT AT TREK, BRINGING TO THE TASK A BACKGROUND FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON’S INTERIOR DESIGN SCHOOL AND A DESIRE TO MAKE THE STORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. “CHANGE WAS NECESSARY TO INSPIRE, INTRIGUE AND TRULY REFLECT OUR BRAND – ONE THAT WELCOMES AND INVITES PARTICIPATION,” BROWNE SAID. ABOVE: NOW THAT THE FIRST STORE IS DONE, THE NEXT TASK IS REPLICATING THE LOOK AT THE SECOND MADISON STORE AND DECIDING HOW TO IMPORT THE DESIGN TO OTHER STORES IN THE U.S. AND OVERSEAS. RIGHT: GEOFFREY HOFFMAN IS PRESIDENT OF HOFFMAN MANUFACTURING. BELOW: HOFFMAN MANUFACTURING IS A 30-EMPLOYEE COMPANY THAT OPERATES OUT OF A 25,000-SQUARE-FOOT FACILITY ON MADISON’S EAST SIDE.

PHOTOS BY GARY PORTER

surface&panel

Q3 2016

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ONE OF HOFFMAN’S STRENGTHS IS THAT THE COMPANY WORKS WITH METAL, WOOD AND LAMINATE. “NONE OF THE OTHER COMPANIES THAT TREK WAS CONSIDERING IS LIKE US. WE’RE LOCAL, AND WE DO IT ALL UNDER ONE ROOF,” GEOFFREY HOFFMAN SAID. PHOTO BY GARY PORTER

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THE PROJECT CALLED FOR FIXTURES THAT FEATURE A SINGLE BIKE, MULTIPLE BIKES AND MANNEQUINS TO DISPLAY AFTERMARKET PRODUCTS, INCLUDING CLOTHES, HELMETS AND SHOES. THIS IMAGE AND THE IMAGE BELOW SHOW WHITE-WASHED VENEER FIXTURE TOPS, WHICH WILL BE TFL IN FUTURE STORES, PAIRED WITH A DARK POWDER-COATED METAL BASE. ALSO SHOWN BELOW ARE BLACK VERTICAL LOUVERS BY OMNOVA MADE OF MDF WITH 3D LAMINATE. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL R. CONWAY

Before Browne and Trek could truly get started on the ambitious project, however, they needed a manufacturing partner that could build prototypes and ultimately do the work on the store. Browne worked up sketches of what she wanted, such as an element to feature a single bike, one to feature three bikes and one with a mannequin to display aftermarket products, including clothes, helmets and shoes.

She and her team also looked at how other retailers such as Lululemon, Nike and even grocery chains organized their spaces and arranged their fixtures and how they drew customers through their stores.

They met with three manufacturers to discuss the fixtures and how they would produce them, and it soon became clear that Hoffman Manufacturing of Madison, the smallest of the three, offered the most versatility and the best price.

“We knew they would be a unique player with really good benefits but what also could be really extreme challenges,” Browne said, noting that the other two companies had numerous engineers and benefits of scale. Yet Hoffman won the job.

“His capabilities were spot on with what we wanted to do – steel, laminate, wood,” Browne said of Geoffrey Hoffman, the company’s president.

The designs included laminate, and the other two companies tried to push Browne and Trek into a box with their standard offerings, largely because of budget concerns.

Hoffman, on the other hand, was extremely flexible, Browne said, emphasizing that Hoffman does his own engineering.

“We needed a partner who could be really flexible, move quickly and offer the advice I needed – like, ‘In order to meet that price point, let’s not go with a full panel there,’” Browne said.

“He had the engineering and fabrication cost side of the spectrum.

I had the aesthetic. It was this really great combination for development. And then to have the ability to walk on the manufacturing floor and see something being built at the same time, it was amazing.”

Hoffman Manufacturing is a 30-employee company that operates out of a 25,000-square-foot facility on Madison’s east side, about 25 miles from Trek’s headquarters and five miles from the first store to be revamped. The company does about $5 million a year in sales.

One of Hoffman’s strengths is that the company works with metal, wood and laminate, and that versatility helped seal the deal with Trek.

“None of the other companies that Trek was considering is like us.

We’re local, and we do it all under one roof,” Geoffrey Hoffman said.

“The others were limited in their ability to do custom work.”

Hoffman describes his company as “small and lean with broad ability and large capacity.”

Hoffman’s other customers include a well-known national Mexican restaurant chain and a national sporting goods retailer, for which it makes bow hangers, gun cases and a massive metal base for treestand displays.

For Browne, a critical aspect of the planning was to ensure that the new store “reflected where Trek is today.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 �

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SILVER CEILING BLADES BY OMNOVA ARE MADE OF MDF WITH 3D LAMINATE. THEY ARE USED ABOVE BIKES AND OTHER PRODUCTS TO LOWER THE CEILING HEIGHT TO A MORE HUMAN SCALE AND CREATE A SPACE THAT IS MORE COMFORTABLE FOR SHOPPING. PHOTO BY MICHAEL R. CONWAY

Trek is a market-leading, technology-driven global company built on innovative engineering and quality products, yet it has a strong, humble history that dates back 40 years to its founding in a barn.

That’s a lot to encompass in a store concept.

“Trek wanted to do retail different from the bike shop. We believe in bike shops, but knowing that we’re competing with retail at large, like Apple and Starbucks and this consistent store experience where people want to spend their time, we want our retail to be at that level. We believe we are at that level as a company with a unique and advanced product,” Browne said.

In developing a budget, Browne and other key leaders at Trek also had to consider that the concept could eventually be used by independently owned dealers who would spend their own money.

They started with a budget that allowed laminate and “very basic materiality.” “All of the fixtures and finishes are very humble and genuine to what they are,” Browne said. “The concrete is concrete. The walls are painted. The metals are metal.”

The budget allowed for laminate, so Browne selected a high-grade TFL in three tones.

Hoffman set about creating five prototype fixtures to present to the executive group, featuring everything from the laminate display boxes to powder-coated metal tire holders. Work began Oct. 21, and the fixtures were ready for a Dec. 23 meeting with the executive team.

At the meeting, the team was torn because it generally liked the concepts and overall design but wasn’t sold on the laminate.

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HOFFMAN ENGINEERED PIECES SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PROJECT, INCLUDING A POWDERCOATED METAL TIRE HOLDER THAT CAN BE SWAPPED OUT FOR DIFFERENT SIZES AND ADJUSTED TO TWO ANGLES THANKS TO A BALL INDENT THAT LOCKS DOWN AND HOLDS THE PIECE IN PLACE. PHOTOS BY GARY PORTER

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“It didn’t feel as genuine to our brand as wood,” Browne said.

“We wouldn’t try make a bike out of carbon and not use carbon. We wouldn’t try to fake it. They liked the genuine aspect of wood.”

Hoffman is convinced that the laminate wasn’t the right kind and looked too much like the melamine of old as opposed to the newer matte finishes with texture.

At the same time, however, the executives liked the palette that the laminates offered, which featured consistent graining and finish in the high-contrast options – ebony, white-washed and a warm medium brown.

“They ended up wanting to use wood but still look back to the

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laminates that we started with,” Browne said.

The decision was made to go with quarter-sawn oak veneer in a similar palette to the original laminate.

Hoffman described his reaction as he saw the store coming together for its March opening: “I was blown away.” More important, Trek’s executives, who hadn’t seen anything of the store design since the December meeting, were pleased.

Hoffman’s company made everything in the store except for the graphics and the products. The white-washed veneer is used on fixture tops and wall shelves, paired with a dark powder-coated metal base. The medium tone is used on feature wall and ceiling elements, and the ebony veneer is used on vertical surfaces at the cash wrap.

Hoffman also created a wall-hanging system out of metal in the same powder-coated black that was one of two pieces designed and engineered specifically for this project. The other was the metal tire holder that can be swapped out for different sizes and adjusted to two angles thanks to a ball indent that locks down and holds the piece in place.

The store also features ceiling blades and vertical louvers by Omnova made of MDF with 3D laminates.

The silver ceiling blades are used above bikes and other products to lower the ceiling height to a more human scale and create a space that is more comfortable for shopping, Browne noted. “Their shape and repetition create a rhythm across the ceiling that draws the viewers’ eyes and guides them through the space,” she said.

The black louvers near the front of the store are used to mask the view from one space to another, Browne added. “They allow sight through them from certain angles and block the view from other angles.

This visual shifting adds interest and intrigue to the experience.”

Now that the first store is done, the next task is replicating the look at the second Madison store and deciding how to import the design to other stores in the U.S. and overseas. Trek has a market share of more than 25 percent in the U.S. but less than 10 percent overseas, where biking is much more a part of the transportation system and culture. The potential for growth in Europe and Asia is big, Browne said.

Trek has four corporate stores in the U.S. and many more in Europe and Asia. It also sells through hundreds of independent concept stores and dealers. Incorporating the new design in the corporate stores in the U.S. could be the next step, Browne said, followed by other stores here and abroad. The priority and order have yet to be determined.

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It’s likely that Hoffman would manufacture fixtures for U.S. stores and possibly make prototypes to ship overseas, where Trek would find a manufacturer to make the elements there.

Regardless, she stressed, Trek needs to be sure the design works for all of its users and is adaptable to designated areas of independent stores that sell Trek and other brands.

“One of the goals is for the design and all of the elements to be scalable and replicable in cost and the ability to manufacture here and ship to France and China or have it made there and it behaves the same,” she said. “We need to pick a stable material, something that we know will be the same here and in the climate there and behave relatively similarly.

“And how do we bring that to a dealer when it’s their space and they are a unique client every time? Their business models are different, and their budgets are different.”

That brings the company back to laminate, which even in the past year has advanced in terms of realistic matte finishes and textures that are almost indistinguishable from wood. Laminate is also generally less expensive than veneer, and it can be replicated without fail.

Because of its versatility and attributes, TFL will indeed be a primary material in future Trek store projects. In early July, Browne said, the company decided to replace veneer with TFL for two of the three tones and applications.

For the white-washed look on the pedestals that highlight the products, Wilsonart’s Beigewood will be used. Wilsonart’s Ebony Recon TFL will replace the dark veneer and be paired with a brushed

PHOTO BY MICHAEL R . CONWAY

steel countertop at the cash wrap and also used for shelves to highlight the products and images related to the brand.

Trek will retain the quarter-sawn oak veneer for the wall and ceiling wrap elements in feature areas, Browne said.

Hoffman thinks the TFL is a good choice: “One reason I like TFL is the image consistency over veneer so our fabricators don’t need to be selective with panels – not in just the veneer but also maintaining a consistent finish.”

Browne concurred on TFL’s strengths and noted that, in the end, it became clear that TFL was the right choice because of the importance of quality and consistency as Trek rolls out its new look in stores around the world. s&p SEE RELATED SIDEBAR ON PAGE 18 �

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Meeting Trek AS IT IS Today

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hat exactly was Krista Browne trying to do when she created a new design for Trek stores in the U.S. and abroad? In her own words, here’s how Browne explains her goals and the look and feel of the prototype store:

“When you come in, you’re not overwhelmed by the amount of product or the type of product. You’re overwhelmed by, ‘Wow, this feels good. It’s airy. It’s light.’ There are ceiling height changes and architectural features that invite you to explore the space. You can’t see everything at first glance, but you get glimpses and the mystery draws you in.”

PHOTO BY MICHAEL R . CONWAY

“When you walk into the front door, you are meeting Trek as we are today – the high-tech advancements, the customization options, the multiple categories in the feature rooms, the E-bikes, the mountain bikes, the road bikes, the kids bikes.”

“We’re curating the experience for someone who might not yet know Trek and the person who might have ridden a Trek bike as a kid and is returning with interest in a new bike.

They are entering the space and able to navigate it comfortably because they are not overwhelmed by all of the products at the same level right as they enter the door.”

“Once they’ve navigated the entry space, they can choose to enter into the ride experience zones – the city area, the road area, mountain bikes, the kids area. Along the same line, you enter and meet the Trek brand where we are today, and as you immerse deeper into the store, you get the history and heritage of the brand.”

“Did you know that Trek started in a barn in Waterloo, Wis.? Do you know where Waterloo is? There is a video on the TV screen in the back part of the store. We call it our ‘Wall of Weird.’ You see these images of our history along with images of engineering and racing and the family riding a bike – all of the rider types that we serve.” n

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DON RAYMOND

Don Raymond is vice president of sales and marketing for Uniboard. He also oversees product development for the company and has more than 25 years of industry experience. In this Q&A, Raymond answers questions from Surface & Panel about embossed-in-register or synchronized finishes and how they are changing the face of TFL.

What is embossed-in-register (EIR)?

EIR or embossed-in-register refers to where a print design (paper) of a TFL panel is perfectly aligned with the plate structure or finish that replicates what you would see from the real product. So the texture follows the print. The randomly applied ticking and cathedrals are a thing of the past. In the case of wood, designers, architects and the woodworking industry are referring to EIR as synchro or synchronized finish. EIR or synchro finishes date back to around the year 1999/2000 and were originally developed for the laminate flooring industry. Many people may not realize that the original developer of EIR was Uniboard when we launched an EIR tile design in 1998.

How does it change the look and feel of TFL? The beauty of an EIR/synchro finish is that it takes design to a whole new level of realism. Over the past 10 years, the industry has seen wonderful advances in printing technology. The level of detail and realism of the print designs has been simply outstanding. Where the industry fell short was on the finish, the touch and feel. You had a great print, and then the industry used a plasticlooking finish over it. With EIR/synchro finishes, this is a thing of the past.

Are deeper textures more desirable?

A deeper texture just for the sake of saying you have a deep texture is not the answer. You have to marry up the texture to the design. Deeper gives a different, often more rugged, rustic look.

If so, how do deeper textures affect performance?

From a product performance standpoint, deep texture does not detract from the product performance. A deep-textured TFL has the same physical performance of a regular or standard TFL finish.

What is the trend in finishes and gloss levels?

Regarding gloss, we see a definite shift to lower gloss after a few years of high, mirror gloss trends especially in kitchen fronts. Two years ago, we relaunched a super matte TFL finish with a very low 4-degree gloss level. The thinking was to capitalize on the trend we saw on solid colors where matte finishes were gaining ground. Our customers have responded very favorably to our finish. We expect the trend to continue. We are launching three new finishes at IWF. One is called Riveria Oak, which is our second EIR/synchro finish, and we’re introducing a new deep-texture finish called Sequoia. Both finishes have a low-gloss CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 �

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KMI PRESS-PLATES

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natural feel. We also are launching a finish called Calico at IWF that is sure to change the way designers view TFL as for primarily kitchen cabinets and closets.

What are the advantage of two-sided EIR? In one word, realism. A two-sided EIR/synchro finish simply emulates wood in all its natural beauty. I have seen some EIR finishes that look plastic as little care was put into the design. Print, texture, touch, gloss, precision of the synchronization it all has to play together, as this is no longer everybody’s melamine of the 1980s.

Have edge treatment suppliers kept up with these new trends?

North American edge suppliers have made some good strides in keeping up with TFL manufacturers’ new product launches. The matching of color and gloss has improved substantially in recent years, as well as the making of edge treatments to handle laser and hot air applications. However, on EIR/synchro and deep-texture finishes, suppliers need to accelerate their product development effort of matching edge treatments. The end customer wants to see the same type of edge treatment as the panel. My comments apply equally to all other matching components.

What do you think will be the predominant material for edges – PVC, melamine? And will textures match?

PEIW LIFCE AA TLtlA anNtT aA Bporoilth A 5 -2 842 Booth 0106 519

Laminating lines HPL lines Multi-opening plywood lines Upgrades of existing MDF, OSB, PB, plywood and short cycle lines

Contact: Larry Frazier 770-756-1309 | larry.frazier@dm-z.de www.dieffenbacher-zaisenhausen.de 22

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As I stated above, edge treatments simply have to match in terms of design, texture, gloss, etc. Edge treatments are a vital component in the overall look of the panel. Edges can blend in or accentuate. New edging solutions allow for a well-designed edge to disappear into the panel, giving that perfect natural look or that extra punch.

Which markets will see the best growth, aside from kitchen cabinets?

When EIR/synchro finishes were first introduced to the North American TFL market three years ago, residential applications (kitchens, closets,) were the primary market. We have just recently seen adoption of these types by other segments, such as store fixtures and commercial furniture.

Has TFL come “out of the box” as a cabinet carcass product once and for all?

I keep hearing this comment, and it continually surprises me. When we visit shows such as NEOCON, KBIS, IBS and IWF, we see TFL everywhere, and it’s not to build the carcass or to use it for shelves. We see the product being used in upscale cabinets, store fixtures, desking systems, etc. With the continued advances in designs and textures, this will continue. Where the industry needs to accelerate its efforts is in all the co-products that complement TFL, such as HPL, 3D foils and edge treatments. Manufacturers of these products have to advance their efforts in EIR/synchro and deep-textured finishes so that a seamless laminate solution offering is available to the end user and customer.

Do deeper textures require longer press cycles?

Modified resin systems?

The answer to both questions is a resounding yes. To achieve these finishes, press cycles are longer, and the resin systems used are more complex and expensive. The registration process it self needs time to align the paper perfectly with the press plate using state-of-the-art camera systems. In addition, some deep texture may require additional steps and equipment facilities to achieve deep embossing.

Will two-sided, deep-textured TFL command higher prices?

Definitely. We are talking about a product that looks and feels like real wood with better performance characteristics. When we speak to the A&D and woodworking industries about our EIR/synchro products, we don’t compare them to TFL or HPL. We compare them to veneers and solid wood. What we are finding is that EIR/synchro TFL has better performance and visual characteristics than most veneers. Many times, our customers will ask, “What is this product?” When we say, “TFL,” the reaction is, “No, it’s not TFL. What is it?”

What is the initial reaction from the design community?

Outstanding. The A&D community has adopted the product with open arms. It took some time for architects and designers to be comfortable with the rapid advances in synchronized TFL and to understand the wide range of applications for the product. The future is bright.

The specification and use of this new range of TFL products are only limited by the imagination. Furniture, cabinets, fixtures, wall applications and even ceiling applications will become common applications for EIR/synchronized TFL. Architects and designers are looking for affordable solutions with a great look and feel. With these latest advancements in textures and realism, TFL can fill this need better than any other material. s&p

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SETTING THE MOOD HPL, Textured MDF, Etched Glass, Lighting Help Define Special Space B Y

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hen Sarah and Trent Lange decided to build a second hair salon in the suburbs of Madison, Wis., they knew what they wanted, and they knew the importance of the right materials.

“The material selections were critical for creating a soothing effect and a comfortable atmosphere for our customers,” said Sarah, who co-owns the salons with her husband, manages them and styles hair. “Even if they can’t articulate why they feel good in the space, subconsciously, they’re in a good place.”

The Langes’ successful first location, Ecco Salon, is in Fitchburg just south of Madison. Ecco has made Salon Today magazine’s list of the 200 fastest-growing salons in the country five years in a row, and it has been on Madison Magazine’s list of the region’s best salons three years running. The Langes decided it was time to build a second Ecco, and they chose Waunakee just north of the city. Waunakee’s downtown was undergoing a revival, and the Langes located their salon in a development that included buildings dating back to the 1890s.

Jeff Davis of Angus Young Associates of Madison and Janesville, Wis., was the project’s architect. He immediately confronted two

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LEFT: THE SHAMPOO ROOM’S CABINETS ARE WILSONART HIGH GLOSS IN DESIGNER WHITE. THE AREA FEATURES AN ILLUMINATED CUSTOM CLOUD OVERHEAD THAT SCALES AND DEFINES THE SPACE. ABOVE: IN THE EIGHT-CHAIR STYLING AREA, DOUBLE-SIDED FLOATING STATIONS MAXIMIZE THE SPACE AND HAVE FULL-LENGTH MIRRORS ON EACH SIDE WITH STORAGE IN BETWEEN.

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THE 1,700-SQUARE-FOOT SALON RETAINS AN OPEN, AIRY FEELING WHILE FITTING ALL OF THE SALON’S NEEDS INTO A 23-FOOT-WIDE SPACE.

formidable challenges with the 1,700-square-foot salon. The first was fitting all of the salon’s needs into the 23-foot-wide space while keeping an open, airy feeling, although the 14-foot ceiling helped. The second was creating an Ecco brand that was specific to Waunakee without changing the logo and overall style.

“The Langes wanted each salon to have unique features that were specific to the location,” he said.

Missions accomplished. Customers love the new salon; business has exceeded projections, and Salon Today chose the Waunakee store as one of 20 finalists for national salon of the year.

The care that went into designing the space and selecting materials is clear from the moment a customer enters the salon.

“Clients who come into Ecco, whether to buy a product or to get the full salon experience, get a great feel for the space immediately,” Davis said.

The reception and retail area features a custom desk with a Wilsonart Sangda Falls quartz countertop.

The desk’s front and sides are Wilsonart’s high pressure laminate in Cafelle with a fine velvet texture finish.

Behind the desk is one of the salon’s signature pieces, a textured panel of ¾-inch MDF from Soelberg Industries’ Onda One collection in Glacier White that displays laser-cut lettering with Ecco’s logo. The textured MDF is also inserted into a “cloud” above the desk made of Wilsonart HLP that defines and accents the reception area.

“The ceiling cloud helps scale down the entry a bit,” said Carly Davis, Jeff’s wife and the interior designer on the project, who is also with Angus Young. “It brings it more to a pedestrian or human scale.”

The choice of flooring throughout the salon shows the standards that the Langes and their designers brought to the project. They did extensive testing with THROUGHOUT THE SALON, LIGHTING AND COLOR WERE CRITICAL TO CREATING THE RIGHT MOOD.

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materials to see which would best resist staining from hair dyes. They got the best results from luxury vinyl tile from Tandus Centiva’s Contour Series and chose Bristol for the main color and Atlantic Cherry as an accent on the perimeter.

Hair dyes and other harsh chemicals common in hair salons also can take a toll on counters and cabinets, and that played a role in the selection of Wilsonart’s HPL, “which performed the best and was the only brand we used,” Sarah said. Wilsonart’s quartz was the natural complement.

One of the salon’s main design features is an eye-catching large-scale vinyl wallcovering that runs the length of the east wall and can be seen from the CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 �

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outside. Sarah said it adds “a wow factor” to the salon. The covering is from D.L. Couch in its Preston pattern.

“The idea was a sophisticated feature wall that would become one of the defining elements for this location,” Carly Davis said. “The wallcovering adds drama, elevates the space and guides you through the salon.”

Another key element is etched glass by Skyline Design that is used in two locations. A sliding glass barn-style door provides privacy for the waiting area, and a coordinated glass wall helps separate the shampoo room. The shampoo room’s cabinets are Wilsonart high gloss in Designer White, and the area also features an illuminated custom cloud overhead that scales and defines the space, Carly said.

In the eight-chair styling area, double-sided floating stations maximize the space and have full-length mirrors on each side with storage in between.

Throughout the salon, lighting and color were critical to creating the right mood. The clouds, for example, have inlaid linear LED lights that carry down the walls “to create a relaxing experience unique to Ecco,” Carly said. The colors are calming and soothing – mostly blues and browns.

All of the casework fabrication in the salon was done by Quest Engineering of Richfield, Wis., which designs, custom crafts and installs cabinets in homes, offices and stores.

Overall, the project exceeded expectations.

“We wanted to achieve the high end look that Trent and Sarah

TRENT AND SARAH LANGE

were going for by adding unique features while keeping their budget in mind, as well.” Carly said. “ Sarah Lange summarized her thoughts on Ecco’s new salon: “If we can create the right feeling with all of our patrons, we’ve accomplished our goal. I’m very confident that we’ve done that, and I couldn’t be happier.” s&p

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WeLive :

A NEW SPIN ON THE CO-LIVING CONCEPT HPL, TFL are Key Materials for Pilot Facilities B Y

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o-working enables freelancers, entrepreneurs and independent contractors to alleviate the isolation of working at home by sharing working space with other kindred spirits. One of the benefits of working in a curated work space is that it encourages socialization and inspires creative collaboration.

WeWork, one of the world’s largest and most innovative developers of co-working spaces, is taking that same concept to shared living facilities, with small dorm-like living quarters and minimal kitchen areas together with large well-apportioned common areas that encourage WeLive members to mingle and socialize.

The company has piloted two co-living facilities so far, one on Wall Street in New York City and another in Crystal City, a neighborhood in Arlington County, Va., just outside of Washington, D.C. “The WeLive design concept is targeted to ‘the WeGeneration,’ a term in our lexicon that refers to people of any age who are drawn to the communal lifestyle,” said Quinton Kerns, a senior designer for WeLive.

The concept resonates mostly with young urban professionals, although Kerns said WeLive tenants range from millennials to adults with children to people in their 60s.

THE MATERIALS DRIVE THE ZONING

Several years and a lot of careful thought went into the selection of materials and the space planning for the two WeLive pilot facilities.

“The materials selected drive the zoning and tell the story of the place,” Kerns said. “For example, a change in coloring or panel typology delineates a boundary between the public and private realms.

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Whereas the public zones are paneled with white laminate and the kitchens are faced in matte black HPL, the private sleeping areas are lined with oak veneer paneling that gives them a warm, intimate, natural feel.”

Kerns noted that virtually every bit of wall space is used in some way. “Walls are covered with panels, wall systems, casework, pegboards, shelves or something that calls out the purpose of the space.”

The architectural and design teams sought to create a contemporary, cosmopolitan ambiance that would resonate with creative, urban entrepreneurs and up-and-coming professionals. At the same time, given that the WeLive co-living model is new and untested in the market, there were practical issues to consider, including cost, durability, ease of cleaning and longevity of the materials and the assemblies.

The interior buildouts include a mix of HPL and oak veneer wall paneling with accents such as felt-lined fabric panels, which add warmth, texture and sound absorption in the personal alcoves and around the flat-screen television installations. Oak veneer pegboard panels lend character to the personal living spaces, maximize storage capacity and add an artsy touch.

The color palette selected was basic black and white with bold, bright primary highlights and contrasting wood-grained accents.

Mike Welch, general manager of Funder’s Achieva Furniture Division, an integrated manufacturer of furniture systems for educational and commercial markets, was head of the fabrication and assembly team that built the shelving, cabinets and casework for the two prototype WeLive projects.

“As a manufacturer, we were involved in helping to value engineer the design requirements to fit the architectural plans based on our manufacturing capability,” Welch said. “We provided input and participated in project and design meetings at both sites.”

Welch explained that HPL, sourced from Funder’s manufacturing partner, Decotone Surfaces, was the ideal choice for basic wall CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 �

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paneling throughout the WeLive facilities due to its superior performance characteristics. In addition to being durable, impact resistant, easy to clean, and scratch and wear resistant, high pressure laminate offers cost advantages and design flexibility that allowed the developers to achieve their desired aesthetic. Funder supplied the TFL cabinets and case work for the two facilities.

MINIMALIST LIVING SPACE

SILVERWOOD

Another distinctive design feature throughout the WeLive sites is the exposed plywood edges of the laminated door and cabinet panels.

Instead of the 3mm edgebanding that is typically used to finish panel edges, a europly edge treatment sealed with Osmo Hard Wax Oil gives the doors a primitive, artisanal look.

WeWork/WeLive founders Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey emphasized the importance of community, collaboration and socialization at their 75 WeWork facilities located in 29 cities in 12 countries worldwide. And WeLive applies the same principle to housing, offering an asset-light, highly communal lifestyle with abundant shared spaces, services and activities in an environment that fosters a vibrant sense of community.

Members are drawn by the appeal of a minimalist private living space in a rich social milieu where mailrooms and laundry rooms double as bars, and they have full access to event spaces, communal kitchens, roof decks, hot tubs – and, oh yes, bottomless coffee, tea and beer.

WeLive members can rent fully furnished semiprivate or private personal areas and enjoy 24-7 concierge and housekeeping

954.420.9553 www.SynergyThermofoils.com 34

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services as well as curated group activities and engagement in all We Community events through the WeLive mobile app.

The WeLive approach to co-living is a new spin on the traditional co-living concept that appears to be catching on in a big way. In New York where WeLive occupies 20 floors of a high-rise building in lower Manhattan, occupancy is at capacity. The Crystal City building, where WeLive occupies nine floors of a 12-story structure in an office park, is opening in phases and is seeing good response.

“It’s clearly an environment and a lifestyle that appeals to creative, high energy, community-oriented city dwellers,” Kerns said, adding that the pilot program is still being evaluated to assess how members use the space and respond to the buildouts and to learn lessons about the materials themselves.

People are definitely intrigued with the WeLive concept, and many market analysts see it as a trend that is likely to be replicated in urban areas worldwide.

“It was a very good project that absorbed our assembly capacity for nearly eight months,” said Achieva’s Welch. “Altogether, more than 100 people, including 30 on the assembly side and 80 or so in our fabrication and lamination shops, worked on the project.” s&p

Certified. Sustainable.

Eco-Certified Composites are Among the Greenest on Earth.

What are Eco-Certified Composites?

ECC stands for Eco-CertifiedTM Composite, as defined in the stringent ECC Sustainability Standard and Certification Program for composite panel products – specifically particleboard, MDF, hardboard and engineered wood siding and trim.

What makes a composite panel Eco-Certified?

Wood panels that carry the ECC mark are manufactured in facilities that are certified to meet the stringent requirements of the ECC Sustainability Standard.

ECC panel manufacturing facilities meet rigorous environmental requirements utilizing objective-based criteria and annual on-site audits. Each must ensure that its composite panels meet the stringent California Air Resources Board (CARB) formaldehyde emissions regulations AND achieve at least three of the following requirements:

• Demonstrate a Carbon Footprint Offset • Use Local Wood Fiber Resources • Use Recycled/Recovered Wood Fiber • Minimize Wood Waste in Manufacturing • Hold a Valid Wood Sourcing Assessment or Certificate

What about LEED v4 Credit?

• MATERIALS AND RESOURCE (MR) CREDIT:

Building Product Disclosure Optimization – Environmental Product Declaration

• MR CREDIT: Building Product Disclosure Optimization – Sourcing of Raw Materials

• MR CREDIT: Building Product Disclosure Optimization – Material Ingredients

• MR CREDIT: Furniture and Medical Furnishings • INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (EQ) CREDIT: Low-emitting materials

Who sponsors ECC Certification?

The Composite Panel Association (CPA) developed the ECC Sustainability Standard, including its pioneering Carbon Calculator. CPA administers the ECC Certification Program in North America as a third party certification agency accredited to ISO/ IEC 17065 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

www.ECCproduct.org

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

Slow but Steady Growth Seen in Office Furniture BIFMA Official Notes Interest in Embossed In Register, Digitally Printed Laminates B Y

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DAN TUOHY

B

etter balance sheets, better sales. That’s what the trade association for business and institutional furniture manufacturers is experiencing.

The industry is “reasonably healthy,” said Dan Tuohy, past president of the Business & Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association and chief executive officer of Tuohy Furniture in Chatfield, Minn. “We are experiencing our sixth to seventh year of modest recovery following the 2008-’09, and companies continue to grow.”

BIFMA, the voice of the commercial furniture industry, forecasts lower single-digit growth in 2016 and a slight improvement next year.

Tom Reardon, the group’s executive director, said U.S. office furniture shipments were nearly $2.4 billion for the first quarter, a 2 percent increase over the same time last year.

Surface & Panel recently caught up with Tuohy to discuss the state of the market.

Q: What’s new in office furniture and fixtures?

A: “The market is trending toward a more casual workplace experience and style, featuring a blend of traditional office and a more residential-feeling atmosphere,” Tuohy said, adding that customers are including more lounge areas, places for brief touchdown meetings and informal gatherings.

“The trend is toward offering employees a choice in where and how to work, acknowledging that there is no one-size-fits-all answer,” he said. “Sometimes, a collaborative environment is required; sometimes, one requires privacy for concentration and execution.”

The trend is generational and accommodates both introverts and extroverts, Tuohy said.

It’s also a trend born in part with small technology start-up companies that didn’t routinely have furniture budgets.

“Sometimes, they planned on two to three years of work (before taking a product to market),” he said. “Also, the workers tended to wanted to share and collaborate to develop product enhancements, code sharing and symmetry in format.

“We see this now branching out to other business models, including law firms. The need to hire and retain the correct talent coupled with CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 �

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NO ADDED FORMALDEHYDE.

the increased understanding of how the ‘environment’ (office plan) affects productivity is bringing this to a broader base.”

Q: Who is driving those changes?

A: “The design community and end-user studies,” Tuohy said.

“Employers are looking at how they acquire and retain the best talent. As the workforce changes generationally, we are seeing different expectations from the employee. The form and function of the ‘office’ is changing.”

Q: How is the commercial furniture industry responding?

LIKEWISE.

A: “The industry is responding with new products,” Tuohy said.

“We are seeing the mingling of a residential look and feel with the quality needed for the contract segment.”

Tuohy said the two most recent “Best of Show” products at NEOCON, including one from his own company, introduced new thoughts on how space is used.

“Now we have private space and collaborating space that intermingle depending on the current needs of the employees,” he said.

That’s evident from some of the recent acquisition activity involving major industry players such as Holly Hunt, DRW, Poltrona Frau and JANUS et Cie. “As these products are introduced into the contract distribution, the lines become less evident,” Tuohy said, adding that the mingling is enhanced by softer seating as well as other products.

“The amount of laminates that are used in both residential and contract work is increasing as seen in the embossed in register and digitally printed laminates being reviewed by contract furnishing designers,” he said.

“These products are being placed in the office environment more and more frequently.”

Q: Are there any hot or soft segments within the industry?

FSC ®-certified Collins Pine FreeForm Particleboard was used throughout the Hillside House in Mill Valley, California by SB Architects. Photo: Mariko Reed

A: “Obviously, the cubicle segment is shrinking,” he said. “This is still a large segment but only half the size of what it once was. Conversely, we are seeing a growth in the ‘residential’ feel products.”

Q: What’s the general perspective from your own company, Tuohy Furniture?

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Feel good about it

A: “We started in the mid-1950s making wood church furniture, and we continue to evolve as we see the market evolve,” he said.

“While we continue with our casegoods, we have increased our conference table offering and upholstered seating.

“We see that many more materials are being specified, including back-painted glass, new types of laminates and solid surface materials.”

Tuohy said his company introduced a cement-textured base for its Tryg tables at the recent NEOCON in Chicago.

The company also used a soft-feel top on tablet arms and work surfaces on its new Leit seating line.

“We continue to integrate these products into our product development stream and look at how we can accommodate the designers’ and end users’ needs,” he said. “While the market is changing, we are excited about the potential it can bring us.” s&p

New Name, New Energy for

Shop! aims to provide research-based value through leadership, education B Y

J I M

L E U T E

Merged Retail Association BOB ROSEAN

Quality Matters

We’re Your Trusted Source for MDF Powder Coated Components Retail Fixtures, Healthcare, Education, Office Furniture & More 216-741-5511 sales@dvuv.com

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L

ate last year, two retail industry associations joined forces to form a single organization representing all companies that provide products and services to retail stores.

Nine months after the Association for Retail Environments and Point of Purchase Advertising International merged to form A.R.E./ POPAI The New Association, the organization changed its name to Shop!, a trade association focused on enhancing retail environments and experiences.

The new name, announced June 29, is designed to represent the 2,000-plus global member companies and align with the full industry community they support.

Previously, A.R.E. focused on retail design, store fixturization and visual-merchandising products and services. POPAI focused on instore marketing.

“After a thorough vetting process that included numerous focus groups and input from many of our members, our association is proud to announce this new name and immediately begin our renewed focus to advance retail environments and experiences through our programs, events and publications,” said Steven Weiss, chief executive officer of Shop!

Along with the name change, the association is launching a complete new corporate identity that will affect all sub-brands, events, programs, publications and websites, including shopassociation.org.

Shop! will provide research-based value through leadership and education in research, design, build, marketing and evaluation.

“With members ranging from producers, visual merchandisers and ad agencies to designers, retailers and brands, the name Shop! conveys a strong image of the services and products our members provide to the industry,” said Bob Rosean, chairman of Shop!

“Everything our members build, design and implement at the store level is driven by the needs of the shopper and ultimately is created to entice consumers to shop.”

Rosean also is president of TJ Hale, a Menomonee Falls, Wis., manufacturer, distributor and installer of retail environment fixtures.

Surface & Panel recently asked Rosean about the state of the retail environment industry.

Q: What’s new in retail furniture and fixtures?

A: “We’re seeing much more organic material: repurposed woods, metals, etc.,” Rosean said. “The trend is on creating a more home/residential feel within public spaces.”

The trends also are moving toward a more responsible use of materials, he said.“In addition, there is a large movement toward CONTINUED ON PAGE 42 �

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Find Your Laminate with OMNOVA’s Design Center

OMNOVA’s new online Design Center is an industry-leading tool that makes searching for that perfect laminate easier than ever. Looking for a dark walnut or warm metallic finish? Need a specific laminate construction? How about searching for designs for a specific application or end use? No problem! We have you covered!

We’ve done the heavy lifting, categorizing our laminates by design, construction, fabrication process, finish and market.

Many of our designs can be seen rendered onto a fixture allowing you to easily imagine how they might work in your space.

© 2016 OMNOVA Solutions Inc.

Fuel your creativity and request samples for your next project at www.omnova.com/findyourlaminate

866.332.5226 www.omnova.com/laminates laminates@omnova.com

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custom locations, away from the cookie-cutter feel of mass-driven retail,” he said.

branded products that can be bought online via Amazon, have a tough paper route ahead,” Rosean said.

“Those that build customized locations or who customize a basic concept, such as Starbucks, have done well. “ Rosean said fast casual retailers such as Noodles, Panera and others are doing well as consumers spend less time preparing meals at home.

Customized retail such as craft breweries and local health-related businesses also are doing well.

Q: Who is driving those changes?

A: “The green movement continues to play on designers and retailers as they look to resonate their concepts with the next generations of consumers,” Rosean said. “The next generations have a greater proclivity to authentic craft and responsible management of our environment.”

Rosean said retailers like to use local materials and local accents and craftsmanship to resonate for consumers, much like the craft beer, coffee and distillery movement.

“This also plays well in the grocery segments, where locally grown and organic continue to play a larger role,” he said.

Q: What’s the state of the retail fixture market?

A: ““We expect our market at retail to be up 5-10 percent this year,” Rosean said. “That’s been consistent since 2009.”

Rosean expects overall numbers to be softer this year as more recalibrating goes on between big box and localized craft concepts.

“The growth of rooftops is a direct correlation to our success,” he said. “The housing market and jobs outlook have been good, and that continues to work for our industry.

“We think this will continue through 2017.”

Q: How is the industry responding?

A: “If your segment of the industry is big box and mass-driven rollouts of concepts, this has been tougher sledding, both for retailers and suppliers to those retailers,” he said.

“If you are focused on designing, building and installing one-off ideas and locally infused concepts, you are seeing a great deal of success right now. This requires much more flexibility in your operations as a supplier and as a retailer.”

Q: What’s the general perspective from your own company, TJ Hale?

A: “At TJ Hale, we have been blessed with long relationships with key clients who are well-positioned to navigate the changes above,” Rosean said. “We continue to look for those relationships that are not only well-positioned for the future consumer but also have our same ethical values.” s&p

Q: Are there any hot or soft segments in the industry?

A: “Again, big box and mass retailers, especially those that sell mass

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Wall Murals WITH A ‘Viewnique’ Perspective B Y

R I C H

C H R I S T I A N S O N

WIN GATE HUGHES AND ANICE HOACHL AND ER , HOACHL AND ER DAVI S PHOTOGR APHY

V

Large Format, Digitally Printed Vinyl Canvases from

OMNOVA Solutions Transform Mere Walls into Dramatic, Artistic Statements

THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE SOCIETY OF PLASTICS INDUSTRY (SPI) IN WASHINGTON, D.C., FEATURES A 43-FOOT-WIDE, FLOOR-TO-CEILING MURAL OF THE BEMIS MANUFACTURING INJECTION MOLDING OPERATION IN SHEBOYGAN, WIS.

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isitors stepping off the elevator into the fifth-floor headquarters of the Society of Plastics Industry (SPI) in Washington, D.C., immediately encounter a space like no other.

First, their ears are piqued by white noise filtering around them, the recorded soundscape of a plastics processing plant replete with the occasional beeping of a forklift backing up. Then, as they continue walking through the lobby toward the reception desk, their attention is commanded by a 43-foot-wide, floor-to-ceiling mural of the Bemis Manufacturing injection molding operation in Sheboygan, Wis. The concrete floor of the high-definition mural seamlessly blends into the lobby’s recycled plastic tile floor, creating the 3D illusion of actually being able to reach out and touch the hulking Milacron injection molder in the foreground.

Re-creating the look and feel of a modern plastics manufacturing facility was the overarching objective in transforming the former offices of a law firm into the new digs of SPI, an association dedicated to promoting growth in the $427 billion U.S. plastics industry.

Other unconventional elements of the 18,000-square-foot office space that lend themselves to creating the plastics plant aura include a conference room that incorporates 4 tons of steel I-beams and an open ceiling, purposely exposing ducting, plumbing and wiring.

Adjacent to the conference room is a breakroom with large sliding thermoplastic honeycomb doors that open into the lobby to reveal a second floor-to-ceiling mural. This one is about 30 feet wide by 10 feet high and depicts the LyondellBasell plastic pellet manufacturing plant in Houston.

“The breakroom mural is really cool,” said Bill Carteaux, president and CEO of SPI. “It captures the big beams and a lot of piping, plus the equipment to process and blend material, just what you would expect in a plastic resin manufacturing facility.”

Carteaux said the office designed by local firm Wingate Hughes Architects rarely fails to impress first-time visitors, including association members, congressmen and federal regulators that he hosts. He added that most accolades are reserved for the two “viewnique” digitally printed wall coverings supplied and installed

by OMNOVA Solutions.

“Visitor reactions to the viewnique murals are unbelievable because they are so real,” Carteaux said. “They help tell our story CONTINUED ON PAGE 46 �

3DUWLFOHERDUG

WIN GATE HUGHES AND ANICE HOACHL AND ER , HOACHL AND ER DAVI S PHOTOGR APHY

LEFT: THE BREAKROOM AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE SOCIETY OF PLASTICS INDUSTRY (SPI) IN WASHINGTON, D.C., FEATURES LARGE SLIDING THERMOPLASTIC HONEYCOMB DOORS THAT OPEN TO REVEAL A SECOND FLOOR-TO-CEILING MURAL. THIS ONE IS ABOUT 30 FEET WIDE BY 10 FEET HIGH AND DEPICTS THE LYONDELLBASELL PLASTIC PELLET MANUFACTURING PLANT IN HOUSTON. BELOW: CLIENTS OF OMNOVA'S VIEWNIQUE PROGRAM RANGE FROM CORPORATIONS, HOTELS AND FITNESS CLUBS TO RESTAURANTS, CAFES AND RENTAL CAR AGENCIES.

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and depict the technology and cleanliness you would see at a modern plastics plant. They really are the focal points when we do tours of our offices or host fundraisers for congressional candidates because they talk about what we are doing.”

UNIQUELY VIEWNIQUE

Lori Barnett, who grew up in the printing industry and swears she has ink for blood, manages the viewnique program for OMNOVA. Clients range from corporations, hotels and fitness clubs to restaurants, cafes and rental car agencies. She has seen the digital printing process make tremendous strides, including improvements in low-VOC inks, faster drying and especially print clarity. “The dots per inch have increased 1,000 percent,” she said.

Barnett said the SPI turnkey project was as unusual, challenging and fun as any installation she has been involved with during her more than 10-year tenure. The biggest challenge, she said, was procuring sufficient high-resolution photography of each plant.

“The photography not only had to achieve the creative vision, the quality had to be really great so that it could be blown up to 30 feet wide or more,” she said.

The viewnique team did a thorough survey of the SPI space, taking exacting measurements of each feature wall, verifying that the conditions of dry walls were ship shape and painstakingly noting the location of any obstructions such as doors, light switches, fire extinguishers and other objects that might steal from the image’s drama.

The installation survey helped guide cropping of the photos that were sent to a West Coast digital printer and “ripped” to produce panels each with a printed area up to 53 inches wide. The SPI viewnique murals were printed on a 20-ounce commercial vinyl wall covering with a type 2 fire rating. Appropriately, SPI chose to specify backers made with 20 percent post-consumer, recycled plastic content – made from grinding up plastic soda bottles – instead of the standard non-woven backing, Barnett said.

Each of the double-cut seamed panels was individually rolled onto a 3-inch corrugated core, packaged, numbered and shipped from the printer to SPI headquarters for installation. For the lobby mural, 10 surfaceandpanel.com

panels were expertly laid up side by side and adhered to the wall using off-the-shelf primers and adhesives to bring the Bemis Manufacturing plant floor to life.

Barnett said the viewnique murals are best viewed from a distance of 10 feet or more, noting that the image will look pixelated from a close distance similar to standing too close to an HD TV. “It sounds weird, but when you design something on a 20-inch screen and then you go to the site and see it live and in person after it has been installed, it really creates a sense of pride,” she said.

VIEW TO THE FUTURE

Time marches on, and trends and technology change. Carteaux, who has been involved in the plastics industry for 30 years, has witnessed a slew of advances and is mindful that the technology depicted in the viewnique murals gracing SPI’s walls today will give way to newer manufacturing processes down the road. With this in mind, he said plans call for swapping out the murals every five years.

“The next scenes might be of bioplastic and 3D printing,” Carteaux said. “We have a 15-year lease, so we could do this again twice, giving different members a chance to sponsor them.”

Technology also is on the move for viewnique. Barnett said OMNOVA is working on a couple of initiatives: Starlight Mural and Motion Mural.

Starlight Mural uses fluorescent color inks that “can create a daylight or nighttime environment based on how you program black lights to interact with white LED lights,” Barnett said. “When you add black light with LED light, you start to see a little more depth like 3D. If you turn the LED lights off completely, the mural will illuminate kind of like a midnight bowling alley effect.”

In March, OMNOVA previewed Motion Mural at GlobalShop, the annual retail design convention held in Las Vegas.

“We had a 4x5 mural of a lady dressed in a steampunk theme, and she was holding an old steampunk movie camera,” Barnett said.

“The mural had gears rotating in the background that looped. A lot of people stopped and asked, ‘How did you do that?’”

Barnett wouldn’t say. It’s a uniquely viewnique secret. s&p

‘Prelude’ Wins 12th Annual Wilsonart Chair Design Competition Detroit Students Are Challenged to ‘Design Happy’ NEW YORK – “Design for delight.”

That is the direction students at the College for Creative Studies were given in crafting their one-of-a-kind chairs for the 12th Annual Wilsonart Challenges Student Chair Design Competition. The winning chair and five runners up, sporting a variety of fashionable and functional designs from the Wilsonart Laminate Collection, debuted in the Wilsonart booth at the 2016 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in May at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York.

Wilsonart, a leading manufacturer of decorative engineered surfaces, has for more than a decade hosted this unique challenge, making it the longest running student design competition of its kind in the U.S. Incorporated into the students’ college curriculum, the competition challenges the future generation of designers to go above and beyond form and function to encapsulate a story and project an emotion with their body of work, all the while celebrating the versatility of laminate. This year’s winner and runners up designed for delight, as was their prompt to amuse and engage their audience with their chairs.

Stephen Marchio of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit was chosen as the competition’s winner for his design, “Prelude,” which was displayed along with runners up at ICFF. The winning chair is a visual statement on craftsmanship. The form embraces the tension between construction and deconstruction, between fine craftsmanship and that which is “malfatto” or “badly made” in a playful sense.

“The winning chair swept us off our feet,” explained Grace Jeffers, design historian and Wilsonart Challenges Program director. “The slanting angles of this chair are an optical illusion, which distract us from the fact that the lines of this form are perfect right angles. It’s a visual puzzle that the judges couldn’t stop thinking about.”

Marchio explained that using laminate for the surface of the chair created a deeper, more intense color than could have been achieved through paint. The pastel colors of Wilsonart Laminate in Brittany Blue, Sunshine and White further emphasized the “design for delight” theme.

“The concept of ‘Prelude’ is based on the idea that a maker often looks back on his or her work from years ago and can get the sense of progression,” Marchio said.

“It projects into the future of a skilled designer’s life while simultaneously honoring all the little steps they took to get there.”

Each year, Wilsonart Challenges is hosted at a different American design school – one that encourages innovative thinking and unique approaches.

“What amazes us is how each school’s distinctive culture and approach to design unfolds throughout the 48

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project,” said Alison DeMartino, marketing communications director at Wilsonart. “The College for Creative Studies was no exception. We were captivated by the energy of rebirth in Detroit. We see it as one of the most creative places to be in the U.S. right now.”

Wilsonart sponsors the student design scholarship program to foster the careers of emerging furniture designers in North America.

The competition challenges students at a designated design school to create a unique chair that uses Wilsonart Laminate to answer a specific design challenge.

The College of Creative Studies was selected as the host school for the competition due to its strong curriculum that encourages students to become visual communicators who actively use art and design toward the betterment of society. Located in Detroit, which was once the epicenter of American industrialism, the city has gone through a cultural transformation and was recently honored in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. The city is committed to investing in creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy, making it the ideal location and school for Wilsonart Challenges.

WINNER: CHAIR:

Stephen Marchio Prelude

CHAIR DESCRIPTION: The name “Prelude” means “preliminary,” and this winner of the 12th annual Wilsonart student chair competition is indeed beginning a career as a creative visionary.

The Prelude chair is a playful statement – simultaneously coming together and pulling apart.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 50 �

PRELUDE BY STEPHEN MARCHIO

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The form embraces the tension between construction and deconstruction, between fine craftsmanship and that which is “malfatto” or “badly made” in a playful sense. The slanting angles of this chair are an optical illusion, which distract us from the fact that the lines of this form are perfect right angles.

The pastel color pallete emphasizes the lighthearted nature of this form.

The concept of a geode was developed as a device to draw people in and force them to consider the material, literally, in a whole new light. The color was used in reference to the history of dyes and the luxury associated with the color purple, being the most costly dye to produce, therefore referring to the most regal of status.

DESIGNER’S STATEMENT: Back to the future comes into play as a design concept. This chair projects into the future of a skilled designer’s life while simultaneously honoring all the little steps taken to get there. Marchio explained: “This chair’s form and concept is based on the idea that a maker often looks back on his or her work from years back (even back to childhood years), and they can get the sense of progression. When we are young, our untrained hands don’t have the careful touch or the control to make the small adjustments needed to create a well-crafted piece. As the maker ages, those skills and abilities expand with them, and suddenly the standards for quality have changed. These older objects become pieces of history on the timeline of our workmanship, and looking back on them puts into perspective just how far we have come.”

This chair is actually created largely from spray foam, and only the actual footprint of the sitter is surfaced in laminate.

BIO : Stephen Marchio is an artist and craftsman from Livonia, Mich., and a recent craft graduate of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit His focus was art furniture. Stephen primarily works in wood and metal using traditional techniques and tools, while producing a modern and clean aesthetic. n

Zachary Boomer Geode Chair

SECOND RUNNER UP: CHAIR:

CHAIR DESCRIPTION: A geode is a rock containing a cavity filled with crystals. The “Geode Chair” pays homage to the surprise cluster of crystals one finds when hammering open a geode. The chair uses a single shade of purple laminate to create a compound-faceted seating surface. Just as a crystal reflects light, this faceted surface uses light to create the effect of a color gradient. even though only one color is employed.

BIO: Zachary Boomer entered the design world as a student at the College for Creative Studies in 2012 and graduated four years later. Initially, Boomer studied engineering at Michigan State University, where he discovered the phenomenon of product design. “I grew up working for my dad as a carpenter doing home remodels and renovations.

I’ve always had an affinity toward woodworking and furniture design.” n

GEODE CHAIR BY ZACHARY BOOMER

CONTINUED ON PAGE 52 �

New EPS Hot Melt Roller Coater/ Hot Roll Laminator Combo Only from Union Tool Count on Union Tool to listen to problems and find solutions. New for the EPS industry is this combination Hot Melt Roller Coater and Hot Roll Laminator. Now you can laminate EPS sheets to roll materials that require adhesive coating OR laminate adhesive-backed films. All in the same machine.

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� CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50 PIE CHAIR BY ALEJANDRO BUCCO

Kiho Jeong Root Bench

RUNNER UP: CHAIR:

CHAIR DESCRIPTION: Children use trees as playgrounds. They perch, drape and curl up in, on and in-between all the branches and above ground roots. Children take forms and repurpose them to fit their bodies and their imagination. The “Root Bench” mimics the slants and bends that are created by trees, and it invites sitters to discover their own favorite pose.

Just as in the growth of trees, the overall form is asymmetrical and highly irregular, hallmarks of nature that are uncommon in chair design.

BIO: Kiho Jeong started drawing and building as a young child. This led him to study industrial design in high school back in his native South Korea and eventually at the College for Creative Studies, where he graduated in 2016. “Product design gives me a lot of feeling,” explained Jeong. “Everything in our lives is related to design.” n

Alejandra Bucco Pie Chair

RUNNER UP: CHAIR:

CHAIR DESCRIPTION: Simultaneously luscious, sweet and amusing, the “Pie Chair” owes a debit to pop art and theater design.

Designer Alejandra Bucco explained: “My chair is inspired by the delight we find in eating something sweet. Baking a homemade treat has become synonymous with a gesture of love towards those eating. I’m interested in the nostalgia associated with a treat such as pie, which has strong traditional ties to family, our ideas of home and the handing down of traditions through generations.”

ROOT BENCH

BY KIHO JEONG

BIO: Alejandra Bucco is a Cuban Italian, born in Venezuela and raised in Detroit. She is a recent graduate of the College for Creative Studies and currently works as a textile designer at Arden Companies. n RUNNER UP: CHAIR:

Meet us at IWF Atlanta, GA Booth 3133

Scott Pancioli

S1

CHAIR DESCRIPTION: The “S1” chair strikes an elegant pose, subtle but designed with the greatest attention to detail. The restrained form is a combination of two elements: the gray seat bucket and the set of turned wood legs. The maple seat pan, wool upholstered cushion and spun legs bring the warmth of Scandinavian design, while the bent birch backrest finished with charcoal laminate complements the seat. The angles were meticulously considered and selected to accommodate the angles of the human body, making this chair incredibly comfortable.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54�

OUR NAME SAYS IT ALL S1 BY SCOTT PANCIOLI

Providing panels, components and quality for over 45 years Thermally Fused Laminate Panels | Components High Pressure Laminate Panels | Shelving | Painted Panels

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One ______ Leads to Another

[see how it’s all connected] IWF 2016 I Atlanta, GA I August 24-27th To arrange an appointment during the fair please contact info@schattdecor.us

� CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52 BIO: Based out of Detroit, Scott Pancioli is an aspiring industrial designer completing his education at the College for Creative Studies in May 2016. Scott has an eye for detail and subtlety in his work, as well as a meticulous hand in his craft.

Though he finds inspiration and excitement working in a variety of product fields, furniture design has always been of particular interest. n

EN THRONE BY ADAM WHITTAKER

Adam Whittaker En Throne

RUNNER UP: CHAIR:

CHAIR DESCRIPTION: Bold and uncomplicated, the “En Throne” chair is simultaneously sculptural, graphic and playful. The name is a play on words. “En” is derived from the Japanese calligraphy practice of drawing an Enso. It is a circle drawn in one fluid brush stroke and symbolizes strength and elegance. “Throne” comes from the fact that this chair is a noble seat that frames the sitter.

The En Throne is composed of simple primary shapes yet has a monolithic presence that creates a sense of wonder. The chair is concurrently imposing and alluring. Whittaker explained: “I want the viewer to be filled with anticipation as they approach it and feel joy as they’re encompassed by its grandiose form and intense blue color.”

BIO: Adam Whittaker is a recent graduate of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. He said of himself: “I've been obsessed with form and aesthetic since childhood. And I love the process of refining a design until only the essentials remain. I believe good design impacts people emotionally, and I strive to create the most powerful emotion from the simplest form possible.” s&p

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Italian Design Style & Innovation

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Alfatherm Presents at the IWF 2016

3D Laminate Foil matches to the VIVA range from Tafisa, and A new Walnut design from Uniboard as part of our exclusive design co-operation ALFATHERM 3D Laminates with EIR Surfaces matched to 10 exciting New Designs from

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What’s HOT IN

?

Hardware

It seemed like an appropriate question as summer heated up and the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta approached.

We posed the question to some of the world’s top hardware companies, and here’s what a handful had to offer.

Blum AVENTOS LIFT SYSTEMS

AVENTOS lift systems are the new premium functional hardware choice for upper cabinets. Doors easily lift up and out of the way, allowing complete access while not interfering with work in the kitchen. When closed, AVENTOS lift system doors glide to a soft close thanks to BLUMOTION soft closing.

TIP-ON BLUMOTION

TIP-ON BLUMOTION for LEGRABOX combines the mechanical opening support of TIP-ON with the soft and silent closing of BLUMOTION. Both work together to enhance the opening and closing for handleless drawers in kitchens and throughout the home. TIP-ON BLUMOTION for LEGRABOX can be assembled quickly and simply. n

BLUM'S AVENTOS LIFT SYSTEM

TIP-ON BLUMOTION FOR LEGRABOX BY BLUM

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GOT 3DL? STORE IT MAXCESS UNDERMOUNT DRAWER SLIDE FROM GRASS

GRASS'S ZBOX

Grass ZBOX

For years, the Zargen metal drawer system has provided cabinet makers the quality, functionality and versatility expected of Grass hardware. Now, Grass is offering all the same features of the Zargen metal drawer system but with one new twist: Zargen mounted to a ball bearing slide.

Introducing ZBox. The new ZBox offers standard drawer and deep drawer heights, railing system, and Pendaflex filing systems.

One idea has grown has grown into a new innovative product that fills the needs of a growing market. Assemble a Zargen drawer side with a Grass ball bearing drawer slide to create a new full extension metal drawer. The combined strength of the ball bearing slides with the Zargen’s steel construction offers a drawer solution that saves time and money with its quick drawer box construction and simple installation.

The ZBox is offered in three side heights, 3-3/4" (85mm), 5-3/4" (149mm), and 8-3/8" ( 213mm) and five lengths, 350mm, 400mm, 470mm, 510mm, 550 mm to provide a wide range of possibilities for your cabinet construction.

VIONARO DRAWER SYSTEM

Grass has created a new drawer concept that promotes clean, well-defined lines coupled with superb functional technology; the result is the new Vionaro Drawer System.

VIONARO DRAWER SYSTEM BY GRASS

Vionaro creates a new drawer system offering a unique innovative design, slim drawer dimensions and high grade material. The cubist drawer system with its strong right angles offers a slim 13mm (1/2") double wall side, guaranteeing more interior storage space in the drawer.

The Vionaro drawer members travel on Grass’ concealed undermount system, Dynapro. This combination offers Vionaro excellent running performance due to synchronization mechanism.

The operating function of the slides remains unchanged even when moving heavy loads of up to 88 pounds, extra-large drawer boxes or high drawer front panels. The Vionaro has an extremely low opening pull force and abrasion-resistant nylon rollers ensure smooth and even operation.

MAXCESS UNDERMOUNT DRAWER SLIDE

Maxcess is an economical concealed drawer slide that offers a high degree of convenience and satisfaction. The Maxcess drawer system is an undermount drawer to give you a full view of your finely crafted drawers and features the smallest extension loss in the industry. The Maxcess easily fits conventional drawer construction and offers an oil dampener for a continuous smooth easy close.

Maxcess features an ample load capacity of 75 pounds that meets and exceeds ANSI/BHMA grade 1 testing standards. The Maxcess drawer slide is designed for both frameless and face frame cabinetry and accommodates conventional drawer construction with material thickness ranging from 16mm (5/8) to 19mm (3/4). Drawer space can now be maximized as the Maxcess requires minimal top and bottom clearances, utilizing the fit of the drawer within the available frame opening. n

FORM IT Our Racks and Membranes are the choice of 3DL shops from large to small.

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Q3 2016

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Häfele CORBELS, CABINET AND VANITY POSTS AND FURNITURE FEET

New for 2016 from Häfele are three all-new collections of corbels, cabinet and vanity posts and furniture feet – the traditional LaFayette, the transitional Hannover and the contemporary Prairie.

Available in maple, cherry and special order oak wood species, each style further expands Häfele’s current collections and propels new wood carving options industrywide.

STUDIO COLLECTION

Exclusive to Häfele, the Studio Collection offers a diverse mix of handles in contemporary and transitional styles ranging in a wide variety of sizes to meet all of today’s design needs.

Available finishes include polished chrome, brushed nickel, stainless steel look and oilrubbed bronze – each perfectly tailored to match current and upcoming design trends. n CONTINUED ON PAGE 60 �

STUDIO COLLECTION BY HÄFELE

HÄFELE'S LAFAYETTE CORBELS

®

Aluminum Frame Doors ° Sliding Door Systems ° Backpainted Glass ° Magnetic Markerboards ° Aluminum Frame Base Systems We make modern design simple to achieve as the leading manufacturer of custom aluminum, glass and acrylic product solutions to meet your specific commercial

and

residential

design

needs.

Visit our new website: www.element-designs.com made in the

Ph: 877-332-3396 58

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Visit us at IWF - Booth # 3033

HÄFELE'S PRAIRIE CORBELS

THIS ELECTION YEAR...

TEC SOFT-CLOSE IS THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR YOUR CABINET. Some decisions are far too important to give a quiet nod and move on.

The smartest move for any cabinet is TEC SOFT-CLOSE. Made in the USA by seasoned pros, TEC is backed by over 35 years of experience and knowledge. Historically, nothing beats the power of steel and precision of the GRASS Soft-close mechanism. The majority has chosen TEC to swing more doors and lead cabinetry into the future.

Cast your vote today for TEC SOFT-CLOSE.

www.grassusa.com

� CONTINUED FROM PAGE58

Hettich GRANT BOX TRACK SLIDING DOOR SYSTEMS

Grant introduces improved carriers and tracks, new mounting hardware, and improved wall mount systems for our Grant SD, HD, and XHD track series.

All three of the Grant box track series now feature high quality aluminum carriers with precision ball bearing wheels for superior performance. The new aluminum top plate features easy side load mounting. Improved aluminum box tracks and end stops hide the hardware and offer outstanding performance and durability.

The Grant XHD box track system now can accommodate both header mounted and wall mounted design applications along with the Grant SD and Grant HD series. A newly designed continuous aluminum wall mount bracket mounts behind the track without any visible brackets for a clean and elegant appearance. Fascia options are available for all three series.

Grant also introduces a new low profile mounting option. The low profile mounting option minimizes the gap at the top of the door (3/16") and is ideal for low profile or restricted headroom applications.

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.

Create-A-Bed

®

Adjustable Murphy Bed

Mechanism

The linear design of InnoTech Atira fits into every home and offers a variety of differentiation options for drawers and extensions. Various side elements such as railing, TopSide under the railing or DesignSide, colors, rear panel widths and guides offer individual planning solutions that can be realized flexibly and simply. A simple upgrade from railing to TopSide or DesignSide is also possible. Drilling positions and front panel are not affected. The freedom of design has no limits because with InnoTech Atira, striking design meets proven technology.

SLIDELINE M SLIDING DOOR FITTING

The SlideLine M sliding door fitting from Hettich is a system for many applications. Merging into the background, it doesn’t interfere with the design of furniture and gives sliding door elements a look of elegance. SlideLine M upgrades the practical value and design of furniture: living room units and shelf systems, kitchen wall units, bathroom furniture and office cabinets.

SlideLine M is opening up more and more options: shelf units are transformed into attractive multi-functional furniture with doors that slide back and forth to produce a fascinating interplay between open and closed segments. Perfectly soft stopped sliding doors underscore the quality of furniture. Silent System is unobtrusively integrated in SlideLine M’s running component and moves doors gently and quietly in opening and closing direction.

Where several sliding doors run in one profile, soft colliding slows them down as they move toward each other. n

CONTINUED ON PAGE 62 �

IWF Booth # 3029

Illustrated step-by-step construction/assembly instructions, state-of-the-art gas spring mechanism and heavy-duty commercial-grade American-made components. Designed to meet the needs of manufacturers, cabinetmakers and remodelers, economically priced and lifetime warranty. www.wallbed.com 60

surfaceandpanel.com

A GIANT LEAP FORWARD IN JUST 3/8�

A revolutionary and compact hinge, characterised by high performance qualities.

With its choice of finishes, slimline profile, cam adjustment and integrated soft-closing system, Air is the latest fusion of technology and aesthetics from Salice.

www.saliceamerica.com

ďż˝ CONTINUED FROM PAGE58

Salice AIR HINGES

Salice is introducing another new product line that displays why the company has been the innovative leader in the concealedhinge market for more than 50 years. Taking the focus back to concealment, we are pleased to offer a complete line of Air hinges.

The hinges are available in soft close or push touch to open and in nickel or titanium finish.

Air is an innovative and functional concealed-hinge system, characterized by sophisticated design, compactness and very high performance qualities. s&p

Celebrating the journey.

Building the future.

Visit us at IWF Booth #1707

Since 1966 States Industries has been providing beautiful, environmentally responsible hardwood panels to architects, craftsmen, designers and manufacturers.

Our 50th anniversary is the perfect time to thank you for supporting us through this journey!

Help us build the future.

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ULTRAVIOLET CURED FLATLINE FINISH

German quality you can trust

Living perfection: Drawer system AvanTech Perfection is the standard we set ourselves. Now you can experience it more impressively than ever: with AvanTech, the perfect drawer system for superior furniture. Absolutely linear, with minimal radii. No holes or cover caps in the drawer side profile.

With puristic design and its precise front panel alignment, AvanTech makes a good impression straight away. Even before you experience its outstanding stability and running performance.

www.hettich.com 4295 Hamilton Mill Road Suite 400 Buford GA 30518 1.800.438.8424

A D V E R T I S E R S PAGE

PAGE

American Adhesive Coatings LLC 54 978.688.7400 www.AACC-Hotmelts.com

Kings Mountain International 21 704.739.4227 www.kmiinc.net

Arauco 13 Can 800.268.9830 U@ 877.273.7680 www.prismTFL.com

KML-Kustom Material Laminates 19 888.358.5075 www.kmlcorp.com

Arclin 27 877.689.9145 www.arclinTFL.com

Lamitech S.A. 11 +571.644.9888 www.lamitech.com.co

BASF 49 800 526-1072 www.performance-materials.basf.us

Northern Contours 16 866.344.8132 www.northerncontours.com

Biesse 25 877.824.3773 www.biesseamerica.com

Olon 12 800.387.2319 www.olon.com

Blum, Inc. 67 (IBC) 704.827.1345 www.blum.com

Boise Cascade 5/45 888.264.7372 www.bc.com Chemisol 32 1.39.0331.523.351 www.chemisol.it Collins 38 541.885.3217 www.collinswood.com

Composite Panel Association 35 866.4Composites www.ECCproduct.org Create-A-Bed 60 877.966.3852 www.wallbed.com Decotone 29/55 908.301.0600 www.decotonesurfaces.com Dieffenbacher 22 770.756.1309 www.dieffenbacher-zaisenhausen.de DVUV 40 216.741.5511 www.dvuv.com

Element Designs 58 877.332.3396 www.element-designs.com Festool 51 888.337.8600 www.festoolusa.com Funder 28 800.438.6276 www.funderamerica.com Grass 59 336.996.4041 www.grassusa.com Hettich 63 800.438.8424 www.hettich.com Hexion 23 888.443.9466 www.hexion.com

Interprint, Inc. 2 (IFC) 413.443.4733 www.interprint.com

IWF Atlanta 65 404.693.8350 www.iwfatlanta.com Kastamonu 43 90.216.554.30.00 www.keas.com.tr Kerno 47 844.605.8198 www.kerno-usa.com 64

surfaceandpanel.com

Omnova Solutions 41 866.332.5226 www.omnova.com

Panel Processing 52 800.433.7142 www.panel.com Renolit 3/14 +1.973.706.6912 www.renolit.com

Riken USA Corporation 36 248.513.3511 www.riken-usa.com Roseburg 33 800.245.1115 www.roseburg.com Salice 61 800.222.9652 www.saliceamerica.com Schattdecor 53 314.400.6100 www.schattdecor.com Smartech 57 704.362.1922 www.smartechonline.com

States Industries 62 800.626.1981 www.statesind.com

Stevens Industries 37 217.857.7100 www.stevens-wood.com

Stiles Machinery, Inc. 17 616.698.7500 www.stilesmachinery.com

Surface Source International 42 973.598.0152 www.ssinorthamerica.com

Synergy Thermal Foils 34 954.420.9553 www.synergythermofoils.com

Tafisa Canada 15 877.882.3472 www.tafisa.ca Thermwood 18 800.533.6901 www.thermwood.com

Timber Products Company 31 800.547.9520 www.timberproducts.com Toppan 39 770.957.6447 www.tia.toppan.com Uniboard 7 844.302.8585 www.uniboard.com

Union Tool Corporation 50 574.267.3211 www.uniontoolcorp.com Wilsonart 68 (BC) 800.433.3222 www.wilsonart.com

Decorative materials and supplies

find it at iwfatlanta

1,000+ exhibitors and thousands of products

REGISTER TODAY August 24-27 2016 Georgia World Congress Center Atlanta Georgia • www.iwfatlanta.com International Woodworking Fair, LLCŽ is owned and sponsored by:

©I STOCK .COM /D EVONYU

F R O M

T H E

E D I T O R

“This issue of Surface & Panel is full of good news in general and especially for the surface and panel and decorative surfaces communities, and I hope readers appreciate all of the positive vibes.”

Good News, and Lots of It When I was in the news business, we joked about inserting smiley faces into our good-news stories to emphasize to complaining readers how much positive news we carried. I can’t tell you the number of calls and notes I received from people who claimed the paper was full of nothing but negative news.

It wasn’t, of course, but that was many readers’ perception, and we’ve all heard that perceptions become people’s reality.

We never did insert smiley faces, but I’m reminded of those conversations by this issue of Surface & Panel. It’s full of good news in general and especially for the surface and panel and decorative surfaces communities, and I hope readers appreciate all of the positive vibes.

The news is good on several fronts in Jim Leute’s story about the state of the retail furniture market, which starts on page 40. First, two key associations – the Association for Retail Environments and Point of Purchase Advertising International – have merged to form one, stronger group called Shop! focused on enhancing retail environments and experiences.

Second, Bob Rosean, chairman of Shop! and president of TJ Hale of Menomonee Falls, Wis., said industry observers expect the retail fixture market to be up 5 to 10 percent in 2016, a pace that’s been consistent since 2009. That’s healthy growth by anyone’s standards.

The news is also positive from the Business & Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association.

“We are experiencing our sixth to seventh year of modest recovery following the 2008-’09, and companies continue to grow,” Dan Tuohy, past president of BIFMA and chief executive officer of Tuohy Furniture in Chatfield, Minn., tells Leute in a story that starts on page 36.

The good news doesn’t stop with the industry updates. My story on Trek Bicycles, starting on page 8, details how the designer and maker of cutting-edge bicycles came full circle back to thermally fused laminate in a store design that was unveiled this spring and will be rolled out internationally in years to come. The company needed an attractive, durable, cost-effective material that can be replicated from the U.S. to Europe to Asia, and TFL fit the bill. I’m sure that’s no surprise to the people in the industry.

Two other stories should brighten the days of people who make and care about materials such as HPL, TFL MDF and more. Ecco Salon built a new store in Waunakee, Wis., that was a finalist for national salon of the year, and its standout elements include HPL and textured MDF. That story starts on page 24. Meanwhile, the people behind the innovative WeWork co-working spaces have piloted two co-living facilities based on the same concept in New York City and near Washington, D.C., and HPL and TFL are integral materials – for good reason. That story starts on page 30.

Complementing all of that is Don Raymond’s story on advances in embossed-in-register TFL, which is now being called synchro. The innovations add a whole new level of realism to the look of TFL and are being welcomed with open arms by the A&D community, Raymond writes in a Q&A that begins on page 20.

And speaking of good news, let’s not forget the latest on the second annual Surface & Panel Symposium, scheduled for Nov. 6, 7 and 8 in Austin, Texas. The speaker lineup is all but set, highlighted by the king of “Cool Spaces” Stephen Chung, and this symposium offers another great opportunity for attendees to learn about new designs and material uses and network with top people in the business.

Read all about it and learn how to register in a story starting on page 6.

No, there are no smiley faces in this edition of Surface & Panel (at least, until our graphic designer did her thing above), but they shouldn't be hard to find on the magazine's readers.

Scott W. Angus | Editorial Director | scottangus47@gmail.com

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Replace your pull with a push.

Introducing TIP-ON BLUMOTION mechanical opening system.

With a touch-to-open and soft close motion, we’ve created a non-electrical solution with limitless possibilities for clean, handleless design. See it with LEGRABOX at IWF booth 2637.

Perfecting motion

Introducing Ebony Char laminate with Casual Rustic finish, from a collection of new designs and textures inspired by the beauty of natural change. See all of the new arrivals at wilsonart.com/contract-2016

ÂŽ EXPLORE NEW SURFACES