Surface & Panel Q4 2015

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& UNITING MATERIALS , TE C HNOLOGY AND DESIGN

From vision to reality Business is improving in the design/build industry Creating Lean, Clean Health Care Environments The Virtues of Virtual Paperlogic & the Mother of Reinvention Surface Design Guide 2016

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Tomorrow’s Modern Home

T

f r o m

t h e

p u b l i s h e r

he last time a publishing company commissioned the building of the “new American home” was when

Art & Architecture magazine sponsored the Case Study Houses program in 1945. As the post-World War II building boom was under way, the Case Study Houses program revealed a glimpse of the future

in residential construction. An intense postwar demand for housing was evident, but what to build and in

what style was unclear. Art & Architecture enlisted numerous architects to design and construct these homes of the future. Each of them embraced the International Style of modern design.

In response to Art & Architecture’s Case Study Houses, Elizabeth Gordon, the iconic editor of House

Beautiful, quickly launched the Pace Setter program of modern home construction, embracing the organic style of modern architecture of which Frank Lloyd Wright is the Godfather.

These competing programs backed by hyper-competitive publishing companies set the standard in

The mHouse was conceived as a way to showcase today’s modern materials in creative and unique ways in tomorrow’s modern home.

modern residential architecture between 1945 and 1967 and represent what we admire today as midcentury modern design.

More than 50 years have passed since these programs revolutionized the way Americans viewed architecture. No publisher since has taken on such an ambitious home building program -- until now. Bedford Falls Communications, publisher of Surface & Panel magazine, recently completed the mHouse. Named for www.materialicious.com, Bedford Falls’ website for design inspiration, the mHouse was conceived as a way to showcase today’s modern materials in creative and unique ways in tomorrow’s modern home. In the early stages, the mHouse was referred to as a residential research lab as architect John Vetter and interior designer Amy Carman pushed the conventional boundaries of where materials were used and why.

John Vetter is a master of the organic style of contemporary architecture and the designer of the unique mHouse silhouette. Amy Carman created a midcentury interior, complemented by today’s best contemporary furnishings, art and accessories. The result is stunning and distinctly livable. I think Elizabeth Gordon would be proud of what we accomplished Now that the home is complete and the grand opening has been celebrated, it’s time to document and more widely share the mHouse and the more than 35 unique materials and products that truly define the project. Surface & Panel and materialicious.com will be used in tandem to reach both the industry we serve and consumer audiences. We will reach out to other media outlets in the consumer space, as well, to extend the message. Each unique material will be featured in application, set in context with the architecture and interior design.

In this issue, you’ll find a photo review beginning on page 8 of the Surface & Panel Symposium held at the iconic Harley-Davidson Museum on Sept. 29 and the grand opening of the mHouse on Sept. 30.

Columbia Forest Products DesignEdge, which was used in a creative interior application, is featured on page 20.

And check out the story and photo packages on the unique materials SIMOWOOD (page 24) and Stonewood (page 28), which both were used on the home’s exterior.

We’re just getting started. In future issues of Surface & Panel, you’ll see a stream of features and firstclass photography on the finest materials the global panel processing industry has to offer.

With Kind Regards,

John Aufderhaar | Pre sident | Bedford Falls C ommunications | jaufderhaar @sur faceandpanel.com | 920 -206 -1766

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From Vision to Reality Surface & Panel Symposium sets stage for mHouse experience.

16 mHouse Offers Material Lessons for Future Designers Students from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design share their impressions of the mHouse. [ d e p a r t m e n t s ]

3 From the Publisher 72 Advertiser Index 74 From the Editor

20 Edgy Approach Columbia’s DesignEdge among elements revealed in mHouse.

24 SIMOWOOD Success Story SIMONA pleased with product’s U.S. debut in mHouse.

24

28 Perfect Fit Fiberesin’s Stonewood Architectural Panels complement mHouse’s modern look in stunning fashion. p u b l is h e r

32 Festool Track Saw Gains Exposure, Praise on mHouse Project

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

The Festool TSC 55 REB cordless track saw played a critical role in the recently completed mHouse.

34 Business Is Improving In the Design/Build Industry Survey results suggest an improving business environment among architectural woodwork business owners.

content

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

36 Creating Lean, Clean Health Care Environments DIRTT may sound like a weird name for a building products company, but employees of DIRTT are proud of their moniker as DIRTTbags and their dedication to a company whose acronym stands for Doing It Right This Time.

a dv e r t is i n g

Ryan Wagner VP Sales & Marketing | Bedford Falls Communications 302 N. 3rd Street, Watertown, WI 53094 Ph: 920-261-1945 rwagner@bedfordfallsmedia.com 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

44 The Virtues of Virtual VORTEK reality software offers immersive, 3D design experience.

50 Paperlogic & the Mother of Reinvention Southworth’s sale of its venerable paper brand triggers ventures into nanocellulose fiber and décor paper markets.

54 Surface Design Guide 2016 Be inspired by the trends that are shaping the marketplace through this showplace of the industry's best new materials.

54

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 C i r c u l at i o n

surfaceandpanelcirculation@gmail.com NE WS

news@bedfordfallsmedia.com C o m p o s i t e Pa n e l A s s o c i at i o n Main Office

19465 Deerfield Avenue, Suite 306 Leesburg, VA 20176 Ph: 703-724-1128 fax: 703-724-1588 Toll Free 1-866-4COMPOSITES www.CompositePanel.org Ca n a d i a n O f f i c e

Post Office Box 747, Station B Ottawa, Ontario CANADA K1P 5P8 Ph: 613-232-6782 fax: 703-724-1588 International Testing and Certification Center

73 Lawson Road, Leesburg, VA 20175 Ph: 703-724-1128 fax: 703-724-1588 www.itcclab.org

On the cover:

The mHouse redefines what’s possible in modern residential home design, featuring cutting-edge products from the composite panel and decorative surface industries, among others, to show stunning, design-oriented applications never seen before.

28

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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From Vision to Reality B y

S c o t t

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p h o t o s

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John Aufderhaar, owner of Bedford Falls Communications and publisher of Surface & Panel , listens intently to a presentation on design trends.

Participants in a well-attended roundtable at the symposium discuss innovations in thermally fused laminates.

Surface & Panel Symposium Sets Stage for mHouse Experience

O

n day one, they came together to share, to learn and to discuss the possibilities for new and innovative materials in the houses of today and tomorrow.

On day two, they ventured out to see how those materials can be applied in a real-world setting, thanks to an innovative new house that is essentially a residential research project designed to show what’s possible.

The occasion was the back-to-back duo of events Sept. 29 and 30 that started with the Surface & Panel Symposium at the HarleyDavidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and culminated with the grand opening of the mHouse in Watertown. About 250 fabricators, designers, architects and material suppliers attended.

Enjoy more images from the S&P Symposium and mHouse grand opening through page 18.

8

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›

Don Raymond of Uniboard eyes one of the newest options in textured TFL.

Symposium attendees learn about design trends during a presentation by Renee Hytry Derrington, who has designed surface products for Formica and Laminex for more than 25 years.

Russ Rogg of Metroflor leads a roundtable discussion on luxury vinyl tile flooring.

Symposium attendees take a break for an authentic Wisconsin “tailgate” lunch at the Harley-Davidson Museum featuring grilled bratwursts and hamburgers.

NO ADDED FORMALDEHYDE.

The mHouse’s architect, John Vetter of Milwaukee, promised that the home would “surprise and delight.” It fulfilled that promise.

“The mHouse was a fabulous project and surely a great learning experience for me and many others,” said Raunak Bhatia, regional sales director of Associate Décor.

The symposium and mHouse grand opening proved to be a valuable combination.

“It was a great idea to get the industry together for the two events in a way that we were able to show each other the capabilities of these materials,” said David Mika, CFO of Southworth Co. The symposium featured seven speakers throughout the day who shared their expertise about trends and innovations affecting the designs and materials of today’s buildings and those expected to influence the industry in years ahead.

Between the presentations, attendees gathered for intimate roundtables to discuss materials, applications and opportunities, and many took advantage of the gathering to network with customers and colleagues.

Chuck Koenig, national sales manager industrial products for PrimeWood Inc., gave a thumbs up to the symposium.

“I thought the topics were presented well, and the venue was excellent,” Koenig said.

The full schedule of sharing, discussing and envisioning was the perfect setup for the hands-on experience of the mHouse the next day. continued on page 14

›

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surface&panel

Q4 2015

9

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Enjoy more images from the S&P Symposium, beginning on page 8.

The symposium included seven presentations on innovations, trends and expectations that provided enlightening and useful information for those who attended.

The symposium offered many opportunities for attendees to network with colleagues.

Industry leaders gather around and learn during one of the symposium’s roundtable discussions.

Richelieu – a top distributor of furniture, kitchen cabinet and woodworking industry hardware – was among dozens of companies that showcased their materials at the symposium.

Bill Lane of Stevens Industries displays and discusses the latest trends in TFL.

Some of the 250 symposium attendees share ideas over lunch in the Harley-Davidson Museum.

Larry Skow, president and CEO of Northern Contours, takes a minute to take care of business at the symposium.

Two attendees discuss some of what they learned at the symposium.

Rick Troxel of Roseburg Forest Products, left, talks about the state of TFL during a roundtable.

10

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Renee Hytry Derrington offers examples of design trends around the world during her presentation at the symposium.

Symposium attendees refuel at the Harley-Davidson Museum.

Lucas Lowenstein and Greg O’Connell of SSI North America discuss trends in high gloss with visitors to their table.

Dustin Smith and Andy Rubenstein of OMNOVA Solutions lead a discussion on expanding uses for 3D laminates.

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Grand Opening Gala

‹

continued from page 9

The mHouse was built by Bedford Falls Communications, which publishes Surface & Panel magazine and its materialicious website.

The house redefines what’s possible in modern residential home design, featuring cutting-edge products from the composite panel and decorative surface industries, among others, to show stunning, design-oriented applications never seen before.

The house was built with the support of more than three dozen sponsors ranging from local businesses to international companies.

All took advantage of the opportunity to showcase their materials or services in this extraordinary house.

The grand opening featured self-guided tours, during which visitors roamed the mHouse’s three levels to take in the exciting materials, the stunning furnishings and the striking artwork, some of which was created especially for the house. continued on page 16

Ryan Wagner of Bedford Falls Communications points out some of the stunning features of the mHouse.

Visitors take in the golf course views from the second-floor deck of the mHouse.

a visitor enjoys a self-guided tour of the mHouse.

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Visitors wander through the kitchen and dining area of the mHouse during the grand opening.

Grand Opening Gala

Industry experts inspect surfaces in the master bathroom of the mHouse.

Artwork, some of it original for the mHouse, greeted visitors in many places during their self-guided tours, including the staircase to the top level.

The mHouse grand opening featured live music at the nearby Watertown Country Club

‹

continued from page 14

The event included food, drinks and music at the nearby Watertown Country Club, and it was capped off appropriately with a fireworks display at dusk.

John Aufderhaar, president of Bedford Falls Communications and publisher of Surface & Panel magazine, said the symposium and mHouse were wonderful examples of how his company delivers on its motto of “uniting materials, technology and design.”

“The symposium offered a great learning and networking opportunity for the people who will be setting the trends for years to come in our business, and the mHouse provided a realworld, hands-on experience with some of the most innovative materials on the market today,” Aufderhaar said. s&p

Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design Students L to R: Kou Yang, Kyle Parnov and Linh Hoang.

the seamless flow from indoors to outdoors at the mhouse creates a perfect setting for visitors to enjoy a beautiful fall day in wisconsin.

mHouse Offers Material Lessons for Future Designers

T

B y T e r i

B a r r

aking a field trip can be the best way to open the door to a hands-on learning experience. For some lucky students, one recent tour gave them a unique opportunity to see and feel materials they soon could be working with as designers.

These seniors from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design were chosen by their instructor to make a special visit to the mHouse. This one-of-a-kind home was built to showcase what's possible when material, design and technology are united both inside and outside of a living space. From the floors to ceilings, cabinetry to furniture, alternative products were used, and the discovery turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the students. continued on page 18

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›

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 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 Eco-Certified Composite (ECC) mark are manufactured in facilities that are certified to meet the stringent requirements of the Eco-Certified Composite Sustainability Standard.

ECC-certified panel manufacturing facilities meet rigorous environmental standards based on objective scientific-based criteria and annual on-site audits. Each must ensure that its composite panel products 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 Credit?

ECC certification may help achieve LEED credit for:

• Recycled Content MR Credit 4 • Regional Materials MR Credit 5 • Certified Wood MR Credit 7 • Low Emitting Material EQ Credit 4.4

Who sponsors ECC Certification?

The Composite Panel Association (CPA) developed the ECC 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 Guide 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.

‹

Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design Students Vanessa Sunta and Ofelia Gonzalez admire the mHouse. continued from page 16

“This is just mind-blowing,” Kou Yang said as he ran his hands across the wood-grain textured thermally fused laminate kitchen cabinets featuring Uniboard's Brushed Elm design. “The material is very contemporary and not the typical oak and granite. But there's still a sense of warmth inside the home. It feels harmonious and peaceful.”

“I can absolutely understand the attractiveness and purpose for using laminate as a designer,” Kyle Parnov said.

We were talking about the material while standing in a sunny office alcove just off the main hallway. There is a beautiful compact cabinet of Roseburg walnut hardwood plywood made by Quest Engineering, and next to it sits a desk made of Fiberesin Stonewood, which is a solid phenolic product that is both water and sun resistant.

“The solid quality along with the nice texture makes this a really appealing option,” Parnov said. “And knowing it won't fade from the bright sunlight in this area is an important consideration.”

Ofelia Gonzalez took a different approach, starting her walkthrough on the lower level. The space features a large TV room, along with a bathroom. But the highlight, according to Gonzalez? A wine room with a cool translucent panel in a classic midcentury modern

Specializing in Powder Coated MDF Components

design by Decotone Surfaces. “It looks like bubble-glass and allows light in from the other room, but you can't see through it. This panel is the perfect design answer for an area short on natural light, while still maintaining a sense of privacy,” Gonzalez said.

Meantime, from the bottom floor to the top, Vanessa Sunta enjoyed the sun coming through the many large windows of the upstairs bedrooms, while happily investigating a Murphy bed that was part of a multi-shelved wall storage system.

“The specific purpose of this to be multi-purpose,” Sunta said as she checked out the soft-close mechanisms of the closet doors.

It is also hard not to notice two materials that run throughout the house. First, there are the sheets of SIMOWOOD on the exterior.

“This material is so consistent,” Linh Hoang said. The processed panels look and feel like wood, yet are pliable like plastic. Learning it's an alternative to tropical timber is what makes Hoang smile.“I really like the idea of this being an eco-friendly hybrid material made of rice husks,” Hoang said.

He goes on to point out the floor tiles, which look like washed concrete but are actually the luxury vinyl tile Aspecta made by MetroFlor.

“The flooring is so sophisticated,” Hoang said. “It's hard to believe this is vinyl!”

A walk through the garage, described as being consistent with the house and just as nice, then the grounds leads to the end of this field trip. And the group members agree with Kou Yang's summary of what they just toured.

“From room to room, the material is consistent in its look. And again, it has such a nice feeling,” Yang said. “It makes me excited to get to work, knowing I have these kinds of beautiful, durable alternatives to consider.”

Students, learning in this hands-on way now, could provide the best in material options as professionals. s&p Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design Students L to R: Kou Yang, Vanessa Sunta, Linh Hoang, Ofelia Gonzalez. in back: Kyle Parnov.

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Answering the demand for a smoother veneer core panel.

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Edgy

Approach

B y Sc o t t W . A n g u s

Columbia’s DesignEdge among elements revealed in mHouse

F

rom the beginning, it was clear that Columbia Forest Products belonged in the mHouse. As the main man behind the mHouse, John Aufderhaar knew it.

The people at Columbia knew it, as well.

The result is a two-story showpiece of a fireplace that features one of Columbia’s latest innovative materials, DesignEdge decorative hardwood plywood.

“From the first we heard of the mHouse, we at Columbia Forest Products thought it was the kind of project that was a fit for our products and our message,” said Todd Vogelsinger, Columbia’s director of marketing. “The phrases ‘finest materials and technologies’ to show ‘what’s possible in today’s residential interiors’ might have been the real hook.”

The mHouse is a residential research project built in Watertown, Wis., by Bedford Falls Communications, publisher of Surface & Panel magazine and its materialicious website. It showcases innovations in composite panels, decorative surfaces and other materials. Columbia, based in Greensboro, N.C., is a top producer of decorative hardwood plywood.

“The concept of the mHouse was to use newer materials in creative and unique ways,” said Aufderhaar, the publisher of Surface & Panel and president of Bedford Falls Communications.

20

www.surfaceandpanel.com

“The concept of the mHouse was to use newer materials in creative and unique ways.”

John Aufderhaar, publisher of Surface & Panel and president of Bedford Falls Communications

“We told the architect and designer, ‘These are the materials we want to use.

Where would you want to use them to satisfy your own design?’”

“So the DesignEdge fit beautifully in that sense,” added Ryan Wagner, vice president of sales and marketing for Bedford Falls and Surface & Panel.

DesignEdge is a high-quality “multi-ply” plywood panel that can be carved, routed, beveled and laser-cut to showcase the thick and thin layers of alternating core material beneath the surface, with the edge left exposed as a decorative element. It’s made with the company’s EPA award-winning PureBond formaldehydefree resin technology.

“We developed DesignEdge in response to the architects, designers, and manufacturers who fell out of favor with traditional multi-ply products that had to be imported from Europe and were still made with formaldehyde resins,” Vogelsinger said.

“They wanted a true NAF plywood, made in North America, that offered the option of leaving the edge exposed and utilizing the core of the panel as a dimensional decorative medium. Our solution involved a twist on the old model. Not only did we use formaldehyde-free PureBond technology to hold the panel together, but we cross-laminated layers of two different hardwood species together in a thick and thin arrangement.”

In the mHouse, the decorative face of the material is Sapele. The panels are cut into strips of varying widths and applied vertically to the fireplace wall, leaving 1-inch gaps or reveals. The wood is finished in a rich brown stain, and the exposed edges are subtly visible. The fireplace is a prominent element on the main and lower levels.

“The thick and thin layers echo the vertical theme of the strips, and it all comes together in a beautiful, organic way,” Vogelsinger said. continued on page 22

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P h oto s by Rya n H a i n e y

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Q4 2015

21

P h oto s by Rya n H a i n e y

that the age-old urea-formaldehyde glue we were using wasn’t going to pass muster too much longer.”

Columbia’s staff collaborated with a team from Oregon State University to invent its own alternative solution in the mid-2000s, the soy-based PureBond, and the company has produced 70 million panels with the technology.

“PureBond not only gives our panels an improved water resistance, but it gives our customers – and our employees working in the mills – peace of mind,” Vogelsinger said. “They simply don’t have to worry about any health risk or discomfort from added formaldehyde gases leaking out of the panels because there was no formaldehyde added at any point in their manufacture.

“The presence of PureBond in our decorative hardwood plywood is notable, especially in light of the fact that we produce a material that’s used for its visual, decorative value,” he said. “But this combination of natural hardwood beauty with no hidden risks inside is what’s making it more attractive to a more critical audience these days.”

As a leader in the decorative hardwood plywood industry, Columbia is compelled to demonstrate that the category is anything but static, Vogelsinger said. In fact, its tagline, “Innovating Responsibly,” points to possibilities in hardwood plywood design and production that have yet to be commercialized.

“When we made the decision a decade ago to replace the industry’s typical legacy formaldehyde resin system with a new, soybased PureBond formulation, you could say that was a big step,” Vogelsinger said. “But it was only one of many steps in the journey we’re taking to bring hardwood plywood to the forefront of modern design materials.” s&p

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The reveals in the fireplace echo similar design elements elsewhere in the house and are a key part of a theme that gives the mHouse continuity.

For example, a Fiberesin desk in the study has a striated edge. Also, the Uniboard panels on the kitchen ceiling – which are thermally fused laminate with a Brushed Elm pattern – have reveals between them, as do the front door and a privacy screen on a main-floor sitting area.

“We’re taking advantage of the edges of products as design elements in this house,” Wagner said.

It’s all part of what Aufderhaar calls the “decidedly mid-century modern design” that helps define the mHouse.

The edge isn’t the only innovative aspect of DesignEdge, though.

Columbia is also proud of PureBond.

“The issue of formaldehyde, in any form, has been under regulatory and consumer scrutiny for a while now,” Vogelsinger said. “We heard that train approaching long ago, when the LEED program was taking hold in the architecture and design community, and we realized

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Five Piece Door

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KENTWOOD M609X Moulder

SIMOWOOD Success Story SIMONA pleased with product’s U.S. debut in mHouse

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IMONA had an especially keen interest in the success of its SIMOWOOD on the exterior of the recently completed mHouse in Watertown, Wisconsin.

The Resysta technology used to make SIMOWOOD had been applied in smaller-profile projects over the past 15 years, but the larger SIMOWOOD sheets used for the mHouse had been introduced worldwide only 15 months earlier. The Wisconsin project was the first for the product in the United States.

To put it simply, things went well, and the people at SIMONA are pleased. SIMONA AG, based in Kirn, Germany, is a manufacturer of thermoplastic products, with production facilities and sales offices around the globe.

“Because SIMOWOOD is a new material, it was very important to have a successful first U.S. installation,” said Larry Brophy Sr., U.S. representative for SIMOWOOD. “The mHouse project was a great way to begin the North American market introduction. It showed the versatility of SIMOWOOD, and we also were able to learn about the installation – what worked and what can be improved.”

SIMOWOOD is the first large-scale sheet made of Resysta®, an innovative hybrid material based on rice husks and a thermoplastic. The extruded sheets are processed to look and feel like wood.

SIMOWOOD is highly resistant to external influences such as sun, rain, snow or salt water, and as an alternative to tropical timber, it helps protect natural resources.

continued on page 26

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SIMOWOOD is extruded from a one-of-a-kind large-scale machine, making SIMONA the only company capable of making it, Brophy said, but it’s the company’s extensive experience as a worldwide leader in plastics that enabled it to develop and extrude this complex material.

With a range of thicknesses from 3mm to 8mm and sheets 49 inches wide and up to 145 inches long, SIMOWOOD has applications in many industries, including cabinetry and woodworking, furniture, flooring, wall systems, marine decking/ cabinetry and building facades.

Brophy stressed that while SIMOWOOD looks and feels like real wood, it has none of the problems associated with wood, such as swelling, rot, mold or fading.

John Aufderhaar, president of Bedford Falls Communications, which built the mHouse, said the product’s strength and durability were key reasons it was included in the house, which was designed to showcase new and innovative materials. Bedford Falls publishes Surface & Panel and its materialicious website.

SIMOWOOD’s look also played a role. Most of the house’s exterior is phenolic panels made by Fiberesin with a walnut decorative surface.

“We used SIMOWOOD partially because it gives the house another design appeal,” Aufderhaar said. “It gives you a solid color with a wood grain to complement the Fiberesin panels and create some interest.”

For the mHouse, SIMOWOOD was used for the fascia, on the siding around the kitchen, on the chimney and as the horizontal cap to a knee wall near the front entrance. The fascia and knee wall cap

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were stained black and the rest gray using a two-part stain and sealer formulated by Resysta.

The product’s moisture resistance was a key selling point in all of its applications but especially on the knee wall.

“SIMOWOOD is the perfect application for an exterior environment,” Aufderhaar said. “For the top of the knee wall, for example, it’s hard to find any material that you can put on a horizontal surface where water will actually sit that won’t rot. If you used a regular piece of wood, it wouldn’t last very long.”

Brophy also noted SIMOWOOD’s versatility, with its many design and color options and the flexibility to cut anything from narrow panels to large panels from a single sheet.

The mHouse and SIMONA had another partner in preparing the SIMOWOOD for its use on the project – Stiles, a world leader in machine manufacturing based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The material was shipped to Stiles’ facility in High Point, North Carolina, where it was put into the Homag Automation Intellistore before being cut to the sizes needed in Wisconsin and then run through the sander to impart the wood grain look and prep it for staining.

“Overall, we are very pleased with how the SIMOWOOD looked after installation,” Brophy said.

“The façade was installed and looks like any other rain screen material, and that was one of our goals. The fascia board and knee wall showed SIMOWOOD’s versatility. And the different colors showed the many options available from one material.” s&p P h oto s by G a ry P o rt e r

For the mHouse, SIMOWOOD was used for the fascia, on the siding around the kitchen, on the chimney and as the horizontal cap to a knee wall near the front entrance.

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A Great Finish is Only the Beginning

The game has officially changed

ORA VERDE® UNICO A Revolutionary Clear Single Component with Urethane Properties

UNICO Distinct Advantages Over the Competition

What began as an initiative to provide healthier and higher performing coatings for our customers has resulted in the most exciting product to hit the market in recent memory, and the newest addition to the venerable ORA VERDE line.

UNICO takes the strengths of traditional Urethanes along with the strengths of a Pre-Catalyzed lacquer, and combines them into one game-changing product.

• Isocyanate free

It’s low Formaldehyde and Isocyanate free making it more shop friendly. UNICO is durable and has good moisture and wear resistance. Its user friendly single-component formulation is suitable for cabinetry, furniture, millwork, recreational and building products.

• Improved moisture resistance compared to a single component coating

You owe it to your shop’s business to try this revolutionary new product today.

• Good durability

Visit chemcraft.com for more information and to locate your nearest distributor.

• Low formaldehyde • Urethane properties in a single component (30% solids by weight) - improves chemical resistance without having to add a conventional hardener

• Excellent wear resistance - eliminates costly call-backs • Has the look and feel of a hand-rubbed finish off the gun © 2015 AkzoNobel

Chemcraft® is a registered trademark of Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc.

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Perfect Fit

Fiberesin’s Stonewood Architectural Panels complement mHouse’s modern look in stunning fashion B y

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m P h oto by Rya n H a i n e y

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any aspects of Fiberesin’s Stonewood Architectural Panels appealed to John Aufderhaar as he made plans to build a house featuring the best of today’s laminates.

Flexibility and durability were high on the list, and they helped make Stonewood a solid choice for the exterior of the mHouse, a one-of-akind demonstration home that Aufderhaar, president of Bedford Falls Communications and publisher of Surface & Panel magazine and its materialicious website, built in Watertown, Wis. Ultimately, though, the phenolic wall panels simply felt right for the house’s design. “It’s the perfect fit for the modern nature of the house,” Aufderhaar said.

The mHouse was designed to showcase innovative materials, especially in the composite panel and decorative surfaces industries. That Stonewood is a laminated product further added to its appeal as part of the house.

Mike MacDougal, president and CEO of Fiberesin, agreed that the mHouse’s design provided the perfect opportunity to showcase Stonewood

P h oto by Rya n H a i n e y

in a residential application.

“Forward-looking designers are the target market for Stonewood Architectural products, and we felt that this project was geared toward those professionals,” MacDougal said.

Stonewood is highly customizable, and Aufderhaar and his architect, John Vetter of Milwaukee, took advantage of the product’s versatility.

The panels are available in an endless variety of solid colors, patterns, wood grains, stones or marbles. Aufderhaar selected a walnut vertical pattern for the mHouse.

Why walnut?

“It works well with the black fascia, the design of the house, the black windows. Having that rich, reddish-brown walnut, it worked well,” Aufderhaar said.

The panels, which are made in 4-by-8-foot sheets, are easily cut to fit just about any design.

At the mHouse, Vetter decided to alternate widths to create interest. He went with a mix of one-third, two-thirds, full and custom and attached the panels in a random order. The panels were cut on site, and no special edging was required.

“Stonewood can be easily fabricated with a variety of profiles and are self-edging. Minimal sanding and polishing creates an attractive edge that is visually and tactilely pleasing,” Fiberesin explains on its website.

Stonewood is a thermally fused material comprising multiple sheets of kraft fiber paper. To produce Stonewood, Fiberesin impregnates the raw core kraft sheets with phenolic resins that are then cured. The treated papers are then hot pressed, fusing the layers into a solid panel. No adhesives are needed.

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The result is a solid, strong material that is ideal for either horizontal or vertical surfaces where strength and appearance are both important.

Stonewood Architectural Panels are used for decorative interior and exterior wall panels, rainscreens, soffits and any application requiring strength, rigidity, durability, moisture resistance and decorative appeal. Stonewood is UV and moisture resistant and is available with a Class A or B fire rating.

Its high strength-to-weight ratio allows Stonewood to be used in place of fiber cement, aluminum composite panels, metal and vinyl siding or wood façade products. Stonewood panels can be fabricated with standard woodworking tools and can be attached with screws or adhesives. Stonewood panels work with almost any rainscreen fastening system, but Fiberesin strongly recommends the NorthClad EF Exposed Fastener Panel System.

Beyond the design and convenience, Stonewood’s durability appealed to Aufderhaar, given the extremes of southern Wisconsin weather. “It is unbelievable in terms of durability and weatherability. It will take anything that the weather around here throws at it for decades to come,” he said.

Fiberesin, based in Oconomowoc, Wis., is a leading manufacturer of custom-engineered materials, components and finished goods serving the building materials, commercial furniture, medical, education, and recreation markets, among others.

Fiberesin also contributed a desk for a small office area in the front of the mHouse. Like Stonewood, the desk is made of saturated craft sheets, but it has no decorative layer on top. Instead, the desk is made of layers of bleached and black sheets – with each layer consisting of multiple sheets that combined are 1/16th-inch thick.

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P h oto s by Rya n H a i n e y

Two 1¼-inch panels were fastened together to create the 2½-inchthick desk, with the black paper as the top and the edge revealing the alternate layers of black and bleached. That reveal follows a theme seen in several other places in the house, including the fireplace.

“The desk once again fits in as a laminated product,” Aufderhaar said. “We’re all about alternative materials, particularly laminates.

The desk is just another example of the flexibility of phenolic panels.”

MacDougal said the desk is a different application for Stonewood that “turned out great.” The layers can be customized to an infinite number of looks, he noted.

“It is an eye-catching piece that you see right when you enter the house,” McDougal said of the mHouse desk.

Architect Vetter had specified solid phenolic panels before, but he typically found them at companies in Europe. Through this project, he learned that some of the best panels in the world are made just 30 miles from his Milwaukee office. He has since chosen Fiberesin’s Stonewood for another house project in suburban Milwaukee.

Asked his impression of the finished mHouse featuring his company’s phenolic panels, Fiberesin’s MacDougal answered with one word: “Stunning.” s&p

We’ve been busy...

Working on new flooring developments.

Schattdecor is looking forward to seeing you at Surfaces in Las Vegas, January 20-22, 2016.

Visit us at Booth #2426 or our hospitality suite.

We make decors successful.

P h oto by rya n H a i n e y

Festool track saw gains exposure, praise on mHouse project

T

he Festool TSC 55 REB cordless track saw played a critical role in the recently completed mHouse.

“We would not have been able to efficiently and accurately complete this project without this amazing saw,” said John Aufderhaar, president of Bedford Falls Communications, which publishes Surface & Panel magazine and built the mHouse. “It was used in so many applications and with many distinctly different materials, yet it cut true each and every time with a level of accuracy I’ve never seen before.”

Faced with cutting more than 300 4-by8-foot panels -- ranging from ¾-inch Sapelefaced DesignEdge plywood from Columbia Forest Products to 8.3-mm SIMOWOOD from SIMONA to 8-mm Stonewood solid phenolic panels from Fiberesin -- Aufderhaar and the crew constructing the mHouse knew they needed a portable solution.

“Our only other option would have been to set up a vertical panel or a sliding table saw, but space and portability prohibited it,” Aufderhaar said.

The mHouse’s exterior was clad in a combination of SIMOWOOD and Stonewood phenolic, all of it in a varied pattern determined by architect John Vetter. That required three times more 8-foot cuts than if full sheets had been mounted.

Both materials are dense. Each 4-by8-foot sheet weighed in excess of 150 pounds, so it wasn’t like cutting lightweight pine boards.

“The Festool track saw cut all of them like butter,” said Aufderhaar, who opted for the cordless version because portability was so important.

He admitted, however, that he was concerned about battery life. It was never an issue. At the end of 8-10-hour days, the crew

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pulled the batteries off the saw and plugged them into the charger, and they were at full charge and ready to go by morning.

Aufderhaar was so impressed that he decided to test the saw with the craftsmen working on the mHouse.

“There were at least 10 of them. All are fine cabinet makers, and even the crew who constructed the shell and core were cabinet makers first and builders second,” he said.

Like all fine woodworkers, they had their preferred tools and wouldn’t think of picking up someone else’s saw.

“One by one, I challenged them to try the Festool track saw,” Aufderhaar said. “Every single one of them had the same response: ‘No thanks; I like my saw.’ And to each of them, I said, ‘Try it just once, or I’m not paying you.’”

The craftsmen might have been stubborn, but they weren’t stupid.

“I knew how much they were going to like it, but even I was surprised at the accolades and almost spiritual praise for the track saw,” Aufderhaar said. “From that point forward, they had to stand in line to use the saw. They absolutely loved it. ”Take a number.” s&p

Business is improving in

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R. Kent Gilchrist is hearing it at committee meetings.

He’s also hearing it at chapter and board meetings of the Architectural Woodwork Institute, the nonprofit trade association that represents nearly 4,000 members, comprising architectural woodworkers, suppliers, design professionals and students around the world.

And the message was repeated again in late September when AWI R. Kent Gilchrist members gathered in Salt Lake City for their annual convention.

“At each of these meetings, we usually take time to go around the table and ask how people are doing in the business,” said Gilchrist, president of AWI and also president of the Carmel, Indiana-based Fremont Interiors, which designs and fabricates fine architectural woodwork.

“The general feeling is quite positive.” That’s not to say everything’s perfect. Pockets of the country remain slow. Others are booming.

“People in the Miami area, for example, are seeing more tower cranes than anyone’s seen in a long time,” Gilchrist said. “I’ve heard from many people around the country who don’t feel that they have the time to properly research projects in order to bid them.

“I like to tell our members in the slower areas that all they need to do is phone a friend in some of these hot areas because there’s work to be had.”

Each year, AWI releases its “Cost of Doing Business Survey.” This year’s version reflects what Gilchrist has heard around many tables: Business is improving in the design/build industry.

Survey results suggest an improving business environment among architectural woodwork business owners. Overall sentiment among AWI’s manufacturing members is high.

Specifically, the survey found that: Æ Sales pipeline sentiment for the next six months is 12 percent higher than in the last six months. Æ High-profit firms have operating margins of 17 percent compared with the average operating margin of 5.1 percent. Æ Backlogs of orders are comfortable, with high-profit companies with sales of more than $10 million reporting 12-month backlogs.

Smaller companies are maintaining backlogs of four to seven months. Æ Capital investment was strong in the last 12 months, with 58 percent of AWI members investing $50,000 or more and 37 percent dropping more than $100,000. Investment outlook for the next 12 months forecasts that 21 percent of high-profit firms plan to invest $100,000. Æ Almost 30 percent of respondents plan to increase their workforce by 10 percent or more in the next year.

“The consensus is that things are good,” Gilchrist said. That’s due in large part to the rebound after the Great Recession.

“There was a lot of money held back in the commercial market,” Gilchrist said. “People didn’t want to spend money to expand, upgrade or relocate their facilities. That’s changing.”

The upsurge also is due to the routine cyclical upgrades that occur about every five years in the hospitality industry, he said.

Technological advancements also are drivers.

Next year is an election year, a cyclical event that most industries, including those that AWI represents, fret over.

“Generally, there is an election-year impact on business,” Gilchrist said. “I’m not certain what that impact will be on the commercial market, if there’s one at all.

“But on the residential side, every election year that I’ve experienced has slowed business. That’s not based on any kind of science.

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Survey results suggest an improving business environment among architectural woodwork business owners. Overall sentiment among AWI’s manufacturing members is high.

It’s just that people tend to get pulled in by the uncertainty of the whole process.”

Heading into that election cycle, AWI is growing, Gilchrist said.

It’s picked up new members who represent interior finishings, acrylics, metals and lighting companies.

The organization is built on a strong network of regional and state chapters. Most are made up of manufacturers and suppliers, while others also include the design sector.

“When you have that triad, you really have a strong chapter,” Gilchrist said. “I’m in the Ohio Valley Chapter, and we always include architects and contractors with the suppliers and manufacturers in our meetings and activities.”

Moving forward, AWI will continue its strong focus on industry standards, which has long been a hallmark of the organization.

Since 1961, AWI has written and published standards for the architectural woodwork community. Each is built on consensus across national regions, and each new edition improves upon its predecessor to keep pace with industry changes.

Last year, the AWI board decided it was time to take its standards to a higher level by becoming an accredited developer of standards for the American National Standards Institute. The goal is to achieve ANSI approval of future architectural woodwork standards.

Though the AWS Edition Two standards became effective in October 2014, the work of writing standards for the industry is never left idle.

The AWI’s technical committee is working on the next generation of standards. Procedures for ANSI-approved standards development will further AWI’s initiative to expand interaction with stakeholders of the industry, Gilchrist said.

“We won’t put our architectural standards on the shelf, but as things change and technology changes, we want to be in a better position with ANSI standards,” Gilchrist said. s&p

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Creating Lean, Clean Health Care Environments through Integrated B y

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Project Delivery

W h e e l e r

DIRTTbags … and proud of it

D

IRTT may sound like a weird name for a building products company, but employees of DIRTT are proud of their moniker as DIRTTbags and their dedication to a company whose acronym stands for Doing It Right This Time.

DIRTT is a leading technology-driven manufacturer of highly customized interiors that is bent on modernizing the multibillion-dollar construction industry. DIRTT employees are a passionate group who innovate new solutions to meet complex building challenges and client requests. To this end, Calgary-based DIRTT Environmental Solutions uses a lean approach to manufacturing and proprietary 3D software to design, manufacture and install fully customized prefab interiors for clients in the corporate, government, education and health care sectors.

“We think it’s time for the construction industry to embrace technology and take a more sustainable approach to building,” said DIRTT CEO Mogens Smed. “Our interiors are parametric and built to order, completely custom. With the use of our ICE technology, we can create solutions for clients even when nothing of the sort has ever existed before.”

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Integrated project delivery enabled by ICE

DIRTT’s patented ICE software integrates construction processes from design, specification, engineering and manufacturing through to delivery and installation. ICE’s 3D graphic interface enables clinical teams to plan and visualize a new space right down to the smallest detail.

ICE instantly translates a design into parts, pieces and connections so DIRTT’s manufacturing facilities can build and assemble components to exact specifications. Costs are calculated down to the penny, making budgeting and scheduling easier and more accurate.

If changes are needed, ICE automatically revises every aspect of the model for precise manufacturing and pricing updates in real time.

DIRTT’s pre-engineered solutions arrive onsite fully formed and with all components that run through the wall cavity (medical piped gases, electrical, data and plumbing components) already in place.

The materials are pre-sized and pre-finished so no drywall dust is generated onsite. With most of the “dirty work” occurring offsite, construction noise and disruption are minimized, and the length of time a space must be off-limits is substantially reduced.

This integrated manufacturing approach delivers time and cost advantages throughout the project’s entire design-manufacturinginstallation-maintenance life cycle. Rapid manufacturing lead times and leaner, cleaner, less disruptive installation processes enable clients to use their facilities and start generating revenue sooner. And with flexible manufactured construction methods, new innovations, technologies and equipment can be can be integrated into the built environment quickly and easily, with minimal facility downtime.

Patient-centered design

DIRTT’s holistic approach to construction allows planning teams to create environments that support healing and health by incorporating natural light, positive distraction imagery, appealing tonal aesthetics, ergonomic features and other touches that promote comfort and ensure well-being.

cut-to-size panels stainless steel rigid vinylsanded panels particleboard particleboard imported materials high-gloss veneer core polypropylene PUR adhesives vinyl solutions Choose your surface. sanded panels lumber core acrylicveneer paper

DIRTT’s holistic approach to construction allows planning teams to create environments that support healing and health by incorporating natural light, positive distraction imagery, appealing tonal aesthetics, ergonomic features and other touches that promote comfort and ensure well-being.

What’s more, DIRTT’s lean, clean, integrated approach to construction together with advanced surfacing materials and modern disinfection and prevention strategies can help reduce infection rates within the health care environment. Anti-bacterial finishes and anti-microbial fabrics applied to high-contact zones help prevent the spread of infections. Gasket details used to seal horizontal and vertical seams eliminate potential contamination sites, while consistent placement of equipment in each room and the ability to embed technology within vertical and horizontal surfaces reduces clutter and infection touch points, making cleaning and disinfection protocols easier to manage.

“A manufactured construction solution generally has much lower labor costs, allowing the client to choose higher-level finishes that will stay within their budget and will also perform so much better from a facility management standpoint,” said Kristin Moore, DIRTT’s director of health care.

supply chain

solutions

polypropylene

world worldwide sourcing Choose your substrate. polypropylene plywood

Acrylic veneer core

PVA adhesives stainless steel paper

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PVA

paper rigid vinyl

Choose Genesis. HPL soluti

supply chain

aluminum

lumber core rigid vinyl

imported materials

solutions PVA adhesives plywood turnkey distribution worldwide sourcing imported materials

polypropylene plywood

paper

The health care context

Used in combination with high-performance 3D laminate surfacing materials, such as OMNOVA’s surf(x) Laminates, the DIRTT fabrication system provides an ideal solution for designing and building health care facilities that are aesthetically pleasing for patients, ergonomic and functional for health care staff, and offer the durability and cleanability necessary to help combat pathogens.

veneer core

Customized laminated products for unique projects. Learn more at GenesisProductsInc.com/laminated IndustrialSales@genesisproductsinc.com

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The Enzo Reveal is a slimmer connection point between elements that acts as a responsive support mechanism for furniture, fixtures and equipment to bring them up off the floor. What does this mean for health care? A cleaner and more permanent look that reduces the spaces where bacteria can hide and makes cleaning easier.

Ohio-based OMNOVA Solutions is a leading supplier of decorative components and high-performance functional surfaces, and OMNOVA’s comprehensive laminate portfolio provides surfacing solutions for health care applications ranging from headwalls and cabinetry to work surfaces and over-the-bed tray tables. The company’s high-performing surf(x) 3D Laminate designed for horizontal surfaces is often used in conjunction with DIRTT technology to create health care environments with advanced physical, structural and aesthetic attributes.

Because surf(x) 3D Laminates can be membrane-pressed or vacuum-formed, the surfaces are seamless. With no T-molding, edgebanding or visible seams, contoured surfaces made with surf(x) 3D Laminate do not have seams where microbes, dust, and grime accumulate and grow.

“OMNOVA’s surfacing materials have been engineered for performance even in highly demanding settings,” said Nick Greco, OMNOVA’s global marketing manager. “surf(x) 3D Laminates have superior stain and abrasion resistance, which ensures longevity and provides a strong foundation for cleaning, helping to reduce transmission of HAIs [hospital associated infections]. The result is cleaner, safer, healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment.”

OMNOVA’s 3D laminates also add three-dimensional design flexibility so that health care settings can be made more functional and ergonomic, with custom furniture and furnishings, such as cabinet doors and drawer fronts. continued on page 40

New Machine New Approach

With today’s advanced technology, it’s time for something new…. something even better….something a lot easier.

A Cut Center is different. It’s all in the machine, ready to run. No computer, no software and no programming.

Tens of thousands of products ready to run. Your products can be added.

Easy enough to run that anybody can use it.

If you just want to make cabinets and not program computers, this is your answer.

www.cutready.com 800.533.6901 | P.O. Box 436, Dale, IN 47523

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Silentia Face Frame

with integrated soft-close

NICkEL fINISh

TITANIuM fINISh

More adJUstMent caPaBilities adjustments made easy through eccentric cams. the best side to side adjustment in the industry (+3 mm - 2 mm) ensures butt door problems are easily resolved. the Xr version has also a vertical adjustment by eccentric cam making it a breeze to install multiple doors.

easY to oPerate on/off switch when a different soft closing strength is desired the decelerating mechanism on the hinge can be easily deactivated by using the activation switch clearly visible on the front of the unit. consistent closing speed from one door to the next.

shallow cUP 11mm (7/16�) cup depth is maintained all through the line making it easy to standardize production even with heavy profiled doors. turning radiuses for all overlays are below 1/4� to eliminate doors rubbing.

SALICE AMERICA INC. 2123 CROWN CENTRE DRIVE - CHARLOTTE NC. 28227 - TEL. 1 800 222 9652 / 704 8417810 - FAX 704 8417808 info.salice@saliceamerica.com - www.saliceamerica.com

pembroke s+p ad 2015 q2.pdf

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10:41 AM

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“With DIRTT’s technology and OMNOVA’s surfacing laminates, designers can create modern, up-to-date, hygienic care facilities for specific health patient populations, incorporating appropriate colors, patterns, fixtures and features,” Greco said.

The economics of health care are driving adoption

The Affordable Care Act and recent changes in federal health care reimbursement policies have prompted providers to reassess and, in many instances, revise their protocols, procedures and premises. A stringent program of frequent cleaning and disinfecting has been shown to reduce the risk of HAIs and prevent disease spread, and stronger cleaning and disinfecting chemicals as well as new cleaning protocols are being widely adopted.

High-performance laminate surfacing products, such as OMNOVA’s surf(x) and EFX 3D laminates, are engineered to be safely cleaned and disinfected repeatedly with standard cleaners and disinfectants without discoloring or damaging the finish when recommended cleaning instructions are followed. They require no special cleaners outside of those already being used in health care settings and prescribed for use by the CDC and the EPA. “At OMNOVA, we are continually enhancing our product for better performance and to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving health care industry,” Greco said. “Our surf(x) Laminates stand up to cleaning and disinfection mishaps and even implementation of ‘outbreak scenario’ cleaning procedures. Furthermore, the dimensional flexibility of surf(x) 3D Laminates makes them ideally suited for the demands of health care environments.”

M

Y

Y

Y

Achieving positive real-world outcomes for providers and patients

The health care delivery system’s emphasis on a pay-for-outcomes approach rewards health care providers that use methods and surfacing materials compatible with the health care environment. Providers can significantly improve their financial performance through favorable patient 40

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continued on page 42

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The Health Care Context

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hile health care settings are intended to be centers of rest and healing, they are also busy, fast-paced workplaces where patients’ needs for comfort and pleasing aesthetics must be balanced with requirements for safety, efficiency, durability and ability to withstand strong cleaning and disinfection agents.

To perform well in a health care setting, surfacing materials must have key physical and structural characteristics, including:

● Impermeability to create a barrier against seepage of potentially infectious fluids. ● Durability and resistance to scuffs, scratches, cracking and daily usage that can compromise the fluid barrier. ● Haptic quality, i.e., pleasant to the touch but with minimal or no texture. ● Tonal quality because surfacing color and pattern play an important role in reducing stress and anxiety and contribute to a healing environment. Color and pattern are often chosen with specific health care populations in mind.

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● Cleanability and resistance to stains and marks. Surfaces should require minimal effort to cleanse and hold up to common hospital cleaning agents and techniques. continued from page 40

satisfaction survey scores, better HAI scores, improved return on investment for furniture and equipment, and compatibility with mandated cleaning practices.

A clean, appealing health care environment helps reinforce patient and staff confidence, comfort and satisfaction, characteristics that can significantly impact hospital reputations and financial reimbursement levels.

Advanced design and manufacturing technologies together with 3D laminated surfacing materials offer design flexibility, functionality and increased resistance to pathogens and HAIs. The benefits from these measures range from improving the cost-effectiveness of high-quality care to prolonging lives, and these are positive real-world outcomes for both providers and patients. s&p the ICE VR experience is a simulation that allows planners and designers to experience their creations in 3D prior to building out the spaces.

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● Resistance to growth of bacteria, fungus, parasites, mold or mildew. ● Resistance to damage from disinfectants and compatible with a broad spectrum of disinfectants frequently used in health care settings. ● Resistance to discoloration, as discoloration is a sign that the material’s protective finish barrier has been breached, signaling the beginning of degradation.

The ICE VR Experience

The ICE VR Experience combines DIRTT's interior 3D design and specification software with Oculus Rift gaming goggles and Polhemus motion tracking sensors. Together, the technologies enable a designer, architect or builder to simulate the experience of being inside the virtual environment s/he is creating.

Users can physically explore a virtual world, examining surroundings as if they were real. With skillfully placed physical props, the line between real life and virtual reality is further blurred: Users can walk into a hospital patient room, for example, and experience the space. They can physically sit on a bed -- though all they see is the virtual version.

"ICE VR demonstrates how we're always working to achieve the next level of what's possible," said Barrie Loberg, chief technology officer and co-founder of DIRTT and ICE software.

The patented video game experience together with DIRTT’s patented ICE software give clients a realistic depiction of their project even while it is on the drawing board and enables clinical teams to imagine and plan new spaces right down to the smallest details.

The ICE VR Experience is available at DIRTT's headquarters in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and the team is working to make it available in U.S. locations once Oculus is released to the public. n

All fixtures start out the same way

It’s the engineering that sets them apart

And the surface that makes them beautiful Introducing OMNOVA Fabrication Design Services OMNOVA is excited to announce the introduction of Fabrication Design Services , a complimentary service available exclusively to our Retail and Food Service Brand and Fabricator clients. Led by OMNOVA’s own Andy Rubenstein, a retail industry design veteran, we can demonstrate how clients can re-engineer their fixture fabrication process to make a step-change aesthetic improvement while reducing fixture costs up to 30%!

SM

To schedule your design session, email OMNOVA at laminates@omnova.com Andy Rubenstein

FABRICATION DESIGN SERVICES is a service mark of OMNOVA Solutions. © 2015 OMNOVA Solutions Inc.

866.332.5226 www.omnova.com/laminates

The Virtues of

Virtual

VORTEK reality software offers immersive, 3D design experience

B y

J i m

L e u t e

W

ith a swipe of your hand, your kitchen countertop changes from quartz to granite. With another swipe, the cabinets transform from traditional to contemporary as the finish moves from matte white to a dark, rich texture.

Go ahead, swipe again and again. The options for your redesign are virtually endless.

And they’re whizzing by in a real-size environment that makes blueprints and color swatches so yesterday.

That’s because of software developed by Arcane Technologies and distributed by Vero Software and Planit Canada.

VORTEK is an innovative sales tool that allows kitchen and bath manufacturers to display their products in an immersive, 3D virtual-reality environment to help better visualize a finished project.

As a virtual showroom, VORTEK presents an unlimited number of models, styles and mixes of materials that personalize and visualize a project in a 1:1 perspective with just a few simple hand gestures. continued on page 46

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›

with

KMD8077 Hemlock Grey on particle board

KMAH1596 Macassar Ebony on MDF

Get the look and feel of natural wood grain in a composite panel.

• 14 colors and wood designs • superior color consistency • unmatched fade protection • exceptional water resistance • four high-quality substrates

request complimentary samples online KMLdesignerfinishes.com (888) 358-5075

VORTEK was developed to enhance the consumer color selection process and reduce designer’s time in nailing down the right combination of colors and textures for their customers.

‹

954.420.9553 www.SynergyThermofoils.com

continued from page 44

“VORTEK was developed to enhance the consumer color selection process and reduce designer’s time in nailing down the right combination of colors and textures for their customers,” said Paul Losavio, Americas marketing manager for Vero Software.

“It also serves to reduce the need for expansive showrooms that require continuous investment and remodeling to keep up with the trends. VORTEK allows limitless designs in a compact floor space, allowing easier profitability, especially in a high-cost real estate market.”

Losavio said VORTEK customers are using the technology to differentiate themselves from the pack and prove to the consumer that they are delivering the best and latest solutions.

While VORTEK has a suite of different products, VORTEK /experience visualizes projects interactively and in life size. The addition of 3D glasses gives the sense of space and depth to further re-create the end result.

“In essence, the customer is able to see it before they commit to buying it, something that has been a foreign concept in custom cabinetry to date,” Losavio said.

Essential to VORTEK is the input from makers of thermally fused laminates, high-pressure laminates and others so their latest grains, designs and colors are built into the software.

“Surface companies are attracted to the technology and are embracing it,” Losavio said. “The ability through VORTEK /experience to display their textures and colors in real life applications makes them that much more desirable. continued on page 48

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www.greenlam.com

Greenlam Laminates, a true mix of style with nature. Be it simple vibrant solid colours, or warm woodgrains, or trendy patterns, Greenlam has a plethora of designs to offer you. Moreover, all these laminates are also highly eco-friendly, and are GREENGUARD certified. So Whatever may be your style, Greenlam has it for you.

GREENLAM AMERICA INC, 8750 NW 36TH ST, SUITE 635, DORAL FLORIDA-3317B, USA, PH: No : 305 640 0388, Toll Free No: 877 6470388

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continued from page 46

“Moving away from physical swatch samples and into a digital representation that accurately depicts the true beauty of their finishes gives the early adopters the edge on the competition.”

Losavio said VORTEK /surfaces is an integrated product specifically designed for board and laminate manufacturers. It provides a catalog that allows the digitizing of colors and textures to produce ultra-realistic visuals with the use of high quality displays and tablets.

VORTEK /experience requires just 50 square feet in a showroom or trade show booth.

The web component can be seamlessly integrated to a customer’s website for a continuous customer experience. The system uses Google Analytics tracking to discover client preferences, and it can calculate project costs in real time.

The VORTEK suite also includes a mobile component.

Vero Software is a world leader in CAD/CAM software. It develops and distributes design and manufacturing software for the tooling, production engineering, sheet metal, metal fabrication, stone and woodworking industries.

Planit Canada, which merged with Vero in 2011, is a leading distributor of software products servicing the woodworking industry.

Its products help companies that design and manufacture goods such as case goods and countertops for homes, offices, schools and hospitals.

The company’s customers are one- and two-person shops, small businesses employing 20 to 30 people and multinational, multibillion-dollar corporations, said Peter Mate, Planit Canada’s president.

Making flat panels fabulous for over 40 years....

Thermally Fused Laminate Panels Woodgrain Printed Panels HPL Panels Leather Veneer Panels Water Based Painted Panels Slatwall Panels Cut-to-size 1.800.433.7142 www.panel.com

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THERMO PRESSED LAMINATES

“The technology bridges that leap of faith you used to make by looking at blueprints and color swatches.

These projects tend to be big-ticket investments that deserve a professional presentation.”

Peter Mate, Planit Canada’s president

“With VORTEK at trade shows, we stack three big screen TVs to project a life-size, 1:1 perspective,” Mate said.

“If the countertop is supposed to be at 42 inches, it’s at 42 inches in front of the customer.”

With a series of hand motions, customers move through the project and change components, colors, textures, wood grains, backsplashes, flooring and more, he said.

“The technology bridges that leap of faith you used to make by looking at blueprints and color swatches,” he said. “These projects tend to be big-ticket investments that deserve a professional presentation.”

Mate said the VORTEK web portal allows customers to experience their project at home with family members.

“It brings the work from the design center into the home,” Mate said. “It’s a digital version of the showroom, and the display is only limited by the size of your hard drive.

“You can take your project from contemporary to traditional and mix and match finishes in a couple of clicks.”

Mate said VORTEK has received a warm welcome, particularly among designers and manufacturers that want to do more with their showrooms.

“They all have one thing in common, and that is that they’re all forward thinkers,” Mate said Arcane, VORTEK’s developer, is heavily involved in research and development and routinely works with manufacturers to incorporate new or different products, he said.

“It’s a new technology, but it’s still just zeroes and ones,” he said.

“The software itself is really exciting with the three TVs, web and iPad platforms, but technology is evolving so quickly, and new devices will open up new possibilities.”

Planit Canada brands cover every aspect of the design to manufacturing process. Cabinet Vision is the most widely used software in the industry for the manufacture of furniture and kitchen cabinets.

Losavio said consumers are more educated than ever and have access to massive amounts of information at their fingertips.

“The choices are endless, and optimizing the design process has been a big challenge as a result of never-ending options,” he said.

“Tools to give the consumer the ability to take some of the design choice work home in a digital fashion will help streamline the designer’s handholding during this personal choice stage.

“Physical samples take up room, cost money and don’t quite convey the result as good as we’d like. Virtual immersive environments offer a platform for finishes and textures to shine.” s&p

We can open the door to a better way of doing business At S i e r r a P i n e p e o p l e yo u k n ow A n d t ru s t tA k e c A r e o f yo u r n e e d s o n A p e r s o n A l l e v e l . w he n yo u r b u s i n e s s d e p e n d s o n yo u , d e p e n d o n S i e r r a P i n e .

sierrapine.com

800-676-3339 速

Paperlogic & the Mother of Reinvention

Southworth’s sale of its venerable paper brand triggers ventures into nanocellulose fiber and décor paper markets B y

R i c h

C h r i s t i a n s o n

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eird and wondrous things happen when pulpwood, the core ingredient of décor paper, is manipulated at the molecular level.

Scientists at the University of Maine have found that shredding pulpwood fibers into cellulose nano fibrils (CNF) as tiny as 5 to 20 nanos and then bringing them back together can produce a lighter, stronger and more durable paper.

To put into perspective just how incredibly infinitesimal a strand of CNF is, consider that 100,000 nanos equate to the thickness of a sheet of paper.

Michael Bilodeau is director of the Process Development Center at UMaine, home to the world’s largest pilot plant for manufacturing CNF. “Because it forms such a tight network, there is a very good opportunity to make a higher quality décor sheet at lower cost using nanocellulose,” said Bilodeau, who has researched CNF for about a dozen years. “There have been some reports of improved durability such as abrasion resistance.”

Over the past decade, Bilodeau and his team have worked with more than 200 companies, 150 universities and 35 government research labs. In addition to paper, potential commercial uses for CNF include automobile bodies, airplane fuselages, bike frames, tool

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handles, electronic circuit boards and myriad other products currently made with petroleum-based plastics, fiberglass and other materials.

Plus, CNF is being looked at as a building material for 3D printing and as an alternative to urea formaldehyde for making particleboard and medium-density fiberboard.

Paperlogic, one of UMaine’s partners, recently dove headfirst into the manufacture of CNF. The specialty and technical papers division of Southworth Company formed in October 2013 began ramping up North America’s first commercial operation for mechanically producing CNF in May at its paper mill in Turners Falls, Mass.

Producing CNF as a paper-making ingredient for internal use and for sale to outside customers for any potential use is just one of the new product arenas the fifth-generation paper company is targeting to help rejuvenate its business.

Another one of Paperlogic’s newer revenue streams is manufacturing small-batch runs of decorative base papers. They represent just one of the company’s many ongoing efforts to identify and tap into specialty paper markets to fill an impending production void. That void was created when the Southworth brand of fine writing papers – so long in business that Abe Lincoln used them -- was sold to Neenah Paper in early 2013.

metal wood laminate

Robert Binnall Sr. product manager for Paperlogic

Robert Binnall Sr., product manager for Paperlogic, said fine writing papers represented about 40 percent of the paper mill’s annual 8,000-ton capacity.

As part of the sale, Neenah contracted Paperlogic to continue producing the Southworth brand for about three years. The clock is winding down on that agreement, and Neenah is expected to shift all fine writing paper production to one of its Wisconsin mills by early next year.

Binnall, who was brought to the company because of his 21 years of experience in the decorative laminate industry, said decorative base papers would be a good fit with other Paperlogic specialty products, including art papers, mat and mounting boards and the Byron Weston line of archival papers.

Paperlogic is currently the only North American manufacturer of decorative base papers. Binnall said the company is looking to leverage its proximity to its customers by providing them with expertly matched “niche colors in small volumes.” Paperlogic’s sweet spot is an order of 5,000 pounds and up, but it can produce a roll of paper as small as 1,500 pounds for a customer willing to pay a premium for a one-off color.

Binnall said he thinks Paperlogic more complements than competes with major décor base paper makers such as Technocell and Munjsko, the latter of which closed its décor paper making operations in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, at the height of the Great Recession in 2009.

“The décor paper market worldwide is well over 600,000 tons a year. Given the small volumes we produce, we don’t feel that we are actually stepping on anyone’s toes within the market,” Binnall said. “We’re not going to compete on the commodity white and black papers. Our niche is being nimble and offering custom colors in small volumes, which save our customers on order-to-delivery times and inventories.”

Among its first customers are Olon Industries of Geneva, Ill., and KML Corp., a manufacturer of thermally fused laminate panels based in Tacoma, Wash.

Greg Kozuch, operations manager of Olon’s Geneva facility, said the company has purchased various grades in white, brown and “what we call pale gold” from Paperlogic as a backer for edgebanding, wrapping grade and postforming products since May 2014.

“KML has come to us for various one-off colors for their customers. They buy smaller amounts because it saves them on inventory,” Binnall said.

Scaling Up CNF Production

Paperlogic has yet to produce a next-generation décor paper incorporating CNF for a customer. But the company is still working continued on page 52

›

photo: gerardo somoza

Carving a Niche in Custom Orders

A massive collection of design materials.

Over 400 designs in metal, wood and laminate.

All ideal for design spaces of any size. Here: InteriorArts #2005 Cracked Cement as walls and flooring at NY Fashion Week.

chemetal.com

“By making a strong paper at a lighter basis weight, we can make paper using less fiber, which translates into saving money.”

Ken Schelling, mill manager and technical director of Paperlogic

‹

Ken Schelling. Mill manager and technical director for Paperlogic

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continued from page 51

closely with the University of Maine to develop commercial products.

Binnall said he anticipates that Paperlogic will ship décor paper using CNF sometime next year.

In addition, Binnall said, one of the company’s goals is to work with decorative overlay manufacturers to improve their products by incorporating CNF as an additive in their process, which can help reduce the weight and possibly improve formation and clarity.

“We’re helping them develop new paper grades,” Bilodeau said.

“We’re helping them characterize materials and identify the range of grades they can make using their equipment on a consistent basis.

Some applications require a very fine product, and other applications require a course product.”

Paperlogic also is incorporating CNF in exploratory projects and expects more papers to follow in 2016, Binnall said, including baking papers and release papers, and it plans to use CNF as an additive for other markets such as overlays, cement and adhesives.

Ken Schelling, mill manager and technical director of Paperlogic, said the company is still learning how to optimize the refinement and manipulation of nanocellulose fibers to produce different types of characteristics such as better bonding and tensile strength.

“By making a strong paper at a lighter basis weight, we can make paper using less fiber, which translates into saving money,” Schilling said.

Paperlogic has the capacity to produce 2 tons of CNF a day.

The USDA Forest Service has been a big supporter of CNF research. The agency provided funding to UMaine to develop its nanofiber pilot plant in 2013 and awarded $350,000 toward constructing Paperlogic’s CNF manufacturing plant. In addition, the Forest Service, through its P3Nano Foundation, awarded $350,000 to UMaine to develop an eco-friendly particleboard panels using CNF as a binder.

“Because we reduce wood fibers by 1,000 times, the available cellulose surface that is available to bond is much, much higher. This makes for a stronger bond without having to use a resin (like urea formaldehyde) to make particleboard panels,” Bilodeau said.

Bilodeau said the center, which started the CNF particleboard project in June, does not have a board manufacturing partner but added that he would welcome inquiries.

Schelling concurred that using CNF represents a green alternative for manufacturing wood composite panels.

“The sky’s the limit for CNF,” Schelling said. “I see it as a component for additional strength and a potential replacement for many applications currently using petroleum products.”

“If you look historically, you’ll see that this area was littered with hundreds of paper mills. Now there aren’t many paper makers left,” Schelling said. “To be here still is a testament to this company’s resolve to look at new and innovative ways to stay alive. Our move to décor paper and to cellulose nano fibrels are examples of our company striving to be relevant in today’s marketplace.” s&p

We make the resins that make the room.

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

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

For extraordinary rooms, start with exceptional resins and additives.

Visit us at hexion.com.

© 2015 Hexion Inc. All rights reserved.

2016

Surface Design Guide

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Chemetal:

24 metal designs introduced

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Each year, Surface & Panel magazine asks the industry’s leading decorative surfacing companies to share their latest designs and material advances. The resulting Surface Design Guide is a showcase of the trends and technologies that are shaping the marketplace.

Beyond beautiful, this guide is intended to inspire specifiers and fabricators alike to understand what resources are available to create the best possible solutions.

Chemetal introduces 24 new designs for 2015, the company’s largest introduction in recent memory. These latest designs span the breadth of Chemetal's product line, with new designs in almost every product category. The new additions include aged subway tile patinas, glowing mother of pearl-esque aluminums, richly textured HPL metal laminates, and aged brass, copper and steel Architectural Metals in easy to fabricate aluminum.

Chemetal’s new designs are available in standard sheet sizes – 4' x 8' and 4' x 10', as well as some 2' x 8' sizes. Many contribute to LEED with up to 85 percent recycled content.

chemetal.com

Ramshead Ash, a new furniture décor development from Interprint, is a domestic alternative to the oaks and elms that have been popular recently. The layout is random-width planks with straight grain and cut cathedrals, treated to both enhance color play and bring the material in line with complex grays that increase end-use flexibility. This is not your typical ash.

interprint.com

2016

Inspired by concrete in architecture and large format ceramic panels, this design combines glazing techniques seen in tile with a faded wood grain reference. Like a trendy threadbare rug, its color play and texture allow Mherge to correspond with a multitude of surfaces and accent colors. More than a simple sum of its parts, starting with a white base and its grey and brown characteristics, Icy Mherge works as a unique standalone statement or as a textural play off of today’s wood grains or solids.

Interprint: Not your typical ash

Surface De sign Guide

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Arauco: Icy Mherge is more than sum of its parts

arauco-na.com

Introducing

Silky Finish Supermatte

‹

Stevens Industries:

S O F T F EEL

Matching Legno high-impact surfaces revealed

Smooth as baby's skin

Stevens Industries is pleased to announce high-impact surfacing will now be available to match the award-winning Legno Collection.

Legno debuted in 2014 and was tremendously received by designers, architects and consumers. The collection won an ADEX award for design excellence in early 2015.

Legno is a collection of 18 rich hues, with two woodgrain species, Tokaj Alder and Walnut Tiepolo. These pieces are embossed in registration, expertly matching texture to grain. The addition of matched high-impact material rounds out a collection that also offers edgebanding, five-piece doors and moldings. Legno high-impact surfacing will be available in 4x8 and 5x12 sizes, in .030 thickness.

Stevens is a leader in the field of embossed in-registration technology, as the first manufacturer in the United States to produce material for furniture application.

stevensind.com or 217-857-7100

Ask for available colors

RIKEN USA CORPORATION

26200 Town Center Drive, Suite #135, Novi, MI 48375 Tel: 248.513.3511 | Fax: 248.513.3510 info@riken-usa.com | www.riken-usa.com

surface&panel

Q4 2015

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Riken has been providing high quality 3D laminates (thermofoil) for both residential and commercial interior applications such as kitchen cabinet and closet doors, store fixtures, office furniture, and health care environment.

The 3D Laminate Collection offers extensive colors and patterns, including wood grains in high gloss, satin and matte finishes. DT Finish Collection features excellent physical properties, including durability, scratch and stain resistance.

Riken recently launched SOFT FEEL Collection with five colors in silky touch supermatte finish.

riken-usa.com

RIDGE

Intr oducing I N S P I R E D

BY NORTHERN CONTOURS

866-344-8132 | www.northerncontours.com/inspired

Black Walnut

Textured Wood Veneer | Textured Face | Internally Edgebanded

Maple

Floating Shelves Doors & Drawer Fronts

White Oak

2016 Surface De sign Guide

Riken: 3D laminates for residential, commercial

Nature would be flattered.

Our unique true-to-the-grain textures give designs the beauty & feel of real wood.

Synchronized Textured Panels • High Impact Surfaces • Edgebanding • Custom Doors • Mouldings

Stevens-Wood.com · 217-857-7100

Visit our Website

2016 Surface De sign Guide

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KML:

Go wild with EDGEWOOD

Over the last 20 years, the name KML Designer Finishes has become synonymous with innovative composite panels. The biggest leap forward for KML so far? EDGEWOOD.

A textured laminate that offers the look and feel of real, exotic wood grain at a fraction of the cost and a lower environmental impact, EDGEWOOD allows designers to “go wild” with modern and exotic wood looks while protecting the environment and their clients' bottom line.

kmlcorp.com

Vintage Oak features discreet two-tone

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Renolit:

This oak has experienced a lot and makes no secret of it. Sanded areas clearly display the aged wood, which is cracked in places while other sections are dominated by the shiny residues of weathered layers of paint. With Vintage Oak, the structure of the wood gives it a rustic look, whereas the décor has a rather homogeneous appearance. Branch knots and planks blend into the background; a fine white pore ensures a discreet two-tone appearance. The décor and embossing form a harmonious unit that goes well with elegant furniture designs.

vintage Oak – dark

vintage Oak – Bleached

vintage Oak – Natural

renolit.com

Over 8,000,000 doors made from NEXGENTM components and the innovation never stops ...

25 New Colours - 3 New Finishes - 3 New Door Styles

Courtesy of Cuisine Beau-Regard

Door Mouldings • Accessory Mouldings • Laminates • 1-800-387-2319

Edgebanding • Drawer Components www.olon.com

ISO 9001:2008 / AS9100C Certified

PRESS-PLATES by KMI DESIGN CONSULTING • NEW ENGRAVING • PLATE CLEANING • PLATE REFURBISHING • PLATE RE-GLOSSING

www.KMIinc.net

2016 Surface De sign Guide

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SSI North America:

Three new 3D laminates

Cashmere PET HG – The neutral earth-toned high gloss “greige” you’ve been looking for. The subtle color makes it easy to integrate into any décor.

Canterbury Oak – A classic golden oak

print with a deep textured embossing.

Metallic Schliff – This sophisticated brown brushed metallic print is something different and sure to please.

cantebury oak

These Pentadecor 3D laminate films are three of six new designs launching for SSI North America’s stock program.

info@ssinorthamerica.com or 973.598.0152

Metallic Schliff

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cashmere pet HG

Hello Colorful!

Prism is a colorful laminate brand that has real character with a designer-friendly focus.

Our spectrum of styles and textures will open your eyes to a bright new world of laminates.

2016 Surface De sign Guide

southern cattails

Ruby Beach

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Arclin:

calm horizon

sand shoal

Dunes Collection features new designs

Arclin’s new Dunes Collection comprises four new designs: Calm Horizon, Ruby Beach, Sand Shoal and Southern Cattails. The designs embody some of the latest trends in color, structure, grain — and opportunity. Ideal for hospitality, health care, commercial, retail and residential environments.

arclinTFL.com

our 28th year!

Why Laminate with AACC Hot Melt Adhesive Coatings?

You'll Save Money!

americ an adhe sive c oatings c ompany

With AACC hot melt adhesive coatings, your total lamination cost is lower than “wet glue” – or any other glue system.

Check out the AACC advantage: • • • • •

260 degree F Heat Resistance Moisture Resistant - Meets KCMA Standards Smooth Appearance (no orange peel look) Less Than 1% Waste Environmentally Safe

Plus: • • • •

Free online tracking of your inventory at our plant Free lab testing of laminations made with AACC Hot Melt Free laminator operator training Free quality control seminars in your plant

Send for our cost comparison of AACC hot melt vs “wet glue” for paper-to-board lamination.

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12 Osgood St. | Lawrence, MA 01843 P : 978-688-7400 | F : 978-691-5015 jerryvilla.aacc@gmail.com | www.AACC-Hotmelts.com

2016 Surface De sign Guide

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Lumicor: Never again sacrifice design for durability

The Lumicor Wall Protection line combines the beauty of real textiles and botanicals with the performance of our most durable finish to create a functional wall cladding that is both stunning and practical. The Lumicor Wall Protection line comes standard in more than a dozen artfully curated designs in a gauge of .050 (including several Fast Track decors), multiple trim options and a neutral opaque backing.

Each panel features a Class A fire rating, inhibits microbial growth, comprises a minimum of 40 percent recycled and is easy to install.

Wall Protection offers timeless design and versatility, making it an ideal application for industries with high-trafficked areas such as health care, hospitality, education and corporate spaces.

lumicor.com or 1-888-lumicor

Vintage Oak Dark Tweedy

‚

Vintage Oak 3D Laminate displaying aged wood through the look of cracks and weathered layers of paint.

Coordinated TFL matches available.

Premier EuroCase:

Reflekt brings elegance to any type of room

Vintage Oak Bleached

For more information, please contact: American RENOLIT Corporation info@laminatefinder.com Tel. 973-706-6912 www.renolit.com/design www.laminatefinder.com 64

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P h oto by rya n H a i n e y

Vintage Oak Natural

This beautiful bookshelf was created by Premier EuroCase from its Reflekt high-gloss acrylic collection. The mirror-gloss shelving unit uses Reflekt white and is accented with metallic grey on the back wall. Available in 16 color options, including four metallic, Reflekt allows the freedom to incorporate elegant highgloss surfaces into any type of room.

Reflekt high-gloss acrylic panels are made from the finest quality resources. The panels consist of a premium MDF substrate with a co-extruded polymer high-gloss acrylic top layer. Laminated with polyurethane (PUR) technology inside a Class-100 clean room, Reflekt redefines surface expectations by being as close to perfect as technologically possible.

premiereurocase.com

Reinventing TFL A new look at Thermally Fused Laminates

Arclin is reinventing its approach to decorative overlays for TFL. With more trend-forward designs — and more application opportunities. With more advancements in resin technology — for more efficiencies and better performance. With more tools and more support.

There’s more than meets the eye with Arclin overlays for TFL. It’s time to take another look.

+1.877.689.9145 decorative.surfaces@arclin.com arclinTFL.com

A Chemistry & Applications Company

2016

Schattdecor:

Surface De sign Guide

Columbia Walnut excellent for cabinets Columbia Walnut is a narrow-planked furniture decor that shows

straight-grain sections and areas of figuring in equal proportion.

With fine knotting adding a natural effect, this walnut is an excellent choice for cabinet bodies and interiors.

San Diego Butternut is a typically American timber-wood that is having a resurgence and in a very commercial-friendly way. The ability to color-match this decor in pale and subtly matte hues particularly suits modern furniture trends.

schattdecor.de/en

San Diego Butternut

columbia walnut

Pentadecor速

Dorato Oak Series

3D Laminate Film The new Dorato Oak Series has three earthtone colorations combined with a modern Oak design.

Available in any quantity Contact us today

973.598.0152 www.ssinorthamerica.com info@ssinorthamerica.com 66

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Brown

Grey

Natural

Provencal feel.

2015

Lamitech COLLECTION Lamitech Ref.: French Walnut 1510

2014 COLLECTION areare inspired by by natural creativity.

2015 COLLECTIONWeWe inspired natural creativity.

Phone: (57-1)(57-1) 644 9898 Fax: (57-1) 644 9897 Phone: 644 9898 Fax: (57-1) 644 9897

2016 Surface De sign Guide

Jowat | your partner in bonding

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Tafisa: Yet another design innovation

Origen offers an innovative texture and genuine tactile surface for decorative panels. Available in 14 colors including eight beautiful woodgrains and six modern solids, Origen is yet another design innovation developed by Tafisa.

This collection is part of the mix and match concept introduced by Tafisa and comes with a complete range of complementary products – HPL, edgebanding, mouldings and thermovinyl. Tafisa decorative panels are manufactured using 100% recycled and recovered wood materials, saving millions of trees every year.

tafisa.ca

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Uniboard: WoodPrint duo technology for realistic wood texture

• 3D Membrane Pressing (1K and 2K) • PUR Hot Melt Adhesives for High Gloss Flat Lamination • Thermoplastic and PUR Hot Melt for Edgebanding • Hot Melt Adhesives for Precoating and Laminating Jowat – One supplier for all system components.

Jowat Corporation 5608 Uwharrie Rd. Archdale, NC 27263 Phone +1 336 434 9000 Fax +1 336 434 9173 www.jowat.com

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Uniboard is the first and only North American company to offer this revolutionary technology. The panels meet all North American standards and sizes.

uniboard.com

P h oto by rya n H a i n e y

Jowat offers a variety of Adhesives for furniture components that covers

Uniboard’s WoodPrint Duo Technology is a two-sided synchronized texture technology for thermally fused laminates (TFL). It leverages Uniboard’s first generation WoodPrint Technology, which aligns the décor paper and the surface texture to replicate real wood characteristics. The result is a naturalistic synchronization, making it the best solution for furniture applications such as kitchen cabinets, closets, store fixtures, residential and commercial furniture and more.

IT’S NOT A SPORTS CAR...

BUT IT’S ENGINEERED LIKE ONE It takes exceptional design and engineering to win the honor and recognition that is TIOMOS. But don’t let its good looks fool you. Under the hood the new kinematics work with precision and the integrated adjustable Soft-close handles like a dream. Quick response and pinpoint 3D adjustment with worm gear accuracy gives TIOMOS the racer’s edge. Try one today. www.grassusa.com

2016 Surface De sign Guide

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Wilsonart: Celebrating roots with a modern touch HI-MACS: Sparkle Collection offers new dimensions

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The trend that inspires the seven smooth and subdued designs that make up the collection is Heritage, the visual representation of celebrating our roots, with a touch of modern. Heritage is a combination of: Industrial Chic – This trend is expressed most often through exposed

ductwork and pipes, original windows and brick. Metal, concrete, brick and glass are many of the surface choices.

Rustic Glam – This playful juxtaposition of distressed surfaces and glittery details is a layering of elements and influences that are distinctly modern.

The HI-MACS Sparkle Collection is the work of gifted designer Karim Rashid. Strong and vibrant tones and a distinctive glittering effect like a distant galaxy are the unique hallmarks of the new colors, which will give designers new dimensions with which to imagine and work.

What’s Old is New Again – Not only are iconic pieces being reissued in new ways, but many salvaged materials are being reused, allowing for the reintroduction of classic designs in strikingly 21st century interpretations.

Some of the Sparkle colors are bold – such as Key Lime and Kandy Pink. More muted hues like Kreemy Grey, Kold Silver and the instantly popular Kanada Violet offer a design juxtaposition that allows designers to mix and contrast colors within a single work, as HI-MACS can be invisibly joined. The material’s outstanding properties and easy fabrication allow the most audacious creations.

wilsonart.com

himacs.eu

tafisa

alto

crystalite

origen

isola

®

texture by tafisa® Featuring ORIGEN, ISOLA, ALTO and CRYSTALITE. An ensemble of textures and stunningly tactile surfaces for decorative panels.

Available in a broad selection of mix and match colours, these textures are yet another design innovation from Tafisa® – the company that leads the way in fashion-forward interiors, touching off world-class trends right here in North America. And raising industry standards too. Tafisa’s wood-fiber panels are manufactured using 100% recycled and recovered wood materials, saving millions of trees every year. Now that’s making a statement.

Find out about Tafisa’s green mission and see all textures at tafisa.ca Customer Service: 1.888.882.3472

®

a d v e r t i s e r

i n d e x

Page

Page

American Adhesive Coatings LLC 62 978.688.7400 www.AACC-Hotmelts.com

KCD Software 6-7 508.760.1140 www.KCDsoftware.com/cabinotch

Arauco 61 Can 800.268.9830 US 877.273.7680 www.arauco-na.com

Kings Mountain International 59 704.739.4227 www.kmiinc.net

Arclin 65 877.689.9145 www.arclinTFL.com

KML-Kustom Material Laminates 45 888.358.5075 www.KMLcorp.com

Biesse 33 877.824.3773 www.biesseamerica.com

Krono System 71 +39.0422.850418 www.kronosystemsrl.it

75 (IBC)

Lamitech S.A. 67 +571.644.9888 www.lamitech.com.co

Blum, Inc. 704.827.1345

Perfecting motion www.blum.com

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Boise Cascade 5 888.264.7372 www.bc.com

Northern Contours 56 866.344.8132 www.northerncontours.com

Cabinotch 6-7 877.413.4299 www.cabinotch.us/CabinotchDesignLibrary

Olon 58 800.387.2319 www.olon.com

Cefla 41 704.598.0020 www.ceflaamerica.com

Omnova Solutions 43 866.332.5226 www.omnova.com

Chemcraft, a brand of AkzoNobel 27 336.841.5111 www.chemcraft.com

Panel Processing 48 800.433.7142 www.panel.com

Chemetal 51 800.807.7341 www.chemetal.com

Pembroke MDF 40 844.722.3939 www.pembrokemdf.com

Collins 9 541.885.3217 www.CollinsWood.com

Renolit 64 +1.973.706.6912 www.renolit.com

Columbia Forest Products 19 800.637.1609 www.cfpwood.com

Riken USA Corporation 55 248.513.3511 www.riken-usa.com

Composite Panel Association 17 866.4Composites www.DecorativeSurfaces.org

Roseburg 13 800.245.1115 www.Roseburg.com

Decotone 63/73 908.301.0600 www.decotonesurfaces.com

Salice 39 800.222.9652 www.saliceamerica.com

DVUV 18 216.741.5511 www.dvuv.com

Schattdecor 31 314.400.6100 www.schattdecor.com

Element Designs 12 877.332.3396 www.element-designs.com

SierraPine Composite Solutions 49 800.676.3339 www.sierrapine.com

Genesis 37 877.266.8292 www.GenesisProductsInc.com

Stevens Industries 57 800.574.7838 www.stevens-wood.com

Grass 69 336.996.4041 www.grassusa.com

Stiles Machinery, Inc. 23 616.698.7500 www.stilesmachinery.com

Greenlam America Inc. 47 877.647.0388 www.greenlam.com

Surface Source International 66 973.598.0152 www.ssinorthamerica.com

Hexion 53 888.443.9466 www.hexion.com

Synergy Thermal Foils 46 954.420.9553 www.SynergyThermofoils.com

HR Wood 60 269.628.2181 www.hrwood.com

Tafisa Canada 70 877.882.3472 www.tafisa.ca

Hunstman 15 281.719.4916 www.huntsman.com

Thermwood 38 800.533.6901 www.thermwood.com

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

Uniboard 11 844.302.8585 www.uniboard.com

JB Cutting Incorporated 52 586.468.4765 www.jbcutting.com

Union Tool Corporation 14 574.267.3211 www.uniontoolcorp.com

Jowat 68 336.434.9000 www.jowat.com

Wilsonart 76 (BC) 800.433.3222 www.wilsonart.com

www.surfaceandpanel.com

Decotone Surfaces is one of the largest distributors of Lamitech Laminates in the world with stocking locations in New Jersey, California and Florida

Decotone Torino Laminates Italian Inspired Designs

Decotone Custom Digital Laminates

Decotone Metallic Laminates

Decotone Translucent Panels

Lamitech Decorative Laminates

by Decotone Surfaces

Zenolite High Gloss Acrylic Panels

All products marketed and distributed by Decotone Surfaces in the US, Mexico and Canada

Tel: 908-301-0600

www.decotonesurfaces.com

sales@decotonesurfaces.com

On a Mission S&P staff brings experience, focus together to inform, influence f r o m

t h e

e d i t o r

Our tagline is “Uniting Materials, Technology and Design,” and we push ourselves to do that and more in every issue.

When I worked in newspapers, we called every edition “the daily miracle.” In many ways, it was miraculous that we produced a paper full of new content every day, without fail, and almost always on time.

At Surface & Panel, we publish four editions a year. Given the three months between publications, the process and result are less of a miracle, but much still must happen right and on time for us to make our deadline and, more important, fulfill our goal of producing essential content.

Our tagline is “Uniting Materials, Technology and Design,” and we push ourselves to do that and more in every issue.

Every cycle begins with a planning session, at which I meet with Publisher John Aufderhaar and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ryan Wagner. To a large degree, they are the idea guys. John has decades in this business and knows more about it – from one end to the other – than just about anyone on the planet.

Ryan works closely with key companies and is aware of the trends and innovations and has the experience and knowledge to put them in perspective.

I’m now eight months into the job, and I’m getting a good feel for what makes Surface & Panel the nation’s top information source for panel processing. As I get more comfortable, I’ll develop story ideas to add to the mix, and I envision the publication getting stronger with each edition.

To this point, my role has largely been to write some of the main stories, assign others to our team of talented writers, coordinate the content so it’s filed on time, edit the stories and oversee design to ensure the finished product meets our high expectations. It’s a fun job, full of challenges, learning opportunities and rewards.

One of the privileges of my post is the opportunity to work with a trio of regular writers who bring a range of experience and skills to Surface & Panel.

Jim Leute is former business editor for The Gazette in Janesville, Wisconsin, where we worked together for 20 years. He is the consummate pro, and his business background and strong writing make him the perfect fit for S&P and stories such as the Architectural Woodworking Industry outlook that starts on page 34 and the Vero Software profile that begins on page 44.

Leah Wheeler of Scottsdale, Ariz., has more than 20 years of experience in corporate communications, business writing and more. Leah is a determined researcher who has never met a deadline she couldn’t meet, and her years of work with S&P make her a go-to writer for in-depth articles such as the feature on DIRTT beginning on page 36.

Rich Christianson of Chicago, Ill., is owner of Richson Media and has three decades of experience and connections in industrial wood products. His understanding of the business is critical to such stories as this edition’s piece on PaperLogic, the University of Maine and their innovative work with cellulose nano fibrils. That story begins on page 50.

I would be remiss if I didn’t note the fine work of our designer, Karen Leno, in making S&P look as good as it does. Owner of KML Design, Karen has more than 30 years of experience in publication design and has been with S&P since its inception in 2003. She takes what we send her and works magic. The result is a beautifully designed magazine that rivals any in America.

Surface & Panel serves the suppliers in this business with articles and photos that inform and influence fabricators and other specifiers, especially architects and interior designers. We feature what’s new and innovative in materials, technology and design, and we know from reader feedback just how significantly those articles affect decisions in the real world.

No other publication has that mission, and no other publication reaches nearly as many key players in panel processing. S&P is distributed to 35,000 industry professionals in North America. S&P, however, is more than a magazine. Surfaceandpanel.com delivers timely news and multimedia features, along with the magazine’s content. A companion website, materialicious.com, focuses on design and lifestyle, features 1,900 pages of unique content and attracts 550,000 monthly page views.

Surface & Panel also built the cutting-edge mHouse to showcase the industry’s best and most innovative materials. And its annual symposium informs and enlightens the top minds in the business and offers invaluable networking opportunities.

All in all, we’re confident that our mission and focus are spot-on for what the industry wants and needs. That doesn’t mean, however, that we’re not open to good ideas. If you have one, send it my way.

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 in action with LEGRABOX at blum.com/push.

Perfecting motion