The Stocklists - Sept 2011

Stocklist­­s The

5 September 2011

with

FlooringNews

BRITAIN’S No. 1 FLOORCOVERING MAGAZINE FOR THE RETAIL AND CONTRACT MARKET

Stocklists The

Published by Mayville Publishing Co Ltd 219 West Ella Road, West Ella, Hull HU10 7SD Tel: 01482 659396 Fax: 01482 659397 www.thestocklists.com Sales Director: Diane Martin. diane@mayvillepublishing.co.uk Publication Director: David Spragg. Founded by Roy Spragg in 1973.

FIRST FOR FLOORING NEwS AND DATA

5 SEPTEMBER 2011

GO to the SHOW September 4 - 6

Read our comprehensive preview reports and details of what’s happening in Harrogate pagea 32 - 57

Advertisers

FlooringNews starts on page 33

Monthly ‘Stocklisters’ shown in BOLD

All set to go to the show!

ad n Ro Ripo

Harrogate’s full of promise page 32

M

New launches line up

Index

A

yall Ro Roya Hallll Ha

B

01274 655662

—

0800 862 0251

—

AFS ...................................................................19

020 8805 8620 Sep/Oct 2011

FLOORING .................................48

01562 820006

—

ASSOCIATED WEAVERS ...................40

01422 431100

—

BONDWORTH ..........................................20

01562 745000

June 2011

g in s R d oa

BRITISH WOOL ...............................33,60 01274 688 666 BROCKWAY CARPETS LTD.

The science of Alliance

BRONTE

Flooring’s leading logistics page 48

New future for Brintons?

New £20m investment could transform prospects page 62

“

Dennis Flower gets stuck into the denser pile page 64

FlooringFactsheets Adhesives Buying Groups

4 Pattern book page 8-9 Underlay

Carpet Company Directory

14-15 wholesaler Distribution Directory

Carpet trouble-shooter

12-13 wool Fibre Page

Carpet Types

”

Antony Stapleton of Rackhams is our ‘Voice’ page 66

5 woolsafe: the carpet care guide

—

10

16-18 11 6-7

Mar 2010 —

01282 862736 01457 861141

—

CARPET

& FLOORING..................................45

01527 511 860

—

CAVALIER...........................................................—

01254 268000

—

CAVALIO.......................................................42,43

01782 569840

—

COLUMBIA FLOORING

.....................22

0208 443 3322

—

.......................................23

01422 374417

—

CARPET.....................................................40

07976 607657

—

FITA......................................................................69

01159 506836

—

FLOORING

GUILD.........................................57

0845 3081400

—

FLOORING

ONE ...............................................9

0121 683 1426

—

FLOORWISE ...............................................18

01509 673974

—

FURLONG FLOORING .................24,25

01772 696787

Nov 2010

GREENDALE

CARPETS ............................59,61

01432 852000

—

HARROGATE FLOORING SHOW.......39

01423 779967

—

HECKMONDWIKE ..................................26

01924 410544

—

INTERFLOOR ...................................................67

01706 213131

J2

—

FLOORING ...................................................46

—

KINGSMEAD .....................................................41

01827 831424

MERRYFIELD

GROUP..................................3,54

01422 373799

—

MELROSE ............................................................35

01274 491277

—

.....................................27,36,37 01480 479830

—

MOHAWK

Heavyweights slug it out

01562 828200

.......................................................49

F&X

Abingdon take Stainfree for Life campaign to the telly page 53

—

.........21

CARPENTER .............................................BC

EDEL TELENZO

As seen on TV!

Business is available but is it at a margin that we want to set as a precedent?”

Price List Date

ABINGDON................................................52,53

ALLIANCE

K

Read our preview of new ranges set to debut at the show pages 34 - 57

Contact No

ACCU-CUT.....................................................IBC

C

Page No

—

MR TOMKINSON.............................................55

01827 831450

—

NICF.................................................................69

0115 958 3077

—

PACKEXE............................................................63

01392 438191

—

RACKHAMS........................................28,66

020 85319225

—

SOLENT WHOLESALE CARPET .......29

01243 774623 Sep/Oct 2011

STAIRRODS UK LIMITED.................34

01207 591176

—

STS FLOORING DISTRIBUTORS........30

0845 341000

July 2011

TARKETT............................................................47

01892 752303

—

—

—

T & E DISPLAY GROUP ....................57

0121 585 7600

—

TRIPLE

KING ....................................................—

01274 582056

—

WESTON HAMMER .............................31

0845 644 9090

—

TAT

CARPET .....................................................51

Classified advertising........................................ page 70 carpets/rugs/tiles woods/laminates/smooths accessories/services/organisations fibres underlay wholesalers/distributors adhesives

ISSN 2046-7338 © Mayville Publishing Co. Ltd. 2011 Issue: 438 Every care is taken in compiling this magazine, but the proprietors assume no responsibility in the effects arising therefrom.

UK manufactured Carpet Cutting Machines

WWW.CARPETCUTTINGMACHINES.CO.UK

Flooring Factsheet Adhesives

4

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Flooring factsheet Carpet types TUFTED

WOVEN

With advances in manufacturing technology, 95% of all carpet produced today is tufted. It takes about an hour to make a roll of carpet that might take eight hours to weave. To make tufted carpet, hundreds of yarn-threaded needles are pushed through the primary backing fabric to form loops or tufts, which may be left as is or cut. A heavy adhesive coating is applied to hold the tufts in place and a secondary backing is usually glued on for strength and stability. A wide variety of styles and textures can then be created using various techniques.

Woven carpet may be in a tiny minority of today’s production but still produces some of the finest carpets which are used for prestigious installations.

LOOP PILE Berber • Berber carpets look like and are named after a handmade, bulky wool carpet made by the Berber tribes of North Africa and Asia.

The loops are made from thick or bulky yarns of wool, nylon, polypropylene or a blend of these fibres to give a cushioned effect underfoot. These carpets are available in an assortment of colours and may be flecked and can be either level loop or multilevel loop.

Level loop • When all the loops are of the same height, a highly flexible and durable carpet is created which has a natural, casual appearance even when (commonly) it is made from synthetic fibres.

The tight loop texture tends to hide marks so it’s a good blend between luxury and practicality.

Multi-level loop • The loops vary to two or sometimes three loop heights to create informal, random textures which are very forgiving for marks and stains and therefore very suitable for high traffic areas and busy family rooms.

CUT PILE Freize • Frieze (pronounced free-say) carpets are similar to saxony, but the yarns are more tightly twisted and should always be heat set.

They have a dense, low pile surface which creates a coarse, pebbly texture. Frieze carpets are very durable and hide footprints, dust and dirt, which makes them suitable for heavy traffic areas.

Saxony • Saxony textures are made of twisted yarns, which should be heat set. The tips remain very distinct, rather than blending together to form a very elegant finish. Saxony textures show footprints and vacuum marks so are suitable for more occasional rooms in the home.

More textured variations improve the practicality of saxonies.

Axminster • The pile of the carpet is inserted into the backing as it is woven and cut to length, creating U-shaped tufts to give a velvety surface. The process locks in the fibre to create a carpet of high durability and performance retention as well as a luxury feel.

The process allows for intricate designs and colours to be used – although modern trends mean that the traditional patterned axminster has given way to current fashion trends for plain carpets.

Wilton • Wilton woven carpets are produced in a similar way to axminsters – the principal difference being that a continuous fibre is woven all the way through. The carpet can be sheared to create a range of cut and loop textured effects. The result is a high quality carpet of unrivalled durability.

Flat weave • Manufactured in the same way as wilton, flat weave is a loop pile which allows the yarn to be woven across a wider area to created a flatter, more textured effect.

ends blend together which then further enhances the overall finish.

These carpets tend to ‘shade’ with heavy use. Footprints show easily and the colour looks different from place to place because fibres lying in different directions reflect the light differently. A luxury for occasional rooms.

CUT AND LOOP When some of the pile is cut and other left as loop, a variety of surface textures and patterns can be created (in a variety of colours). The multi-level surface is excellent for hiding footprints and stains so cut and loop is good for high traffic areas and general purpose rooms in the home.

Shag pile • Shag pile has varied in popularity. The pile is up to 50mm long and the texture is casual and loose but the surface flattens easily and lacks durability.

Twist • The popular twist carpet is the cut-pile standard. The yarn is tightly twisted and often heatset to retain this feature and the result is BONDED Tip Sheared Level Loop Tip Sheared Level Loop Sheared Level Loop a versatile, textured finish that is idealTipfor plain colours.

Bonded carpets (sometimes called ‘fibre-bonded’ or ‘fusion bonded’) are created by firing fibres into an adhesive material – the fibres are Velvet • Velvet textures (sometimes called ‘velour’ or ‘plush’) all have not stitched into the backing in any way. The technique is principally a level surface pile of approx 5mm to 10mm height, which is then used for commercial carpet tiles. sheared to give a smooth finish. With very little twist in the yarn, the Random Sheared Random Sheared

Random Sheared Multi-Level Multi-Level Loop Loop

Multi-Level Loop

Tip Sheared

Velvet/Plush Velvet/Plush Level Loop

Velvet/Plush Frieze Frieze

Frieze

Random Sheared

Twist TwistLoop Multi-Level

Twist BerberBerber

Berber

Velvet/Plush

SaxonySaxony Frieze

Saxony Shag Shag

Shag

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

5

Flooring factsheet Carpet care guide from WOOLSAFE Housekeeping Tips for Carpets and Rugs Entrance or walk-off mats The use of entrance mats at all outside entrances to the house is highly recommended, as they will significantly reduce the rate at which the carpet will soil. They should be of adequate size to allow street dirt to be removed from shoe soles and must be cleaned regularly themselves.

Services for Retailers Customer carpet care HELPLINE If you have trouble dealing with customer queries like “How do I get red wine stains out of my carpet?”

Just give them our HELPLINE 01943 850 817 and we’ll give them the correct advice. Simple.

Certified Operator Network For experienced, specialist wool carpet cleaners you can trust visit: www.woolsafe.org/find/aregistered-carpet-cleaner.

WOOLSAFE Registered Inspectors Solve disputes with customers with our independent carpet complaint Investigators. Just visit: www.woolsafe.org/find/a-registered-carpetinspector and call your nearest inspector.

WOOLSAFE Approved Products Have confidence in the cleaning product you recommend, use the WOOLSAFE Approved Products Directory it contains only safe and effective carpet cleaning products. For spot removers visit: www.woolsafe.org/spotremovers Carpet Care Leaflets We offer to help you develop custom carpet care literature and we also offer generic carpet care leaflets designed to be given away with each cut of carpet. Correct carpet maintenance should start from day one.

Web pages and Links We offer to help you develop custom carpet care pages for your website or you can link to our website’s carpet care pages for up-to-date and accurate advice.

Contact us by email, telephone or post to: The WOOLSAFE Organisation 49 Boroughgate, Otley, LS29 8NR Tel: 01943 850817 E-mail: office@woolsafe.org or visit www.woolsafe.org The WOOLSAFE Organisation – promoting quality carpet and rug care since 1991.

6

Regular Maintenance Regular cleaning will extend the life of a carpet and maintain its appearance. Vacuum clean regularly and thoroughly, which removes gritty dirt that can damage the fibres.

Deal with spillages as soon as possible, preferably the moment they occur.

Beware of products claiming to be safe on all fibres, including wool. It might be true, but if it does not have the WOOLSAFE Mark, it is not endorsed by most carpet manufacturers!

Never use any detergents such as dishwashing liquids, soaps or other cleaners recommended for general household use. Although they may clean the carpet satisfactorily they will almost certainly cause problems such as rapid re-soiling, colour bleeding or other damage to the pile or backing of the carpet.

Use only WOOLSAFE approved products WOOLSAFE-approved carpet care products have been independently and scientifically tested and are safe and effective for cleaning and maintaining all types of carpets and rugs.

The Green WOOLSAFE Mark identifies those products that not only are the most suitable for wool and other quality carpets, but also have the right environmental characteristics.

Periodic Cleaning When the carpet or rug reaches a stage where it could do with a really good clean, you can either do the job yourself, or you can call in a specialist carpet cleaning company.

If you are considering cleaning the carpet or rug yourself make sure to use only WOOLSAFE approved products. Look for the WOOLSAFE Mark on the bottle or package.

It is best to engage the services of a professional carpet & upholstery cleaning company. To get a really expert job done entrust the work to a WOOLSAFE accredited carpet cleaning company.

These companies are fully trained, have been in business for a considerable length of time, are members of one or more recognised professional trade associations related to the cleaning industry and have a reputation for top quality service. And they use only WOOLSAFE-approved cleaning agents on your wool carpets and rugs!

If you have a problem with a carpet or rug that requires an independent inspector, a network of carpet complaint investigators, trained and registered

by The WOOLSAFE Organisation is available throughout the UK and Ireland.

WOOLSAFE Registered Inspectors have extensive experience in investigating the causes for carpet complaints based on their practical involvement with carpets and rugs over many years.

They are fully qualified to investigate carpet and rug complaints on-site on behalf of carpet manufacturers, retailers, cleaning companies and carpet owners. They can carry out or commission tests where required, and will provide comprehensive reports.

To contact an inspector in your area call 01943 462127, email: inspector@woolsafe.org, or visit: www.woolsafe.org / Private Householder / Registered Inspectors

WOOLSAFE The Retailer's single source solution for carpet care advice and services.

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

maintenance • cleaning • spot removal • protection • inspection

General Rules for Spot Removal

WOOLSAFE Approved Carpet Cleaning Products www.prochem.co.uk

Treatments 1.

Blot with white kitchen roll or paper tissues

2.

Vacuum clean

3.

Cold water

Home of the Legendary Cleaning Product - Carpet Power www.ozkleen.co.uk

• Soak up liquids with white kitchen roll, tissues, toilet roll or clean cloth

4.

Warm water

• Scoop up or scrape off solids

5.

• Try to identify unknown spots prior to treatment – if unsure, use solvent first

WOOLSAFE-approved carpet shampoo solution (diluted)

6.

WOOLSAFE-approved spot remover for water-based stains

7.

WOOLSAFE-approved spot remover for greasy/oily stains

• Always work from the edge of the spot inwards • BLOT, do NOT rub • Use small quantities of spot remover at a time, applied to a cloth, NOT directly to the spot; work into the spot with a small, soft brush or sponge • Take care with applying solvents to bitumen-backed carpet tiles

8.

Absorbent paper or paper tissue and hot iron

9.

Chewing gum remover (solvent or freeze type)

Life inspired cleaning innovations www.bissell.com

10. Nail varnish remover or acetone 11. White spirit or turpentine substitute 12. Surgical spirit (ethyl alcohol or ethanol)

• When using solvents always ensure there is plenty of fresh air ventilation

14. Rub gently with coarse sand paper

• Always thoroughly rinse out water-based spotters with clean water

15. WOOLSAFE-approved disinfectant or deodorizer

• Dry the spot, if possible, with a hair dryer

16. Rust remover

13. Rub with a coin

17. Carpet re-colouring kit

The Clean Carpet you Expect... the Service you Deserve www.servicemasterclean.co.uk

(Treatments used by professional carpet cleaners)

More Difficult Spots Spot or stain

Easy Spots

Try 1st Try 2nd Try 3rd

Artificially coloured drinks 3

6

Bleach

3

17

C/heating radiator fluid

5

6

Coffee

4

6

16

Spot or stain

Try 1st Try 2nd Try 3rd

Blood

5

6

Felt-tip pen

7 or 11 12

Burn/scorch marks

13

14

Furniture polish

7

Butter

7

5

Glue/adhesive (plastic base)10

11

Candle wax

8

7

6

5

Chewing gum

9

5

15

6

5 15

3

Ink (fountain)

3

Ink (ballpoint pen)

12

5

7

6

Lipstick

7

Cola

3

5

6

Milk

4

Cream

7

5

Nail varnish

10

Egg

5

6

Paint (oil)

11

Rust

16

Soot

2

Tar (asphalt)

7

Urine (fresh stain)

3

5

Urine (old stain)

6

15

7

5

Fruit juice

3

5

Gravy and sauces

5

6

Herbal tea

3

6

Metal polish

5

Mustard

5

6

Oil and grease

7

5

Paint (emulsion)

3

5

Shoe polish

7

5

Tea

3

5

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

6

5

5

Chocolate/cocoa

Floor wax

Environmentally Aware for Superior Carpet Care www.envirodri.com

Vomit

5

6

Red wine

1

6

15

These may require repeated attempts with stronger spot removers. Some stains you may find impossible to remove completely in which case the assistance of a professional carpet cleaner is required.

Vacuum Cleaners the Choice of Cleaning Professionals www.sebo.co.uk

British Wool makes a Better Carpet... Naturally www.britishwool.org.uk

This information is provided with the support of WOOLSAFE members for the benefit of all carpet retailers and fitters.

7

Flooring factsheet Buying Groups Why join? www.greendalecarpets.co.uk Contact: Rob Harding Tel: 01432 852000 Fax: 01432 852005 rharding@greendalecarpets.co.uk

Metro Group www.carpet1st.co.uk Contact: David Kipping Tel: 01204 393539 dek@carpet1st.co.uk

Buying groups have been a highly successful feature of the floor retailing scene in the last decade or so, giving independents the extra edge they need to compete effectively with the retail park chains.

More than 1000 retailers are now members of one of the several buying groups which operate in our sector and the numbers are slowly, but steadily growing.

While the benefits of bulk buying power are self-evident, the resistance to the buying group concept among nonmembers appears to be centred on fears of surrendering some control to a committee – and most particularly compromising long-established relationships and negotiated terms with current suppliers.

The bottom line is the bottom line. A retailer selling across a broad range of products is likely to improve margins within a buying group – but you don’t need a leap of faith to join up. Ask the buying groups for answers...

www.smg-group.co.uk Contact: David Lewis Tel: 0118 932 3832 info@smg-group.co.uk

Key benefits Increase margins • Group purchases to get beneficial rates • Rebates • Exclusive higher-margin products • Special promotions One of the key reasons to join a buying group is to benefit from the discounts they negotiate as a bulk buyer from manufacturers. The way discounts and rebates are passed on to members varies between groups so make sure it’s absolutely clear how this will be done. You’ll need to work out how this compares with discounts you have already negotiated locally with preferred suppliers.

Increase sales

• ‘Best of both worlds’ proposition • Wider ranges and exclusive products • POS, displays and merchandising support

Your customers will like the proposition that you are independent but with the buying power of a group – this gives them (and you) the ‘best of both worlds’ with personal service and competitive pricing. Most groups will also offer you ‘own label’ ranges and support with point-of-sale, merchandising and displays. Central stockholding may also be on offer.

Access professional services

Associated Carpet Group www.smartercarpets.co.uk Contact: Richard Moore Tel: 01942 825520 rjmoore65@googlemail.com rmoore@smartercarpets.com

Pick the right one How to decide whether to join a buying group – and which one…

• Evaluate all buying groups as they all work differently • Talk to the main marketing contact and/or a member of the committee

• www.beautifulflooring.co.uk Contact: Paul Phillips Tel: 01892 549050 paul@atbrm.com

Get a list of members and call up two or three for a ‘real-world’ view

• Establish your territorial exclusivity – where’s the next nearest member of each buying group

• Ensure you understand the financial arrangements, any fees that would relate to your membership, how the bills are paid and whether your fees are refundable if it doesn’t work out. Ask the buying group for a consultation to estimate your potential savings

• Review all the extra benefits and services to see what you would actually use

www.flooringone.co.uk Contact: Glenn Harding Tel: 0121 683 1426 glenn.harding@flooringone.co.uk

8

• Check out the product ranges offered including the own-label options and the UK/European mix

• Ensure you understand any rules that may limit your

• Business services • Financial services • IT and internet support • Training and workshops • Professional bodies

Some buying groups offer an excellent range of other services which may be valuable to your business.

Financial services include invoice factoring, credit, loans and insurance. Some of the more sophisticated groups offering marketing packages, software systems to help you run your business operations and customised websites ready to use. Relationships with professional and training organisations can also offer discounts.

Network with other independents

• Members-only exhibitions with preferred manufacturers

• Regular meetings • Regional workshops • Supplier presentations • Helpline

A lot of retailers enjoy the buying group environment of being independent but not alone out there on the High Street. Groups hold regular meetings and some have their own trade shows, regional meetings and workshops to help you develop your business. The network gives you someone to call when you need advice on, for example, an unusual installation, a technical consumer complaint, legal issue or business dilemma.

flexibility to run your business the way you want

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Featured buying group this month: Flooring One Grow your Profit Margins.

At Flooring One we understand the costs that go with running a business. It is your business; it is your biggest asset and our aim is to provide support and services to help you grow your SALES and PROFITS. We do not interfere in your business we support you!

Not only do you have the financial strength of a 200 strong flooring group behind you, you also have access to product and buying information, offers, marketing, rebates and genuine exclusivity. AIS/Flooring One has had a name and reputation in the flooring industry for over 30 years and is renowned for the quality of its members all over the UK. If you want to be part of the best join Flooring One.

The Flooring Show, held annually in Solihull, is a key event, offering members a valuable opportunity to meet each other, leading manufacturers, ancillary suppliers and, of course, the Flooring One team.

Maximum buying power, increased profits.

Our collective buying power means that major flooring manufacturers are attracted to do business with our members and on some of the best cost price and settlement terms available, often with annual rebates. (Our top member earnt over £70k in rebates in 2010). Our centralised payment of accounts system guarantees regular payments to suppliers and your administration is greatly reduced. Our experienced in-house team also source exclusive products and develop own label ranges to display alongside manufacturer’s brands, precluding direct price comparison and consequential profit reductions. What’s more, our merchandising team are constantly in the field supporting your business and the superb display stands available from Flooring One.

Marketing support.

It’s not easy for an independent retailer to match the sheer marketing power of a national retail network. That’s why Flooring One developed an annual Member’s Marketing manual. Containing everything from an image library, templates and headlines, to complete colour advertisements for seasonal campaigns. The manual comes with easy to follow instructions and CD’s allowing members to create their own individual yet highly professional campaigns.

If you are interested in finding out more about Flooring One and all of the other services available to members please contact GLENN HARDING Cranmore Park, Cranmore Avenue, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4LF TEL: 0121 683 1426 FAX 0121 713 4451 EMAIL glenn.harding@flooringone.co.uk www.flooringone.co.uk THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

9

Flooring factsheet Underlay In a tight market for margins, underlay for carpet and laminate flooring offers retailers one of the best opportunities to add value to every sale – with good profitability, trade-up potential once benefits are understood and high satisfaction levels with customers.

www.floorwise.co.uk

But 50% of carpet is still sold without new underlay!

Retailers should create an assumption that new underlay is always required, the only decision is which type. It’s also a good target-setter for sales staff.

Setting up in-store demonstrations so customers can walk on samples with different grades of underlay and feel the difference has shown excellent results – some manufacturers offer point-of-sale units.

www.numa-online.co.uk

Benefits

Types

Good underlay will...

• Improve underfoot comfort • Increase appearance retention, reducing flattening • Absorb the pressure of foot traffic and reduce wear • Improve thermal insulation and warmth • Increase sound insulation • Smooth out sub-floor imperfections • Last the lifetime of the carpet

Sponge rubber The market’s most popular underlay is available in flat or waffle patterns in a wide range of weights for different applications. It performs well for comfort and has a durable spring retention.

PU (polyurethane) foam PU foam is a relative newcomer to the market, typically made from recycled foam offcuts. The foam provides excellent comfort and performance levels with lots of thickness options – and its light weight helps handling.

The product can be re-cycled again after use.

Crumb rubber Flat and dense, crumb rubber is good for heavy footfall - offering maximum protection but a little less comfort (and very good over stair nosings).

Laminate underlay There’s still an opportunity to sell underlay with laminate flooring, improving the acoustic performance of the floor and helping the boards float above any imperfections in the sub-surface.

Combination A rubber crumb base with a felt top layer offers a good combination of protection, durability and comfort. It also allows carpet with seaming to bed into the top felt.

Underfloor heating underlay Always ask if there is underfloor heating. Most manufacturers offer specialised products. Underlay and carpet with a combined tog rating up to 2.5 can be used – which means the underlay would normally have a tog rating of 1.0.

Felt This traditional (but environmentally friendly) underlay is made from recycled fibres – wool, jute and synthetic – to create a firm, dense pad with excellent thermal insulation.

Still a very popular choice among contractors when stretch fitting woven carpets.

Pre-tackified underlay A self-adhesive single stick underlay in both needlefelt and PU. A removable system for heavy use when comfort is desired.

Poor or old underlay will...

• Feel hard and unwelcoming • Reduce carpet life • Cause wrinkling and premature wear spots • Cause carpet fibres to break down more quickly • Not meet British Standards How thick?

A maximum of 12mm is recommended (working with gripper will be difficult thereafter) but rooms with heavy traffic will need a thinner, denser pad. The combination of thickness and density is all important as a thick underlay with low density may not perform well.

Typically, the thicker the underlay, the better quality it will need to be – 11mm is often used for luxury installations with 9mm and 7mm the common domestic thickness.

Sponge rubber

Combination

Crumb

PU foam

www.carpenter.limited.uk

www.interfloor.com

www.interfloor.com

Specialists in pre-tacked underlays, soft fibre boards & Roberts Tools. www.estillon.co.uk

www.underlay.com

10

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Flooring factsheet Wool fibre THE BEST CARPET WOOL Wool carpets have a historic reputation for quality because as a fibre it is known to withstand pressure and have excellent appearance retention properties. The best wool for carpet production is ‘strong’ wool and this is grown on sheep breeds found in Britain and New Zealand. Most carpets will contain both British Wool and New Zealand Wool because British Wool is more bulky and resilient and offers texture and unique heathery shades to carpet, whilst New Zealand wool is softer and whiter and particularly good for plain, lighter shaded ranges. Combining the two within a blend for carpet yarn gives manufacturers the perfect qualities for carpet.

100% wool or 80/20 – 80/10/10 wool rich Wool has yet to be matched by any man-made fibre; it has superior strength and does not need other fibres to improve its performance. However manufacturers choose to use synthetic fibres within the yarn blend for a number of reasons. These include fibre flexibility, dyeing, heat setting, stain resistance, durability and cost.

These wool rich compositions offer industry standard carpets which will perform well in the home.

THE BENEFITS OF WOOL CARPET Practical Strong and Resilient – Wool carpet will provide superior performance over many years as it can offer unique resilience and long lasting durability. The natural crimp of wool offers valuable ‘bounce-back’ so that pile compression is resisted and the effects of tracking and shading are reduced – maintaining good appearance over many years.

Easy care – Wool is a natural fibre that has an inbuilt resistance to soiling due to its natural oils and its outer surface of microscopic scales and as a result additional anti-soil treatments are not necessary. Simply vacuuming the carpet will keep it looking good and whilst wool initially repels spills, prompt and complete blotting with white paper towels or an absorbent cloth is advised and will address many household spillages.

SAFE

DURABLE

Comfort Soft and warm – Wool carpet adds luxurious underfoot comfort and warmth to the home and acts as an insulator improving heat retention and energy efficiency.

Peace and Quiet – Wool carpet absorbs sound and cushions the home against echo and room to room noise transfer.

Safety Fire Retardant – Wool is naturally fire resistant, has a slow ignition rate and tests show that it is self extinguishing within seconds. It meets many safety regulations without additional treatments and is favoured in contract locations for this reason.

Fall Friendly – Carpet cushions and so provides a softer floor which protects against serious injury in falls by the very young or the elderly.

Internal Environment Indoor Environment – As a natural ‘smart’ fibre with a complex physical and chemical structure, wool helps to create a balanced atmosphere in the home. It breathes and absorbs humidity in the air, releasing it when the atmosphere becomes dry and helps improve air quality by absorbing airborne toxins in indoor air.

Anti–allergy – The minute scales on the fibre’s surface will hold fine dust until vacuumed which helps to reduce floating particulate in the atmosphere. Wool does not give off harmful emissions or promote the growth of bacteria and wool is not a food source for dust mites.

Eco/Environmental Natural and Sustainable – Grown on sheep, which graze freely, wool is both 100% natural and fully sustainable. As shearing is a necessary part of animal husbandry this means that every year there is a fresh supply of wool available for the carpet manufacturing industry.

Energy Efficient – Wool is energy efficient in the home and also in carpet production.

Biodegradable – Wool fibre is biodegradable in soil and will produce nitrogen, sulphur, carbon dioxide and water which are all plant nutrients.

Environmentally Assessed – Wool is an environmentally responsible fibre that has been measured in terms of its ecological impact. A Life Cycle Analysis study carried out by Leeds University to ISO 14040 standard for British Wool concludes that it compares favourably when measured against man-made fibres.

EASY-CARE

COMFORT

British Wool The Planet Friendly Fibre for Carpet aboutwool.com THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

11

Flooring factsheet Carpet trouble-shooter COLOUR MATCHING

SPROUTING

Carpets are produced in batches - known as creels - and usually each batch produces between 500m2 - 3000m2 in a single width, depending on the creel size. whilst the recipe used by the dyer remains constant, and is followed to the letter, in each separate production the colour reproduction will vary from batch to batch.

However production is matched back to the original or master sample to ensure that the colour remains ‘within a commercial tolerance’.

Occasionally an odd tuft or two can work its way to the surface and stand proud of the rest of the pile. This is probably due to one end of the tuft being longer than the other i.e. J shaped tuft instead of V shaped. Remedial action merely requires that the offending tufts be scissor trimmed level with the rest of the pile. They should never be pulled out.

This process if not an exact science and a commercial tolerance is subjective but nevertheless is usually the professional judgement of the head dyer based on his/her experience.

Shading occurs because the pile of the carpet has become crushed, flattened or brushed in a different direction to the natural lie of the pile whilst in situ. This causes light reflection at differing angles resulting in the creation of light and dark patches on the carpet. This will occur on all pile fabrics but can be more noticeable on plainer carpets because the shadows created by pile pressure will not be disguised by a heavy pattern or design.

A greater level of tolerance is required on blended colours (Heathers etc). To ensure perfect colour matching it is advisable that a single width be used in any installation requiring exact colour matching.

N.B. Carpets which are laid with the pile travelling in different directions, even though they be from the same batch will appear not to match.

For further information please check with the manufacturers recommendations.

SAMPLES The samples held by individual retailers may not be from the same batch as current production and therefore should be used as a guide and not an exact colour match.

SHEDDING The original carpet tile

All cut pile carpets will lose short fibre, which is created during production when spun yarn is cut for tuft formation. These fibres fall onto the surface of the pile and appear as ‘fluff’.

The effect varies with yarn type and may be removed without detrimental effect upon the carpet by vacuum cleaning. This excess fibre is only a small fraction of the total fibre contained in the carpet.

PULLED LOOPS

This information is given by responsible manufacturers to help you help your customer to make an informed choice.

12

• shedding • pulled loops

Pulled loops occur only in looped pile carpet where one or more loops in the continuous pile is pulled through the primary backing of the carpet. This is usually due to some local condition, possibly some sharp object which has caught in a loop in situ and has resulted in a pull. Pulled loops are easily dealt with by trimming the offending end level with the rest of the pile.They should not be left as this could result in further loops being pulled and developing into a ladder.

SHADING

STATIC Carpets do not produce static but like other household fabrics and objects have the capacity to store it. Static is caused by the build up of static electricity upon personnel in a dry environment and is discharged when a person makes contact with an object which can conduct electricity (i.e. door handle or filing cabinets, etc).

The static charges will vary in intensity depending upon the individual, air humidity and the contact materials. Static is more usually associated with synthetic materials as they do not retain moisture very well but it can and does occur with wool in very dry room conditions.

Preventative measures include the introduction of moisture into the room or in situ carpet treatment.

FADING ON WOOL Carpets made from wool can and do fade in use.

The degree of fade can vary depending on the colour chosen and the local conditions to which the carpet is subjected.

Fading can be caused by exposure to ultra violet light which is found in daylight, but is accelerated when sunlight shines directly onto the carpet. This has the effect of lightening or “Bleaching” the colour just as exposure to sunlight will lighten human hair. wool is after all animal hair.

Protection should be given to carpets exposed to such conditions just as you would protect other furniture or fabrics.

A complaint on fading would be considered justified if it failed to meet the required shade standard when tested to the British Standard BS1006 (1990).

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

• sprouting • shading • static • fading • pile reversal • shedding • flattening • soiling

PILE REVERSAL

FLATTENING

(SEE SHADING)

Flattening will occur as a result of traffic which eventually flattens the pile particularly in the main areas of use. All pile fabrics will flatten to greater or lesser degree dependant on the amount of traffic to which it is subjected and the construction (tuft density/pile fibre/height/weight) of the product concerned.

Like shading, this occurs when the pile or nap of the carpet changes direction and thus reflects light at different angles showing the effects of shading which can become permanent. It is also described as ‘watermarking’. This can happen to every carpet construction be it Axminster, wilton, Tufted, Hand woven, Persian, Chinese, Indian or even Coir Matting. Like shading it can be more apparent on plain carpet because heavy patterns can disguise the effects. It can occur quite quickly after installation. A tremendous amount of research has been carried out over many years by many institutes to determine the cause of this phenomenon but none of it has proved conclusive.

There is no commonly known manufacturing process which can cause or cure this phenomenon and therefore it is not a manufacturing fault. For further information please check with individual manufacturers recommendations.

INDENTATIONS when a carpet is subjected to a heavy point load, such as under the legs of furniture, it is unreasonable to expect the carpet not to indent.

Usually, the longer the load is in place, the longer will be the time for the pile to recover. In the case of very heavy loads in place for a considerable time, the recovery time can be very considerable.

It must be remembered that it is not only the pile of the carpet that becomes indented. the underlay will also indent and the backing of the carpet may also distort into the indentation in the underlay.

Some underlay’s will recover well and some less well depending upon their composition, thickness, density etc.

The use of cups below furniture legs can spread the load and the net result is a larger area of less deeply indented carpet.

The ability of a carpet to recover from a heavy static load can be measured in the laboratory, using the test method described in BS 4939 and many manufacturers will have data on this aspect of carpet performance. In this test the carpet is loaded for 24 hours and the degree of recovery is measured after 1 hour and 24 hours. Since there are so many different underlay’s however, it is very rare for the recovery from a heavy static load to be evaluated on carpet and underlay.

Often normal maintenance (vacuum cleaning with a rotating brush machine) will speed up recovery but in the case of serious indentations the use of an iron and damp cloth or a steam iron together with a blunt darning needle to carefully tease up the pile can be beneficial. Care must be take not to over wet the carpet, of course.

SOILING Soiling is usually the result of some local condition to which the carpet has been subjected to, or maintenance, or lack of maintenance programme.

There is nothing we as manufacturers can do to prevent soiling in use. There are several types of soiling which are quite common:

Spillages - Liquids such as soft drinks, cordials or

any drink which contains sugar, particularly hot drinks, is likely to leave a stain. In such instances, professional help should be sought.

Shampoo - if incorrectly applied, can leave

sticky soap residues in the fibres which can result in the soiling reappearing quite rapidly.

Dust - which is carried on draughts can soil carpets in various ways, apart from the obvious soiled edges, at gaping skirting boards for instance, dark lines appearing on surface might suggest airborne dust vacuum-drawn through poorly fitted floorboards. Sometimes the shape of floorboards can be seen quite clearly. Air borne dust sometimes shows itself as spots on the carpet, this is due to the air carried on a draught under the carpet escaping through minute holes both in the underlay and the carpet, leaving dust deposited on the pile much like a filter action. In such installations, the use of a lining paper is essential as a preventative measure.

It is the responsibility of the retailer to advise the consumer when the carpet is measured of any poorly fitting doors, skirtings, or floorboards and the consumers responsibility to ensure any remedial work to seal draughts, is carried out before the carpet is fitted, if a resulting complaint is to be avoided.

INSTALLATIONS Telephone National Institute of Carpet Fitters (NICF) for further information – 0115 958 3077.

This information is given by responsible manufacturers to help you help your customer to make an informed choice.

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

13

The Stocklists Carpet Company Directory Abingdon Flooring Adam Carpets Ltd Be Tu Tw W Ww

01562 829966

Alternative Flooring

01264 335111

Associated Weavers Tw Tu Avena Carpets Ltd Tu Ww Axwoven Carpets Ltd Ax Be Axminster Carpets Ltd Ax Be Tw

Bronte Carpets Ltd 0121 550 5788 01297 32244

Balta Industries NV Tu Tw W Ww

+32 56 62 2211

Beaulieu International Group Be Pr Tu Tw +32 56 67 66 11

Belvedere Carpets Belvedere Carpets

BIC Carpets Be Tw W Bizspoke Custom Carpets Be Tw W Blenheim Carpets Ax Be Tw W Ww BMK Bond Worth Ltd Ax Brintons Ax Tu Tw W Ww

Edel Telenzo’s Bakerloo

14

01562 828200 www.brockway.co.uk

01422 330261

+32 56783250

Betap Tufting BV Tu Tw W

Tw W sales@brockway.co.uk

020 8800 0740

Be Tu Tw W office@brontecarpets.co.uk www.brontecarpets.co.uk

01294 558400

Creative Carpets Ltd Be Tu Tw W

Brockway Carpets Ltd

01422 431100

Bajong Carpets NV Tu Tw W

Tu W sales@belvederecarpets.co.uk www.belvederecarpets.co.uk

Craigie Carpets Be

01274 655694

01282 862 736

Creatuft Carpets Tu W

0116 284 1455 +32 56 35 4444

Custom Carpet Company Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww

01737 830301

Dan-Floor UK W

01454 858014

Domo International Be Pr Tu Tw W

+32 92 41 4511

Burmatex Tu

01924 262525

Drury Lane Carpets Ltd Be Tu Tw W

01254 296829

Cavalier Carpets Ltd Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww

01254 268000

E & WE Carpets W

01562 825952

Christy Carpets Tu Clarendon Carpets Tw Classis Carpets Tu W Ww Condor Carpets BV Tu

019078 308777 01675 433066 0870 020 1725 +31 38 4778911

Edel Telenzo Carpets Ltd Tu Tw W sales@edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk www.edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk Enterprise Weaving Co Be Ww

01422 374 417

01562 745030

+31 383 861 060

Contemporary Life & Textiles +32 56 23 54 10

Be Tw sales@contemporarylife.co.uk www.contemporarylife.co.uk

01254 296829

Ww cummings@btinternet.com www.fellscarpets.co.uk

01924 488882 020 7823 3040

Cormar Carpets Ltd

0113 380 5333

Tu Tw W info@cormarcarpets.co.uk www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

01562 745000

Couristan Carpets Ax Tu W Ww

Fells Carpets

Fetcham Furnishings Ltd Tw 01204 881 234

Fletco Taepper A/S Tu W

01977 662211

020 8944 6220 +45 96 60 3000

800 223 6186

0800 505055

Mohawk’s Cherbourg Check

Brockway’s Vogue

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

If you would like to be included in this section or upgrade your listing, please contact Diane Martin on +44 (0)1482 659396 or email diane@mayvillepublishing.co.uk

Every time you see a web or email address in The Stocklists, you can click straight to it from our online edition at www.thestocklists.com

KEY TO CODES: Be: Bespoke • Pr: Printed • Tu: Tufted • Tw: Twist • W: Wool • Ww: Woven Wilton

Louis de Poortere W Lusotufo Tu

Furlong Flooring Tw W enquiries@furlongcentral.co.uk www.furlongflooring.co.uk

01772 696 787

Gaskell Wool Rich Tu Tw W

01827 831525

Gaskell Mackay Carpets Ltd Ax Tu Tw W

01429 892525

Georgian Carpets Tu Tw W

01827 831430

Godfrey Hirst (GB) Ltd Tu Halbmond Teppichwerke Be Pr Tu Heckmondwike FB ITC Be Pr Tw

0800 526696 +49 037 421 420 01924 410544 0032 51 424 411

John Lanham Watts Carpets Ax Tw Ww 01937 588511 John Evans Ltd Ax Tu Tw W Joseph Hamilton & Seaton W Kingsmead Carpets Tu Tw W

0161 368 2563 01827 831400 01827 831 424

Lano NV

Le Tissage d'Arcade Ax Ww Lecaflor Ltd Ax Be Pr Tu Tw W Ww Leigh Spinners Ltd Tw

+32 56 65 4300

0800 78 33 712 01942 673232

+32 52 499600

The Grosvenor Wilton Co W Ww

01562 701456

01827 831 434

The Sultana Carpet Co Ax

01299 822300

Mayfield Carpets Tu Tw W

01706 639 866

The Wilton Carpet Co Ax W Ww

0845 296 8850

Thomas Witter UK Ltd Tu Tw

0870 1128318

MID NL Be

+31 38 851 8700

Timzo Tufting Industry BV Tu +31 38 385 4477 Tisca Tiara Tu Ww

Mohawk Europe marinagooch@mohawkeurope.com www.mohawkinternational.com Mr Tomkinson Tw Ww

01480 479830 01480 471304

01827 831 450

+41 71 791 0111

Trendy Tuft Designs Be Tu Tw W

01274 855080

Ulster Carpets Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww

02838 334433

Ossfloor UK

01675 433031

United Carpets & Beds Tw W Ww

Penthouse Carpets Tu Tw W

01706 341231

Victoria Carpets Tu Tw W Ww

01562 749300

Phoenox Textiles Pr Tu

01484 863227

Vorwerk

08700 104484

Westex Carpets Tu

01274 861334

Pownall Carpets Tw W

Ryalux Carpets Ltd Be Tu Tw W Sans Frontieres Ltd Be Pr Tu Tw W Ww

+32 05685 4747

01388 664101

Tasibel NV Tw

Manx Carpets Tw W

Roger Vanden Berghe.NV Tu Ww Ax Pr Tu Tw W Ww marketing@lano.be www.lano.com

+32 56 393 386

Shaw Home Foundations Tu

0845 6528811 +32 56 73 57 11 0845 652 8811 0844 5611977 01675 433 501

TAT Carpet

07976 607657

Tapibel NV Pr Tu Tw

01623 481 221

Weston Hammer W Whitestone Weavers Ltd Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww Wilkies Carpets Tw Woodward Grosvenor Ax Tu Tw W Ww Wool Classics Tu Ww

01709 732 666

0845 644 9090 01429 892555 0113 307 9955 0800 526696 0207 349 1560

Woven Carpets of Kidderminster W 01299 827477 Tollgate stand

Bronte’s stand

Cormar’s Berwick

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

15

Are you a Wholesaler?

If you’re not listed here, please call Diane Martin on 01482 659396.

The Stocklists Wholesale Distribution Directory National Fells Carpets Goole 01977 662211 sales@fellscarpets.co.uk www.fellscarpets.co.uk

North East Carpet & Flooring Gateshead 0191 482 7373 gateshead@carpetandflooring.co.uk www.carpetandflooring.co.uk Fells Carpets Goole

01977 662211 sales@fellscarpets.co.uk www.fellscarpets.co.uk Floorwise (North East) Ltd Birtley - see Floorwise p18 Vanguard Carpets Redditch 0845 601 1189 customerservices.redditch@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.vanguardcarpets.co.uk Wood Floor Sales Redditch 01527 511888 help.redditch@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.woodfloorsales.com

North West A&A Carpets Manchester 01204 701188 sales@aandacarpets.co.uk www.aandacarpets.co.uk D. M. Miller Ltd Manchester 0161 205 9949 dm.miller@btconnect.com www.dmmillerltd.spaces.lives.com

Fells Carpets Goole

Midlands

East

01977 662211

Carpet & Flooring Birmingham 0121 421 9131 birmingham@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.carpetandflooring.co.uk

Beds Flooring Bedford 01234 341234 sales@bedsflooring.co.uk www.bedsflooring.co.uk

sales@fellscarpets.co.uk www.fellscarpets.co.uk Kellars Ltd Stockport 0161 443 0970 sales@kellars.co.uk Lee Floorstok Ltd Liverpool - see Floorwise p18 Lee Floorstok Ltd Manchester - see Floorwise p18 MCA Floorwise Ltd Morecambe - see Floorwise p18 Mytton Flooring Norwich - see Floorwise p18 Millbrook Carpets Darwen 01254 703999 millbrookcarpets@live.co.uk

DMS Flooring Supplies Northampton 0845 643 5601 dmsnorthampton@ dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk Floorwise D & J Ltd Southam- see Floorwise p18 J J Wholesale & Distribution Ltd Birmingham 0121 765 4994 jjwholesale@gmx.com RPS Flooring Mansfield woodhouse - see Floorwise p18

Vanguard Carpets Redditch 0845 601 1189 customerservices.redditch@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.vanguardcarpets.co.uk

STS Flooring Distributors watford

Carpet & Flooring Manchester 0161 786 6800 manchester@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.carpetandflooring.co.uk

Vanguard Carpets Redditch 0845 601 1189 customerservices.redditch@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.vanguardcarpets.co.uk

Wood Floor Sales Redditch 01527 511888 help.redditch@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.woodfloorsales.com

Wood Floor Sales Redditch 01527 511888 help.redditch@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.woodfloorsales.com

08454 342000 sales@stsflooring.co.uk www.stsflooring.com see page 30 for details

Woodall Brothers Ltd Shrewsbury - see Floorwise p18

Faithfull Floorcovering Suffolk 01473 822341 sales@faithfulls.co.uk www.faithfulls.co.uk STS Flooring Distributors Ltd Cambridge Tel: 01954 781142 sales@stsflooring.co.uk www.stsflooring.com See page 30 for details Vanguard Carpets Redditch 0845 601 1189 customerservices.redditch@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.vanguardcarpets.co.uk Wood Floor Sales Redditch 01527 511888 help.redditch@ carpetandflooring.co.uk www.woodfloorsales.com

South East Acorn Carpet Accessories Bromley, Kent - see Floorwise p18 AFS Middlesex 020 8805 8620 info@afsenfield.co.uk See page 19 for details Ashmount Flooring Supplies Ltd Tottenham 0208 808 2158 sales@ashmountflooring.co.uk www.ashmountflooring.co.uk continued overleaf....

16

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Are you a Wholesaler?

If you’re not listed here, please call Diane Martin on 01482 659396.

The Stocklists Wholesale Distribution Directory Beds Flooring Bedford 01234 341234 sales@bedsflooring.co.uk www.bedsflooring.co.uk

Faithfull Floorcovering Suffolk 01473 822341 sales@faithfulls.co.uk www.faithfulls.co.uk

Carpet & Flooring Bow 020 8525 5691 bow@carpetandflooring.co.uk www.carpetandflooring.co.uk

Kent Flooring Supplies Ltd Chatham 01634 668668 sales@kentflooring.co.uk www.kentflooring.co.uk

Carpet & Flooring Camberley 01276 672100 camberley@carpetandflooring.co.uk www.carpetandflooring.co.uk

Littner Hampton London 020 8520 8474 littnerhampton@aol.com www.littnerhamptoncarpets.co.uk

Clifford Floors Strood 01634 285900 sales@clifford.uk.com

Potts & Ward, Woodcocks Ltd Brighton 01273 557211 pwwflooring@fastnet.co.uk www.pwwflooring.co.uk

Culpeck Strood 01634 299000 sales@culpeck.uk.com Columbia Flooring Middlesex 020 8443 3322 sales@columbiaflooring.co.uk www.columbiaflooring.co.uk See page 22 for details DMS Flooring Supplies Hemel Hempstead 0845 643 5344 dmshemel@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk DMS Flooring Supplies Milton Keynes 0845 643 5320 dmslaser@dmsflooringsupplies.co.u Faithfulls Service Centre Kent 01322 285001 Faithfulls Service Centre walthamstow 0208 498 3040 sales.walthamstow@faithfulls.co.uk

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Rackhams London 020 8531 9225 sales@rackhamsltd.co.uk www.rackhamsltd.co.uk See page 28 for details

Wessex Flooring Amesbury - see Floorwise p18

C. K. Davie Ltd Aberdeen - see Floorwise p18

Wood Floor Sales Redditch 01527 511888 help.redditch@carpetandflooring.co.uk www.woodfloorsales.com

C. K. Davie Ltd Dundee - see Floorwise p18

South West Carpet & Flooring Bristol 0117 316 0555 bristol@carpetandflooring.co.uk www.carpetandflooring.co.uk Fitwell Flooring Ltd Redruth - see Floorwise p18 Fitwell Flooring Ltd Newton Abott - see Floorwise p18 Solent Wholesale Carpet west Sussex 01243 774623 sales@solentwholesale.co.uk www.solentwholesale.co.uk See page 29 for details

Salesmark Lancing, - see Floorwise p18

STS Flooring Distributors Thame (Oxford) 01844 213555 sales@stsflooring.co.uk www.stsflooring.com see page 30 for details

Solent Wholesale Carpet west Sussex 01243 774623 sales@solentwholesale.co.uk www.solentwholesale.co.uk See page 29 for details

Vanguard Carpets Redditch 0845 601 1189 customerservices.redditch@carpet andflooring.co.uk www.vanguardcarpets.co.uk

STS Flooring Distributors Orpington/Croydon 0845 434 1000 sales@stsflooring.co.uk www.stsflooring.com see page 30 for details Vanguard Carpets Redditch 0845 601 1189 customerservices.redditch@carpet andflooring.co.uk www.vanguardcarpets.co.uk

Wood Floor Sales Redditch 01527 511888 help.redditch@carpetandflooring.co.uk www.woodfloorsales.com

Scotland

Headlam Scotland North Lanarkshire 01698 831 000 sales@headlamscotland.co.uk www.headlamscotland.co.uk Neil Smith Ltd Glasgow - see Floorwise p18

Wales Carpet & Flooring Bristol 0117 316 0555 bristol@carpetandflooring.co.uk www.carpetandflooring.co.uk Roma Flooring Neath - see Floorwise p18 Vanguard Carpets Redditch 0845 601 1189 customerservices.redditch@carpet andflooring.co.uk www.vanguardcarpets.co.uk Wood Floor Sales Redditch 01527 511888 help.redditch@carpetandflooring.co.uk www.woodfloorsales.com

Ireland Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Dublin - see Floorwise p18 Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Belfast - see Floorwise p18 Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd Limerick - See Floorwise p18

Carpet & Flooring Glasgow 0141 427 8456 glasgow@carpetandflooring.co.uk www.carpetandflooring.co.uk

17

floorwise National Network of Floorwise Distributors Acorn Carpet Accessories 16 Bromley, Kent Tel: 020 8462 0422 Fax: 020 8462 0927

Neil Smith Ltd 3 Glasgow Tel: 0141 552 1141 Fax: 0141 552 0623

C. K. Davie Ltd 1 Aberdeen Tel: 01224 820077 Fax: 01224 822344

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd 4 Belfast Tel: 028 9075 3202 Fax: 028 9075 3901

C. K. Davie Ltd 2 Dundee Tel: 01382 226533 Fax: 01382 226544 Fitwell Flooring Ltd 20 Redruth, Cornwall Tel: 01209 214344 Fax: 01209 261112 Fitwell Flooring Ltd 19 Newton Abbot, Devon Tel: 01626 835935 Fax: 01626 834334 Floorwise D & J Ltd 13 Southam, Warks Tel: 01926 814922 Fax: 01926 817899 Floorwise (North East) 5 Ltd Birtley, County Durham Tel: 0191 410 7070 Fax: 0191 410 6116 Lee Floorstok Ltd 8 Liverpool Tel: 0151 708 7420 Fax: 0151 708 7241 Lee Floorstok Ltd 7 Manchester Tel: 0161 231 8080 Fax: 0161 231 8787 MCA Floorwise Ltd 6 Morecambe, Lancashire Tel: 01524 33517 Fax: 01524 381852 Mytton Flooring 14 Norwich, Norfolk Tel: 01603 624387 Fax: 01603 612888

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd 9 Dublin 10 Tel: 00353 (0)1 626 3913 Fax: 00353 (0)1 626 3960 LoCall: 1850 445 746 (ROI)

1 2 3

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd 10 Limerick Tel: 00353 (0)61 227 100 Fax: 00353 (0)61 227 000 LoCall: 1850 445 745 (ROI) Roma Flooring 15 Neath, West Glamorgan Tel: 01639 633001 Fax: 01639 646116 RPS Flooring 11 Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire Tel: 01623 624198 Fax: 01623 620931

4

7 10

8

9

11 12

Salesmark 17 Lancing, West Sussex Tel: 01903 750522 Fax: 01903 851111 Wessex Flooring 18 Amesbury, Wiltshire Tel: 01980 625888 Fax: 01980 676969 Woodall Brothers Ltd 12 Shrewsbury, Shropshire Tel: 01743 441584 Fax: 01743 441629

5

6

13

15

18 19

14

16 17

20

HEAD OFFICE Floorwise Group Limited, Floorwise House, 22 High Street, Kegworth, Derby DE74 2DA, UK. Tel: 0044 (0)1509 673974 Fax: 0044 (0)1509 674841

Award-Winning Flooring Accessories

GRIPPER

UNDERLAY

ADHESIVES & SCREEDS

PROFILES

www.floorwise.co.uk • www.carpetunderlay.net www.floorwise.co.uk • www.carpetunderlay.net www.signaturewoodfloors.com • www.siennawoodfloors.com www.signaturewoodfloors.com • www.siennawoodfloors.com 18

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

UNDERLAYS

CARPETS NATURAL/LOOPS NOMAD

50/50 Nat Loop Roll Size Full Roll EQ* Description

SAXONY DEVOTION NOBLESQUE SUMPTUOUS SENSATIONAL

30oz PP Saxony 45oz PP Saxony 55oz Saxony 58oz Saxony

80/20 WOOL TWIST NEW KILDARE BELMONT TWIST BELMONT SUPREME

50/50 30oz Twist 80/20 40oz 80/20 50oz

PP TWIST VIVA TWIST SALT N PEPPER

PP Twist PP Twist

LOOP PILE AND CORD PINCH FELT PINCH FOAM ROCKY HB ROCKY FB TITAN CORD

Needle Punch Cord Needle Punch Loop Pile Cord Loop Pile Cord Loop Pile Gel Back

CORMAR STOCKED APOLLO BERWICK 40 BERWICK 50 FOREST HILLS SUPER FOREST HILLS ELITE HOME COUNTIES HOME COUNTIES MALABAR NATURAL BERBER SUPER NATURAL BERBER ELITE NATURAL BERBER DELUXE NEW OAKLANDS NEW OAKLANDS NEW OAKLANDS PRIMO PLUS PRIMO ULTRA PRIMO TWEED PRIMO SAXONY WEST COUNTRY 50

Excellon Twist 80/10/10 40 oz Twist 80/10/10 50 oz Twist 50/40/10 32oz Twist 50/40/10 42oz Twist 42 oz Twist 50 oz Twist 100% Natural 80/10/10 35 oz Twist 80/10/10 45 oz Twist 80/10/10 55 oz Twist 80/10/10 32 oz Twist 80/10/10 42 oz Twist 80/10/10 50 oz Twist Excellon Twist Excellon Twist Excellon Twist Excellon Saxony 80/10/10 50 oz Twist

CORMAR CARPETS AVEBURY LINDISFARNE TOWN AND COUNTRY WEST COUNTRY 60

3/5 DAYS DELIVERY 100% Pure New Wool 100% Pure New Wool 80/10/10 60 oz Twist 80/10/10 60 oz Twist

BRANDED TOP END RUBBER SPONGE RANGE ELITE 11 m2 129lb Textured Rubber Underlay MAJESTIC 11 m2 135lb Waffle Rubber Underlay COLOURS RED 11 m2 135lb Waffle Rubber Underlay WILLOW GREEN 15 m2 90lb Waffle Rubber Underlay CRUSADER SUPREME 15 m2 100lb Waffle Rubber Underlay SUPREME LIGHT 11 m2 101lb Waffle Rubber Underlay UNBRANDED TREDAIRE SPONGE RUBBER AFS CLASSIC GOLD 15 m2 95 lb Rubber Underlay AFS SUPER GOLD 15 m2 80lb Rubber Underlay AFS STANDARD GOLD 15 m2 60lb Rubber Underlay GRAPHITE 15 m2 Light Weight PE WOOD FLOOR UNDERLAYS BOARDWALK (Timbermate) 15 m2 3.75mm ALL IN ONE 10 m2 3mm COMFORT SILVER 15 m2 2.5mm

23dB Moisture Barrier 20dB Self Adhesive Strip 18dB PE Foam + Foil

TREDAIRE PU UNDERLAYS ALPHA 15 m2 OMEGA 15 m2 BRIO 15 m2 ZEST 15 m2 SOFTWALK 15 m2 DREAMWALK 15 m2 CONTRACT 9 15 m2 SENSATION 15 m2

Tredaire PU Tredaire PU Tredaire PU Tredaire PU Tredaire PU Tredaire PU Contract PU Contract PU

8mm 10mm 8mm 10mm 9 mm 11 mm 9 mm 11 mm

DURALAY CONTRACT UNDERLAYS TREADMORE 11 m2 8.0mm SYSTEM 10 11 m2 10mm DURAFIT 650 15 m2 6.5mm DURAFIT 500 15 m2 5.0mm DEFENDER 15 m2 100lb HEATFLOW CARPET 15 m2 6.0mm HEATFLOW WOOD 15 m2 2.75mm TECHNICS 5 15 m2 5.0mm

Crumb Crumb single stick under 40m2 Double stick crumb Double stick crumb Flat sponge 0.80 TOG 0.75 TOG sponge carpet 0.35 TOG sponge laminate U/L Double stick sponge

FELT UNDERLAYS FELT 28 FELT 42 KENSINGTON DELUXE

Wool/jute felt 8mm Contract wool/jute felt 11mm Felt crumb rubber

15 m2 28oz 15 m2 42oz 11 m2 74oz

AFS Unit 4 Baird Road, Enfield, Middlesex EN1 1SJ Tel: 020 8805 8620 Fax: 020 8805 6840 Email: info@afsenfield.co.uk

PLUS A VAST RANGE OF ACCESSORIES AND TOOLS FOR CARPETS AND LAMINATES Contact our sales office or your area representative for prices on any of the above ranges.

We also offer a fast service on non stock items. Phone our showroom manager for prices and samples. Our latest price list is dated July 2011.

REP DETAILS: Ashley Best Nick Hart Karl Goult Zac Marsh Steve Feher

Tel: 07976 916752 Tel: 07771 967609 Tel: 07957 685428 Tel: 07828 663325 Tel: 07771 616018

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Surrey , Hampshire, South London Essex, East London North London, West London, North West London, Middlesex, Herts.

Kent, South East London Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire 19

87%

BOND WORTH

STOCKED

BOISDALE RESTAURANT

CONTRACT

CANARY WHARF LONDON

Townshend Works, Puxton Lane, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 5DF. Sales: 01562 745000 Fax: 01562 732827 New trade price list effective 1st June 2011

Berkeley Axminster 80% Wool / 20% Nylon available 3.66m & 4.57m Range comprises 8 Designs - All Stock Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

Variations Axminster 80% Wool / 20% Nylon available 3.66m Range comprises 12 Designs 2-9101 Anatolia - Early August Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

Precious Gems Axminster 80% Wool / 20% Nylon available 3.66m Range comprises 5 Designs Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

Wensleydale Axminster

The Boisdale Group specified a tartan axminster to compliment their baronial themed establishment. Set over two floors, and famed for fine Scottish food, whiskey and cigars, the establishment also provides a popular venue for live Jazz.

80% Wool / 20% Nylon available 3.66m Range comprises 8 Designs All Stock Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

Cornell & Stanford Axminster 80% Wool / 20% Nylon available 4.00m Range comprises 5 Colourways in 2 Designs Cornell 1-9301 Lawnswood - Early July Stanford 2-9300 Venetian Red - Mid August Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

Woven 11 row, 3.66 widths, 80% Wool, 20% Nylon.

Camargue Axminster 80% Wool / 20% Nylon available 3.66m Range comprises 10 Designs 2-7103 Ventura - End August 4-7049 Cavalcade - Early September 4-7056 Charlotte - Mid August 4-7100 Andorra - Mid August Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

New Afghan Axminster

NEW PRICE LIST EFFECTIVE

80% Wool / 20% Nylon available 4.00m

1ST JUNE 2011

Range comprises 5 Designs - All Stock Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order 20

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

21

The Leading Country Wide Carpet & Flooring Suppliers We can supply you with virtually any make of carpet and flooring at GUARANTEED maker’s list price.......

Delivered direct to business premises FREE OF CHARGE. For a Speedy and Efficient Service

CALL US NOW!!!

020 8443 3322 Columbia Flooring plc

Trade Show Rooms Available • Specialist advice and terms available on contract enquiries • TRAFALGAR TRADING ESTATE JEFFREYS ROAD ENFIELD MIDDLESEX EN3 7TY

22

Tel: 0208 443 3322 Fax: 0208 805 2346 Opening Times: Monday - Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm Saturday 8.30am to 12 noon THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Tel: 01422 374417 or 01422 371226 Fax: 01422 377452 Email: sales@edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk Edel Telenzo Carpets, 2- 4 Southgate, Elland, West Yorkshire, HX5 0BW.

SMOOTH OPERATORS!

OUR SALES TEAM Greater London as far as N. Circular on north side of Thames and as far as M25 on south side, Surrey, Middlesex, Sussex, Kent John A Constable T: 01622 685397 M: 07836 734322 E: john@jcagencies.co.uk

Our new computer system has now been up and running for over three months now and so far, things are going well – we’ve all got used to the new format invoices and we are finding it much easier and quicker to keep track of stock and its movements.

Yorkshire & North Lincs John Alsop T: 01904 762471 M: 07860 572220 E: alsopagencies@yahoo.co.uk Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset Brendan Hart M: 07850 130221 E: a.b.hart@btinternet.com

Many of our customers will also have noticed that, over the past year or so, our carpets are now being delivered by Alliance Flooring Distribution. Our consignments are still brought over from Holland by Verhoek Transport (a neighbour of ours over in Genemuiden) – which is still making big drops direct but delivering the rest into Alliance’s Kidderminster depot.

The new arrangement is working very well – Alliance is a specialist at what it does, just as we pride ourselves to be. It means we can offer, in most cases, nationwide delivery within seven working days from order – and no more big artics struggling to access your premises!

What makes a good carpet choice?

• Experience counts. There are a lot of new entrants to the tufted market. We’ve done nothing but for over 40 years.

We’re specialists at what we do and we know all the pitfalls (and how to avoid them).

• Family matters. There is a difference between a privately run business where the management has a passion for the product - and a big corporate where profit is the main motivation for the business.

• See (and feel) the quality. Just take a closer look at our yarns.

We make sure we only use the best - they’re exceptionally clean, not fluffy, furry or rubbed; and it shows. Extruding our own synthetic yarns gives us ultimate quality control there too - and it shows.

Finally... it’s time for Harrogate!

We’ve been busy all summer getting ready for the biggest event on our UK calendar. A warm welcome awaits you on our larger than ever, new look stand at Harrogate (Hall C - stand C25), where the team will be eager to show you what’s in the pipeline in terms of new colours and qualities in wool, wool mix and synthetics. Times may be tough but that’s all the more reason to come along and be inspired!

• Think ahead. We not only work hard to make very good carpets - but we protect the vast majority of them with Scotchgard to ensure the best possible lifespan in use, too.

It works! Look no further than our oldest quality, Nature Wool,

Nature Wool

now in its 15th year, it’s experiencing a real resurgence in sales because it ticks all the boxes: it’s a tried and trusted quality and (thanks to a recent minor makeover of colour options) fully in tune with modern decorating tastes.

YOU’VE GOT MAIL! Or you will have - if we can have your email address.Yes - that’s right - we’re still working on getting hold of your email addresses so we can keep you in the loop more efficiently! All you have to do to get on the list is to email jwatson@edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk and ask her to add you to the list!

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Burford Bridge

Lincs, Leics, Northants, Notts, Derbyshire Jim Osborne M: 07738 642934 E: jim.osborne@sky.com Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire Niall Martin M: 07866 735772 E: niallmartin@msn.com South Wales, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire Andrew Jefferies M: 07831 457102 E: adj.agencies@btinternet.com Lancashire, Cumbria & Isle of Man John Rostron M: 07973 733208 E: johnrostron@aol.com East Anglia, Bedfordshire, Cambs, Essex, Herts, Norfolk, Suffolk Jonathan Hart T: 01621 817992 M: 07889 264466 E: jonathanhart66@hotmail.co.uk West Midlands, South Wales (Wholesalers) Paul Brewer T: 0121 4277117 M: 07798 745181 E: paulbrewer1@hotmail.co.uk Greater Manchester, Cheshire, North Wales Philip Hambleton T: 01925 740050 M: 07966 397676 E: carpetphil@aol.com North East Rebecca Gibbons M: 07970 491215 E: rebann2@btinternet.com Scotland Tim Tindal T: 01436 671421 M: 07836 705620 E: ttcarpetagencies@aol.com Channel Islands, Isle of Wight John Eastlake T: 01323 896141 M: 07885 398858 E: john_eastlake@hotmail.co.uk Northern Ireland Gary O’Boyle M: 07831 220675 E: goboyle@ntlworld.com

YOUR HEAD OFFICE TEAM CONTACTS Operations Manager: Lesley Inman M: 07703 337989 E: l.inman@edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk

23

We all try harder. We k Scotland

GEORGE WISELY M: 07967 148665 SCOTTISH SALES DIRECTOR george.wisely@furlongflooring.co.uk

COLIN RICHFORD M: 07970 163372 WEST SCOTLAND colin.richford@furlongflooring.co.uk

ALAN CAIRNIE M: 07976 311434 EAST SCOTLAND alan.cairnie@furlongflooring.co.uk

North West

GEOFF ABERNETHY M: 07970 229717 CUMBRIA, CHESHIRE & FYLDE COAST geoff.abernethy@furlongflooring.co.uk

ALAN CHEETHAM M: 07966 263571 GREATER MANCHESTER alan.cheetham@furlongflooring.co.uk

BOB CHRISTIE M: 07980 786264 MERSEYSIDE, WIRRAL & N. WALES bob.christie@furlongflooring.co.uk

Wales & South West

BEN THOMAS M: 07794 048809 MID & WEST WALES bthomas@furlongflooring.com

JASON BRIMBLE M: 07794 041266 AVON & GLOUCESTERSHIRE jbrimble@furlongflooring.com

TIM BAILEY M: 07794 048414 S.E. WALES & HEREFORDSHIRE tbailey@furlongflooring.com

STEWART WAITHMAN M: 07794 048413 DEVON & CORNWALL swaithman@furlongflooring.com

Wood Floor Specialist

JOHN POWERS M: 07792 477312 SALES MANAGER BEDS, BERKS, BUCKS, HAMPSHIRE, MIDDLESEX, NORTHANTS, OXON, W&S LONDON, SURREY, DORSET johnpowers@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

RICHARD RICHMAN M: 07791 891044 AREA SALES MANAGER NORFOLK, SUFFOLK, CAMBS, N&E LONDON, ESSEX, KENT, SUSSEX & HERTS richardrichman@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

The Regency range of stain-resistant carpets ticks all the boxes:

24

quality choice availability service price THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

know you have a choice!

CAREFREE Carpets are distributed by

Yorkshire & North East

DES BEST M: 07968 828516 NORTH EAST/EAST COAST des.best@furlongflooring.co.uk

RAY ANDREW M: 07973 719801 EAST LANCS/W.YORKS ray.andrew@furlongflooring.co.uk

REG SYKES M: 07973 403450 SOUTH YORKSHIRE reg.sykes@furlongflooring.co.uk

Midlands

CHRIS ALLCOCK M: 07872 964685 NOTTS, DERBYSHIRE & LINCS chris.allcock@furlongflooring.co.uk

MIKE SHUTT M: 07970 158594 BIRMINGHAM/ STAFFORDSHIRE, SHROPSHIRE mike.shutt@furlongflooring.co.uk

MARTYN REA M: 07968 324598 LEICESTER/WARWICKSHIRE martyn.rea@furlongflooring.co.uk

London

JOHN AKIEN M: 07791 891024 S.W LONDON, SURREY (INS. M25) johnakien@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

IAN COLLACOTT M: 07816 217550 MIDDLESEX, W. LONDON, BERKSHIRE iancollacott@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

DARREN SPENDIFF M: 07791 890861 KENT darrenspendiff@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

RAYMOND SMITH M: 07816 217565 ESSEX raymondsmith@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

DAREN STEDMAN M: 07816 217548 N, N W & E LONDON, HERTFORDSHIRE darenstedman@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

South East

PAUL LOVELL M: 07816 217549 NORFOLK, SUFFOLK & CAMBS paullovell@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

IAN ROBERTSON M: 07816 217563 E & WEST SUSSEX ianrobertson@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

TONY CONWAY M: 07791 891025 BEDS, NORTHANTS, OXON & BUCKS tonyconway@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

Seeing is believing

Central contacts

Customers can buy with confidence when they see the Carefree cleanability in action with the new video units for your existing Regency POS systems. See our range selection in next month’s issue...

London Sales tel: 01322 628707 fax: 01322 698733

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Preston Sales tel: 01772 696787 fax: 01772 311921

PETER FLETCHER M: 07816 217561 HAMPSHIRE, DORSET & SURREY (OUTSIDE M25) peterfletcher@furlongflooringltd.co.uk

Newport Sales tel: 01633 283959 fax: 01633 275454

Email: enquiries@furlongflooring.co.uk

www.regencycarefree.co.uk 25

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

27

“I’VE BEEN STRIPED UP!!! Rackhams have launched so many striking striped ranges, everyone is looking at them, and taking no notice of me! It’s the Ram that counts I say! But no one is listening!”

GRAPHICS / CONTRACT GELS

Arena Endurance Sapphire Scala Senator Sentinel

NATURAL EFFECT

Agadir Ancona Autumn Sunset Country Treasure 4&5M Challenger Berber Craftwork Berber 4&5M Delft 4&5M Gold Fields Hopscotch Ivory Coast London Life 4&5M Marrakesh Natures Writing Promenade Rustic Treasure San Salvador 4&5M Shetland/Shetland Design 4&5M Town & Country Tweed Woolweave 4&5M

SAXONY / SHAG PILE

Chamonix Cleopatra Eminence Half Century New Century Nobility Splendour Supreme Elegance Tennessee

CORD, NEEDLEPUNCH & ENTRANCE MATTING Bedford Gel Bolero Explorer Hippo Mat Gala Magnum Mat Magnus Mat Scorpio Supacord

TWISTS - STAIN RESIST

VINYL / SMOOTH FLOORING

Balmoral Chislehurst Clyde Desert Twist Deluxe 4&5m Dublin Twist 2011 Easy Heathers Fairfield Supreme 4&5M Heathertwist Supreme 4&5m Helmsley Moorland Twist Mystery Twist Pembridge Twist Portman Rhapsody Salt ‘n’ Pepa Startwist / Startwist Supreme 4&5M

Blackjack Casino Royale Chequers Eclipse Medley Mojo Puregrip XL Suregrip XL Thunderball

TWISTS - WOOL Discovery 4&5M Eden Twist 30/40/50 4&5M Iconic Twist 40/50 4&5M Paramount 30/40 4&5M Rosemount Twist 4&5M Super Sixty 4&5M The Berber Twist Collection 40/50 4&5M Ultimate Textures 4&5M Ultimate Berber Twist 4&5M Ultimate Twist 40/50 4&5M Ultimate Luxury 4&5M

VELOUR / VELVET Designers Dream Urban Life

WILTON The Arabica & Ceylon Wilton Collection 4&5M Parallel Lines Renaissance Ultimate Wilton Oakland

CARPET TILES Bedford Cord Capital Plus Magnesium Neutron Positron Proton Quark

Call now to receive a copy of our latest Summer special price guide!

We also stock Ball & Young Underlays, Accessories, Entrance Matting and offer a Special Order Service on products from virtually every flooring manufacturer in existence! 48 hour Delivery Service on all Balterio Laminate Ranges.

Stop preSS – GoLDFIeLDS HItS tHe StreetS! – Stop preSS WItHoUt VIoLeNCe BUt WItH IMpACt! the Colours, the Finish, the Sheer Value! – It’s Simply Unbelievable!

Area Sales Executives Ian Pullinger London N, EC & E postals, Essex & Middx (within M25) 07881-502506 Simon Brenner London SE & SW postals, Kent, Surrey & Sussex 07881-502507

28

Mark Euesden London W & NW postals, South Middx, Western Surrey, Berks & Bucks 07875-714269 James White Herts, Beds, Essex (west of M11) & North West Middx 07881-502508

Paul Henson Essex (Outside M25), Cambs & Suffolk 07837-295379 Antony Stapleton Sales Director 07881-502505/020-8498-2845

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Solent Wholesale Carpet Company Ltd CARPET, FLOORCOVERING & ACCESSORY WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS Telephone: 01243 774623 Fax: 01243 533636 E-mail: sales@solentwholesale.co.uk Website: www.solentwholesale.com Zola Park, Barnfield Drive, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6UX.

CHECK STOCK, PLACE ORDERS AND MANAGE YOUR ACCOUNT 24/7 ALL THROUGH OUR WEBSITE Oxford, Berks, Bucks, Beds, Hants, Middlesex & Herts . . . . Ian Cardrick, i.cardrick@solentwholesale.co.uk, Sussex E & W, Surrey, South London & Kent. . . . . . . . . . . . John Robson, j.robson@solentwholesale.co.uk, Hants, Wilts, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucs, & I.O.W.. . . . . . . . . . . Adam Ayling, a.ayling@solentwholesale.co.uk, Accessary Sales and IT Specialist (All Areas). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luke Crooks, luke@solentwholesale.co.uk, VICTORIA Berber Stripe Castillion Celtic Heathers Crown Twist Duchess Elite EasiCare - Full Collection Gaelic Heathers Imperial Velvet Kelso Natural Accents Natural Companions (Sisal, Chenille, Ridge) Regal Twist Rustic Jewels Tudor Twist Coll Tudor Manor LANO Bolero - new colours Campus X-treme Chiselhurst Heathertwist Coll Pembridge Twist - New Colours Scala Scala Tonals Sentinel Startwist Coll Twilight Coll Wilton Naturals BALTA Berga Colorado Springs Desert Twist Deluxe Diva Fiesta Fusion Happy Days High Flyers Gala Cord-all options in stock Moorland Twist Nobility Rosemount Shetland Shepherd Twist Stainsafe Favourite Super Wiltax Techno Twisty LUSOTUFO Celtic Horizon Mandaly Tangier Titan Diagonal Unique

CORMAR Apollo Berwick 40/50 Buchanan Home Counties 42/50 Malabar Oaklands 32 Oaklands 42 Oaklands 50 Primo Plus - New Colours West Country BROCKWAY Amore Stripe Collection Avanti Cavendish Craftsman Elite Cresta 40/Cresta 50 Montrose Orion/Orion Major Radnor 30/Radnor 40 DOMO Absolute Luxury Auvergne Cabaret Festival Twist Heather Twist Mountain Peaks Legacy Playground Portofino Scorpio ITC Belgravia Concerto Consul Heritage Collection Kreta Palace Ultimate Oak QUICKSTEP Solent Wholesale now a Quickstep stockist.

5 day delivery service on all ranges, very keen prices.

TAPIBEL Cachet Melody Nevada Reeds Sysoltex Homested/Aran/Crofter Toscana

mobile: 07973 406329 mobile: 07973 898453 mobile: 07973 406799 mobile: 07966 664379

BEAULIEU carpets Adventure Twist Athena Dublin Durham Twist Explorer Endurance Fashion/Gallery Grass Collection Heavy Tread Mars Motor Car Pronto Selections Sweet Homes Yucatan vinyls Arte Del Ceramic Celtic Stone - New Colours Chess Comfort Grip Jazz Sherwood Oak Studio Sonata Texalino Supreme Urban laminates Essentials (previously Casa) Cottage IVC Comfylux Extra Expressions Fantasy Fusion Master Grip Planet Precious Metals Presto Ultimate Oak Victoria MOHAWK CARPETS Century Collection - Century - Half Century Presidential Collection - Independence - Liberty - Freedom (4&5M) - Splendor MISCELLANEOUS BAJONG Sahara CAVALIER Country Collection Hamlet Parish and Village LEIGH SPINNERS Atlas Velour THOMAS WITTER Innovations C&H Homestyle LVT - planks and tiles PARAGON Toccarre Carpet Tiles

We carry other products not listed above, and can also provide a swift special order service on non stock lines. Our reps and sales office would be pleased to answer all enquiries. Our last Price List is dated September/October 2011.

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

29

DID YOU KNOW? STS Flooring Distributors Ltd stock a large range of carpets and carpet tiles via our 5 depots ORPINGTON • CROYDON • WATFORD • CAMBRIDGE • OXFORD (THAME) 08454 341000 08454 342000 01954 781142 01844 213555

NEXT DAY DELIVERY STS GOLDLINE STOCK CARPETS Abbey Twist 30/40 Aston Twist Bernwood Twist Bernwood Supreme Bernwood Heather Supreme Blenheim Twist 40 Blenheim Twist 50 Cherwell Cord Chislehurst Fairfield Supreme Gladiator Supreme Harrier Felt Harrier Gel Heathdale Magnum Gel Medicare Multicare Classic New Valley Twist Orinoco Opus Twist Ravensbury Twist 32/40/50 Scala Supersava Elite BALTA STOCK CARPETS New Shepherd Twist Gala Cord EDEL TELENZO Fleur Hercules Orinoco Puma

PRICE LIST DATE JULY 2011 LANO STOCK CARPETS Bolero Chislehurst Fairfield Supreme Heather Twist Supreme Pembridge Twist Sapphire Scala Startwist Startwist Supreme CORMAR STOCK CARPETS Apollo Berwick 40/50 Malabar Textures Natural Berber Twist New Oaklands 32/42/50 Primo Plus Primo Tweeds Primo Ultra Town & Country Forest Hills BEAULIEU INTERNATIONAL Bellini Dublin Elite Ranger FIBRE BONDED Supacord Ecocord

CARPET STOCK TILES Ascot Beckenham Cheltenham Clipper II Croydon Croydon Stripe Heuga 727 Keston Latour Saturn Selsdon STOCK UNDERLAYS Goldtred Collection Cirrus Cumulus Nimbus Silver Lining Cloud Nine Contract Cloud Nine Super Contract Durafit 500 Durafit 650 Cosi 8mm & 10mm Heatflow Collection Roma Blue Heaven Willow Green Tredaire Elite Treadmore

STS Area Managers Regional Manager Rachel Sherwood 07801 762724 Area Manager Dave Lowman 07500 847758 Area Manager - Retail Phaedra Duncan 07738 329714 North/East London, Berkshire, Beds, Bucks, Herts, Middlesex, Northants, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire

30

Steve Osman 07919 128401 Essex, Cambs, Suffolk, Norfolk

Paul Jones 07801 762719 Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bristol & Birmingham

Paul Jeffery 07717 218024 South/East London, Kent, E Sussex

Sales Area Managers Dana Baldock 07801 762725 South/East London, Kent, E Sussex, Part Essex

Mirka Mihulcova 07500 847566 South/West London, W Sussex, Berks, Hants, Surrey

Vicky Langley 07962 646847 Surrey, W Sussex, Hants, Berks, South/West London

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Weston Hammer UK 16/17 Byford Court Hadleigh IP7 6RD Tel: +44 (0)845 644 9090 Fax:+44 (0)845 644 9191 info@westonhammer.com www.weston-carpets.co.uk

We are pleased to announce the arrival of our latest display stand showing all our collection on one compact unit.

If you are interested in having one of our free stands please contact our Sales Office or your local Sales Agent.

Jacs Designer tonal loop pile in 100% Wool available in 4m and 5m widths.

Natural Lines Super luxurious 100% Wool loop pile available in 4m and 5m widths.

Tunis A heavy domestic berber loop pile in 100% Wool available in 4m and 5m widths.

Queen Tweed A fine heavy domestic berber loop pile in 100% Wool available in 4m and 5m widths.

Denver A stylish heavy domestic tonal loop pile in 100% Wool, available in 4m and 5m widths.

Oklahoma A heavy domestic berber loop pile in 100% Wool available in 4m and 5m widths.

Supreme Stripe A heavy domestic tonal stripe in 100% Wool loop pile.

Supreme Boucle Our best selling level loop 100% Wool product available in 12 up to the minute colours in both 4m and 5m widths.

Imperial Boucle A heavy domestic loop pile in 100% Wool available in 4m and 5m widths.

Las Vegas A chunky luxurious loop pile in 100% Wool available in 4m and 5m widths.

Royal Velour A luxurious velour in 80% Wool/20% Nylon in 5m wide.

Sisal Boucle and Sisal Berber Natural fibre textured loop pile ranges in two styles.

The Stone Fibre Collection Our unique flat woven quality in many fashion styles and colours available in 4m and 5m widths.

Orlando A chunky loop quality with a thick latex backing for a luxurious feel.

Bespoke Design carpet from Hammer Carpets You may not have heard of them but Hammer Carpets in Denmark are the worlds largest manufacturer of Colortec bespoke design carpets in the world.

Colortec is a state of the art tufting machine that uses computer controlled technology to manufacture any design in a maximum of 8 colours.

This tried and tested manufacturing method is up to 10 times faster than Axminster and exactly replicates the appearance, unlike a printed design carpet.

If you would like more details of this type of carpet and to find out how competitive and easy to use it can be then please call your Sales Agent or our Sales office who will be happy to help.

OUR UK SALES TEAM Mr Ron Fewery Tel: 07976 244892 London, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire.

Mr Steve Acton Tel: 07957 836207 Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Dorset.

Mrs Jac Hayman Tel: 07815 785801 Contract Sales East Anglia.

Mr Gary Foster Tel: 07515 283872 East Anglia, Northamptonshire.

THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

Mr John Hinchliffe Tel: 07774 990359 North Wales, Cumbria, Manchester, Liverpool.

Mr Derek Boyd Tel: 07940 320708 Scotland.

Mr Lee Palmer Tel: 07774 101640 Channel Islands.

Mr Jonathan Gorman Tel: 07815 121660 Northern Ireland.

Mr Mark Garbett Tel: 07840 664757 Bristol & the West Country.

Mr Steve Fletcher Tel: 07831 818989 Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Tyneside.

Mr Keith Stevens Tel: 07710 160166 Midlands & South Wales.

Please visit our website at www.weston-carpets.co.uk for online cutting requests and more information on our products, or telephone 0845 644 9090 (local rate) to speak to one of our telephone sales team

31

It’s all happening at Harrogate The stage is now set for an exciting event in Harrogate with a full range of events to make your visit valuable and enjoyable.

In addition to the array of highly diverse exhibitors - many of whom are planning major new launches at the show - the seminars and demonstrations will add to the occasion.

• Over 135 exhibitors already on board • A proven networking venue • Free entry for all trade visitors • Quality hotels at affordable prices • Daily seminars and demos Everything for the flooring industry under one roof: Carpets, Rugs, Vinyl, Wood, Laminate, Tools and Accessories.

1000’s of products on display, with many new launches.

Free demonstrations each day and free seminars on Monday.

Café culture, fine cuisine, glorious gardens, fabulous shopping and great heritage. All in the unique spa town of Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

Ripon

Make sure you don’t miss it and stay ahead of your competition. oad

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Royal Royal Hall Hall

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GO to the SHOW September 4 - 6 32 September 2011

B

Who’s who at the show 3M B39 Abingdon Flooring A16 Adore B31 Anbo International B26 Ardex B38 Ars Colors M26 Asiatic M16 Associated Weavers A12 ACG Group C31 ARS Colours M26 Avenue M25 Ball & Young M20 Beauflor C7 Bennot Ltd B17 Betap Holiday Inn BMK M12 Brink & Campman Bv C5 Bronte Carpets A26 CFA B9 CFR M22 Carpenter C17 Carpet & Flooring C13/19 Carpet Recycling C34a Cavalio B20 Central Flooring A6 Chesterton Marketing B30 Clarendon Carpets C35 Coba Europe B3 Complete Stairmaker B7 Computers For Flooring A28 Condor St George Contract Flooring Journal B9 Cormar A17 Createx M23 Crown Floors M4 David Clouting B18a Demart A11 Dikatex M28 Distinctive Floors A4 DSI B35 Ecovise C6 Edel Telenzo C25 Elliott Antislip C28 Estillon B21 Exakt Tools B10 F Ball & Co B1 Fells Carpets A15 Fita Demo Area Flooring Magazine B31a Floors China B32a Floortrain B5 Furlong Flooring C1 F&X Carpet M3 Gaskell Wool Rich A22 Georgian Carpets C9/C10 Gooch Orientals St George H & V Carpet M18 Hadfields A20 Haldon Thomson A21a Handmade Carpets A14 HBS Floor Trade A21 Hugh Mackay C14 Interiors Monthly C29 IVC M25 J2 Flooring B33 Janser B36 Juta C34 Karndean B28/29 Kersaint Cobb Ltd A13

Kingsmead Carpets C12 Kirk Marketing B13 KJC Carpets A8 Lalegno C33a Lano M19 Laser Measure M24 Leica B30 Lifestyle Floors C11 Manx Carpets C15 Mapei B27 Mastercraft Rugs C3 Masterpiece Systems C24 Mayfield Carpets C23 Melrose Textiles C20 Mercado M13 Merryfield Engineering M6 Mohawk M15 Morleys M21 Mr Tomkinson A23 New Floors B32 NICF Demo Area Novostrat Ltd B4 ORC C32 Oriental Weavers M10 Penthouse Carpets C22/23 Phil Brough A27 Plantation Rugs M9 Primatech B14 Rama Carpets Ltd C21 Regency Carpets C1 Rhys Davies M5 Roberts B21 Rubio Monocoat B19 Saif Carpets M11 Serdim Rugs M14 Shaanixi Aoke Wood B8 Sika B6 Smart Grass B32 Spotnails B40 Stairrods (Uk) Ltd B22 Stanley Bostitch B16 Stauf Adhesives B19 Stroolmount M7 Super Click A4 Tapibel M17(R) Tat Carpets M1/2 TAOFS B21 Technix Rubber B41/42 The Flooring Guild M6a The Stocklists A3 Tomorrows Flooring C33 Tramex B37 Tremco B23 Triple King C18 Ultimate Rugs A1/2 Unifloor B11 Universal Mouldings B25(R) V4 Woodflooring C26 Vanhoutte Immofloor A24 Vebe St George Vorwerk M3a Wagner B18 West Riding Felts M8 Whitestone Weavers C14 Wilkies Carpets M27 WLD A10 Woolsafe A19 Yorkshire Flooring B34 YTD B5a

FlooringNews

FlooringNews

5 September 2011

& HARROGATE PREVIEW

from The Stocklists

September 2011 33

Show preview Fit for the White House Featuring the innovative SmartStrand fibre, the Presidential Collection from Mohawk provides a Lifetime Stain, Soil and Pet Warranty across a range of beautiful cut pile textures that are perfect for consumers looking for luxurious worry-free carpet for their home.

With the durability of nylon, the stain performance of polypropylene and a feel tangibly softer than wool, each carpet within The Presidential Collection answers the demands placed upon everyday carpet. Yet with the adventurous long and chunky pile of Splendour to the refined finely cropped cut pile of Independence, Freedom and Liberty, The Presidential Collection is as much about style as it is about usability.

Each style within The Presidential Collection is suitable for use virtually anywhere in the home. Whether acting as a luxurious antidote to stressful days in the master bedroom or as a warming welcome in living spaces and hallways, SmartStrand carpets inspire consumer confidence at every opportunity.

“On first glance The Presidential Collection looks like any other cut pile carpet range, but thanks to SmartStrand carpet fibre, the range delivers powerful performance, miraculous maintenance and sublime style in one making it a natural destination for retailers and homeowners alike,” says Howard Lindsay, vice president UK, Ireland and South Africa. “Featuring on the SmartStrand tombola display with its innovative AV presentation, The Presidential Collection is part of a revolution in carpet for the home and with the great environmental story of 37% rapidly renewable content of SmartStrand, the range will be hard to resist.”

T 01480 479830 www. mohawkinternational.com Hall M - Stand 15

You can do magic Carpenter has launched new entry level underlay product Magic.

This new no-frills unbranded line allows stockists to market the underlay as their own and, with it being British made, reduces delivery time and costs.

Suitable for general domestic, Magic is a polyurethane underlay with plain black laminate on both sides and is a 9mm 85kg/m3 density product.

Helen Rowberry, national sales manager (pictured right with a sample) said: “Magic represents terrific value-for-money as a budget line that comes with all the benefits of a Carpenter product.”

Like all PU underlay, Magic, is lightweight making it much easier than rubber to carry a growing appeal with fitters. It offers good heat insulation properties, is highly resilient, flame retardant and is suitable for stretch fit applications.

Said Helen: “This product will allow those stockists looking for a low entry product to brand it under their own name if required, with the knowledge that it comes from an established British manufacturer. And with businesses constantly looking for ‘greener’ solutions, Carpenter underlay is made from recycled material and is fully recyclable at the end of its life.”

T 01457 861141 www.carpenter.ltd.uk Hall C - Stand 17

34 September 2011

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 35

36 September 2011

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 37

News Show preview Harrogate’s hottest date!

One of Harrogate’s hottest topics is set to be the launch of a flagship product from Regency Carpets - the new Carefree Elégance - a combination of lavish indulgence and engineered excellence.

Regency aims to take affordable luxury to a new level with a natural look de-lustred synthetic 2-ply yarn which offers a rich and opulent pile - but backed by the Carefree 10 year wear and stain warranty and completley bleach cleanable.

The new product will be launched in 30 fashionable lightfast colours across 4 and 5m widths.

“This product re-defines the affordable luxury market,” says Neil Valentine of Carefree distributor Furlong. “There is nothing quite like this in the market and we just want people to come to Harrogate and see for themselves just how good it can get!”

Neil also expects the new point-of-sale system for Elégance to set the show alight literally. A new state-of-the-art illuminated waterfall lectern has been created especially for the product to establish a distinctive presence in retail showrooms.

T 01772 696787 www.carefreeElegance.co.uk

Hall C - Stand 1

The great gadget giveaway

Regency’s new Elégance is launched with dramatic, stylish imagery

Calling all flooring contractors! Buy Mapei’s Ultrabond Eco adhesives to receive the latest gadgets including a 46” 3D TV, 55” TV, iPad2, Sony PS3, Xbox 360 and more!

To celebrate the successful first year launch of Ultrabond Eco adhesives, Mapei are giving away, to you, the installer the latest gadgets upon purchase of 15kg Ultrabond Eco products.

The Ultrabond Eco adhesives range is solvent-free, low VOC and carry the GEV-Emicode EC1 logo to provide a totally sustainable solution. Whether installing carpet tiles, carpet, PVC, vinyl, rubber, cork or linoleum on to any substrate, there is a product from within the range that will fulfil the requirement without any compromise to the high quality performance, as anticipated with all Mapei products.

This incredible offer is being launched at the Harrogate Floor Show, 4th September 2011 where Mapei is exhibiting in Hall B Stand B27. The promotion runs from 1st September to November 30th 2011 - so be sure to stock up!

To claim your gadget simply save your proof of purchase (invoice or receipts) and send them in to Mapei along with a completed claim form (available either in-store or direct from Mapei) to indicate which reward you wish to receive. Ensure that you have claimed by the 5th December to receive your early Christmas present from Mapei.

T 0121 508 6970

www.mapei.co.uk Hall B - Stand 27

Condor can do Condor Carpets is one of Holland`s premier manufacturers and over the past 17 years has dveloped carpet products for the widest range of applications, produced on state-of-the-art technology at the company’s three locations.

GO to the SHOW September 4 - 6 38 September 2011

The company will be presenting at the Harrogate show in the Dales Suite of the St George’s Hotel to feature its superb collection of wool and polypropylene twists, naturals, berbers, solution dyed, polyamide carpets and artificial grass.

Sister company Vebe is a market leader in mats and will present their collection of needle punch, barrier matting and artificial grass.

T 0031 38 477 8911 www.condorcarpets.eu St George’s Hotel, Harrogate.

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 39

Show preview

GO to the SHOW September 4-6

Pick and mix wool Hot on the heels of the Forest Hills Super and Elite wool twist collections, Cormar Carpets launches a well timed and priced 50% wool mix offer, Glendale, aimed at consumers aspiring to the benefits of a wool product – but on a budget.

Available in 12 popular natural flecked shades, Glendale adds to Cormar’s comprehensive portfolio of wool carpets, providing more choice of shades and finishes at attractive price points for cuts and rolls.

Underpinning the success of Cormar’s wool collections, Glendale is a 50% berber wool twist range retailing at around £22 per sq m, offering value-for-money. It comes in 4m and 5m widths and a rugged 40oz pile weight.

Said David Cormack of Cormar Carpets: “It’s a tough economic time for retailers and we wanted to support them by introducing a real value product that they can sell with confidence. Wool carpets have always been a popular choice due to their hardwearing qualities but are becoming increasingly expensive. Glendale accommodates many customers’ price aspirations and still looks and feels every inch as good as an 80/20 wool carpet.”

All Cormar’s loop pile, wool twist and easy clean ranges are made in the UK at its Lancashire mills and are available from all good high street retailers.

T 01204 881234 www.cormarcarpets.co.uk Hall A - Stand 17

F&X Carpets from China are delighted to be exhibiting for the first time in Hall M Stand number M3 at Harrogate, where they will be showing their Wool, Axminster and new PP collections.

Also featuring will be the new 100% recycled Polyester product ‘Soft Touch’ made from recycled bottles from their own recycling plants in Europe.

For further information, please contact their UK and Ireland agent Gordon Hugo Mob 07976 607657 or email gordonvhugo@googlemail.com 40 September 2011

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 41

Show preview Ready, set, go F. Ball and Co. Ltd. launches its truly innovative rapid drying smoothing underlayment at the Harrogate Flooring Show 2011.

With a genuine working time of 10 – 15 minutes, Stopgap Fast-Track 30 has an early walk on time of just 30 minutes and allows textile and resilient floorcoverings to be installed over absorbent subfloors after only 45 minutes.

Using the latest binder technology, Stopgap Fast-Track 30 Rapid Set, Rapid Dry Smoothing Underlayment has an increased working time compared to other fast-track solutions on the market, making it more user friendly. Combined with its excellent self-levelling and self-smoothing properties, the smoothing underlayment enables flooring contractors to successfully complete flooring installations quicker than ever before while retaining the high performance standards expected from F. Ball’s products.

Ideal for fast-track projects, Stopgap Fast-Track 30 combines both rapid setting and rapid drying characteristics and is suitable for use in biologically sensitive areas. The lightweight smoothing underlayment is supplied in 16kg units and at a 2mm thickness will cover 5.6m2.

Exclusive to F. Ball Loyalty Card Scheme Members, F. Ball is offering 10% cash back on purchases of Stopgap Fast-Track 30 for a limited period from 1 September to 31 December 2011. This cash back offer is additional to the existing 2.5% cash back on all F. Ball products – giving a total of 12.5% cash back on Stopgap Fast-Track 30. What’s more, for all Loyalty Card Members attending the Harrogate flooring show on Sunday 4th September, F. Ball is giving away 60 free Sunday lunches. Vouchers can be collected from the F. Ball stand before 1pm on Sunday.

T 01538 361 633 www.f-ball.co.uk Hall B - Stand B1

Not wool as we know it Kingsmead will feature the national launch of a brand new carpet fibre “wolltec”.

The new manmade fibre which looks just like wool recreates plain, heather and berber styles.

Kingsmead will show three new ranges made in this revolutionary fibre: Zephyr , a plain collection, Fremantle in heathers and Sirocco in a berber twist style.

Each range has three qualities and is available in 4 & 5m width. Most importantly for a carpet that looks like it is made from wool all ranges feature a lifetime stain guarantee.

An important addition will be made to the collection of Everlon saxony ranges.

Several of these ranges will now be produced in 5m width to increase the appeal where consumers do not wish joins.

Have you seen the product which has create such a buzz this year?

Kingsmead will feature a staircase on the stand fitted with Artwork stripe to co-ordinate with the complementary colour on the floor.

T 01827 831424 www.kingsmeadcarpets.co.uk Hall C - Stand 12

Click for Carpenter Carpenter, has launched a new consumer website at carpenterconsumer.co.uk to provide information on the company, its products ranges and latest news.

Said Ian Owen, Carpenter’s UK sales director: “There is a growing demand for accessible information among consumers. More people now use the internet to do research before making a buying decision and having a shop window online is now an essential part of supporting a consumer product offer.”

GO to the SHOW September 4 - 6 44 September 2011

Carpenter’s consumer products include the sleepbetter luxury range of pillows and toppers, the extensive collection of nine different PU underlays, easyloft loft insulation, the snugpets range of pet beds and the snugkids range of children’s furniture. The information site also features downloadable brochures and care guides.

Carpenter UK operates from a number of sites in the UK with the main foaming plant based in Glossop., Derbyshire.

T 01457 861141 www.carpenter.ltd.uk Hall C - Stand 17

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 45

Show preview Sunny side up Lano Carpets has unveiled its pioneering environmental policy, The Green Signature, with the aim of showing customers and suppliers that its intention to become a sustainable business works for everyone.

Through reduction, recycling and rethinking, Lano Carpets is committed to environmental stewardship throughout the sourcing, manufacturing and distribution processes, with the clear intention of minimising its environmental impact through both direct and indirect practices. Moving towards ISO 14001 certification, Lano Carpets will also work closely with suppliers and customers to ensure careful monitoring and analysis of the impact of its products and processes.

During the last six years, Lano has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and is hoping to obtain an overall reduction of 60% by 2012. Energy consumption has been reduced by 25% in the last seven years and as part of the Belgian Flemish Covenant; by 2012 the manufacturer has to reach benchmark energy efficiency and CO2 emissions to the levels of the best international standards.

This commitment to minimising emissions has seen a continual investment in reduction measures since 2008, including the installation of solar panels on the main 12-hectare production site. These solar panels form one of the largest installations in Western Europe and any energy not consumed by Lano Carpets is entered into the main grid. At full capacity, the solar panels produce enough electricity to power 2000 homes.

Reduction of waste is also marked as a key good environmental practice in The Green Signature and Lano Carpets is already separating 97% of its waste in to combustible and recyclable fractions, with the aim to reach 100%. Combustible fractions are transformed into pellets that are used as an alternative to fossil fuels in the cement industry, while recyclable fractions are reused as raw material.

T 0800 5266 5266 visit www.lano.com Hall M - Stand 19

46 September 2011

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 47

Promotional feature Flooring logistics - the science of Alliance Alliance Flooring Distribution Ltd is the UK’s leading dedicated floor covering distributors, with over 25 years of experience in meeting trade and domestic delivery solutions. Highly trained staff using the latest technology have helped Alliance Flooring Distribution stay ahead of its competitors and continue to deliver the first class service that customers demand.

But their business goes way beyond transport...

Alliance provides fully integrated storage, cutting and delivery solutions for all types of floor coverings and they only handle flooring materials! Warehousing, cutting and wrapping, picking and dependable delivery service are all in a day’s work to the staff at Alliance.

Within the distribution system, customers do not need to segregate goods, Alliance can collect them and deliver to Kidderminster. They just need to know what the goods are, where and when to deliver them and leave the rest to the team.

Once goods are received in Kidderminster, the items are unloaded, labelled and scanned into shipping locations within the warehouse, at which point they become available for inclusion into delivery loads. Goods are routed and loaded each afternoon and these are then delivered overnight to the regional base for fast efficient delivery the next day. This reduces unnecessary handling of goods and simplifies the whole distribution process.

Alliance is located in a purpose built 100,000 square foot, fully racked warehouse in Kidderminster, holding up to 8000 rolls of carpet and vinyl to 5 metres wide, as well as all types of palletised goods. There are 2 automatic cutting tables, capable of cutting any width and length of a variety of materials and a network of regional delivery bases throughout the UK. Each location is ideally suited for access to all of the UK’s major road networks.

Alliance offers full storage and cutting facilities for customers who do not possess their own warehouse and they can process up to 2000 cuts per week on all types of floor coverings to 5m wide, and at any width. All items of stock are controlled through dedicated IT systems tailored specifically to the customer’s needs.

Growing to over 40 European and UK customers, Alliance Flooring Distribution is a dedicated carrier of all types of floor coverings: carpet, vinyl, laminate, LVT, underlay, flooring accessories, operating a twice weekly delivery and collection service to the UK mainland.

“No matter where customers are based, we can deliver!” says Nigel Wilkes of Alliance Flooring Distribution. “With 25 years experience of flooring distribution, the very latest integrated IT systems, ongoing investment in the latest technology, total UK coverage and a large network of vehicles, Alliance Flooring Distribution is the one stop shop to satisfy your logistics needs.”

Alongside extensive ‘in house’ IT facilities, the company has now added the latest computerised routing system to improve performance still further. The system is able to make specific programme changes to meet the needs of the customer - such as customising delivery notes or manifests to show logo’s and names of customers.

In addition, Alliance operates a 24 hour, 7 day a week, internet accessible, database for its customers so that they can trace their goods and see the scheduled delivery time. This system can enhance Alliance customers’ own service by providing a portal for their websites to show their customers where their carpet is without the need to call the sales office.

These IT systems use the very latest fully integrated bar coding technology which runs on an ultra reliable IBM mainframe computer adding further resiliency to the warehousing and distribution operations.

Alliance has increased its fleet to 32 vehicles all of which are equipped with the very latest demounting delivery boxes. Many of the vehicles include a drawbar facility for larger loads. Each box body is equipped with a carpet winch and rear/side door access to aid in the delivery of customer goods. Additionally, Alliance has 45’ and 33’ trailers for extra capacity and larger loads.

If you would like to know more about the services Alliance offers, call in at Stand A16 at the Harrogate Flooring Show.

Tel: 01562 820006 nigel.wilkes@alliancefdl.co.uk richard.smith@alliancefdl.co.uk www.alliancefdl.co.uk

48 September 2011

FlooringNews

Come and see us at the Harrogate Flooring Show Stand A26

from The Stocklists

September 2011 49

News What’s on at Harrogate

Inform and entertain!

A full programme of events will take place over the three days of the Harrogate Flooring Show with live demonstrations in Hall B covering a vast range of topics from stretching carpets, floating wood floors and welding reslient flooring to sub-floor preparation and entrance matting.

An informative series of seminars will also prove popular and some key events are detailed below.

For the full schedule, see The Stocklists Floor Plan which is distributed free with this issue and at the event itself.

The nature of colour Viewing the floor as a canvas is a great way to inject individual creativity into the home, and carpets can make as much of an impact as any other decorating medium – not only embellishing a room but also making a focal statement.

It is important floorcoverings are seen as an integral part of interior styling and co-ordinate with other furnishing trends such as fabrics, wall coverings, paint, furniture etc. More emphasis should be placed on what we put on our floors – this decision should be more of a primary concern than an after-thought. Why not furnish a room from the floor upwards rather than the other way round?

We are all drawn to colour, whether consciously or sub-consciously, and should not underestimate the powerful effect it can have in transforming our personal environment. It is important we surround ourselves with what we like, identifying with the personal preferences and tastes which appeal to our emotions. Eclecticism has become a trend.

The revival of interest in Arts and Crafts and the UK’s wool heritage underlines the key role carpets and soft floorcoverings can play in our homes – not only creatively but in an insulating, comforting and ecological way. The current cultural and economic conditions affecting our lives have a bearing on the time we spend in our homes and with our families and have increased the need and desire for cocooning.

Interior design-inspired consumers are now demanding a more discerning style and colour offer from the marketplace, and the growing importance placed on interior lifestyle has led to a much increased choice of decorating options.

Emerging colours and trends, influenced by the natural world, will be presented at the Colour Workshop hosted by Joanna Ramsden.

Newly launched commercial palettes and ranges by UK manufacturers as well as a series of mood boards will be included in the presentation.

Seminar: Monday, 3.00pm in the Queen’s Suite

Colour trends guru Joanna Ramsden

Seminars explore key industry topics

Paul Morrell speaks on sustainability

Full programme of installations demos

Comedian Jo Caulfield back by popular demand

The carbon challenge for flooring The CFA are delighted to announce that Paul Morrell – Chief Construction Advisor to the Government, will be the key note speaker at the Harrogate Floor Show on Monday 1.00pm, September 5. The theme this year is sustainability.

The seminar programme will begin at 1.00pm with a presentation from Jane Thornback – Sustainability Policy Advisor from the Construction Product Association (CPA), who will talk about the recently launched Waste Resource Efficiency Plan, part of the series of Resource Efficiency Plans the CPA have published in collaboration with industry, including one on flooring.

Paul Morrell will then take the stage to provide a wider construction industry perspective of sustainability and the language of Carbon. Paul’s appointment in 2009 was widely welcomed by the construction industry, with one of his main initial objectives being to put forward proposals for the construction industry to deliver the UK's low carbon reduction commitments.

GO to the SHOW September 4 - 6

The seminar programme is designed to appeal to a wide audience; manufacturers, contractors, designers and specifiers, providing a unique opportunity to get an insight into challenges ahead. The seminars will be complimented by the CFA’s Guide to Specification and Sustainability, an annual publication that gives a snapshot of the flooring sector’s performance on sustainability.

Seminar: Monday, 1.00pm in the Queen’s Suite Carpet Recycling UK will also be hosting a seminar to share the latest details and opportunities of their programme to reduce landfill.

Seminar: Monday, 11.00am in the Queen’s Suite

50 September 2011

FlooringNews

September 2011 51

News feature

StainFree - as seen on TV! Abingdon are going all out to win consumer confidence with an unprecedented consumer campaign including television advertising for their Stainfree for Life product portfolio.

After an enthusiastic reception by the trade to the lifetime guarantee earlier this year, Abingdon are all set to go public to build consumer awareness and drive sales to their retailers.

This promises to be an exciting time for Abingdon as Stainfree for Life can really help stimulate consumer interest.

“We want customers to walk into stores with this brand in mind and retailers can then sell a benefit with total confidence that the competitors can’t match”, said a spokesman for the company.

The campaign is launched on all fronts with nearly a hundred 20-second television commercials on the popular Home channel on Sky TV and consumer press adverts in two flagship IPC titles: Ideal Home and Style at Home. This will be followed by features in Sarah Beeney At Home and Jo Frost (Supernanny) At Home special editions.

Later on in the campaign, Abingdon are planning to widen the audience with banner advertising on the web, direct mail to targeted audiences and transport advertising.

“We have a great story to tell and we aim to tell it to as many people as possible,” says Abingdon sales director Martin Peace.

“The retailers have reacted really well to the launch of Stainfree for Life and know we intend to generate more sales for them in the months ahead.” The very same advertising templates will be made available to those forward thinking retailers wishing to get behind the campaign.

Abingdon’s web presence is being strengthened and a key feature will be the find-a-retailer function to guide consumers to the network of stores stocking the ranges. Then there will be a push on point-of-sale to keep the message going when people walk into the store.

The launch of this marketing intiative follows months of research to identify the best target audience and identify the most cost-effective ways to reach them. The advertising messages will focus on the ‘family-friendly’ theme with the main copy-line: “Is there a carpet that looks good, feels good and stands up to the rigours of family life.”

Abingdon, of course, can answer ‘Yes.’ Retailers offer consumers a written lifetime guarantee certificate that is then registered with Abingdon - online or by mail. There is a freephone help line and any carpet claims will be assessed and then cleaned by a network of professional operators. If they can’t be cleaned they will be replaced.

The initiative extends across the full 40 ranges of Abingdon’s bleach-cleanable, polypropylene carpets.

T 01274 655694 www.stainfreeforlife.com

from The Stocklists

TV advertising, space in top consumer titles, increased web presence and more POS support for the retailer are all in the campaign programme.

September 2011 53

from The Stocklists

September 2011 55

News

Random ideas The new Really Random range from Heuga features a sustainable design inspired by colours and patterns from the natural environment. The nature of the design enables easier matching of replacement tiles, fewer discards, and easier installation, all ultimately resulting in waste reduction.

As its name suggests, Really Random features a random design meaning that tiles vary in colour and design. Within each tile there are subtle variations in colour and pattern; installed altogether they create a beautiful natural effect. The tiles can be laid in any direction which makes installation easier and faster. Moreover, cutting waste is kept to a minimum: typically 75% less waste compared with broadloom (on average less than 3% cutting waste compared to around 12% cutting waste with broadloom).

Non-random carpet tiles create on average 60% less waste compared with broadloom (on average less than 5% cutting waste compared to around 12% cutting waste with broadloom).

The design for Really Random is based on a principle called Biomimicry, taking inspiration and learning from nature in order to develop more sustainable products and processes. When designing Really Random, the design team asked themselves the question how nature would develop a carpet tile. By mimicking the randomness of colours and patterns found on the forest floor they were able to create a design which was ideally suited Ulster Carpets has announced the to a modular carpet system. Rather than appointment of Gary Prophet as Sales trying to create uniform colours across a Executive covering North Wales and the carpet, Really Random embraces North West of England. randomness and integrates it into the tiles.

This design feature makes it very easy to Having recently celebrated 30 years in the change pieces of the carpet without it flooring trade Gary joins Ulster having being noticeable. worked previously at Cormar, Headlam Group and Edel/Telenzo.

Like the colours and patterns themselves the colour names for Really Random are Married with two children and a brown inspired by the forest environment. Really Labrador, Gary’s interests and hobbies include Random is available in 10 beautiful natural reading, cricket, live music, playing football twice a week and tackling home improvements in his shades, ranging from light shades like spare time.

‘Blossom’ and ‘Limestone’ to dark neutral shades like ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Slate’. If As a front line member of Ulster Carpets, Gary will be an ambassador for the brand and products you want to add a bold shot of colour to and will maintain the company’s award-winning customer service reputation. Gary has the your floor, you can choose from the earthy foundation of industry knowledge required to best serve existing Ulster Carpets customers and to yellow of ‘Sandstone’, the fresh green of attract and develop new accounts.

‘Foliage’ or the rich burgundy shades of T 028 3833 4433 www.ulstercarpets.com ‘Japanese Maple’.

Sales Prophet

T 01675 433070

www.heuga.com

Brands new Brintons Effective immediately, the Brintons Group is delighted to announce it is responsible for the exclusive distribution of Lusotufo brands in the UK independent carpet & flooring retail sector.

Pedro Rola, Vice President of Lusotufo SA explains: “Although Lusotufo will retain overall brand ownership, we are confident that with the combination of Lusotufo’s modern spinning and tufting operation in Portugal combined with Brinton’s proven expertise in sales and marketing this will be an effective and mutually profitable partnership”.

Carl Johnson, Group Sales & Marketing Director for the Brintons’ Stock Sales Division says: “This is a significant development within our growth strategy for the Brintons Group portfolio and we are very excited about the opportunities presented by the Lusotufo brand offering. We have been involved with Lusofuto for some time, managing its stock holding and cut & wrap services.

Building on this, it is completely logical for us to take the relationship to the next stage, helping to support and expand the business despite the poor economic climate”.

The Lusotufo brands New Way, Causeway and The Wool Carpet Company are now trading via the Woodward Grosvenor account holders.

T 0800 505055 www.brintons.net 56 September 2011

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 57

News

Fast for fitters For the busy floor fitter with little time to mess around the ease of fast nationwide delivery, huge stocks of flooring and tons of accessories has made www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk a favourite with internet browsers across the UK. With wood, carpet, laminate, cork and vinyl floors to choose from, installers can find the perfect floor to match client expectations, whether flooring a boutique shop or a four-bedroom luxury home. In fact, UK Flooring Direct has one of the widest ranges of floors currently available in the UK. What’s more, the fourth fastest growing retailer in the UK is famed for its excellent prices, meaning the floor fitters and installers can be confident of maximum value from every purchase.

With 24 hour a day, seven days a week ordering, fitters will love the speedy service on offer from UK Flooring Direct and many floors available in as little as three working days with a next day delivery service available if installers are extra pushed for time. UK Flooring Direct can deliver anywhere in mainland UK and even to Northern Ireland, so no matter where the projects are, UK Flooring Direct aim to be there too.

With a dedicated helpline for sales and technical enquiries, UK Flooring Direct answers questions fitters and installers may have, helping things to run just that little bit more smoothly. Covering every corner of the UK and with a product for every occasion, UK Flooring Direct aims to be the leading website for fast access to great floors at incredible prices.

T 0845 287 5623

www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk

IVC UK OK

French polish Tarkett has now acquired the leading French wood floor manufacturer Parquets Marty. This acquisition is part of the Group’s strategy to accelerate the development of its flooring business in Southern Europe, in particular its engineered wood single strip planks.

Today, Tarkett has 4 production sites and more than 6 million square metres produced per annum. The acquisition of Parquets Marty will give Tarkett a production site in Cuzorn in south-western France, and a range of wood floor products suited to Southern Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the rest of the Mediterranean region), in addition to its current wide range of products and materials.

As part of the acquisition, Tarkett plans to invest €13 million in improving industrial facilities at the Cuzorn site, and will use its industrial and commercial experience to benefit Parquets Marty in a number of ways. Firstly, in the commercial field, Parquets Marty will benefit from Tarkett’s sales network, which will expand its distribution and promote its range of products.

Secondly in the industrial arena, with the refurbishment of the Cuzorn site and the sharing of best industrial practices, and finally, in terms of innovation, helping to accelerate the updating of its product range.

T 01622 854040

www.tarkett.com

Moduleo has announced the appointment of Jonathan Stone to the role of managing director for UK and Republic of Ireland as it sets its sights on becoming a major player within the LVT market.

Jonathan will be developing a full strategic plan with a dual approach that will target both residential and commercial sectors of the industry, working with principal partners and focusing on service, product design innovation and competitive pricing. The company will be a separate business unit for IVC Group and will have a satellite head office based within the UK. The office will be responsible for customer care, technical support, warehousing and distribution, financial management and full sales and marketing support for the UK and Republic of Ireland markets. The opening of this satellite office follows the €40million investment in a new production facility at IVC Group’s Avelgem, Belgium principal site, which will be capable of producing 11million square metres of LVT when it is fully operational by the end of the year.

“We want to earn market share and to do this we will strive to be the very best supplier our partners have,” explains Jonathan Stone. “This is certainly a tall task, but if we wish to be the best then we must be everything that our customers, clients and consumers want us to be. To do that we must listen, never dictate and always be prepared to go that extra mile. The first stage in our development will to be to engage with customers and consumers, asking open questions, listening carefully to the answers and from this creating a structured plan.”

Jonathan is well known to the UK and international flooring sectors, having spent 26 years at carpet manufacturer Brintons, working up to the position of global commercial sales and marketing director for the company. Having spent 12 years overseas in both America and the Far East and with extensive experience of varied sectors of the flooring industry, Jonathan is well versed to cope with the demands of a fiercely competitive sector of the flooring industry.

T 0800 032 3970

58 September 2011

www.ivcgroup.com

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 59

The British Wool column Campaign puts wool back in fashion As Harrogate Floor Show gets underway, there will also be a focus on wool for interiors elsewhere in the country as the Campaign for Wool (CfW) – the initiative inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales has its second Wool Week from 5th – 11th September.

The carpet industry has not yet put its full might behind the Campaign, which was launched to the textile trade in a cold and breezy barn at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire last year, despite the fact that the CfW with its stylish green sheep logo is now seen in leading stores, websites, brochures and on products across the UK. “Fashion has taken it on board in a major way and we see the design community from Vivienne Westwood to Paul Smith and Sir Terence Conran speaking out for wool. These are people who are known to set trends that others follow,” said Ian Hartley of the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB).

“It is also truly inspiring to see how many major brands and retailers have responded to the Wool Week concept and the list of names supporting it is still growing and this all brings immense trend setting strength to the table.”

The importance of carpet and rugs and other interior products aligning itself to the fashion sector is vital and acknowledged by most industry organisations. New trends bring sales and carpet has long suffered from being the background feature.

Beige and other neutral shades are so acceptable that they allow home owners to maintain their flooring for years – flooring needs new colour fashions to influence purchases.

Ian Hartley, CEO of the BWMB and a Director of the CfW.

The Prince of Wales Launched Wool Week last year.

Campaign focuses on consumer publications

Penthouse Carpets – support the Campaign for Wool – shown here Aquarius from the Aurora Collection in British Wool.

Wool Modern pushes the boundaries Establishing a new bold image for wool has formed an integral part of the CfW mission for 2011. This amazing exhibition for wool will be staged at La Galleria in central London – ‘Wool Modern’ will be an innovative and style-led showcase for wool and intends to refresh the fibre’s image even further. The event will be held over a month has free entry and will also stage a product showcase on the second floor. “We urge anyone visiting London to take time to visit this exhibition,” said Mr Hartley.

60 September 2011

Leading the consumer towards a mindset for wool is all about public relations and promotions and there has been considerable financial investment in this area. Encouraging top interiors magazines to promote wool carpet has been a core part of the Campaign once again this year.

A special event will be hosted for media during the Wool Week programme and leading editors and stylists will be invited to ensure that they can be part of the activity.

“In many respects the best way for the CfW to broadly support the wool carpet manufacturer and retailer is to ensure that they have profile within lifestyle and interiors publications. We need the decision makers within these magazines to fully understand the value of choosing wool for the home,” said Bridgette Kelly of the BWMB. “We are very lucky that these publications are keen to support our industry – they like the Campaign’s simple objectives and have endorsed it with many pages of good quality features.”

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 61

Business News

Brintons in ‘transformational’ change?

Brintons is braced for the possibility of a ‘transformational’ change of ownership after more than 200 years as a family firm. The move could inject £20m investment into the Kidderminster company that has been the centre of speculation about its future in recent months.

The flagship of the British carpet industry, Brintons appointed PriceWaterhouseCoopers to seek outside interest after the market downturn coincided with expensive investment programmes to create unwelcome financial pressure after years of highly successful trading.

According to market reports, US equity group Carlyle are considering a deal that will take control of the company for £38 million. The group would take over Brintons’ bank loans of £18m while investing a further £20m in the future of the business.

Industry insider Mike Hardiman, who worked at Brintons for 35 years before leaving to head up the Carpet Foundation, told The Stocklists: “I am quietly optimistic that things will work out for Brtintons now. It could be a good thing all round.

“There will be many, many people who will mourn the family involvement – they have been fantastic in looking after their people and their business and until recently have proven you can be paternalistic and successful,” he said. “But we are living through the worse recession we can remember and in a global economy you have to move on.”

“Brintons is still the most adventurous manufacturer in terms of quality and design and are true industry leaders by a country mile. The products are not inexpensive but not over-priced and there are still enough people out there who have the money,” said Mike.

The business was started by William Brinton in 1783 and seven generations later, Michael Brinton has been at the helm for most of the last 20 years, stepping down from Chairman to non-executive director in 2008 when Andrew Walker was appointed to run the company.

The company history is littered with ‘firsts’, patenting the axminster loom in 1890, pioneering broadloom in 1909 and being the first manufacturer to use computer aided design in 1976. Royal warrants and industry awards abound and in 2001 it achieved the coveted UK Manufacturing Excellence Award, beating competition from British Aerospace and Jaguar.

The glory days: Brintons consumer campaign led

by Vivienne Westwood’s stunning designs set the industry alight in the 90s,

The company won the world’s biggest ever woven carpet order, for 135,000 square metres at the new airport in Hong Kong and most recently, carpeted the new Wembley stadium.

Brintons have always been an enlightened investor in its own future but its ambitions ahead of the economic crash have taken its toll. The company expanded heavily in the US and built a new factory in India and, as yet unfinished, a major plant in Suzhou, China. Prestige contracts in the Middle East and US have dried up in the recent economic turmoil and the residential business that accounts for about a third of its sales has been under severe pressure.

Managing Director Don Coates said in a brief statement: “Brintons Limited confirms it has received a number of offers from parties interested in making an investment in the business and has entered into a period of exclusivity with a preferred bidder.

“It is likely that it will be a number of weeks before any investment can be competed due to the time required to carry out legal and financial due diligence. For reasons of confidentiality, no further information will be released.”

Carpetright beds in for a long recession Carpetright is cutting prices and concentrating more effort on selling beds and laminates as the company said they expected no improvement “any time soon” in the carpet sector.

"I see no respite from the challenging environment over the next year," said Chairman Philip Harris in August, citing an overall UK carpet market collapse of 15-20 percent year-on-year.

The company says it has given away a further 2% in margin to promote new offers and the most recent trading figures – in the quarter to July 23 – showed a slowdown in sales decline to just 0.2%. Recent quarters have shown declines of 3 to 6% and the quoted company has already issued three profits warnings this year.

Carpetright recently reported a 70 per cent slide in full-year profits and warned it will need to negotiate lower rents and close more stores in an effort to weather the consumer downturn. It shut 25 outlets over the past quarter, though 16 of these were concessions in closed down Focus DIY outlets. UK costs have been reduced by more than £6m since 2011.

62 September 2011

Discounts have been focussed on laminates and also underlay, gripper and door bars where the company admits it may have been too expensive.

The bed business currently represents 6% of Carpetright turnover and the company has been recruiting to strengthen the department.

The aim is to double current bed sales.

The Carpetright share price has had a roller-coaster ride over the last year.

FlooringNews

Promotional feature

The downfalls of clear unbranded protection films Potential slip and trip hazards, recyclable materials and professional quality finishes are all real issues that should be addressed when deciding on floor protection. Self-adhesive protection films are the product of choice for many industries but the benefits of branded films are sometimes still overlooked when compared to “all-purpose” unbranded protection films.

The Packexe range of products

Clear, unbranded self-adhesive protection films are increasingly available and used by tradesmen and DIYers. However, these films do not have the same safety and visibility benefits seen with Packexe Self-adhesive protection films. Being transparent with colour-coded branding to suit the surface needing protection, users can see through to the surface underneath and spot any possible slip or trip hazards through Packexe films before any accidents occur.

Tradesmen and customers alike are always on the lookout for time and cost saving products, with Packexe films both of these are achieved. The clean up process is drastically reduced due to the ability to peel up the films when finished, collecting all the debris accumulated during the project, to reveal a clean and un-damaged surface.

Whilst seemingly cheaper than branded protection films, clear “all-purpose” protection films will not offer the same levels of protection as surface specific films.

Different surfaces require differing levels of adhesive to ensure the films fully protect the surface, for example, carpet protection films need a high grade of adhesive to stick to the carpet pile, whereas hard floor films require a lower grade of adhesive to prevent any damage to the surface or the films leaving any sticky residue once removed. In contrast, using a film that does not have a strong enough adhesive for the surface can lead to safety issues as the films may shift and move causing rucking and exposing the surface underneath.

With the colour-coded branding, Packexe films still allow visibility to the protected surface, whilst acting as a constant reminder that the products are in place so as not to be left on the surface longer than the recommended time frame.

In terms of traceability and surface suitability, clear unbranded films fall at the first hurdle. Once removed from the packaging there is no information to advise the user on the types of surfaces each film should be used on.

Even with the Packexe colour-coded branding, we still hear accounts of people using the wrong film on the wrong surface which can lead to costly cleaning bills at the end of a project. If this is the case with branded protection films, the amount of incidents for clear unbranded films must be enormous with the additional worry of not knowing the exact product specifications or potentially the name of manufacturer to contact for advice! from The Stocklists

Red branded film is used for carpet and black for hard floor covering

For ease of use and faster protection of surfaces, Packexe have added dispensers to their range of Self-adhesive protection films. Ergonomically designed to suit all users the Packexe Dispenser applies the films to the surface at speed, as the tri-roller mechanism lays the films smoothly in one easy movement to maximise the adhesive grip. The adjustable handles assist in combating back problems that could result from bending down to lay other films, loose polythene sheeting or dust sheets.

Packexe Self-adhesive protection films are high-performance films that grip securely to the protected surface but peel away after use without leaving a sticky residue. They are durable and can be used at any stage of construction, renovation or decoration. Their protective qualities can be used on floors and other surfaces during commercial events or messy family activities, protecting against spillages or breakages at parties or mud while gardening.

All Packexe Self-adhesive protection films are fully recyclable with European Fire Safety Standard of EN 13501-1.

T +44 (0) 1392 438191

www.packexe.co.uk September 2011 63

Flower on Flooring News News The brand new heavies The heavy end of the carpet scale is alive and selling, say contributors to our latest flooring focus.

Axminster’s Salcombe Straita in Ventura

Heavyweight is typically seen as offering qualities at the higher end of the cost scale, which also provides retailers with better margins. Carpet manufacturers continue to maintain interest through product development, with many reaping the benefits of their efforts.

Adam Carpets’ Fine Worcester

"Whether tonal striated designs, such as Salcombe Striata or the geometric styles of the Princetown collection, we are proving that Axminster is still the best at pattern for a whole new generation of homeowners," says Lawrence.

Adam Carpets is one of those supporting this statement, having seen growth in two areas in the last two months. The first is an increase in its overtuft portfolio, offering consumers the option of a 40oz, 80/20 wool rich patterned carpet, but at a tufted price.

The company plans to have 10 patterns available in this style by the autumn. The second development has seen sales of the company's Fine Worcester Twist increase. "We are very proud of this range, as it is perceived to be one of the best, if not the best twist pile carpet currently on sale in the UK," says Adam Carpets' Eamonn Prescott. The company's Fine Worcester was strengthened last year, to now include 65 colours, available in two widths.

Brontë Carpets has established a reputation for producing high quality, deep pile carpets and is aiming to extend this with new 80/20 twist ranges. The new 100% wool range includes two new, felted yarn, deep pile, chunky shag pile qualities. "Over the years our shag pile carpets have always proved popular.

Brontë piles on the depth with heavyweight shaggies

Axminster Carpets continues to extol the benefits of heavyweight carpets. Richard Lawrence, head of marketing, says: “There are few better heavyweight carpets than woven Axminsters and there are few better exponents of this method than Axminster Carpets. When it comes to the ultimate luxury for the home, our woven Axminster carpets are difficult to beat."

The company also continues to use 100% pure new wool, mostly from UK flocks, to provide high quality, enduring and attractive options, he says. The company continues to educate consumers in developments to match contemporary requirements.

64 September 2011

FlooringNews

News

by Dennis Flower

home,” said David Cormack, marketing director of Cormar Carpets. “With different weights, in the same carpet range, you can upgrade or downgrade in each room, where necessary, to reduce cost.”

Victoria Carpets also offers a choice of heavyweight carpets, aimed at domestic consumers looking for quality products that will deliver the performance they expect. These include: two-ply 80/20 wool twists, Crown Twist and Regal Twist, 50 and 60oz respectively; two velvets, Imperial Velvet and Suede, 45 and 60oz respectively; an 80oz two-ply polypropylene Saxony, Deep Sensations and a number of Wilton products such as Super Wyndham and Royal Twist. All have domestic orientated colour palettes.

Cormar’s Forest Hills

“While many will associate the term heavyweight carpet with woven wool, it is equally appropriate to call polyamide tufted carpets heavyweights, particularly when it comes to performance and texture.”

Ian Hammond, Vorwerk Carpets UK sales director, says: “While many will associate the term heavyweight carpet with woven wool, it is equally appropriate to call polyamide tufted carpets heavyweights, particularly when it comes to performance and texture." Nylon carpets provide a more resilient solution over wool and feel softer, he says. "Nylon too is a much more creative fibre than wool," he continues, "particularly from a textural perspective, as we can alter gloss and thickness in the carpet to provide textures that really come to life, capturing light and playing with it in a way that simply isn’t possible with wool carpets. For all round 'bang for your buck', then nylon carpets are a serious challenger for the title.”

Vorwerk’s Maleo in Peony Mix

So far the response to our new felted yarn shag pile qualities has been very positive and with pile depths up to 4cm you can understand why," says the company.

It has also introduced three new pile weights to its Saxony/Velvet ranges, including 40oz and 50oz velvets and a 60oz saxony, taking the total to 21 different options that will be exhibited at the Harrogate Flooring Show.

Contemporary Life finds that saxony and shag pile carpets are making a resurgence greater than any other fashion trend from the 1970s and 80s, including the colour tangerine. Heavyweight options are seen as more luxurious and easier to maintain, including pile weights of 60 to 80oz shags and 50oz-plus saxonies.

Its latest product launch, in partnership with Wools of New Zealand, is the Solar saxony, with a 54oz/yd2 pile weight, using the latest in four-ply yarn technology. It is available in 100% traceable, eco responsible Laneve wool and will reach the Contemporary Life's premier partner retailers next month.

Cormar Carpets also finds that multi-weight carpet collections continue to grow in popularity as consumers look for ways to create streamlined looks in the home while optimising their spend. The company features New Oaklands and Forest Hills in its multi-weight portfolio, offering a comprehensive collection of shades in heathers and plains. New Oaklands, available in 32, 42 and 50oz, retails at around £22, £25 and £30 per sq metre and Forest Hills, available in Super 32oz and Elite 42oz, retails at around £19 - £22 per sq metre. “There has always been a trend for people to want to use the same colour throughout their

from The Stocklists

For more information about featured products: Adam Carpets • www.adamcarpets.com • 01562 829966 Axminster • www.axminstercarpets.co.uk • 01297 630650 Brontë • www.brontecarpets.co.uk • 01282 862736 Cormar • www.cormarcarpets.co.uk • 01204 881234 Vorwerk• www.vorwerkcarpets.co.uk • 020 7096 5090

September 2011 65

Feature

Voice of the Trade Antony Stapleton Sales Director, Rackhams Ltd

“

Are wholesalers more or less important to the trade than they were five years ago? Any why?

Aren’t we now called distributors?! Of course I would have to say that we are way more important as a market sector than we were five years ago! Seriously speaking, with ‘just in time’ service being the name of the game, only a distributor can offer the level of immediate service that the modern independent retailer demands. With fewer retailers now carrying their own stock, the varied range, the personal service and the sheer speed that the distributor can react means very few large scale operations could get even close to our levels of service.

On a practical front, the distributor is usually the one to help a fledgling business get underway, offering advice, marketing support & ultimately credit terms to a business that may not fit the criteria that a large organisation may set down. The distributor continues to be an important partner not only to the retailer, but of course to the manufacturer who can easily enjoy the benefits of a low cost, fully established regional delivery network for their goods. With distribution costs so much higher than they were five years ago, this has to be a key issue.

What’s the future of wholesaling distribution?

That is a very difficult question, as after a flurry of acquisitions and changes in the last fifteen years the sector seems to have settled down, now being dominated by one giant, with a number of smaller, but still substantial distribution ‘groups’ sitting below them. Then it’s the remaining ‘Independents’ who all seem to be relatively successful in their own right, and in their own particular style. The future of the sector, I would imagine, depends on whether those large companies become hungry for external growth again in the coming years. Likewise it may depend on the succession plans, or not as the case may be, that the remaining independents have in place. The other key issue will of course be the internet, and what the real long term effects of being able to buy, in particular conventional carpets as opposed to commodity products, over the net. If the consumer decides that they no longer need to `‘feel’’and examine their floorcovering selections, then the whole way the industry works may have to change.

“The ever present battle is between volume and profitability. Business is available but is it really at a margin that we want to set as a precedent?”

66 September 2011

“The future of the sector, I would imagine, depends on whether those large companies become hungry for external growth again in the coming years” Are manufacturers paying enough attention to working with wholesalers?

As with all things some do, some don’t! The continentals, who obviously need distributors in the U.K. for their products, generally make excellent business partners. With a shared goal and some superb middle market products the whole chain runs very smoothly indeed. There is less consistency with our manufacturers over here however! A manufacturer will of course have their own reasons for following a particular sales strategy, but it has always seemed disappointing that whilst some of our biggest names have a clear and concise distribution policy that works well for both parties, others seem to totally ignore the sector, be it the independents or the sector as a whole. Are they that successful that they can afford to totally ignore us?

What’s the key market challenge today?

It remains what it has always been! Oft talked about, much discussed, and never really resolved! ‘How can carpets and floorcoverings be moved up the list of consumer desirables’? So how can we get our industry’s quality products to rank alongside those other household goods that are valued in every property, be it modest, or mansion! On a personal business level, the ever present battle between volume and profitability is a big challenge at the moment. Business is available, but is it really at a margin that we want to set as a precedent?

“

How would you describe current markets conditions compared to a year ago?

It would seem that the ‘current economic climate’ has had a more widespread effect on our industry (and in particular our customers) than a year ago. Whilst twelve months ago we were getting varied feedback with some customers saying things were good; and others not so good, with a small minority saying things were terrible. It would seem that this year there are now very few that carry positive feedback and the vast majority have been affected by the downturn to a greater or lesser level. That said, there is still business being transacted, and still a lot of flooring being put down. It would just seem that to secure an order the utmost vigilance is required,.

If you could ask retailers to change one thing....

Another tricky question; and I would hazard a guess that the retailer would want to change a few things about how the distributor operated if you asked them! But as a traditional business we have to just hope that retailers think about where they place their orders, and don’t just follow habit, but consider service, style, price and the overall package that their local independent distributor can offer. At Rackhams we have a highly experienced team, and I’m sure many of our compatriots are the same, boasting a wealth of experience and knowledg… just waiting to be utilised.

What has changed most in the last 10-20 years?

Everything changes and has changed, but perhaps most striking was the rapid erosion of loyalty in the 90’s when the real discounting began.

Possibly mirroring society in general, and with minds focused by the recession in the early 90’s. Suddenly relationships, service and continuity were usurped by new key issues… price and discount!

If you didn’t work in this industry, what would have been your second choice career?

Aside from the standard family and work commitments, my other passion has always been cycle racing, and having ridden at a reasonable level for the past thirty years, one always wonders if a career in the cycling industry would have been rewarding. But when your passion becomes your work, what becomes of your passion?

FlooringNews

News Business News News

Ulster goes with the flow This month Ulster Carpets launch Grange Wilton, a new luxuriously dense, high twist woven wilton range available in 24 colourways.

Each plain in this range is constructed from tightly woven 80% wool and 20% nylon, plain and heather yarns. Available in 5m, 4m, 3m, 2m and 1m colour matching widths, colourways include warm mineral tones, greys, beiges, green and reds - all inspired by a timeless ‘heritage’ palette.

Grange Wilton effortlessly creates warmth and practical luxury in any interior scheme and colourways will coordinate effortlessly with other Ulster products to create a flowing scheme.

T 028 3833 4433

www.ulstercarpets.com

500th tonne up Ulster Grange Wilton in Angora

Due to the overwhelming success of the UK’s award-winning vinyl flooring recycling scheme, Recofloor Limited has been created to demonstrate commitment to sustainability within the flooring sector by the scheme’s founders Altro and Polyflor.

The change of status to a limited company coincides with Recofloor heading for a recordbreaking year having collected nearly 190 tonnes of waste material in the first six months of 2011 – equalling the whole of last year’s tonnage.

June also saw the 500th tonne collected since Recofloor was founded by leading flooring manufacturers Altro and Polyflor in 2009. Managed by Axion Consulting, the industry-led takeback initiative collects and recycles smooth uplifted vinyl and smooth and safety off-cuts.

Recofloor Project Manager, Jane Gardner of Axion Consulting says:“This is a spectacular achievement that reflects Recofloor members’ commitment and sustained efforts to make the scheme an ongoing success story. Greater industry awareness that vinyl flooring can be recycled has also helped increase collections of highquality material that can be re-used.”

She continues: “Recofloor Ltd will not affect members in any way; indeed it signals a new phase that will see more drop-off sites and result in a bigger and better service for collectors.”

Recofloor has 330 members across the UK and Ireland,.

Dr Geoff Cleverdon of Altro (left) with John Whitesmith of Polyflor

T 0161 355 7618 www.recofloor.org

Chipping away The Furnishing Industry Trust (FIT) is celebrating the 71st anniversary of its National Golf Championship with a ‘hole’ new look.

Now in partnership with Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers (WCFM), the charity’s longest running event will be held on Thursday September 15 at Harleyford Golf Club, Marlow Chiltern Hill and aims to be a fun day of informal golf for all. All proceeds will go to FIT – the industry’s only dedicated charity.

Starting with bacon rolls at 10:30am, the golf will tee off at 11:30am with various trophies to compete for followed by supper late afternoon.

The tournament is a singles Stableford full handicap competition open to men and women.

Packages are available for both golfers and nongolfers and cost £90. For more information, to book a place or enquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Charles Kerrigan on 020 7256 5954 or email: info@fi-trust.co.uk T 020 7256 5954

www.fi-trust.co.uk

Obituaries : Maggie Lewis and Barry Glynn Maggie Lewis, a past Director of London based wholesalers Lewis Abbott Ltd, has recently passed away.

Maggie became a Director after the founder of Lewis Abbott, Louis Cohen retired, and became a driving force in the company. She retired in 2003 having been with Lewis Abbott for 20 years. She absolutely loved the trade and all the people within it. Those who met her will know what a character she was and the stories of Maggie, and her sometimes direct manner, will hopefully live on.

She was a very special person, unique in the real meaning of the word. A genuine, caring person with a quick wit and a wonderful sense of humour, Maggie will be missed.

68 September 2011

A well known name in carpet sales passed away on August 1 - Barry Glynn had a sales career spanning 43 years with a number of the industry’s best brands.

Barry operated across the North West and counted many friends among the retail and wholesale community as well as manufacturers.

Most recently an agent for Rolfe Carpets, he was previously with Georgian Goodacre for a number of years and prior to that had worked with Bryson, Tomkinsons and Lancaster Carpets.

Highly respected, Barry is a great loss to the trade.

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

September 2011 69

Stocklists Classified The

A n independent industry survey in June 2011 proved m ore retailers read T he S tocklists than any of the other eig ht flooring titles.

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THE STOCKLISTS September 2011

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