The Stocklists - February 2012

Stocklists The

6 February 2012

with

FlooringNews

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

We’re all ears!!

You know that successful business is built on listening to your customers and giving them exactly what they want.

That’s our approach at Furlong Flooring and Regency Carpets.

Please give us a call today.

See pages 24-25 for the contact details of your local representative

2

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

The

Stocklists

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

6 FEBRUARY 2012

UK manufactured Carpet Cutting Machines

WWW.CARPETCUTTINGMACHINES.CO.UK Advertisers

FlooringNews starts on page 33

Monthly ‘Stocklisters’ shown in BOLD

DOMOTEX 2012 Flooring’s greatest show on earth 12 pages of market news, trends and company reviews pages 46-57

Index

Page No

Contact No

AFS

19

020 8805 8620

July 2011

ASSOCIATED WEAVERS

49

01422 431100

—

BALTA

—

+32 55 335252

—

BONDWORTH

20

01562 745000

June 2011

36

01274 688 666

—

21

01562 828200

Mar 2010

BRITISH WOOL BROCKWAY

Keeping calm Wools of New Zealand keeps calm, comfortable and committed to quality page 56

Mapei birthday

Dennis Flower looks at the growth of patterns in carpet page 42-45

75 years old and still at the forefront of innovation page 38

Flight of fancy Associated Weavers gives butterfly new wings page 49

Victoria not amused Bizarre boardroom battle is “foolhardy” page 40

By appointment Axminster’s approval page 37

Harrogate’s bouncing back

The vinyl score Is LVT revival good for your business pages 32

Strong show list for September page 58

FlooringFactsheets Buying Groups

—

01457 861141

—

CLARITAS

45

0121 420 5615

—

22

0208 443 3322

—

—

01204 881234

—

46-57

—

—

23

01422 374417

—

4

01538 361633

—

32

01159 506836

—

9

0121 683 1426

—

18

01509 673974

—

24,25 01772 696787

Nov 2010

COLUMBIA

FLOORING

CORMAR DOMOTEX

2012

EDEL TELENZO

FITA

FLOORWISE FURLONG

8-9 Wholesaler Distribution Directory 14-15 Wool Fibre Page

Carpet trouble-shooter

12-13 Woolsafe: the carpet care guide

10 16-18

FLOORING

INTERFLOOR INTERIORS MASTER

UK

WEAVERS

MERRYFIELD

GROUP

34,35

01706 213131

—

—

—

—

26

01562 754382

—

BC

01422 373799

—

MOHAWK

27

01480 479830

—

NICF

58

0115 958 3077

—

NOVOSTRAT

39

00353 61 339287

—

RACKHAMS

28

020 85319225

—

SMG

—

0118 932 3832

—

01243 774623 Jan/Feb 2012

SOLENT WHOLESALE

CARPET

29

STS FLOORING DISTRIBUTORS

30

0845 341000

T

32

0121 585 7600

31

0845 644 9090

—

56,57

01943 603888

—

& E DISPLAY GROUP

WOOLS

4 Underlay

ONE

FLOORING

WESTON

Carpet Company Directory Carpet Types

CARPENTER

F.BALL

Follow the pattern

Adhesives

CARPETS LTD.

Price List Date

HAMMER

OF NEW ZEALAND

July 2011 —

Classified advertising.................................page 58, 59

11 6-7

5

carpets/rugs/tiles woods/laminates/smooths accessories/services/organisations fibres underlay wholesalers/distributors adhesives

ISSN 2046-7338 © Mayville Publishing Co. Ltd. 2011 Issue: 443 Every care is taken in compiling this magazine, but the proprietors assume no responsibility in the effects arising therefrom.

In an independent survey which asked 450 retailers this year which of the nine trade titles they actually read, our magazine came top of the pile.

Thank you!

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

3

Flooring Factsheet Adhesives

4

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 a versatile, textured finish that is ideal for plain colours.

Velvet • Velvet textures (sometimes called ‘velour’ or ‘plush’) all have a level surface pile of approx 5mm to 10mm height, which is then sheared to give a smooth finish. With very little twist in the yarn, the

BONDED Bonded carpets (sometimes called ‘fibre-bonded’ or ‘fusion bonded’) are created by firing fibres into an adhesive material – the fibres are not stitched into the backing in any way. The technique is principally used for commercial carpet tiles.

Tip Sheared

Level Loop

Velvet/Plush

Frieze

Random Sheared

Multi-Level Loop

Twist

Berber

V

Saxony

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

Sha

Shag S

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.

Europe – North America - Australia

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 February 2012

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

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

17. Carpet re-colouring kit (Treatments used by professional carpet cleaners)

More Difficult Spots Spot or stain

Try 1st Try 2nd Try 3rd

Artificially coloured drinks 3

Easy Spots Spot or stain

Try 1st Try 2nd Try 3rd

Bleach

3

17

C/heating radiator fluid

5

6

Coffee

4

6

Blood

5

6

Felt-tip pen

7 or 11 12

Burn/scorch marks

13

14

Furniture polish

7

Glue/adhesive (plastic base)10

Butter

7

5

Candle wax

8

7

Chewing gum

9

Chocolate/cocoa

5

7

Cola

3

5

Cream

7

Egg

5

Floor wax Fruit juice

7 3

Ink (fountain)

3

Ink (ballpoint pen)

12

6

Lipstick

7

6

Milk

4

5

Nail varnish

10

6

Paint (oil)

11

5

Rust

16

Soot

2

Tar (asphalt)

7

Urine (fresh stain) Urine (old stain)

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 February 2012

3

6

6

Environmentally Aware for Superior Carpet Care www.envirodri.com

16 5

5 11 6

5

5

15

6

5

3

5

15

6

15

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.

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Flooring factsheet Buying Groups Why join? www.smg-group.co.uk Contact: David Lewis Tel: 0118 932 3832 info@smg-group.co.uk

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

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

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

•

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

www.greendalecarpets.co.uk Contact: Rob Harding Tel: 01432 852000 8 Fax: 01432 852005 rharding@greendalecarpets.co.uk

• 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

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

8

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

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

Key benefits

• 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 February 2012

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 February 2012

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 February 2012

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 February 2012

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 February 2012

• 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 February 2012

13

The Stocklists Carpet Company Directory Abingdon Flooring Adam Carpets Ltd Be Tu Tw W Ww Alternative Flooring Associated Weavers Tw Tu Avena Carpets Ltd Tu Ww Axwoven Carpets Ltd Ax Be Axminster Carpets Ltd Ax Be Tw

01274 655694 01562 829966 01264 335111

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

Bizspoke Custom Carpets Be Tw W

020 8800 0740

+32 56 23 54 10 01924 488882

0113 380 5333

14

Cavalier Carpets Ltd Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww

01254 268000

Christy Carpets Tu

Classis Carpets Tu W Ww

019078 308777

01562 745000 0800 505055

01737 830301

Dan-Floor UK W

01454 858014

Domo International Be Pr Tu Tw W Drury Lane Carpets Ltd Be Tu Tw W

01254 296829

E & WE Carpets W

01562 825952

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

0870 020 1725

+31 38 4778911

01204 881 234

Couristan Carpets Ax Tu W Ww

800 223 6186

Craigie Carpets Be

01294 558400

Creative Carpets Ltd Be Tu Tw W Creatuft Carpets Tu W

Mohawk’s Cherbourg Check

01422 374 417

01562 745030

Fells Carpets Ww cummings@btinternet.com www.fellscarpets.co.uk Fetcham Furnishings Ltd Tw

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

+32 92 41 4511

01675 433066

Cormar Carpets Ltd

BMK

Edel Telenzo’s Bakerloo

01924 262525

+31 383 861 060

020 7823 3040

Brintons Ax Tu Tw W Ww

01282 862 736

Burmatex Tu

Condor Carpets BV Tu

Blenheim Carpets Ax Be Tw W Ww

Bond Worth Ltd Ax

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

Clarendon Carpets Tw

Belvedere Carpets

BIC Carpets Be Tw W

01562 828200 www.brockway.co.uk

01422 330261

+32 56783250

Betap Tufting BV Tu Tw W

Tw W sales@brockway.co.uk

01422 431100

Bajong Carpets NV Tu Tw W

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

Brockway Carpets Ltd

Custom Carpet Company Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww

0116 284 1455

Fletco Taepper A/S Tu W

01977 662211

020 8944 6220

+45 96 60 3000

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

01772 696 787

+32 56 35 4444

Brockway’s Vogue

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

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

Gaskell Wool Rich Tu Tw W

01827 831525

Manx Carpets Tw W

01827 831 434

Tasibel NV Tw

Gaskell Mackay Carpets Ltd Ax Tu Tw W

01429 892525

Master Weaver W Ww

01562 754 382

The Grosvenor Wilton Co W Ww

01562 701456

Georgian Carpets Tu Tw W

01827 831430

Mayfield Carpets Tu Tw W

01706 639 866

The Sultana Carpet Co Ax

01299 822300

The Wilton Carpet Co Ax W Ww

0845 296 8850

Thomas Witter UK Ltd Tu Tw

0870 1128318

Godfrey Hirst (GB) Ltd Tu Halbmond Teppichwerke Be Pr Tu Heckmondwike FB ITC Be Pr Tw John Lanham Watts Carpets Ax Tw Ww John Evans Ltd Ax Tu Tw W Joseph Hamilton & Seaton W Kingsmead Carpets Tu Tw W

0800 526696

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

+31 38 851 8700

+49 037 421 420 01924 410544

0032 51 424 411

01937 588511

0161 368 2563

01827 831400

01827 831 424

Lano NV Ax Pr Tu Tw W Ww marketing@lano.be www.lano.com

MID NL Be

+32 56 65 4300

+32 05685 4747

0800 78 33 712

01942 673232

+32 56 393 386

01388 664101

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

01480 479830 01480 471304

01827 831 450

+32 52 499600

Timzo Tufting Industry BV Tu

+31 38 385 4477

Tisca Tiara Tu Ww

+41 71 791 0111

Trendy Tuft Designs Be Tu Tw W

01274 855080 02838 334433

Ossfloor UK

01675 433031

Ulster Carpets Ax Be Tu Tw W Ww

Penthouse Carpets Tu Tw W

01706 341231

United Carpets & Beds Tw W Ww

Phoenox Textiles Pr Tu

01484 863227

Victoria Carpets Tu Tw W Ww

01562 749300

Pownall Carpets Tw W

0845 6528811

Vorwerk

08700 104484

Westex Carpets Tu

01274 861334

Roger Vanden Berghe.NV Tu Ww

+32 56 73 57 11

Ryalux Carpets Ltd Be Tu Tw W

0845 652 8811

Sans Frontieres Ltd Be Pr Tu Tw W Ww

0844 5611977

Shaw Home Foundations Tu

01675 433 501

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

Signature Carpets Be Tu W

01422 845075

TAT Carpet

07976 607657

Tapibel NV Pr Tu Tw

01623 481 221

Bronte’s stand

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

Cormar’s Berwick

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

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

Midlands

East

Fells Carpets Goole 01977 662211

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

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

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 Southamsee 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 31 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 31 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 February 2012

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

Rackhams London 020 8531 9225 sales@rackhamsltd.co.uk www.rackhamsltd.co.uk See page 29 for details Salesmark Lancing, - see Floorwise p18

Solent Wholesale Carpet West Sussex DMS Flooring Supplies 01243 774623 Hemel Hempstead sales@solentwholesale.co.uk 0845 643 5344 www.solentwholesale.co.uk dmshemel@dmsflooringsupplies.co.uk See page 30 for details 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 February 2012

STS Flooring Distributors Orpington/Croydon 0845 434 1000 sales@stsflooring.co.uk www.stsflooring.com see page 31 for details Vanguard Carpets Redditch 0845 601 1189 customerservices.redditch@carpet andflooring.co.uk www.vanguardcarpets.co.uk

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 30 for details STS Flooring Distributors Thame (Oxford) 01844 213555 sales@stsflooring.co.uk www.stsflooring.com see page 31 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 211162

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

Fitwell Flooring Ltd 19 Newton Abbot, Devon Tel: 01626 835935 Fax: 01626 834334

Provincial Floorcoverings Ltd 10 Limerick Tel: 00353 (0)61 227 100 Fax: 00353 (0)61 227 000 LoCall: 1850 445 745 (ROI)

Floorwise D & J Ltd 13 Southam, Warks Tel: 01926 814922 Fax: 01926 817899

Roma Flooring 15 Neath, West Glamorgan Tel: 01639 633001 Fax: 01639 646116

Floorwise (North East) 5 Ltd Birtley, County Durham Tel: 0191 410 7070 Fax: 0191 410 6116

RPS Flooring 11 Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire Tel: 01623 624198 Fax: 01623 620931

Lee Floorstok Ltd 8 Liverpool Tel: 0151 708 7420 Fax: 0151 708 7241

Salesmark 17 Lancing, West Sussex Tel: 01903 750522 Fax: 01903 851111

Lee Floorstok Ltd 7 Manchester Tel: 0161 231 8080 Fax: 0161 231 8787

Wessex Flooring 18 Amesbury, Wiltshire Tel: 01980 625888 Fax: 01980 676969

MCA Floorwise Ltd 6 Morecambe, Lancashire Tel: 01524 33517 Fax: 01524 381852

Woodall Brothers Ltd 12 Shrewsbury, Shropshire Tel: 01743 441584 Fax: 01743 441629

Mytton Flooring 14 Norwich, Norfolk Tel: 01603 624387 Fax: 01603 612888

1 2 3

4 5

6 7 10

8

9

11 12 13

14

15

18 19

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

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

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 THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

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

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

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

BOND WORTH CONTRACT AXMINSTER OVER 150 YEARS OF BESPOKE EXCELLENCE

Berkeley Axminster 80% wool / 20% Nylon available 3.66m & 4.57m Range comprises 8 Designs 9-9085 Shirvan Panel 3.66 & 4.57m width Mid February 3-9080 Firenza 3.66 & 4.57m wdith Early March Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

Variations Axminster 80% wool / 20% Nylon available 3.66m Range comprises 12 Designs 9-9100- Khalabar - Early March 1-9016-Green Khyber - End of February Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

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

Lords Cricket Ground, London

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

Cornell & Stanford Axminster 80% wool / 20% Nylon available 4.00m Range comprises 7 Colourways in 2 Designs All items Stocked Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

Auction House Banqueting Centre, Luton

Camargue Axminster 80% wool / 20% Nylon available 3.66m Range comprises 10 Designs All items stock.

Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

New Afghan Axminster 80% wool / 20% Nylon available 3.66m Please Refer to Works Stocked items Delivery 14 Days from Order

20

Riviera Centre, Torquay

FOR BESPOKE CONTRACT ENQUIRIES TELEPHONE 01562 745 000 THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

• • • • • • •

40 colours on superb lectern 3 qualities – Diamond, Silver & Gold 80% Wool, 10% Nylon, 10% Polyester 4m and 5m widths 4 stacks of 18” x 9” samples 2 colour swatch books 9 coordinating stripes now available

This fantastic range is available for immediate delivery.

Contact respective Brockway sales personnel for further detail.

C U UK SALES MANAGER: Steve Glover 07896 871 502 SALES TEAM: Dan Milstead Jon Ormrod Clem Eccles Kevin Hogan Richard Venn Steve Perks S Simon Stead A Andy Finch Stuart Pollock

07841 565 349

Essex, Suffolk, South Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Beds, Hertfordshire, North London 07918 081 782 Lancashire, Cheshire, North Wales, Merseyside, North Staffordshire, North Shropshire, Derbyshire 00 353 86 609 6217 Northern Ireland 00 353 16234520 Republic of Ireland 07968 835 206 Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset & Avon, West Hampshire, Channel Isles 07968 835 205 West Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, MidStaffordshire Wales SouthMidlands, Wales, Leicestershire, Herefordshire, SouthWorcestershire, Shropshire, South South Wales, Leicestershire, Herefordshire, South Shropshire, South Staffordshire Lincolnshire, Notts, Norfolk, North Cambridgeshire 07968 835 204 Yorkshire, North Humberside, Lincolnshire, Notts, Norfolk, North Cambridgeshire 07970 693 752 Sussex, South & South West London, Surrey, Kent, Berkshire, S.E. London 07854 580 658 Scotland, Cumbria, North East England

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

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 February 2012

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.

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK We start 2012 with a brand new corporate logo, which, we hope you will agree, is pleasingly stylish and timeless. For our UK presence it puts the emphasis on the brand familiar to our customers – Telenzo – but reflects more strongly its relationship to our parent company, the Edel Group. We will continue to be known in the UK as Edel Telenzo Carpets Ltd.

OUR BEAUTIFUL DOMOTEX! We’d like to extend a big thank you to all our customers and colleagues who took the time to come and visit our stand at Domotex last month. Although we couldn’t help noticing that the show seemed a little smaller than in previous years and footfall seemed a little lower in general, Edel Telenzo had a good show and we in the UK were pleased with the attendance and interest. Our new stand looked absolutely fantastic!

WEB REVAMP IS COMING SOON really excited about some of the new collections LOOKING GOOD inWe’re the pipeline, namely...

We hope you like our new website.

Already we’re getting some good feedback about the new features – particularly the Stockist Finder.

Requests for samples are going well too – especially as visitors can now see for themselves the range of colour options in each collection.

Remember, access to technical specifications is available to our registered stockists – do call or email us to receive your access password!

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

• A new gelbac, Balmoral, due out in February, which will be available in rolls only

Paddington

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 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 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

• Three fabulous new 50-50 wool polypropylenes fully Scotchgarded – Highbury, a contrasting stripe, Islington, a textured loop and Hampton Court, a plain design – due out in March, which will be available in cut lengths and rolls 4m and 5m width for domestic and contract markets (they will be included on tombolas) in a range of our usual sophisticated, earthy, muted tones

YOUR HEAD OFFICE TEAM CONTACTS

• Casablanca – a new top quality 100% polyamide is being developed for a summer launch. It’s something totally different and, we think, exciting!

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

North West

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

CRAIG MELLING M: 07970 269730 CUMBRIA, CHESHIRE & FYLDE COAST craig.melling@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 February 2012

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 February 2012

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

Tel: +44 (0) 1562 754382 Fax: +44 (0) 1562 861 074 Sales: sales@masterweaver.co.uk Info: info@masterweaver.co.uk

Introducing the UK’s newest weaver, now open in Kidderminster with high levels of stock for rapid delivery.

Wilton Sandhurst

Modern carpets manufactured using traditional values

Sandhurst Range The Wilton Sandhurst range is woven with 24 beautiful and modern colours. This plain twist is a great choice for both domestic and commercial markets.

• Wilton Hardtwist Cut Pile • 80% New Wool, 20% Nylon, 1458 g/m2 • 4m • Extra Heavy Wear

Contrast Range A cut and loop range weighing in at 47oz comes in 6 modern and exclusive colours. Unique contrast pattern provides this Wilton range with a vibrant and strong presence.

• Wilton Cut & Loop Pile • 100% New Wool, 1594 g/m2 • 4m • Extra Heavy Wear/Heavy Commercial

Honeycomb Range This cut and loop range features in 6 natural and warm colours. Made out of 100% new wool, the bee hive type of texture our Honeycomb range adds additional warmth.

• Wilton Cut &Loop Pile • 100% New Wool, 1187 g/m2 • 4m • Heavy Wear/Medium Commercial

Chequers Range A loop range weighing in at 35 oz and comes in 6 colours with a unique chequers board like pattern.

100% new wool ensures high quality texture feel.

Wilton Contrast

• Wilton Loop Pile • 100% New Wool, 1187 g/m2 • 4m • Extra Heavy Wear

Marble Planet Range This range is made of 80% new wool and 20% nylon and is ideal for commercial and heavy domestic use. It features 8 strong and passionate colours.

• Axminster Cut Pile • 80% New Wool, 20% Nylon, 1255 g/m2 • 3.66m • Very HeavyWear/Medium Commercial

Merlin Range Our Axminster Merlin range features 10 vibrant and light colours and is made out of 80% New Wool and 20% Nylon, ideal for commercial as well as domestic markets.

• Axminster Cut Pile • 80% New Wool, 20% Nylon, 1187 g/m2 • 3.66m • Very HeavyWear/Medium Commercial

Baroque Cameo Range With the 10 strong commercial colours, the medallion pattern in combination with pindots makes this range ideal for ballrooms, function rooms and public areas.

Axminster Contrast

• Axminster Cut Pile • 80% New Wool, 20% Nylon, 1356 g/m2 • 3.66m • Extra Heavy Wear/Heavy Commercial

Baroque Pindot Range The traditional pindot pattern makes this range ideal for hotel rooms and receptions. Weighing in at 40oz our Baroque Pindot range, this Axminster range has 10 strong commercial colours.

• Axminster Cut Pile • 80% New Wool, 20% Nylon, 1356 g/m2 • 3.66m • Extra Heavy Wear/Heavy Commercial

Trellis Range The range features 8 soft and natural colours which makes it extremely pleasant and warm. Made in 80% New Wool and 20% Nylon for the commercial market.

• Axminster Cut Pile • 80% New Wool, 20% Nylon, 1255 g/m2 • 3.66m • Very HeavyWear/Medium Commercial

Tartan Range MasterWeaver AxminsterTartan range features 6 modern and vibrant colours, combining traditional Tartan design with modern and vibrant colours.

• Axminster Cut Pile • 80% New Wool, 20% Nylon, 1255 g/m2 • 3.66m • Very HeavyWear/Medium Commercial

Axminster Marble Planet

MasterWeaver LTD. Stourport Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DYl17QL. England 26

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

27

‘It’s 2012, and the year is already looking good! Start the year the way you mean to go on, by placing an order with the distributor that really packs a punch!’

GRAPHICS / CONTRACT GELS

TWISTS - STAIN RESIST

VINYL / SMOOTH FLOORING

Arena Endurance Scala Sentinel

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

Blackjack Casino Royale Chequers Eclipse Mojo Puregrip XL Suregrip XL Thunderball

NATURAL EFFECT Agadir Ancona Autumn Sunset Cashmere 4&5M Country Treasure 4&5M Challenger Berber Gold Fields Hopscotch 2012 Houndstooth Tweed Ivory Coast 2012 London Life 4&5M Promenade Rustic Treasure San Salvador 4&5M Shetland/Shetland Design 4&5M Woolweave 4&5M

SAXONY / SHAG PILE Chamonix Cleopatra Eminence Half Century New Century Nobility Supreme Elegance Tennessee

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

TWISTS - WOOL Citation Twist 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

CARPET TILES Bedford Cord Capital Plus Heuga 727 Magnesium Neutron Positron Proton Quark

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

Designers Dream

WILTON Parallel Lines Renaissance Ultimate Wilton Oakland

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 – ‘LaSt month we had the excitement of the re-Launch of iVorY coaSt, and thiS month it getS eVen better! we haVe the re-Launch of hopScotch, another miLLion SeLLer, re-coLoured and re-StYLed for 2012, with new coLourS and a new deSign. then hoLd on…… we haVe the new Linea readY for Launch, inexpenSiVe and high faShion, thiS iS the Stripe for the maSS market! come on, check it out! – Stop preSS

Area Sales Executives Ian Pullinger London N, EC & E postals, Essex & Middx (within M25) 07881-502506

Paul Henson Essex (Outside M25), Cambs & Suffolk 07837-295379

James White Herts, Beds, Essex (west of M11) & North West Middx 07881-502508

Anthony Stapleton Sales Director 07881-502505/020-8498-2845

28

Opportunity exists London W & NW postals, South Middx, Western Surrey, Berks & Bucks 07875-714269 Opportunity exists London SE & SW postals, Kent, Surrey & Sussex 07881-502507

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

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 Heather Twist Design Heather Twist Supreme Pembridge Twist - New Colours Sentinel Startwist Coll Wilton Naturals BALTA Casablanca Colorado Springs Desert Twist Deluxe Fiesta Fusion Happy Days High Flyers Gala Cord-all options in stock Moorland Twist Nobility Rosemount Saxon King Shetland Shepherd Twist Stainsafe Favourite Super Wiltax Techno Twisty LUSOTUFO Celtic Horizon Mandaly Safi Sintra Boucle Tangier Titan & Tital Diagonal Twist Berber Unique Valencia

CORMAR Apollo Berwick 40/50 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 Orion/Orion Major Radnor 30/Radnor 40 DOMO Absolute Luxury Auvergne Briar Twist Cabaret Festival Twist Heather Twist Mountain Peaks Legacy Playground Portofino Prima Scorpio ITC Belgravia Concerto Consul Heritage Collection Kreta Palace TAPIBEL Cachet Melody Nevada Reeds Sysoltex Homested/Aran/Crofter Toscana

News Flash...

PRESIDENTIAL COLLECTION NOW IN STOCK

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 Grandioso Jazz Sherwood Oak Studio Sonata Texalino Supreme Urban laminates Essentials (previously Casa) Cottage IVC Classic Limestone Comfylux Extra Expressions Fantasy Fusion Master Grip Planet Precious Metals Presto Tile Styles Ultimate Oak Ultimate Minerals Victoria MOHAWK CARPETS Century Collection - Century - Half Century Presidential Collection - Independence - Liberty - Freedom (4&5M) - Splendor MISCELLANEOUS 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 January/February 2012.

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

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

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

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

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

AreA MAnAgerS - nOrtHern

regIOnAL MAnAger - nOrtHern

AreA MAnAgerS - SOutHern

Dave Lowman 07500 847758

rachel Sherwood 07801 762724

Mirka Mihulcova 07500 847566

North/East London, Beds, Bucks, Herts, Middlesex, Northants, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire

South/West London, W Sussex, Berks, Hants, Surrey

Phaedra Duncan 07738 329714

regIOnAL MAnAger - SOutHern

Berkshire, Oxfordshire

Dana Baldock 07801 762725

Steve Osman 07919 128401

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

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

Essex, Cambs, Suffolk, Norfolk

30

THE STOCKLISTS February 2012

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 February 2012

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

retailers respond to industry issues

What’s the vinyl score?

Is your business benefiting from the revival in LVT - or is DIY and the internet getting more of the margin?

The vinyl business is booming with the market enjoying a revival as improved appearance, performance and quality attract more interest and attention among consumers. The realism of decors at the top end is astounding while at the bottom end, imports are starting to flood the market in a manner reminscent of laminates five years ago.

But are the margins good enough on vinyl? Do manufacturers let you compete effectively with the sheds and the internet? Do you get the right information from your suppliers?

Does POS need improvement? Is the wide range of click systems confusing customers or making it easier to sell? Are you more comfortable selling vinyl than laminate or wood?

Inform the industry and tell us what you think.

The online survey takes less than four minutes and it’s anonymous and doesn’t need any form filling.

Please help us inform the industry.

Visit www.thestocklists.com and click on the survey banner to take part.

Flooring Forum - Join our panel

The Forum is the platform for retailers to respond to trade issues and inform the industry about the problems and opportunities they face on the High Street.

You can join our online survey panel and you’ll be invited every two months to contribute your views - it’s anonymous so you can say exactly what you think.

To join the panel, visit www.thestocklists.com and click on the Online sign-up button.

Join the debate...

32 February 2012

FlooringNews

6 February 2012

FlooringNews ‘RECESSIONARY ROLLERCOASTER’ AT DOMOTEX 2012 12 pages of essential news and comment on the world’s top flooring show starts on page 46 with our detailed analysis of trends and markets.

Tap into the trends On-trend and with colours to make a striking statement, Portland Bay keeps Crown Floors at the forefront of beautiful carpet for the home.

The 19.5mm shaggy pile of Portland Bay is ideal for homeowners wanting a carpet that gives a feeling of sumptuous luxury, while also cashing in on the trend for highly textured products in the home. Available in 10 colours including the striking pink of Blossom, the plum of Damson and the almost black of After Dark, Portland Bay has a diverse palette that caters for the more fashion-conscious consumer.

Made from 100% polypropylene, Portland Bay is a great low maintenance solution and will appeal to the growing group of consumers who put ease of living high on the shopping list. The carpet receives a four-star quality rating, making it suitable for everywhere in the home bar, halls and stairs, and it can even be used in the bathroom.

Supported by 7-year wear and 10-year stain warrantees, Portland Bay is bleach cleanable and comes in a four-metre width.

“Portland Bay underlines our commitment to providing retailers with carpets that are on-trend,” comments James Caldwell, sales coordinator, Crown Floors. “Through ranges such as this, retailers can capitalise on the latest home fashions, while other collections from Crown Floors fulfil the need for less fashion-focused carpet that has a timeless appeal.

“We believe it is important to offer a balance of both and to reinvigorate trend-based carpets as and when major trends appear or disappear. Doing this helps to keep the portfolio fresh and appealing and will help to build consumer perception of Crown Floors as a brand at the forefront of style.”

T 0800 0773301

www.crownfloors.co.uk

Carpet forever and ever Mohawk’s new Immortal range is all set to live up to its name.

All EverStrand carpets use a fibre made entirely from recycled plastic bottles, with Mohawk recycling over 3 billion of them every year into EverStrand carpet fibre. Immortal uses one of the latest incarnations of the fibre in EverStrand XtraSoft that improves softness and colour clarity and it is backed by lifetime stain protection and 10 year wear warrantees With Immortal’s built-in stain-resistance, even shades such as the almost white of tundra and meringue will stay looking good for longer and thanks to the carpet’s deep cut pile texture, evoking luxury and radiates warmth. Available in 15 shades with natural creams and browns, as well as options in grey, green, blue and black, Immortal comes in a 3.66m width.

“The EverStrand collection is unique in the market and for retailers looking to set themselves apart with innovative collections it is an obvious choice,” says Howard Lindsay, Vice President, UK Europe and South Africa. “As part of a collection that offers a versatile programme to cater for a range of interior styles and colour palettes, Immortal makes sense even before you factor in a highly competitive pricing strategy that proves being green doesn’t necessarily mean being expensive.”

T 01480 479830

www.themohawkgroup.com

from The Stocklists

February 2012 33

34 February 2012

FlooringNews

from The Stocklists

February 2012 35

The British Wool column Wool goes Stateside The British Wool team headed to Las Vegas in January to attend the biggest flooring show in North America. Surfaces, which is held in Las Vegas at the vast Mandalay Bay Complex is where the majority of the flooring companies in the USA gather and there is always a large presence from the wool carpet and rug community. So it is a good place to see what is happening in that market and meet most of the major players.

This year the British Wool display was totally dedicated to the promotions around the Campaign for Wool (CfW) and the stand was designed to promote the planned roll-out of CfW promotions for 2012.

Leading wool manufacturers are keen to support the initiative and they like the way that this promotion is simply about wool rather than where it came The Campaign for Wool promotes Wool Week on the British Wool stand at Surfaces 2012 in Las Vegas. from. The reason for this is that they feel the consumer gets too many conflicting messages in the showroom and cannot distinguish the key reason to choose wool over other fibres.

A year of lead-up discussions concluded that the list of added value benefits needed to be simplified – this was the feedback from our discussions over the previous year – “it’s a laundry list of really good things but where does a retailer start with that?” a leading American manufacturer commented during a planning meeting last May. Interestingly, these were views reflected by the UK manufacturers at a meeting in September.

Axminster was one of the leading British manufacturers represented in Las Vegas.

Promoting wool – spotlights in the consumer magazines The March issue of Homes and Gardens magazine (on sale in February) will carry a separate guide to choosing flooring. The carpet section is sponsored by British Wool and the Carpet Foundation and offers practical buyer’s guide information to choosing wool carpet and many other flooring types. Homes & Gardens has a good reputation for promoting quality and style to those consumers that are in a position to pay for it.

In addition, there is fabulous non-stop coverage on wool lifestyle products in Country Homes & Interiors magazine. There is quite a bit of emphasis on texture and weave, showing a trend that was around a few years ago but also quite a big feature on bold colour. The lack of movement in the housing market is heralding a little more creativity on the home front. Get a pile of these assorted magazines and have them in the shop – ideas are always good to have on hand!

36 February 2012

Take three good reasons…

‘Follow the Green Sheep… and Choose Wool’ will be the basis of the Campaign’s USA carpet consumer promotion. This will highlight the logo which will appear on product in-store and of course is now becoming a symbolic visual connection with real wool. But in response to their comments on ‘simplifying the sell’, we are encouraging our US partners to define a more straightforward approach to selling wool.

‘Take Three Good Reasons to Choose Wool’ was the focus at Surfaces and the aim is to suggest simple information for the retailer to use with their customer that becomes memorable over time.

Natural, beautiful and durable were the chosen three reasons for the promotion.

Why these three reasons? Well, Wool is a luxury fibre in the American markets and all of this gives a slightly different directional swerve to the reasons selected. They are also more influenced by the environmental agenda hence their choice of ‘natural’.

Choosing ‘beautiful’ as a reason encompasses all the aesthetic appeal in one – wool is beautiful to look at and to feel – most people are influenced by appearance and so prioritising it as a reason to choose wool carpet was seen as important. Thirdly, we have the reason ‘durable’ – the long lasting performance of wool is the crucial practicality aspect, the consumer needs to know that wool carpet will last and look good for many years.

‘The USA is a different market to the UK but they have had similar comments to our UK partners. The ability of wool to perform is so well known by manufacturers but these messages are for consumers. Of course it is hard to ignore the other aspects but there seems to be some good thinking behind these reasons and it offers a nice response to a customer if they say “Why wool?”’

Bridgette Kelly of the British Wool Marketing Board said.

FlooringNews

News

Axminster by appointment Axminster Carpets has joined an elite group of companies to be awarded the Royal Warrant, a mark of recognition for the supply of goods and services to Her Majesty The Queen for a period of at least five years and adherence to stringent environmental requirements.

Awarded to Axminster Carpets in the Queen’s Jubilee year and regarded as a symbol of excellence and quality, the Royal Warrant demonstrates the family-owned company’s manufacturing prowess that has seen it create a world-wide reputation for carpets of the highest quality.

Adam’s Castlemead Twist - Sweet Buddleia CD117

Adam invests Adam Carpets have continued their ‘investment in ranges’ programme by strengthening their popular Castlemead Twist range with six new colours, bringing the total number offered to 60.

With colour, quality and style the hallmark of an Adam Carpet, it’s not surprising to see that five of the new additions are strong, vibrant colours.

Sales Director Eamonn Prescott said, “These have been developed in conjunction with today’s popular colours and tomorrow’s fabrics and textiles. This helps Castlemead Twist stay one step ahead of our rivals and ready to meet the challenge of tomorrow’s trends.”

T 01562 829966

“Being awarded the Royal Warrant is testament to our commitment to manufacturing carpets of the highest possible standard while also striving for exemplary service levels,” comments Josh Dutfield, Group Managing Director.

“The Axminster Carpets brand is synonymous with quality, and the Royal Warrant is further evidence of our ability to meet the highest expectations.”

With its Devon manufacturing sites, Axminster Carpets is one of the few carpet companies still producing within the UK. The company also has the only fleece-to-floor operation, which sees the manufacturer source British wool and spin and dye its own yarn before the carpet manufacturing process begins. It is this attention-to-detail and complete control of the entire production process that sees the company regarded as one of the foremost carpet manufacturers operating today.

T 01297 630650

www.axminstercarpets.co.uk

www.adamcarpets.com

Bacon butty boost Kingsmead steps up

Recofloor says its successful nationwide ‘Bacon Butty’ roadshows in 2011 have attracted an additional 75 flooring contractors. Many signed up on the day to the UK’s awardwinning vinyl flooring recycling scheme, founded by leading flooring manufacturers Altro and Polyflor.

Nine events were held at flooring distributors’ premises from Scotland to Kent and attracted over 160 visitors in total. Visitors took the opportunity to learn more about the scheme’s features and benefits over a bacon sandwich.

“We had a tremendous response, which certainly exceeded our expectations, and we received a lot of positive feedback from existing and potential Recofloor members. Many commented on how the Recofloor scheme is straightforward and easy to use,” said Matt Charlton, one of Recofloor’s representatives.

Fresh from its nomination in the “Carpet of the Year” category at the “House Beautiful “awards 2011, Kingsmead’s range artwork will be doubling its stripes in 2012. Watch out for five more coordinating stripes utilising the exceptional plain palette designed by Joanna Ramsden of Wools of New Zealand.

T 01827 831424

T 0161 355 7618 www.recofloor.org

www.kingsmeadcarpets.co.uk

from The Stocklists

February 2012 37

News

Guide gets bigger and smaller F. Ball and Co. Ltd. has unveiled its 2012 Recommended Adhesives Guide (RAG). The F. Ball RAG is the industry’s trusted guide to adhesive and floorcovering compatibility, and it features over 5,500 adhesive recommendations for floorcoverings from over 200 leading international manufacturers.

Following customer feedback, the 2012 guide has been produced in a new A5 format, combining the handiness of the mini RAG with the clarity of the A4 guide. The interactive version of the RAG is also available on the F. Ball website, www.f-ball.co.uk, providing live data which is continually updated throughout the year in line with any alterations to floorcovering ranges.

F. Ball is always keen to utilise new technology where it believes there is a benefit to customers and, with this in mind, it has also launched a new smartphone app version of the RAG. The newly launched smartphone app is free to download and is available for iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile platforms.

Enabling users to access the latest in live search technology, the RAG app enhances the experience of viewing the guide in its traditional booklet form by offering the user the added benefits of being able to search the RAG database whilst on the move or on site. Moreover, the app allows users to download product data sheets and demonstration videos directly to their mobile phones.

Now 125 years old, F. Ball’s experience and depth of knowledge within the flooring adhesives industry has enabled the company to become a leading authority on flooring installation products.

The F. Ball RAG is compiled and updated annually to assist specifiers, flooring contractors and distributors in the selection of flooring adhesives, which have been thoroughly tested and approved for use with particular floorcoverings.

T 01538 361 633

www.f-ball.co.uk

Mapei birthday to you On the 15th February 2012 Mapei will celebrate their 75th anniversary. From humble beginnings Mapei has grown from a small family business into a multinational operation within this time - becoming one of the worlds’ leading manufacturers of adhesives and chemical products for the building industry.

Established in 1937 just outside of Milan, it was here that Mapei’s foundations and values were created. These values encompass creativity, competence, passion and flexibility and are still promoted within the company today.

It is these basic principles that continue to influence the company’s success and accounts for their annual 1.9 billion euro turnover from across its 68 subsidiaries -with 58 plants, in 27 countries, across five continents.

The UK is home to Mapei's 47th manufacturing plant worldwide, based in Halesowen. Mapei first entered the UK market in 1989 with the aim to maximise their proximity, fulfil the UK’s local market needs and to reduce logistic costs. In this time Mapei has advanced in the UK to have a major prominence in the ceramic and soft flooring markets. Mapei’s UK manufacturing facilities in Halesowen are now capable of producing up to 103,000 tonnes of product annually. And following in the Mapei Group’s standards of quality management have achieved ISO9001 and ISO14001 for the UK facility.

Mark Louch, Mapei’s UK Managing Director commented “Mapei have reached yet another incredible milestone, and our intention is to expand our product lines in the UK and indeed throughout the world. We thank all those who have helped Mapei to grow, and keep on growing and endeavour to continue to provide innovating and ecologically sound building solutions without losing the distinctive traits which made us so successful.”

T 0121 508 6970

38 February 2012

Busy Birmingham for Flooring Birmingham proved to be a busy forum for the second year of flooring’s inclusion in the UK’s premier interior design event, Interiors 2011.

The show at the National Exhibition Centre invited floor companies into the event last year to complement the established mix of interior design, furnishing, lighting and beds and while this year’s participation was reduced compared to 2011, exhibitors reported good quallity leads.

Companies including Furlong Flooring for carpets, Cavalio for LVT, V4 for wood, Mastercraft, Oriental Weavers and Alpaca for rugs and sisal specialist Fibre were among the exhibitors.

“We have been very encouraged by the interest among designers and specifiers which this event attracts,” said Robert Dickson of Mastercraft.

Interiors is reckoned to be the UK’s largest gathering of independent retailers with over 26,000 visitors and 6,500 contract buyers who come to see more than 600 exhibitors.

A full report from the flooring companies at Interiors 2011 will appear in our March issue.

Harrogate all set for September! see page 58

www.mapei.com

FlooringNews

News

Smart and safe Polyflor’s popular Polysafe Standard safety vinyl flooring collection is now available with the manufacturer’s groundbreaking Polysafe polyurethane reinforcement (PUR).

Cross-linked and UV cured, Polysafe PUR is a super strength reinforcement designed to make Polysafe Standard PUR even easier to clean, provide optimum appearance and colour retention as well as improved soil release.

Using a micro mop maintenance regime, chemical usage, energy intensive cleaning and water consumption are significantly reduced and life cycle maintenance costs of up to 60% are achievable over a 15 year period when compared to untreated safety flooring.

“Over recent months we have launched our Polysafe Mosaic, Vogue Ultra, Astral and Corona ranges with Polysafe PUR and the response from customers has been phenomenal,” explains Simon James, Polyflor marketing manager.

“The fact that Polysafe Standard now offers the same maintenance, environmental and visual benefits as some of our higher end, decorative safety ranges makes it one of the best value safety products on the market.”

Polysafe Standard PUR has been awarded the highest possible BRE Global Environmental A+ Rating in major use areas such as education and healthcare (Certificate No: ENP 336). The product rating is based on the whole life environmental impact of the flooring over a building life of 60 years, thereby contributing to a healthy BREEAM score.

T 0161 767 1111

www.polyflor.com

Putting the i into IVC The IVC Group has developed a stunning new website to cement its position as one of Europe’s leading vinyl floor specialists.

The stylish and simple to navigate portal, which can be found at www.ivcgroup.com, uses stunning lifestyle-focused imagery to reflect IVC Group’s core offering in the residential and commercial sectors. The site provides general company information, as well as information on the group’s key brands, news and details of manufacturing facilities across the globe.

Outlining the brand values for Leoline (www.leoline.co.uk), Avenue (www.avenuefloors.co.uk), Itec Contract Floors (www.itecfloors.co.uk) and Moduleo (www.moduleo.co.uk), the website also provides instant access to satellite portals for each, which feature details of all product ranges, as well as comprehensive information on installation, maintenance, warranties and POS materials. Particularly valuable to consumers will be the Store Locator facility that searches Avenue, Leoline and Moduleo retailers by postcode, providing quick and easy access to stockists throughout the UK. “The development of this new global portal reflects our growing stature within the industry,” comments marketing director of the group, Filiep Vermeulen. “Our residential brands are considered as some of the most powerful forces in cushion flooring and with our rising stars in Moduleo and Itec, we felt it important that our new corporate site showed the full potential of IVC Group.

“Of course, it is also important that the website provides users with a pleasant and straightforward experience, so we have developed www.ivcgroup.com to be simple to navigate, without forgetting our hunger for information and that retailers are of central importance in our route to market.”

T +32 5665 3211

www.ivcgroup.com

Elite oak Featuring v-grooves on all sides and at 10mm thick, Cavallo Oak from the Series Elite collection, exclusively available from UK Flooring Direct, is perfect for homes looking for a laminate floor that exudes quality.

The subtle wood grain surface texture enhances the appearance of the laminate floor, which can be used anywhere in the home apart from bathrooms and even in smallscale commercial projects such as boutique shops and smaller offices.

Using the benefits of click installation, Series Elite Cavallo Oak is fast and easy to fit, making the floor ideal for fitters and homes looking to get maximum value from a new floor.

“The Series Elite collection offers undeniable quality, without forgetting that value is an increasingly important criteria in the eye of the fitter and consumer,” says product manager, Josh Ashby. “Thanks to easy glue-free fitting, fast nationwide delivery and a whole range of matching accessories including trims and radiator roses, as well as sound reducing and moisture-resistant underlay, Cavallo Oak and UK Flooring Direct can provide fitters with everything they need to complete the perfect installation.”

With excellent customer feedback on quality, Cavallo Oak joins other styles in the Series Elite collection such as Lodge White, Rustic Grey, Chocolate Oak and American Black Walnut.

T 0845 287 5623

from The Stocklists

www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk

February 2012 39

News

Victoria is not amused An unconventional and bitter boardroom battle is taking place at Victoria Plc with a consortium of shareholders including former management seeking to re-take control of the company. In a suprise move intended to force the issue to a conclusion, Victoria plc has put itself up for sale and set a deadline of the end of February to receive offers for the company.

Former chairman Alexander Anton heads a consortium called New Fortress Finance Holding which is demanding changes at the top. Mr Anton is a member of the founding family of Victoria Carpets and was its chairman between 2007 and 2010. He owns less than five per cent of shares, but family members own a significant part of the firm and the consortium has an18% shareholding overall. However, the consortium claims to speak for 46% of the shareholders in their bid for control.

Initially, the consortium sought to ‘requisition’ the board - demanding the replacement of two non-executive directors including chairman Nikki Beckett saying Victoria needs “fresh thinking and impetus”. Those directors would be replaced by a four new appointments including Mr Anton and installing Katherine Innes Ker as chairman. The move was described by the Victoria Board as ‘very foolhardy’ in a statement to shareholders in December.: “The Board strongly believes this action is both without merit and an unwelcome distraction for the operational management team and the business as a whole.”

The Board said the consortium should make a bid for the company “that truly represents the full value of the business” rather than attempting to take control without offering shareholders any value for their shares”. The Board’s decision to offer the company for sale will force the issue and, on January 17, Victoria issued a notice saying that if the consortium do not withdraw it will call an Annual General Meeting no later than March 6 and let shareholders decide on the future including any firm offers for the business.

The move to unseat existing management is surprising in a period when Victoria is doing well, recording a profits surge of 80% in the half-year to end-October 2011with group revenues up 17% to £39.02m and a 17% increase in dividends for shareholders.

In its statement, Victoria said: “The Board has a clear strategy that is working well and the Company is noticeably out-performing the market. We plan to continue to invest in our business for the future and, during the remainder of this current financial year we will be making significant investment in both new carpet ranges and in the luxury vinyl tile market. We feel confident that planned new product initiatives, allied to anticipated growth in new channels and markets, will help the Group continue to gain market share and place Victoria in a commanding position to exploit any opportunities presented by the market.”

But the share price has not kept pace, trading at a discount to the market, and this appears to have unsettled shareholders.

Craig joins Furlong Furlong Flooring has appointed Craig Melling as their new man in the North West.

Craig will represent Regency Carpets and the Carefree range in Cumbria, Cheshire and the Fylde Coast.

Full details of all the team covering the country is shown on page 24 of this magazine.

T 07970 269730

craig,melling@furlongflooring.co.uk

Itec appoints Itec Contract Floors has appointed Jason Barrett to role of National Sales Manager as it looks to increase its penetration within the UK and Irish commercial flooring sector.

Jason will be responsible for developing the Itec brand among contractors and distributors, as well as within the specification community, as parent IVC Group looks to build upon success in the residential sector.

“The strong combination of excellent product quality, innovation and beneficial distributor provisions, as well as proactive specification strategies, will help to quickly establish Itec as a key brand within key commercial sectors,” comments Jason Barrett.

From a background in construction materials, distributing, contracting and design, Jason has extensive experience within the UK vinyl flooring sector having previously held positions at Altro, Amtico and LG Hausys Europe.

T 00 32 5665 3211

www.ivcgroup.com

Colourful cut and loop Cobble’s Colortec tufting machine can now be equipped with an advanced Level-Cut-Loop (LCL) attachment to produce patterns in cut and loop. It can be fitted to existing machines or supplied with new orders and allows designers to take full advantage when running a six-color pattern.

A total of 12 different effects can be produced by simply designing cut and loop for each color.

The Colortec machine is in production throughout the world in a variety of gauges including 5/32”, 1/7” and 1/10”. Its exceptional patterning capability has transformed the hospitality, commercial, logo and rug industry.

Now, with the option of Cobble’s advanced LCL attachment for cut and loop production, manufacturers can optimise 6-colour patterning to extend their product range and explore new opportunities to stand out from the competition.

The twelve different effects from six colours are achieved by utilising the light and dull lustre of yarn in the loop or cut state. Individual control of the ‘Standard’ Tufting needles used on the Colortec ensures that the machine can tuft all types of yarns to produce the same high quality results.

T 01254 55121 40 February 2012

www.cobble.co.uk

FlooringNews

News

Cormar clicks through £1m

Sustainable showcase Exciting and innovative new ways of reusing carpet materials and offcuts will be showcased by Carpet Recycling UK on Stand S20 at Ecobuild 2012. A full information-packed CRUK seminar programme on Thursday March 22nd will highlight the latest cutting-edge progress on treating recovered carpet as a rich new resource for novel products and highend applications.

Three popular seminar sessions will focus on sustainable practices supported by CRUK, the industry-backed association for waste carpet reuse and recycling, in its third appearance at the Excel show.

Starting at 11am, the seminars will feature senior industry figures and leading flooring manufacturers sharing their knowledge on the latest research and development into advanced recycling and reprocessing techniques for all types of synthetic and wool carpets.

Discussion will also centre on how carpet materials can be used as a valuable new resource for cost-effective and eco-friendly design concepts, including construction products. The sessions will cover: • Innovative construction products from carpet fibres • Design for recycling and designing products with recycled content • Carpet tile reuse and recycling “Tremendous opportunities for recovering and recycling carpet materials are emerging all the time. For example, recovered carpet fibres can be used in wood replacement products and advertising hoardings or protective screens for building sites,” says Jane Gardner of resource recovery specialists Axion Consulting, which manages CRUK. 0161 440 8325

www.carpetrecyclinguk.com

Cormar Carpet’s new B2B trade website, launched at the Harrogate Exhibition in September last year, has proved to be a huge success with over £1m of orders placed by retailers in its first three months.

Demonstrating Cormar’s commitment to investment in the future and service to it’s trade customers, the site offers a range of interactive services including stock check, delivery days, online ordering, price checks, online statements and proof of delivery, order tracking and order history - all through a secure personal log-in.

Said Cormar Carpet’s marketing director, David Cormack: “The challenge was to go beyond what is currently available and provide our retail customers with a truly effective business tool, benchmarking the web portal against such e-commerce market leaders as Amazon for speed and ease of use..”

Since the company started rolling out the service last October, retailers placed over 5,000 orders worth over £1.2 million in sales up to Christmas, through the new channel, proving that fast, reliable service is what customers are looking for whatever channel is chosen to place the order.

Cormar will continue to roll out the service in the first quarter of this year with usage expected to rise significantly. Said David: “Thanks to the interactivity, flexibility and functionality that the internet offers along with 24/7 access, retailers are finding the service a convenient way of ordering as well as providing greater information and visibility for their business.“ T 01204 881234

www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

Vorwerk durch technik!

Vorwerk Carpets has pressed the green button on a fabulous new website that positions the company at the forefront of innovative flooring thinking. www.vorwerk-carpet.com presents a new aesthetic for the manufacturer and a way to discover how products such as FreeSCALE and Selected Rugs are transforming the flooring landscape and how involvement in art such as the Rapport installation by Jürgen Mayer H is challenging conventional perceptions of carpet.

To do this effectively the new website has moved away from the confines of product-focused presentation instead taking users on a journey that also explores cultural and technical themes with equal reverence: “The new website has allowed us to visually interpret our unique approach,” explains Sales Director UK, Ian Hammond. “Vorwerk is synonymous with different thinking and this website goes to show just why. Giving equal importance to all aspects of our operations whether technical, cultural or environmental is a sign of our balanced and harmonious approach to being a carpet manufacturer.”

Of course, in the German company’s usual fashion refined functionality exists on the website, with the advanced ‘floorfinder’ search engine helping designers and end users alike to find their ideal Vorwerk carpet. With installation and care advice, details of the company’s EcoBalance philosophy and download editions of the stunning Dialog magazine, www.vorwerk-carpet.com provides a unique and fulfilling insight into the company.

T 020 7096 5090

www.vorwerk-carpet.com

from The Stocklists

February 2012 41

Flower on Flooring News News Better by design The dominance of beige carpet has been seen to be threatened in recent months with colour, pattern and stripes appearing more frequently.

For many years, the response to questions about carpet trends has been: "It's still beige!". However, this is now changing, following the continued popularity of stripes and, more recently, the emergence of patterns and more colour options. Manufacturers such as Adam Carpets are investing heavily in these trends. The company launched more than 50 new patterns last year, with more to come in 2012.

It has also extended its Castlemead Velvet Stripe to include 11 colours. Adam Carpets' overtuft ranges, also launched last year, include Boulevard, a stronger pattern with vibrant greens and reds proving popular, and Catherine, a more contemporary trellis and pin dot, with subtle colours such as Almond proving successful.

The company states its overtuft ranges offer woven quality at a tufted price. It further explains that next year will see continued investment in bold colours and designs, rather than natural shades.

Adam Carpets’ Boulevard overtufted range

Alternative Flooring makes a difference!

The other key trend to look out for is our renewed love of hot and humble metals, which look beautiful with the patina of age and are reflected in our statement metallic sisal flooring."

Steve Upperton, Axminster Carpets sales director, says pattern has remained at the premium end of the sector. However, renewed interest at the more competitive end will provide benefits for retailers, matching his company's reputation for creating pattern intensity and unmatched reproduction, complemented by Axminster's move to introduce contemporary carpets with a twist for a more youthful audience.

"With pattern appearing across the sector and with adoption expected to rise at all price points, consumers will be more in-tune with the variety on offer and there will be more awareness that a Contemporary pattern in Picasso from Axminster’s Princetown collection

Lorna Haigh, Alternative Flooring marketing manager, says: "There is a welcome burst of colour and pattern on our floors this season. Shades are bold and often retro-inspired. Taking it's cue from the catwalk, flooring shows a love of colour, a passion for pattern and the return of beautifully crafted design, too. " The fashion for dots and faux animal skins has influenced Alternative Flooring. "Our new and vibrant Quirky collection captures this mood perfectly with on-trend graphic geometrics, modern tartans, faux animal and dotty designs.

42 February 2012

FlooringNews

by Dennis Flower David Cormack, Cormar Carpets marketing director, believes plain carpet will continue to dominate: “Value-for-money and practicality is first on the agenda as people look for hardwearing, lower priced and low maintenance carpets. Cormar’s Easy Clean Primo family – Primo Plus, Primo Ultra, Primo Tweeds and newly launched Primo Delight - and the Apollo collection offer a wide range of styles, textures and colours.”

Made from stain-resistant and beach-cleanable Excellon polypropylene, the company's Easy Clean family now carries stain warranties. “In terms of colours v patterns, Apollo’s popularity by combining daring bold shades such as red (Carmine) and black (Graphite) with ‘easy back-drop’ colours like Beachcomber continues," says Mr Cormar.

Cormar Carpets says plains will continue to dominate

carpet’s design doesn’t have to consist of flowers or stripes, it can be contemporary and individual in equal measure. We see these carpets appealing to a wider audience than before," says Mr Upperton.

Brintons Carpets states that current trends see a proliferation of pewter shine, shimmer, burnishing and bronzes. Cool, dark and dusty neutrals sit side by side and contrasts are high, though with subtle tonality rather than sharp black/white.

Crown Floors’ Bayswater in antique grey

James Caldwell, Crown Floors sales coordinator, says his company will be introducing contemporary interpretations in a geometric pindot and stripe, but there is another growth area to consider.

The 'nesting' trend resulting from continued economic difficulties has also seen texture become more popular.

“Ranges such as Bayswater and Portland Bay, which envelop and cosset the feet and possess an opulent and luxurious air, really sit well alongside this nesting trend and so will gain in popularity throughout 2012 and well into 2013 as the uncertainty looks set to continue for quite some time,” says Mr Caldwell. Deeper pile and richer shades of neutrals in carpet will also prove popular, he says.

Domo Floorcoverings says broadloom carpets are now enjoying popularity in Scandinavia and Germany, in addition to the UK. With colours such as chocolate brown proving popular last year, the company will be introducing four tints of blue, plus a range of industrially-inspired greys in 2012.

The company agrees that pattern and thick, high-pile carpets are proving more popular, providing warmth and cosiness in homes.

Domo Floorcoverings says there is also a need for the correct detail to be included. It has accordingly replaced its bird features of three years ago with floral prints and graphic-style geometric designs. continued overleaf...

Pattern and thick pile is more popular at Domo

There is a focus on dark neutrals, with strong inky navy and charcoal, seen in the new-to-range design in Brintons' Laurence LlewelynBowen collection, Pierrot. Tonal shapes are a key indicator this season, the company states, with traditional textile motifs such as lace, arabesques and damasks at larger scale and in more subdued tones.

Tonal variations and simplified translations show natural cloth textures and weaves offsetting the pattern elements.Velvets and plush finishes are also popular along with folk appliqués on plain grounds.

from The Stocklists

February 2012 43

News News continue to be strong well into 2012. We’ve just launched the Barbican range which combines all these selling points – there’s a striking multi-stripe and a two-toned textured plain in 100% wool in a great palette of earthy tones."

The partnership between Ian Wallace, independent UK design studio Forte Cloth International owner, and Fell's Carpets has been forged to launch the Wallace fashion flooring brand. This is designed to deliver on-trend, patterned flooring at the most competitive price, combining the skills of the two companies to create UK-produced carpets. ”Between us we intend to design and deliver on trend affordable carpet that will enhance any home and become a true fashion statement. It is time to decorate from the floor up!” says Mr Wallace. Birger Karlsson, Lano Carpets UK and Ireland sales manager, says that in addition to pattern, 2012 will also see demand for colour, performance and value. The results of a "scary economy" means that "carpet selection is now thankfully more about individualism than bland universal appeal," he says.

Barbican is a major success for Edel Telenzo

Edel Telenzo's Lesley Inman says: "Our customers are definitely looking for quality that will give them performance, but at very competitive price points. Our wool ranges are doing quite well in the domestic sector; and our polypropylenes in the contract sector.

“We have managed to hold our wool prices since last May which makes our offering quite competitive relative to the quality.

“We specialise in textured plains and stripes – and our stripes continue to be very well received. Colourwise, it’s all about muted earthy shades with hints of greys and greens. I think these will

Lano’s Penhurst wilton puts colour and pattern in vogue

"The traditional perception that pattern costs more is now being addressed and with collections such as our Wilton pioneering better value, retailers can benefit from the rising trend," says Mr Karlsson. Lano's Wilton is available in 4m width with a 10 year stain-free warranty and provides options for both contract and residential markets.

Fells Carpets present their Transitions Collection

44 February 2012

Clare Jenkinson, Ulster Carpets designer, says that while plains continue to be important, modern, restrained textures provide relief by supplying the correct amount of pattern without dominating the room.

FlooringNews

News

Launch of new flooring validation service for UK insurers

Vorwerk’s Maleo in the striking Silver Lining

"The design direction is calm and elegant, rather than chunky textures," she says. Patterned carpet will continue to grow as a trend, with classic designs continuing to expand, says Ms Jenkinson. Quiet and elegant colours will also be developed, with alternatives to grey and beige reflecting the trend for deeper colours being used in other interior products – such as inky blues, smoky purples and soft raspberry, but rarely as strong.

LAS, a Birmingham based claims management company are launching a new Flooring Validation Service to UK insurance company’s in Quarter One 2012. The business, Claritas, has been established in response to insurer requests to complement its existing successful Loss Adjusting Services and Building Repair Network divisions.

Claritas will be a stand-alone operating division, providing a genuinely independent and impartial claims validation service for both flooring and non electrical contents claims.

“The Claritas business is genuinely independent and impartial in its assessment and settlement of flooring claims”

Ian Hammond, Vorwerk Carpets UK sales director, agrees that the economic situation is continuing to affect the market and states that consumers are turning more towards vibrant and eclectic interiors. “Texture is proving particularly key, with homeowners looking for carpets that have a real sense of luxury and opulence and that cosset the feet in warmth and richness. Shag pile carpets such as Fabula or the luxurious velours of Nerz are becoming a more accepted route to carpet nirvana, replacing the rather dull and boring twists of old," he says.

The Claritas aim has been built to not only provide the impartial validation service insurers have been looking at to control their claims settlement and claims management costs, but also to fully accommodate the appointment and management of any required third party fulfilment suppliers, such as external flooring and furniture retailers and disaster restoration companies.

"The same ‘bold is best’ philosophy also applies to colour, though particularly vivid shades are still in the minority. The best way to see it is as bolder interpretation of neutrals, with richer browns and greys dominant," Mr Hammond concludes.

The Claritas business is genuinely independent and impartial in its assessment and settlement of flooring and non electrical claims. Claritas will not receive or generate any commissions or rebates from the work it authorises from retailers.

For more information about featured products: Adam • www.adamcarpets.com • 01562 829966 Alternative Flooring • www.alternativeflooring.com • 01264 335111 Fells Carpets • www.fellscarpets.info • 01977 662211 Crown Floors • www.crownfloors.co.uk • 0800 0773301 Cormar Carpets • www.cormarcarpets.co.uk • 01204 881234 Domo Floorcoverings • T +32 55 33 52 76 • www.baltagroup.com Edel Telenzo • www.edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk • 01422 374417 Lano • www.lano.be • +32 56654000 Vorwerk • www.vorwerk-carpets.com • 0207 096 5090 Axminster • www.axminster-carpets.co.uk • 01297 32244

Although Claritas is able to accommodate the use and scope of work of any third party flooring & furniture suppliers requested by the insurer, it will not generate any financial income of any sort for appointing any supplier.

The business believes this truly impartial and independent approach is unique in the flooring and furniture insurance validation market today, with all other competitors having either validation or supply agreements with retailers and manufacturers to deliver their service offering or receiving financial income/rebate from the sale of any replacement item.

The management, office staff and field inspectors who have joined Claritas are highly experienced and have a comprehensive understanding of both the retail and insurance markets.

E info@claritasclaims.com See also our recruitment advertising section, page 59.

from The Stocklists

February 2012 45

DOMOTEX 2012 Recessionary rollercoaster Hang on! It’s going to be a bumpy ride in 2012 and Domotex demonstrates the thrills and spills ahead.

Domotex was the antidote to the Eurozone debt crisis. There may be less money to spend but ideas and initiative are still available in abundance at the world’s biggest flooring event. How much of the enthusiasm is expressed more in hope than expectation remains to be seen.

As the principal forum of the world's flooring industry the soundings taken in Hannover represent key themes for the year ahead.

Domotex themes 2012 • Wool prices will stay high but a little more stable while the synthetic pretenders get better and more numerous.

• Uncompromising quality still sells for the fortunate few at the very top of the market.

The investment in and heavy promotion of these products will start to change the long esteem in which wool has been held in the UK. But the economics are complex. High wool prices mean that, for the first time in 10 years, the number of farmers pulling out of wool has stopped falling in New Zealand there is even a modest increase. This might bring the price down - but more wool from both the UK and Australia/New Zealand is going direct to China.

So high wool prices look set to stay in Europe even if supply increases and demand falls - and the decline in wool spinning capacity in the UK is irreversible. Quality synthetics look increasingly attractive to some midmarket wool blends.

• The structural shift in trade from West to East is only now being appreciated as the new reality.

But polypropylene and nylon prices has seen substantial increases of their own with manufacturers complaining they have to spot buy fibre for large contracts making estimating very difficult.

• Manufacturers are still taking risks but marketing has got smarter than new launch blizzards.

Quality sells

• Colour is getting cosier - see our trend report on page 57.

• LVT is riding a crest of popularity but signs already exist of too many products chasing too small a market.

• Laminates remain in decline but there are rumours of a return to Scandinavian-style minimalism that will favour the rug business at the expense of broadloom.

• QR codes are everywhere - if you don’t know what one is, you’d better find out quickly!

British quality is doing well at the top end of the market.

Wool prices Having spent a couple of years moaning about high prices, most manufacturers are doing something about it. The number and quality of synthetic products sold on their similarity to wool grows every month and Domotex saw some impressive examples, most notably Associated Weavers’ superb new Woodland Twist and Condor’s new Harvard Twist where a salesman joked that it even smelled like wool.

46 February 2012

It is a truism of this recession that quality sells - and British quality is doing well at the top end of the market. While some of the American market demand for high end output has diminished, quality producers at Domotex like Brockway, Bronte and Tisca Tiara report strong sales. The latest UK newcomer, Flock, is on course to follow up on the trend.

Quality is also selling in non-wool with the higher end wool-like fibres including relative newcomers like Woltec and SmartStrand which are priced well above conventional PP levels.

“There is a definite desire for comfort colours and a warm, secure feeling at home” Read our trends report from the industry leading carpet designer - page 57.

FlooringNews

DOMOTEX 2012 The World of Flooring 12 pages of news and features from the world’s leading flooring show West-East shift Domotex is a massive demonstration of the power shift from West to East on every level and everyone wants a piece of China. Once it was just to source cheaper imports but now it’s about selling quality products into that vast market and securing Chinese money for investment in European operations.

Increasingly, non-European companies are able to trade in their own right rather than as third party suppliers or via European ‘front’ companies. And some big players are there in the forefront with the firepower to impact the UK market.

Risks and rewards

by David Spragg

“Most manufacturers appear not to have run for the bunkers in this recession and many are still prepared to take risks to secure market share.”

LVT and laminates While the last two or three years have seen some return to carpet in the UK, there is a very noticeable increase in activity in the luxury vinyl tile market. Existing players have been getting sharper with new ranges and better choice. The way LVT is marketed is moving much more up-market into an aspirational sell with stronger retail support.

There are few consistent trends in this recession with month-bymonth performances fluctuating wildly while raw material costs increase relentlessly. The surprise voiced constantly is about how few causalities there have been so far - but there are inevitable gloomy predictions that the worst of UK/European austerity measures have yet to bite.

An inevitable consequence is that the activity is attracting more players and, in a manner reminiscent of the rapid saturation of the laminates market a few years ago, cheaper imports are piling in. It is said the demise of laminates was hastened by Chinese factories switching over to produce vinyl decors instead.

However, most manufacturers appear not to have run for the bunkers in this recession and many are still prepared to take risks to secure market share. They are doing so with more intelligent marketing that is more about merchandising, service and incentives than trying to chase business with a desperate blizzard of quarterly product launches.

QR codes

One glimmer of hope often referred to at Domotex was that the eventual slight weakening of the Euro against the pound was helping a little - but helping to reduce the frequency and severity of price rises rather than reduce costs or increase margins significantly.

But the style gurus are hinting that there are early signs of a resurrection for laminates as Scandinavian styles are coming through in interiors fashion.

And finally, the displays, labelling and literature of the modern carpet manufacturer are being infested by the random patterns of the QR code which are fast becoming the fount of all knowledge for the screen-age carpet buyer. If you haven’t a clue what I’m on about, you already falling dangerously behind - but the good news is that we’ll be doing a feature on the technology in this magazine next month!

45,000 from all over the world crowd into flooring’s greatest show on earth....

If you have never been to Hannover, it’s impossible to imagine how inspiring a major trade show can be. So next year, don’t imagine - go!

The event is like the Las Vegas of flooring (and considerably more glamorous than the Surfaces show that runs in Vegas the same month). Organisers recorded 10%+ growth in attendence this year to visit nearly 1,400 trade stands. Many of the stands are creative masterpieces in their own right costing more than £1m each and take more than two weeks to build prior to the event.

January is the dullest month in the UK flooring trade so book your flight early later this year for flooring’s greatest show in earth!

from The Stocklists

February 2012 47

DOMOTEX 2012

John Lanham Watts has a new lease on life and plans for expansion following a takeover at the end of last year by one of its customers - the Chinese house Rizhao Griffith Textile Company whose 30 axminster looms are going to boost the business.

“This is a great result for us,: says Alex Watts. “We have a very healthy business and this gives us the opportunity to grow.” That growth will see a shift more into axminsters and bespoke carpets although there will still be some tufting done in the UK. At Domotex, JLW was proudly showing large and striking designs, some with more than 20 colours in the weave, an achievement beyond the reach of many manufacturers. The wool is primarily British and New Zealand.

T 01937 588511

www.jlwcarpets.com

“We are very excited about the future after a major step forward for the business”

Condor already has big business in the UK and the launch of their new wool-like range Harvard Twist is set to grow that share with a highly attractive product. Harvard is certainly at the top end of the recent wave of wool pretenders in terms of look and feel - one Condor sales representative even joked that it smelled like wool.

But this product has some impressive environmental credentials as it's manufactured from 100% recycled PET, typically from plastic drinks bottles under Condor's new Ecoline branding.

Solution dyed in a range of contemporary colours, Harvard Twist offers a heavy domestic rating and 10-year wear warranty for a product that is easy to clean and significantly cheaper than wool.

T +31 38-4778911

www.condorcompany.eu

Bronte made its Domotex debut as part of the Wools of New Zealand stand in Hannover and reinforced its reputation for expertise and quality. 18 months ago, Bronte made the largest investment ever in the company’s history with the launch of its new range of wool saxonies and velvets in 11 different piles and 4 weights of new wool twists - all backed up by a 60strong colour bank.

“It was a major step forward for us and we are seeing the benefits after a really positive reaction from the market,” says MD Andrew Broughton. “We are very excited about the future.

But if the ranges offered aren’t enough, Bronte’s business is increasingly custom with an any colour, any width option that includes making to plan for T and L shaped carpets and, of course, its immaculate bespoke border service.

T 01282 862736

48 February 2012

www.brontecarpets.co.uk

FlooringNews

DOMOTEX 2012 The World of Flooring AW - the power beneath their wings Associated Weavers’ butterfly is one of the industry’s most recognisable brands and it’s set to take off in a new direction thanks to a rare marketing initiative for the flooring sector.

While consumer brand recognition and trust adds value - as the likes of Kelloggs, BMW and Nike will testify - the concept has been elusive in the flooring industry.

AW want recognition for their hard work in building quality and reliability into one of the sectors most comprehensive product ranges by encouraging retailers and consumers to ‘look for the butterfly’.

Along with the butterfly, AW are promoting their upgraded warranty scheme which offers a warranty of up to 20 years on carpets in the StainAway Collection. Alongside this is a new ‘Crushguard’ campaign that promotes the bounce-back resilience of nylon carpet.

“It’s difficult to discriminate across the vast array of products on offer in our market,” says AW’s Steve Elliott. “We have invested a lot in creating ranges that retailers and their customers can rely on for quality, price and performance and we think the butterfly can play a part in highlighting which carpets deliver those benefits.”

Another initiative is a ‘Samples By Post’ service which promises 10cm x 10cm samples sent to consumers next day with a letter detailing the retailers contact details.

As a result, the butterfly can be expected to have a higher profile across the company’s marketing activities - in point of sale, merchandising and advertising. Among other examples, new window stickers are already going out to retailers with the message: “Look for the butterfly: Your assurance of a quality carpet.”

But AW is about more than branding and visitors to Domotex saw an abundance of marketing initiatives and product development .

Domotex delivered more than a dozen new ranges and upgrades for the UK market as well.

The popular Everest Twist and Santorini ranges have gained some lighter colours and new on-trend greys and New Territories is re-coloured.

Also new at the show was the wool-like Woodland Twist, a tenthgauge PP in 14 colours that feels and looks superb at a price that compares very favourably with the sheepish alternative.

Venice has arrived using three differently coloured PP yarns together to give an exciting mix of options while the introduction of Sacremento offers a competitively priced textured cut and loop. www.associatedweavers.net

Associated Weavers MD Steve Elliott has great expectations for Woodland Twist - a superb new tenth-gauge wool look-alike.

from The Stocklists

February 2012 49

DOMOTEX 2012 Mohawk continues to demonstrate its strength with the high performance Smartstrand fibre that is increasingly taking market share from wool - the fibre already has the highest satisfaction rating for repeat orders for any flooring product in the US and is set to follow suit in the UK. Smartstrand, part made from renewable corn oil sources, claims to be the only carpet with built in stain and soil resistance that will never wear or wash out. Most importantly is is soft, wool-like and very robust.

Mohawk already has a number of offerings with the fibre and has just launched the sumptuous ‘organic textures’ Dramatic Flair and Cascade Forest. During 2012, the company says it will be “filling in the gaps” in the range offering with heather twists and saxonies.for underfloor heating installations.

T 01480 479830

www.mohawkinternational.com

McThree were very happy with the response to their new ranges at Domotex and with a Denim Blue range now added to their market leading Wellness collection there is now a total of 5 different colourbanks to choose from.

The Sevilla range offers 8 colour options and looks like being a big hit with its striking appearance at an affordable price. With the new premium chenille flatweave rugs, Vintage captures the growing trend for the distressed patchwork look yet in a functional rug that equally won’t break the bank like the hand made versions.

Amongst their ongoing ranges, the third colour option in Lodge gives a whole new look to their ever popular Cottage products and, in particular, the ‘themed’ designs around wording and images increasing in popularity across other sections of the home decoration market.

T +32 (0)56 61 14 29

www.mcthree.be

British Wool used their stand in Hannover to wave the flag for the Campaign For Wool which the organisation now sees as a more longterm programme given the ongoing support and patronage of the Prince of Wales.

The British Wool Marketing Board’s Richard Poole welcomed the stability that has returned to wool process in recent months, albeit at a very high level. “The high cost has been holding back demand but it is also the volatility that makes it very difficult for manufacturers to plan ahead,” said Richard.

He noted that the effect of a better return on the wool clip meant that for the first time in 10 years, the decline of wool growing in the UK has been arrested and there are marginal signs of it increasing.

T 01274 688666

50 February 2012

www.britishwool.org

FlooringNews

DOMOTEX 2012 The World of Flooring Edel Telenzo had a smart new look and livery at Hannover and was promoting a new slogan of ‘Carpet.

Backing. Yarn.’ to demonstrate how vertically integrated the company is. “People don’t realise we extrude our own yarn,” said UK director Lesley Inman, “and that’s an important issue that allows us to maintain our uncompromising approach to quality.”

Product development is central to Edel Telenzo’s business and Domotex unveiled a number of new starters for 2012 including Highbury, an attractive textured loop in 6 colours including some contemporary new greys. Highbury is a 50/50 wool/PP as a direct response to higher wool prices and the company is adding other new ranges including stripey Highbury and Islington in this segment.

The Hannover stand was carpeted with Barbican, the two-ply multi-level loop first seen in Harrogate and having a fantastic run ever since with a very contemporary set of earthy colours and a co-ordinating stripe.

T 01422 374 417

www.edeltelenzocarpets.co.uk

Mapei celebrated their 75th anniversary in some style at Hannover with a highly professional stand presentation of their comprehensive range of adhesives and associated products - a demonstration of innovation in specialised, technology-based systems for each type of flooring installation.

After 75 years of experience, the figures for Mapei’s investment are impressive. Every year, Mapei spends nearly two billion euros on research with a team of 7,500 staff - 12% of the total headcount who work in 18 main development laboratories (plus 58 quality control laboratories). This is a company that is serious about the performance of its products.

Increasingly, the emphasis is on environmental integrity including the development of low VOC emission levels which help spread the use of resilient and wooden materials in the modern building industry.

T 0121 508 6970

www.mapei.com info@mapei.co.uk

Ball & Young continue to benefit from its well recognised and highly respected brand in the highly competitive underlay market and have capitalised on this advantage with the launch of their new product portfolio. “We had a great response to the portfolio,” says Ann Shaw. “People are more confident buying from brands they trust and the portfolio demonstrates there is a quality product from us for every application.”

The company has also strengthened its promotion of its wide range of products suitable for underfloor heating in response to increasing growth in demand from this sector. Three products, rubber sponge Roma and Venice and PU Cloud 9 Radiance feature on new POS and literature.

T 01536 200502

from The Stocklists

www.underlay.com

February 2012 51

DOMOTEX 2012 Packexe are a British export success story with their floor protection products for carpet and hard floors finding its way to 53 countries around the world. “We have seen a very strong performance across a range of markets and I still think there is a lot of potential out there,” says Andrew Orchard.

The Exeter-based business makes 1.68m square metres of film annually, of which 75% goes to protect carpets in contract and residential locations. The hard floor product has recently been given a boost with its acceptance by the NHS to help avoid cross contamination in hospitals.

The success of Packexe is due in part to its strong approach to branding its products - allowing customers to discriminate against other products which can leave sticky residues on surfaces and the logo has seen lots of TV exposure on makeover programmes in recent years.

T 01392 438191

www.packexe.co.uk

Balta’s stand at Domotex had a new and confident design reflecting the European market leader’s status. For the UK, the big story was the launch of the Crown Flooring brand last May which is now in 500 retailers across the UK with plans to extend this reach, including Ireland, in 2012. “This was a big decision to make in a challenging market,” said Balta’s Geert Vanden Bossche. “But it is going very well and we’re in there for the long term, The company has just launched a loyalty club and also has plans to add more exclusive products to the portfolio including wiltons with stripes and small patterns and a nylon saxony.

A popular launch on the Balta stand was the new Sensit yarn, a sexy fibre with a superb soft feel and slightly silky appearance which will be introduced into a number of new ranges.

T +32 (0)56 62 22 11

www.baltagroup.com

Domo has a striking innovation in selling carpet tiles - often the cinderella of residential flooring sales. Under a new brand of MT, ‘Masters in Tiles’, Domo has massively upgraded the merchandising with a superb, giant leather bound portfolio of products which includes attractive mood boards and roomsets. The mood boards are also developed on free-stand floor displays.

“We wanted a much more creative approach to selling tiles in store,” said Mathieu Steenland (pictured left). “Our aim is to enthuse the retailer so that they can inspire the customer.” And it’s not just presentation, a range of new products and contemporary colour set will be a feature of the offering when it is rolled out to retailers in April/May this year.

T +32 55 33 52 76

52 February 2012

www.baltagroup.com

FlooringNews

DOMOTEX 2012 The World of Flooring IVC Group are full of innovation these days and continuously updating their new ranges in the Avenue, Leoline and Moduleo collection and adding exciting POS solutions to inspire consumers.

Underpinning the approach is the desire to show vinyl as more up market and attracting a lot of attention at Domotex were the ‘store-within-a-store’ modules that show off the product range to greatest advantage and can be configured flexibly to meet interior requirements.

Avenue have added an attractive new limestone collection to its portfolio along with a vibrant colour choice called Bubblegum which is aimed at the younger market. In Leoline’s newcomers, some modern tile choices have been added for the UK including increasingly fashionable high gloss options.

T +32 5665 3211

www.ivcgroup.com

Tisca Tiara has a new face for the UK in the shape of sales director Jack Thomson who replaced industry legend Alan Jones-Bratt at the company last year.

Tapibel have been moving more strongly into the contract sector. “We’ve added to our already competitive PP offering with a range of solution dyed nylon products,” says UK sales manager Mike Packwood.

Jack has been given a great starting point with the launch of the Premier Wool Pack in the UK - a superb presentation of the Swiss company’s uncompromising approach to quality which cover two flagship products. Modellana is a sumptuous collection of bouclé, velours and frieze carpets.

Six new 3-ply heatset twists have been added to the collection in pile weights from 500 gsm to 1200 gsm to give a spread of options on resilience and performance to meet all budgets.

The other range, Waron is unique in the true sense. Only Tisca Tiara uses a modified embroidery manufacturing method with worsted yarn to create a striking loop pile structure. The process also means that the carpet can be any width up to 13.5m and any shape, including corners and curves. And, for good measure, it can be dyed to order if the 72 standard colours are not enough.

T 07860 911748

The company offers more than 40 standard colours across a wide range of constructions and aims cover the widest range of installations in commercial, hospitality, healthcare and education environments.

T 01623 481221

www.tapibel.be

www.tisca.ch

from The Stocklists

February 2012 53

DOMOTEX 2012 Interfloor is a British success story with an excellent track record of growing its business abroad. The company already has customers in more than 70 countries but Domotex is an excellent opportunity to increase that exposure and the company is concentrating on high growth markets such as China and South East Asia and has had particular success in the Middle East recently.

As the largest British-owned underlay manufacturer (and Europe’s only manufacturer of gripper - under its Gripperrods operation), Interfloor has been meticulous in building its brands and the investment is paying off. Independent research in 2011 showed their brands such as Duralay and Tredaire were the best recognised in the business.

Market share is one issue, simply getting more consumers to buy underlay when they replace their carpet is another and Interfloor sees excellent opportunities to continue its growth.

T 01706 238 810

www.interfloor.com

adore now has “everything in place to give a first class service and an unrivalled range of products,” says Paul Brady, CEO Europe, who is presiding over one the most eagerly awaited launches in the history of LVT. Rolling out to UK retailers now through Headlam’s Home Foundations distribution, adore floors are offering 20 decors in the introductory range with class leading features including the unique Unilin click technology for easy installation and a 25-year residential warranty built on superb production technology and manufacturing standards.

The technology is impressive, including a micro-ceramic wear layer, a nano-silver anti-microbial layer and 75% recycled material content but it’s the decors that will impress the consumer most with a well researched, thought-through set of decors that will ensure appeal.

T 01785 711031

www.adorefloors.com

Balterio scored a hatrick in Hannover with the launch of three new products that looked exactly right for the UK market. The stars of the show were two new laminate ranges with ‘3-D wood effect’ - a clever combination of design, registered embossed and soft-matt finishing and an extra hint of Balterio’s chrome highlighting technology to give the decors a superb realism.

This approach has been introduced into the new Experience Plus V-groove and the large plank Infinity range (pictured left) - both of which are also available with the company’s clever locking clip click system for easy installation with maximum stability.

The third new launch was the Dolce collection, the first entry-level laminate to to offer deep registered embossed finishing on a 7mm plank. The new products will be available in April and May. T +32 (0)56 62 80 81

54 February 2012

www.balterio.com

FlooringNews

DOMOTEX 2012 The World of Flooring F Ball are selling one of the most highly prized assets in the industry - time!

The launch of the company’s new Fast Track 30 underlayment which dries in 30 minutes and will take a floorcovering 45 minutes later has found an important niche in the market.

“The launch of Fast Track 30 has gone very well,” says F Ball’s Richard Harris.

“We’ve taken a lead with a product that an installer knows he can rely on when time is tight.” The technology means time critical installations like retail and healthcare can be managed efficiently and the requirement to re-visit a site the following day can often be removed.

Meanwhile, F. Ball is keeping an eye on its export business with the launch of a multi-lingual 10 litre pack - a lighter size preferred in Europe.

T 01538 361 633

www.f-ball.co.uk

TAT Carpet is one of Turkey’s top manufacturers with a vertically integrated operation from producing yarn through to finished carpet products and for the last two years has been concentrating on building its presence in European markets.

Close attention to sophisticated, on-trend design and exemplary levels of customer service are the hallmarks of this company that expects to become a major force in the UK this year.

Launched at Domotex were 14 new range of heatset and frieze wiltons including subtle, monochrome designs in modern colourways plus a range of 8 hand carved carpets with unique styling.

T +90 342 337 5050

www.tatcarpet.com

Carpenter is one of the worlds largest producers of PU underlay and Domotex is an opportunity to extend its international reach from a comprehensive product base that has seen a programme of major development over the past three years.

The product portfolio now includes 10 options across the domestic and contract markets to give a complete response to the full range of installation requirements.

The lightweight, durable underlays are made from recycled materials in one of Carpenter’s 19 plants worldwide and the underlays are themselves fully recyclable.

T 01457 861141

from The Stocklists

www.carpenter.ltd.uk

February 2012 55

DOMOTEX 2012 A calm confidence in a noisy world Wools of New Zealand understand the enduring appeal of quality

Wools of New Zealand have done what you do when your product starts getting expensive.

They demonstrate its value.

Prices for natural fibre in New Zealand have shown the relentless rise characterised elsewhere in the world wool market but the response of the Wools of New Zealand people has been to trade up - using professional messaging and marketing to place their product at a premium to the sector.

WNZ have picked partners who are uncompromising about quality and whose reputation in the sector is unchallenged - in the UK this is partners like Brockway, Brontë, Ryalux, Westex, Ulster and, most recently, Flock.

Then they add in class-leading support from a UK-based design team led by Joanna Ramsden who understands interiors trends ahead of the curve and can innovate yarn and manufacturing methods to create original products.

And finally they add some icing on the cake with their niche Laneve programme which delivers the very highest standard wool of uncompromising quality which is traceable to the precise flock from which it came.

“We have ensured we have a consistent message to the market that is about quality and value and we’ve not been distracted in delivering that message despite the changes that have been going on around us in the marketplace.”

A centrepiece of the campaign is the Laneve programme which, while it is unashamedly niche, sets the highest credentials for wool quality anywhere in the world. WNZ selects the very best wool growers and then separates their clip into a traceable supply chain that can be monitored to the point where the domestic consumer receives a certificate which identifies the precise flock from which their new carpet’s fibre has come.

See our other Domotex reviews for more details of these WNZ partners.

“We pick partners who have a proven commitment to quality and we listen to what they need to maximise the success of their business.”

The major marketing initiative at Wools of New Zealand coincided with the start of the downturn in the European market and the relentless increase in wool prices. Ironically, the timing proved fortunate as the premium brand approach played well to the one segment of the consumer market that appears to have been the most resilient in recent months - the high end carpet sector.

The organisation provides a highly professional, concerted marketing campaign which is well resourced and applied consistently in-store, online and in advertising, promoting New Zealand wool as ‘nature’s miracle fibre’ . The key wool benefits are highlighted under the banners of Beauty, Health, Integrity and Comfort.

“We know the product is good but our real secret is the close working relationship with our partners,” says WNZ’s Steven Parsons. “We pick partners who have a proven commitment to quality and we listen to what they need to maximise the success of their business.

56 February 2012

The stand carpet was designed and coloured by the Wools of New Zealand creative team. The yarn was supplied by Danspin and Brockway was invited to tuft the carpet using 100% Laneve™ wool. The product received numerous compliments due to its eye-catching design and its superb quality. The unique fleck created with a stipple yarn is a new take on the stripe trend and another example of how Wools of New Zealand are leading the way.

FlooringNews

DOMOTEX 2012 The World of Flooring

Homing instinct Leading stylist and colourist Joanna Ramsden of Wools of New Zealand takes us around Domotex for a glimpse of what’s coming in colour and design.

When your head is spinning in an uncertain world, home is where the heart is and old-fashioned values of comfort and security are reflected in interiors fashion trends.

“When people reckon to stay in their homes, and maybe spend more leisure time in their homes instead of going out or going away, they will take a more personal look at their interiors rather than just grabbing today’s trend,” she says.

Creative Services Manager at Wools of New Zealand, Joanna Ramsden is recognised as one of Europe’s leading carpet stylist and she monitors trends from catwalk fashions to home furnishings to anticipate trends that will ultimately find their way through to the floor.

The comfort trend has reflected itself in heritage, natural and earthy tones but with accented colours to express individuality - co-ordinated ranges have a strong part to play in this scenario. The English country garden feel is part of this homely approach.

“There is a definite desire for comfort colours and a warm, secure feeling at home,” says Joanna. “This is partly because people feel the need for a little more calm and comfort in difficult times and partly because people are investing more in their homes - seeing them as less transient than they would have done five years ago,”

Tweeds, stippled and heathered textures have gained popularity for the same reason and consumers are increasingly interested in texture - and in exploring mixed textures in the same setting.

“There is a definite desire for comfort colours and a warm, secure feeling at home”

Joanna says the colour palette has narrowed in the last year with softer colours but strong warm tones are still in vogue. Jade, orange and turquoise are prominent accent colours and lime green has continued to do well.

In the softer tones, chalky colours are doing well and an increasing sophisticated range of grey tones across the spectrum is being seen already in carpet ranges.

The recent fashion for bling has passed quickly but what Joanna calls ‘sophisticated bling’ is popular, expressed in more subtle, creative ways with the increasing use of metallic elements in carpet yarn and especially rugs an indicator of this style.

Joanna Ramsden heads the creative team which includes two fully trained textile designers at WONZ’s UK headquarters in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

Patterns have been getting bigger and brighter in some sectors while patchwork emerges as a popular current trend but the main story remains stripes with innovation still introducing new designs and colorways to what has remained a buoyant trend. “None of us thought stripes would last this long,” said Joanna, “but while there remains an appetite, designers will continue to innovate in this area.”

Brockway continues to develop its ‘designer’ credentials and made a major impact on the Wools of New Zealand stand at Domotex with a stunning stripe and matching random fleck made especially for the show but which will surely become a commercial success for the company.

From the success of Vogue and then the Designer Collection, Brockway has built of its reputation for high end design and quality and report that this segment of the market has been bearing up well in the recession.

The latest development is a move into bespoke colours with the acquisition of pass machine technology to dye yarn to order and Brockway will be offering this service for Laneve, the very highest quality, traceable yarns from Wools of New Zealand.

T 01562 824737

www.brockway.co.uk

DOMOTEX 2013 The World of Flooring Domotex 2013 will be held in Hannover between January 14 and 17 next year with other worldwide events including Domotex Asia (Shanghai, March 27-29), Domotex Russia (September 26-28) and Domotex Middle East (Istanbul, November 8-12). www.domotex.de

from The Stocklists

February 2012 57

News

Harrogate strides ahead Harrogate is getting set to host the UK’s only national floor show in September with a new look, new ideas and a strong commitment from the trade to show their latest launches at the revitalised event.

Show director Wendy Adams has been talking to past exhibitors and those companies showing in Hannover and the NEC in recent weeks. “We have attracted interest from new companies while the existing clients were impressed with our new look sales material and many have re-confirmed space for the 2012 show. Contracts have been sent out under the new company name for over 60% of the hall space which is great start,” she said.

Talking to The Stocklists at Domotex, Richard Harris of F Ball commented: “Hannover is an incredible showcase for European flooring but the Harrogate event is the UK’s only major opportunity for networking in our industry and we are looking forward to another successful show later this year.”

Wendy is trying out a host of new ideas on exhibitors to further improve the event and has asked anyone with their own ideas and suggestions for seminars to email event manager Georgia Pick at georgia@theflooringshow.com T +44 (0)1423 779967 www.theflooringshow.com EXHIBITOR LIST ABINGDON FLOORING ANBO INTERNATIONAL ARDEX ARS COLORS ASSOCIATED WEAVERS BALL & YOUNG BIG FLOORING BMK BRONTE CARPETS CFA CFR CAVALIO CENTRAL FLOORING COMPLETE STAIRMAKEOVER COMPUTERS FOR FLOORING CONDOR CFJ

CORMAR CROWN FLOORS DEMART DIKATEX DISTINCTIVE FLOORS DSI EASYLAY EDEL TELENZO EXAKT TOOLS F BALL & CO FELLS CARPETS FITA FLOOR TRAIN THE FLOORING GUILD FLOORING MAGAZINE FURLONG FLOORING F & X CARPET GASKELL WOOL RICH

GEORGIAN CARPETS H & V CARPET HADFIELDS HALDON THOMSON HANDMADE CARPETS HBS FLOOR TRADE IDEAL INTERIORS MONTHLY JANSER KERSAINT COBB LTD KINGSMEAD CARPETS KJC CARPETS LANO LIFESTYLE FLOORS M TRIM MANX CARPETS MASTERCRAFT RUGS MASTERPIECE SYSTEMS

MAYFIELD CARPETS MELROSE TEXTILES MERCADO MOHAWK MORLEYS MR TOMKINSON NICF NOVOSTRAT LTD ORIGIN RED ORIENTAL WEAVERS PENTHOUSE CARPETS PHIL BROUGH SALES PLANTATION RUGS PRIMATECH RAMA CARPETS LTD REGENCY CARPETS RHYS DAVIES SAIF CARPETS

SPOTNAILS STAIRRODS (UK) LTD STROOLMOUNT SUPER CLICK TAT CARPETS THE FLOORING GUILD THE STOCKLISTS TOMORROWS FLOORING UNIFLOOR UNIVERSAL MOULDINGS V4 WOODFLOORING VORWERK WAGNER WEST RIDING FELTS WILKIES CARPETS WLD WOOLSAFE

Stocklists Classified The

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FOXISuper Plus The Rug Tamer! Keeps Rugs In Their Place

COMBINATION UNDERLAYS NEEDLEFELT UNDERLAYS For orders and further information, please ring P&R Ratcliffe (Underlays) Ltd. Burnley, Lancashire BB10 3BH Tel: 01282 421026, Fax: 01282 412321 www.foxirugtamer.co.uk

FlooringNews

Stocklists Classified The

SITUATIONS VACANT

Revolutionising Contents Validation Launching in February 2012 as part of the LAS Group; we know that Claritas will surpass all customer expectations and deliver significant benefits through our cutting-edge approach to flooring and non-electrical claims management.

To support our growth plans and immediate expansion requirements, we require forward thinking, ambitious general Contents Validation Specialists and Claims Professionals to carry out the following roles:

Operations Managers (Nationwide) Technical Contents Manager (Birmingham) Contents and Flooring Inspectors (Nationwide) Technical Claim Handlers (Birmingham) We are a creative, dynamic business and are highly motivated by a desire to change the face of contents management. We believe in independent thinking and personal responsibility and are not fanatically driven by targets and objectives.

If you believe you have the ability to approach claims handling in a different way, we want to hear from you.

Forward your CV, including current remuneration details, to careers@claritasclaims.com. No Agencies.

The Right Decision – By The Right Resource – At The Right Time – For The Right Reason

H&V Carpets manufacturer of tufted carpets, based in Belgium are looking for an independent agent for the Wales area.

AGENTS REQUIRED Simply Rugs have been supplying Carpet and Furniture Retailers for 20 years. We require successful agents to promote our range of heatset and wool rugs in territories nationwide, including Home Counties, London, East/West Midlands, North East and other areas. We offer high rates of commission.

For more info, please contact Nick Clinch on 01264 352218 or email simply.rugs@btconnect.com FOR SALE

Kindly contact us at 0032 475 71 08 69 Johny Peeters or 07813 714 498 Paul Hugo email johny.peeters@belgacom.net H & V Carpets Zuidkaai 8, Zone 6 B 8770 Ingelmunster Tel 00 32 51 320 543 Fax 00 32 51 320 573 from The Stocklists

Advertise here!

Call Diane Martin on 01482 659396 February 2012 59