Unilin - Domotex Asia report

Domotex Asia

New technologies and industry trends

Explore the return of Domotex to Shanghai, marking its comeback since 2019. This year, the show welcomed international visitors, adding a global touch to the event.

The event drew larger crowds than expected, maintaining its Chinese attendance while also attracting visitors from Southeast Asia as well as a surprisingly large amount of European, Turkish and Russian visitors.

Unlike previous editions prior to the pandemic, the presence of visitors from the United States had notably thinned. Still, a handful of Canadian and South American buyers took the opportunity to attend in Shanghai.

For those who missed out on this year’s edition of Domotex Asia, we’ve put together a report highlighting key trends, standout booths, and notable products from the event It's a snapshot of the industry's latest developments.

Greetings, The

Unilin team

The return of Domotex Asia Domotex & data Highlights & trends

p. 05 & 14

The strive for realism continues with pressed bevels and matte finishes

p. 8

Lightweight rigid material

p. 8

The start of the digital revolution has begun

p. 7 & 10

Increasing amount of outstanding designs like herringbone, chevron and tiles

p. 16

The revival of laminate flooring with waterproof technologies

Unilin Technologies

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

We had lots of interesting conversations about our solutions for different flooring formats, groutable resilient flooring, intelligent quality control, and much more.

The FlinTile floor in different panel formats was one of the highlights of the show, see more on page 7. The other floor on our booth was our herringbone locking Unizip, see page 9-10.

We were excited to showcase our new technology for intelligent quality control. The ClickControl device sparked a lot of interest in the industry to replace and optimize manual profile projections while also giving detailed instructions to operators.

Lavish Surfaces signed a licensing agreement for the innovative Uniclic and Unidrop locking systems, still the timeless choice for manufacturers, see p. 18.

New from Unilin

INTELLIGENT QUALITY CONTROL

ClickControl is an intelligent quality measurement device that will level up the accuracy, speed and safety of the quality assurance departments. No more cutting up panels or second guessing - the machine scans the click profile, checks in a fast and non-destructive way and gives clear instructions to milling line operators on necessary changes to create the perfect click.

– More efficient

– Higher accuracy

– Non-destructive

- Clear instructions for operators

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

info.technologies@unilin.com

unilintechnologies.com

Jiangsu Kentier Wood Co., LTD

Kentier showed their SPC herringbone collections, focused on PVC-free floor alternatives and highlighted their range with the Pressed Bevel technology.

TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHT

Natural looking bevel

The bevelled edge is created by pressing down the decor layer so that the decor and structure continues all the way to the deepest point of the bevel. This gives the floors a high end look that is closer to real wood.

Unilin invented this type of bevel and patented the concept.

Zhejiang Hailide Flooring Co., Ltd

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

Halead produces Unidrop for herringbone patterns and has collections with Pressed Bevel. They focused on different types of core materials, one of which is light SPC.

Herringbone product with Unidrop

Pharos

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

Pharos showed their bevel collection, which includes Pressed Bevel.

Unilin spotlight

GROUT TECHNOLOGY

FlinTile is a locking system that can be grouted with real grout. The lightweight ceramic alternative technology does not only offer a ceramic look but also makes a floor 100% waterproof. The floating installation is possible on existing floors and enables a quick and clean installation that is walkable in less than a day.

This year Unilin installed a special floor on the booth to showcase.

We combined all the best features of a SPC floor with FlinTile locking in order to impress the visitors on our booth.

The floor looked exactly like a ceramic tile with real grout. It was composed of rectangular and square tiles of different formats - something that is unseen in the SPC ranges with locking systems.

This is all possible thanks to the Flintile locking system.

FlinTile locking system ensures easy installation with perfectly aligned edges and offers many design options. FlinTile enables the installation of different panel formats, such as square tiles and the combination of tiles of different formats.

Floor as shown on Unilin’s booth

Industry trends

LIGHTWEIGHT CORE MATERIALS

Lightweight SPC products are finding their way into our industry due to their numerous advantages. This characteristic makes installation easier and more efficient. Additionally, the lightweight nature of SPC flooring allows for more products to be loaded during shipping, which saves on time and money.

LIGHT SPC

This core technology creates the solution for lighter spc flooring without losing its performance. The look is the same, the feel is up to 30% lighter. Light SPC enables the production of the same board with less materials, saves on shipping and makes installation of the floor easier.

At Domotex we noticed that digital printing is becoming more and more integrated into the production of flooring, for various compelling reasons. Digital printing allows for intricate patterns, realistic textures, and vibrant colors, offering endless creative possibilities. Moreover, digital printing enables efficient production of customized flooring solutions, catering to individual preferences and interior design concepts. Its cost-effectiveness and ability to replicate natural materials flawlessly is driving the industry’s shift towards this innovative technology.

Unilin offers direct to board digital printing and texturing technologies for decor printing on SPC and laminate. The solution has been specifically engineered for the purpose of allowing ultrahigh resolution printing direct to board, wear layer advancements to deliver class AC5 scratch resistance, and state-of-the-art digital embossed textures and durability.

We recently conducted a comprehensive survey with our network of buyers on digital printing for the flooring industry.

This survey dives deep into buyer perspectives, revealing insights on quality, customization, and product value.

LIGHT SPC

Kingfisher Jiangsu Zhengkang

New Material

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

Kingfisher showcased their SPC flooring collections with a matte finish, waterresistant products, and highlighted the Unizip herringbone locking system.

TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHT

One panel herringbone solution

Unizip enables herringbone installations with only one type of panel, ruling out mistakes and confusion along the way.

- One planel fits all

- Quick and intuitive installation

- Easy production and SKU management

Industry trend

HERRINGBONE PATTERNS

The herringbone pattern trend has been going on for a while now and still going strong. At Domotex, time and again we noticed different new collections with this flooring pattern, especially for SPC products, but also for laminate and even wood. It is a beautiful flooring pattern that makes your spaces look so much bigger.

ONE PANEL OR TWO PANELS?

We have already highlighted our Unizip technology, a locking system that enables a herringbone floor to be installed with just one type of panel. It’s the easiest option for installation, but also for production and supply chain, as you only need to account for one type of panel.

Did you know that our Unidrop locking system can also be installed in a herringbone pattern? This locking technology uses A and B panels that are easy to install thanks to the drop-down installation method.

Sacdeed

UNIZIP

Shanghai Jinka Flooring Technology

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

Jinka presented their Pressed Bevel with irregular edges. They also showcased their herringbone collections with the Unizip technology and collections in different core materials such as PP en PET.

Zhejiang Kingdom New Material Group

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

Kingdom showcased collections with different core compositions. PVC-free PET cores were one of their focus points.

Herringbone product with Unizip

In other news

ZHEJIANG GIMIG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Zhejiang GIMIG Technology Co., Ltd. decided to include the grout imitation technology Unigrout to its tile SPC product roadmap with new SKU launches planned later this year.

NO VISIBLE GAPS

Unigrout is a specially designed bevel technology for the edges of rigid tiles that looks exactly like a grouted groove and which is almost indistinguishable from real grout. Unigrout provides a level installation with equal grout lines.

With the overlapping area underneath the bevel, floor panels can move or expand without showing unwanted gaps.

NOVALIS INNOVATIVE FLOORING MATTE BEVEL

In June 2023 Novalis adopted Unilin’s innovative Matte Bevel Technology. There is a rising demand for matte designs, but no suitable options existed for achieving a matte look on a micro bevel. Unilin Technologies’ Matte Bevel Technology offers a more realistic and natural looking bevel machined in the wear layer of resilient flooring.

One of the key advantages of the Matte Bevel technology is its compatibility with existing milling machines, allowing for efficient production. In contrast to the standard shiny bevels on standard products, Matte Bevel Technology gives floor panels a more high end look, but with reasonable investment costs for manufacturers.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Novalis recently incorporated Unilin’s Matte Bevel Technology into their resilient flooring portfolio, reinforcing their dedication to delivering superior products that meet the evolving needs of their customers.

“One of our key goals is to continuously innovate and deliver exceptional flooring solutions,” said John Wu, CEO of Novalis. “We are excited to introduce this new esthetic solution to our customers.”

Unilin Technologies remains committed to driving innovation in the flooring industry. By collaborating with Novalis, they remain at the forefront of surface technology solutions. Novalis is renowned for its commitment to excellence, premium quality, and continuous innovation. By incorporating Unilin’s Matte Bevel Technology into their resilient flooring portfolio, Novalis is further reinforcing their dedication to delivering superior products that meet the evolving needs of their customers.

Darde Flooring Developement

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

Herringbone collections with Unidrop

BBL

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

BBL focused on their waterproof laminate collections, matte flooring, Pressed Bevel and PVC-free products as well, such as their EcoTec line.

Industry trend

MATTE FINISH

One of the noteworthy trends gaining popularity is the use of a matte finish to enhance the overall look of flooring materials. A matte finish provides an opportunity to achieve a more authentic appearance, mimicking the charm of natural materials like hardwood or stone. By eliminating the glossy appearance often associated with vinyl products, matte finish creates a sense of sophistication in interior spaces.

MATTE BEVEL

The Matte Bevel technology is an upgrade of the Micro Bevel and offers a more realistic and natural looking bevel machined in the wear layer. Micro Bevels tend to have prominent shiny bevels, visible when the light hits your floor at a certain angle. The milling technique only requires a low investment and is easy to integrate – just exchange the tool.

Nanjing MGM NEW MATERIALS CO., LTD.

Jiangsu Zhengkang New Material

BBL

SS Floor Company Limited

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

Next to their regular SPC click ranges in different shades for their herringbone patterns and tile designs, SS Floors showed a variety of wood designs for SPC as well as XPC product collections.

INDUSTRY TREND

PVC-free core materials

ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS

PVC-free core materials were a big topic on several booths during the event, as can also be seen on the booths of Darde Flooring, BBL, Kentier, Jinka, Kingdom and others. They had several panels with alternative core materials in PP, PET, and PETG.

Ausda

Industry trends

Laminate sales are experiencing a notable resurgence, reflecting renewed interest in this timeless flooring choice. As the industry seeks innovative solutions, the focus is on making laminate waterproof to enhance its versatility and durability. It was one of the main focus points on Domotex, highlighting the sector’s dedication to advancements, mostly focusing on a changed core board. The Unicoat edge-coating offers a costefficient solution because the core bord is unchanged. The coating is simply applied to the edge of the boards.

GO BEYOND THE NORM

Unicoat water-repellent edge-coating for hdf-based flooring prevents liquids from penetrating into the joints of a floor and protects the floor from any long-lasting water damages.

The application of this coating will upgrade the water-resistant properties of a floor enormously, ensuring that floors last longer, even under intensive use.

Unicoat is applied to an otherwise unchanged wood-based core board, which makes this technology a very cost-effective way to obtain high-quality waterproof features in floors.

triple tested

triple tested

triple tested

triple tested

triple tested

triple tested

Unicoat is a water-based coating, lowering the amounts of fluor.

It’s a sustainable choice for your space and the planet.

PFAS FREE

Jiangsu Succes Wood Products Co., Ltd

PRODUCTS SHOWCASED

Jiangsu Succes showed their new SPC collections with Pressed Bevel, the popular herringbone flooring pattern, and the Comfort Core technology, all with the Unilin click system.

TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHT

Enjoy the silence

Comfort Core technology integrates a soft ‘cushion’ layer underneath the toplayer(s) of resilient products in order to upgrade the sound characteristics of the floor while also improving the ergonomics and walking comfort.

SPC with Pressed Bevel and Unilin click

Herringbone with Unilin click

Trusted and true

THE TIMELESS CHOICE FOR INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

During our visit at Domotex, we observed that the Uniclic system retains its strong market presence and remains a popular choice in the industry. Its consistent performance and reliability have contributed to its continued success. The system’s ease of use and effectiveness have earned positive feedback from customers and partners, solidifying its position as a favored option among industry professionals.

We were pleased to see our drop-down locking system Unidrop is already gaining traction in the industry, impressing users with its innovative features and seamless functionality.

HIGH PERFORMANCE AND EASY PRODUCTION

Unilin’s locking systems are designed to ensure a high performance locking, and also take the production process into account. The Uniclic and Unidrop profiles have been designed to be each other’s perfect match.

We have created a quality profile for different thicknesses of the floor panel that can all be produced with one toolset. Both locking systems offer high milling tolerances and have a fast change-over time between the two.

QUALITY IS STILL KEY

Even though production of the locking system has been made easier, it’s important to maintain a high quality locking profile to ensure a strong locking.

Ensure the highest level of precision in the manufacturing process of click profiles with the quality control system ClickControl. More

Let’s stay connected

OUR COMMERCIAL TEAM

EUROPE / USA / ASIA

FLORIS KOOPMANS Sales Director

floris.koopmans@unilin.com

LAUREN DELEE

Business Development Manager

lauren.delee@unilin.com

SOUTH/EAST ASIA

GRIN JIN YAN

Sales Director

grinjin.yan@unilin.com

TINA DAI Business Development Manager

tina.dai@unilin.com

GUILLAUME HEYNINCK

Business Development Manager

guillaume.heyninck@unilin.com

LOUIS VAN ROY

Business Development Manager

louis.vanroy@unilin.com

CHARLES SONG

Business Development Manager

charles.song@unilin.com

YIRAN ZHAO

Business Development Manager

yiran.zhao@unilin.com

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