Article Number : 2056 |
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| Date | 6/13/2007 8:00:34 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=2056 |
| Abstract | By Steven Feldman Temple, Tex.—Wilsonart Flooring at NeoCon is launching its first product line developed exclusively for the commercial market. Dubbed Wilsonart Commercial Flooring, the line debuts with 30 SKUs: 12 woodgrains, seven tiles and 11 “specialties... |
| Article | By Steven Feldman Temple, Tex.—Wilsonart Flooring at NeoCon is launching its first product line developed exclusively for the commercial market. Dubbed Wilsonart Commercial Flooring, the line debuts with 30 SKUs: 12 woodgrains, seven tiles and 11 “specialties.” According to Curt Thompson, president, Wilsonart in the past has taken its high-performing residential products and crossed them over into the contract market. While this strategy has been successful—commercial constitutes 10% of the company’s business—it was time to introduce a collection dedicated solely for this segment. “The commercial market wants products that have been built, engineered and styled for its arena,” he said. Thompson believes the opportunity is “huge” for laminate in this market. In fact, he told FCNews he wouldn’t be surprised if commercial represented 50% of the company’s business within five years. Wilsonart has a leg up on the competition because of its long-standing reputation with architects and designers on the solid surface side of the business. “The name Wilsonart is so strong in the A&D and commercial community,” he said. “It stands for high style and design, and performance. In fact, that’s why we named the line Wilsonart Commercial Flooring. It speaks volumes as to what we are all about.” Initial feedback has been overwhelming, Thompson said. “We have been hearing from the design community and commercial contractor that we’ve taken a product they already knew delivered superior performance and now added superior design.” Wilsonart Commercial Flooring offers a number of attributes that make it attractive to the A&D community. They include: •Wilsonart’s exclusive PermaPlex high- pressure laminate, which gives the product superior impact and indentation resistance. •Wilsonart’s proprietary X-Wear overlay, which offers enhanced wear and abrasion resistance. A 15-year warranty is offered against wear, fade and stain. •A static load rating of 2,500+ PSI. “This is one of the only products we know of that can withstand the rigorous demands of a Hil Rom bed, which is the primary hospital bed used in every healthcare facility in the U.S.,” Thompson said. •Ease and speed of installation, which is critical in commercial applications. •No epoxy adhesives required. “We use Blue Fusion, which is a type 2 PVA and much more resistant to moisture.” •Greenguard certified for indoor air quality. •Environmentally friendly with a recycled content of 56%. •Low maintenance with no waxing or surface treatments needed. “In commercial markets today, maintenance costs have to be considered when looking at overall flooring installations. While there are less expensive products to install, there are few products that compete with ours when the long-term life cycle costs are evaluated.” Thompson noted that there are currently 20 North American distributors on board to handle Wilsonart Commercial Flooring and more than 300 commercial contractors supporting its products. “This gives us the ability to handle local, regional and national specifications,” Thompson said. He estimated that the commercial line will sell to the end user at price points ranging from $6 to $8. |