Beauflors' new Sirocco line.

By Matthew Spieler
Las Vegas—Over the past decade a great deal of attention has been paid to how the laminate category continues to develop products that look and feel more like the natural wood and tile they are mimicking. But those on the resilient side of the business are quick to point to their offerings as representative of how far their segment has come in recent years.

Many of today’s resilient products are so true to life manufacturers will hold them up against the real thing and ask observers to tell which is which. Much of this type of comparison was seen at Surfaces 2007 as mills showcased their latest innovations by rolling out some of the most realistic wood and tile patterns the segment has ever seen. And it made no difference whether the product was vinyl, rubber, linoleum, glass-backed or some other type of resilient—technology has allowed companies to achieve realism with each type of material.

“Patterns, textures and styles emulating natural surfaces offer endless possibilities, and the designers at Centiva are constantly developing new and exciting flooring surfaces,” said Thomas Trissl, founder and president. Emulating this point is the company’s new Block Wood, which has been added to its Event Series. The design for this product comes from the end planks of a stack of wood. Available in 36-inch tiles, it features a satin surface texture and comes in three colorations: Carmel, Auburn and Cocoa.

Trissl said the new lines fit well in the Event Series, which combines a variety of natural looks, including wood and stone. “This series is not only affordable but also emulates natural flooring products.”

Another company bringing the natural element to life is Amtico. Though it is best known for its commercial offerings, Chris McKee, the company’s new CEO of North America, noted the products debuted at Surfaces were indicative of the mill’s support for the specialty retail segment. “Amtico is not just a commercial company,” he said, “and Amtico has broadened itself to ensure we can satisfy a dealer’s every need in [the luxury vinyl] segment.”

As an example, he pointed to Fused Birch, which features a grain that can make it pass for bamboo. MeKee said the light tones are better suited for residential use as it is too soft for commercial applications.

Beaulieu International Group (B.I.G.)—no relation to Beaulieu of America, brought its Beauflor concept to Surfaces with patterns specifically designed for North America, said Jim Catan, vice president of sales. With a unique 16 1/4-foot width, Beauflor is designed for simplifying a seamless installation with more than 40 patterns in three collections: Sirocco, Oceana and Mistral.

Sirocco comes in 22 natural designs such as Antique Oak and Cherry Plank and features Beauflor’s top-of-the-line manufacturing techniques, including Natural Look, which Catan said is created by state-of-the-art printing techniques combined with thermal and mechanical embossing to provide a realistic look and feel to the floor. It also comes with Ultra Grip, a special polymer surface enhanced with ceramic particles for improved slip resistance; Multi Protect, another engineered polymer surface designed to improve abrasion resistance as well as resisting dirt and stains, and Flextreme, a foam backing to protect against rips, tears and gouges.

Johnsonite had plenty of excitement emanating from both its booth and downstairs meeting rooms where guests were educated about the company’s new products and support systems, including the development of the Tarkett Collection now that it is under the Tarkett umbrella of companies. One of the new concepts being shown was Circulinity, a pattern molded after combinations of circles and lines. Jeff Buttitta, president, said the new concept for rubber tiles makes custom flooring design a standard method of operation without any additional cost.

The specially designed system of five products, he noted, provides for near limitless pattern options as they work with each other or alone. The system is so flexible, and not because it is made from rubber, that it can be combined with other Johnsonite designs for “yet more dramatic effects.”

The visuals in IVC US’ Flexitec Generation III helped create a buzz for the company, noted Dave Polisky, the company’s new vice president of sales and marketing. The collection is grouped into eight categories featuring 96 styles. Like its previous products, Generation III is a cushioned, PVC-encapsulated fiberglass floor. “It continues to capture the most realistic design visuals and textures along with lasting durability and easy installation,” Polisky said.

IVC also redesigned its Wonderwood and Wondertile ranges to make the entire collection more attractive. And its top-end Mega range also features new styling and colors for 2007.