Farnham, Quebec, Canada— Tarkett has announced that the company has entered into a joint venture with Aconcagua Timber Corp., a North American wood panel manufacturing company. Designed to increase wood panel and laminate production and distribution throughout the rapidly growing North American flooring market, the fully integrated partnership will be equally owned and operated by Tarkett and Aconcagua. The partnership’s first stage will be to refit an existing wood panel manufacturing plant located in Clarion, Pa. In an effort to expand the company’s already solid position as a leading worldwide laminate manufacturer, Tarkett approached Aconcagua based on the superiority of its engineered panels. This is the logical next step after the runaway success of the recent Tarkett Laminate launch, noted Jan Lembregts, president, Tarkett Residential. “We needed a strategic partner to help us expand our manufacturing capabilities and allow us to continue to provide our customers with the top quality and innovative products they have come to expect from Tarkett,” he said. “Our ultimate goal is to increase our North American laminate market share to a leadership position, and with Aconcagua’s technical expertise and business development strategy, we are confident that this will come to fruition.” Implemented in stages, the first undertaking of the partnership will be the refitting of the existing Pennsylvania plant, which will produce high-density fiberboard in sizes to accommodate laminate flooring production. The second stage will expand manufacturing to MDF moldings by the end of 2005, noted Lembregts, and begin production of laminate flooring in 2006. Over the next few years, the two companies intend to invest approximately $130 million in the joint venture, which is owned equally by both companies making this a true partnership in every sense of the word, noted a spokeswoman for Tarkett. “Tarkett is the true leader in laminate flooring solutions and this joint venture will solidify that position as we expand our product offerings and service for our customers,” added John Rietveldt of Tarkett Residential’s Worldwide opertions. For more information on Tarkett, call 450/293-3173. —Louis Iannaco