Contract Flooring Journal articles from April 2007

Contract Flooring Journal archives from April 2007

Waste: you will be booked!(Editor's comment)
April 1, 2007... MOAN! Moan! Moan! Manufacturers of building products are forever complaining about the high costs of energy and raw materials, at least in virtually every state of trade survey. But they fail to mention flagrant wastage, which is acting to...

Contractor faces learning curves in university project.(Installation of the month)
April 1, 2007... CONTRACTOR MK Contract Flooring of Milton Keynes faced a number of big challenges when installing hardwood flooring from JUNCKERS in a new lecture theatre at the University of Essex. The contract was part of a 4.5m [pounds sterling] project...

Flooring's 'gray mafia' must go!(Guest Editorial comment)
April 1, 2007... I AM grateful to CFJ for giving me ideas I can borrow for publication elsewhere. I am also flattered to be asked me to write another guest editorial column (since I have now learned how to use the computer's spellchecker). My last article...

The glues brothers.(Cartoon)
April 1, 2007... THE VILLAGE IS ABOUT TWO MILES DOWN THE LANE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MIND YOU, THEY'RE HOPING TO BE UPGRADED TO TOWN STATUS QUITE SOON [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AFTER ALL THEY'VE GOT TWO PUBS, A CHURCH AND A FLOORS-2-GO ...

'Zero environmental footprint is our aim'.(Readers forum: Points of view)
April 1, 2007... AT InterfaceFLOR, we acted early to address concerns over climate change, recognising and embracing issues associated with the environment and global warming more than a decade ago. Put simply, we are determined that our extensive range of...

'BREEAM audit verifies our achievements'.(Readers forum: Points of view)
April 1, 2007... SUSTAINABILITY issues have been debated in the flooring industry for a number of years now and it is impossible for any manufacturer to ignore the need to address the potentially negative impact of its products. This is especially true as...

MC and RH: 'there's much more than meets the eye'.(Readers forum: Moisture in wood)(moisture content and relaive humidity in wood floorings)
April 1, 2007... HAVING read recent articles in the CFJ by Terry Wolfe and Peter Kaczmar, I felt compelled to write. Firstly, in support of Terry Wolfe's correction of Peter Kaczmar stating that 5% MC is equivalent to 75% RH, but equally to agree with the...

'Schools give vinyl top marks for acoustic performance'.(Readers forum: Acoustic)
April 1, 2007... AS with all sectors in the commercial flooring market, education flooring has continued to change and evolve. Vinyl flooring is now increasingly specified because it is slip resistant, low VOC, environmentally rated, easier to maintain or...

Cheaper non-slip floors may threaten standards'.(Readers forum: Safety flooring)
April 1, 2007... DID you hear recently about the supermarket chain selling DVD players for just 9 [pounds sterling]? With most new technologies, products first come onto the market at a premium price, attracting what the marketing people among us call 'early...

'Here is something to colour your views with hue and cry'.(Readers forum: Colour & design)(Viewpoint essay)
April 1, 2007... EVERY element of our homes, offices, hospitals, schools and factories is a reflection of a particular lifestyle or need, whether personal or business. Each colour choice and design detail, no matter how minute embodies a particular personality...

Richard Wollerton (1943-2007).(Obituary)
April 1, 2007... Alan Bakalor writes: THE sudden passing of Richard Wollerton on February 24 was a great shock to everyone who knew him and an enormous loss to the flooring industry. Richard had been ill, but only a few weeks earlier he told me how...

'The whole flooring industry mourns a very fine man'.(Obituary)
April 1, 2007... Terry Wolfe, President of the CFA, writes: WHEN Alan Bakalor, editor of CFJ, originally asked me to write a tribute to Richard Wollerton, it was just after the announcement of his retirement. But before I had a chance to email my brief...

CFA guide to contract flooring widely praised.(Coment: The president)
April 1, 2007... THE CFA Guide to Contract Flooring 2007 edition was published in January. I felt compelled to add my accolades to the many others piled upon the CFA Manufacturers' Committee that was responsible for its compilation and production. The...

Flooring industry Training Association.(Directory)
April 1, 2007... Intermediate wood fitting May 21-23 (L); July 9-11 (L). Sanding & finishing May 25-25 (L); July 12-13 (L) Estimating & Planning June 7-8 (L) Understanding moisture May 1 (L) UP-SKILLING COURSES Stairs On demand. ...

'Never finish learning about floor finishes'.(Training directory)
April 1, 2007... NO matter how much you think you know about finishing wooden floors, BonaKemi claims it can teach you more[ The company runs a variety of courses covering sanding, finishing and other skills associated with the installation and renovation of...

'Is the trade changing for better or worse?'.(wants to hear your opinions)
April 1, 2007... THIS month I would like to ask for the input from CFJ readers on your own experiences regarding the wood industry and how you feel things have changed, for the better or the worse. My own views have changed over the years, from being very...

'It is never too late to learn new things'.(on solving problems)
April 1, 2007... AS somebody wise once said, a problem shared is a problem halved. When the going gets tough, we all value a helping hand and even the most experienced flooring professionals welcome the reassurance of knowing there's someone to turn to if...

Make dirt less visible, but don't take the P.(on preventive maintenance-colour & design)(most suitable color for rugs and carpets)
April 1, 2007... IN the last two issues we discussed preventative maintenance, first the importance of installing adequate lengths of effective barrier matting. Then we examined reasons why spot and stain removal should be a top priority. This month we...

Balcony problems can be frozen out.(on stone flooring)(Interview)
April 1, 2007... Q: I need to install atone tiles on hotel balconies as part of a flooring contract. Bat, thinking of the cold, snowy, weather we had in February, I'm worried that water will get trapped in the screed, which will become saturated, eventually...

Advice on getting the fault out of asphalt.(on installing wood over asphalt)
April 1, 2007... Q: Can I bond wood onto asphalt? A: This looks straightforward, yet elicits a surprising number of questions to our technical support line. Let's look at the things to consider. One big plus is that the asphalt should stop any moisture...

Taking the high road on the High Street.(on protecting you intellectual property)
April 1, 2007... MANY high street multiple retailers respect and support creative design, but how can you safeguard original designs and products against being copied by indiscriminate multiple retail buyers and copyists? There are many simple precautions...

Are your employees really careful drivers?(on workplace driving)
April 1, 2007... TOUGHER penalties under the Road Safety Act 2006 were introduced this year in relation to being in control of a vehicle and using a mobile phone. You can now receive a 60 [pounds sterling] fixed penalty fine and three penalty points for...

Tax expert gives a steer on a pool car's revenue curbs.(on the top tax myths--part 2)
April 1, 2007... YOU will not be thanked for getting your tax bill correct. But you can be assured of attention from HM Revenue & Customs if you make errors. Many mistakes can be prevented just by knowing the facts and not making assumptions. In the second...

Diary dates.(Help and advice)(Calendar)
April 1, 2007... FLOORING MOSCOW Moscow, Russia April 3-6 www.mosbuild.com/eng COVERINGS April 17-20 Chicago, USA www.coverings.com FLOORS EXPO April 18-19 Dublin www.floorexpo.com INTERZUM May 9-12...

More find it difficult to recruit skilled labour.(State of trade)
April 1, 2007... AN increasing number of specialist contractors are finding difficulty in recruiting skilled labour, according to the latest State of Trade survey for the fourth quarter of 2006 produced for the National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) by...

Winners of Marks & Spencer vouchers from CFJ.(News file)
April 1, 2007... FIVE readers of CFJ have each won a 50 [pounds sterling] voucher from Marks & Spencer by courtesy of Kick-Start Publishing. Their names came up in a free draw from the many who voted in the CFJ/CFA annual flooring industry awards. The...

Quote.(News file)
April 1, 2007... "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur --Red Adair, oilfield firefighter 'The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from...

Laminate sales falter.(Business in brief)
April 1, 2007... The volume of laminate flooring sold in the UK in 2006 remained unchanged on the previous year at 40m sq m, while total world sales in 2006 rose by only 0.7% to 468m sq m, up from 465m sq m, according to the European Producers of Laminate...

Red tape costs 56bn [pounds sterling].(Business in brief)
April 1, 2007... RED tape is costing British companies nearly 56bn [pounds sterling] up by 10bn [pounds sterling] in the past 12 months, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). It claims that the biggest burden on business comes from the...

Bonar is bonny.(Business in brief)
April 1, 2007... Low & Bonar, parent company of Bonar Floors, has posted 28% increase in turnover to 224.5m [pounds sterling] in its preliminary annual results. Pretax profit rose 20.5% to 14.7m [pounds sterling]. Operating profit in its floors division jumped...

BASF sales record.(Business in brief)
April 1, 2007... BASF, parent company of Degussa Construction Chemicals in the UK, reports a 23% rise in sales of over 50bn Euros (34bn [pounds sterling]). BASF also reports that more than one-third of its sales are via e-business transactions.

Screwfix turnover is up.(Business in brief)
April 1, 2007... Screwfix Direct reports a 24.4% increase in sales to 96.2m [pounds sterling] for the third quarter to February 3.

Firms in administration.(Business in brief)
April 1, 2007... Carpet manufacturers Goodacre of Kendal; Nelca of Belgium; and the furniture and carpet retailer Furnitureland, have each been placed in administration.

Giving migrants a job.(Business in brief)
April 1, 2007... There is advice for CFA flooring contractor members who want to employ immigrant workers from the National Specialist Contractors Council, of which the CFA is a member. www.nscc.org.uk

Duke lets nothing slip.(News file)
April 1, 2007... Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, right, chats to Richard Kahn, centre, chief executive of Altro, and Paul Caller, chief executive of sister company Autoglym, during a recent visit to Altro Group's head office in Letchworth to officially open...

CIS tax: 3,000 [pounds sterling] fines for failure to comply.(News file)
April 1, 2007... FLOORING contractors not ready for the new CIS tax, which starts this month, must act immediately or face fines of up to 3,000 [pounds sterling]. These are the main things you should do: * Register to use HMRC's web-based services for new...

BonaKemi races to find the fastest flooring contractor.(News file)
April 1, 2007... BONA is seeking Europe's fastest flooring contractor! The manufacturer of coatings, abrasives, adhesives, maintenance products and sanding machines is organising the Bona Grand Prix 2007. This is a European karting competition for flooring...

830 new floorlayers to be needed every year.(Construction skills survey)
April 1, 2007... A NEW Construction Skills Network report should serve as a wake-up call for anyone in the flooring industry who still doubts the importance of training. It reckons that the UK needs at least 830 new floorlayers every year for the next four...

Landsdon triples stock-holding after move.(News file)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... LANDSDON GROUP, which claims to be the UK's largest independent floorcovering distributor with a turnover in excess of 70m [pounds sterling], has moved its central distribution and logistics facility to purpose-built premises in Redditch. ...

CO2 is a killer on site.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... The Health and Safety Executive is warning construction site workers of the dangers of carbon monoxide exposure from equipment powered by internal combustion engines in confined or poorlyventilated spaces. This follows three CO2 related deaths...

Asbestos risks alert.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... The TUC is urging firms to do more to protect workers against exposure to asbestos, which kills more than 2,000 people every year. The substance is still found in over one and a half million workplaces, including some old thermoplastic floor...

Death threats.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... More than 60,000 builders exposed to asbestos in the 1960s and 70s could die in the next decade, according to cancer specialist Professor Julian Pete. Asbestos-related diseases can take 40 years to develop.

Bin your butts.(Industry in brief)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Employers will have to provide bins and to ensure that there are no cigarette butts or litter outside their premises after the smoking ban in England starts in July. After the smoking ban starts in three months employers will become responsible...

College fights for survival.(Industry in brief)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The National Construction College in Norfolk, under threat of closure after it lost a planning appeal on selling off land for housing to raise 15m [pounds sterling] for much needed refurbishment, is waiting to hear the outcome of its appeal to...

Acoustic contract.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... Instacoustic has reportedly won a 350,000 [pounds sterling] contract to supply acoustic flooring for a residential development in Birmingham.

London Floor Show to close.(News file)
April 1, 2007... LONDON FLOOR SHOW which ran at Olympia 2 is to close, the organiser CMPi has announced. Paul Sweeney, event director comments: 'Our launch year in 2005 filled the ground level of the venue which was expanded to two floors in 2006, a fine...

New work increases.(Industry in brief)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The total volume of new construction work in 2006 was 5% up on the previous year, according to the DTI. However, repair and maintenance work fell by 3%. Also during the same period work on public housing soared by 23% and private housing was 2%...

Construction orders.(Industry in brief)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... New construction orders in the 12 months to January 2007 rose by 3% compared with the previous year, according to the DTI. During the same period orders for public housing and housing association; private commercial and private industrial were...

Wage rates are up.(Industry in brief)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Craft rates paid by small building firms will rise 6% from June 11 under the new Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council agreement. The new rates will be: S/NVQ3 advanced craft 10.06 [pounds sterling] (previously 9.67 [pounds...

Apprentices earn more.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... Young people taking part in Government funded apprenticeships earn higher wages, research has revealed. A study by the Department for Education and Skills, found that an apprenticeship was worth more than other vocational qualifications.

2.44 [pounds sterling] an hour for some.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... Immigrants working in construction are earning as little as 2.44 [pounds sterling] an hour, according to a recent TUC study. Unions say the influx of Eastern European workers is holding down wage rates for everyone.

QS get a pay rise.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... Salaries of quantity surveyors are on average 6.8% higher than last year, according to a new RlCS. The average QS salary is reported to be 43,100 [pounds sterling] annually (including bonuses). The average wage for a chartered surveyor was...

Architects in the money.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... Architects fees rose 9% to 4.2bn [pounds sterling] in 2006 and are expected to jump by 24% over the next five years, according to new research.

Employment falls.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... The total of construction industry employees (including the self-employed) in January 2007 fell by 2% compared with October 2006, and was down by 1% compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the DTI.

City & Guilds reform.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... CITB-ConstructionSkills and City & Guilds, the two organisations that award construction qualifications, are to undertake closer coordination and improve the service offered to colleges, training centres, employers and candidates.

Poor response: CFA firms urged to act.(NSCC launches 2007 accident survey for specialist contractors)
April 1, 2007... THE annual accident survey undertaken by the National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) is being launched this month. Members of the Contract Flooring Association are now receiving survey forms and are asked to return them without...

Whitbread picks Cavalier.(Carpet manufacturers celebrate their moments of glory)(Cavalier Carpets gets Whitbread award )(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... CAVALIER CARPETS has received a Whitbread award for 'outstanding performance' as a direct supplier. Presented at Whitbread's annual property conference held recently in Leicester, these accolades are presented to manufacturers or suppliers...

Ryalux wins at Domotex.(Carpet manufacturers celebrate their moments of glory)(Ryalux Carpets Ltd. gets Innovation Awards )(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... DESERT Tones from RYALUX was awarded the 'best commercial range' category in the Wools of New Zealand (WONZ) Carpet Innovation Awards at Domotex. The panel of over 70 judges from across Europe gave the range top marks in both colour and design....

Vinyl recycling launched.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... A new national recycling business offers the removal of vinyl flooring by CSCS qualified operatives. Method statements and risks assessments are provided. The transport is by licensed waste carriers. T: 01299 406066

Plant theft move.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... The Construction Equipment Security and Registration scheme (CESAR) comes into effect this month. Online registration is available, www.datatag.co.uk T: 01932 358100

PFI criticised.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... Tendering for PFI contracts is too expensive, excessively protracted and not enough consortia are bidding, according to the National Audit Office. It says that material changes worth up to 4m [pounds sterling] a year are being added to contract...

CIS foreign fact sheets.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... HM Revenue & Customs is helping subcontractors prepare for the new Construction Industry Scheme launched this month by publishing fact sheets in 12 languages, including Albanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish,...

Hotplate for testing.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... SATRA has installed a 40,000 [pounds sterling] guarded hotplate machine to evaluate thermal conductivity and resistance of flooring materials against certain requirements of the Construction Products Directive. T: 01536 410000

BCC marks 25th.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... The British Cleaning Council is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year as the voice of an industry with over 1m employees and a 12bn [pounds sterling] turnover. A reception to mark the event will be held at the House of Commons in...

Manufacturers are optimistic.(Construction products survey)
April 1, 2007... THE construction industry finished 2006 on a positive note and expectations are high for sustained growth during 2007, according to the latest joint Trade Survey Report from the Construction Products Association and the Construction...

Antron set to debut at Prima.(News file)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... THE INVISTA Antron carpet fibre stand at Design Prima (May 12-17) at Old Billingsgate Market, London EC3, will headline key elements in today's specifying process. Claiming to be one of the most recognised commercial carpet fibre brands,...

'Some contractors rock but others are rocky'.(News file)
April 1, 2007... SOME smaller flooring contractors are teaching the big ones a thing or two, according to Plimsoll. A new survey highlights a number of smaller companies which are outperforming many of the larger companies in the industry, by: *...

Compare your sales.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... A new quarterly report with up-todate information on business in the floor contracting trade has been launched. Sourced from many interviews with flooring contractors, it offers companies selling into this sector consistent and comparable data...

Takeover tool.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... Plimsoll has launched a new service aimed at helping companies find acquisition prospects in a number of industries, including flooring. The service draws on a database of information claimed to cover virtually every company in Britain and...

Specifiers' guide.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association) has launched a new online specifiers' guide to standards applying to specific office and contract furniture applications. The online guide, which is regularly updated, costs 95 [pounds sterling] a...

Waste directory.(Industry in brief)(Directory)
April 1, 2007... A free waste directory for small construction firms with details of the location of licensed sites for recycling or disposing of waste has been launched. It also provides clear guidance on environmental regulations, www.netregs.gov.uk

Health & safety Czech.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... The Major Contractors Group has published a multi-lingual DVD aimed at improving health and safety awareness in the construction industry. It can be played in Albanian, Bulgarian, Czech, English, German, Polish, Portugese, Punjabi, Romanian and...

Wood awards entries.(Industry in brief)
April 1, 2007... Entries for The Wood Awards 2007 must be submitted by May 25. Wood flooring manufacturers have been among previous winners. www.woodawards.com

This van will be given away at The Tile & Stone Show.(News file)
April 1, 2007... A BRAND new Nissan Primastar is being offered as a prize for the winner of The Tile & Stone Show tiling competition by HENKEL BUILDING SYSTEMS. The finalists in the competition will go head to head at the show to find the UK's top tile...

Burlington stone graces Self Build Centre.(News file)
April 1, 2007... NATURAL stone flooring and roofing from BURLINGTON, adorns the Potton Show House -one of the main showpieces at the new National Self Build and Renovation Centre in Swindon. The company's stone floor tiles have been installed in the hall,...

CFA dinner dance.(Trade in brief)
April 1, 2007... The annual CFA dinner dance will be held at the Thistle Hotel, Cheltenham on June 23. The cost is 38.50 [pounds sterling] per person, including VAT. Members wishing to attend are requested to contact Helen Tidmarsh at the CFA office no later...

CFA insurance offer.(Trade in brief)
April 1, 2007... Camberford Law has been appointed as a second insurance intermediary for the Contract Flooring Association. T: 0115 941 1126

NSCC new member.(Trade in brief)
April 1, 2007... The National Federation of Terrazzo Marble & Mosaic Specialists (NFTMMS) has been accepted as a member of the National Specialist Contractors Council. This brings to 29 the number of trade bodies belonging to NSCC, representing over 7,000...

Wood advice line.(Trade in brief)
April 1, 2007... Wood finishing expert and author Mark Finney has launched an advice line on the choice of wood finishing materials and techniques. T: 0114 258 8399 E: info@mdfinney.co.uk

CRA members' directory.(Trade in brief)(Directory)
April 1, 2007... The Concrete Repair Association 2007 members directory includes updated information on all 36 member companies of CRA. T: 01252 357835 www.cra.org.uk

New home for FeRFA.(Trade in brief)
April 1, 2007... FeRFA has moved its office to 16 Edward Road, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8NP. T: 01252 714250

Recruits for resin body.(Trade in brief)
April 1, 2007... Apollo Flooring Systems, of Staffordshire, and Creation Flooring, of Portsmouth, have joined FeRFA. www.apollo-flooring.com www.creationflooring.co.uk

Causeway move.(Trade in brief)
April 1, 2007... Causeway Carpets has moved from Blackburn to 15 Tenters Street, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham DL14 7AD. T: 01388 664101

Interbuild to put past shows in the shade.(News file)
April 1, 2007... WITH over 700 exhibitors already committed and 71% of previous exhibitors back on board, Interbuild 2007 is aiming to be even more successful than recent years. The flooring zone is proving to be a particular hotspot, with thanks to the...