Contract Flooring Journal articles from February 2006

Contract Flooring Journal archives from February 2006

Case for n-power full of flaws.(environmental protection)
February 1, 2006... The flooring industry is not exempt from the movement towards greater environmental protection to combat climate change. This topic was much in the news last ar and will receive even more attention in 2006. In the UK, the nuclear power...

A Dickens of a good restoration job.(Liverpool Floor Sanding Company)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... ONE of Britain's best loved authors Charles Dickens held many of his readings in the 19th century in the Liverpool's St George's Hall complex. The building was completed in 1854 and is recognised as one of the finest neo-classical...

'Misinformation!' Let's have the truth on anhydrites, says Tarmac technical specialist.(Hemi-hydrate and anhydrite)
February 1, 2006... THE first and important point to make is that I have no intention of attempting to criticise or denigrate the Maxit product referred to in the article. I was, however, disappointed to see that Mr Dainter sought to suggest that hemi-hydrate,...

10 tips on ways to boost your .(business management)
February 1, 2006... 1. Get organised! If you want things to run smoothly on site, you cannot afford to have a messy office. Losing track of orders, invoices and building plans can cause unnecessary confusion, delay work and result in costly mistakes. ...

What FITA can do for you?(Training)
February 1, 2006... A REPORT on the open day at FITA's latest training centre in Loughborough was published in CFJ (December, 2005). The attendance was exceptional, not only from the main sponsors who sent along their senior staff (in fact most attended with...

Wool really is a wonder.(Carpet fibres)
February 1, 2006... DESPITE the fact that man-made fibres now dominate the carpet pile fibre market, wool remains popular, particularly for up-market carpets and rugs. There are a number of reasons for this related to wool's versatility to produce carpets of...

Leather flooring: 'don't go on price'.(leather floorcoverings)
February 1, 2006... AS we all know, leather-soled shoes were at one time the only way to be shod! Purists still insist on properly soled welted shoes as a contribution to their own sartorial statement about themselves. Traditional sole tanning operations came...

CIS tax will be a major issue this year: revenue now has a helpline.(comment)(Column)
February 1, 2006... I AM writing this article just before Christmas and, as is usual at this time of year, one tends to reflect on events of the past 12 months. It has been a somewhat strange, and at times surreal, period for me which started early in the...

Flooring industry Training Association.(Training directory)(Directory)
February 1, 2006... Know your carpet: Jun 5-6 (L); Carpet fitting starter course: Feb 9-10 (N); Apr 24-25 (L); Jun 21-22 (L); Basic carpet fitting: Mar 6-10 (L), May 22-26(N); Intermediate carpet fitting: Feb 20-24 (L), May 15-19 (N); Advanced carpet fitting: Mar...

Diary dates.(Training directory)
February 1, 2006... SURFACES February 1-3 Las Vegas, USA www.surfaces.com CEVISAMA February 7-11 Valencia, Spain www.feriavalencia/cevisama HOTELYMPIA February 19-23 ExCel, London T: 0870 429 4644 ...

Bona 2006 training courses announced.(Training directory)(training courses)(Directory)
February 1, 2006... BONA's 2006 training courses have been announced. * TF1: The essentials of working with timber floors on Feb 6; Apr 21; Jul 7; Sep 14; and Oct 6. Course content: subfloor preparation and considerations; timber flooring installation;...

Mapei is awarded CPD membership.(Training directory)
February 1, 2006... MAPEI UIK has become a member of the Construction CPD Certification Service and has already acquired certification in the following areas; * Effective waterproofing * Fast track screeds * Subfloor preparation The CPD service...

The Glues Brothers.(Cartoon)
February 1, 2006... AN UNEXPECTED VISIT FROM ME AND MY SALES DIRECTOR, MAURICE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HE WAS DOWN HERE VISITIN' A COUPLE OF THE BIG BOYS... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ... BUT ONE OF 'EM CANCELLED--SO WE HAD SOME TIME TO KILL ...

Helping a contractor to fine-tune technique.(wood floor installation)
February 1, 2006... I USUALLY base my CFJ articles on problems flooring contractors have met. I tell you how not to do the job and show you photographs of awful floors. I was once asked by a magazine doing an article on flooring for attractive pictures. I...

If you experience a problem, squeak up!(wood floors)
February 1, 2006... Q: Squeaking has become a problem with a solid wood floor we installed onto an existing batten system. We have tried everything from face nailing to cure this but to no avail. The owner wants his money back for the installation and the cost of...

Do more than hope the floor won't fail.(surface damp proof membranes)
February 1, 2006... THE Contract Flooring Association says 'Dampness is the biggest cause of failure in contemporary flooring installations'. Who would disagree? We've all been to sites where the vinyl flooring is blistering and lifting. Or the joints are...

Why are movement joints necessary?(protecting tiles)
February 1, 2006... MOVEMENT joints must be installed in certain areas and positions to prevent tiles or grout from cracking... and in some cases prevent the tiles from tenting and becoming debonded from the substrate. Q: What is a movement joint? A: A...

How to create a flawless floor.(fine finishes)
February 1, 2006... EVEN the best installed timber floor will have occasional gaps between adjacent boards or blocks. In most cases it is advantageous to fill these to provide a uniform appearance, but there can be additional practical benefits also. There...

Look for clues in the existing flooring.
February 1, 2006... Welcome to the first of a series of columns exclusively written for CFJ by Martin Cummins, Laybond's technical advisor. Over the coming months Martin will tackle technical issues commonly encountered by contractors and dispell the myths of...

Don't just hope for success, plan for it.(business plan)
February 1, 2006... LET me start this month with a few mantras: "If you fall to plan then you plan to fail' "With careful and detailed planning, one can win; with careless and less detailed planning, one cannot win. How much more certain is defeat if one...

Exciting year ahead forecast for the Dogs.(Spring Festival celebration)
February 1, 2006... THE oldest and most important festival in China is called the Spring Festival. Many people call it the Chinese New Year. No matter what you call it, it is a time of celebration for millions of Chinese people all over the world. The Spring...

Here's proof that legal action does work.(protecting your copyright)
February 1, 2006... MANY small product designers and manufacturers think that dealing with intellectual property issues is just too financially prohibitive and ACID is often asked "what are the alternatives"? Often too, taking action can be an expensive...

'Sexual' image on flyer raises rumpus.(Floor Sanding Warehouse)
February 1, 2006... AN advertising flyer showing a young women with her legs apart has brought strong criticism from within the industry. The image--over the caption 'Do you sand floors?'--was circulated to flooring contractors by The Floor Sanding Warehouse...

Football wager Ferrari will promote flooring.(Floors-2-Go)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... THE ceo of Floors-2-Go Simon Farnsworth took possession of a Ferrari Spider 360 after Aston Villa won a recent derby match against Birmingham City. The Ferrari is owned by Phil Weston, a Birmingham City fan. If Villa fan Simon had lost he...

Bostik buys Laybond.(Business in brief)
February 1, 2006... Bostik has acquired UK-based adhesives and coatings manufacturer Laybond from Close Brothers Private Equity. Phil Derby, a Bostik UK director, commented, 'Laybond has been well managed and the combination of our complementary technologies,...

Kahrs is acquired.(Business in brief)
February 1, 2006... Vestar Capital has acquired Nybron Flooring from HIAG and Nordic Capital Funds. Nybron includes leading wood flooring companies, Kahrs of Sweden, Bauwerk of Switzerland and Marty of France. With annual revenues of over 400m Euro (273m [pounds...

BHK Flooring set up.(Business in brief)
February 1, 2006... BHK (UK) has set up BHK Flooring as a 100% subsidiary with Phil Griffiths as a director. Phil was general manager of BHK (UK). The new company will focus on the manufacture and distribution of laminate and hardwood flooring, leaving BHK (UK) to...

Topps more hopeful.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Topps Tiles is forecasting that 2006 will be 'less challenging' than last year with turnover up 1% in the first 13 weeks of the new financial year. The company, which predicts a 26% growth in the UK tile market by 2010, plans to open 24 new...

Carpet man made 26m [pounds sterling].(Business in brief)
February 1, 2006... Bill Lomas, founder of Ryalux Carpets, left more than 26m [pounds sterling] in his will. Mr Lomas died last year, aged 62. He started the company in 1971 and finally sold it to Sirdar PLC in 2000 for 25m [pounds sterling].

Kingspan surge.(Business in brief)
February 1, 2006... Kingspan, the UK raised access flooring manufacturer, is expecting its 2005 profits to be well ahead of 2004, when its annual report is announced.

Carpetright for Poland.(Business in brief)
February 1, 2006... Carpetright plans to open four stores in Poland in 2006 and around 20 in the country in the next three years, it is reported.

More firms fail.(Business in brief)
February 1, 2006... There was an 8% rise in the number of construction company failures in 2005 compared with the previous year, according to Experian.

This is your last chance to help your favourites.(flooring contractors)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... VOTES of flooring contractors, floorlayers and specifiers will, as usual, determine who wins the 2006 CFJ and CFA flooring industry product awards. A voting form has been inserted in this issue. Please fill it in and return it if you have...

Students turn carpet into art.(Ryalux Carpets Ltd. launches art competition )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... RYALUX recently launched an art competition for higher national diploma in textile design students at Hopwood College in Rochdale. The brief was to make a piece of art using carpet materials. Ryalux provided samples. The winner Karen...

Wool Interiors reveals 2007 trends.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... WOOL INTERIORS launched its 2007 colour forecast at Domotex last month. Entitled Arabesque, the collection encapsulates the interaction of lifestyles where preferences and choice are based on identity, aspiration, culture and tradition. A...

Contractor recognised.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Advance Screeding, based in Crayford, Kent, has been ranked Number 23 in The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 based on an increase in sales of 106% a year from 518,000 [pounds sterling] in 2001 to 4.5m [pounds sterling] in 2004. The...

Growth forecast.(Industry in brief)
February 1, 2006... A return to growth in construction is forecast this year after output fell in 2005 for the first time in 11 years. The Construction Products Association predicts a gradual recovery during the next 12 months followed by stronger growth in 2007...

Tarkett buys Johnsonite.(Industry in brief)
February 1, 2006... Tarkett has acquired Johnsonite, the American specialty flooring and flooring accessories manufacturer with sales of $120m (69m [pounds sterling]).

Howe Green moves.(Industry in brief)
February 1, 2006... Floor access cover manufacturer Howe Green has relocated to a new much larger office and warehouse in Ware, Herts. T: 01920 463230 www.howegreen.co.uk

Cool Carpet award.(Industry in brief)
February 1, 2006... Interface has presented a Coot Carpet certification to the Civil Aviation Authority for adhering to environmental concerns when specifying 12,000sq m of carpet tiles. Interface claims that its Cool Carpet is the industry's first 'climate...

Concrete repair boost.(Industry in brief)
February 1, 2006... Members of the Concrete Repair Association completed work worth 127m [pounds sterling] in the six months between January and June 2005, 19% up on the same period in 2004. www.cra.org.uk

Olympic jobs galore.(Industry in brief)
February 1, 2006... A new booklet, Construction Projects of the 2012 London Olympics, summarises the main construction projects with details of existing venues, where permanent and temporary works are required. It presents a project timetable, a note of the...

Quote.
February 1, 2006... 'A clever man solves a problem; a wise man avoids it'--Albert Einstein 'People who are economically active are more likely to be healthy and people who are healthy are more likely to be economically active'--Lord Hunt, minister for health...

Fair payment action is promised at last!(News file)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... AT LAST the Government has made proposals that aim to improve payments to sub-contractors in the construction industry. These proposals include: * A requirement that certification of the sum due, by one of the contracting parties or a...

Colin and Justin get their hands on Polyx Oil.(Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan to decorate for Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... INTERIOR design gurus Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan turned to OSMO UK to transform a home in Alderley Edge near Manchester for Channel 5's television series, How Not To Decorate. Colin McAllister says: 'We decided to rip out the food...

British Wools bets on Las Vegas.(News file)(British Wool Marketing Board)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... THE British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) returned to Surfaces, Las Vegas this month (Feb 1-3). BWMB is launching the About Wool brochure. Tim Booth, BWMB product development manager, explains: 'We often find that people simply do not know...

New adjudicator panel.(Trade in brief)
February 1, 2006... AICA (Association of Independent Construction Adjudicators) plans to re-launch its panel of adjudicators on March 1. It will comprise up to 50 practising adjudicators meeting clear membership criteria. The aim is to assure contractors using...

Bid to cut waste.(Trade in brief)
February 1, 2006... A new DTI-funded project called BE AWARE--Built Environment Action on Waste Awareness and Resource Efficiency--aims to help construction product manufacturers to make more efficient use of materials and processes by investigating their...

Bankruptcy advice.(Trade in brief)
February 1, 2006... Advice on insolvency problems is available from the Bankruptcy Association which has published an updated edition of its established guidebook Bankruptcy Explained. www.theba.org.uk T: 01524 782713

Material sales fall.(Trade in brief)
February 1, 2006... Sale of construction products fell during the final months of 2005, according to the Construction Products Association. A weak housing market and slowdown in important Government investment were said to be key causes.

Pay rises for 12,000.(Trade in brief)
February 1, 2006... Over 12,000 low-paid workers started 2006 with a pay rise thanks to HM Revenue & Customs enforcement notices on over 2,400 firms which had not been meeting the national minimum wage.

Contract awarded.(Trade in brief)
February 1, 2006... PC Flooring has won a 70,000 [pounds sterling] contract for work at a hotel in Newbury, Berkshire.

Ryalux extends NCCA link.(Industry in brief)(National Carpet Cleaning Association)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Ryalux has extended its association with the National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA) following the success of its Owner's Guild. The NCCA agreement provides each Guild member with a discount voucher for its services valid until the end of...

ReEntry expanded.(Industry in brief)
February 1, 2006... Interface has expanded its ReEntry carpet tile recycling scheme with Green-Works and Spruce Carpets joining Pennine Magpie in sorting, grading and cleaning. ReEntry is a product take-back service for Interface customers where old tiles are...

Dust exposure.(Industry in brief)
February 1, 2006... The HSE has issued a consultation document for controlling workplace exposure to 'respirable crystalline silica'. The deadline for comments is March 13. T: 0845 345 0055 www.hse.gov.uk/consult/live.htm

Forecasts for 2006.(Industry in brief)
February 1, 2006... The property market will grow by just 3% in 2006, according to the Halifax. Average earnings during the year are expected to rise by 4.5%.

Vibration-free concrete.(Products in brief)
February 1, 2006... Bardon Concrete has launched Cemflow which uses self-compacting technology to eliminate vibration required when laying traditional concrete, offering health and safety benefits, as well as reducing noise and pollution. T: 01335 372222

New floor polish.(Products in brief)
February 1, 2006... Essential Industries has introduced new High Build Ultra High Solids Floor Finish described as an easy-to-maintain and fast drying & curing polish that will keep its shine day-in and day-out without a lot of work, claimed to offer greater...

Floor protection.(Products in brief)
February 1, 2006... A spun-bonded polypropylene flame-retardant war-resistant temporary floor protection material, FloorShield FR, has been launched by Ockwells. T: 01635 582828

Dawn the diplomat.(News file)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... THE founder and chairman of the Flowcrete flooring group and former Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Dawn Gibbins MBE has been appointed a national ambassador for the DTi's Manufacturing Advisory, Service. For a number of years Dawn has worked...

Flowcrete UK.(PEOPLE)
February 1, 2006... ANDREW GWYTHER, director of resin flooring at Flowcrete UK, has been appointed to lead the company's expanding operations in the Middle East, based in Dubai.

Ryalux.(PEOPLE)
February 1, 2006... Ryalux has a new marketing ccordinator, DAVID NEVILLE, who recently graduated with a degree in marketing from Lancaster University.

James Latham Plc.(PEOPLE)
February 1, 2006... Advanced Technical Panels, specialist panels arm of distributor James Latham Plc, has appointed STEPHANIE PLASTER as South East representative. A BSc Honours graduate in Forest Product Technology, Stephanie has more than 25 years of experience...

Altro approach earns business award.(Richard Khan )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Altro chief executive Richard Khan receives the National Business Award commendation from Declan Curry, business presenter on BBC TV's Breakfast programme. Altro was shortlisted as one of the top 10 businesses vying for the title, beating off...

London seminars.(Events in brief)
February 1, 2006... Sustainability, DDA, energy efficiency, successful tendering in the Olympic bid process are among the RIBA accredited seminars at the London Floor Show (Feb 21-22). www.londonfloorshow.co.uk

Positive procurement.(Events in brief)
February 1, 2006... Milliken Carpets and Antron carpet fibres have a sustainability forum on February 22 at Studio in Clerkenwell, London to explore how major organisations manage their operations with an environmental emphasis. T: 020 7 3367290

Stone show support.(Events in brief)
February 1, 2006... Over 300 exhibitors, including Ardex, are expected at the Natural Stone Show at ExCeL in London on March 14-16. The show is backed by Stone Federation and National Association of Memorial Masons as well as the Royal Institute of British...

Save 20 [pounds sterling] at Interbuild.(Events in brief)
February 1, 2006... Visitors to Interbuild (April 23-27) at the NEC can log on to the website for free entry with an advance registration, saving 20 [pounds sterling] at the door. More than 44,000 attended Interbuild when it was last held in 2004....

All set for Europarket.(Events in brief)
February 1, 2006... Europarket, the fair for wood and laminate flooring and accessories, will be held in Maastricht, Holland, from April 23-25. www.europarket.com

Domotex Dubai demand.(Events in brief)
February 1, 2006... Over 50% of the exhibition space at Domotex Middle East in Dubai (May 2830) was booked within weeks of the showing being announced, according to the organisers. www.domotex.de

Dates for LIW 2006.(Events in brief)
February 1, 2006... Leisure Industry Week is from September 26-28 at the NEC, Birmingham. www.liw.co.uk

Five years ago.(Beverley Hughes on sub contractors)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... In February 2001 CFJ reported comments by the then construction minister, Beverley Hughes, at the annual lunch of the NSCC. She sympathised with sub-contractors' concerns over retentions abuses, but added that many of these would be addressed...

Planning ahead: Chris Frost, of Aspect Commercial Flooring, has an abiding business principle: 'Foresight is the key'.(Interview)
February 1, 2006... His company, he says, 'has a reputation for giving a superior service, and why clients come back to us repeatedly and manufacturers recommend us to install commercial contracts.' 'We think ahead, plan well and keep clients informed,' he...

Ian Guest: technical and training manager, Thomsit Roofing Systems.(interview)(Interview)
February 1, 2006... * Did you get into trouble at school? Yes, surprisingly I did; small issue with conformity. * What was your first part-time job? Working for the local farmer picking spuds. * What did you spend your first pay cheque on? Beer and girls....

City event: Olympia 2 makes a grand venue for the London Floor Show (February 21-22).(adhesives, floorings introduced)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Anton Lorenz (T: 0049 9448 920141), a leading German wood flooring manufacturer with its own sawmill, has a new corporate design and new products. Lopark Royal two-layer parquet, having a solid oak bottom layer suitable for water-based...

Getting the feel: there will opportunities for some touchy feely at the Surface Design Show (March 1-2).(products introduced at the show)
February 1, 2006... Altro (T: 01462 707600) will show its range, including Maxis said not to harbour the usual sparkle associated with safety flooring. www.altro.com Ardex UK (T: 01440 714939) will exhibit its adhesives, screeds, levelling compounds and DPMs...

On the level: smoothing or levelling compounds are a vital part of a floorlayer's kit.(Smoothing compound survey)
February 1, 2006... Advanced Construction Materials (ACM) manufactures a wide range of subfloor levelling compounds, industrial screeds and coatings--available direct from the manufacturer. Fast Set Latex Underlayment SX-1 has the properties of traditional...

We're in the age of the specialist.(Smoothing compound survey)(floor covering industry)
February 1, 2006... Specialist sub-trades in the building industry nowadays have the benefit of a world of products aimed at making their tasks easier and more efficient, with more predictable and dependable results, says Stephen Boulton, section leader, technical...

Non slip: safety flooring is being specified in an increasing number of contract areas.(Safety flooring survey)
February 1, 2006... Altro has relaunched its Marine range to offer 10 new colours with matching weld rods and mastics. The company asserts that the design makes the product suitable for use in barefoot and soft soled shoe areas found in schools, hospitals, hotels,...

Don't stand for fatigue! Architect Christopher Sykes looks at an important TUC initiative and what steps can be taken to provide solutions for standing fatigue.(Safety flooring survey)(Trades Union Congress)
February 1, 2006... THE Trades Union Congress (TUC) launched an initiative last year to encourage employers to take steps to improve the health of employees. The sobering report says problems caused by standing at work are as widespread now as they were in...

Do it on screen: floor planning software helps floorlayer save time and money.(floor planning survey)(Eleco)(Esign)
February 1, 2006... Eleco supplies Esign, described as a pioneering software and services portfolio offering an integrated solution linking manufacturers, distributors, retailers, contractors and customers. It is claimed to help the industry manage and distribute...

Armstrong adds protective layer.(Products file)
February 1, 2006... ARMSTRONG FLOOR PRODUCTS has launched Marmorette PUR linoleum to combine performance with the opportunity to cut cleaning costs by up to 30%. Teaming the proven DLW Marmorette with a PUR protective system follows on from the development of...

Antron has new interpretation.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... WITH aesthetic performance at the top of its agenda ANTRON carpet fibre's versatility and durability ensured it was the natural choice for Paragon by Heckmondwike's latest range, New Interpretations, states the company. Designed to cope...

PCI's fast setting tile adhesive.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... PCI has launched a new flexible tile adhesive promoted as a fast setting product that can be walked on and grouted after just two hours. Nanolight Rapid is formulated for walls and floors inside and outdoors, even at low temperatures. It's...