Contract Flooring Journal articles from June 2005

Contract Flooring Journal archives from June 2005

Listen to both sides, Mr Blair.(Editor's comment)
June 1, 2005... THE New Labour government under Tony Blair has bent over backwards to befriend big business, while small and medium sized enterprises suffer. Retentions is a good example. The practice is supported by the major contractors with their...

'Billiard table' finish for new Axminsters.(Installation of the month)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... CARPETS OF KIDDERMINSTER had a major role in re-carpeting principal areas of the prestigious Parkmore Hotel and Leisure Club set in spacious grounds in Stockton-on-Tees. The contract enabled Carpets of Kidderminster to demonstrate the...

Some employers say training should be free!--do they value it so little?(FITA)
June 1, 2005... WE at FITA (the Flooring Industry Training Association) were amazed to hear comments recently by flooring installers' employers that they would only be willing to send their young lads onto a training course if it was free! Is it any wonder...

'This screed is simply superior'.(ANHYDRITES)
June 1, 2005... FOLLOWING the comments from flooring contractors in CFJ about anhydrite screeds, I would like to draw your attention to Alpha 751 Hemianhydrite screed. This is a pumpable, high quality self-levelling floor screed based on calcium sulphate....

Diary dates.(Points of view)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... RETAIL SOLUTIONS NEC Birmingham June 7-9 T: 020 7520 1774 www.retailsolutions.co.uk BAR INDUSTRY TRADE SHOW 7-8 June Earls Court, London T: 0161476 5580 SIBEC UK June 8-9 The Belfry T: 01932 267632...

The Glues brothers.(Points of view)(Cartoon)
June 1, 2005... IT'S YOUR SPECIAL OPENING DAY AND I'M STAYIN' ON DUTY TO ENSURE THE AREA'S KEPT CLEAR NO PARKIN' THIS WAY OR THAT--NOR OVER THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD NEITHER ELSE I'LL 'AVE 'EM, JUST SEE IF I DON'T THERE'S LOADS OF SPACE TWO MILES UP...

Let's sharpen the focus on training even more.(comment)
June 1, 2005... ONE of the most important things done by the CFA in recent years is the foundation, in conjunction with the NICF of FITA (the Flooring Industry Training Association). FITA, with its comprehensive range of courses covering every aspect of...

Training directory.(Training)(Directory)
June 1, 2005... Flooring industry Training Association Commercial vinyl fitting Jun 6-9 (N); Know your carpets Jun 6-7 (L); Estimating & planning Jun 8-9 (L); Solid wood fitting Jun 13-15 (L); Solid wood sanding & finishing Jun 16-17 (L); Ceramic fitting...

Sika-Armorex opens new centre.(Training)
June 1, 2005... OVER 300sq m of SIKA-ARMOREX plant at Lavenham in Suffolk has been opened as a training centre. Demonstrations of the different systems and training courses on how, where, when and why they should be installed are available to contractors,...

Testing! Testing! Are you reading me?(on discrepancies in moisture testing)
June 1, 2005... ONE of the services I offer is to carry out hygrometer tests. Although I often calibrate one of my hair hygrometers and fix that in place, or I fix on site one of my Protimeter boxes, it has become increasingly common to do this by use of a...

Do keep your customers up to scratch.(on wood floors)(Column)
June 1, 2005... In his regular column, SID BOURNE, technical director at Grundorf Terhurne, answers questions from CFJ readers based on his 25 years of installation experience. Q: What advice should I give a customer on the correct maintenance procedure...

Avoiding the pitfalls caused by dampness.(answers your questions on moisture)(Column)
June 1, 2005... In the first of a two-part series David Gatfield, Altro technical services manager--northern region, answers some common questions on moisture raised by installers. Q: I often have to install products on a damp subfloor, what is the...

Preparation before tiling is key concern.(on tiling over anhydrite screeds)(Column)
June 1, 2005... Ian Knifton, technical manager, Schluter-Systems, writes: MUCH has been published in CFJ in recent months about anhydrite screeds, and the Contract Flooring Association has published a technical paper on the generic installation of floor...

Try not to lose it when it's your prime time: Bob Mabbutt, development manager of Laybond Products, discusses the importance of correct priming.(on correct priming)
June 1, 2005... SO why do manufacturers ask you to pay for priming a floor?. A primer has a multitude of functions and is recommended to help you do a better job at lower cost. Of course you can miss it out if you choose, but before you do, consider the...

Skills shortage shock in latest trade survey.(News file)
June 1, 2005... THERE is some alarming news in the trade in latest State of Trade survey (for the first quarter of 2005) produced for the National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) by Northumbria University. It reveals a sudden steep rise in the number...

Causeway Carpets closes.(Business in brief)(Lusotufo)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Causeway Carpets has ceased trading after being placed in administration. The company's stock, samples, point of sale material and intellectual rights have been bought by Lusotufo which is to retain the Causeway sales team and current ranges....

Manufacturers upbeat.(Business in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Nearly 60% of building materials manufacturers expect to increase their output in the coming 12 months, according the Construction Products Association.

Junckers 15.5m [pounds sterling] profit.(Business in brief)
June 1, 2005... After a year under new ownership, Junckers recorded pre-tax profits of 15.5m [pounds sterling]. The hard wood flooring company was bought last year by Danish investment company Axcel.

Mohawk earnings rise.(Business in brief)
June 1, 2005... Mohawk, the world's second biggest flooring company, saw net earnings rise 6% in the first quarter of 2005. Its net sales for the quarter were up 7% to $1.49bn (0.78bn [pounds sterling]). The company increased its carpet prices to compensate...

Laminate firm folds.(Business in brief)(Larry's Laminate Land )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Scottish budget flooring chain Larry's Laminate Land has gone into receivership. The firm, which ran a series of TV and radio adverts with Scots comedian Andy Cameron, has shut all its shops.

Retailer's profit warning.(Business in brief)
June 1, 2005... United Carpets, claimed to be the UK's third biggest after Carpetright and Allied, has issued a profit warning. The company, which floated on the stock market in mid-February, trades from 54 stores selling vinyl and laminates as well as...

Collins & Aikman troubled.(Business in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... US carpet manufacturer Collins & Aikman is said to be facing 'significant near-term liquidity issues' with claims that 'any prior 2005 financial forecasts should not be relied on'. Meanwhile, the company's chairman and chief executive, David...

Quote.(Business in brief)
June 1, 2005... 'Payment within 30 days is reasonable' --Graham Wren, president National Specialist Contractors Council 'The construction industry is missing out on much-needed talent due to an out-dated image that's a real turn-off for women and...

Proof that training brings results.(News file)
June 1, 2005... THE first trainees from the new Treads programme recently received their own professional tool kit after completing 13 weeks intensive training at the HCTS Floorlaying Academy in Huyton on Merseyside. The students are employed in a variety...

Top floorlayers can win van.(News file)
June 1, 2005... THE winning team at the Test the Trades challenge at Interbuild at the NEC (April 23-27, 2006) will receive a brand new Mercedes 109 VITO panel van. It could be the flooring team. Any flooring contractors who have a good general knowledge...

Bad payers exposed.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Big construction companies take on average 90 days to pay, according to a new survey. However, small and medium-sized construction firms pay in 58 and 63 days respectively, says Experian. The UK average is 60.8 days, the longest for six years.

CSCS less popular.(Industry in brief)(Construction Skills Certification Scheme )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The number of Major Contractors Group staff holding CSCS skills cards fell during the last four months of 2004, it has been reported.

Commercial rents rising.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... UK commercial property rents rose 2.2% in the first quarter of 2005, reversing a three-year slowdown, according to RICS.

Training lapse.(Industry in brief)(Adult Learning Inspectorate)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Three quarters of construction companies fail to train apprentices and only 34% of trainees achieve full apprenticeship qualifications, says the Adult Learning Inspectorate.

More firms fail.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The number of construction company failures in the first quarter of 2005 rose by over 6% on last year, according to Experian.

Tender price hike.(Industry in brief)(Building Cost Information Service)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Tender prices in the last quarter of 2004 jumped by 14.3%, almost four times the level of general inflation, according to the Building Cost Information Service.

Low bids preferred.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... More than 80% of local authority contracts are awarded to the lowest bidders, according a Construction News survey.

Telenzo on web.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Telenzo Carpets has set up a website. In addition to a product listing there are tips on maintenance and aftercare, www.telenzo.co.uk

Carpet tile showroom.(Industry in brief)(Bollington Carpet tiles )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Bollington Carpet tiles has opened a new carpet tile warehouse and showroom in Macclesfield. T: 01625 500912

Quote. (Industry in brief.
June 1, 2005... 'The construction industry is missing out on much-needed talent due to an out-dated image that's a real turn-off for women and those from ethnic minorities' --Nicola Thompson, director of communications. CITB-Construction Skills 'If...

We have to revitalise, says new FeRFA chief.(News file)
June 1, 2005... Helen McGachle, in a special article for CFJ, says her new role as chief executive officer of FeRFA presents a 'huge, but attractive' challenge: FeRFA has a strong technical background and reputation but its awareness with specifiers and...

JHS moves to site alongside motorway.(News file)(Joseph, Hamilton and Seaton)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... JOSEPH, HAMILTON & SEATON has moved to new premises which boasts over 130,000sq ft of storage space and is ideally situated alongside Junction 10 of the M42 motorway. The huge expansion in storage will see increased stock holding capacity...

Belgium 1, Britain 0.(The trade in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Lano, the Belgian carpet producer which is boosting its exports to the UK, has recruited atop British carpet designer, Ronnie Wilkie, formerly design director of Stoddard, which has ceased trading, www.lano.com

New CRA members.(The trade in brief)(Concrete Repair Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Three new distributors have joined the UK Concrete Repair Association (CRA). Resapol, the association's first distributor member, has been joined by Buildspan and Adawall Construction Chemicals. www.cra.org.uk T: 01252 739145

Flowcrete double.(The trade in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Flowcrete has doubled production of Isocrete K-Screed to 6m sq m at its plant in Sandbach, Cheshire. The product was launched in the early 1970s. T: 01270 753000

CAA website revamped.(The trade in brief)(Cement Admixture Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Cement Admixture Association just revamped its website to include details of the CANs members, with links to each company's website. It describes concrete, mortar and grout admixture types and the BS EN 934 standards to which each conforms....

Contractworld award.(The trade in brief)
June 1, 2005... June 24 is the deadline for entries for the 2006 Contractworld Award to be presented at Domotex (January 14-17, 2006) with a 50,000 Euro prize (34,000 [pounds sterling]). The design competition will again focus on offices, hotels, shops and...

Training offer.(The trade in brief)(Institute of Wood Science)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Institute of Wood Science offers wood science training and has a new certificate course, www.iwsc.org.uk T: 01494 565 374

Kronospan support.(The trade in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Kronospan helped to raise over 26,000 [pounds sterling] for the Tsunami Disaster relief fund by co-sponsoring a star studded opera concert in Wales.

Charity run.(The trade in brief)(Floors-2-Go)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Simon Farnsworth, chief executive, and Eddie Taylor, financial director, of Floors-2-Go raised over 10,000 [pounds sterling] for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust in the London Marathon.

Quote.(The trade in brief)
June 1, 2005... 'Violence against health workers will not be tolerated and offenders will have the book thrown at them' --Karen Jennings of Unison

PR man has romp with floor profile.(Stewart bares up for new role)(Public relations)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... THE new PR manager of Schluter-Systems', Stewart Bint, is aiming to raise awareness of the generic use of ceramic and stone tiles, and the protection required to guarantee their long-term integrity. He is working with The Tile Association,...

The 10-year ripping yarn.(News file)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... RYALUX is celebrating the 10th birthday of its Oxford Spinning Mill based in Bury, Lancashire. the mill produces velvet and high twist yarns with carding, spinning and winding processes carried out on-site. It employs 65 people including...

Instarmac rebrands.(News file)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... INSTARMAC has rebranded three of its Ultra grouting materials and introduced new colour coded packaging to minimise confusion at the point of sale or use. UltraProGrout W, formulated to bond ceramic, mosaic and most wall tiles, will now be...

Conren honoured.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Wrexham-based resin flooring specialist Conren recently received a visit from the First Minister for Wales, Rhodri Morgan. Mr Morgan toured the manufacturing and laboratory area, where the company's industrial coatings and screeds are made....

Green certificate.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Kronospan claims to be the UK's first wood based panel manufacturer to receive an accredited 14001 certification for its environmental management system.

Flooring contracts.(Industry in brief)
June 1, 2005... PC Flooring (Southern) has won contracts with Dean & Dyball to apply a floor screed system in a residential development in Hammersmith, London worth 45,000 [pounds sterling] and with Norwest Hoist for a floor screed package on Barton Peveril...

Coverings visitors up.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The visitor attendance at Coverings at Orlando, Florida, in May was 32,228, a 10% increase on 2004, according to the organiser.

Asia show success.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The 25,300 visitors at Domotex Asia/ChinaFloor were 33% up on last year, according to the organiser. The 588 exhibitors (compared with 542 in 2004) occupied 46,000sq m of space (34,500sq m in 2004).

Wastage claims.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... More than 2bn [pounds sterling] of taxpayer's money is wasted annually because of poor management of public sector construction projects, according to a National Audit Office report.

New recycled nylon.(Products in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Honeywell has introduced a new branded nylon for European contract carpet manufacturers, Zeftron Enviro6ix nylon, containing a minimum of 25% recycled content. www.honeywell.com

Back pain probe.(Health and Safety)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The HSE starts an initiative this month, 'Backs 2005', to reduce the number of people suffering from back injuries in UK workplaces, especially involving manual. www.hse.gov.uk/backs

Road accidents.(Health and Safety)
June 1, 2005... A new police RTA form asks if the vehicle was on a journey 'as part of work'. RoSPA believes that road accidents are the UK's biggest work-related safety issue.

Bullying at work.(Health and Safety)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Online advice for employers to deal with bullying at work is available from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. www.cipd.co.uk/guides

Stress increasing.(Health and Safety)(European Institute for Construction Labour Research)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Work-related stress in the construction industry is increasing because of time pressure and extreme working conditions, according to the European Institute for Construction Labour Research. Meanwhile a new UK poll finds that only one in five...

Manslaughter bill.(Health and Safety)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Trade unions have criticised the government's new draft corporate manslaughter bill because it does not provide for imprisonment of senior company directors. A conference on the bill with TUC and CBI speakers will be held on June 13.

More sites deaths.(Health and Safety)(HSE fatality figures)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Construction deaths are increasing again, according to new HSE fatality figures.

Smoke survey.(Health and Safety)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Nearly 80% of the British public would support a smoking ban in all workplaces, according to a new survey.

Stop that noise.(Health and Safety)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The European Week for Safety and Health at Work (October 24-28) will see the climax of a campaign this year on noise awareness.

Health service falls.(Health and Safety)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Slip and trip accidents in the health service are up by 6%, according to the latest HSE figures. www.hse.gov.uk/slips

NHS hit by violence.(Health and Safety)(National Health Service )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Over one third of National Health Service staff have suffered some form of violence or harassment at work, says a new survey.

It's not all 'blokes, bums and bricks'--CITB tells women.(News file)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... THE construction industry has launched a 1m [pounds sterling] Positive Image campaign to attract women and those from black and minority ethnic groups. The 12-month campaign aims to communicate the benefits of a construction career to...

Ryalux marks five years on the road.(News file)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... RYADIRECT, the RYALUX delivery fleet, is celebrating its fifth anniversary, delivering high quality carpet at any-width throughout mainland UK. The service was started after carpet orders for any width up to 5m in 1cm multiples caused...

Focus on EC directive.(Events in brief)(European Construction )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... SATRA has a seminar on the European construction products directive and its implications for the UK flooring sector on June 29. Details from Steve Ferry T: 01536 410000

FTBA big shots.(Events in brief)(Florida Transportation Builders' Association, Inc. )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... FTBA is holding its annual clay pigeon shoot in Northwood, Middlesex, on June 9. T: 01367 240000

IWSc conference.(Events in brief)(Institute of Wood Science)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Institute of Wood Science 50th jubilee conference will be held on November 3. www.iwsc.org.uk T: 01494 565374

Catalogues seized.(The world in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A Florida judge ordered the seizure of Chinese ceramic tile catalogues intended for distribution at Coverings in Orlando after two Italian producers claimed the Chinese had copied images in their brochures.

E-commerce growth.(The world in brief)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... American consumers will spend $84.5bn (44bn [pounds sterling]) this year for retail goods and services bought on the internet, it is forecast. This figure is expected to rise to $139bn (73bn [pounds sterling]) by 2008.

Call for Asbos.(Have you heard?)(Federation of Master Builders)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Ian Davis, director general of the Federation of Master Builders, says Anti-Social Behaviour orders should be imposed on cowboy builders banning them from working.

Sexist signs.(Have you heard?)
June 1, 2005... The sign saying 'Danger men at work' has been condemned in the construction press for being sexist.

Gender bias.(Have you heard?)(Equal Opportunities Commission)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Less than 2% of construction apprentices are female, even though 12% of girls expressed an interest in the industry, according to the Equal Opportunities Commission.

CFJ five years ago.(News file)(Contract Flooring Journal)(British Carpet Manufacturers Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... In June 2000 we covered the controversy raging over the possible role of flooring in affecting the conditions for asthma and allergy sufferers. Hugh Wilson, then executive director of the British Carpet Manufacturers Association, quoted...

You can make a difference: help to improve payment practices in construction.(News file)
June 1, 2005... CAMPAIGNER against retentions, Rudi Klein (right), has given CFJ a set of proposals flooring contractors can submit for the consultation process to amend the Construction Act. * The deadline is June 21. Responses should be sent to: Paul...

Back in tiles: carpet tiles will be an important part of the offer of Gaskell Mackay, the new company recently formed. This was revealed to CFJ editor Alan Bakalor by the chief executive Gerry Wheeler.(Manufacturer development)(Interview)
June 1, 2005... THE disclosure came soon after the surprise announcement of the acquisition of the assets of Hugh Mackay Carpets of Durham by contract carpet manufacturer Gaskell, which emerged from the ashes of Gaskell Plc after it went into administration in...

Keeping it in the family: 'I never thought that one of our floors would make someone cry,' says Charles Devine, a partner in Ajax Flooring, London.(Mary Murrell meets Charles Devine)(Ajax Flooring)
June 1, 2005... IT happened at a Methodist Church where flooding had damaged the basement floor. Ajax laid a new one in teak wood block in a traditional herringbone pattern with a two-block border. When an elderly parishioner saw it she promptly burst into...

Richard Sotheran: sales director, Tessera.(In the dock)(Interview)
June 1, 2005... * Did you get into trouble at school? Yes but not with the teachers. I was selected by the Head to stand in front of a packed assembly as the perfect example of how a pupil's hair and uniform ought to be. Needless to say my mates in the rugby...

Packing a punch: needlepunch (fibre-bonded) floorcoverings are a key product in the contract carpet sector.(Fibre-bonded flooring)
June 1, 2005... Burmatex offers a composite shade card designed to set out in an attractive and concise layout four of the company's leading fibre-bonded sheet products. Campus and Classic, two traditional velour finished carpets are complemented by Sidewalk...

Building Adhesives.(PEOPLE)(Appointed David O'Neill as director and general manager for sales and marketing)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... DAVID O'NEILL has joined Building Adhesives, manufacturer of the BAL and Dunlop tile adhesive brands, as director and general manager for sales and marketing. A French and German speaker, David has broad international business experience...

Burmatex.(PEOPLE)(Appointed Darren Clanford as Director)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Burmatex has appointed DARREN CLANFORD to the new role of design director. Darren has 15 years experience in the contract floorcovering industry, having worked with several high-profile companies including Gaskell, Tessera and Modulus.