Contract Flooring Journal articles from March 2004

Contract Flooring Journal archives from March 2004

Don't throw it all away!(Editor's comment)(Political parties' influence)(Construction industry)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... MOST reputable flooring contractors are busy right now with much of this activity due to the enormous government investment in health and education. Britain has weathered the global economic slump better than most other industrialised countries...

Miss the show, miss the boat!(Trade Fairs)
March 1, 2004... IT WAS a pleasure to read David Hibbert's superbly reasoned and well thought-out article in CFJ (January 2004). I have over 25 years experience of international sales and marketing management in manufacturing industry, nearly half of which...

Challenge to Sid on acclimatisation.(Wood Flooring)(Sid Bourne)
March 1, 2004... I AM writing to challenge the comments by Sid Bourne on acclimatising wood floors on site (CFJ, December 2003). With the greatest respect I believe that what Sid says is rather dangerous and in my view out of date. He posits a view...

Don't leave it to chance.(Health & Safety)(Workplace)
March 1, 2004... THE consequences of an accident can be quite literally unaffordable--the death of a colleague or a financial setback big enough to sink a business. When faced with a busy workload, tight deadlines and meagre budgets it cart be both...

Time now to bone up on herringbone.(Sid Bourne on wood flooring)(Brief Article)(Column)
March 1, 2004... In his regular column, SID BOURNE, training and technical manager of Floorboards, answers questions from CFJ readers and shares some of his 25 years of installation experience. As well as being an experienced and authoritative source of...

The glues brothers: the series.(Help and advice)
March 1, 2004... The golden knee pads European championships Part 25 INSTEAD OF SLAVIN' AWAY FITTING FOR THE LIKES OF OLD MISERY GUTS WE COULD OPEN OUR OWN SHOP MAKE A FORTUNE! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MONEY FOR OLD ROPE THIS SHOPKEEPIN'...

Is the CSCS scheme helpful for you at the sharp end?(The president)(Construction Skills Certification Scheme)(Construction Industry)
March 1, 2004... IT'S amazing how many column inches in CFJ have been devoted to the Construction Skills Certification Scheme, not least in CFA President's articles (both from myself and previous presidents. We have been talking about the CSCS scheme for...

Is Michael Howard with us or against us on retentions?(The director)(Retention abuse)(Floor Covering Industry)
March 1, 2004... FEW professionals could disagree with the content of Peter Foster's letter that was so widely published last year. I hear of retentions abuse almost on a daily basis and I share Peter's view and that of many members that enough is enough. ...

Training directory.(Training guide)(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... FLOORING INDUSTRY TRAINING ASSOCIATION Mar 8-12 Amtico fitting (b) Mar 15-16 Assessment--carpets Mar 17 Ardex presentation day (a) Mar 22-26 Solid wood fitting--sanding & sealing Mar 29-Apr 2 Intensive carpet fitting ...

Here are some of the most common problems I encounter.(Help and advice)(Floor Covering Industry)
March 1, 2004... THIS month I want to share with you some of the commonest cases I have dealt with in the past year. Carpet: The commonest problems I meet are caused by (a) defective seams; (b) poor fitting or (c) shading. With modern seaming techniques at...

Diary dates.(Help and advice)(floor covering trade shows)(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... THE EDUCATION SHOW March 11-13 NEC, Birmingham Contact: Emap Education Tel: 020 7874 0335 COVERINGS March 23-26 Orlando, Florida www.coverings.com EUROPARKET March 28-30 Kortfijk, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)...

Don't be left high but not dry.(Martin Coles on tools)(floor covering methods)
March 1, 2004... CAREFUL attention to subfloor preparation prior to laying a floorcovering is essential if the installation is to remain trouble free. Regarded in the industry as one of the most common causes of floor failure, moisture in a subfloor can cause...

Overcome stress.(Ian Knifton on tiles)
March 1, 2004... Ceramic and stone tile installations can be subjected to a variety of stresses leading to tiles bulging, cracking or becoming detached from the substrate. IAN KNIFTON, technical manager at Schluter-Systems, says the correct placing of...

Blitz on bad practice ordered by HSE.(Manual handling)
March 1, 2004... A MAJOR blitz on construction sires throughout London, East and South East England is being conducted this month (March) by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as part of the 'Healthy Handling' initiative. The campaign is backed by the CFA....

Safety is a key business issue.(News file)(National Specialist Contractors Council)(health & safety strategy)
March 1, 2004... THE National Specialist Contractors Council, of which the CFA is a member, has issued a new health & safety strategy, defining it as a key business issue. The policy document highlights the four C's, commitment, competence, communication and...

Tennant take over.(Business in brief)(Walter-Broadley Machines has acquired by Tennant Company, UK)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Walter-Broadley Machines has been taken over by Tennant Company in the UK. The new organisation will trade from Walter-Broadley's existing Northampton factory with an enhanced product range resulting from the merger. www.tennantco.com

Norcros no more.(Business in brief)(Norcros Adhesives has changed its name as Building Adhesives)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Norcros Adhesives is to be called Building Adhesives, the new name for the parent company of the BAL and Dunlop tiling adhesive brands focusing on the professional fixer and the retail sector respectively.

Trade website.(Business in brief)(www.flooringsuppliestrade.co.uk, the website for Flooring Supplies)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Flooring Supplies has launched a website for trade and professional customers, offering branded wood flooring (including Kahrs, Leitinger, Tarkett, and Junckers) with guaranteed nationwide next day delivery from over 1m [pounds sterling] of...

North west busy.(Business in brief)
March 1, 2004... The north-west saw the biggest rise in construction activity in 2003 and is facing major skills shortages, says a new survey by David Langdon & Everest.

More work forecast.(Business in brief)
March 1, 2004... Contractors workload will rise 2.2% next year, according to the Construction Products Association and Experian.

Big spenders.(Business in brief)(Department of Health and the British Airports Authority )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Department of Health and the British Airports Authority (BAA) each spent more than 1 billion [pounds sterling] on construction work in 2003, according to a survey in Building.

TRADA access free.(Business in brief)
March 1, 2004... Trada (Timber Research and Development Association) is offering technical information free, including technical publications and research reports, on its website. www.asktrada.co.uk

Quote.(miscellaneous)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... "The construction industry is led by mainly middle-aged men with bulging waistlines, who do not do a lot of exercise. You can see why there would be a lot of heart-attack victims' --Allan McDougall, md, Shepherd Engineering 'An...

Call to protect subbies when majors go bust.(Retentions)(Subcontractors)(Contractors)(Construction industry)
March 1, 2004... THE substantial losses suffered by sub-contractors when major contractors collapse have been highlighted in a letter by Suzannah Nichol, Chief Executive of the National Specialist Contractors (NSCC) has written to Martin O'Neill ME chairman of...

CSCS must be 'mark of quality'.(News file)(Construction Skills Certification Scheme)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... THE retiring general secretary of the building workers' union, UCATT, George Brumwell, is the new chairman of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme. Mr Brumwell, who is due to step down from his union job this month, described his...

Threshold under new management.(News file)(Threshold Floorings)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Chris Summers, below loft, retiring chairman of Threshold Floorings, congratulates John Cooper, the new md, after a successful management buyout. Richard Chandler becomes operations director and Roy Paterson has assumed responsibility for sales...

Asbestos call.(Industry in brief)
March 1, 2004... Kevin Curran, general secretary of the GMB union, is asking the government to provide cash to help schools, hospitals and local authorities to identify asbestos in their buildings.

Concrete repair.(Industry in brief)(concrete repair market reports)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The UK concrete repair market in the first six-months of 2003 was worth 96m [pounds sterling], 6% lower than the same period in 2002, according to the Concrete Repair Association. CRA contractor members won 400 new orders for concrete repair...

Manufacturer training.(Industry in brief)(CITB-Construction Skills and the Construction Products Association )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Following a pilot scheme including resin flooring, CITB-Construction Skills and the Construction Products Association plan to link manufacturer training courses with vocational qualifications. Tel: 020 7323 3770

Site deaths rise.(Industry in brief)(Fatalities on construction sites)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Fatalities on construction sites are increasing with 54 deaths between April 2003 and January 2004, according to UCATT.

Accident advice.(Industry in brief)(General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union's guidance for safety reps )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... New guidance for safety reps on how to investigate workplace incidents has been published by the GMB Union. www.gmb.org.uk

Up for grabs?(Industry in brief)
March 1, 2004... Plimsoll has a new report for companies seeking acquisitions among flooring contractors, highlighting companies burdened with debt. www.plimsoll.co.uk Tel: 01642 626400

CFA member gets new life.(News file)(Contract Flooring Association)(Rudge Brothers & James)
March 1, 2004... RUDGE BROTHERS & JAMES, a member of the CFA, and one of the west country's leading flooring contractors has been given a new lease of life following the death of its founder and owner Barry Rudge last year after a sudden illness. Jim Heal...

Axminster Carpets unveils contract website.(News file)(www.axminstercontractcarpets.co.uk )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... AXMINSTER CARPETS has two new websites, one for contract, the other targeting the consumer. The company has been chosen as the preferred supplier of quality soft flooring in many prestigious locations, including the Royal Albert Hall,...

Mapei's Halesowen paste plant is up and running.(News file)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... PASTE production has begun at MAPEI UK's new 7 acre facility in Halesowen, West Midlands. This purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility, is first of kind in the UK and the 40th production facility for the Mapei organisation worldwide. ...

Guide for tradesmen.(Industry in brief)
March 1, 2004... CIRIA Essential Green Guide for professional tradesman, provides practical, concise advice and information, including checklists and summaries of relevant legislation to help identify environmental problems on site, minimise costs and improve...

Recycled wood.(Industry in brief)(Kronospan has invested for a state-of the-art recycled wood cleaning plant at its Chirk site)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Kronospan has invested 4.8m [pounds sterling] in a state-of the-art recycled wood cleaning plant at its Chirk site. The new plant can reportedly take up to 300,000 tonnes of waste a year, transforming it into chipboard. The investment will save...

Polyflor green record.(Industry in brief)(environmental goals )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Polyflor sets out its environmental goals and reviews its achievements in a new report. The company has reduced energy usage in part of its process by 45%. Tel: 0161 767 1111

ISO9001 successes.(Industry in brief)(Conren and Daniel Plat have achieved BS EN ISO 9001:2000)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Conren, specialist resin coatings manufacturer, has gained the quality management accreditation BS EN ISO 9001:2000. The company previously achieved ISO 9002 status. www.conren.com Tel: 01978 661991 Clay floor tile manufacturer Daniel Plat/has...

Legal advice service.(Industry in brief)(Shop and Display Equipment Association has started free legal advice on business issues)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Shop and Display Equipment Association (SDEA) now offers members free legal advice 24 hours a day on business issues. Tel: 01883 348911

Ex-Bonar men offer own-brand service.(News file)(Matrix Flooring Solutions will be run by Des Hutchinson as managing director and Paul Cunningham as sales director)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... A NEW floorcovering supplier with wide commission manufacturing facilities has been established in Preston. The new company MATRIX FLOORING SOLUTIONS will be run by Des Hutchinson as md and Paul Cunningham as sales director. They have...

TDG delivers for Gaskell & Modulus.(News file)( Gaskell Carpet Tiles & Modulus tie up with TDG Contract Logistics )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... A LONG-TERM partnership agreement has been forged between GASKELL CARPET TILES & MODULUS and TDG, the international supply chain solutions provider TDG Contract Logistics division is managing warehousing and delivery for the newly merged carpet...

Sponsors thanked.(Industry in brief)
March 1, 2004... NICF thanks sponsors of the second annual president's golf day: Axminster Carpets, Ardex, Ball & Young, Brintons, F Ball, Brockway, Carpet Foundation, Estimators, Gaskell Carpets, Florco, Interfloor, Mapei, R&M Wholesale, Roberts (UK),...

Installers sought.(Industry in brief)(Devi is recruiting installers and resellers across the UK)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Devi, electric underfloor heating manufacturer, is recruiting installers and resellers across the UK. Contact Patsy Cain. Tel: 01359 242400

Concrete website.(Industry in brief)(Coltman enhanced its site www.coltman.co.uk)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Coltman, manufacturer of prestressed and beam & block flooring, has updated and enhanced its website with additional information for specifiers. www.coltman.co.uk

7,000 [pounds sterling] contract.(Industry in brief)(Fastrack (Midlands) is in contract with Monitron)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Fastrack (Midlands) has won a 7,000 [pounds sterling] contract to repair a 1,050sq m floor for Monitron. www.fastrack-flooring.co.uk

Industrial deal.(Industry in brief)(Twintec Industrial Flooring has got a contract with UCI Logistics)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Twintec Industrial Flooring has reportedly secured a 250,000 [pounds sterling] contract for work in Derby for UCI Logistics.

Wood design guide.(Industry in brief)
March 1, 2004... Wood for Good has published a pocket-sized guide to designing with wood which is free for interior designers, architects and specifiers. Tel: 0800 279 0016

Concrete growth.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The market for concrete will grow by 6% in real terms between now and 2008, according to a new survey.

Global spending.(Industry in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Spending on construction worldwide reached 2,200bn [pounds sterling] last year, according to consultant Davis Langdon & Everest.

Antron 'rings bell'.(News file)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LATEST research confirms that Antron is acknowledged by architects and interior designers for its wear performance, case of maintenance and an extensive range of colours and designs. The research, carried out for INVISTA (formerly DuPont)...

Vinyl tile range is a corker.(News file)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... CORKS, stones, bubbles, sand, grass petals, daisies, gerberas, water and feathers are featured on the vinyl floor tiles to be featured at the London Surfaces Show, at the Business Design Centre (March 31-April 1) by HARVEY MARIA. The...

Sizes and colours impress TTA judges.(News file)(The Tile Association Awards)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... FLOOR tile of the year in THE TILE ASSOCIATION Awards was Keramia's Creta porcelain range from Tile Magic. The judges were impressed by the combinations of colours, sizes and complimentary pieces that make up the range. Worn-out edges,...

Armagh based tile company, Armatile, have received The Tile Association Award for Innovation at 2004 following the company's work for the high profile refurbishment of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, which also won the Best use of a Tile category.(News file)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Armagh based tile company, Armatile, have received The Tile Association Award for Innovation at 2004 following the company's work for the high profile refurbishment of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, which also won the Best use of a Tile...

Foundation fraulein.(Have you heard?)
March 1, 2004... The model in the TV commercial for the Carpet Foundation is net British, according to a reliable source. In fact, she is German, a sign of good trade relations, no doubt!

Gone to pot.(Have you heard?)
March 1, 2004... A court in Spain decided that a construction worker was wrongly sacked for smoking marijuana, finding that he only used it during meal breaks and did net inhale enough to affect his work.

Call if card's a fake.(Have you heard?)
March 1, 2004... Anyone with evidence of forged CSCS cards, allegedly widely in circulation, has been asked to contact the scheme's call centre. Tel: 01485 578777

Olympic visitors.(Have you heard?)(hospitality)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... London currently has 70,000 rooms in three to rive star hotels with 20,000 more hotel rooms expected to be completed by 2012, according to a report backing the city's bid for the Olympic Games in eight years.

Top builder.(Have you heard?)(Bovis Lend Lease won work more than any other contractor in 2003)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Bovis Lend Lease won work worth 1,117m [pounds sterling] in 2003, more than any other main contractor, according to Emap Glenigan.

Seeking 400 staff.(Have you heard?)(Atkins)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The construction consultant Atkins is reported to be looking to hire up to 400 professional staff, including architects and engineers.

Privacy in law.(Have you heard?)
March 1, 2004... The law now requires that all employers' accident report books must keep personal details confidential to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Suicide risk.(Have you heard?)
March 1, 2004... A total of 16% of all suicides are committed by construction workers, say researchers at Leeds University.

PFI borrowing.(Have you heard?)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The amount of money borrowed for PFI deals last year increased 67% to 8.2bn [pounds sterling], according to new research.

CFJ price watch.(News file)(carpet adhesives )(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... This month we start a regular CFJ price watch to help you assess best value in flooring products. Here we look art carpet adhesives available from four major suppliers. In future issues other types of adhesives and smoothing underlayments will...

Carpet Line Direct.(People)(Nick Finlay takes over from Steve Byrne and Darren Melville and John Holloway are added to the team)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... NICK FINLAY has been appointed by Carpet Line Direct to take over from founding md STEVE BYRNE. In 1996, as sales director, Nick helped to establish the distributor with Steve. Nick has worked in the carpet industry since he was 17. His first...

Degussa Construction Chemicals.(People)(Mike Horsfield)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Degussa Construction Chemicals has appointed MIKE HORSFIELD as sales director of the PCI brand. Formerly marketing manager, Mike will retain control of the marketing department and takes responsibility for PCI following the retirement of PCI...

Victoria Carpets.(People)(Tim Brown)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... TIM BROWN, former Carpets International marketing manager, has joined Victoria Carpets as export sales and marketing manager.

IDS.(People)(Andy Sutton)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ANDY SUTTON has been promoted to national flooring manager at IDS, the national distributor for products including flooring and laminates. Andy has been with IDS for three years as new product development manager.

F Ball.(People)(Paul Starkey)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... PAUL STARKEY is the new sales manager at F Ball, replacing David Hibbert who was recently promoted to sales director. Paul joined F Ball four years ago as liaison manager dealing with manufacturers nationwide and overseeing the production of...

Balta Contract Products.(People)(John Buchanan appointed UK sales manager)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... JOHN BUCHANAN has been appointed UK sales manager for Balta Contract Products. He has had 15 years of experience on the flooring industry, including senior positions at Tarkett and, most recently, with Bauwerk before its merger with Kahrs.

Pownall Carpets.(People)(Troy Fallon appointed as marketing manager at Pownall Carpets)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... TROY FALLON, who has 18 years experience in the carpet industry in quality control and product development, has been appointed marketing manager at Pownall Carpets, reporting to sales and marketing director Maxine Whitham.

Conren.(People)(Veronica Dawson)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... VERONICA DAWSON has been promoted to export manager at Conren. Having worked for the company for six years as expert administrator, she will support Conren's agents / distributors in over 30 countries.

Flowcrete.(People)(Nigel Cook)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Flowcrete has appointed NIGEL COOK as business manager to develop its new corrosion protection division, created after acquiring the Atako range of ATB 300 products.

Causeway Carpets.(People)(Alan Bennett becomes operations manager)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ALAN BENNETT, former production director at Ryalux, has joined Causeway Carpets as operations manager.

A-Plant.(People)(Gary Thompson)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... GARY THOMPSON has been promoted to md at Ashstead Plant Hire Company to be known as A-Plant. He was previously md of the north Scotland operation.

Cavalier Carpets.(People)(Kevin Connor and Marc Sparkes)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Cavalier Carpets has appointed KEVIN CONNOR, with 13 years in contract flooring, as contracts account manager for Scotland; and MARC SPARKES, previously with John Lewis and Waring & Gillows, to join Cavalier retail team, representing the East...

Cormar Carpets.(People)(Neil Burgess)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Cormar Carpets has appointed NEIL BURGESS as its sales representative in the West Midlands. Neil has 25 years in the trade.

Polyflor.(People)(Richard Wells is salesperson of the year)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... RICHARD WELLS Polyflor technical sales consultant for the West Midlands, is the company's salesperson of the year. He has been with Polyflor for 13 years.

Junckers.(People)(Kevin Taylor, Alistair Wilson and Nigel Pullen)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... KEVIN TAYLOR, ALISTAIR WILSON and NIGEL PULLEN have joined the Junckers UK sales team, while RAY HALPIN has been appointed to the company's Irish salesforce. Junckers new regional managers are STEWART JUDGE, formerly of Velpak, and ALAN FINLAY...

Mat salesman Martin Street has retired from William Armes after 13 years.(People)(Mark Street wil take over father's position)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Mat salesman MARTIN STREET has retired from William Armes after 13 years, handing over to his eldest son, MARK STREET, who has already shadowed some of the areas covered by his father, (North Wales, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire,...

Stone show.(Events in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The natural stone and building conservation conference will be a feature of the Natural Stone Show from March 9-11 and ExCel, London. www.stoneshow.co.uk Tel: 0115 945 3890

Band keeps winning.(Events in brief)(BHK(UK) Horden band wins B section championships at Durham Brass Band Association League Contest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BHK (UK) Horden band, which recently won the B section championships at Durham Brass Band Association League Contest, is to compote in the regional qualifiers in Darlington on March 21. Victory will see them in the national championships in...

Floorboards exhibit.(Events in brief)
March 1, 2004... Floorboards is exhibiting at the National Homebuilding and Renovating Show at the NEC, Birmingham (March 4-7)targeting stockists, www.floorboards.co.uk

F Ball Surfaces.(Events in brief)(exhibitions at London Surfaces Show )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... F Ball will exhibit at the London Surfaces Show (March 31-April 1) along with subsidiary company Don Construction featuring their range of floor preparation products, adhesives and commercial and industrial floor systems. Tel: 01538 361633