News
Environmental Flooring
RECOFLOOR, the UK’s national vinyl flooring recycling scheme, has added another accolade to its award-winning sustainable achievements by winning the Environmental Business of the Year Award at the first Manchester Evening News Environment Awards in association with United Utilities. Founded in 2009 by Altro and Polyflor, Recofloor was recognised for its sustained success in diverting from landfill rising volumes of waste vinyl flooring from landfill (nearly 2,000 tonnes to date). Recofloor engages with all levels of the flooring supply...
read moreCarpet Recycling
CARPET manufacturers heard about ways to redesign their products to be more sustainable at the first ‘hands-on’ workshop organised by Carpet Recycling UK. Participants explored concepts that can potentially be applied to their own manufacturing processes during The Great Recovery event, led by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce). During a practical ‘Teardown’ session the composition of garments, shoes and carpets were taken apart to see how they can be redesigned for reuse or material...
read more25 Years At F Ball
AN employee at F BALL AND CO is celebrating 25 years of service with the company. Technical representative for the East, Steve Spinks, lives in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. He joined F. Ball in 1989, providing on-site technical advice to flooring contractors over an area that includes Watford, Norwich and Cambridge. Steve comments: ‘F. Ball is a family company that is loyal to both staff and customers. The company has been very good to me over the years.’ ‘In the past a flooring contractor would usually be the last person on site, laying a...
read moreFlooring Trader Award
QUICK-STEP has been awarded Flooring Trader of the Year in the Timber Trade Journal Awards, recognised for its efforts to develop wood and laminate flooring. The awards are judged by independent panels. ‘We are delighted to receive another industry award that marks Quick-Step as one of the foremost brands in the flooring sector,’ comments Nigel McManus, Unilin Distribution (Quick-Step). The company’s Academy for Excellence in Flooring is offering new courses to cater for the needs of commercial installers under the Pergo brand, as...
read moreWood Floor Excellence
KÄHRS Oak Arctic wood floor was shortlisted in the House Beautiful Awards 2014. The consumer awards recognise excellence in the interiors market. The 21 categories in this year’s shortlist includes best flooring, within which the on-trend design, from Kährs Unity Collection, is a finalist. Kährs Oak Arctic reflects the trend for a white-washed look, whilst reportedly providing environmental and performance benefits. The design has a popular single plank format, enhanced by a bevel detail along all edges; a tactile brushed surface and a...
read moreKahrs Features
Kährs features alongside top luxury British brands A RETRO-STYLE patterned wood floor, from KÄHRS Supreme Range, was recently chosen by the design team for House and Garden’s exhibition stand at Decorex 2014. The international interior design show, which attracted a record number of visitors, represents the best in luxury design. Kährs wood flooring collection includes numerous patterned designs, in the new herringbone and basketweave patterns. As well as traditional warm-toned oak and walnut floors, new designs are now available...
read moreMayor Drops In At Carpet Cleaners Funeral
THE fourth annual carpet cleaners’ carnival this year was visited by the Mayor of Kettering as the event was held at Wicksteed Park in the Northamptonshire town. The mayor, accompanied by the mayoress, spoke to exhibitors and visitors at the ‘family-friendly’ carnival well supported by members of the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA), who brought their partners, friends and children. The accompanying exhibition was supported by carpet cleaning product manufacturers, suppliers and associated trades and services. A new...
read moreHoliday Pay Ruling
The recent judge’s ruling that firms should include overtime in workers’ holiday pay will mean higher labour costs, say main contractors. They are calling for an urgent review of the ruling. The tribunal judge said overtime pay should be considered as part of ‘normal remuneration’ and included in calculations of holiday pay. Civil Engineering Contractors Association chief executive Alasdair Reisner said: ‘Contractors will be worried about the potential impact the decision could have on their businesses.’ Unite union brought the...
read moreRecofloor Extends Reach
RECOFLOOR celebrated its 5th anniversary at distributor-hosted ‘parties’ across the UK, where it attracted several new members around the country. Since it was set up in 2009 by Altro and Polyflor, this take back initiative has diverted well over 1,900 tonnes of waste vinyl flooring from landfill. ‘The anniversary events were a big success,’ says Carla Eslava, Recofloor’s project officer. ‘Some took polythene bags to start recycling their waste vinyl flooring immediately. They understood how it can save significantly on disposal...
read moreFalse Self-Employment Move
THE government’s introduction of new tax rules to crackdown on the false self-employment of agency workers is making contractors ‘less competitive’ when bidding for work, it is being claimed. One in 10 construction firms (9.3%) say increased employment costs as a result of the legislation are making them less competitive when tendering for work, according to a survey of 600 construction firms by law firm Irwin Mitchell. Almost one in five businesses (18.6%) reportedly said the new rules had affected how they price work when tendering...
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