05/2017

Annual Meeting of the MMFA Association in Porto

Multilayer market is growing sustainably

At the invitation of the associate member Amorim Cork Composites, the stakeholders of the MMFA – the Multilayer Modular Flooring Association met on 27 and 28 April to hold its member’s meeting in Porto/Portugal. More than 70 participants found out about the latest developments in the industry and used the two days to work on the association’s current projects.

As of April 2017, the MMFA has grown to 44 members. The association thus currently has 21 ordinary (full) members, 21 associate members and two sponsor members. This year the flooring manufacturer Falquon (Pritzwalk) joined as an ordinary member, new associate members are Sondermann Profile (Drolshagen) and A. + E. Ungricht together with Saueressig Design (both Mönchengladbach). President Matthias Windmöller officially welcomed their representatives.

Windmöller emphasised that the MMFA considers itself to be a partner of the international flooring industry. In the future, the association wants to continue to work proactively for the implementation of appropriate quality standards for modular multilayer products (MMF) in all markets. To this end, the MMFA conducts research projects with pilot character; it promotes cooperative contact with other industry institutions and is an actively committed member of standardisation committees.

In Porto, Volker Kettler (Meisterwerke), deputy Chairman and Convenor of the Technical Workgroup, together with Dr Rico Emmler (IHD Dresden), was able to present the initial results of the “Hot Spot” research work initiated by the MMFA. The extensive project deals with the “top surface localised heat conditions” (“hot spot”) on MMF floors – a situation, which can occur in practice, among other things, due to sunlight exposure where room-high glazing is installed. The objective is to work up new, practical test methods for floating MMF floorings. Various click systems and different underlay materials are being considered. The members of the responsible MMFA ad hoc group agree that the test methods available to date are inadequate. A clear picture will only emerge by combining several methods.

Dr. Theo Smet reported on the status of standardisation work on the CEN and ISO committees. He also explained the EU Eco label (“Euro Flower”) criteria valid since the end of January for the “Wood, cork and bamboo-based floor coverings” product group. Guest speaker Dr. Edmund Vankann of the Environmentally Friendly Carpeting Association (Gemeinschaft umweltfreundlicher Teppichboden – GUT e.V.) informed the MMFA members about the current status of EN 14041 (essential characteristics). He clarified that manufacturers must consider all test methods, regulations and requirements of the new EN 14041:2017 in their product declarations for the CE label. However, the EN itself does not contain any specifications regarding the DOP (Declaration of Performance) or the CE label.

Multilayer products still on the rise

Sebastian Wendel (Akzenta), Chairman of the “Market Development” workgroup, presented the MMFA’s current sales figures to the participants. According to an internal association estimate, in 2016 the MMFA members achieved an approx. 55% share of the total market in classes 1 and 2 in their main market Western Europe. The MMFA expects annual increases of 10 to 15% for the total modular multilayer floorings market in the next three years.

In the MMFA class 1 (Substrate based on HDF with polymer layer (excluding lacquer only systems), in which association members currently have a market coverage of approx. 95 %, 20% p.a. growth rates have been achieved in each of the past three years. In 2016, the MMFA members sold 9.3 mln m2 worldwide in class 1 (previous year: 7.8 mln m2). 80 % of their sales in this class in 2016 were achieved in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, a further 17 % in the rest of Western Europe.

The MMFA class 2 (Substrate based on polymer or polymer composite with polymer layer and/or polymer lacquer system) also recorded increasing annual product sales figures. However, due to the increase in members, the report basis now differs, so that it is not possible to make a simple comparison with the previous years’ figures. The quarterly trend shows that these sales are also developing pleasingly: In 2016, MMFA members sold 34.4 mln m2 of these products worldwide. In MMFA class 3 (all other floor build-ups that do not fall under class 1 or 2 or external standards, e.g. organic wear layers or mineral core material) it has not been possible to publish any data for 2016 due to cartel law provisions.

Close cooperation with the MFA

MMFA President Matthias Windmöller welcomed Harlan Stone, president of the newly founded North American association MFA (Multilayer Flooring Association), to the meeting in Porto. The two associations strive to achieve active professional exchange and want to work together on all levels for a successful future of innovative multilayer flooring. Stone invited the MMFA President to the MFA members’ meeting in the USA in July 2017.
In his talk, Stone reported on the current multilayer market in North America. Products with sandwich layup on WPC (waterproof core) dominate there. The MFA considers that rigid multilayer floorings will be the strongest growing floor category in the USA in the coming years. For 2017, Stone quantified the North American market volume for these floorings at approx. USD 500 mln. According to Stone, since 2012, the specialist trade has played a central role in the rapid spread of new multilayer products on the US market.

The look back at the history of LVT floorings offered to participants by Carl Ruland (Novalis) was highly interesting: In 1933, the first vinyl floorings were shown at the World Exhibition in Chicago. From 1936, a cooperation existed between DLW (Deutsche Linoleumwerke) and DAG (Dynamit Actien-Gesellschaft), which replaced the previously used linoleum and rubber floorings in German Reichsbahn trains with vinyl floorings. In 1937, also in Germany the Henkel & Cie. company fitted out its headquarters in Dusseldorf with vinyl floorings.

After two interesting meeting days, Windmöller summarised the association’s objectives for the current year: On the agenda is the acquisition of further member companies, developing the cooperation with the US MFA association, continuing the work in engineering and standardisation, e.g. on the current hot spot project, discussion of the topic of “product clustering” with the aim of clearly classifying each individual product from the dynamically spreading offer and the current updating of market statistics. The relaunch of the association’s website www.mmfa.eu with a modern, “responsive design” suitable for mobile devices is already in progress.

The MMFA workgroups will hold further meetings during this year, the member’s meeting in 2018 will be held on 25 and 26 April 2018 in Mönchengladbach.
www.mmfa.eu

Figures – photo captions

mfnd1703_b01: Ordinary Members’ Meeting of the MMFA e.V.: More than 70 industry experts met in Porto on 27 and 28 April at the invitation of Amorim Cork Composites. – Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b02: Ordinary Members’ Meeting of the MMFA e.V.: More than 70 industry experts met in Porto on 27 and 28 April at the invitation of Amorim Cork Composites. – Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b03: Host António Amorim, President of the Amorim Group, personally welcomed the MMFA participants in Porto. – Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b04: In Porto, MMFA President Matthias Windmöller reported on the association’s successful work in 2016. – Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b05: Sebastian Wendel, Market Development Chairman: “In the core Western Europe market, in 2016, MMFA members achieved a 55% share of the total market in classes 1 and 2.” – Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b06: Volker Kettler, Chairman of the Technical Workgroup: “We will continue to work proactively towards the implementation of top quality standards for MMF in all markets with our own research.” – Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b07: In Porto, Dr. Rico Emmler (IHD Institut für Holzforschung Dresden) presented the initial results of the “Hot spot” research work initiated by the MMFA. – Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b08: Dr. Theo Smet (Concuise GCV) reported on activities in the international standardisation committees at CEN and ISO level. – Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b09: Dr Edmund Vankann (GUT e.V.) informed about the current status of standardisation work on the EN 14041 standard.– Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b10: Carl Ruland (Novalis) provided interesting insights into the history of LVT floorings. – Photo: MMFA

mfnd1703_b11: In Porto, guest speaker Harlan Stone, President of the North American MFA, affirmed his association’s wish for close cooperation with the MMFA e.V. – Photo: MMFA