Välinge tell us about its new hardened wood floor range.

Founded in 1993, Välinge is a technology and innovation company, which is known throughout the world for its many patents and for sharing flooring expertise with global partners. Välinge Innovation developed the world’s first mechanical locking system to enable wood and laminate flooring to be locked together for a secure and durable fixing.

Now the company is rolling out its own Välinge hardened wood flooring brand in the UK., where the company’s new range of hardened wood products features the technologies of Woodura and 5G Dry, representing the next generation of highly innovative engineered wood floors.

Woodura is a patented surface technology which provides outstanding durability and is also highly sustainable. The manufacturing process is much more efficient and environmentally friendly in terms of timber usage than traditional processes. The key to it is the fusing of a thin sheet of real wood with a Compositek HDF wood fibre core through a powder mix layer.

Compared to traditional wood flooring, Välinge hardened wood floors use timber much more efficiently and sustainably. Furthermore, the durability of the wood wear layer is massively increased. Woodura surface technology enables Välinge hardened wood floors to be three to five times stronger than traditional wood floors. The new hardened wood floors are made with oak, ash and walnut from sustainable timber sources of timber with FSC certification.

5G Dry is a premium fold-down system which is unique among hardened wood flooring products on account of its ease of installation and its water resistance. Its enhanced water-resistance is made possible, as the design prevents water from penetrating into the joints of the floor panels. It makes floors incredibly easy to install and to live with. 5G Dry also contributes to significantly lower edge swelling, thereby ensuring that the floor both looks and feels better, even if it is subjected to wet mopping and spillages resulting from everyday use.

‘This technology is already well-known on the UK and Irish markets,’ says Simon Darbyshire, managing director Valinge Innovation UK Ltd. ‘Many of the flooring products sold in the UK today feature our innovative installation systems. We are now offering something new to the market, by introducing a range of finished hardened wood flooring products in XL and XXL sizes – larger than the competition.’

‘High durability, water resistance, XL and XXL sizes, ease and speed of installation, all combined with environmental benefits, mean that these new products are already receiving a great reception,’ says Simon Darbyshire. ‘The ‘made in Sweden’ label is also seen as highly positive here in the UK, in view of the country’s longstanding reputation for environmental sustainability and product quality.’

There are also a number of other exciting new products, which are joining the range. These include 5G Climb which is designed to make it easy for Välinge flooring to be used to create a beautiful wood-panelled wall, enabling a match between floor and wall and encouraging maximum creativity in the design of living space.

A further innovation is Hygienius – the invisible floor cleaner. A floor with Hygienius integrated into its lacquer layer enables a natural photocatalytic process to take place when the floor is exposed to daylight or indoor light. This allows harmful emissions and unpleasant odours to be broken down, as well as the degradation of bacteria, fungi and viruses on the surface. This technology contributes to making the floor surface cleaner, healthier and easier to maintain, and it is suitable for most floor types with a lacquered surface.

To enable Välinge to achieve its goals with its new products and these new technologies, the company is now greatly increasing its manufacturing capacity, both at its headquarters in Sweden and also by setting up a new mega-factory in Ogulin in Croatia. The first phase of the new Croatia factory is scheduled to be operational in 2023, and it will be completed by 2027. It comprises a massive new complex, which includes a warehouse, press hall, process hall, powder production, energy station and offices. The Swedish and Croatian factories together will eventually have a production capacity in excess of 25 million sq m annually.

When you consider that the Woodura surface technology maximises the amount of product that can be manufactured from every log, it is possible to see that Välinge’s capacity in the future is going to be truly impressive. Ten times more flooring can be produced from the same amount of timber, compared to traditional engineered wood flooring and 30 times more flooring compared to solid wood flooring.

Välinge is now working with a number of partners in the UK, including V4 Wood Flooring, with whom the company very successfully shared a stand at this year’s Harrogate Flooring Show. The combination of aesthetic appeal, ease of installation and durability will ensure that Välinge Flooring is set to be a major player in the UK market.
www.valingeflooring.com