While flooring manufacturers garner much of the attention when it comes to developing today’s glueless flooring options, it’s easy to overlook the underlying innovations at the core of many of these popular products. But it’s important to note that behind virtually every successful manufacturer and supplier/distributor is a technology partner with a vested interest in ensuring their vendor partners’ success, particularly when it comes to locking systems. Case in point is Unilin Technologies, a technology innovator that boasts the flooring industry’s largest locking system license portfolios across the globe.
Unilin Technologies works hand in hand with both its licensees on the flooring side of the business as well as other relevant technology specialists on the back end to ensure the end consumer or client has a product they can depend on.
“We’re currently working closely with Unilin on a new product that we’re coming out with that we’re very excited about,” said Alex Shaoulpour, president of HF Design, a big player in the WPC, SPC, laminate and hardwood arenas. “Our close and valuable cooperation with Unilin has been a significant benefit to our business. Their team is always available when we need support, and their experienced technical experts are ready to assist at every step.”
Being a great partner, though, entails much more than demonstrating technical prowess; it also means serving in an educational capacity with respect to the various locking systems available on the market and what the different innovations bring to the table. “We offer specialized click system trainings to distributors worldwide, that can be tailored to their product offering or other requirements,” said Lauren Delee, Unilin Technologies’ business development manager, IP.
“There are so many click systems on the market, each varying in locking strength, advantages and installation methods. For sales and product management teams, it is crucial to understand these differences and recognize how they can leverage them to create value and drive success. You can have a beautiful floor with a tile design or wood design with a pressed bevel, but if the click system doesn’t work, then it will not be successful. Having a good understanding of the click system is key. If the teams understand the click system that they have on their products, and if they know the advantages of the click systems, they can use it when selling the product to the customers.”
Scott Rozmus, president of top-20 distributor FlorStar, concurred. “Not all locking profiles are created equal, and we’ve seen that the Unilin joint—as used, for example, on Tarkett Home or Arbor Hills products—has enjoyed superior performance in the field, with essentially zero claims for cupping, gapping and lifting.”
FCNews recently caught with Delee to get an overview of the company’s signature installation solutions, and how those systems are helping its supply chain partners and licensees solve installation challenges and deliver real-world solutions.
Uniclic
Uniclic, the technology that essentially put Unilin on the map, is arguably the most popular locking system available on hard surface. And its popularity continues to grow due to its proven reliability and strong connection. The Uniclic click system is designed to prevent common issues in the market, such as edge damage and visible ledging. This performance is consistent even in thinner products, making Uniclic a trusted solution across a wide range of applications.
Not only are all locking systems not created equally, but there are tangible differences between systems for laminate, SPC, WPC, etc., especially when you’re working with different thicknesses. That’s another area where Unilin Technologies says it can provide guidance and clarity. “More frequently distributors are reaching out to us—manufacturers, too—asking us for support with click systems on their products,” Delee noted. “They reach out to us asking ‘OK, we are starting up with a new laminate product line or we are starting up with a thicker WPC line. What is the best possible click system for this thickness based on my customers preference? And can you help us? Can you help the factory to really give them the correct click design and support on the technical side so they supply us with good quality products?’”
These distinctions are increasingly important in today’s highly competitive market defined by scores of rigid core/SPC introductions. Due to a rash of spikes in claims over the past two to three years, the industry is learning that the right locking system can make the difference between long-term success and catastrophic failures.
“Due to all the issues with distributors and retailers are having with SPC, they are focusing on what type of click system is featured on the product,” Delee noted. “They want to make sure the factory is producing the most qualitative click system, and that the milling has been done correctly. With the support of our experienced technical and marketing team—and more than 40 years of hands-on expertise in click systems and core materials—we work closely with our factory partners to deliver the best possible product to the end user. From the start, our focus has been on both supplying the technology and supporting its proper implementation throughout the supply chain – also on the distributor side. The distributors have really started to rely on us to help on the technical and quality side – which we are happy to provide.”
Building on its well-known Unilin click systems, Unilin keeps investing in innovations and developments that solve real-life challenges and drive continuous improvement of industry products.
As John Wu, CEO of Novalis Innovative Flooring, states: “What sets Unilin apart is their relentless pursuit of innovation. Their patented technologies not only enhance product functionality but also position us at the forefront of industry advancements, giving us a decisive competitive advantage.”
Long before the advent of rigid core flooring, glueless locking systems were featured on laminate flooring—a Swedish invention dating back several decades. While laminate floors were originally conceived to expedite installation, another benefit was the product’s ability to keep spills on the surface of the planks. AsDelee explained: “Thanks to the ingenious profile designs, Unilin’s click systems are known in the market to offer a reliable watertight connection.” Fast forward to today’s market, where anything waterproof is all the rage, and it becomes an even more compelling feature.
Unicoat
Unilin didn’t stop at the Uniclic system. In recent years the company developed Unicoat, an edge treatment applied to the planks during the manufacturing stage. How Delee described it: “Unicoat is really a hydrophobic coating applied to the lengths of the panels. And once the panels are locked together, the joints are fully sealed off. So aside from the watertight click on the Unilin click systems, you also have the coating to make it really fully waterproof. You could say we’ve made laminate great again!”
Unigrout
While real tile remains one of the most aspirational product categories, it requires a high degree of expertise, knowledge and skill to install correctly. To that end, suppliers have been working diligently in recent years to develop products that not only mimic the visuals aspects of tile but also install in a manner that’s familiar to professional installers.
Unilin Technologies has developed an innovation called Unigrout, which aims to offer the best of both worlds. It’s increasingly become more attractive to SPC and resilient manufacturers who have made strides on the aesthetic side of the equation, but were still challenged to develop an installation system that conveyed greater realism once installed in the customer’s home.
“It’s still a niche product, but we do see that tile design in both glue-down and SPC flooring is growing immensely,” Delee stated. “We wanted to be able to offer a solution that really gives that true aesthetics of a tile design and a grouted groove. Normally, where you see a tile with a grout groove look-alike, it’s with a painted bevel. But we wanted to go one step further and offer an even more realistic look with added benefits. So that’s why we came up with a sort of a U-shaped bevel; the bevel on the tongue side has been made a bit larger, and it can be coated or painted with any color you like. And the best part is because we have the lacquer, you don’t need to work with any additional layers to get that color in the bevel. In fact, we recently introduced a special paint with a cement look; it has some sand particles on it that gives more that grouted look.” Unigrout’s ingenious design also includes an overlapping area underneath the bevel which ensures that floor panels can move or expand without showing unwanted gaps. This is ideal for rooms with varying temperatures, such as rooms with big windows.
Comfort Core
SPC as a product category has grown immensely in popularity over the years. Whereas the product has several benefits, one of the key challenges of this category is the sound and discomfort when walking on the floor. Unilin Technologies has addressed this issue with a technology called Comfort Core. In simple terms, it entails a soft cushion layer atop the SPC core, but then on top of that, an additional resilient layer. This construction allows more absorption of the sound and adds extra comfort when walking on your floor. It’s an innovation that, according to Delee, is becoming more popular in multi-family dwellings. “It basically makes SPC more quiet,” she said. “When you have this product installed in the room, the noise level from walking will be reduced enormously.”
Unizip
With the growing trend toward patterns in hard surface flooring, suppliers were challenged to come up with a product that could be installed like a herringbone wood floor without all the complex tools required to achieve this visual in real wood. With Unizip, Unilin Technologies has solved this problem as well. Traditionally, herringbone installations require “A” and “B” planks—something that required installers to take an additional series of steps. And God forbid you didn’t have enough of the right planks to complete the installation. That’s no longer a concern with Unizip.
“We wanted to really make it easier, make it more straightforward and more DIY-friendly,” Delee said. “So instead of having to work with A and B panels, you have one type of panel, so only an A panel that you can easily install by making use of the well-known Uniclic installation method, Angle-Tap. The short end has been made compatible to the long end of the floor, so you just have to angle in the long side of your plank and horizontally tap the short side into your adjacent plank.”
Unizip is a unique herringbone technology that successfully facilitates every step in the supply chain, from manufacturing to installation. “Manufacturers don’t need to produce two types of planks anymore, they don’t need to ensure an equal amount of “A” and “B” planks gets all the way to the end consumer, and the solution also offers several benefits to installers,” Delee added. “Not only are the mirrored panels eliminated, but they also can’t make mistakes when installing the planks. You can position your planks in every possible way to install your herringbone with the Unizip solution, as long as you stay consistent throughout the installation.”
Unidrop
A few years ago, Unilin Technologies noticed a clear market need for a qualitative fold-down click system. In response, the company developed the Unidrop system, a one-piece fold-down locking system. This profile enables a fast, reliable installation while delivering secure horizontal and vertical locking. Unidrop is also the only fold-down profile on the market that allows for intuitive deinstallation through angling out, addressing a well-known challenge in the SPC flooring industry.
The technology was recently adopted by Milat Floor, which incorporates the technology on its line of SPC flooring. Following the licensing agreement with Unilin Technologies earlier this year, Milat Floor has completed the setup of its new SPC production facilities and is now running full-scale operations. The first collections using Unilin locking technologies are already in production and will be launched to both domestic and international markets.
“By incorporating Uniclic, known for its production efficiency and superior locking performance, together with Unidrop, which enables a fast and reliable installation, we are enhancing the performance, durability and ease of installation of our SPC flooring, benefiting both professionals and DIY enthusiasts,” said Ismail Baysal, managing director of Milat Floor. “The choice for these click systems is a result of our focus on quality, the great reputation and the overwhelming demand for Unilin click systems in the flooring industry, specifically in the U.S. market.”
