International exhibitors go all-in at Domotex Asia/Chinafloor 2023


[Shanghai] Domotex Asia/Chinafloor, held here July 26-28, saw strong international participation as more than 1,600 companies and brands spanning 30 different countries exhibited unique and innovative flooring products. Attendance this year from overseas visitors, according to show organizers, reached 95 percent of the already record edition in 2019.

“Our experience at Domotex Asia was truly fantastic,” Thomas Baert, founder and president of CFL Flooring shared with FCW. “We were thrilled by the turnout and the energy of the event. Attendance exceeded our expectations, especially from the international visitors’ side. It was a pleasant surprise to see so many different nationalities present at the event.” Baert continued, “While there were very few Americans who made the trip, those that did though, were very excited about our facilities in Vietnam which have had and are still currently undergoing big upgrades, so it still allowed us to spend some quality time with a few U.S. partners.”

CFL’s top showcases at Domotex Asia included its Quickship programs; FirmFit matte coatings; patented acoustic flooring solutions; and, sustainable flooring solutions such as its new Tenacity Eco-Composite flooring line. “We also experienced a lot of positive feedback on our waterproof wall tile solutions,” Baert added.

Indeed, exhibitors reported sustainability was a key focus here. “In general, the interest in more sustainable solutions and products is steadily increasing and many of our visitors were very engaged with the environmental benefits of our technologies,” said Magnus Holgesson, region manager Asia at Välinge Innovation.

According to Holgesson, the main highlights among Välinge’s technologies spotlighted here included its leakproof floor locking system, 5G Dry; the new 5G Cross which makes installation of flooring in straight sets easier and more durable; Liteback technology which allows the production of resilient flooring that weighs less, is easier to handle and provides sound absorbing qualities; and, the patented Woodura technology, which enables a more efficient use of raw material and creates wood surfaces that are three times stronger than traditional options.

i4F announced new partnerships and new technologies centered on outdoor decking and the protection of wooden surfaces. “Domotex Asia marked i4F’s entry into outdoor decking, a market projected to reach at least $20B by 2027. Thanks to our new partnership with Exterpark, we are now offering a game-changing outdoor decking installation system called the Magnet,” said i4F president Matthieu Deckens. “We also announced a partnership with Hesse-Lignal, giving i4F exclusive licensing rights for a unique technology delivering deep pore protection on wooden surfaces.” i4F also showed its innovations in the areas of drop-lock systems, surface finishing, digital printing, wall and ceiling and board composition technologies, Deckens added.



At Domotex asia, i4F announced it has entered the global outdoor decking market with an exclusive patent partnership with Exterpark.

“People were genuinely happy to connect. It was a friendly and focused atmosphere, with a lot of attention to innovations and new value adding technologies like i4F CeraGrout and i4F AquaProtect.,” he said.

Unilin sales director IP Floris Koopmans said four intriguing trends were observed at the show. “One was the continued rise of different flooring patterns,” he shared. At Unilin’s booth, the company highlighted its FlinTile technology which allows for the installation of SPC floors that look exactly like ceramic tile with real grout. There was increased interest in laminate flooring as well, he said.

Also trending is ultra-realistic visuals. For example, Koopmans said, “through pressed bevel and matte finishes. This show was a clear sign that the start of digital printing revolution has begun.”

And as quality is key, Unilin introduced its new quality control device — ClickControl. “It sparked huge interest for its potential to enhance quality control processes while offering clear guidance to operators and minimizing safety risk during production,” Koopmans explained, adding, “This tradeshow was an inspiring platform to connect, learn and contribute to the exciting future of floor covering possibilities.”

Source: floorcoveringweekly.com