Our industry has come a long way!

The Laminate Flooring Industry

Laminate Flooring Milestones• Early 1980s

Laminate flooring is developed in in Sweden and quickly spreads to the rest of Scandinavia and other European countries.

• 1993

First sale of laminate flooring in the United States.

• 1995

Laminate flooring is distributed across the nation.

Laminate Flooring Milestones

Laminate Flooring Milestones

• 1997 Exactly 10 years ago, the North American

Laminate Flooring Association held its first ever meeting at Surfaces to address the need for product performance and industry standards.

• 1997-Present

The laminate flooring industry experiences growth that no other flooring product has ever seen!

Laminate Flooring Milestones

Laminate Flooring Milestones• 2001 Residential standards developed and approved by ANSI.• 2004

NALFA LF-01-2003, Commercial standards were added and approved by ANSI.

Laminate Flooring Milestones

2005Measured at first

purchase(Estimated)

2006Measured at first

purchase(Estimated)

Square Feet 964 million

Square Feet 1,053 million

(9.2%)

Dollars

$1.205

Dollars

$1.301 (8%)

Average Price

$1.25 S/F

Average Price

$1.235 S/F

•2006 The laminate industry continues to grow!!

Laminate Flooring Milestones

• 2007

NALFA celebrates its 10th year as the voice of the North American laminate flooring industry.

• 2007 NALFA presents the first ever LAMMY Awards at

Surfaces to recognize the companies and individuals who have made substantial contributions to the industry.

• Awards: Regular Member Company of the Year Associate Member Company of the Year Person of the Year Member of the Year Associate Member of the Year Distributor/Retailer of the Year

Laminate Flooring Milestones

Today’s Laminate Flooring in North America

• Laminate flooring continues to be used everywhere! It belongs in any area of the home.

Today’s Laminate Flooring in North America

• Choices, choices and more choices! Design continues to be a main driver in the growth of laminate flooring while the technical capabilities continue to grow! The design possibilities seem endless!

Today’s Laminate Flooring in North America

• Security! Consumers have the satisfaction of knowing the flooring they purchased is a high quality product- just look for the NALFA Certification Seal.

Looking Ahead

• Laminate flooring will continue to experience significant growth as long as the industry keeps producing quality products with all the features and benefits that accompany laminate flooring.

• The NALFA Certification Seal that represents high-quality flooring will become more even more recognized.

• New and innovative technical features will continue to surface.

• We are an organization of North American manufacturers and importers of laminate flooring products.

• We were formed 10 years ago in 1997!• We are North America's voice and vote in developing

worldwide standards within ISO’s (219 TC-WG-3).

• Primary Mission:

– To encourage the establishment and maintenance of high standards in laminate flooring in North America and to recognize those that meet these standards.

Regular Members

• Fausfloor • Kronotex USA, Inc.• Mannington Mills• Pergo, Inc.• Shaw Industries, Inc.• Tarkett

• TORLYS, Inc.• Uniboard • Unilin/Mohawk• Wilsonart Flooring• Witex Flooring, Inc.

Associate Members

• M.P. Global Products, LLC

• Pak-Lite (PLI) • Pregis• Sealed Air Corporation• Sekisui Voltek, LLC• TABER Industries• Technocell Dekor• Toray Plastics, (America)

Inc.• Zamma Corporation

• Coveright Surfaces Canada, Inc.

• Diversified Foam Products

• DSM Melamine

• Foam Products Corp.

• FN Neuhofer Holz GmbH

• IDT Laminates, Inc.

• KESCON Engineering

• Mead Westvaco

• Regular Member– Manufacturer, marketer or importer of laminate

flooring for sale in North America Does not include retailers, buying groups, retail cooperatives, retail

marketing groups or wholesale distributors

• Associate Member– Corporation, partnership, proprietorship or other entity

regularly engaged in the business of selling goods or services to those that are eligible to be regular members

Membership Requirements

Benefits of Membership

• Members participate in NALFA's standards writing activity and help develop and shape the future of the laminate flooring industry in North America and internationally.

• Members participate fully in the marketing initiative of laminate flooring.

• Your voice shapes the industry!

Member Activity in 2006• NALFA members were the impartial voice in

constructively building the laminate flooring industry by spearheading the establishment of voluntary performance standards for North America.

• NALFA continues its interaction with ISO and the EPLF assuring that our North American opinion is heard.

NALFA Standards

• NALFA LF-01-2003 approved by ANSI

• Increasingly sophisticated products and growing commercial uses demanded more stringent requirements

• 3-tiered standard makes it easier for end-users to match product to application

• All our test methods are incorporated in document

• A significant step in harmonizing with ISO standards

LF-01-2003

• Residential Standards– Developed in 2001 form basic requirements for

residential products

• Light Commercial Standards– Increased performance minimums for small offices and

low-traffic commercial installations

• Commercial Standards– Top static load, thickness/swell, ball impact, wear

resistance criteria for high-traffic installations

Buyers’ GuidesNEW THIS YEAR!!!

Specific for both Consumer/Residential

andCommercial Applications

Available at www.nalfa.com

NALFA Certification Seal– A consumer visual symbol

that assures our various users/specifiers that products have passed the required tests to conform to NALFA/ANSI-LF01-2003 standards

– For marketing use on product packaging, collateral materials, advertising, etc

NALFA Certification Process• All sample products follow established

ANSI protocol

• Company submits its product to a testing facility

• Procedures are strictly specified for consistent testing

• Test labs are listed on the NALFA Web site

Benefits of Displaying the NALFA Certification Seal on Product Packaging

• The NALFA Certification Seal on the cartons and in marketing materials produces instant advantages: – Dealers will sell with confidence

– Consumers will buy with confidence

– Dealers and consumers will know that your laminate flooring is a quality product that has been tested.

NALFA Certified as of Today

                                                                                          

                                                                                          

                                                                                          

                                                                                          

                                                                                          

…and Many More to Come!

Want more?Visit the NALFA Booth #124

Another NALFA First!

1-202-785-9500 or www.nalfa.com

ON WITH THEON WITH THE

LAMMYS!!!LAMMYS!!!