The 22 members of the European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF) achieved worldwide sales of 417 million m2 of their product in 2004 – an 8% increase on the previous year.
The EPLF member companies world market share is 60%, with western Europe remaining the strongest sales area, accounting for 10% of the growth and 61% of total sales.
The strongest individual market in 2004 was Germany with sales of 77 million m2, followed by Britain – 47 million m2 and France – 34 million m2.
The North American market also performed strongly, with EPLF members’ sales reaching 76 million m2, a 6% increase on 2003 and representing some 18% of total EPLF sales.
The EPLF intends to build on its success with a number of marketing strategies. Among these is consumer research to explore “Trends in Laminate Flooring”, and stronger collaboration with the North American Laminate Flooring Association.
The EPLF also commissioned an Eco-Efficient Study of Floor Coverings which showed that when their environmental factors were examined against other floor coverings, laminate flooring performed very well. Special software is being developed from the study, which was carried out by BASF AG, which EPLF members can use in future product development.
A standard has also been established for the measurement of drum sound related to laminate flooring, and all EPLF members have agreed to measure the noise levels of their floors according to this norm – and to use the results in their promotions.
