Tecna 2022, the leading players give their views: Jasmine Geerinckx, Business Development Director of Unilin Technologies

Jasmine Geerinckx, Business Development Director di Unilin Technologies.

Which technological solutions have you worked on in recent years and will you be presenting at the fair?

«Unilin Technologies strives to encourage and share innovative solutions for the construction market and more specifically the flooring industry. We want to change the market by giving access to unique technologies that create better spaces.

In recent years, we have been working on solving some of the challenges in the industry:

• Design technologies to create an extraordinary realistic look and feel of the tile by matching the structure and the design
• Safety innovations to integrate slip resistance into the ceramic tiles, while also maintaining a soft and easy to clean surface
• Clickable ceramic alternatives that are fast and easy to install, with a high quality locking system that can be grouted to create 100% waterproof floors
• Sustainable design solutions for lower emissions​​​​

… and more, come talk to us at Hall D1 Booth 039 ».

What do you see in the market in the coming months?

• «Safer working and living environments

Safe and healthy working and living environments have always been an important issue to tackle in the flooring industry and has been and remains a main focus within Unilin group. Because of the new anti-slip standards, innovations for surface coatings and finishes are increasingly important. As anti-slip end users prefer a smooth surface for the ease of cleaning, it is important that these safety measures can be linked to beautiful design as well. The integrated slip resistance technology GripTile offers a durable solution for safer indoor and outdoor spaces that does not wear off.

Lower emissions during ceramics firing is another important step to create a safer production environment. Reducing harmful emissions and odor while retaining the same printing performance is one of the challenges for the industry to tackle. Some current manufacturing processes that use skilled laborers spraying the design can be optimized to a more harmless, productive environment. Ecological technologies offer solutions to reduce paint waste, energy consumption and VOC.

• Ecological and economic alternatives

With the current raw material shortage due to the war in Ukraine and the high energy prices, manufacturers are looking for new manufacturing methods and alternative materials. Over the last years the resilient flooring market has grown to have market share in areas where tile was traditionally strong, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Today we see that several ceramics players are investing into this booming market while also looking for durable ways to lower their energy consumption and explore the different core materials available. PVC-free and recyclable core boards are on the rise, as well as ceramic imitations with lower energy consumption such as SPC with a click system with the possibility for grout.

• Trends towards more realistic designs

After the hiatus in design innovations due to COVID, there is a uprise of creativity and thinking outside of the box. With the increasing need to stand out, there is a demand for the most hyper realistic stone or wood designs for ceramic tiles. Because the design and material are perfectly aligned through print-in-register and digital structuring, the tiles has a superior look and feel, creating more naturalistic tiles.

Thanks to inkjet printing, even bullnose edge design and color match the ceramic tile more accurately compared to traditional paint method. By creating an edge-to-edge design, new technologies can simulate nature more than ever before».

What are your expectations of TECNA 2022?

«At TECNA we hope to inspire the construction and flooring industry with innovations that improve the production process and create a safer, more durable environment, not only during production but also afterwards for the installer and consumer. We also want to offer alternatives to manufacturers that have concerns about the high production costs. By granting access to new technologies, we create better spaces. We are looking forward to showcase these technologies to the industry that stimulate innovation and add value for manufacturers, distributors and retailers».