Excellence enhanced
June 21, 2021
F. Ball and Co. Ltd. has redesigned and reconfigured the training and demonstration facility at its Staffordshire headquarters, with restyled course content delivered to offer a more dynamic, hands-on learning experience.
‘F. Ball Centre of Excellence’ to reflect its aim of inspiring the highest levels of professional attainment and knowledge of cutting-edge flooring installation methods to help flooring contractors work to ever higher customer expectations with increasing ease and efficiency.
The new ‘Centre of Excellence’ offers free training for all flooring professionals, including specialist courses for both apprentices and seasoned professionals, led by experts from the company’s technical department, covering subfloor preparation and floorcovering installation through practical demonstrations and exercises using a range of high-performance F. Ball products.
Best practice in floorcovering installation
Commenting on the new-look facility, F. Ball sales director, Darren Kenyon, said: “As the market leader in flooring preparation products and adhesives, F. Ball believes it has a responsibility to promote best practice in floorcovering installation and, by extension, the positive reputation of the flooring industry. The name ‘Centre of Excellence’ reflects our aim to help flooring professionals stand out from the competition amidst increasing customer expectations, including working to ever more exacting time constraints and keeping up-to-date with the latest advancements in product technology.”
Training programmes, which run year-round, include a three-day course on achieving optimum results when installing increasingly popular Luxury Vinyl Tiles. Subfloor preparation, including moisture measurement and management, is covered in one or two-day courses. With the launch of the Centre of Excellence, F. Ball has also introduced a four-day masterclass on subfloor preparation and floorcovering installation for apprentices, helping them meet ‘off the job’ training requirements of new standards-based apprenticeships.
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BUSINESS NEWS
The British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the public affairs umbrella body of furniture and beds, furnishings and flooring sector trade associations, has unveiled its new Plan for Growth. The document is said to support BFC’s advocacy across four key pillars: skills and education; trade and exports; standards and regulations; and the environment and circular economy. It has been developed over the past few months, the organisation says, evolving from a combination of position papers written by the associations’ executives and a comprehensive survey of their collective members.
Consumer card spending grew 1.0% year-on-year in February – lower than January’s 1.9% increase and less than the latest CPIH inflation rate of 3.9%, according to recent figures reported by Barclays. In anticipation of higher bills, consumers are said to be cutting back on essential outgoings, but still prioritising discretionary purchases, contributing to an uptick in optimism in the health of personal and household finances.
Kellars, which describes itself as the largest independent flooring wholesaler in the UK, saw another year of “substantial growth” to July 2024, according to its strategic report for the period. With six depots across the UK and a team of more than 100, the company has reportedly grown at a “rapid rate,” with the year leading up to July 2024 seeing a dramatic rise.
Victoria PLC, an international designer, manufacturer and distributor of flooring, today announces the planned appointment of Alec Pratt to the Group board as Chief Financial Officer Designate, who will replace Brian Morgan after three years’ service as Victoria’s Chief Financial Officer in June.
Based on data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), carpets and other floorcoverings saw inflation of 0.6% in January, though this is set against a 2.5% fall last month. In January of last year the same category saw a 0.5% decline.
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased by two points to -20 in February. All measures were up in comparison to last month’s announcement.
Mohawk Industries has announced fourth quarter 2024 net earnings of $93m (£71.8m), with adjusted net earnings at $123m (£95m). Net sales for the fourth quarter of 2024 were $2.6bn (£2bn), an increase of 1.0% as reported and a decrease of 1.0% on an adjusted basis versus the prior year.
Likewise Group, a UK flooring distributor, has announced the completion of its purchase of a freehold Logistics Centre in Ivybridge near Plymouth.
VAT and PAYE records from HM Revenue and Customs, compiled by The Furnishing Report, have revealed the number of flooring retailers with sales over £1m reached a record high in 2024.
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index decreased by five points to -22 in January. According to the organisation, all measures were down in comparison to last month’s announcement.
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