Page 40 - CFJ_Jul26

MANUFACTURERS Q&A

MANUFACTURER’S CORNER

Junckers has manufactured solid hardwood floors for over 60 years, combining durability, low carbon impact
and proven quality, says David Papworth, general manager, Junckers

‘Creating sustainable hardwood floors that last’

Q Tell me a little about the history of second and third generation family- accreditation schemes that enables
your company? owned businesses. It’s the skills, clients to compare like for like. We’re
A Junckers was founded in the ‘30s by experience and professionalism of these committed to on-going development
floor fitters and floor finishers who
and up-skilling and hold regular training
a Danish forester, Flemming Juncker. At create the magnificent solid hardwood sessions with our network of contractors
the time the Danish forests were going to floors which are admired and valued on floor laying and maintenance. We
rack and ruin due to a lack of an economic across the UK and Ireland in residential strongly believe that equipping our
use for timber. Flemming Juncker set homes, offices, public spaces and sports network with the latest information
about finding an economic use, producing activity spaces. Yes, we manufacture and updating them on new industry
railway sleepers for the Danish national a top-quality product, but without our regulations leads to more efficiency,
railway. When a local architect visited the installation partners, there wouldn’t be greater working conditions and less
Junckers workshop to ask whether they any floors to walk on! wastage.
could produce timber flooring, Flemming
Juncker set about creating mechanised Q What three challenges do you feel Q Can you give an outline of your most
machinery to create 3.7m length floor the industry is facing and what are you popular product ranges and explain a bit
boards from multiple timber staves. doing to overcome these (sustainability, about them?
From here, Junckers solid hardwood supply, consumer confidence, etc)? A As market leaders, we’re most known
flooring business was started. Today, not A The flooring industry in 2026 faces for our sports and activity flooring.
only do we still use the machinery created a number of challenges although this is The reason why is simple – our press
by Flemming Juncker, but the Danish in itself nothing new. There are issues dried solid wood floors are absolutely
forests are both prosperous and well with labour shortages, rising costs, and unrivalled both in terms of performance
managed. Thanks to Flemming Juncker environmental regulations to adhere to. and longevity which is of course closely
it could be said that Junckers was a We work hard to make it as straight- linked to lifecycle costs. In the past 10-15
sustainably managed business before the forward as we can for customers years, the sustainability element has also
term was widely known. and specifiers to fulfil environmental become an increasingly important factor,
standards and regulations by completing and that’s also something we score very
Q When and why did you join the independently verified certification and highly on.
company? While we couldn’t be prouder to have
A I joined Junckers in December installed our floors at world-class arenas
2016, having spent 30+ years with used for the Olympic Games, World
leading international building products Championships and the like, we know that
companies. For me, the opportunity to all the attributes that qualify our floors
strengthen Junckers’ skills, business for these prestigious sporting venues
processes and flooring industry partners are also highly relevant to local schools
has been irresistible. and colleges, leisure centres and village
halls up and down the country. A hard-
Q Why are your company’s wearing floor that can be refurbished up
products different than your to ten times in its lifetime will outlast any
competitors’ products and what’s other playing surface. In fact, at the time
the secret to creating a successful when a Junckers floor needs refurbishing,
flooring product? another flooring surface will need to
A Junckers has been manufacturing be replaced entirely, and this will cause
solid hardwood floors for more more carbon emissions and put more
than 60 years. In terms of longevity, pressure on landfill sites. In addition, our
lowest lifetime cost, low embodied floors are made from a natural resource,
carbon and quality of manufacture, comes from a managed forest which
a Junckers floors is unrivalled. safeguards precious ecosystems,
is manufactured in a carbon-
Q What’s the secret to a neutral facility and can often be
successful flooring installation? reused and/or repurposed. All of
A We’re proud to work with a these factors make an enormous
network of approved flooring difference to our customers when
contractors, many of whom are it comes to funding. More and

40 CFJ July 2026 www.contractflooringjournal.co.uk
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