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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

applied across all its subsidiaries. Although
this obviously presents an added layer
of complexity many companies don’t
have to deal with, Unilin doesn’t perceive
it as a burden, Laura explains, rather an
opportunity to further hone its offering to
market. ‘I think it’s just improved how we
do business and definitely our products
and service as well.’
Of course, within the commercial market
this level of accountability has quickly
become mandatory just to get a ‘seat at
the table’ in specifications. Paul explains:
‘20 years ago it was a differentiator, it was
something that we had that no one else
did. Now it’s a prerequisite.’
One area Unilin has retained a
significant advantage over many of its
competitors, however, is in its European
manufacturing facilities. Where much of
the LVT supplied into the continent and
the UK is manufactured in the Far East,
Unilin’s products – across the entire
group – are manufactured primarily in
Belgium and Europe. The benefits here are
obvious: products generally don’t require
significant transportation, reducing their
carbon footprint, while the company can
also monitor its manufacturing to ensure
standards are being met consistently.
The end result is a product offering that
prioritises sustainability across the board,
rather than one where specifiers must
pick and choose between environmental
responsibility and their other priorities.
Recycling of waste product is done
on-site at Unilin’s factories, with ‘literally
everything’ being reincorporated back into
new product, all the way down to the dust

Elegant Oak Natural, Bloom Collection

produced during manufacturing. This has its ambitious Recover programme, which
led to an impressive figure of 24% recycled collects post-consumer products including
content in Unilin’s products across its vinyl and LVT flooring and reprocesses
entire range. them into the backing material for
Beyond this, the company has also new LVT. At the moment, this scheme
invested heavily into renewable energy, is primarily active in Belgium and the
using wind turbines to generate much of Netherlands, owing to the sheer amount
its electricity, and even utilising Belgium’s of material the company is able to collect
Scheldt river as a natural coolant for its in these regions compared to others,
factory as well as a transportation route. however it aims to expand the programme
The next stage – and the hardest, Paul and work towards a fully circular model in
admits – is post-consumer recycling. And the future.
this is a complex challenge: ‘Once the For sustainability within the commercial
product’s been used, how do you then market specifically, Paul identifies one
pick that up, collect it, sort through it and particularly important development:
extract all of the contaminants to put it floating floor systems. These systems
back into flooring?’ typically use click-lock installation
The company has made some significant methods rather than adhesives, enabling
Mood Oasis steps towards achieving this goal through planks or tiles to be removed more easily

6 LVT April 2026 www.contractflooringjournal.co.uk
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