Forbo Sarlino celebrates its 100th anniversary and inaugurates a new showroom at its Rémois site

It is at the heart of these buildings that the manufacturer, since renamed Forbo Flooring, has nourished, over the years (100 to be exact!), its expertise in flexible floor coverings (now diversified: PVC, LVT, flocked textile, cleanliness mats, etc.), multiplying investments and innovations, driven by incessant technical and aesthetic research.

Thus, celebrating a century of local, national and international economic dynamism, Forbo Flooring is today inaugurating a brand new showroom within this emblematic Reims site: 460 m² dedicated to all of its ranges, the layout of which has favored an environmental orientation – echoing its strong commitment to Sustainable Development – ​​and digital – because its centuries-old know-how has always been accompanied by perfect mastery technological developments -.

A century of innovation and success, of commitment to its employees and customers

On the appellation side, Sarlino created in 1924, merged with the Union Continentale du Linoléum in 1931, consolidating its position on the market, to become Forbo in 1970 then Forbo Flooring Systems in 2007.

On the product side, the manufacturing of the famous “lino”[1] stopped in Reims in 1970 to make way for other coverings. Let us cite the advent of a line of PVC floors in 1977, supplemented in 1999 by the creation of an acoustic chamber which allows their certification, then in 2008 by a rotogravure printing line guaranteeing optimal quality of the decorations. The acquisition of Bonar Floors in 2009 gave the Marne industrialist the opportunity to develop a textile offering via Flotex's revolutionary technology (80 million polyamide fibers/m² installed vertically by electrostatic flocking in a PVC backing). Its portfolio of solutions was further enriched in 2013 thanks to the design of Modul'up, with its implementation without glue or double-sided adhesive, which has enabled Forbo Flooring to establish itself as a leader in installation 100 % free. Finally in 2020, the Reims site welcomes the Allura decibel line, designer and sustainable acoustic LVT. Let us point out that each of Forbo Flooring's innovations has always been accompanied by a high level of environmental involvement (recycling, raw materials of natural origin, processes with a reduced carbon footprint, etc.), as evidenced still today by its signature: "let's create a better environment”.

The Reims site, which is celebrating its centenary this year, has several hundred employees in all professions, excluding sales, (production, maintenance, laboratory, customer service, administrative, marketing, design, R&D). With, as a highlight, a lively corporate culture which permeates each employee, a source of cohesion and motivation internally, a driver of external development, performance and competitiveness. Catherine Mastio, Director of Human Resources, proudly values ​​the involvement of teams in a dynamic of operational excellence and continuous improvement: “ Every day, I realize how essential the cohesion of all our employees is to ensure that the customer is at the heart of our actions. » Past and present employees who are warmly thanked for their commitment and dedication at the conclusion of a video dedicated to the centenary of Forbo Flooring.

A new Reims showroom at the cutting edge of technology and dedicated to sustainability

Within its Reims site, Forbo Flooring devotes a space of 460 m² to all of its collections, offering an immersive and interactive experience to visitors.

From linoleum ranges (notably Marmoleum cocoa whose formulation has the specificity of including recycled material from cocoa bean husks) to high-performance vinyls (like Allura, in sticky, clipped and now free installation, or Modul'up ), through textile solutions (Flotex in construction next or even Tessera tufted slabs), each product benefits from inspiring presentations allowing interior architects, fitters, designers and clients to fully understand the potential applications in various environments. QR Codes, on the explanatory panels of the ranges, refer to the dedicated pages of the Forbo Flooring website. Touch screens have the advantage of being able to personalize coverings (FloorVizualiser simulator) and measure the extent to which Forbo Flooring solutions dress and transform spaces: an asset to encourage inspiration and decision-making! Access is also given to the Forbo Flooring France YouTube channel. In addition, a virtual reality experience offers the possibility of visiting, without traveling, the different Forbo Flooring factories (including Assendelft and Coevorden in the Netherlands).

Let us specify that the atmosphere of the showroom is intended to be calming, carried by light and pastel shades: an ode to nature, also embodied by the presence of large plant paintings. The majority of the furniture comes from salvaged equipment from international shoots or former exhibition premises. De facto, Flooring Flooring visually inscribes here its attachment to the preservation of the environment and circularity.

This meeting place with Forbo Flooring experts therefore intends to provide tailor-made advice, selection assistance and detailed technical information, whether for residential, tertiary or commercial projects. It is also intended to serve as a platform for community events, workshops and training, promoting exchanges and knowledge sharing, during internal or external meetings. “ This is the accomplishment of great teamwork bringing together all of Forbo's values ​​through our environmental and human commitments. » concludes Cécilia Aouainia, Marketing Director for Southern Countries.

[1] Today, Forbo Flooring's two Marmoleum linoleum manufacturing sites are located in Assendelft in the Netherlands and Kirkcaldy in Scotland.