Meeting with David Sarcinella, General Manager of Bjelin France

Batinfo: Can you introduce Bjelin?

David Sarcinella: Bjelin was founded in 2016 by Darko Pervan, the Swedish-Croatian inventor and entrepreneur who pioneered the first mechanical flooring locking system.

The initial goal was clear: to create innovative, sustainable and high-quality floor coverings. Since its inception, Bjelin has incorporated technological advances from its sister company, Välinge Innovation, to enrich and optimize its products.

Innovation and sustainability are at the heart of Bjelin’s strategy, which constantly seeks to reinvent market standards by offering more efficient and environmentally friendly products while being accessible. This vision is also based on responsible resource management. The strong link with Croatia allows the company to source FSC-certified European wood, but also to anticipate the challenges of forestry, particularly due to the slow growth of oak.

To address these challenges, Woodura technology was developed by Välinge Innovation. This innovation makes it possible to create densified wood floors, reducing the consumption of raw materials while optimising each log of wood used. In this way, Bjelin offers a sustainable and innovative solution while preserving natural resources.

Autonomy is another fundamental value for the company, which manages its entire production chain, from raw materials to finished products. This model has allowed Bjelin to control its growth and establish itself internationally, with a constantly expanding distribution network.

Present in France since 2021, Bjelin now has more than 500 points of sale, demonstrating its growing success and consumer interest in flooring solutions that combine aesthetics, performance and respect for the environment.

Batinfo: What are your commitments in terms of eco-responsibility?

David Sarcinella: Being autonomous and controlling the entire supply chain is essential for us. This control allows us to guarantee impeccable quality to our customers. We are an open and transparent company, and it is thanks to this approach that we gain trust in the market.

Sustainability is a core value for us. In addition to using responsibly sourced, FSC-certified European wood, processed in our factories located close to forests, we integrate innovative technologies into our flooring to make it more environmentally friendly.

For example, our Woodura technology for our densified wood floors uses ten times less wood than traditional parquet, thus preserving forest resources. This process also produces a coating that is three times stronger, offering better resistance to impacts and water and therefore more durable. In addition, waste from the manufacturing process is recycled to create the wood powder used in the Woodura process.

Using click technology to install our floors extends their lifespan while providing additional flexibility: they can be easily uninstalled and reused elsewhere if required.

Our motto is simple: everything we do must be better, more profitable and sustainable.

Batinfo: What are your latest news?

David Sarcinella: In 2024, Bjelin has expanded its offering with two new remarkable collections. The “Woodura Baton Rompu 2.0” collection offers a revisited version of the classic bâton romp. These larger blades, three times stronger than traditional options, are easy to install thanks to their clip-on technology, offering a unique combination of durability and design.

Meanwhile, the “Contrast” collection showcases Slavic oak in a contemporary interpretation, perfect for both residential and commercial spaces. Designed using Woodura™ technology and an innovative process incorporating nine sophisticated brushes, this range magnifies the pigmented contrasts and natural grain of the wood. These robust floors, available in XL format and Nature options, meet the highest standards of durability and aesthetics.

Bjelin is preparing to surprise again in 2025 with a bold new collection, which will once again reflect its visionary spirit and commitment to sustainable innovation.

Batinfo: Can you tell us about your future projects? How do you see the future for Bjelin France?

David Sarcinella: Bjelin is constantly evolving and innovating. We have many projects underway, both short, medium and long term. One of the most important is the creation of Bjelin Group. With the growing diversity of our activities, it was essential to structure our administrative and commercial organization to support our development. This is a key step that marks a real turning point for the company.

As for Bjelin France, 2024 was an excellent year, and we have every reason to believe that 2025 will be even better. Our partnerships are multiplying, and the market is now fully receptive to our products and the values ​​we defend. We therefore plan to double our volume for the second consecutive year, without necessarily increasing our number of points of sale. Our agreements are in place, all that remains is to activate these new distribution spaces.

To support this momentum, we want to strengthen our sales force by increasing from 2 to 4 sales managers, in order to cover the entire territory.

This growth should enable us to achieve solid turnover and further structure our presence in France. Our ambition remains the same: to be as close as possible to the market, with a logistics center dedicated to France and Western Europe, as well as more spacious offices and a strengthened administrative team.