The 20th Domotex Hannover closed its gates yesterday, after setting new records - 1,442 exhibitors (2007: 1,336) occupying some 97,083 square meters of display space (up from 91,757 square meters in 2007).
The German show drew attendance by more than 47,000 trade visitors (2007: 43,538) from a total of 80 different countries.
With an affluence really starting off on Saturday, Domotex confirmed that innovation remains the key driver in laminate flooring, be it in designs and esthetical improvements of the product. With regard to designs, all kinds of oaks remain the most important and seen decor in laminate flooring. On the one hand, the trend for natural looking laminate flooring is still important, but on the other hand there is a trend for more fantasy - out of the box - decors and designs. In colours there is a general tendency for either light colours or dark colours. In plank dimensions there is a clear trend to either real narrow planks or either bigger boards than the standard ones. Another fact is a continuous trend to differentiate new products from standard size laminate flooring boards to make the floor more nature.
Thanks to innovations in plank size, design, aesthetics and the already known benefits of laminate flooring (installation, war resistance, maintenance), market observers expect there will be a further ongoing shift from entry level laminate flooring towards the medium and higher end. As hard wood is becoming more expensive, this enables laminate flooring, especially the high end/high tech laminate flooring category, to lift on this upwards trend set by hard wood.
The parquet sector was also happy with the run of the show. According to Ralph Plessmann, President of the German Parquet Industry Association, “the mood has been upbeat, if not euphoric. Wooden flooring is likely to continue to gain market share. [..] Presenting parquet and laminate floors in separate halls has helped boost the profile of wooden flooring versus other types of floor covering.”
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