Between economy and trends

In 2012 the 22 companies with full membership of the EPLF (Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring) recorded worldwide sales of 460 mio m² from European production facilities (previous year: 468 mio m²). This means that sales in terms of volume were down by 1.7 per cent. There were no changes to the league table ranking the top group of west European national markets, apart from changes of dimension and absolute distances between them. The market region as a whole remained relatively stable (minus 0.6 per cent) with sales of just on 298 mio m² (previous year: 299 mio m²). Sales in Germany saw a decline from 80 mio m² to 76 mio m². The country still remains at the top of the ranking of all west European states, however. The experts at EPLF see this development as caused less by the economic situation than by the advance of new floor covering systems. Turkey, which the EPLF traditionally includes in the group of west European countries, takes second place with 66 mio m² (previous year: 54 mio m²). In the EPLF’s analysis, a solid foundation for this improvement is being provided both by the country’s familiarly positive economic figures, in conjunction with population growth, urbanisation and the accompanying building boom, and by the progress being made by the Turkish companies that are members of the EPLF. In France, although laminate flooring was down by half a million m², the market volume still rose above the 40 mio m² mark as it had the year before (previous year: just under 41 mio m²). That puts France in a stable third place. The market in Britain, after years of massive decline, seems to be consolidating. Here sales came to 29 mio m², compared with the previous year’s 30 mio m². This means Britain is ranked fourth in western Europe. The Netherlands has in the past provided a stronghold of stability. Although the decline of more than two mio m² to 19 mio m² (previous year: 21 mio m²) is not so far endangering the country’s traditional fifth place, the EPLF board believes that it indicates a shifting of demand to other products of similar design, as is happening in Germany as well. Spain is continuing to generate considerable sales in the double-digit millions: 15 mio m² following on from 18 mio m², sufficient for sixth place. The economic crisis in Europe that is mainly noticeable in the more southerly states is also leaving its mark here, as in the other west European markets. The remaining 18 countries in this most important sales…