Further market growth

According to estimates made by AMA Research, the total UK floor coverings market amounted to nearly € 3.028 bn (£ 2.1 bn) in the year 2002. The market researchers came to a volume figure of € 439.61 mio (£ 305 mio) for the wood floor coverings sector, which also includes laminates. This sector has experienced growth far above the average for the overall floor coverings market in the past three to four years. The expectation is for both volume and value growth to continue in the medium term, though not at the rate experienced in the period between 1996 and 2001.
Laminate will continue to dominate the UK wood floor coverings market.
The wood floor coverings market has grown considerably since 1996, and this growth is expected to continue until 2006, but at a lower rate as the market matures. AMA forecasts that the total wood floor coverings market will be worth £ 440 mio in 2006. This growth is based on factors such as the trend towards natural interior decoration materials and the influence of the lifestyle media, which portray wood as a modern floor covering. Laminate floor coverings in particular fit the profile of a modern, stylish and easy to install product. The broad spectrum of colours and designs available also means that the product fits with almost every interior decoration scheme.
The growth in laminates has dominated the sector over the last five years, but not to the detriment of other wood floor coverings. Solid wood floors have even benefited from the attention given to laminates, recording volume and value growth far above the average for the overall floor covering market.
The UK wood and laminate floor coverings market
(.pdf download)
Laminates will continue to dominate the wood floor coverings market through the introduction of new patterns and styles that generate interest and therefore consumer demand. The laminate sector has always been characterised by its dynamism, which has been underlined by the trend towards glueless systems over the past two or three years. This installation system now dominates the market, having relegated the glued systems to a small percentage of the sector.
Wood floor coverings are used in both the domestic and public sectors. DIY installation is predominant in the domestic sector, claiming over 70 per cent of the market volume, whereas new-build housing accounts for about 20 per cent. In tune with the high proportion of DIY applications, it is the DIY multiples that play the most significant role in terms of…