Who''s today's FLOOR INSTALLER?
- Written by Staff
How can today’s installer use his professional skills to increase a wood floor’s value? What assets must he possess and exactly what must he know? More to the point, what is the current state-of-the-art in the sector in Italy and Europe? Mapei posed these important questions to a vast international audience last Thursday, October 21, in Milan, Italy, at the company’s auditorium on the occasion of a convention that might be aptly described as “intercultural”. The world-leading construction product Group had summoned operators from all over Europe to a discussion on the topic: representatives from German (EUFA P+F), Austrian (Bundesinnung der Bodenleger), English (British Wood Flooring Association), Dutch (VPL, Vereniging Parketvloeren Leveranciers), Spanish (Federación Española de Pavimentos de Madera), Czech (Parkettlegerzunft und Fußbodentechnik der Tschech.
Republik), Polish (SPP Stowarzyszenie “Parkieciarzy Polscy”) and Romanian (AMPR) trade associations. Not to mention the Italian Federlegno Arredo and AIPPL. The topic was presented by Mapei Parquet Sector Product Manager Angelo Giangiulio, who illustrated all the complexity of the wood floor production chain.
Particularly significant was the report from EUFA President Heinz Brehm, who presented the German training system and emphasized how its efficacy lies in combining theory and practice: “There are professional training schools in each Region that specify a 3-year program in which the apprentice is provided with a complete view of the art at both training institute and company levels”.
We at Professional Parquet claimed some time for ourselves: considering communication strategies in Europe, we could only speak from our own personal experience that began around twenty years ago. The event was brought to completion by a exceptional guest speaker: the master of the house, Mapei Group CEO Giorgio Squinzi, who made an interesting presentation on the evolution of the worldwide construction market that briefly considered also the future of the wood flooring sector. Despite the fact that no clearing on the horizon can be foreseen at least for the next two years, CEO Squinzi was not entirely pessimistic: “We have to roll up our sleeves and resume investing, go on the offence and not play defense”.
This is what Mapei has always done, dedicating around two thirds of its investment money to research for product development and systems that are more compatible with both humans and the natural environment.