An interesting event was held this summer (27-29 August) in the gymnasium of the University of Oradea, Romania: the “National laying Competition”. Organized by AMPR (Association of Romanian wooden floor layers), P + F EUFA (European Association for the promotion and development of skills and technology in laying the parquet in Europe) and Princeps Parchet, a local parquet laying company, the aim of the competition was to select two professional craftsmen to compete in the European Laying Competition (to be held in Poland, May 2010).
The main sponsors of the event were the Italian multinational Mapei, Proges and Sika Romania. Other international sponsors: Bona Romania, Uzin and Festool.
The competition lasted two days and consisted in the laying and finishing of a parquet “picture”, the design being set by the jury (Heinz Brehm of Germany, the president of EUFA P + F; Constantin Cadar; Paul Oprisan and Bobby Bodor). The solid parquet blocks made from two different wood types had grooves on all four sides and had to be oil finished.
The best “picture” was that by Stefan Ghiuta from SC Katmus Serv. Comarnic, Prahova; Ovidiu Neculai (SC Romskan, Onesti) took second place and Marius Anita (SC Massimus Pro Construct, Bucarest) came third.

Bona, the leaders in products for the installation, renovation and maintenance of wooden floors, has been awarded the licence to use the GEV trademark. The Emicode license is the registered and protected trademark of a classification system by which indoor installation products, adhesives and construction materials can be divided and identified, according to their emission characteristics in the different classes. Emicode EC 1 corresponds to ”very low emission“. Since 1997 several of Bona’s adhesives are EC1-certified. Now eight of the company’s waterborne finishes are proud to be first in the industry to be awarded EC1.

During the last general meeting of the European Federation of Parquet Importers (EFPI), the members unanimously voted Frenchman Nicolas Robin as its new president.
Robin is also responsible for European interests in the American and Canadian forestry associations.

The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) has completely reorganised its presence on the Web with a new website www.americanhardwood.org.
The site development plan took into account extensive research conducted with architects and specifiers around the world to better identify their information needs and use of the network. The result? A tool that offers a vast database concerning both the various species of American hardwood with details of how they are treated and the technical data needed to specify the right type.
Users can sign up for monthly updates via email: these will cover the latest news and events in the AHEC program, such as seminars and their presence at trade fairs. An interactive information center, offering a service to answer individual questions.
The website will be available in no fewer than 10 languages from Autumn 2009.