The rise of resilient flooring in APAC

In 2018 Asia Pacific enjoys a leading position in the global resilient flooring market, accounting for the largest market share (“Global Flooring Market 2018-2022 – Focus on Resilient Flooring”, 2018). The increase in the construction of healthcare, educational, and industrial infrastructures across China naturally translates as growth in the world of resilient flooring. Moreover, growth in population, rise in disposable income, and changes in lifestyles increase the demand for modified and better residential construction, which in turn surge the need for renovation and construction of residential places such as family-homes, apartments, and condominiums. Also, construction of new malls, transport infrastructure, restaurants, upgrade of healthcare and educational institutes in China are expected to create attractive opportunities for the growth of the resilient flooring market. The awareness regarding the attractive features of resilient flooring, particularly its ease of installation, low maintenance, and variety of modern designs, is also expected to drive the demand for the resilient flooring market in the future.

As the largest flooring exhibition in Asia Pacific, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR continues to conduct in-depth industry research. According to the OECD report, governments of major economies of Asia Pacific are focusing on the development of commercial facilities and strengthening their infrastructure to sustain current growth levels. For instance, the government of China has given the go-ahead to a series of major urban infrastructure projects. The planned government spending expansion should further boost growth in Singapore, India and ASEAN countries. This is expected to drive the demand for flooring products, which in turn, will drive the global resilient flooring market, including SPC flooring, in the near future. There were nearly 140 PVC production companies at DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR 2018. More than 90% of them have already produced SPC flooring. About 20% of the newly-advanced companies are transforming SPC flooring from other industries or related products. About 60% of China’s PVC production enterprises have started or will soon start the development of domestic market. As a result, the Chinese resilient flooring associations are actively promoting its use across the country. Although companies and associations have begun to lay out the SPC flooring market, showing an upward trend, the most important thing is to gain consumer recognition if it is to achieve a promising future in the domestic market. Domestic consumers are still in the cognitive stage of SPC flooring, and the domestic market is not mature yet. Therefore, enterprises, associations and exhibition platforms need to guide and help them to vigorously develop in the domestic market.

In the 21st edition of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR the resilient sector will have five halls full of PVC, sports and outdoor decking flooring products. The total area is for the first time exceeding 55,000 m2. What used to be the Sports Flooring Zone, in 2019 turns into a Sports Flooring Hall, with famous international brands, like KDF, Rubrig and K&B Junwoo. Other global industry leaders like Unilin, Wineo, US Floor, ARDEX, I4F, Armstrong, Gerflor, LG Hausys, Toli, Novalis, L&C, NOX, Meijer and Rococo will also join the show in 2019. Some of the events that are expected to draw the resilient professionals’ attention are the Hospital Construction Conference and the Sino Wood Plastic Composites Development Summit Forum. In order to further explore the hospital function process optimization and space design innovation methods, on 27th of March, Shanghai International Expo Centre will welcome hospital administrators, infrastructure project managers, overseas and domestic interior designers and members of research institutions to join the 7th China Hospital Construction Conference, which is jointly organized by Zhuji Medical, Healthcare Design Magazine, and DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR. The other forum is co-organized by Chinese WPC Association and will gather producers and buyers of WPC together. The Forum will be bilingual with speakers and attendees coming from all over the world. Last year the key speakers were Iván Perez, CEO of DISTIPLAS FLOORS SL and Jerry Larson, FIBERON International Business Director. The information about the speakers for 2019th edition will be released in the beginning of the next year.