Interview with Chiara Matterazzo CEO at Newfloor S.r.l.
Newfloor is a family-run Company in the Veneto Region of Italy, founded in 1986 following 10 years of experience in the timber sector. In the first several years work focused exclusively on the production for third parties, notably for prominent Italian ceramic manufacturers. Thanks to the our specialization in hard surfaces and stone Newfloor was able to be at the leading edge of the development of new technologies beyond the standard resilient materials common at the time such as vinyl, rubber, carpet, laminates and linoleum, establishing Newfloor as a true market innovator! Newfloor was the first raised floor manufacturer to change the standard 60×60 cm panel format, offering more modern sizes ranging from 60×120, 60×90, 45×90 and 75×75 cm.
1994 saw the opening of the new headquarters in Codevigo (Padua) and in 2003 its own brand was launched on the national and international markets. Over the years the Company has registered two patents for industrial inventions: in 1998 a patent for a multiple porcelain grès tile raised flooring panel, edge trimmed with a permanent and resistant joint, and in 2013 a Europe-wide registered brand for Freefloor, a dry self-laying flooring system.
In the last years, Newfloor has obtained the certification “Made in Italy” and it has developed two products: the first is Radiafloor, which is a raised floor with a radiant module to heat and cool the floor and the other is S-Lock System self-centering substructure for indoor systems. In 2020, the Company launched the market his latest project: Lumifloor. It can be used for an internal or external application and it lights up in the dark by special pigments that are charged by sunlight. During this year also the Company expands and redesigns its headquarters.
Please tell us more about your range of products and innovations. Also Newfloor S.r.l. capacity and level of technologies and machinery.
Newfloor produces raised floors of different sizes, with various finishes and innovative systems, thus being able to customize the products, all made in Italy. Here are some examples:
– Chipboard core panels (thk. 38mm) with resilient, ceramic, natural wood, marble, granite, reconstituted stone, etc. on top and aluminum foil or steel tray on the bottom side, different sizes (60×60, 60×120 cm);
– Calcium sulfate panels (thk. 30-32-34-36-38 mm) with resilient, natural wood, ceramic, marble, granite, reconstituted stone, etc. on top and aluminum foil, steel tray or bare on the bottom side (60×60, 60×120, 40×80 cm);
– Steel galvanized substructure with regulations from 30 mm to 1000 mm and light/medium/heavy stringers;
– Freefloor: dry laying ceramic tiles made up of ceramic tiles with a special Silent rubber on the bottom side, in different sizes (60×60. 60×120, 30×60, 30×120, 45×45, 45×90, 90×90, 40×80, 80×80, 75×75 cm);
– X-Floor: double ceramic tiles glued together with fiber grass in the middle for higher performances. The panel is installed with a steel structure for indoor and with a plastic substructure for outdoor areas;
– S-Lock System: steel pedestals glued on the ground with a self-centering and anti-seismic gasket;
– PVC substructure for outdoor solutions;
– Lumifloor: the panels, or part of them, are visible and stand out in the absence of light;
– Radiafloor: the hydronic floor heating system for indoor;
– Radiafloor C: the electric heating solution for outdoor which uses carbon fibre as a resistor;
– Synthetic grass: synthetic grass is available as top covering to be coupled with the x-floor and also with 2 cm monolithic panel. This solution can be used for both outdoors and indoors, it is waterproof so it can be washed and sanitized.
– Natural cork: the natural cork top covering presents very high comfort, thermal and acoustic performances. Cork is a completely natural raw material, biodegradable, renewable and recyclable, so the perfect solution for “Green” projects.
– Alpine Hay: this top covering is applied on a 4mm thk. cork support on a chipboard or calcium sulphate core panel. It can be realized in tiles 60×60 cm or 60×120 cm (this last option is made by 2 stripes 30×120 cm).
Newfloor now produces about 300.000 sqm. per year. Currently, the company is headquartered in Codevigo (Padua) along with the 4.000 sqm. production plant, with an off-site commercial office in the province of Milan, with a sales network in Italy and abroad.
How do you evaluate the Raised access flooring sector in Europe and also internationally?
The raised access floor is a growing system in all its solutions. In fact, for example, the evolution of technology in Europe, but also all around the world, requires more and more installation of cables to connect the various devices. These cables can be a problem in terms of safety and also an aesthetic limit. The plenum, that is created between the panels and the slab, results in the perfect space to host HVCA ducting and installation for electrical, data, plumbing, and telecommunications cables.
Furthermore, in recent years, rapidity has become fundamental in the world of construction. The raised floor follows this trend as it requires quick installation and, being a dry system can be walked on immediately after installation, allowing workers to access to the construction site immediately.
Let us know about Newfloor S.r.l. export destinations and the statistics. Do you have any export to the MEA region?
Newfloor’s sales network expands worldwide.
We have a good client in Qatar, the name of the company is Mantech Office Systems W.L.L. with which we did lot of projects. References (for example): Golden Line Station and the University of Qatar. Thanks to this partnership we have been accredited as a supplier in several projects.
We have some clients in Dubai that followed good projects but unfortunately, we don’t have references.
We have an agent with exclusive in Saudi Arabia (IDEC International Design Engineering & Contracting Co. LTD) that buys containers of panels and is following important projects.
Then we have another client with an exclusive in Egypt, MAADI for Special Contracting Co. Mr. Yasser carried lot of tests with our panels in order to fulfill all the certifications required in Egypt. Here we have a lot of references about our supply for the New Capital in Cairo (we have everything in our website and on our social media accounts). Thanks to this partnership we are now in the vendor list accepted by the Egyptian Government
What is the role of technology in your success? what about RandD and innovations?
The relevant component that distinguishes Newfloor Company is undoubtedly the passion and constant dedication to the study of materials in order to create new products and improve functionality, efficiency and aesthetics.
The Newfloor, equipped with a small laboratory and supported by a nationally certificated institution, tests the individual components of each system to verify their effective compliance with the specifications declared by the supplier for quality, safety, structural strength and durability.
Based on the data collected for each test, the company continuously updates the internal technical documentation to facilitate the study and the creation of new products.
What are the unique features of raised access flooring that was chosen by many companies in the world?
CUSTOMIZED PRODUCT
• Not only 60×60 cm: a wide range of sizes and possible processes characterizes the production of Newfloor
• Various covering: parquet, ceramic, marble and granite, recomposed stone, plastic laminate, linoleum, vinyl, rubber, stainless steel
• Without construction limits: the production line adapts perfectly to the needs of the customer with a unique flexibility, even for small projects and for tailor-made products
• Versatile structure: among the different types of structure, Newfloor also boasts an exclusive and personalized solution.
As a flooring Expert, how do you evaluate the carpet and flooring sector in the Middle East and Africa and its potential for the Future? How do you evaluate Newfloor S.r.l market share in the region?
Carpet is for sure one of the most requested top coverings in the Middle East and African market. The common idea for these projects is to install bare panels and then apply a loose-lay layer of carpet in rolls, but this system does not allow inspection of the plenum for systems maintenance.
Newfloor replies to this limit by gluing tiles of carpet 60x60cm, supplying the panels already finished, and restoring the main characteristics of the raised floor.
