INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW 

AMA Research have published the report “Wood/Laminate Floorcoverings Market – UK 2009-2013”. The report provides an informed and up to date assessment of the market, and focuses on the three primary sectors of solid wood, engineered wood and laminates. The experience of the wood floorcoverings market since the late 1990’s had been one of significant growth.  However, market performance in 2008-09 has been more difficult, though the marketcontinues to experience major changes with a switch to more upmarket materials and designs.  The report contains: Brief overview of the total floorcoverings market – including carpet, vinyl, wood, ceramics and other floorcoverings. Detailed assessment of the wood flooring market – including solid/engineered wood, laminates and flooring accessories etc - total UK market size, trends, product mix, factors influencing growth, future prospects. Application Mix – domestic and contract market trends, growth sectors, future prospects. Key Suppliers & Distribution Mix – analysis of key suppliers with a review of market share and changes in the distribution mix. In previous years, growth in the wood flooring market was underpinned by the strong performance of the laminate sector. However, in recent years the structure of the market has changed and it has been solid and engineered wood that has been driving the market in recent years. This 5th edition of the report assesses the current situation with forecasts of market developments over the short-medium term future.

Areas of particular interest:

• Volatile total wood floorcoverings market.

• Variable market performance in domestic and contract sectors.

• Switch to higher value solid and engineered wood as well as some laminates.

• Changing supply/distribution structure.

• Trends in total wood flooring market with forecasts by each product sector to 2013.

Companies  included:

Allied Carpets, Atkinson & Kirby, B&Q, Balterio, Beaulieu International Group, BHK Flooring Ltd, Carpetright plc, CF Anderson Timber Products, Egger UK, Finnforest, Finsa, Floors-2-Go, Fludes, Focus DIY, Havwoods, Headlam, Hoebeek UK, Homebase, International Decorative Surfaces, Junckers Ltd, Kährs, Kronospan UK, Landsdon Group, Mohawk Industries, Pergo, Plasman, Responsive Designs, Richard Burbidge, Sonae (UK) Ltd, Spectrim, Supertex, Tarkett Group ]Timberland Flooring, Timbmet Group, Topps Tiles, Trade Flooring Company , Tradewoods, Unilin Flooring, United Carpets, Westco, Wickes.

Key areas covered in the report include:

OVERVIEW OF TOTAL FLOORCOVERINGS MARKET  

• Review of UK floorcoverings market – market size from 2003-09, performance of carpets, vinyl, wood, ceramic tiles and others, key factors influencing trends, future prospects, etc.

• Review of changing product mix – growth/declining sectors, shares by product in 2008.

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF WOOD FLOORCOVERINGS MARKET 

• Comprehensive review of wood floorcoverings market by value, market performance from 2003 -2009, key trends within sectors, product mix, comparison with other floorcoverings, future prospects to 2013.

• Product sectors – solid wood, engineered wood and laminates – sector shares in 2009, recent changes in mix (comparisons with 2002/06/09, trend towards higher quality, forecasts by product from 2009-2013.

• Key characteristics of market – pricing, availability, product awareness and target consumers, accessories, changing design trends etc.

• Role of international trade and growth of imports from Far East – trends from 2003-09.

• Domestic and contract end-use sectors for total wood floorcoverings market – mix by value, DIY/new housing/professional installations, Key end-use sectors (share by Commercial Retail, Leisure etc.), etc. Contract wood flooring market 2003-2009.

• Outlook for the overall industry, prospects for wood in relation to other floorcoverings, short term prospects in 2009- 2010, and longer term forecasts up to 2013, key factors influencing market recovery.

KEY SUPPLIERS & DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS 

• Review of leading suppliers in the wood floorcoverings market, including manufacturers, importers, distributors and wholesalers.

• Analysis of market share of leading suppliers in UK market, company information, market positioning, changing supply structure etc.

• Structure of distribution channels for supply of wood floorcovering products – domestic and contract supply.

• Distribution share for major channels, including review of major organisations within each channel, changes in distribution in recent years.

 FUTURE PROSPECTS/KEY INFLUENCES 

• Key influences on the wood/laminate floorcoverings market, factors affecting volume and value performance.  Future prospects for the contract and domestic sectors.

• Review of key external factors influencing market – economic prospects, housing and construction, stock of dwellings, interest rates & inflation, etc.