In today’s crowded and hyper-competitive rigid core flooring market, manufacturers are increasingly challenged to develop products that stand apart from the pack. Some companies look to build on previous iterations of SPC, WPC or even hybrid waterproof technologies, while others are seeking to chart a new path by leveraging proprietary technologies.
With the official launch of EcoDense eco hybrid resilient flooring, USMills—a fairly new entrant to the field—says it has found the perfect combination of all those attributes.
Billed as an eco-friendlier option, EcoDense—which is PVC-free and carbon negative—features more than 90% renewable organic content. The product also scores high marks in the performance department, boasting a high-density core that delivers optimal strength and flexibility.
More importantly, according to Karel Vercruyssen, president of the Dalton-based company, EcoDense excels where many previous rigid core iterations fall short. “The product that we are launching here at the NAFCD conference is considered an eco-hybrid resilient floor,” he told FCNews. “One of the remarkable features about it is the content of the product is over 94% wood. However, due to the improved compaction of the product, we’re able to get interestingly different characteristics than you would normally get with a wood-based product.”
USMills can achieve these characteristics, according to Vercruyssen, by starting with a fiber preparation process that yields enhanced particle geometry versus traditional wood-based engineered floors. Another differentiator, he said, is the secret sauce used to bond the materials. “We utilize a different chemistry than what a traditional core producer would use,” Vercruyssen explained. “No formaldehyde is added in the manufacturing process of the EcoDense core. Instead, different binders are used that offer a better encapsulation of the wood fiber, which are predominantly from hardwood species like oak and maple.”
EcoDense also aims to excel where some traditional SPC-type products struggle—in rooms with direct sunlight. “When plastic floors are exposed to direct sunlight and heat every day, you risk having permanent deformation,” Vercruyssen explained. “But wood-based products don’t do that; they might expand a little from the heat, but then when it cools off, it will retract back.”
While EcoDense was designed to provide greater strength than other resilient products, the product is not entirely unforgiving, Vercruyssen noted. “Yes, it’s rigid, but at the same time it offers a good balance between hardness and flexibility. One of the concerns with some rigid core products is they’re very hard; as a result, the locking systems can be brittle. The way we designed and engineered EcoDense gives you a product that’s very strong but not brittle. You almost can’t break the locking system because there’s a little bit of give due to the content of the material. So that’s where we have a leg up.”
Homegrown and available
The performance attributes of EcoDense are not the only selling points of the line. The fact that the product is manufactured in the U.S. is also attractive to distributors and retailers that have experienced issues in sourcing product from overseas.
“EcoDense is 100% produced in the U.S.” Vercruyssen stated. “Most of the raw materials are sourced from forests located within 100 miles of the factory. It’s free of phthalates and softeners and is ultra-low in VOC emissions. We also have a product that’s carbon negative. It has a superior performance story with a great indoor air quality story, and we think this is an attractive alternative for distributors and retailers that are looking to do something other than vinyl.”
USMills plans to heavily promote EcoDense through traditional distribution channels across North America.
