This first taste of the Carrefour gave the company a hunger for more, so that Bjelin now returns with a far bigger stand (54 m²). In this booth, visitors will not only witness the entire range, but will also be reminded of the fact that Bjelin is a sister company of Välinge Innovation AB, best known as the inventor of the first mechanical floor locking system.

Bold turn in 2018
Floor Forum International asked David Sarcinella, Managing Director Western Europe at Välinge Bjelin, what exactly makes Nantes such an inviting place and what his company will showcase there. This necessitates opening this article with a short history lesson, in order to understand Bjelin’s unique position on the market.
“One must not forget that Bjelin is the logical continuation of the Välinge Innovation story, our sister company”, David Sarcinella opens. “Since 1993 Välinge Innovation has been generating patents and it became an indispensable player in global research and development. Is was only in 2018 the company took a bold turn, when it was decided is would also become a manufacturer of flooring. Starting with the Nordic markets, it quickly became evident we had to expand this venture internationally. In 2023, the name BJELIN was adopted for all our manufactured products, including flooring. This production takes place in Bjelin’s state-of-the-art factories in Sweden and Croatia, where the company has access to high-quality FSC-certified wood. For generations, highly experienced employees have been working there to refine the well-known Slavonic oak into wine barrels – and now floors.”

Enhancing credibility
In 2022, Bjelin was present for the very first time in Nantes. Why did Bjelin choose to exhibit at the Carrefour du Bois and why the decision to come back?
“It cannot be denied our first participation gave us a significant boost and quickly enhanced our credibility. This year, we will have a 54 m² booth to showcase our entire range and various technologies. This means our stand is three times bigger now.”
“Why Nantes? That seems obvious to me”, David Sarcinella smiles. “Our product is made 100% from wood and is intended for wood industry players, wherever they may be. So what could be more natural than participating in the most relevant trade fair in the field? Today, with its ever growing European renown, it is the best place to be seen by all major players in the world of distribution.”

“What we especially want to stress at the Carrefour du Bois is how good our expertise with the distribution players in France, and even in Europe, is. Nantes provides us with a wonderful stage and while we participate in various trade shows throughout the year, this one provides a great deal of proximity with our current and future partners, even in a market that has changed considerably. These days, one must be able to reinvent their own business every day, but one thing hasn’t changed: what better place is there than a trade fair for the discovery of a manufacturer or an innovation? Our guests look forward to this event every two years...”

Contrast collection and a lot more
In January, we already saw how a lot of items were showcased at Domotex. It is interesting to look back at Domotex and see what items that were shown there will also be taken up in Nantes. And of course we want to know if there are even new products on display?
“One of the highlights will be our ground-breaking Contrast collection, which we previewed at Domotex”, says Mr. Sarcinella. “At the Carrefour, we will also showcase a quite exquisite herringbone parquet, that to me embodies Swedish elegance. This is a herringbone of small dimensions, that is very different from what is available in the various markets. The spotlights will be on the 5G® technology accompanying this product, along with starter kits (including starting triangles), because herringbone installation is generally quite complicated. With our starter kits, we are making installation easier for both professionals and private individuals.”
When looking a little bit further ahead than the Carrefour, we are curious to know what the main innovations are that Bjelin is developing at the moment. Mr. Sarcinella can of course not go into great detail, but still manages to lift a tip of the veil.

“As you know, Bjelin works closely together with its sister company Välinge Innovation. This means we have the latest and most superior flooring technologies at our disposal. Having said this, knowing we have access to patented technology from Välinge Innovation, in combination with our own manufacturing and commercialisation of flooring, makes it clear where our competitive edge lies”, our interlocutor clarifies. “This access to innovations brings us many new opportunities. Our latest Contrast Collection, for example, was created with precision technology made possible due to the ground-breaking Woodura® technology. I am sorry that I at this moment cannot give you information about future technologies, but rest assured we are hard at work on the creation of new developments that will keep us growing…”

Preservation of raw materials
Finally, we also want to take a look at Bjelin as a company. How does it invest in its future and how does it translate its sustainability ideals in real life?
“Being self-sufficient and being in charge of the supply chain is key for us”, David Sarcinella concludes. “By having this control, we can ensure high-quality products for our customers. We are an open and transparent company and through this, we gain trust in the market. Our recent investments demonstrate this. In 2021 and 2022 we built a huge site for the production of Woodura hardened wood flooring. It is fully functional since January 2023 and now produces 6 to 7 million square metres. In time, after a second and a third phase have been implemented, we will be able to produce up to 20 million square metres, making our plant the biggest in the world! We hope to finish the third phase in 2026 or 2027.”

“I also want to stress how sustainability is very important for us in everything we undertake. Apart from using responsibly sourced, FSC-certified European wood – which is processed in our factories close to the forests – the technologies incorporated into our floors ensure our products are more environmentally friendly. Woodura hardened wood floors, for example, only use a tenth of wood – preserving trees in the forests – while creating a wood floor that’s three times stronger, and more dent- and water-resistant – and hence longer lasting. Waste is also recycled to create wood powder for the Woodura process.”

“Using click technology for installations also ensures a longer lasting floor, while it makes it possible to uninstall and move a floor, should someone wish to do that. In doing all of this, our motto is straightforward: ‘Everything we do, must be better, more cost-effective and highly sustainable’.”