Unilin stories

What began in the 1980s as an innovative flooring solution is still one of the most popular and versatile flooring types: laminate. Thanks to continuous innovation, smart product development and a strong focus on design and sustainability, laminate has remained a true favourite for more than 40 decades. How is that possible? We talked to Rogier Verkarre, General Manager Laminate at Unilin.

Laminate flooring has been around for almost fifty years. From day one, laminate was a sustainable product. Over the next half-century, it has not only become more attractive and high-performing; it has also grown into a paragon of innovation and circularity. “Unilin’s technologies set the standard in the sector today,” says CEO Wim Messiaen.

Unilin has achieved a world first in Bazeilles, France: for the first time, MDF and HDF boards – the core of laminate floors – can be recycled on an industrial scale. . Thanks to a €20 million investment, the company is now able to make the wood fibres from these boards reusable for the production of new decorative panels and laminate floors.

Diversity makes for richer collaboration. Unilin’s Finance Team in Ireland brings together 10 women and 9 men, representing 5 countries as well as different generations and backgrounds. Denys and Barbara share how these differences make their team stronger. “There is plenty of laughter here, but above all, hard work.”

An industry first and a major step towards circularity: Unilin is the first to develop a process for the chemical recycling of PIR insulation boards. The new installation is the result of years of experimentation, fine-tuning and perseverance. “Turning waste into something valuable again, there’s no better idea to work on”, says production manager polyol Thomas Scheers.

At Unilin, you can start your career when you’re still a student. Start as a working student and progress to a permanent position: we spoke to Marie Maes, Thibault Vandenbroucke and Umur Nalli about their experiences and why they chose Unilin.