The new décor worlds and technical material innovations – side by side: at the interzum 2013, SÜDDEKOR will – along with the sister companies DAKOR and SÜDDEKOR ART – be showcasing just how the group has mastered the interaction of design and surface technologies.

This year, SÜDDEKOR will be showcasing itself under the ‘What’s on top is decisive’ motto at the world’s leading trade fair – the interzum in Cologne. Between May 13 and 16 2013, the surfaces specialist from Laichingen will be exhibiting the measure of all things current to décor development at its 450-squaremetre trade fair stand in Hall 6.

Together with DAKOR and SÜDDEKOR ART, SÜDDEKOR will be presenting the new E.MOTION and E.NOVATION trend worlds, the current décor innovations and the technical global innovations D.Fin® Thermoform, D.Fin® Polytop and D.Film® Gentlefloor at an open-plan trade fair stand.

At the company’s trade fair stand, a large media surface will be additionally emphasising SÜDDEKOR’s trend statement, making it tangible to visitors. Furthermore, the materials have – separate to the new décor worlds – been allocated plenty of presentation space at the SÜDDEKOR trade fair stand – clear evidence of SÜDDEKOR’s close collaboration with DAKOR and SÜDDEKOR ART.

The interaction of design and surface technology in various forms is the sector’s topic of the moment – which also happens to be SÜDDEKOR’s hobby horse. To demonstrate just how diversely and creatively one’s own materials can be deployed, SÜDDEKOR developed its new interzum trade fair stand entirely using the finish film D.Fin® Supermatt, the product that received an award at the interzum 2011. 

The SÜDDEKOR 2013/2014 trend worlds

E.MOTION and E.NOVATION

A natural, emotional living environment versus the world of technology, in which the natural is no longer distinguishable from the artificial: SÜDDEKOR is basing its new décor trend worlds for 2013/2014 on these two controversial trends – E.MOTION and E.NOVATION. And it has developed many attractive décors for these themes, including the rustic EDISON OAK, the unusual MORGAN MAPLE and the fantasy décor CRUSOE, for example.

SÜDDEKOR would not have the reputation as a centre of creativity if the company did not regularly present revolutionary new décor collections. With E.MOTION and E.NOVATION, SÜDDEKOR is presenting two ranges this year oriented on current trends, bringing these together in the best possible way.

The E.MOTION trend world

E.MOTION stands – as the name suggests – for emotions, uniqueness and tranquillity/composure in modern living environments. Rock chic, natural living accessories, creative ideas and upcycling all contribute towards a bespoke ambience. Gentle sorbet shades reminiscent of the 1950s bring colour to this natural environment. E.MOTION includes trend décors in wood, concrete and other materials. Natural, processed and blanched structures and sand-blasted looks provide the whole topic with the perfect framework.

The E.NOVATION trend world

E.NOVATION is oriented on technology-dominated living environments, in which the natural is virtually indistinguishable from the artificial. E.NOVATION stands for quality, enjoyment and exquisite understatement – also in its range of colours, which are reminiscent of minerals. On the basis of supposed tradition, we have created décors of characterful elegance and filigree sleekness. Furthermore, at second glance these looks stand out with surprising effects and profound sophistication.

EDISON OAK: mainstream in rustic elegance

There is a whole series of stunning examples in these new collections which superlatively transport the underlying philosophy. Such as EDISON OAK: Thomas Alva Edison is credited with inventing the first commercial electrical lighting – and is the namesake of this new décor development. Extremely versatile in all living spaces, EDISON OAK – with its knots and intensive pores – caters to the current strong demand for rustic elegance. Hence, it brings traditional values to interiors with a new, modern interpretation.

CRUSOE: material characteristics and vintage

The inspiration for the fantasy décor CRUSOE was corrugated metal serving as a roof for a beach hut in Florida. So, a typical vintage item, which is extremely distinctive and – depending on the colouring – can take on various material characteristics.

BARENTS OAK: natural and authentic

Nordic cool paired with rustic warmth are the characteristics of BARENTS OAK – a very special kind of white oak. The name comes from explorer Willem Barents, who discovered the Northeast Passage in the 16th Century. Just like its namesake,BARENTS OAK feels at home virtually anywhere and is the perfect, versatile surface for all living space furniture surfaces.

VITRUV: on-trend concrete look

Concrete continues to be an important trend: both with work surfaces and in the flooring segment. And concrete is also a popular choice as an application for furniture surfaces combined with rustic features or plain colours. VITRUV makes an extremely authentic impact as a sleek, cool and simultaneously elegant variant, offering an extremely broad range of applications and countless uses.

MORGAN MAPLE: quality and homeliness

MORGAN MAPLE can be described as an unusual maple wood. The starting material for this wonderful décor development was an old, dark maple-based wood, which generates the character of an item of antique furniture with its slight traces of use, confident knots and discreet cathedrals.

World premiere for new surface technologies

D.Fin® Thermoform, D.Fin® Polytop and D.Film® Gentlefloor

No longer two, but three, product segments will be defining the SÜDDEKOR range in the future – because the innovative surfaces specialist has developed a PP film that can be decorated with water-based inks called D.Fin® Thermoform. However, this is not the only innovation and – above all – a world premiere with which SÜDDEKOR is travelling to Cologne: in the future, the D.Fin® Polytop overlay film will be setting new standards in coating, while D.Film® Gentlefloor from DAKOR will also be redefining the flooring segment.

With a total of three product innovations, SÜDDEKOR will once again be putting its creativity on display in Cologne, as the experts are not content with limiting innovation to merely presenting new décor trends every two years. SÜDDEKOR is continuously researching and developing on a technical level as well: the results include both new products and also attractive product modifications. This year, D.Fin® Thermoform, D.Fin® Polytop and D.Film® Gentlefloor from DAKOR are the central products at SÜDDEKOR’s main stand – A50 in Hall 6.

D.Fin® Thermoform

D.Fin® Thermoform is a thermoplastic polypropylene film, which is decorated using water-based inks. Its benefits include, above all, the fact that it is free of hazardous plasticisers, while offering optimum, three-dimensional malleability. SÜDDEKOR announced that it was entering this market segment in the autumn of 2012. And major exhibits will now be showcased at the interzum for the very first time.

The films are polychrome printed at Plant 1 in Laichingen, where SÜDDEKOR is able to draw on extensive décor experience and a huge range of décor structures. Plant 2 offers the possibility of manufacturing monochrome variants in widths of up to 2700 mm. Subsequently, the PP films are lacquered using water-based or electron beam-hardening processes.

As a result, SÜDDEKOR is able to offer a metamerism-free décor package from a single source, as the same colour system is used for melamine products, finish films and PP films. D.Fin® Thermoform is used with continuously-operating laminating lines such as roller hot laminating systems. The film is also perfect for laminating systems and membrane and vacuum presses. PUR, urea, PVAc and melt adhesives are equally suitable.

In addition to surface lamination, D.Fin® Thermoform can also be used for coating. For this reason, this new product is the perfect solution for all living space applications.

D.Fin® Polytop

D.Fin® Polytop is a polymer-based overlay for finishing décor paper- based decorative wood materials – and absolutely unique within the market. The versatility of the visual and mechanical properties and the feel are absolutely exclusive to date and a true global innovation in wood material coating. Compared to conventional melamine-based wood products available until now and which are customarily pressed with – depending on the application – corundum-based melamine overlays, D.Fin® Polytop offers the following beneficial properties: the surface created with D.Fin® Polytop is warmer to the touch and is therefore perceived as being more pleasant by users. The surface protects against moisture and abrasion and is considerably more scratchresistant.

D.Fin® Polytop is able to distinguish itself from other standard products particularly when it comes to extremely matt surfaces with gloss levels of between 2 and 3. However, it can also be used to create high-gloss surfaces with gloss levels of up to 100. In all variants, D.Fin® Polytop comes with an anti-fingerprint effect feature. As the gloss level of the end product is ultimately only defined by D.Fin® Polytop, various gloss levels can be achieved with just one pressing panel, which means that high procurement costs for different panels and time-consuming switching of panels are now no longer necessary with D.Fin® Polytop.

Compared to melamine overlays, D.Fin® Polytop has a visibly superior transparency and hence a more brilliant décor colour reproduction. As in the case of D.Fin® Thermoform, D.Fin® Polytop is formaldehyde-free, due to the fact that SÜDDEKOR achieves the lacquered surface by means of electron-beam hardening. Structures are also possible, merely requiring corresponding structure panels during pressing.

The polymer-based protective overlay is pressed preferably onto thermoset resins using continuously- and non-continuouslyoperating presses.

D.Fin® Polytop particularly reveals all its benefits wherever surfaces are subjected to heavy wear or tangibly more pleasant surfaces are to be created – this product is destined to be the number one overlay choice in the future. Typical applications include kitchen furniture, laminate flooring and home furniture.

D.Film® Gentlefloor

D.Film® Gentlefloor from DAKOR is a true innovation for the flooring sector. This high-end and revolutionary flooring solution has a soft surface, hence offering a warm and supple underfoot feeling. And the soundproofing capacity of the product is a very pleasant supplementary feature. In addition to a natural look, D.Film® Gentlefloor has a highly impact- and friction-resistant surface. Furthermore, gloss levels can be varied and customised according to the respective requirements. To this end, D.Film® Gentlefloor requires no production system changes at all, with standard, short-cycle presses being perfectly sufficient. For this reason, no in-house processes need to be adjusted for processing D.Film® Gentlefloor.

D.Film® Gentlefloor is structured as follows: the base material is a printed or plain-coloured paper, which is impregnated and hence fully saturated. Further layers complete the finished ‘impregnate’: The top layer is very thickly applied and can be optionally finished with corundum (AC-0 through AC-6 are possible). Conversely, the second layer is responsible for gloss levels of between 5 and 100. However, the finished D.Film® Gentlefloor product can also be structured, either inline during impregnation or by means of structuring panels or release papers.

SÜDDEKOR at the show “innovation of interior”

A digital printing journey around the world

News from the centre of creative excellence: with a stand at the special interzum show – the “innovation of interior” (ioi) – in Hall 4.2, SÜDDEKOR will be showcasing current digital printing possibilities, convincingly presenting its comprehensive décor development expertise, which is also available to interior designers.

Digital printing helps designers, architects and interiors designers achieve complete design freedom – because practically anything a client or designer could wish for can be carried out in small batches.

And digital printing has also become an integral feature at SÜDDEKOR. The successful Laichingen-based company will be exhibiting everything that is meanwhile possible in digital printing at Stand 67 B in Hall 4.2 of the “innovation of interior” (ioi) show. Because this special creative show within the context of the interzum is the perfect environment for SÜDDEKOR: here, the company will be showcasing materials for the furniture design of tomorrow.

In cooperation with interior designer Professor Hartmut Raiser from ‘Raiserlopes’ in Stuttgart, the surfaces specialist will be combining the digital printing exhibits with the new trend worlds for 2013 and 2014 in an absolutely extraordinary manner. In Hall 4.2, SÜDDEKOR will be taking trade fair visitors on a mental journey around the world. Draft designs for hotels on all five continents will be on display, which are most convincing with their extraordinary interior design adapted to their respective surroundings. To this end, SÜDDEKOR will be combining speciallycreated, digital décors, which can be combined and, of course, adapted to various requirements and applications. The realistic interaction of look and feel, the combining with supermatt surfaces and anti-fingerprint effect feature create trendsetting, totally unique one-offs – and very typically SÜDDEKOR. Because the décor printer has always been both a ‘creative workshop’ and an ‘engineering practice’ in one, digital printing is simply an additional, systematic step towards the future. The enormous diversity of existing designs and colours is showcased by the online configurator, which can be accessed by logging on to sueddekor.active-online.de. In addition to SÜDDEKOR’s own décor collections, there are also tailored décor solutions. And there is a comprehensive consulting service especially for interior designers in the contract sector as well. The design potential covers colours and design all the way through to diverse options for surface structuring.

Source: SÜDDEKOR