DDi - November/December 2013 - (Page 44)

A d v e r t o r i A l Q&A with Amy Gath, Vice President of Marketing, Formica Corp. all sides; and we achieved FSC certification for our entire laminate line. In addition, we introduced e-Series, the first major-branded solid surfacing to contain post-consumer recycled content. We've been busy. Q A Q A Q A How would you describe your business in one sentence? Formica Corp. is a global leader in the design, manufacturing and distribution of interior surfaces. How different does your company look today from five years ago? In the past five years, Formica Corp. has undergone more significant advancements than at any other point in the company's 100-year history. We invented laminate-one of the most prevalent surfacing materials on the market-and we continue to reimagine its possibilities. We introduced 180fx, the industry's first laminate with the ability to capture the full scale and veining of exotic stones; we introduced IdealEdge profiles, which eliminate the brown seam and allow a laminate surface to have decorative edges on What differentiates your company from competitors in the marketplace? Competition makes every surfacing manufacturer stronger. Formica is a 100-year-old brand-a global and iconic brand-and we relied on our name and stature to drive business a number of years ago. That's no longer the case. We're leaner, more efficient, more customer-centric and in sync with what the market wants and needs. We're comfortable taking risks and challenging the norms when it comes to product development, and we've rejuvenated a mature product category as a result. In addition, Formica Corp. is winning business by being a valuable and astute business partner. Q A What is your company's philosophy toward customization? Every application of a Formica brand product is unique, and design freedom always has been a big selling point for us. Surfaces are a prominent element in any space, and offering designers a vast range of products that they can easily mix and match is one way we've helped them to "make their mark" on a project. Our newly introduced Formica Envision laminate takes customization to a whole new level by giving designers a durable and affordable "blank canvas" on which to replicate artwork, photography and graphics with unprecedented clarity. Envision laminate embraces originality and gives a designer complete control over the décor and brand message. Number 21 at www.ddionline.com/readerservice Q A Are you seeing more or less collaboration in the industry? We're definitely seeing a lot of successful collaboration across all industry players. Social media has given us a platform on which to network, engage and influence. TweetChats are just one example of social media's power to unite contemporaries from around the world with common interests. We follow and participate in a number of industry TweetChats, and we're always impressed with the insights revealed during the hour-long sessions. Individual professionals and manufacturers, alike, have found reward in collective success. Q A What else should we know about your company? Formica Corp.'s spirit of invention didn't stop with laminate. Rather, our early industry firsts laid the foundation for today's investments in breakthrough manufacturing processes, printing technology and design capabilities. Although the Formica brand is synonymous with laminate, we also offer solid surfacing and DecoMetal solid metals and metal laminates. Our global design team stays abreast of trends from around the world to ensure our product offerings are sought after and help our customers meet every design challenge and budget. We also maintain diligent focus on sustainable practices and are committed to meeting our customers' evolving needs for sustainable products. formica.com http://www.formica.com http://www.ddionline.com/readerservice

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - November/December 2013

DDi - November/December 2013
Contents
From the Editor
From the Show Director
Retail Design Collective
RDC Showroom Map
RDC Products
New York Retail
Company Listing
Product Category Index
Product Category Listing
Classifieds
Calendar
Advertisers

DDi - November/December 2013