Valinge introduces the new Wood Powder Laminate product, a powder layer made of wood microfibers and melamine powder applied as a sublayer to the core with specially developed scattering equipment. A decorative paper (with or without alumnium oxide) is then applied and the panel is pressed in a conventional laminate press. According to the company, the resulting laminate ”is cost efficent and provides several advantages.”

Among the advantages: impregnation of the decorative paper is not necessary; very deep embossing (of 0.5 mm or more) is possible; impact resistance can be improved; and color pigments or sound reducing particles could be added to the sublayer.

”Valinge is convinced that the new Wood Powder Laminate (WPL) with a composite surface and the previously developed Wood Fibre Floor (WFF) with a solid surface layer will take major market shares from conventional laminates but also from tiles and stones,” Valinge added.

Several Valinge licensees will launch products based on the new technology, the company noted. A full size production line with a press and several specially developed scattering units will be installed in August at the new R&D center in Sweden. Välinge has also invested in special equipment to produce powder which will be supplied to the licensees as a startup support