Columbia has launched five new collections during 2012.  Columbia’s new products are resonating well in the marketplace, offering consumers attractive, quality products, with a strong price/value relationship.  The newly-launched Character Wood collections (Gunnison, Claremont, and Hayden) satisfy the hardwood market’s current appetite for authenticity, texture, and timeworn looks that add warmth and personality to a home.  Columbia’s new products also include a Domestic Exotic collection (Beckham) and a Traditional Oak collection (Adams Signature).  The five collections offer a variety of colors and designs.  All Columbia hardwood products are “Made in the USA”.
 “A strong price/value relationship continues to be of paramount importance to consumers,” said Harry Bogner, senior vice president of hardwood, Unilin.  “Our company’s leading-edge manufacturing technologies enable Columbia to offer stunning products with rich visuals, sophisticated features, and texture, while still keeping prices within a consumer’s budget.”

The New Gunnison Collection
Gunnison combines soft-scraped “Casual Aged Styling” with a multi-stain antiquing process to offer a high-end visual at a value price.  The new Gunnison collection features the elegance of a soft-scraped, engineered hardwood floor in a variety of species and colors to meet the design needs of consumers seeking authenticity, time-worn looks, and texture.

Casual Aged Styling is a less aggressive, soft-scraped texture and visual.  Although this particular look is usually only possible through on-site hand-scraping, Columbia has been able to recreate this high-end visual at a price attractive to a large number of consumers.  Gunnison also uses an innovative staining technique to achieve brighter and richer coloring than is present on the surface of many other character products on the market today.  This brilliance of color is then coupled with Columbia’s proprietary multi-stain antiquing process to create rustic planks that bring warmth and richness to a room.  
Gunnison is available in an easy-to-install Uniclic Clic & Press locking system format as well as in traditional tongue and groove (T & G), giving customers the choice of either a glue-down or a floated hardwood floor.  The Uniclic Clic & Press floor can be installed 30% faster than traditional

T & G planks, lowering installation costs.  Also, Uniclic installation offers better quality installation than T & G by eliminating the possibility of gaps between each plank.  The Uniclic Clic & Press method also eliminates glue emissions that can occur with use of traditional T & G installation, and the floor can be walked on immediately following installation.

The “Made in the USA” Gunnison collection includes Maple, Walnut, Oak, and Hickory species in 7 matte SKUS.  Sculpted edges and eased ends frame each side of the 5-ply, 3/8” thick, engineered planks.  This product can be installed at any grade level.  Gunnison’s 5” wide, random length planks are manufactured with highly durable urethane aluminum oxide coatings and are backed by a 25-year surface wear warranty.  
Like all of Columbia’s engineered products, the Gunnison character products are produced using PureBond engineered flooring technology resulting in “no added formaldehyde”.  This new collection is both CARB Phase 2 compliant and FloorScore certified.  Gunnison’s FloorScore certified products contribute to the earning of LEED points for projects under The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED v3 Commercial Interiors and New Construction and Major Renovations program.  All Columbia hardwood is Lacey Act compliant.  

The New Claremont Collection
Swirling knots and prominent graining enhanced by a multi-step staining process combine with subtle, soft-scraped surface texturing to create the new Claremont collection.  Claremont offers the rustic elegance of a hand-scraped floor and is available in a variety of the most popular species and colors to meet consumers’ design needs.

The new collection features SuperiorShield Surface Technology which helps protect against grime, allows for easier cleanup, and helps retain the finish of the floors.  The collection’s 7 matte SKUS include two of the most popular domestic exotics, Hickory and Maple, as well as Oak.  Claremont features sculpted plank edges and ends on the 5” wide, ¾” thick, random length solid hardwood planks.  All of Columbia hardwood is Lacey Act compliant.  Claremont is offered in the traditional T & G format and can be installed on or above grade level.  This “Made in the USA” collection is manufactured with highly durable urethane aluminum oxide coating and is backed by a 25-year surface wear warranty.  

The New Hayden Collection
Rustic artistry is achieved by combining a smooth surface, lower gloss finish, and a multi-stain antiquing process in the new Hayden collection.  A luxurious staining technique offers clarity and depth of color that further highlight the defined graining, natural knots, and unique character of each plank.  

Hayden’s Hickory, Maple, Cherry, and Walnut planks feature SuperiorShield Surface Technology that helps protect against grime, allows for easier cleanup, and helps retain the gloss of the floors. The collection’s 6 matte SKUS can be installed on or above ground, using a traditional T & G format.  Eased plank edges and ends frame each of 5” wide, 3/8” thick, random length planks.  

“Made in the USA” with Purebond Engineered Flooring Technology, this engineered hardwood product is CARB Phase 2 compliant and FloorScore certified.  All Columbia hardwood floors are Lacey Act compliant.  Hayden products are manufactured with highly durable urethane aluminum oxide coatings and offers a 25-year surface wear warranty.

The New Beckham Collection
This solid hardwood collection combines the sophistication of domestic exotic species with fashionable stains inspired by high-style design.  Color options include unique gray and chocolate tones along with more traditional stains for broad appeal. 

Beckham features SuperiorShield Surface Technology that helps protect against grime, allows for easier cleanup, and helps retain the gloss of the floors.  Beckham is available in 6 Maples and 3 Hickories with a matte finish.  These ¾” thick solid hardwood planks come in widths of 2 ¼”, 3 ¼”, and 5”.  Eased edges and ends frame the random length planks.  

This “Made in the USA” collection can be installed on or above ground, using a traditional T & G format.  Beckham SKUS are manufactured with highly durable urethane aluminum oxide coatings and are backed by a 25-year surface wear warranty.  All Columbia hardwood products are Lacey Act compliant.

The New Adams Signature Collection
Timeless sophistication is captured with classic semi-gloss and satin stains in these design-inspired traditional solid Oak selections, adding sleek style to a room.  
The new Adams Signature collection features 5 Oaks in ¾” solid hardwood planks with eased edges and square ends.  The random length planks are available in widths of 2 ¼”, 3 ¼”, and 5”.  Featuring installation via a traditional T & G method, Adams Signature can be installed on or above grade.  The collection’s SKUS are manufactured with highly durable urethane aluminum oxide coatings and offers a 25-year surface wear warranty.  All Columbia hardwood products are “Made in the USA” and are Lacey Act compliant.