What changes are expected in the production of furniture components in this year of 2012? We asked Tatyana Belova, the brand manager of countertops and facade boards’ line of the Soyuz Industrial group to tell about the trends and new products.
– Tatyana, what do you think, what factors shall influence the manufacture of furniture components shortly?
-Firstly, synthetic materials like plastics and films with different bases become dominant in the manufacture of furniture components. The production of solid wood furniture and application of wood veneer continue to reduce.
Secondly, the variety of textures of artificial materials has increased. Tactile sensation is the second important factor after visual attraction when selecting furniture. Modern producibility allows applying this resource on a new level.
Thirdly, the so-called ecologic trend of eco-trend becomes more popular. It appears in increased sales of furniture of soft and quiet colors like grey, beige, sand and other natural colors widespread in the nature.
The decors imitating an unfinished or natural surface as well as rustic patterns also become popular.
– Please tell us about the new products your company is representing this year.
We have completely upgraded the collection of сountertops of particle boards’ decors to the beginning of 2012. All together we have introduced 48 new decors including 3 exclusive ones that were developed according to the technical assignment of the specialists of our company.
We have withdrawn some decors out the collection but our clients still have an opportunity of bespoke purchasing those decors. And some products have become more affordable.
Besides this we are ready to offer a range of new products to the market. Here we mean the production of countertops as well as facade boards.
– Your company is the leading countertops manufacturer. Why did you decide to completely upgrade your collection?
– Exactly because we are leaders. The current situation on the countertops market is as follows: all countertops manufacturers offer very similar decors.
We have set a goal to create such a collection that will compare favorably with our business rivals’ collections.
To achieve that we have analyzed the furniture market trends and offers of the leading European and Russian plastics manufacturers. After that we compared the data we received with the stuff that the Russian countertops manufacturers offer on the market and have created our collection.
– You have mentioned the increased role of the tactile sense when selecting furniture…
Yes. The term “surface contact” received a new meaning among the furniture makers. This meaning stresses the importance of all sense organs of a person in daily contact with interior items. This is why we paid sufficient attention to the textures of materials of our Premium series. It introduced the decors with embossing that imitates the natural stone surface and the ones with crystal shine that appears when the lights change. Such plastic create the color and texture of a natural flagstone.
By the way, the exhibition “Furniture 2011” that took place in Moscow in November showed the furniture manufacturers who use the countertops of artificial stone are the most interested in the premium segment of our collection.
– Several manufacturers of glazed facades where introduced during this exhibitions including your company. What do your products differ from the business rivals products with?
Packaged supplies are key features of production: our partners purchase all furniture assembling components at one place. This allows them sufficiently decreasing logistic costs. Soyuz facade boards as well as furniture boards harmoniously complete our collection of countertops.
We produce two types of glazed facades: premium with acrylic plastic cover and medium with high-gloss plastic cover.
Besides the approved quality and no problems with saw cut, the competitive prices, stable terms and packaged supplies are the advantages of Soyuz glazed facades.
And one more good news: the range of new countertops decors can be used in manufacturing Medium glazed facade boards.
Classic monochrome colors like black, grey, beige, spring green and some wooden decors appeared in the Medium collection.
As for the facades represented at the exhibition in Moscow, the sufficient part of them was manufactured via covering the basis with PVC-films with glossy effect or via applying several layers of varnish.
The advantage of these types of covers is their low cost, and the disadvantage is their lower strength and durability in comparison with the plastic covered facades. In case of a varnished facade the problem of cutting the board accrue: the varnish crushes, chips and cracks appear on it.
As for the visual appearance, both types of facades don’t have any “spice” of glaze – that color intensity that the covering with the high-quality plastic provide.
– You mentioned new products. Please tell some more about them.
Our products range currently has high-glazed covered countertops manufactured according to AR+ technologies. Impact and wear strength of this cover is 2 times higher than of usual glazed covers.
New type of countertops is available in 2 decors yet: 410г Cambrian and 408г Silver Travertine (decors ill.).
The second product is the Medium glazed MDF-based facade board.
It is connected with the demand of economy class furniture shifting to the more expensive segment. MDF-based furniture looks better and serves longer. Besides that, the other options are easier to perform on MDF-based facades: saw cut, edging, milling etc.
One more product is the countertop angle element for kitchen furniture.
It is manufactured via saw cutting the countertops and is supplied in sets.
– Tatyana, what would you like to wish our readers in the new year?
I would like to wish all colleagues and partners to use our new opportunities to the maximum in order to produce creatively different and high-quality furniture. The specialist of Soyuz Industrial group would assist you with pleasure.