Part of the Whole
Bolon recently opened a spacious showroom for woven vinyl flooring on the fourth floor of a new building in Berlin's Friedrichstrasse, right in the heart of the metropolis. There, the Swedish family-owned company offer excellent insights into its broad flooring collection and vividly demonstrates how easily Bolon's products lend each surface its own signature character. Visitors to the showroom will be equally impressed by the details and fine structures that quite literally lie at their feet. Prime examples being the neutral elegance in soft shades that Patricia Urquiola has lent the “Light Sashiko” and that can be discovered in the front area in the guise of Bolon Rug. On the other hand, strong contrasts are possible with the “Wing” floor tile which allows several collections of Bolon to be combined thereby creating an architectural effect. At the same time, the examples show how extensive the possibilities are for using geometric shapes to give products an individual appearance - as with “Artisan - Quartz” on large-area rolled goods, from hexagonal patterns through to triangular ensembles. All Bolon floorings combine superb robustness with a pleasant textile feel, which makes them suitable for use in a wide range of environments, be it in offices, hotels or private homes.
Bolon's showroom in Berlin is just the beginning of a new service offering: Annica and Marie Eklund, who are the third generation of family members to run the company, having taken the helm in 2003, defined a transparent sales strategy for Bolon together with the German distribution team that offers customers a high-quality and sustainable product combined with comprehensive service. Pricing information, availability and features should be visible at a glance. Simultaneously, a partner program will ensure steady installation costs paired with the best possible quality.
On top of this Bolon has made a promise regarding sustainability: “By 2028, all the flooring we produce will be 50 percent recyclable and have half the climate impact of today. We have a dedicated sustainability department headed by Håkan Nordin, a biochemist and co-founder of Greenpeace Sweden. And we are working with Håkan to find innovative solutions for new materials, circular take-back programs for our products and optimized installation processes,” says Annica Erklund. “Our original business idea was born out of sustainability, and that has remained as a constant commitment in our company goals,” she adds. After all, Bolon's very first product was ahead of its time: a rag rug made from textile waste, introduced in 1949.
Bolon now runs its own recycling plant, uses recycled material in all its collections, and even produces a softener based entirely on renewable vegetable raw materials. “Our objective is to supply the most sustainable range of floor coverings and not simply one sustainable product,” says Marie Eklund. This includes short distances – all of the company’s departments, from production to development, are housed under a single roof in Ulricehamn, Sweden, near Gothenburg. Bolon's great expertise, the support within the family, and the progressive mindset together make a good fit for a large, vibrant city that itself unites tradition and the future: So Berlin offers promising prospects for Bolon in every regard. “We want people to get to know our company as a whole when they visit us,” says Annica Eklund. (am)
To make an appointment to visit Bolon's showroom in Berlin: click here.
