News - Heckmondwike

With social distancing in effect until further notice and, like many other institutions, schools must adapt to the ‘new normal’. Interior design within classrooms and workspaces need to change to allow improved hygiene and personal space. There is a lot of debate over how this will happen when schools fully reopen in September, but here’s what we predict will change.

Hygienic flooring

Although measures such as strict cleaning and distancing of furnishings are existing short-term solutions, long-term solutions are needed. The summer holidays are the perfect opportunity for schools to renovate their classrooms and workspaces. Studies suggest that Covid-19 does not linger for long on porous surfaces, like carpet, so many schools are likely to turn to this as the safest flooring solution.

Increased focus on student wellbeing

It’s been a tricky time for pupils, as they typically thrive in the classroom. Therefore, any space should be a place of creativity and inspiration. Carpet design can help create a perfect positive working environment. The carpet tiles in our Array range are available in 24 different colours, with bespoke designs available on request. So, pupils can be effortlessly motivated in their colourful surroundings.

One-way systems

Students will be directed throughout school and in classrooms with one-way systems. With increased footfall on the same path, the flooring must be high-quality and durable. Our Social Distancing Carpet Tiles remind pupils to follow the rules and help with wayfinding, making them a great solution. With laser engraved arrows, our range of bespoke tiles are especially useful for one-way systems and remind pupils and staff alike to keep a safe distance.

Focus on flexibility

The sooner schools are COVID-proof, the sooner pupils can return safely. Therefore, there is an increased focus around functionality, rather than cosmetic appearance. Flexibility is key, as spaces can become multi-purpose and adapted to suit different activities and varying pupil needs. All our carpet tiles can be easily lifted and moved, enabling schools to fully utilise classrooms and spaces to their highest ability.

Heckmondwike’s Social Distancing Carpet Tiles are now available to purchase, however, due to the current situation, we are unable to provide samples of the product. For more information or to purchase your carpet tiles, please call us directly on 01924 406 161 or email: sales@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk.

With lockdown measures slowly starting to ease in the UK and businesses looking to reopen, the question of how to maintain safe social distancing measures is on everyone’s minds. The safety measures so far have helped prevent the further spread of Covid-19, and it’s imperative we continue to stick at it.

So, following the advice on Coronavirus from the UK government, at Heckmondwike, we have transformed our Supacord carpet tiles products into Social Distancing Carpet Tiles to encourage safe social distancing within schools, colleges, universities and commercial working environments as they gradually adapt to new practices, and here’s how.

Easy to set at 2-metre distances

Not only are our 50cm x 50cm tiles easy to set at 2m distances, but they can also be used anywhere throughout a building. Setting the tiles wherever you need will help to create certain walkways, nudging people in the right direction and providing a clear understanding of where they can walk and where they can stand, ensuring a safe distance is kept at all times.

Reduced risk of accidents

Some social distancing measures within schools or workplaces, such as loose lay mats, can cause more slips, trips and falls which may, in turn, result in failure to remain 2 metres apart from colleagues or classmates. Social distancing tiles are easy to fit and will decrease this risk.

Bright colours to increase awareness

For schools, in particular, the bright colours are a helpful way to remind young children where they should be walking or sitting. The Supacord range offers a range of different colours too, so you can have some fun with the design.

Our standard colours are steel grey, green and blue, but if required, you can also choose from 39 different shades of blue, red, orange and more.

Reinforce the message

By using our Fusion technology, we’re able to laser engrave arrows and safety symbols on the tiles, reinforcing the message to stay 2m apart from one another. The arrows also make it easy to know which direction to walk in and will avoid unwanted clashes.

For many of us, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, homeschooling is the norm at the moment. While teachers have provided learning packs and you may have had plenty of tips on how to assist your kids with them, it can still be a struggle finding the balance between home and school.

So, Heckmondwike FB have put together some of the best ways to create the ideal environment where children are still eager to learn.

Have a dedicated learning space

First thing’s first, dedicate certain parts of the house to learning. By doing this, the kids will know when to focus on school work and when it’s time to relax and play. This doesn’t just have to be one room, it could be certain parts of every room, but a dedicated space for learning only is important to improve concentration.

Make the most of your space

Throughout the day, kids don’t just stay in one classroom. Take them outside too or go into the hallway for an assembly before they return to their workspace. You could always create a reading area in the living room, a table in the kitchen for maths and if the weather’s nice – take the science projects outside!

Make sure everyone’s comfortable

Just like adults in an office, children should have appropriate chairs and a table to ensure they’re sitting comfortably throughout the day. They might want to work on the floor at some point if they’re building something or are required to move around a lot – just make sure they’re not hurting their backs.

Get creative

Make the space fun! Classrooms are full of colour, toys, pictures and so on. So, why not create a star chart or some fun visuals for the wall. They’ll love it and it will make your space feel a lot more educational.

Stay organised

The last thing you want is more mess in the house or to lose important school work. Use files and pencil pots or even just a shoebox to ensure all your child’s work is kept safe. Keeping the space clean and tidy will also improve productivity!

For more tips on how to design the perfect learning environment, at home or in schools, colleges and universities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact your local area manager here, call us directly on 01924 410 544 or email us at sales@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk.

As we enter the second half of the academic year, plans are well in place for facilities managers to refurbish and replace the carpets in student halls and houses.

JLL’s Student Housing Report forecasts there will be a further 500,000 full-time university students in the UK by 2030, and with the number of students choosing to stay in PBSA (Purpose-built student accommodation) rising, so is the number of new student living opportunities.

When it comes to student accommodation, first and foremost, the carpets should be durable. It’s likely they will need to withstand heavy footfall and wear and tear for several years, so longevity is vital. When evaluating your options, it’s also better to choose dark colours for the same reason.

According to an article published on savethestudent.org, 1 in 3 feel their accommodation is poor value for money, so here at Heckmondwike FB, we want to help change this by at least providing high-quality carpets throughout student halls and houses.

Due to the nature of student life, it’s important to consider the maintenance of carpets, too. The less upkeep and expense for both students and landlords, the better.

We offer a wide range of carpets that are specifically designed to achieve all of the above, with a huge collection of durable, long-lasting and practical carpets available in a variety of designs and colours.

It’s the robust construction of our fibre boded carpets, such as Supacord, which make them both durable and extremely low maintenance and therefore the best choice for student accommodation. Our products are also designed to not ravel or fray and all meet the relevant safety standards.

We have a long-standing history working with the education sector, including universities and colleges, alongside private accommodation providers, delivering both practical and stylish carpets, so you can rest assured your project will be in good hands with us.

For more information on our range of carpets for a variety of sectors (including student accommodation), please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can call us on 01924 410 544 or send us an email – sales@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk.

When it comes to the world of commercial carpets, there are a host of manufacturing methods that can be used to create a final product.

One such method is fibre-bonding, which Heckmondwike uses to manufacture its carpets for the commercial sector. It’s a process that has stood the test of time and produces carpets and carpet tiles that are extremely durable and versatile.

As such, the process is perfect for a wide variety of heavy-duty sectors such as education and apartment complexes.

The reputation of fibre-bonded carpets is just that, with the company’s Supacord range being the most obvious example of a product that can withstand any hard-wearing environment.

Despite all this, fibre-bonded carpets can sometimes be seen as unexciting, especially in more luxurious projects, such as modern office developments.

However, this is far from the truth, with Heckmondwike’s products going some way to dispelling the myths surrounding fibre-bonded carpets.

Fibre-bonded processes can be used to create linear patterns in the carpet, allowing for designs to be created at ease.

The most obvious examples of such designs can be found in Heckmondwike’s creative range.

Array, the company’s most popular design-led product, with its striking markings has provided a high-end finish to projects right across the country. The pattern delivers a creative touch that can rival any other, whilst still providing all the benefits traditionally associated with fibre-bonded manufacturing.

Heckmondwike also manufactures the Odyssey range, which has pushed the boundaries of fibre-bonded carpet tile production. With vertical and diagonal patterns, Odyssey offers a finish no other fibre-bonded product can.

If installations require a subtle design, Montage and Night Sky are ideal. Both have a dot pattern running throughout and come in a shot of colours that match popular corporate schemes.

So, when it comes to fibre-bonded carpets, don’t get sucked into the stereotype that they all just serve one purpose – being durable. Heckmondwike’s products deliver a creative finish, perfect for any installation.

For many, summer, and in particular, the school holidays, present the chance to unwind for a week or two and maybe even to take a well earned holiday, whether it’s a staycation in the UK or somewhere farther afield.

However, the opposite is true for Heckmondwike, as when it comes to summer, operations are gearing up for one of the most active times of the year.

As education is Heckmondwike’s largest sector, summer is the busiest period for the company. As schools break up for the six weeks holidays, it is the ideal opportunity for schools, colleges and universities to replace their carpet.

That means all equipment in the company’s manufacturing facility, alongside its production staff, are working around the clock, seven days a week to ensure customers, whether it’s architects, flooring contracts, facilities managers, main contractors or schools, receive the carpet in time for installation over the summer break.

Just like clockwork, the process takes place every year, and 2019 was no exception. Orders for summer installations in the education sector started early in the year and lasted right through to when students and staff returned to their classrooms at the start of September.

Once again, Supacord, which for over 40 years has been the smart choice for the education sector, was the company’s most popular product, with thousands of square meters being manufactured and dispatched to cater for demand in schools (whether primary or secondary), colleges and universities right across the country.

The company’s leading design product, Array, also delivered success across several facilities that required a creative touch. With a striking colour running throughout, many educations sites chose it, and paired it with Broadrib, to match the colour scheme of their crest or logo.

To showcase the work completed this summer, there will be a host of case studies uploaded to the Heckmondwike website over the coming weeks and months – so keep a lookout.

To find out more about the company’s expertise in schools visit https://heckmondwike-fb.co.uk/sectors/schools/, and to discover the company’s range of products for colleges and universities, visit https://heckmondwike-fb.co.uk/sectors/universities-and-colleges/.

Throughout summer, Heckmondwike, a market-leading UK manufacturer of fibre-bonded carpets, has been running a competition to win a bespoke logo mat, with the draw taking place in early September.

The competition has been running from June and will end on 31st August, so there is not much time left if you would like to be in with a chance of scooping the prize.

To enter, simply visit our ‘Summer’ competition page, https://heckmondwike-fb.co.uk/summer/, and fill out the contact form. Alternatively, when you place an order for a sample card on our site – https://heckmondwike-fb.co.uk/samples/ – quote the word ‘Summer’, and your entry will be added to our list.

Entries are open to all, including our key sectors of education, architecture and development, flooring contractors and distributors, among others.

A Heckmondwike bespoke logo mat allows customers to create a unique entrance to a building for employees, clients or students, with the mat incorporating a bespoke design, including a logo or name, onto the carpet. For examples of Heckmondwike’s bespoke logo mats, please refer to the bottom of this blog.

Please note, terms and conditions apply to this competition. The logo mat can only be up to the value of £1,000, and it excludes installation.

For more information about the competition, please contact marketing@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

Earlier this year, Heckmondwike, a market-leading UK manufacturer of fibre-bonded carpets, announced the sponsorship of an apprentice across its National Floorcoverings Ltd group of companies.

The Group is working in partnership with one of its long-standing customers, Hillside Contracts to provide support to trainee floor layer, Kai Linton.

More information about Kai and the reasons for the company’s sponsorship, can be found in the blog published on the Heckmondwike website in April, and throughout the year, Heckmondwike will be providing updates on Kai’s progress, and this is the latest…

Over the last couple of months, Kai has made significant progress with both on the job and off the job training, with more than 80 per cent of his learning being undertaken with ‘on-site’ jobs, putting into practice techniques he has been developing daily.

To date, Kai has been getting to grips with some large commercial projects and has completed vital floor preparation work including scraping and applying adhesive, alongside setting out and fitting carpet tiles – ensuring all steps are followed using manufacturers’ instructions.

Kai is supported on-site by a host of experienced floor fitters and is learning every day with their advice and mentorship, and as a result, is growing in confidence.

Further to this, Kai is also developing his skills at the Floortrain Training Centre in Doncaster. He is currently learning how to install textile carpet to a flat surface, alongside installing safety impervious flooring. Kai is expected to pass the ‘flat fit carpet’ task with distinction.

Kai has also performed well in a host of other tasks, including installing underlay and a matt well, alongside completing a heat seam joint.

National Floorcoverings Ltd, including Heckmondwike, is delighted to see how well Kai is progressing, with the company firmly believing in the importance of developing young talent to enhance the future of the industry.

Heckmondwike, a market-leading UK manufacturer of fibre-bonded carpets, has assisted a Willmott Dixon initiative to support a guide dog centre in Leamington Spa.

The company has provided 15 square metres of its specialist entrance and transition carpet, Diamond, in Charcoal, free of charge. The carpet has been installed to the reception area of the site by local flooring contractor Westcotes Flooring.

The donation is part of Willmott Dixon’s ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind Community Challenge 2019’. The project was aimed at improving training facilities at the Leamington Spa centre, with a full refurbishment of the existing garage building.

As a Willmott Dixon preferred supplier, and with the two companies working closely together on a number of projects throughout the country, Heckmondwike was more than willing to assist with the supply of carpet, which played a small, but vital role, in the development of the building.

Peter Barker, Heckmondwike area sales manager for the Midlands region said, “When Willmott Dixon asked us to support their ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind Community Challenge’, it was an opportunity we couldn’t turn down.

“Our relationship with the company is great and we always try and support their charitable activities in any way we can, as a way of giving back to the local community.

“Even though our Diamond entrance carpet is a small part of the building, the project is one I deeply care about, as I currently sponsor four guide dogs.”

Alongside Heckmondwike, Westcotes Flooring worked with other large suppliers in the flooring industry, such as Bostik, to provide new flooring and supplies across the facility.

Image supplied by Westcotes Flooring.

Heckmondwike, a UK-leading manufacturer of fibre-bonded heavy contract carpet and carpet tiles, including its market-leading Supacord range, has recently made two appointments to its team of area sales managers.

Martyn Grove and Mike Sanders have joined the company to manage the South West and North West regions respectively.

Both acquisitions have significant knowledge of the flooring sector, having worked for some of the largest companies in the industry, with over 40 years of experience between them.

As a result, Martyn and Mike are well versed with working in partnership with distributors, flooring contractors and main contractors, alongside the company’s key sectors including, education, architecture and development and apartments to build long-standing successful relationships and provide new business opportunities.

The pair will be covering the same regions as their predecessors, with no boundary changes taking place. This provides a seamless transition for all customers in both areas. For a detailed breakdown on area boundaries, and to contact Martyn or Mike, please visit https://heckmondwike-fb.co.uk/contact-us/sales-team/.

Bob Mortimer, UK & Ireland Sales Manager at Heckmondwike FB, said: “We would like to welcome both Martyn and Mike to the team at Heckmondwike FB. The appointments have been bought on board to enhance our already existing depth of knowledge in the sales team, while adding their own account management skills.

“It is important for both of them to get to know our customers, therefore, over the coming weeks and months, they will be contacting and visiting as many as they can across their respective regions.

“As we are currently in summer, our busiest time of the year – due to our expertise in the education sector, Martyn and Mike will be highlighting to our customers how Heckmondwike FB can provide key product lines, including Supacord on express delivery while maintaining high quality and cost-effective product.”