Commercial Carpet - Heckmondwike

According to a recent study by the University of Salford, the design of a classroom can impact student performance by 25%. This study alone goes to show just how important it is to create a space which motivates and inspires students.

The relationship between classroom design and student learning is by no means a new discussion. Many forward-thinking teachers, headteachers and educators have been convinced that classroom design plays an important role in the learning experience.

To create a space that works for both the student and teacher, there are several factors to consider. Read on to see our blog explore some of these!

Acoustics are everything

Noise is the number one distraction within a learning space. It’s been proven that high noise levels affect learning and student performance. Therefore, it’s important to be able to control sound levels and reduce the amount of noise transmitted.

Soft furnishings and fixtures are fantastic for absorbing sound. According to the American Society of Interior Designers, carpet is 10 times more efficient in reducing noise than any other flooring type. The findings also showed that carpet was able to prevent sound from travelling between rooms.

Our carpet tiles are BS EN ISO 140-8: 21db accredited, which means the products can effectively reduce impact noise in a range of commercial environments.

The colour of learning

Add a splash of colour to your classroom. Not only does colour provide the perfect opportunity to portray personality, but it can be used to improve the learning experience and student performance.

Bright colours can inspire and motivate students, and even get them excited to learn. It’s important to have a basic understanding of colour psychology to ensure you are using the right colours. For example, yellow and red can increase creativity and alertness, whereas green and purple can create a peaceful and calm environment.

Flooring design provides an easy way to inject colour into classrooms. The carpet tiles in our Array and Supacord range offer a wide-ranging colour bank, from subtle greys and blues to vibrant yellows and purples. These colours match corporate colour schemes easily, which makes them ideal for learning facilities.

Multi-purpose space

The best classrooms are easy to adapt. With teacher and student sharing the same space, the classroom should be designed in such a way that facilitates the needs of both. This can be achieved with configurable furniture and flexible fixtures.

Some teachers may want to alter the space to suit different activities, such as group projects and individual work. Moveable furniture enables them to do this with ease and limits the distractions for students, and can help different types of learners.

Classrooms are bound to evolve, so that’s why we made our carpet tiles changeable. Our products can be easily lifted off the floor and moved, if necessary to suit changing spaces. This can make renovations easier to carry out, and much cheaper.

Contact our expert team for more tips to transform your space and for more information about our extensive product range. Call 01924 406 121 or email sales@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk.

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.

Monday 4th May 2020

Further to the statement made on 31st March, National Floorcoverings Ltd would like to provide an update to all its customers and stakeholders on the changes made to Group activity due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

As of today (Monday 4th May), all manufacturing and despatch departments across the Group, including Heckmondwike, Paragon Carpet Tiles, Mat.Works and Playrite have returned to fully operational levels. The Group has also increased its staffing capacity within customer services, alongside other areas of the business, to ensure any queries are managed efficiently and effectively.

However, even with increased capacity and staffing levels, the Group is ensuring that all staff are following Government guidelines and safe working procedures. Where it is applicable, employees are working from home.

The Group and all its employees would like to thank its customers for the support they have provided during this unprecedented time and it hopes everyone continues to stay safe and well. Alongside this, thanks go to the NHS and other frontline businesses that have worked tirelessly and continue to do so.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with customer services, whether that’s at Heckmondwike, Paragon Carpet Tiles, Mat.Works or Playrite. If you don’t have any details available, please visit the relevant company’s website.

The Group will provide a further update in due course.

Regards,

National Floorcoverings Ltd

Tuesday 31^st March 2020

Further to the statement made on 25^th March, National Floorcoverings Ltd would like to provide a further update to all its customers and stakeholders on the changes made to Group activity due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Group can confirm that due to concerns surrounding the safety and wellbeing of its employees, it will be closing the manufacturing operations of Heckmondwike, Paragon Carpet Tiles, Mat.Works and Playrite on Tuesday 31^st March, until further notice.

Although a hard decision to make, the Group values the safety of its staff above all else and therefore decided to carry out the aforementioned closure.

National Floorcoverings Ltd will issue a further statement once manufacturing operations are re-opened.

However, the company would like to reassure its customers that companies across the Group are available to take orders from its range of extensive stock, using the normal channels, with staff following remote working procedures. Despatch is also operating during this time to ensure orders are fulfilled.

At this time, the Group, and all its employees, would like to thank the NHS and all other support workers that are working tirelessly to combat the virus. That is why we are giving priority to all ongoing and new orders that are required for frontline businesses, or NHS departments, that may need the Group’s support during this time.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch your relevant sales contact, whether that’s at Heckmondwike, Paragon Carpet Tiles, Mat.Works or Playrite. If you don’t have any details available, please visit the relevant company’s website.

Once again, we would like to take this opportunity to wish every one of our customers, and their families, good health and we hope you all stay safe in these unprecedented times.

Regards,

National Floorcoverings Ltd

Every business should prioritise hygiene and cleanliness, and, for offices, educational facilities and retail spaces, it’s extremely important to keep carpets clean.

During this time of uncertainty, many businesses may have temporarily closed their doors, but for those who haven’t and for those who will be reopening in the coming months, here are our top cleaning tips to help prevent germs spreading.

Identify high traffic areas

Certain areas of all commercial spaces will see a higher footfall than others, and it’s important to pinpoint these areas in order to provide the extra care needed. Keep track of these places by writing them down or creating a cleaning chart – it’ll help to maintain higher cleaning standards.

Frequent vacuuming

Vacuuming your carpet regularly is key when trying to keep it clean and will also help extend its life. High traffic areas should be cleaned more often than others – daily if possible to avoid a build-up of dirt.

Deep cleaning

Although vacuuming will remove a lot of dirt from your carpet, it won’t remove 100% of it. This is why it’s important to give your carpets a deep clean at least three times a year. For high traffic areas, you should do a deep clean once a month.

One of our favourite carpet cleaning products is Prochem’s Microsan spray. It is effective against bacteria including MRSA and viruses including Hepatitis B, HIV, and coronavirus. It also has an apple blossom fragrance which will keep your commercial space smelling as fresh as it looks.

Have entrance mats

It might seem like a basic measure, but having entrance mats is a great way to stop as much dirt and debris being brought into a commercial space from outside!

Avoid eating or handling food in some areas

Most offices will have a separate area for eating and drinking, but a lot of businesses also allow staff to eat at their desks, which could create more spills. If you’re concerned about hygiene, try and limit where people eat in the workplace or in schools and universities to prevent more mess occurring.

At Heckmondwike FB, we have over 50 years’ experience in providing fibre bonded carpets to a wide range of sectors. For more information on how to clean your carpet, 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.

It’s that time of year again when teachers are ready for a well-deserved break and are counting down the days until the Easter holidays hit.

While many teachers might pop into school during the holidays to get ahead, studies have shown that students actually benefit from a teacher who has taken the time to relax and is more refreshed. And, it might not be the only thing students benefit from when refreshed.

The Easter holidays are a great time for the decor in schools, colleges and universities to be revived – especially the carpet. Taking the time to update the carpet in classrooms and communal areas can have a positive impact on both students and staff when they return for the new term as it can exercise their creativity.

It’s also a great opportunity to give the place a brand new look and feel – to breathe some life back into a room.

However, there is more to think about when choosing your new carpet than how it looks. In the education sector, almost all carpets need to be heavy contract rated to withstand the heavy footfall and general wear and tear.

Fibre bonded carpets are an excellent option as they tend to be anti-ravel, anti-fray and anti-static – making them ideal for schools and colleges using computers. They also help to absorb sound so can reduce noise and create a more relaxed atmosphere – another positive in learning environments.

Alongside this, many fibre-bonded carpets provide a cost-effective flooring solution not only at the point of purchase but throughout its life cycle. With its heavy-duty nature, the carpet will not have to be replaced as often, with many products providing a 10-year guarantee when used with advised cleaning a maintenance procedure – providing a large potential saving to the end-user.

Heckmondwike’s Supacord range still stands as a firm favourite for fibre bonded carpets within the education sector. It is a tried and trusted commercial carpet solution and is a smart choice for schools, colleges and universities in particular due to its durability and robust manufacture.

At Heckmondwike, we have over 50 years’ experience in providing a wide range of fibre bonded carpets and have a variety of colours and patterns available. So, if you’re looking to rejuvenate your school, college or university this Easter half term, 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: sales@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk.

Heckmondwike FB, one of the UK’s leading carpet manufacturers, has been shortlisted in trade magazine Tomorrow’s FM’s annual awards for its Supacord fibre bonded carpet range.

The national magazine, which is read by facilities managers across the UK, selects the top 50 companies that manufacture products and services that it feels are worthy of winning the prestigious ‘best product/service title’.

A full list of entries is released in a Guide produced by the magazine in January and readers are invited to vote online for who they believe deserves to win. Three winners then receive a trophy, which is presented in March.

Jeremy Broadhead, Commercial Manager at Heckmondwike FB, said: “We are really pleased to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award. Our Supacord range is very well established and widely specified for education and commercial projects – what really makes it stand out is the 42 different colour choices within the range. We’re really excited to see the results of the online voting!”

Rebekah Thompson, Editor of Tomorrow’s FM magazine, said: “We’d like to congratulate Heckmondwike FB for being shortlisted. We reviewed hundreds of companies’ products and services and it was an easy decision to nominate Supacord. We wish them and all the other shortlisted companies all the best in the final voting stage.”

Used in classrooms for over 40 years, Supacord is considered the number one carpet solution for schools, colleges and universities. It has an A+ BREEAM rating, offers anti-static and anti-slip properties and a reduction in impact noise. Like all Heckmondwike FB’s products, Supacord can be cut on-site without the risk of fraying, allowing individual flooring designs to be created and installed with ease.

Heckmondwike FB carpet tiles are British-made and provide outstanding performance, as well as being backed by a 10 year limited wear warranty, which means they can be specified in complete confidence.

Supacord samples and shade cards are available on request by calling 01924 413637 or via Heckmondwike’s free online sample store.

Heckmondwike FB, one of the UK’s leading commercial fibre bonded carpet manufacturers, has strengthened its market presence with two significant new appointments.

Lincoln Chillman has been appointed to the role of Area Manager for West London, Tunbridge Wells, Hampshire, Berkshire and Dorset and Jason McKelvey has been promoted to the role of Works Manager, following 12 years as Quality Control Inspector.

Lincoln has been in the flooring industry for over 20 years which includes working in flooring wholesale, retail, contracting and manufacturing. His objective is to raise awareness of Heckmondwike FB floor finishes within the region in which he operates, building on the company’s reputation for excellence in fibre bonded carpet.

Jason aims to enhance quality and production efficiency, to further improve customer satisfaction. His role involves running the production and despatch on site for both Heckmondwike FB and Playrite, the company’s sports surfaces business.

Commercial Manager Jeremy Broadhead explains: “Lincoln and Jason have almost 35 years’ experience in the carpet industry between them. Their extensive experience and understanding of the flooring industry will help us to reinforce our offer to the market, backed up by industry leading quality, production and delivery.”

Heckmondwike FB has recently revealed its new company branding, a new brochure and a re-designed website. The company’s powerful new strapline – ‘Heckmondwike – Makers of Fibre Bonded Carpets’ – demonstrates its unique heritage, celebrating 50 years of fibre bonded carpet manufacture for the education, commercial and health sectors.

The company’s refreshed contemporary image reflects a new design-led approach, which is reflected in its new shade card suite and corporate marketing literature and collateral.

Why carpets are a good option – now and forever!

You may have noticed that we’ve recently rebranded our company, with a new logo and strapline – ‘Makers of Fibre Bonded Carpets’. The reason we did this was to reinforce messages around our history, longevity and commitment to manufacturing fibre bonded carpet, here in the UK.

The branding exercise has also given us the opportunity to review our marketing messages and to ensure that we are clearly communicating to flooring contractors the benefits of fibre bonded carpet.With so many different flooring options out there, we think there’s a great opportunity to look at why carpet has stood the test of time and why it continues to be one of the UK’s most popular flooring choices.

History of floor coverings

As far back as 6000 BC there is evidence of goats and sheep being sheared for wool and hair and it being spun and woven into a material that was used for a number of purposes, including as clothing and as a floor covering. Dating from around 1480 BC the ancient Egyptians used handlooms to make rugs. In 1000 AD Marco Polo confirmed rug making was taking place in the Middle Eastern countries that he passed through.

In the Industrial Revolution in England, textile inventions were introduced by Hargreaves, Arkwright, Crompton which included weaving wool for many purposes, including soft flooring.

Over the years, there have been many developments in man-made fibres, loom widths and machine efficiencies bringing carpet within reach of the mass market.

Fast forward to the modern era and carpet is still as popular as ever in the UK for use in many different applications. Carpet design continues to be influenced by social and economic factors and fashion. Some of the most important reasons that contractors and specifiers choose carpet are for its thermal and acoustic performance. This has led to fibre bonded carpet being specified widely in public buildings, student accommodation, retail outlets, sheltered housing and offices. People like the soft, comfortable feel underfoot, which cannot be rivalled by any other floor covering. Carpet also has benefits in terms of reducing slips, trips and falls. Many of our entrance carpets enable grit and moisture to be removed from footwear, so it doesn’t cause damage to internal floor coverings and lowers the risk of accidents to visitors or occupants.

Design trends

There will always be popular trends in floor coverings and carpet is extremely versatile in being able to ‘move with the times’. For example, the planked look is being widely specified for both public and private sector buildings, including offices and student accommodation. Also, there is a trend for plain carpet that is intermingled with subtle elements of colour, as seen in our Array range.

Even though carpet manufacture has been around for thousands of years, it keeps on evolving. Recent innovations include, for example, the introduction of machines that enable bespoke logos and designs to be integrated within a carpet. Many schools, as well as private and public buildings are specifying this type of carpet to enhance and reinforce their branding in their entrance areas.

It’s worth considering why carpet is still one of the most popular floor coverings for so many different applications. Whilst more competitively-priced materials may deliver short term gains, there are few that can match a carpet’s aesthetics, comfort, acoustics and thermal performance.