2018 - Välinge continued to build for the future

As a base for future initiatives, we have summarized the main activities that happened during 2018. A new factory, a record number of new patents, more R&D activities than ever before, new licensees and so on. In other words, 2018 has been a great year.

The new state-of-the-art factory is completed 
The €50 million investment to build a state of the art factory for large volumes of powder-based floors with Woodura® and Nadura® surfaces in Viken is now up and running, resulting in the creation of new jobs and further business. The high-tech production line has a pressing capacity of 7 million m2. In order to secure veneer, needed in the Woodura® production process, Pervanovo acquired the Croatian veneer producer Furnir Otok d.o.o. in September. 
 
37 new licensees 
During the year Välinge welcomed 28 new flooring licensees and 9 new furniture licensees.Välinge is proud of supporting its 235 licensees worldwide to help them stay at the forefront of the flooring and furniture technologies.
 
421 new patents
A record number of patents was granted to Välinge in 2018 that now includes more than 2500 granted and enforceable patents, with 421 new patents added to the existing patent portfolio;

• Click Flooring Technology – 173 
• Surface Technology –  115 
• Plastic Floor Technology – 73 
• Digital Technology- 38
• Click Furniture Technology – 22

  
R&D and customer support activities 
With over 200 dedicated employees and facilities of over 20,000 m2, the R&D center of Välinge is bigger than ever. The center comprises–among other things–pilot production, lab facilities, a climate chamber as well as an exhibition area. During 2018, Välinge produced 285 prototype series to implement floor locking and furniture technologies on current and potential licensees’ products as well as to test new technologies and innovations. Through this unique and unmatched R&D and support expertise, Välinge continuously ensures its licensees to get the most suitable locking systems, tailored to their products and requirements. 
 
LEGO® owner buys into Välinge
KIRKBI, the holding and investment company of the Kirk Kristiansen family – the owners of LEGO – signed an agreement to acquire investment group KKR’s 49.8% stake in Välinge. The Pervan family maintains its majority ownership of 50.2%, held via Pervanovo Invest AB. The partnership with KIRKBI aims to further strengthen Välinge’s position as a leading industrial R&D company and flooring producer.
 
8 trade shows on different continents
The year started with 3 major floor trade shows (Domotex in Hannover, Surfaces in Las Vegas and Domotex in Shanghai) and ended with 3 big furniture trade shows (IWF in Atlanta, Sicam in Italy and FMC (Furniture China) in Shanghai).