Tarkett

The Tarkett Group is a privately owned, multinational French company specializing in sustainable flooring and sports surfaces. In 2010 the company had revenues of €1.9 billion, 30 production sites and employed around 8,800 people in over 100 markets across the world. 2010 world wide sales were split between: European Union 36%, North America 27%, BRIC 34%, other OECD markets 3%. 90% of revenues are from outside France.

Tarkett Group Logo

Tarkett Group Headquarters in Nanterre, France

History

Tarkett's history began in 1880 with the French Alfred Sommer Company.

Sommer, initially specializing in felt making, became a flooring manufacturer. The company's activities merged in 1972 with the French Allibert Company, established in 1919 as a rubber manufacturer and specializing in plastics, from garden furniture and bathroom fixtures to automobile parts and packaging, to form the Sommer-Allibert Group. The Group sold its plastic consumer and packaging products during the late 1990s.

At the same time, Tarkett AB, established in 1886 as a parquet producer in Northern Europe, incorporated the Pegulan Werke AG (established in 1946), becoming Tarkett AG in 1987. In 1997, Tarkett AG and the flooring activities of Sommer-Allibert were merged to form Tarkett Sommer AG, subsequently listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. In 2001, ceding to the mounting cost pressure in the globalized automobile parts market, Tarkett Sommer eventually span off its automotive business to Faurecia, a subsidiary of PSA. Two years later the Group changed its name to Tarkett SA, headquartered in Nanterre, on the outskirts of Paris.

Recent acquisitions and alliances include:

• 2002 - joint venture with the Russian and Serbian entities of Sintelon AD to form the largest vinyl flooring company in Russia, Ukraine and the Balkans.
• 2004 - acquisition of Marley Floors, a leading UK vinyl flooring manufacturer, improving the Group's position in the commercial UK vinyl market.
• 2005 - acquisition of FieldTurf, a Montreal-based specialist of artificial turf sports surfaces and of Johnsonite, a US based manufacturer of commercial rubber flooring and accessories.
• 2007 - acquisition of Defargo Sports Surfaces in the US (running tracks).
• 2008 - acquisition of the North American athletic track company Beynon.
• 2009 - full incorporation of Sintelon, acquisition of the Brazilian flooring manufacturer Fademac and the North American athletic track manufacturer Atlas. Joint venture with Turkish market leader Aspen.
• 2010 - acquisition of the synthetic turf producers Poligras in Spain and EasyTurf in North America. Acquisition of the North American luxury flooring manufacturer Centiva, purchase of the Rhinofloor brand in the UK.
• 2011 - acquisition of the French parquet manufacturer Marty.

Product Portfolio

Tarkett produces flooring products for many flooring market segments, including Health Care, Education, public and private Housing, Retail, Offices and both indoor and outdoor sports installations.

Vinyl and Linoleum floorings represent the group’s biggest volume segment with 64% of annual sales, followed by sports surfaces (13%), Wood and Laminate (12%), Rubber and Accessories (11%)

Brands

Tarkett, Johnsonite, Azrock, Nafco, Rhinofloor, Sintelon, Sinteros, Centiva, Polystyl, Tarkett Sports, FieldTurf, Beynon, Atlas, Poligras, EasyTurf

Ownership

Headquartered in Nanterre, France, Tarkett SA the holding entity of Tarkett worldwide operations is a private company. Its shares are owned by a holding company (SIF - Société d’Investissement Familiale). The shareholders of SIF to equal parts are the Deconinck family and private equity funds affiliated with Kohlberg Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR).

Research & Development

The Group has a dedicated innovation center in Wiltz, Luxembourg and partners with external resources such as Pennsylvania State University - Pennsylvania USA, The University of Michigan - USA, ENSAD (École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs) – France, and EPEA (Craddle to Craddle design) – Germany.

Corporate Milestones

• 1942 - first 3-layer hardwood flooring
• 1952 - first durable vinyl flooring
• 1957 - start of European vinyl recycling program to reduce landfill waste
• 1966 - development of vinyl wall coverings for improved hygiene
• 1975 - launch of PUR surface treatment for reduced maintenance costs
• 1978 - first adhesive free loose lay tiles
• 1980 - introduction of a flooring life cycle assessment to gauge overall economic impact
• 1994 - introduction of artificial turf outdoor sports surface
• 1996 - launch of rubber tiles made from recycled tires
• 2003 - start of North American post-installation recycling program
• 2006 - introduction of linoleum surface treatment to reduce maintenance costs
• 2009 - first homogeneous vinyl made with 75% renewable resources (IQ Natural)
• 2011 - conversion of the European product line to low VOC emission standards (<100 mg/m3 versus 1000 mg/m3 for European standards)

Key Projects

• Qingdao Shi Li Hospital, Bejing/China
• Georges Pompidou Hospital, Paris/France
• Womack Army Hospital, Fort Bragg/USA
• Empire State Building, New York/USA
• ASVEL League1 NBA Style Basket-ball parquet, Villeurbanne/France
• Major training grounds European League1 soccer teams
• Walmart Reuse recycling program, nationwide/USA
• Jets & Giants Meadowlands Stadium, New Jersey/USA
• Luzhniki Soccer Stadium, Moscow/Russia
• Société Générale Bank, 12 countries
• Accor Hotels, Brazil and USA
• Marks & Spencer Stores, nationwide/UK