InterfaceFLOR Reports "Green" Growth Across Europe

European Modular Flooring Arm of Interface Inc. Improves ‘Triple Bottom Line’ Through Focus On Sustainability.

InterfaceFLOR the modular flooring arm of Interface Inc, has reported an outstanding year in Europe, registering 15% growth since 2005, according the group’s annual report.

The company, which has European manufacturing facilities in Halifax, West Yorkshire; Craigavon, Northern Ireland and Scherpenzeel in the Netherlands, has achieved impressive growth by gaining market share from competitors despite a slump in the European market.

An award winning leader in sustainability, Interface has been striving to reduce its impact on the environment since 1994. This global initiative is now called, “Mission Zero” and has been incorporated as a strong sustainability identifier for the InterfaceFLOR brand.

Lindsey Parnell, InterfaceFLOR’s President and CEO, says the company’s commercial success in the market is the result of several drivers:

“Our product innovation, design and quality have set us apart from our competition and our message of corporate sustainability, backed up with our sustainable product offering has proved compelling to customers, particularly in a climate driven by sustainable targets.”

As a category modular flooring has exploded. It’s a category we invented and defined – and continue to redefine. Whilst there has been a secular shift toward modular floor covering solutions within the corporate office, retail, healthcare and education sectors, InterfaceFLOR has also addressed these markets aggressively in Europe through the development and launch of major service and product innovations,” he continues.

This includes concepts such as Cool Carpet, which enables customers to offset emissions for the product’s lifetime and Paint On, a European innovation from Signature Works, which encourages creative engagement by enabling recognized designers to put their own signatures to modular flooring via paint-on, collage and digital techniques.

Another European innovation is the Straightforward modular product which has a very high sustainability rating as it uses less material to manufacture and is therefore lighter. Within a year of its launch, Straightforward won the prestigious Janus Award from French Design Institute.

InterfaceFLOR’s product design has also been inspired by the natural world through a process called biomimicry. Entropy is a range of carpet tiles that are random in design, like leaves on the ground, and can be laid in any order and orientation. They are easier to install, maintain and selectively replace and consequently reduce waste by 13% against normal carpets.

“All of these products are excellent examples of InterfaceFLOR design innovations that are driven by our corporate Mission Zero, yet address market needs perfectly. Mission Zero is making it clear for customers and employees that it pays to work with an innovative company,” says Mr Parnell.

In Europe, InterfaceFLOR’s success in product innovation has been paralleled by its progress toward achieving greater sustainability. As part of the Mission Zero programme, InterfaceFLOR has streamlined its product sampling campaign with a new sample tool kit that facilitates swift decision making and greatly reduces waste.

InterfaceFLOR’s strong position on sustainability means that its employees are often asked to explain the company’s sustainability aims and vision. In order to ensure these are understood, InterfaceFLOR in Europe has created a multi-level Fast Forward 2020 training programme which makes everyone a Mission Zero ambassador.

“We are making the business case for sustainability compelling, but it’s worth remembering that it benefits not just the bottom line, but rather a ‘triple bottom line’ comprising social, environmental and financial elements, which all contribute to profitability,” says Mr Parnell.

“Climate change will be the definitive issue of the twenty first century. We have customers asking us about sustainability and we can answer with a great deal of authority,” he continues.

The GlobeScan group of environmental experts recently singled out Interface as the worlds’ leading company in sustainability, rating it ahead of BP, GE, Shell Oil and Toyota. Interface has now set up a new consulting business, InterfaceRAISE, in response to requests from other companies to share its knowledge and expertise in sustainability.

Ends.

Date issued: 21 Jun 2007

Notes to Editors:

Interface Inc.

Interface is a recognized leader in the commercial interiors market, offering floor coverings and fabrics. The company is committed to the goal of sustainability and doing business in ways that minimize the impact on the environment while enhancing shareholder value.