Wear Resistant Overlay for Flooring - Market and Technology, 1997 Asian Laminates Symposium Proceedings

Wear Resistant Overlay is an engineered product where cellulose fibers and wear resistant particles are combined in a single process on special papermaking equipment. The application of wear resistant overlay during lamination by LPL, CPL and HPL processes has become a standard practice to impart abrasion resistance to the surface of flooring panels. Mead USA has been producing such overlays for years and in the past 6 years has developed various grades with different abrasion levels suitable for residential and commercial flooring. Mead has successfully improved the abrasion resistance as well as clarity through selection of specific raw materials and advancement of paper technology. There has been also continued advancement in selection and development of suitable substrates, evolving new printing patterns particularly for flooring application corresponding to taste of different countries, improvement in pressing and profiling technology and laying techniques. In Europe laminate flooring has established itself as a product and is experiencing a continued fast growth capturing new markets. The production and sales of laminate flooring has started in North America and Asia with expectations to grow well. Mead is working with customers, EPLF and NALFA to establish specifications and contribute towards promotion and general awareness/ advancement of laminate flooring.