Even greener and even more innovative. That is how Amorim Cork Flooring now presents itself, with a 100% PVC-free portfolio, under the new Wicanders Wise brand. The initial goal was to make all Amorim Cork Flooring products even greener, i.e. 100% PVC-free by 2025. This ambitious target was achieved one year earlier, and became a reality in January 2024. Through this revolution, Amorim Cork Flooring will now produce totally synthetic polymer-free solutions in all its ranges, via the new Wicanders Wise brand, which represents, as the name suggests, a fusion between the comfort of Wicanders and the sustainability of Amorim Wise, in a single range. This important step in Amorim Cork Flooring’s history is a clear sign sustainability and decarbonisation, in the context of the climate crisis, constitute an absolute priority for the company: “Carbon emissions in the construction industry account for around 40% of global emissions,” says Fernando Melo, CEO of Amorim Cork Flooring. “In light of this brutal fact, three years ago we set ourselves the target of eliminating the use of PVC in all our products by 2025. Thanks to the efforts and commitment of the entire company, it will be possible to achieve this goal in January 2024.
Allying innovation and sustainability, the launch of Wicanders Wise undoubtedly constitutes a historic milestone for Amorim Cork Flooring, which has been developing cork-based flooring solutions since the 1970s. The company’s origin derives from the concept of the Circular Economy, based on using all by-products from the cork transformation process. To implement its new strategy, the company has progressively replaced all product ranges that still used PVC, with new products based on digital printing technology. Around €10 million have been invested in the acquisition of a new digital printing line which, in addition to the realism of the printed image (directly on cork), replicates the texture of the different visuals, whether wood or stone, without using PVC. Fernando Melo summarises the motivation behind this investment: “we feel it is our duty to provide our customers with more than just a PVC-free offer. We provide a natural cork-based product, which has no fossil components and offers the same resistance as synthetic products.” With a network of retailers and distributors in more than 60 countries, Amorim Cork Flooring is reaffirming its position as a leader of innovation and sustainability in the world of flooring.
