PRESS FOLDER
EGGERZUM
February 2014
Your contact persons:
Ulrich Bühler
Head of Sales / Marketing
EGGER Group
Klaus Monhoff
Head of Design and Decor Management
EGGER Group
Table of contents
MATCHWORX
The new decors for EGGERZUM 2014 support an individual patchwork of wood and material reproductions, colours, styles, surfaces and trends.
EGGER Design Week significantly expanded
In its 22nd year, EGGER has developed the EGGERZUM in-house exhibition further to create a nine-week presentation of new features.
Innovation in all fields of activity
EGGER meets social and economic challenges with a consistent innovation strategy.
For queries:
FRITZ EGGER GmbH & Co.Wood-based materials
Manuela Leitner
Weiberndorf 20
6380 St. Johann in Tirol
Austria
Phone+43 5 0600-10638
Fax+43 5 0600-90638
MATCHWORX
The new decors for EGGERZUM 2014 support an individual patchwork of wood and material reproductions, colours, styles, surfaces and trends.
After the presentation of new decors for the furniture industry under the dual trend topic “Timeless – Spirit of the Time” last year, the type of combinations is now taking centre stage in 2014. “MatchworX”, the motto of this year’s EGGERZUM in-house exhibition, brings combination possibilities together in a new dimension based on the full range of current trends between sleekness and emotion.
Social mega-trends such as globalisation, mobility and individualisation have a significant influence on the way we live and how we decorate our homes. “While people used to choose a way of life and a style during the first third of their lives in the past, life does not tend to be as linear today,” says EGGER design expert Klaus Monhoff, offering insight on the observations underlying the newly developed decors under this year’s EGGERZUM motto “MatchworX”. Here the desire to combine materials, colours, styles, surfaces and trends is a central aspect: “What may appear like mix with no match from the outside is an individual patchwork for the user, with a pronounced personal touch.”
Material reproductions are gaining greater importance in this context, and demand a palette of exciting, trendy material characteristics that nevertheless harmonise with each other, allowing “MatchworX” to be reinvented time and time again – without becoming tiresome, as Klaus Monhoff explains: “MatchworX does not mean that anything goes. Mix and match has entered a new dimension, but a fundamental harmony between materials and colours is important. This is what we are demonstrating with the new decors at EGGERZUM 2014.”
The EGGER decors and surfaces offering this range are defined by two design trend themes. For one thing, a new sleekness and flexibility in design demands additional decors that tend to be more timeless and neutral, that follow changes and are open to adaptation. On the other hand, the mega-trend of individualisation also brings emotion to the design, along with unconventional elements to communicate someone's personality. In keeping with the “MatchworX” concept, the trends of “new sleekness” and “emotion” can easily be combined.
Timeless wood types for a new sleekness
People in keeping with the spirit of the time have fewer and fewer tangible possessions, as memories are digitalised and consumer goods are shared or borrowed. Trendy furniture is defined by an adaptive, playful design and timeless materials. It is flexible in adapting to the living circumstances of the user. Sleekness is also expressed in design, which looks and is lightweight.
A slim appearance and delicate shapes in turn demand decors with an understated appearance. Such timeless-elegant types of wood are found among the EGGERZUM decors, for example with H1796 ST27 Tortona natural which sets itself apart with a calm decor image and a dark synchronised pore, or H9451 ST36 Fleetwood champagne that permits numerous colour combinations with neutral and intensive colours as well as metallic hues.
The H9741 ST9 Marseille Walnut decor is ideally suited for thinner boards and echoes the sleek design theme. The beautiful walnut hue that appears untreated looks vibrant but not rustic thanks to the sectioned florets. When it comes to Gladstone Oak, the established colour variations are complemented for the first time by H9327 ST28 Gladstone Oak White. The same applies to the Cape Elm decor series with its soft flow of full florets and their elegant matt-gloss effects, that are emphasised by the ST29 Feelwood synchronised pore effect.
The ceramic materiality of F9312 Ceramic chalk was developed especially for thin elements and the relatively neutral decor image provides a trendy sleekness.
Cool and metallic uni colours
In terms of this new sleekness, EGGER is also presenting neutral uni colours which partlyare also combined with white. When combined with cool grey hues like U700 Moonlight Grey, U763 Pearl Grey, U732 Dust Grey and U960 Onyx Grey wood appear lighter. The muted blue hue U504 Alpensee with the perfect matt texture ST9 creates this effect in combination with light wood types and stone decors.
Light, metallic colours in combination with popular wood types correspond to the “Casual Glamour” trend. Here EGGER has expanded its quartz series and is now presenting a very light hue with F9460 Quartz Aluminium that can almost be considered white aluminium and, with F9461 Quartz Bornit, a pure copper hue which is currently seen across many product groups.
Emotional accent with intensive unis
We also find the trend theme of “emotion” in the new decors. These are in demand because simply consuming has long since fallen out of favour. Now people want to “experience” things. Therefore the neutral and flexible products have to have a personal note, this can be achieved by the emotional effect elements in the design.
For example, EGGER brings emotion into play with intensive yet premium uni colours. They can be combined in a retro look but also in the unusual new “colour blocking”.
With U9606 Emerald, U9199 Caramel, U328 Lipstick and U630 Lime Green, intensive but premium uni colours come into play as accent colours. With their ST9 Perfect Matt texture, they create special effects in the interplay with wood but also with the current cool grey hues.
Emotion with a vintage appearance and rustic naturalness
Emotionally charged wood types can also serve as the individual sources of contrast in furniture design. H9371 Oak Linate for example with its slight proportion of grey exhibits has the character of used wood. It is therefore well suited when it is used in combination with the cooler grey hues as well as mud hues. Rustic and natural wood can be transformed into a tactile experience with the use of ST36 Brushed Wood and is suitable for emotional designs.
H9200 Norrland Ash creates an expressive accent. The sandblasted appearance provides this ash with an effective naturalness due to its depth effect, which is discernible from a distance. The H9430 Aland Pine decor combines elegant streaks with rustic elements to make the decor image more lively.
H9806 Stavanger Birch promises “a different version of birch”. Thanks to the strongly brushed surface this decor has a very nice depth effect, at the same time it exhibits a varied interplay of colours to support many uni colour combinations. H9415 Sonnenberg Larch on the other hand reveals a highly authentic used look appearance that is well suited for worktops in combination with light uni colours such as White, Magnolia or Cashmere.
Tactile experiences
Next to these accents and contrasting elements, the feel of the new decors creates the desired emotions. For example, the synchronised pore surface ST28 Feelwood nature lets the H3309 Gladstone Oak decor appear like deeply brushed genuine wood.
Woodgrain decors (for example H9371 Oak Linate) gain a sandblasted character with non-synchronised yet surprisingly tactile surfaces, like the ST36 Brushed Wood. The ST87 Ceramic surface is emotional as well, combining matt-gloss effects and a tangible feel for the stone and ceramics look.
Presentation of surface suggestions
Three new surface suggestions are also being presented at EGGERZUM 2014. For these, texture highlights and the three established synchronised pore surfaces ST27 Feelwood elegance, ST28 Feelwood nature and ST29 Feelwood ambiance feature. Two of the versions are additional synchronied pore suggestions: In the Halifax Oak decor, the synchronised pore surface ST937 Feelwood rift was not only pressed onto the pore image to match the woodgrain, but the cracks and mirrors belonging to the decor are transformed into a tactile experience as well. The second new synchronised pore development ST938 Feelwood pure is shown on the Norrland Ash decor. This ash decor thanks to the brushed surface exhibits the character of a rough wood surface. With the ST989 Sparkle suggestion, a new worktop texture with a matt, slightly textured surface is being shown. Its scattered, glossy sections show stone decors with an added depth.
Tangible stone and material reproductions
The calm granite F9222 ST87 Tessina is convincing with its refined details including small visual recesses. The decor in the Cream, Terra and White colour variations can either be used on the worktop in combination with striking, lively coloured wood types, or in combined applications for the front panel and carcass of a floor unit block.
The lively worktop decor F9255 Diamond Slate, a large-scale slate decor with a varied interplay of colours, is suitable as a colour contrast to uni colours on the doors. Fine veins with a vertical and horizontal orientation enliven the stone and provide the sandstone decor F9224 Maya with its very special character.
New features for 2014 under the motto “MatchworX”Decor innovations between new sleekness and emotion
Combinations in a new dimension
Design as an individual patchwork
Trend topic of new sleekness are timeless-elegant wood types, cool and metallic uni colours / Trend topic of emotion are intensive uni colours, striking wood types as sources of contrast, vintage appearances and tactile surfaces
Synchronised pore surfaces, ST36 Brushed Wood for a sandblasted appearance and ST87 Ceramic
Three new surface suggestions.
EGGER Design Week significantly expanded
In its 22nd year, EGGER has developed the EGGERZUM in-house exhibition even further to create a nine-week presentation of new features.
Customers from the furniture industry are coming to the Brilon Forum from 20th January to 21st February and to the St. Johann Forum from 24th February to 28th March. Here they will familiarise themselves with the latest EGGER decor developments and new features.
“We have planned more than twice as much time for the EGGERZUM Design Weeks in Brilon and St. Johann this year than we did in the past. More than 50 individual customer meetings will be held in the first five weeks of EGGERZUM in Brilon alone,” says Ulrich Bühler, Sales & Marketing Manager EGGER Group. In addition to the time factor, the 2014 in-house exhibition is also taking up significantly more space.
The second upper storey of the Brilon Forum, which was only opened last year, has now been developed into a new features exhibition. As explained by Klaus Monhoff, Head of Decor and Design Management EGGER Group: "The exhibition, in addition to the decor trends, also offers insights into the development efforts of the in-house design team. For example, we are presenting decor development on a digital printing basis and decor ideas with concrete application examples. The exhibition facility also provides space for regional trends, allowing our customers to identify export opportunities as well.”
EGGERZUM as part of the trade fair strategy
Ulrich Bühler, Sales & Marketing Manager EGGER Group, explains that upgrading EGGERZUM from the presentation of decors with the character of a workshop into an integrated in-house exhibition concept follows a consistent strategy: “As part of our trade fair strategy for decorative furniture products, we have decided to focus on presenting our 2014 new features in-house, rather than participating in ZOW in Bad Salzuflen as we have done in previous years. This is the reason behind upgrading EGGERZUM.”
Further development of the EGGERZUM in-house exhibition20.1. – 21.2.2014 in Brilon,
24.2. – 28.3.2014 in St. Johann
Expanded presentation of new features / Part of the integrated trade fair strategy
Insights into the development work of the design team.
Innovation in all fields of activity
EGGER meets business and economic challenges with a consistent innovation strategy.
For the wood-based material industry, 2013 was once again defined by consolidation in the industry, major price pressure for wood-based materials and rising raw material prices. Nevertheless the EGGER Group was able to increase its revenues in the first half of the 2013/14 business year by 2% to EUR 1,137 million. The sustained positive outlook for 2014 is based on a strategy to solidify the market position, modernisation of the plants, regional and product diversity and ongoing innovations in the product, process and service segments.
Innovation has always been very important for EGGER and is firmly anchored in the company culture. Regular innovations in products segment include the newly developed decors, textures and surfaces, which are being presented during the annual EGGERZUM in-house exhibition. In order to further develop the combination of appearance and touch with deep textures and high-performance materials, three new short-cycle presses have or are being installed in St. Johann (AT), Brilon (DE) and Gagarin (RU) during 2014. They complement the product portfolio at these plants with high-end surfaces and compact laminate. At the plant in Gifhorn (DE), a new continuous CPL line is being put into operation in February of 2014. It will allow laminates to be produced in high gloss quality for the first time.
Product innovation in the spirit of the time
In general the wood-based material manufacturer counts on highly upgraded, design-oriented and functional products. For example, the EGGER clic system for pre-fabricated furniture components and surfaces with synchronised pores on both sides were introduced last year as innovations for the furniture industry. The clic system makes it possible to assemble furniture without tools. Instead of glue, screws or dowels, the individual components are joined using a tongue & groove joint system milled into the material, reminiscent of the click principle used in laminate flooring. With Feelwood, EGGER brought double-sided synchronised pore surfaces for furniture to the market for the first time. The tactile characteristics of the synchronised pore texture correlate with the visual markings of the grain, giving the impression of genuine wood. In the course of adding new features to expand the international ZOOM wood-based material collection, which was first presented at EuroShop 2014, the wood-based materials with synchronised pore surfaces will soon be available to architects and fabricators as well.
With the social mega-trends
According to Ulrich Bühler, Sales & Marketing Manager EGGER Group: "The product innovations consistently follow the so-called social mega-trends. For example, increasing urbanisation is resulting in a need for new residential concepts to support urban living in a smaller space. We are addressing this with particularly lightweight or thin boards that are nevertheless able to withstand heavy loads, or with functional materials that are able to meet fire or sound protection requirements.”
The mega-trend of individualisation is clearly reflected in this year’s new decor developments. Modern consumers are demanding authentic products and often special decor and surface properties as well. Accent colours that can be individually applied, materials in timeless visual quality and, last but not least, the resulting flexible combination possibilities meet this demand.
Expectations have increased in regards to health as well. This is why EGGER is always striving for product developments that, for example, reduce ambient sound, have low emissions or feature easy to clean surfaces. In keeping with the ecology concept, the wood-based material manufacturer assumes a leadership role in putting sustainability into practice. It stands for the careful use of wood as a resource, follows the principle of cascading use and develops products and production processes that allow wood to be used economically. EGGER is Europe's first wood-based material manufacturer to disclose the environmental performance of its products in independently verified EPDs (environmental product declarations).
Service innovations around the product
In the service segment, EGGER puts its proximity to the customer to use in order to offer additional benefits and solutions around the products. This is accomplished with a variety of services to provide support from planning to delivery of the products. The ZOOM Collection makes it possible for the company to expand its partnership with distributors, architects, planners and fabricators. Support is provided by the EGGER sales representatives, the ZOOM hotline, the samples shop and an extensive selection of information. Digitalisation comes into play here as well: electronic services include the ability to order product samples directly through the online samples shop, visualise decors in a room set with the Virtual Design Studio (VDS) – which is now also available as an app for iOS and Android – and plan furniture using the Roomdesigner software with fabrication and delivery of all components directly by EGGER.