Three Commercial Flooring Products From Tarkett Receive 2014 ADEX Platinum Award For Design Excellence

Harmonium xf2™ Linoleum, I.D. Freedom Commercial Luxury Vinyl Tile and Plank Collection, and Johnsonite Finishing Borders Honored by Program

Chagrin Falls, OH /PRNewswire/ - Three commercial flooring solutions from Tarkett, the worldwide leader in innovative and sustainable flooring and sports surface solutions, recently received Platinum Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX). These awards recognize the superior product design and quality of the company's Harmonium xf2™ Linoleum, I.D. Freedom Commercial Luxury Vinyl Tile and Plank Collection, and Johnsonite Finishing Borders, signifying them as outstanding members of the flooring solutions market.

Sponsored by Design Journal, ADEX is the largest and most prestigious awards program for product and project design in the architecture and design industry. Judged by the industry's most respected experts, the awards acknowledge superior products in the categories of architecture, interior architecture, interior design projects and landscape architecture.

"Tarkett often talks about our commitment to developing products that are beautiful and contribute positively to the environment and to the well-being of people," said Jeff Krejsa, Senior Vice President with Tarkett North America. "Receiving recognition for three of our products underscores our efforts as a company and highlights the talents of our employees to continue to develop and introduce high quality flooring to bring to a competitive market."

Each winning product emphasizes Tarkett's dedication to Balanced Choice – in design and sustainability – and was developed using the company's closed-loop, circular design model:

Harmonium xf2™ Linoleum – Available in 93 colors with a large range of both bright and clear colors, and natural and earth tones, Harmonium xf2 offers solutions for modern and traditional interiors. With a newly improved matte finish, the Harmonium xf2 visuals showcase the pure attractiveness of linoleum with extremely high resistance to wear and tear. Color number 400 in the new collection has no added color pigments, making it the natural color of linoleum and the most sustainable linoleum solution in the market.

The Harmonium xf2 collection underscores the company's commitment to circular or "closed loop" design. Truly sustainable, Harmonium xf2 is made from 95 percent natural materials such as linseed oil, flax seed, wood and limestone. Seventy-three percent of those materials are rapidly renewable, which is the highest amount of rapidly renewable content in the industry, and the line also features 34 percent recycled content. The Harmonium xf2 is FloorScore certified and has TVOC levels less than 100 μg/m3; therefore it contributes to better indoor air quality to protect human health. Additionally, the linoleum has earned a Cradle to Cradle Silver ranking and is USDA Bio-Based 95 percent certified for the ideal sustainable solution.

The proprietary Harmonium xf2 finish is the toughest in the industry and requires no initial waxing and polishing. Maintenance is faster and easier, saving most end users 30 percent on maintenance and 50 percent on water, detergents and energy over the life of the floor.

No other linoleum is so resistant to stains, abrasion and chemicals. Third party testing at the WFK Institute in Germany, a leading international cleaning technology research center, has shown that the Harmonium xf2 collections significantly outperform ordinary linoleum in brightness and color retention. In addition, they offer alkali and stain resistance to a variety of substances including acetone, coffee and betadine.

I.D. Freedom Commercial Luxury Vinyl Tile and Plank Collection – This unique collection has extraordinary designs that feel natural, but like nothing found in nature. Developed to offer designers the freedom of choice and flexibility, this flooring collection from Johnsonite delivers dynamic design, durability and low environmental impact. With more than 90 SKUs for virtually limitless design options, the designs live happily together coordinating within I.D. Freedom and across Tarkett's complete range of flooring solutions. I.D. Freedom is a range of plank and tile sizes, with six sizes available for the planks and two available for the tiles. Its range of looks includes wood, stone, abstracts, metallics and much more. Easy to install and maintain, I.D. Freedom is a luxury vinyl tile and plank solution with an exceptionally hard-wearing reinforced polyurethane surface treatment, 20mil wear layer and 1/8" gauge. I.D. Freedom contains 28 percent pre-consumer recycled content and is FloorScore® certified, contributing to good indoor air quality (IAQ). The product is also phthalate free, offering end-users a safer and healthier solution. I.D. Freedom is proudly manufactured in the United States and produced in an ISO 14001 certified manufacturing plant.

Johnsonite Finishing Borders – Johnsonite Finishing Borders beautifully and sustainably cover the gap between the wall and the floor. Johnsonite offers the most comprehensive collection of finishing boarders in the industry and has been leading the industry in materials science since they started perfecting the traditional wall base more than 70 years ago. Today, you'll find more materials, colors and profiles than anywhere else – including the most phthalate- and PVC-free options. Solutions include products such as Ecolibrium® Bio-Based Wall Base, with 10% renewable ingredients, and no phthalates or PVC. And it's 25% lighter per foot than standard wall base, meaning 25% less shipping costs. Or BaseWorks™ Thermoset Rubber Wall Base with a unique fusion of aesthetics, performance and sustainability. And Millwork® Wall Finishing System for the look of finely milled wood at half the time and cost. Then there's Wall Art™ Decorative Finishing Borders with the luxurious look of metal and stone, without the high cost of natural material installation and maintenance. rePLACE® is the world's first demountable system. This 100% recyclable wall base is hung on a track without adhesives to make switching out spaces a breeze. These, along with all their other Finishing Borders, all contribute to LEED credits, too.

For more information about the ADEX award-winning products or any of Tarkett's comprehensive range of commercial flooring solutions, finishing borders and accessories, visit www.tarkettna.com.

About Tarkett
Tarkett is a global leader in innovative and sustainable solutions for flooring and sports surfaces. With a wide range of products including vinyl, linoleum, carpet, rubber, wood & laminate, synthetic turf and athletics track, the Group serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. With 11,000 employees and 30 production sites, Tarkett sells 1.3 million square meters of flooring every day, for hospitals, schools, housing, hotels, offices, stores and sports fields. Committed to sustainable development, the Group has implemented an eco-innovation strategy and promotes circular economy. Tarkett net sales of 2.5 billion euros in 2013 are balanced between Europe, North America and new economies. Tarkett is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A, ticker TKTT, ISIN: FR0004188670) and is included in the following indices: SBF 120, CAC Mid 60, CAC Mid & Small, CAC All-Tradable. For more information about Tarkett global, please visit www.tarkett.com. To learn more about Tarkett's range of products in North America, visit www.tarkettna.com.