DALTON, GA – Tandus Flooring has launched a new, sustainable product portfolio system that is completely reusable and features a more detailed spine description with Microsoft® Tag technology. The first of the new binders shipped with many new styles launching this summer. (Tandus Flooring’s portfolios will be the first in design libraries to have this fresh new look with Tag technology.)
Tandus Flooring conducted focus group surveys with key designers in New York, Atlanta, Dallas, and San Francisco to gain insight into important factors to consider for sampling efficiency and sustainability. Tandus Flooring’s innovative new design took into account the data gathered and applied to its new system.
“The design community is operating in a different economic environment today and their challenges are considerably different than they were three or even five years ago,” explains Tom Ellis, vice president of marketing, Tandus Flooring. “Across the country, the information was consistent and invaluable. We spend millions of dollars on sampling; why not get it right for those that need it and also for our environment?”
Each year carpet sample books produce thousands of pounds of waste because there is no designed reusability after the first style is produced due to the use of glue and non-recyclable materials. Tandus Flooring’s innovative portfolio design is reusable from the spine to the contents.
Each book features trays that allow for perfect placement of the flooring sample that can “pop out” and “pop back in” with ease because there is no glue or Velcro—only the simple use of friction. Samples “in use” do not make the book obsolete since they can be reordered so the book never has to leave the shelf. Further, replacement samples fit back into the tray rather than shipping a full size sample, asking the designer to cut and glue samples back into place. Shipping small replacement samples saves shipping costs, fuel, embodied energy and other valuable resources, not to mention design time.
“We also had to address the concerns of product photography,” notes Kim Andrews, senior project manager, Tandus Flooring. “We consider the new product photography a piece of literature that designers can use for project presentations. The convenient literature pouch within each portfolio allows the literature to be used and easily replaced. More importantly, it can be reordered if it is critical to the project presentation or the client.”
In the event a style is dropped the book can be reused as we simply take the books back, recycle the samples, add the new label to the spine and put in new samples with literature. If the books are ever abused beyond reuse, Tandus takes them back and separates the trays from the binder so the whole thing can be recycled (and then the samples are recycled—adding to the 165 million pounds of flooring, including competitor products, recycled since 1994).
The inspiration of our new portfolio design is sustainability but not to forget the functionality of these books as our clients’ needs are always critical in their workplace. Based upon the input from our surveys the new spine design has more critical information than before so the decision-making process can go well beyond just the style name even while sitting on the shelf. Each spine features the style name(s); coordinate group of all available styles; image(s) of the style design inside; flooring type (Powerbond®, modular, broadloom or woven); environmental indicator; yarn system; and Microsoft Tag.
Click here to view new spine design.
For the first time in the flooring industry, clients have access to Tandus.com directly from the spine with use of the Microsoft Tag. When the Tag is photographed with a Smartphone camera, users are directed to Tandus.com on the mobile device giving customers a direct link to Tandus.com simply by taking a photo or scanning the tag.
Download the application here: http://gettag.mobi (it takes less than one minute).
“We have always taken a collaborative approach to problem solving,” adds Ellis. “The surveys confirmed that we needed to solve not only the sustainable issue of sampling but many workplace issues not being addressed by our industry and we challenged ourselves to kinetic solutions. Our goal was to be able to view actual samples within three motions of touching the portfolios. We were able to do it in two! Some of us cheated and used the Tag reducing the motions to one. The Tag technology offers our clients the opportunity to get more information on a product, feature or service of Tandus Flooring instantly. These Tags truly transform the way our clients access our company—Tandus Flooring is now at their finger tips … literally.”
Tandus Flooring will feature newly designed sustainable product portfolios with Microsoft Tag technology in Showroom #3-391 at NeoCon. For more updates and information on this year’s new products, logon to the Tandus at NeoCon Web site (TandusatNeocon.com) or follow them on Twitter at TandusatNeocon.
About Tandus Flooring
Tandus Flooring (www.tandus.com) creates innovative floor covering solutions through its unique product line of Powerbond®, modular tile, broadloom and woven products that work in tandem to enhance spaces for learning, working, healing and living. Through inspired design and leading-edge technology, Tandus Flooring offers its customers a single-source for innovative product design and technology, comprehensive services, and environmental leadership. For more than 40 years, Tandus Flooring has been examining all the ways to be a better corporate citizen and environmental steward—and then taking actions that lead to demonstrable, meaningful, quantifiable results.
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