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FBR March 2016

www.fbreporter.com FOOD & BEVERAGE REPORTER | MARCH 2016 | 35 RETAIL T he recently-opened Eagle Canyon Super SPAR in Roodepoort took a giant retail leap forward when the owners decided to veer away from the usual porcelain tiles and opt instead for luxury vinyl tiles and sheeting for the 2700 sqm store. Vinyl floors have proven to be an excellent option for high traffic areas and for use in environments where hygiene is of paramount importance. No longer limited to hospitals and healthcare environments, modern vinyl floors come in a wide range of different looks and finishes, including wood, stone or porcelain. "They are easy to maintain, slip resistant, able to withstand heavy foot traffic and even inhibit bacterial growth,” says Tandy Coleman-Spolander, Marketing Director of Polyflor SA, which supplied the Eagle Canyon flooring. Retail flooring has to meet certain functional needs, such as being able to withstand high foot traffic, shopping trolleys and the day-to-day operational issues of moving stock around. he floors in the food preparation areas also have to conform to health standards similar to those in health care facilities. On-going maintenance and long-term replacement of the flooring must also be considered, as changing of porcelain tiles in-store always presents operational difficulties. “All these considerations made vinyl flooring a viable product for this purpose,” says Adrian Breckenridge, designer for SPAR South Rand. “We used two major finishes to give us two very contrasting looks. On the one hand we used Polyflor's Expona Commercial PUR in Blue Recycled Wood giving a feel that is very natural, warm and engaging in the service department areas, where we created a “market” feel that sub-consciously encourages consumers to mill through the areas On the other hand, using Pearlazzo PUR Chalkburst we have a clean, modern and slick look that provides an uncomplicated experience in the dry goods areas,” he explains. Both floors have a PUR coating, giving them a polish/ sealer-free maintenance regime for the life of the floor. The polyurethane has been reinforced by applying a higher weight, top quality polyurethane, that has been UV cured and cross-linked, to the product, ensuring significant cost savings for the owner in the long run. Furthermore, the lack of grout joints and the smooth, warm feeling of the vinyl floors adds to the ambience and the overall appeal of the shopping experience. Breckenridge believes the Eagle Canyon SuperSPAR has set a new standard that other stores will soon be following. Think retail. Now think vinyl. Not your average vinyl floor ... the Polyflor finish at Eagle Canyon SuperSPAR.

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