Unilin has recently launched a new surfacing material called Evola – a brand new solution which combines the demand for authenticity with an affordable price.
Evola is available in three basic designs: Royal Oak, Heritage Oak and Minnesota Oak. Each design is available in various colours, so that all customers can find something to their taste in the extensive range. The designs vary from coarse to refined, and pale to dark.
The planks are user-friendly for both specialists and final customers.
One of Unilin’s customers is Pecceu Kitchens and Custom Interior Design, based in Deerlijk, Belgium. Manager Yves Pecceu, describes the concept of its 1200m2 facility, spread over three showrooms. “We display about nine kitchens, a few walk-in wardrobes and even a complete apartment,” says Yves. “People come to us for customised interiors. Everything from individual items of furniture to complete kitchens”.
Yves says there is a new consumer trend: “Customers find authenticity increasingly important. That is why wood is so popular.”
Of course that comes at a price. Yves explains: “The final price tag often puts people off. Wood is quite simply a very expensive material.”
“There are plenty of alternatives to wood on the market, but Unilin’s Evola designs are the most lifelike imitation of wood as far as I am concerned. Only a specialist would see the difference.
“Evola is a lot cheaper than wood, but has an authentic feel thanks to the imitated grain, knots, vessels and cracks. The planks come close to the natural patterns of solid wood. Customers increasingly want authenticity, but the price tag puts them off.”
All the visual aspects of the design are pressed into the laminated board in relief. This process is made possible by an advanced production technique that uses high-resolution inspection cameras. The decorative designs perfectly match the structure of the surface. “You actually feel what you see,” Pecceu confirms.
Evola is available in three basic designs: Royal Oak, Heritage Oak and Minnesota Oak. Each design is available in various colours, so that all customers can find something to their taste in the extensive range. The designs vary from coarse to refined, and pale to dark.
The planks are user-friendly for both specialists and final customers. “Evola is perfectly suited to custom work,” says Pecceu. “The decorative top layer is applied to extremely strong chipboard. I can saw, shape or process them easily with the CNC machine. Evola is also particularly well-suited to corner work or slanted applications.”
The end users do not need to do any maintenance work on Evola. That is a major contrast with wood applications. Yves Pecceu explains: “Wood needs to be kept in optimal condition throughout its lifespan by conditioning it with the right kind of oil or soap. With Evola planks, however, all you need to do is wipe the melamine layer with an ordinary cleaning product.”
The Evola imitates nature, but it respects the environment as well. Unilin has a clever way of processing the wood for the chipboard core and uses its own biomass plant to convert production waste into energy. By mainly using wood from forests close to its factories, and opting for river transport where possible, the negative impact of road transport is kept to a minimum. What is more, all the wood used in production has a PEFC label.
The Evola planks can be seen everywhere in Pecceu Kitchens and Custom Interior Design’s new showroom. “We try to anticipate trends. Evola is bound to become a household name. That is why we want our customers to get to know this new application. A sample does not tell you anything. Customers only really get to know the product in recognisable applications such as kitchens. They are usually surprised when I tell them they it is not real wood they can feel beneath their fingers”.
