Bamboo is predominantly seen as panda food but recently bamboo-flooring sales have grown exponentially. Source: The Star Online
Bamboo is quickly gaining market recognition as it is seen as sustainable replacement to other wood flooring at an affordable price.
Malaysian company Inovar ventured into bamboo flooring, the company is a pioneer in Asia in the laminate-flooring industry.
The company has come a long way in establishing its mark as a leading manufacturer of super water-resistant laminate flooring and it now serves in six countries through its branches in South-East Asia, Australia, Taiwan and India.
Besides this, Inovar Malaysia is also the first company to develop the Super E “O” series of laminate flooring for the Japanese market.
“We, as a company, are committed to using sustainable materials in order to minimise the long-term impact on the environment. Hence, when we had the opportunity to bring bamboo flooring to Malaysia, we pounced on it,” said Inovar Resources executive director Jason Tan.
Panda knows best Bamboo is considered a rapidly renewable source of wood as it grows back to a mature height by around seven years. This is because when it is cut, the root of the bamboo stalk is still alive in the ground.
By comparison, a tree such as an oak can take more than 120 years to be strong enough to be harvested for wood.
According to Tan bamboo flooring has become a major player in hardwood options.
“It is versatile, durable, and competitively-priced.
“Bamboo has become the floor of choice for many people building or renovating homes with an eco-friendly edge,” said Tan.
Tan said that 95% of bamboo was produced and harvested in the highlands of China.
Inovar Malaysia fully imports its bamboo flooring from the country.
“We have a state-of-the-art factory in Bestari Jaya (formerly known as Batang Berjuntai), Selangor.
“It is a fully-equipped with German technology and the latest in flooring.
“But, for now, we are happy to import our raw material from China,” said Tan.
Tan explained that bamboo is comparable to traditional hardwood floors in durability, flexibility and maintenance and is more environmentally friendly than different types of timber flooring as it can be sustainably grown and farmed.
According to published reports, bamboo is a moisture resistant material that will not warp or splinter when exposed to daily temperature changes and it stands up well to daily wear due to modern factory finishes.
An August 2010 report published by the Yano Research Institute of Japan showed that Inovar Floor was the number one brand in Japan (by market share in 2009) and the company has more than 200 distributors in more than 40 countries worldwide.
