23/05/2019
Continental Wins Four Interzum Awards
Surfaces honored for high product quality at leading international trade show Cologne, May 24, 2019. Technology company Continental is showcasing surfaces for the global furniture industry at Interzum in Cologne from May 21–24, 2019. The seven product innovations and new concepts that the company is unveiling at the leading international trade show for furniture production and interior design will stimulate designs for the living spaces of tomorrow. Four award-winning products Four Continental products were winners for their high product quality in the Material and Surfaces category of the Interzum Award: Intelligent Material & Design 2019. Three of these – one upholstery material, two furniture films – are new products celebrating their premiere at the show under the skai product brand. The other award winner is the breathable laif VyP Nappa upholstery material, which was launched in 2018. This is no less than the fourth award for the material, following the Materialica Design & Technology Award gold medal, the German Innovation Award and the German Design Award. Exhibits featuring the award-winning surfaces are on display in the Interzum Award special exhibitions. For Ralf Imbery, who is responsible for design, digitalization and marketing at the surface specialist, the awards are no accident: “We are, of course, proud of and delighted about the appreciation shown to our products. The high design quality and technical development expertise embodied in our global team ensure we have a lead over the competition. Our goal is to consolidate and further extend that lead. These latest awards are evidence that we’re on the right track. They therefore validate what we have achieved to date while at the same time spurring us on to not let up.” PVC-free alternative The newly developed skai Pureto EN is an alternative to conventional synthetic upholstery materials as it is PVC-free. The material is manufactured from a water-based, but very robust polyurethane system that is solvent-free and therefore sustainable. Its soft feel and solid touch enhance the furniture’s high level of comfort. The surface is embellished with a classic, fine calf leather grain. The pastel color range picks up modern trend colors from the Continental TrendCode and is suitable for furniture in office, hotel and hospitality settings. Breathable for enhanced comfort laif VyP Nappa marks the next generation of breathable upholstery materials. The vinyl/polyurethane hybrid combines the benefits of the two materials: the soft surface is durable and tough at the same time. The raw materials contain no conventional solvents and are manufactured using high-quality, water-based polyurethane systems, and that also applies to the coating. laif VyP Nappa is permeable to air and water vapor. The material is tear-resistant, highly wear-resistant and easy to clean. It comes into its own as a contract seat covering, particularly on seating designed for extended periods of sitting. Like handcrafted metal Metallic surfaces in all their facets are much in demand on kitchen and bathroom furniture and on cabinets. Effects that look handcrafted supplement and enhance their impact, such as the newly developed METALSPIN embossed finish for furniture films. Their iridescent polished texture brings out the full beauty of the skai Colore Magic Collection’s metallic solid colors. The laser engraving with its precision down to the nano level yields deceptively realistic, delicate results. This surface with its circular “wear and tear marks” follows the ongoing vintage trend and offers a clear differentiation from classic solid colors. Matte as a counterpoint The new ULTRA embossed finish gives solid colors a deep matte look and feel, resulting in a surface with an especially premium appearance. The surface, which is embossed at the nano level, particularly demonstrates its strengths with dark colors, for example skai Colore Structure ULTRA Black: Despite the fine feel, the furniture film has particularly good technical characteristics in operation. It is tough and highly resistant to scratching and soiling. With its dry, extremely matte feel, it looks as if it has been sandblasted to a fine finish. This surface forms a counterpoint to the machined-looking, more heavily textured surfaces. Interzum Awards for the tenth time As part of the trade show, the best products from the international furniture supply industry are honored by a panel of judges in the Interzum Award: Intelligent Material & Design. Participation in the design competition, which trade show organizer Koelnmesse has now sponsored for the tenth time in collaboration with Red Dot, is reserved exclusively for the exhibitors at Interzum. The award underlines the importance of design as a value-adding factor and is used by the winners as an influential label that sets them positively apart from the competition in a highly competitive environment. Trendsetting In addition to new surfaces, the Continental booth (hall 6, booth E40) is also highlighting the company’s expertise in the contract area with its surface-specific requirements. These are presented to architects, planners and designers using the example of a hotel lobby. The company is using the features offered by digitalization to speak to this discerning target group: At the center of it all is the new skai Design Lab, a web-based tool that reflects the ongoing trend toward customization and that will rather revolutionize the process of design development. This will enable customers to create new designs for projects from wherever they are in the world with just a few clicks.
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