world news - 26.01.2004

Laminate-Flooring: Increasing US-Market and Eastern Europe

The North American market for laminate flooring was again buoyant in 2003. Sales totalling 71 million square metres were recorded, compared with 58 million square metres previously. North America now accounts for 18 percent of total European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF) sales worldwide.

Eastern Europe has also shown very positive growth in 2003. Sales of the EPLF member companies in this region rose from 46 million square metres in 2002 to 63 million square metres in 2003. Smaller markets like the Baltic States, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Croatia often produced quite high growth rates. These markets still offer further great sales potential. The regions of Africa, Australia and South America, which are statistically defined as "Others? yielded sales of 12 million square metres — up from 8 millions square metres in 2003.

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