By Healthcare Facilities Today

LANCASTER, PA,– Armstrong World Industries, a global leader in the design and manufacture of floors and ceilings, has opened a new Commercial Sheet Flooring Research and Development Center in Wujiang, Jiangsu Province, China.

Located adjacent to the new Armstrong heterogeneous and homogenous commercial flooring plants, this state-of-the-art facility supports product development and product sales and includes a new showroom that features products sold in the region.

The manufacturing plants and R&D center are part of the investment Armstrong has made in China in the last two years and supports the company’s strategy to grow its business in the region by improving service; initiating a make-to-order business; and developing product lines specifically tailored for the China market.

“This is a powerful example of how cooperation and collaboration across cultures and geographies can bring about spectacular results.  We have all of the business components –  the product development, the manufacturing, the brand strength and recognition and the sales force – to accelerate our growth in this market which benefits our customers, our shareholders and our business,”  says Tom Ellis, vice president, Marketing – Armstrong Flooring.

Commercial flooring sales in China are advancing at a healthy pace, with the industrial and institutional market segments expected to experience the biggest gains.  With the addition of the two plants and new R&D center, Armstrong is well positioned as a single-source partner for an extensive range of flooring solutions, including healthcare-focused products for operating rooms, patient areas, public spaces and light commercial applications such as dentist and doctor offices.

“We’ve just launched a fresh set of homogeneous flooring designs here in China that includes some of Armstrong’s best-selling patterns around the world as well as designs created exclusively for our market.  We’re developing a new slate of products now at the center for launch at Domotex 2014 in Shanghai,” says David Shi, strategic marketing manager – Armstrong Flooring China. 

The two plants and warehouse cover approximately 387, 500 square feet and the total number of employees in both plants and the center is 240. The homogeneous sheet flooring plant received ISO certifications for its Quality Management System (9001) and Environmental Management System (14001) last year. Armstrong also  actively participates in efforts to establish enhanced building codes and standards and the company is a member of the China Green Building Council.

The Armstrong portfolio of homogeneous and heterogeneous vinyl flooring includes a wide selection of chip designs, marbled and directional patterns and colors that can be used in almost any application.  The Armstrong Commercial Flooring Research & Development Center in China is one of four that Armstrong operates around the world; the others are in Lancaster, Pa., USA; Delmenhorst, Germany; and Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany. 

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About Armstrong World Industries

Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacture of floors and ceilings. Based in Lancaster, Pa., Armstrong operates 35 plants in eight countries and has approximately 8,700 employees worldwide. For more information, visit www.armstrong.com.