The future of flooring had begun already in the early nineties when Välinge first revolutionized floor installations and performance with their innovative mechanical floor locking system. It might be hard to believe now – but before this trailblazing invention, all parquet and laminate flooring planks were joined by nailing down or gluing a tongue and groove joint together.

The introduction of the mechanical locking system was a paradigm shift for the entire industry. It enabled for easier and more durable installations and made it possible to use a much broader variety of materials which was essential for the success of laminate flooring. This type of game-changing mindset is what has made Välinge a world-leading innovator within the flooring industry.

Darko Pervan, founder of Välinge is considered a real titan within the flooring industry and has, over the years, been involved in several of the industry’s leading innovations. Born in Croatia, he came to Sweden with his parents as a child. After university degrees in both engineering and economics it didn’t take him long to make a name for himself. Early on in his career, he achieved great success being the one who initiated and managed the development of the world’s first laminate floor. Later, his mechanical locking system, not only made the installation process much faster and easier, but it also allowed for additional improvements such as thinner and more water-resistant laminate floor panels. This was exactly the advantages the DIY market hungered for, and it led to the big breakthrough for the segment.

Välinge has repeatedly gained global recognition for their revolutionary innovations and are at the absolute forefront within the industry. Over the years, they have put many game-changing technologies on the market for other companies to license. They constantly update their impressive range of floor locking systems—2G, 5G, 5G Climb and the waterproof 5G Dry. They have developed several advanced technologies to add advantages like wear-resistance, longevity and sustainability to floor products. The Woodura surface technology make real hardwood floors more sustainable and durable; Hygenius creates a healthier indoor environment; Liteback allows for raw material recycling; and Threespine is a click technology that will change furniture assembly forever – just to name a few of their patented innovations.

Last year, the company presented their first ever flooring range under the name Välinge Flooring. This collection of hardened wood flooring was successfully launched in the U.S. market, and this autumn their brand-new Rigid Core collection will premier here too. Both collections are created to meet market demands and are packed with some of Välinge’s most advanced technologies.

The headquarters are in Viken, in the south of Sweden. This is also the home to their ultramodern production facilities and a world-famous R&D centre. With influential offices in North America and China, a large number of sales representatives all over the globe and the world’s largest wood flooring factory on its way in Croatia – it’s no exaggeration to say that the journey, started almost 30 years ago, has been a fantastic one.