Born in Sweden, innovative, unmatched style, toughness, and a never-seen-before versatility — sure, that perfectly describes J-O Waldner but these characteristics also define the new Välinge Flooring ‘Hardened Wood Floors’ which Välinge are launching in Asia during Q1 — with a little help from the table-tennis legend.
“When I played, I tried to be the complete player, mastering every aspect — and I think Välinge has done that with their Hardened Wood Floors too,” says J-O Waldner. “Technical wizardry matched with persistence, it must be a Swedish thing!”
With an incredible career spanning four decades and including gold medals at the Olympics, World Championship, World Cup, and European Championships, J-O Waldner is recognised as one of the greatest table-tennis players of all time. Affectionately known as Cháng Qīng Shù — The Evergreen Tree — in China, J-O Waldner is a perfect match for Välinge Flooring’s real wood floor collection that is built to last and with a strong emphasis on sustainability.
“Just as our flooring is a game-changer for the industry, J-O’s reputation as a persistent winner and innovative player links well with our company values and offerings,” says Jarl Gunnarsson, Sales Director Välinge Innovation. “We couldn’t be happier to have him partner with us to launch a truly groundbreaking real wood floor to the Asian market.”
Made on-site at their HQ in Sweden using their state-of-the-art, high-volume production facility, the first products under the name ‘Välinge Flooring’ are a collection of real wood floors that combine Välinge’s unique patented technologies — Woodura® surface technology, 5G® Dry™ waterproof fold-down system, and 5G® Climb™. The launch creates a whole new category of floors called ‘Hardened Wood Flooring’ — offering the unmistakable feel and luxury of a real wood floor with next-level durability and water-resistance.
“We are an innovative company and over the years we’ve put out many game-changing technologies on the market for our licensees — 2G®, 5G®, Threespine®, 5G® Climb™, Hygienius®, our waterproof floor locking 5G® Dry™, and the Nadura® and Woodura® surface technologies,” says Niclas Håkansson, CEO of Välinge Innovation. “For us, creating a product which contains several of our unique innovations, was a natural next step to take. I’d go as far to say that it might be the best work we’ve done to date — and I, and our entire team, are extremely proud to finally present our flooring to the Asian market.”
With the entire Välinge Flooring range featuring Woodura® surface technology, consumers can now choose a real wood floor with up to 3 times the impact protection of a traditional hardwood floor while being much more sustainable. The floors also feature 5G® Dry™, Välinge’s premium fold-down locking technology, offering incredible waterproofness and stress-free installation, and 5G® Climb, allowing the floor to be installed on walls by simply adding a small plastic clip. They’re also right on trend with oak, ash, and walnut versions in eleven different shades and an XXL option — all while being gentle on your wallet and the environment.
“We have developed a great first collection for the Asian market and are especially proud of our capability to produce XXL planks that everyone can afford,” says Emanuel Lindberg, Head of Design, Välinge Innovation.
