The construction industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by an increased focus on environmental sustainability and workplace safety, and the growing importance of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics as well as higher quality construction products and materials. In the last three years alone, there have been over 248,000 patents filed and granted in the construction industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Construction: Abrasion-resistant decorative flooring. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
80+ innovations will shape the construction industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the construction industry using innovation intensity models built on over 179,000 patents, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, mullion-transom curtain walls is a disruptive technology that is in the early stage of application and should be tracked closely. Heat-insulated glazing panels, drainage gully grating, and acoustic ceiling panels are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are abrasion-resistant decorative flooring and road construction milling tools, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the construction industry
Abrasion-resistant decorative flooring is a key innovation area in construction
Abrasion-resistant decorative flooring can be applied across commercial and residential developments. Resistant flooring will withstand greater pressure from wear such as heavy loads, weather, mould, and dust.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 10+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established construction companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of abrasion-resistant decorative flooring.
Key players in abrasion-resistant decorative flooring – a disruptive innovation in the construction industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to abrasion-resistant decorative flooring
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Mohawk Industries | 142 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Valinge Innovation | 121 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kronoplus Technical | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Surface Technologies | 29 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kaindl Flooring | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ceraloc Innovation | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Pergo | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| FRITZ EGGER | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Floor Iptech | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Interglarion | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Q.E.P. | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ceraloc Innovation Belgium | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Mohawk Industries is one of the leading filers in abrasion-resistant decorative flooring. The company, which is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of decorative surfacing and finishing materials, has developed various decorative laminate floor panels. One of its abrasion-resistant decorative panel designs features a decorative side that imitates scrap wood, with etching techniques used to create indentations that gives a wooden feel to the top layer. Another key patent aims to reduce ticking noises created by the moisture sensitive substrate on the top layer of the panel and proposed adding a transparent thermoplastic layer situated on top of the top layer.
In terms of application diversity, Ceraloc Innovation Belgium is among the leaders in the pack, along with Floor Iptech. By means of geographic reach, Interglarion held the top position, followed by Surface Technologies and Kaindl Flooring.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the construction industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research reports on Construction.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
