When it comes to SPC/ rigid core locking systems, all floors are not created equal. This axiom is especially relevant in a sub-segment overrun with low-quality, entry-level imports that largely compete on price. Mohawk’s SolidTech SPC is not one of those products.
The primary differentiator, according to Derek Harner, senior manager of resilient marketing at Mohawk, is the robust locking system utilized in the construction of SolidTech. “Uniclic remains one of the most reliable and installer-preferred locking systems in the market,” he explained. “Its engineered pre-tension and multi-layer profile create a tighter, more stable joint—which is something many competing systems can’t replicate. And with so many locking systems appearing similar on the surface, there’s a real need to help consumers understand that the technology inside isn’t all the same.”
While SolidTech isn’t brand new to the market—it originally launched about seven years ago—Mohawk is doubling down on its efforts this year to explain to retailers why the product stands out in the marketplace. It’s a timely initiative given the rigid resilient sub-segment is uber competitive with scores of suppliers occupying the space.
“We’re really trying to highlight some of the differences that help our products stand out— and one of the things that we’re really proud of is our partnership with Unilin and the Uniclic locking system that we’re able to utilize because of that relationship,” Harner explained.
Emphasizing that distinction is especially critical in today’s environment where retailers and distributors have been burned by claims spurred on by low-quality, entry-level products. “The most common warranty claim worldwide for rigid vinyl flooring is locking system failure—primarily because a lot of the product is SPC construction,” Harner noted. “The stone component of SPC can be very brittle, especially on some of the thinner products, the commodity stuff. In those products, you typically see system failures happening on the top of the locking system.”
When the locking system breaks or its integrity is compromised, the planks will actually start to separate, Harner noted. And because the weakest point is on the top of that locking system, it will actually force the lip of that product up. “So, when you’re sitting in your living room and you’re looking across your open floor plan home that you’ve just replaced all the flooring on six months ago, you can see the planks starting to separate and the lips starting to come up. And what that ultimately leads to is a call to your dealer saying, ‘Hey, you guys said this was under warranty. I’m having this issue.’ It ends up being a headache for the dealer. He’s got to come out and fix it.”
With the Uniclic system, it’s not a concern. “That’s not going to happen with the Uniclic system,” Harner noted. “Not only is it 1.5x stronger than the most widely used system out there, ours is 2x more durable.”
In backing those numbers, Harner pointed to industry-accepted testing. “The first one is called a tensile strength test, whereby you lock two planks together and you apply as much force as you can,” he explained. “You pull them apart until they break. The second one is a caster chair test, which helps replicate the results of caster chairs, office chairs rolling over the joints of the product. Thousands and thousands of time to simulate lifetime wear and tear on the floor. Our locking system does not break.”
Beyond ensuring a durable locking connection, the Uniclc system serves another function: keeping water or spills on the surface of the product. In fact, this year, Mohawk has extended its Floodproof Warranty to SolidTech, reinforcing its position in waterproof performance.
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