Tarkett Partners With E.J. Welch Company, Inc. as a New Consolidator, Expanding its ReStart™ Recycling and Reclamation Program Throughout the Midwest

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio, Nov. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Tarkett, worldwide leader in innovative and sustainable flooring and sports surface solutions, has partnered with Midwest-based E.J. Welch Company, Inc. as their newest consolidator for their ReStart™ Recycling and Reclamation Program. E.J. Welch will serve Illinois, Northwest Indiana, Southeast Wisconsin and Eastern Missouri, helping to make it easier for contractors and other members of a design/build team to return installation waste material, ultimately lessening the overall impact on the environment.

"EJ Welch is excited to be an integral part of the Tarkett ReStart program. We believe that People Friendly Spaces, the third Pillar of Sustainability at Tarkett, fits the culture of family-owned businesses like EJ Welch, Tarkett and the flooring contractors we partner with," said Erin Cartwright Fernandes, Vice President Commercial Sales E.J. Welch Company, Inc. "Not only are we able to collaborate to consolidate scrap, diverting it from the landfill and returning it to Tarkett for a more useful purpose, but we are saving resources by utilizing the empty space on the transfer trucks in the return. By taking on this responsibility, we are able to give back to our families and our environment."

E.J. Welch is a value-added partner to flooring dealers, contractors, architect and design professionals, and the installation trade. The company joins a growing group of North American distributors who have shown their commitment to recycling and reuse by becoming a consolidator and helping to facilitate the ReStart program. Other Consolidator Partners include:

Erv Parent Group – Based in Canada, Erv Parent is dedicated to using Tarkett's ReStart program to ensure that scrap material from job sites will be returned to Tarkett plants for recycling. Acting as a consolidator in their area, Erv Parent receives the contractor's job site waste and ensures the collected material is transferred to the appropriate recycling facility for processing. Since partnering with Tarkett in late 2013, Erv Parent has recycled more than 6,200 pounds of material, and returned more than 2,500 pounds of samples.

NRF Distributors, Inc. – Located in Augusta, Maine, NRF became a ReStart partner in January 2013. The company works to connect with the leading flooring contractors in New England and facilitates the pick-up of installation waste at job sites, returning the scrap to Tarkett and reducing the cost and effort for the contractor. In 2013, commercial flooring contractors, M. Frank Higgins & Co. Inc., worked with NRF and recycled over 96,000 pounds of flooring in 2013.  M. Frank Higgins was a recent recipient of Tarkett's annual ReStart Award.  

Brumark with Johnson Wholesale Floors, Inc. – Working with Atlanta-based Johnson Wholesale Floors, Inc., a flooring distribution company serving dealers in the southeast, Brumark, a total flooring solutions specialist also in Atlanta, connects customers in the tradeshow and event industry with innovative new products. The company purchases Tarkett's FiberFloor^® from Johnson Wholesale and, because the sizing specifications for tradeshow exhibits are very specific, always ends up with leftover flooring. Rather than send the flooring scrap to landfill, Brumark, along with Johnson Wholesale, joined the ReStart program to return waste to the company for recycling.

Tarkett focuses on end of use rather than end of life and aims to transform waste into resources for new products of equal or better quality. The company's ReStart Recycling and Reclamation Program allows commercial flooring job scrap (rubber, vinyl and linoleum tile and sheet, wall base, floor finishing accessories and tread-cuttings) to be collected and returned to Tarkett to be repurposed or recycled.

"The growing population continues to put increased stress on the resources of planet and through efforts like the ReStart program, we work to drive sustainability and environmental efforts that benefit people, businesses and the planet," said Diane Martel, Vice President Environmental Planning and Strategy for Tarkett North America. "Tarkett is committed to doubling our volume of recycling program over our baseline year in 2010 and to ensuring that 75 percent of materials used in our products do not contribute to resource scarcity by 2020."

"Participation and commitment from the channel is paramount in getting programs like ReStart off the ground and adding consolidators, like E.J. Welch Company, allows us to make the program available for more and more people throughout North America," said Martel.

To learn more about Tarkett's ReStart program, visit www.tarkettna.com, watch the company's video at http://bit.ly/tarkettrestartvideo or contact its Returns Coordinator directly at 1-800-899-8916, extension 9223.

About Tarkett
Tarkett is a global leader in innovative and sustainable solutions for flooring and sports surfaces. With a wide range of products including vinyl, linoleum, carpet, rubber, wood & laminate, synthetic turf and athletics track, the Group serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. With 11,000 employees and 32 production sites, Tarkett sells 1.3 million square meters of flooring every day, for hospitals, schools, housing, hotels, offices, stores and sports fields. Committed to sustainable development, the Group has implemented an eco-innovation strategy and promotes circular economy. Tarkett net sales of 2.5 billion euros in 2013 are balanced between Europe, North America and new economies. Tarkett is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A, ticker TKTT, ISIN: FR0004188670) and is included in the following indices: SBF 120, CAC Mid 60, CAC Mid & Small, CAC All-Tradable. For more information about Tarkett global, please visit www.tarkett.com. To learn more about Tarkett North America, visit www.tarkettna.com.

SOURCE Tarkett

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