Simple Solutions Receives Patent for Four-In-One M

Garner, NC, March 21--Simple Solutions, a new division of Pergo, Inc., recently received Patent No. 6,860,074 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This patent will ensure design protection of the all-inclusive, snap-together system of floor transition moldings, which has proven to offer significant savings in both cost and time for retailers, installers and consumers, according to the company. The Simple Solutions Four-In-One Moldings system was the first of is kind to be introduced to the market in 2003. Since then, more than 1 million units have been sold. Based on the overwhelming response for the product from retailers, as well as other laminate and wood flooring manufacturers, Pergo decided to establish a separate and distinct business unit dedicated to manufacturing and marketing the moldings. "This product has such broad appeal and universal applications that we felt it had significant potential outside of the Pergo brand," said Bengt Lundgren, president of Simple Solutions. "While we now own the patent to this design, we’re not keeping the innovation to ourselves. The product will be marketed to several industry leaders in the laminate and wood categories." The Simple Solutions concept allows four different flooring transitions – T-moldings, hard surface transition, carpet transition and end moldings – to be created from the contents of a single package. This means retailers can reduce the number of SKUs they purchase and stock by as much as 75 percent while experiencing increased inventory turns. Distributors benefit as well from decreased out-of-stocks and miscoded orders. For installers and DIYers, the glueless moldings are simple to install, requiring just two quick and easy steps, and offer the added guarantee of always having the correct type of moldings on hand to finish the job. As an additional benefit, one Simple Solutions package contains two different three-foot moldings to accommodate two doorways. Simple Solutions, a new division of Pergo, Inc., manufactures and markets four-in-one moldings to producers of laminate and wood flooring. Manufacturing of Simple Solutions Four-In-One Moldings is done out of a brand new, $4.4 million, 60,000-square-foot facility, which opened in Garner, N.C. last summer. Dedicated exclusively to the production of moldings and surface accessories, the plant is fully automated and equipped with state-of-the art systems and technology.