Välinge 's Darko Pervan Honored by Swedish Royal Patriotic Society

Viken, Sweden, May 22, 2025-At the Swedish Royal Patriotic Society’s annual ceremony on May 21 at the House of Knights, Darko Pervan of Välinge Innovation and the Bjelin Group was one of eight presented with business medals, honored ‘for transforming the flooring industry with a clever invention and building a world-leading company.’ 

HRH Prince Daniel presented the medals, and the nominating member was Hans von Stockenström.

After working in various industrial companies, including developing the world's first laminate flooring, Darko Pervan founded Välinge Innovation in 1994 to test and realise an idea. The invention, as simple as it was ingenious, was a clickable floor that enables the installation of floors without glue or nails. 100 million bottles of glue were no longer needed every year. This technology was the first of its kind in the world and revolutionized the industry.

“What I am most proud of is that I have developed the mechanical locking system for laminate, parquet and vinyl flooring,” says the medallist. “I think I'm quite analytical, because everything you develop is new. There’s no demand, no market. So, if you only go by feelings, you’d think it won’t work because no one uses it. But if the calculations show that the product is very good, cost-effective, environmentally friendly and so on - why wouldn't it work? To be a successful entrepreneur, you have to start with the most important thing: identifying a genuine problem.”

Pervan has created a technology development company that today holds over 3,500 different patents and 300 licensees for its products worldwide. The family has recently reorganized its operations and consolidated the flooring products under the Bjelin Group, where a range of new, more environmentally friendly products are being developed. With seven factories in Sweden and Croatia and sales companies in about ten countries, the aim is now to become a world-leading producer of eco-friendly wood flooring. While the main focus remains on flooring, the company also plans to “intensify its focus on property development, hotels, restaurants, offices and retail spaces.