Craig Dodge - Blog

There are some brands that are so famous and so iconic, that the brand name is used to describe the product. For example, many people  call all facial tissue - Kleenex, or all cola drinks - Coke. Well for most Americans, when we think of kitchen counter tops, we think of Formica.

The Formica brand is the world's leading name in the decorative surfaces market and is the single most requested brand of high pressure laminate among homebuilders and contractors.

The many applications for Formica products include work surfaces, furniture, flooring, counter tops and interior walls. You'll find Formica laminates in kitchens, bathrooms, offices, airports, hospitals, schools, restaurants, hotels, retail outlets, leisure facilities, ships, buses and trains across the world.

The product was so successful that the brand name became universally recognised in the USA... In its heyday in the 1930s, Formica was used in bars, diners and even the Queen Mary ocean liner. World renowned artists and architects had also begun to recognise the potential of the decorative laminates and specified them for Modernist and Art Deco interiors. By the time of its arrival in Britain from the US around 1947, it exemplified the smooth shiny ultra modern wipe-down luxury lifestyle of the US with its exotic patterns, bright colors and wood grain effects.

For decades, Formica seemed to be on the verge of laminating the entire world.

Why am I writing about Formica? That's a fair question.

First of all, I am very fortunate to have Formica Taiwan as one of my business English clients. They really are an amazing group of people and it's kind of exciting for me to be working with a brand that was such a household name when I was growing up. Second, we just had Formica brand flooring put into our home. It really makes our home look so much nicer. Here are some "before and after" pictures of the hallway. Notice the different flooring:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I am absolutely thrilled with the new floor and I just wanted to share it with you.