The construction industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation, with activity being driven by an increased focus on environmental sustainability and workplace safety, and the growing importance of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics. In the last three years alone, there have been over 27,000 patents filed and granted in the construction industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Modular construction in construction: interlocking floor panels. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 240,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the construction industry, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Interlocking floor panels is a key innovation area in modular construction
Interlocking floor panels refer to individual panels that can be fitted together to create a seamless and durable flooring system. These panels have unique locking mechanisms that allow them to be firmly attached to one another, eliminating the need for adhesives or nails.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 15+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established construction companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of interlocking floor panels.
Key players in interlocking floor panels – a disruptive innovation in the construction industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to interlocking floor panels
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Mohawk Industries | 501 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Valinge Innovation | 378 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Berkshire Hathaway | 55 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SWISS KRONO Tec | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LG | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ceraloc Innovation Belgium | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Swiss Krono | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ceraloc Innovation | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Interglarion | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mannington Mills | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| 4Sight Innovation | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Rockwool International | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tarkett | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Pergo AB. | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Valinge Aluminium | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Q.E.P. | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kronoplus Technical | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Leading companies in the development of interlocking floor panels include Rockwool International, a manufacturer and supplier of stone wool-based insulation products. Key Rockwool International innovations include the development of a sandwich element that includes a core made of binder fixed mineral wool lamellae, where at least one side surface has been formed as a cut section. Each side lamella has varying density, and the cut section is comprised in the region with the higher density, making it easy to fit into a mating cut section of one or more other side lamella of an adjacent sandwich element.
Another innovator in the space is Valinge Innovation, a provider of flooring products and solutions. A key patent by Valinge Innovation includes the development of a locking system for mechanically and releasably locking together adjacent short edges of pairs of adjacent floor panels. The mechanical locking system comprises a first mechanical connection, formed by said adjacent short edges, for locking said adjacent short edges to each other in a vertical direction, and a second mechanical connection for locking said adjacent short edges to each other in a horizontal direction at right angles to said short edges.
In terms of application diversity, Mannington Mills leads the pack, while Pergo and Kronoplus Technical stood in second and third positions, respectively.
By means of geographic reach, Berkshire Hathaway holds the top position, followed by Mohawk Industries and Valinge Innovation.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the construction industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Construction.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
