Bijlard actually produces things

Bijlard has been a genuine producer ever since 1956: everything devised in Zoetermeer has also been produced there. Some of the products are supplied directly to end users, while others are sold via intermediaries and retailers. In addition, around one hundred and fifty private label products are produced for third parties. Peter Bijlard responds with a smile, when asked about the quality of the range. “Oh, we almost never receive complaints, so I guess that says something about our products.”

 

Seven years ago, the company started producing MSP’s, which are products that harden under the influence of atmospheric humidity. The company’s three lab technicians are always working on these products. “We believe it is important to offer products that minimise the harmfulness to people and the environment. I can imagine that parquet fitters are forced to make other choices in certain circumstances, but hope they are aware of the potential risks and use appropriate protection. Sustainability is very important to us, and we keep this in mind during all our activities.”

This philosophy was boosted in 2015 when the company won a so-called nano-voucher, which came with a cash prize. “The money is explicitly intended for research, and that's exactly what we did with it. Bijlard kicked off a process, which has actually not stopped since then. This involves working with TNO to conduct research into the use of nano technology in our products. In laymen's terms: you need between ten and twelve raw materials to produce glue. These products may tolerate each other perfectly at macro level, but could actually repel each other at nano level. 

By using nano technology, we have been able to; for example, improve adhesion and UV resistance, while also realising better cohesion.” 

A TNO audit is carried out every year, which Peter Bijlard describes as “rather intensive”, to demonstrate that the producer effectively masters the required procedures. “You can only conduct research with TNO, and use their knowledge and equipment, if this is the case.”

 

New products can originate from a variety of routes. “Yes, that's true, but we have a top 3. Demand from the market continues to be important. For example: a new type of material becomes available, and it must be glued. We then work with the material to find the most compatible product. But we also develop products ourselves, based on our knowledge and experience. In this case, it is more supply-driven than demand-driven. ‘Discoveries’ in our lab, which occur almost spontaneously, are also very exciting. This involves devising and developing a solution, and then looking for potential uses. You could refer to this as the ‘serendipity’ category, which can be defined as finding something valuable, even though you weren't actually looking for it.”

 

One of our most recent innovations is the MS Floor Booster, which was introduced during the previous edition of Domotex at the start of this year. Prior to this, the Gap Filler Floor and the Flexx Floor had been launched in the autumn of 2017. MS Floor Booster is a specially developed, environmentally friendly, super-fast activator that reduces the drying time of the MS Floor, making the floor walkable after one hour and loadable after 2 hours. “It is a good alternative to PU glues, which contain isocyanate. Parquet fitters and other people that use Booster can even influence drying speed by modifying activator quantity as they see fit. The method is simple: add white booster to the glue, mix everything for approximately one minute until the white booster is invisible and then spread the mix. Floors can be glued in the morning and furniture can be placed in the afternoon or evening. It's like child’s play,” says Bijlard. “We rather fortuitously discovered that using Booster helps to create better cross-linking, whereby strength can be doubled. You could say that an extra product property was added without us really knowing. The people that work with it are very enthusiastic.”