EUFA P + F supports the contest

From the 20th to the 22nd of March 2013 the first parquet layer contest in Sofia in Bulgaria took place. This contest was affiliated to the building fair, which took place at the same time.

Therefore Philip Vladikov, chairman of the new founded bulgarian parquet layer association, jumped in at the deep end. The event was organized by him in an exemplary way. Philipp Vladikov leads in Sofia the company PHIVEX, that sells parquet products and carries out building projects.

Ten teams from Bulgaria participated in the contest. Therefore an area in the fair hall has been prepared with ten plates for laying a two layer parquet design.

Enough two layer parquet with the measurements 470 x 70 mm by the company Bauwerk was available for the ten teams. For each two participants there were a circular saw by the company Festool available and for all participants two stationary tools for grooving were mounted. These machines were supervised perfectly by two representatives of the company.

In the afternoon of 20th March the participants were introduced to their work place and working with the machines. After that the contest work was presented by Josef Heller from the state vocational school Neustadt/Aisch. Together with  Paul Fischnaller from South-Tirol he was invited as representative by EUFA P + F. Every participant got a folder including the drawings. So they had the chance to prepare for their work in the evening.

Beginning of the contest was at 21st March at 10 o‘clock. The participants could cut and stick the parquet together until 18 o‘clock. At the 22nd March the plates were grinded and oiled.

Almost every participant achieved the task in the given time. Interesting was seeing the various techniques of tearing and using the tools. In a conversation you could get to know that everyone has developed his own way of working because there was no collective training.

Strikingly, everybody worked very concentrated and calm. Even though it sometimes requiered patience to wait at a machine, everybody was considerate about the others. It was enjoyable to see that it has been worked in a very good work environment.

The rating was done by one partner of the participant, by Paul Fischnaller and by Josef Heller. In the final evening the for the first three places rated and all the other participants got certificates and presents. The first place went to Oleg Ivanov from Sofia.

Philip Vladikov thanked the sponsors – mainly: Bauwerk-Parkett, Forbo-Kleber, Phivex, Thomsit, Festool, ARDEX. The beginning to new forms of education can only succeed with the support of these generous helpers.

The event ended with a meal, that gave the parquet layers, the sponsors and the guests the opportunity to have a conversation.

For Philip Vladikov the contest was a great start to realize his ideas further. He wants the event to be the start of a specific training for parquet layers in Bulgaria. Aims could be:

• That a team results from the association which takes the task of training over.
• That there are parquet layer companies, which are able and ready to train after latest plans.
• That there will be schools, that are set up from the state, where young people can learn parquet laying in theory and practice from professional teachers.
• It is desired, that a specific training in parquet laying leads to high quality work for customers and that the amount of workplaces is being increased.

Many of these wishes surely need intensive preparation and the realization will probably take years. A first step could be that the association offers workshops to companies. That could be events organized by companies for professional testing of the surface, for adhesives, etc. It is also important to introduce the parquet layers in modern techniques of building survey ( for example measuring), in tearing parquet elements and especially in safe and economical working with machines (circular saw), to improve the way of parquet laying.

Both representatives of EUFA P+ F, Paul Fischnaller from South-Tirol and Josef Heller from the vocational school in Neustadt/Aisch were very taken of the excellent organization of the contest by Philip Vladikov, of the dedicated participation of the participants and of the positive ideas for the future of parquet laying in Bulgaria.

Hopefully the contest was a good beginning for a succesful future of parquet laying in Bulgaria. 

Josef Heller