The staff of Välinge Innovation invented the first laminate flooring in the world in March 1977, at that time employed by Perstorp AB. They were also responsible for the further development and market introduction during the period 1977 - 1981.

Välinge invented the first mechanical locking system for thin floating floorings and applied for the first patent in March 1993.

Välinge has since then developed the locking system, the installation methods and the production equipment considerably. Several types of laminate and wood floorings could be produced with mechanical locking systems. The production technologies are very advanced and cost efficient.

Välinge's intellectual property is protected by several different patents, granted in countries all over the world. Additional patents are applied for.

The patents and patent applications consist of different inventions. Similar applications have and will be made in several other countries. The patents and patent applications protects and specifies a variety of mechanical locking systems, several production methods and installation methods.

The technologies disclosed in the granted patents and the published patent applications are now "known technology" and are comprised in the "state of the art", and can therefore not be patented by anyone else.

The first laminate flooring with a mechanical locking system - Alloc® - was introduced in January 1996 by one of our licensees, Alloc AS (at that time Norske Skog Flooring AS) at the Domotex fair in Hannover.