Formica is an international company, which specializes in the design and manufacturing of laminated surfacing material, which was invented in 1913 in the United States. At the beginning of its history, the company operates only on the North American market, but after the Second World War, it entered the European market and became incredibly popular among architects and designers.
The label’s visual identity was first designed in the 1910s. And the company still uses the original concept in its today’s logo, though the shape and typeface have been changed throughout the years, the idea remains the same. As for the color palette, there were only three versions of Formica signature combination during the brand’s history, and they all were based on the most powerful shades — black, white and red.
The Formica logo has always been a perfect representation of a strong and confident company, with authority and expertise. And the current brand’s logo has a strong link with the company’s heritage and history, yet it shows its progressive and innovative approach in manufacturing and design.
What is Formica?
Formica is a brand of laminated flooring material, produced by the Formica Group, an international company, owned by the Dutch Broadview Holdings corporation. The brand is considered to be one of the world’s leaders in laminating surface production.
The original company’s logo was created in 1917 and was composed of a hand-written logotype, with the enlarged letter “F”, where the “Ormica” lettering was placed under the arched “roof” of the “F”s upper horizontal bar. The inscription was executed in a bold serif typeface, with the letters repeating the arched shape.
The tagline “Made from Anhydrous Bakelite Resins” was placed under the main wordmark, but still inside the hide “F”, as well as the lower letter of the emblem, “Sheets Tubes Rods” written in all capitals.
The original color palette of the Formica logo was monochrome, but it became red on white in the 1950s. The contours of the logo were also refined during that time and the tagline was replaced by a single “Laminated Plastic” inscription, written in italicized sans-serif.
The redesign of 1978 brought a contemporary and strong look to the logo. The smooth arched “F” was replaced by a solid and straight one and now it was not the part of the brand’s name, but a separate element of the visual identity, with the “Formica” nameplate replacing its lower horizontal bar.
The “Formica Brand” wordmark in all capitals is executed in a traditional and clean sans-serif typeface, which is based on a popular Helvetica font. Its neat straight lines look modern and solid with the new brand’s emblem.
The “Laminate” tagline in all the lowercase letters is placed under the vertical bar of the emblem’s “F” and is written in a sans-serif as well.
The new logo is contemporary and stylish, representing a powerful brand that values the quality and design of its products.
In 1988 the company slightly redesigns its logo to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the label. The white emblem is now placed inside a red rhombus and the word “laminate” is removed from the logo.
The white and red color combination of the Formica visual identity reflects a progressive and passionate brand, which rates its 75 years as the beginning point for something new.
The logo was redesigned again in 1995 and the logo stays with the company today. The bold “F” silhouette is now colored red, while the wordmark, replacing the letter’s lower horizontal bar is written in black. No tagline or other detail present on the logo, just clean lines, and traditional color combinations.
The nameplate in all capitals is executed in a strong bold sans-serif typeface, which is very similar to both Shapiro 75 Heavy Wide and Sequel 100 Wide 75, but with the lower horizontal bar of the “F” slightly shortened.
The font of the wordmark is modern and sleek, all the letters look solid and confident and reflect the strength and authority of the company.
Formica is the iconic name in the contemporary interior design industry. The brand’s plastic laminate is used for different spaces and is known for its high durability and a wide range of color options.
Brand’s laminate is used to create wall panels, countertops, and tabletops, they are suitable for personal and commercial use and have more than 120 variants of colors, patterns, and designs, including stones, such as marble and granite and wood textures. Some finishings can be glossy or matte, others look like leather.
The laminate is made from the layers of paper mixed with resin and topped with decorative materials, which give the needed pattern to the product. The company’s laminate is tougher and more durable than natural material and lives much longer.