Creative Colours - A Spectrum of Inspiration - Tile and Stone Journal
Creative Colours - A Spectrum of Inspiration - Tile and Stone Journal Creative Colours - A Spectrum of Inspiration - Tile and Stone Journal
June 2010 Volume 7 Number 6 Editor Joe Simpson tandsjournal@aol.com T: 01580 752404 M: 07885 294814 Advertisement Director Stuart Bourne stuart.bourne@kick-startpublishing.co.uk T: 01892 752400 Production Director John Heath 01892 752400 Editorial Director Alan Bakalor 01892 680816 Editorial Administration Elaine Hudson 01892 752400 Designer Neil Owen 01892 752400 Production and Design Lorna Reekie 01892 752400 CONTENTS NEWS A to Z OF SPAIN: CONNEC BY SALONI P24 Latest construction statistics, Tile Depot expands, Tilers speed challenge, Laticrete’s new online resource, Lapicida’s homage to Palladio, Tau invests, and more 4 TTA NEWSLETTER How the Association can help its members to save money 16 A TO Z OF SPAIN More tile innovation from top Spanish manufacturers 24 STONE SUPPLIERS TSJ lists a selection of the UK’s leading stone distributors 32 BARRIER MATTING Simple ways to stop dirt from entering the building 42 SITE REPORT Armatile helps restore St Malachy’s church, Belfast 22 GENERAL ENQUIRIES Editorial The Old Corn Store, Heartenoak Road Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 4PZ T: 01580 752404 F: 01580 752604 M: 07885 294814 E: tandsjournal@aol.com PROFILE: STONECREST MARBLE Two brothers build a powerful brand in North London 38 QUALICER 2010 Blue sky thinking from Toni Sos and Javier Sastre 46 PORTFOLIO What’s new in ceramic tiles, stone, tools and accessories 52 Advertising and subscriptions The Oast, Great Danegate Eridge, East Sussex TN3 9HU T: 01892 752400 F: 01892 752404-752405 W: www.tileandstonejournal.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of the publisher. Tile & Stone Journal is published by © Kick-Start Publishing Ltd ISSN 1744-4276 SUBSCRIPTIONS United Kingdom £40.00 per annum Europe £70.00 per annum Rest of the World £95.00 per annum JUNE 2010 TSJ 3
NEWS & COMMENT EDITOR’S COMMENT “What steps should the new government take to improve the UK’s housing market? With a coalition government now in power, much of the old political dogma has had to be binned and the search is now on for consensus and researchdriven policies. In keeping with this spirit of blue sky thinking, one area well worth exploring is the more creative use of tax policies. To date, most of the green policy initiatives for the construction sector have been aimed at new-build developments. However, given the vast inefficiencies of the current housing stock in the UK, doesn’t it make sense to look at measures such as the removal of VAT on housing refurbishment and renovation projects. This could have significant benefits when it comes to retrofitting green technologies into older homes. Governments in the past have tinkered around with grants for loft insulation and draughtproofing, but a simple measure like the abolition of VAT would incentivise homeowners without narrowing their design options. Such a move should also prove excellent news for the tiling industry as well ... just imagine the number of wet underfloor heating systems powered by solar panels or ground source heat pumps and finished with natural stone or ceramic tiled floors that could result. The government would also do well to reconsider the arbitrary Stamp Duty thresholds. Why should tax bills soar just because a buyer spends an extra £1 over one of the £250,000, £500,000 and (from next April) £1m thresholds? The current system distorts the market, discourages liquidity and damages labour market flexibility. There must be a better way of raising tax receipts from home purchases. Finally, while it may be too late to change the decision over the new higher Capital Gains Tax rates, there clearly needs to more effort made to recognise the difference between short-term and longer-term capital gains on investments. Alternatives, in the form of an indexation allowance or, better still, a tapered relief structure, exist. It cannot be beyond the wit of Whitehall to come up with a system that stops business owners for avoiding their tax liabilities through CGT, without disincetivising the entrepreneurial spirit upon which the much needed economic recovery will be based. Here’s hoping!” Joe Simpson Construction activity rises for the third month in a row UK construction activity increased during May for a third successive month. The seasonally adjusted Markit/CIPS Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) posted 58.5, rising slightly from the previous month’s reading of 58.2, and was the strongest reading since September 2007. A rise in new orders drove the increase in activity, and also led to an increase in employment. Sarah Ledger, Economist at Markit and author of the UK Construction PMI said: “It was encouraging to see growth within the UK construction sector maintained during May, with all three sub-sectors (housing, commercial and civil) indicating an expansion in activity. However, it is unlikely that the current rate of growth will be maintained over the medium-term. This partly reflects the low base from which expansion is being built, but also the uncertainty surrounding cuts in public spending.” “Importantly, staffing levels were reported to have risen for the first time in two years during May. Whilst in absolute terms pre-recession employment levels are a long way off, this indicates that increased activity is having an overall expansionary effect on the industry.” Commenting on the report, David Noble, Chief Executive Officer at the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply, said: “It really is a double edged sword for the UK construction sector at the moment. Purchasing managers say that on the surface things are looking positive with recent growth accelerating and more jobs on the horizon. However, the recovery is so fragile that it will be extremely vulnerable to the impending public sector cuts and it is unclear whether the recovery is robust enough to cope with such knock backs. Civil engineering is a clear case in point. It has only just started to grow for the first time in two years, and is an industry where public spending tends to be focused. The cuts are clearly coming and it’s not long before we will start to see them making their mark.” NEW MAPEI Training Centre Mapei are pleased to announce the completion of the New Training Centre, at their Head Office in Halesowen. The extension on the training facility, now hosts a Practical/Demonstration room to run along side the theory training suite, in preparation for future NVQ courses. Mapei are pleased to announce the Official Training Centre Launch dates; Thursday 22 nd July (Resilient, Textile & Wood Flooring Product Training) Friday 23 rd July (Ceramic Tiling Product Training) The training is free-of-charge and lasts the duration of 1 day, starting from 9:30am to 4:30pm; please feel free to call or email Mapei UK Ltd for the Training Programme. T: 0121 508 6970 - Option 4 E: uktraining@mapei.co.uk W: www.mapei.co.uk 4 TSJ JUNE 2010
- Page 1: THE LEADING UK MAGAZINE FOR THE TIL
- Page 5: NEWS & COMMENT Stone Fed hosts ston
- Page 9: NEWS & COMMENT Laticrete launches o
- Page 13 and 14: NEWS & COMMENT Lapicida honours Pal
- Page 15 and 16: TTA NEWSLETTER Howard (above). The
- Page 17 and 18: ST MALACHY’S Key Suppliers Armati
- Page 19 and 20: A to Z OF SPAIN SANCHIS www.sanchis
- Page 21 and 22: STONE SUPPLIERS Rock legends TSJ’
- Page 23 and 24: STONE SUPPLIERS Granite and Slate t
- Page 25 and 26: STONECREST MARBLE Left top: Bianca
- Page 27 and 28: BARRIER MATTING moisture absorbency
- Page 29 and 30: If we already have tiles that carry
- Page 31 and 32: Above: Part of the Architectural Fo
- Page 33 and 34: PORTFOLIO PRODUCTS IN BRIEF Marcris
June 2010<br />
Volume 7 Number 6<br />
Editor<br />
Joe Simpson<br />
t<strong>and</strong>sjournal@aol.com<br />
T: 01580 752404<br />
M: 07885 294814<br />
Advertisement Director<br />
Stuart Bourne<br />
stuart.bourne@kick-startpublishing.co.uk<br />
T: 01892 752400<br />
Production Director<br />
John Heath 01892 752400<br />
Editorial Director<br />
Alan Bakalor 01892 680816<br />
Editorial Administration<br />
Elaine Hudson 01892 752400<br />
Designer<br />
Neil Owen 01892 752400<br />
Production <strong>and</strong> Design<br />
Lorna Reekie 01892 752400<br />
CONTENTS<br />
NEWS<br />
A to Z OF SPAIN: CONNEC BY SALONI P24<br />
Latest construction statistics, <strong>Tile</strong> Depot exp<strong>and</strong>s, <strong>Tile</strong>rs<br />
speed challenge, Laticrete’s new online resource,<br />
Lapicida’s homage to Palladio, Tau invests, <strong>and</strong> more 4<br />
TTA NEWSLETTER<br />
How the Association can help its members to save money 16<br />
A TO Z OF SPAIN<br />
More tile innovation from top Spanish manufacturers 24<br />
STONE SUPPLIERS<br />
TSJ lists a selection <strong>of</strong> the UK’s leading stone distributors 32<br />
BARRIER MATTING<br />
Simple ways to stop dirt from entering the building 42<br />
SITE REPORT<br />
Armatile helps restore St Malachy’s church, Belfast 22<br />
GENERAL ENQUIRIES<br />
Editorial<br />
The Old Corn Store, Heartenoak Road<br />
Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 4PZ<br />
T: 01580 752404 F: 01580 752604<br />
M: 07885 294814<br />
E: t<strong>and</strong>sjournal@aol.com<br />
PROFILE: STONECREST MARBLE<br />
Two brothers build a powerful br<strong>and</strong> in North London 38<br />
QUALICER 2010<br />
Blue sky thinking from Toni Sos <strong>and</strong> Javier Sastre 46<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
What’s new in ceramic tiles, stone, tools <strong>and</strong> accessories 52<br />
Advertising <strong>and</strong> subscriptions<br />
The Oast, Great Danegate<br />
Eridge, East Sussex TN3 9HU<br />
T: 01892 752400 F: 01892 752404-752405<br />
W: www.tile<strong>and</strong>stonejournal.com<br />
All rights reserved. No part <strong>of</strong> this publication may<br />
be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any<br />
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,<br />
recording or any information storage or retrieval system,<br />
without the express prior written consent <strong>of</strong> the publisher.<br />
<strong>Tile</strong> & <strong>Stone</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> is published by © Kick-Start Publishing Ltd<br />
ISSN 1744-4276<br />
SUBSCRIPTIONS<br />
United Kingdom<br />
£40.00 per annum<br />
Europe<br />
£70.00 per annum<br />
Rest <strong>of</strong> the World<br />
£95.00 per annum<br />
JUNE 2010 TSJ 3
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