Download TSJ January 2012 - Tile and Stone Journal

January 2012Volume 9 Number 1EditorJoe Simpsontandsjournal@aol.comM: 07885 294814Advertisement DirectorStuart Bournestuart.bourne@kick-startpublishing.co.ukT: 01892 752400Production DirectorJohn Heath 01892 752400Editorial DirectorAlan Bakalor 01892 680816Editorial AdministrationElaine Hudson 01892 752400DesignerNeil Owen 01892 752400Production and DesignJanet Purchase 01892 752400Print ManagementDPI Print and Production, Tonbridge, Kent01732 371271 www.dpi-print.co.ukGENERAL ENqUiRiESEditorialUnit 4, The Spelmonden EstateGoudhurst, Kent TN17 1HET: 07885 294814E: tandsjournal@aol.comAdvertising and subscriptionsThe Oast, Great DanegateEridge, East Sussex TN3 9HUT: 01892 752400 F: 01892 752404-752405W: www.tileandstonejournal.comCONTENTSDESIGN TRENDS: RAK P24NEWSMapei contributes to coppafeel! garden, topps tileslatest results, Ardex UK wins McDonalds’ contract,craven Dunnill Jackfield helps restore Newcastle theatre, etc 4TTA NEWSLETTERA review of 2011, plus all the latest ttA initiatives 12NEW IMAGE TILESis franchising the way forward for UK tile retailing? 16CASE STUDYMonocibec serves up a tasty interior for Milan’s Light Sushi 20DESIGN TRENDSRAK’s Abdulla Mahmood on the appeal of large format tiles 24AFTERCAREAdvice on sealing, cleaning and maintaining tiles and stone 28TECHNOLOGYHow Marshalls benefits from using Microsoft Dynamics AX 36PUBLIC ARTMaritime murals add interest to Waitrose in East cowes 38WETROOMStile backer boards, tanking systems and drainage options 40TECHNOLOGYHow taptile’s hidden lighting controls enhance tile projects 48TILE OF SPAIN AWARDStSJ reviews all the winners of this prestigious prize scheme 52PORTFOLIOWhat’s new in tiles, tools, natural stone and fixing materials 64All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by anymeans, 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 LtdISSN 1744-4276SUbScRiptioNSUnited Kingdom£40.00 per annumEurope£70.00 per annumRest of the World£95.00 per annumJANUARY 2012 TSJ 3

NEWS & COMMENTEDITOR’S COMMENT“European leaders have been queuing up sincethe start of the New Year to let us all know thattough times lie ahead. In case we’ve beenhibernating, or have suffered a completesensory malfunction over the past 24 months,the great and the good are determined toremind us that we are mired in a deep pool ofeconomic quicksand ... and sinking fast.What are we to make of these warnings? Wellthe politicians, especially those facing reelection,hope that by making it clear that thewider world is also suffering, we won’t blamethem. But that’s of little concern to the man onthe street or struggling businesses.My take is that there is precious little to be gained from dwelling on the negativeeffects of economic recession because there is nothing individuals can do about it.However, when it comes to my own response to the economic meltdown, that’s adifferent matter. My instinct is to try to think of different ways to fight back. Sothat’s one immediate benefit of the economic malaise: it makes you think.Another consequence is that consumers start spending more wisely, saving for thefuture and tightening their belts. In fact, the situation seems to have madeeverybody a touch wiser than before ... and that’s no bad thing.Both as individuals and as business people, knowing we have to act, and act fast,forces us to make quick decisions. My view is that it matters less if you make amistake, provided you are doing something. Procrastination get us nowhere.The recession also makes us all far more appreciative of what we already have. Itmakes us realised that a loving partner, healthy children and even a faithful doghave much more intrinsic and lasting value than a new Rolex or a sleek sports car.And, despite it all, start up businesses are continuing to succeed in this country. Inmy experience they have one thing in common: they are run by someone with areal and deep passion for what they are doing.So if we are concentrating on the things that really matter, like our homes, and ifbusiness can still succeed if they have enough drive and passion, then the tileindustry suddenly seems like a pretty good place to be in the current climate.”Joe SimpsonRayfield wins trainee mason of the year award for 2011Jonathan Rayfield, who has been voted The 2011 Trainee Mason of the Year, saysit is “a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment” that makes stonemasonry so enjoyableto him. “I enjoy crafting the stone and completing a job by hand that will bethere for all to see for maybe the next one hundred years or more,” he stated.Jonathan, 21, works for A F Jones Stonemasons Ltd in Reading and won theaward in the annual competition organised by Stone Federation Great Britain. Hereceived a perpetual trophy, tools to the value of £200, a cheque for £100 and acommemorative certificate. His employer and college also receive a certificate.“I was given the news that I had won in a phone call and I was really pleased. We had a party in Reading with myworkmates to celebrate my success. I owe a lot to my manager Tim Gash who won the award himself in 2006.”Richard Hoyle, from Moulton College commented: “Jonathan is an exceptional apprentice. His abilities far exceedthose of other apprentices of a similar age and experience. He always wants to further his development and skillsand will always strive for perfection. ”UK construction set for significantgrowth from 2013 onwardsAccording to Building Contracting, a new MarketReport from market intelligence provider Key Note,output in the construction industry fell by 0.8%between 2006 and 2010, to be worth £117.43bn in 2010at current prices, including repair and maintenance.Private construction bore the majority of losses duringthe economic crisis, with private commercial construction,private housing, and private industrial constructioninvestment all suffering significant losses.With private commercial construction accounting for32% of new construction work, and private housingaccounting for 19.6%, losses in these sectors caused amajor drop in output for building contractors. The relativelystable growth in construction for the publichousing, infrastructure and other public work sectorswas insufficient to offset those losses in the private sector.A number of challenges are facing the constructionindustry, as well as the impact of the recession.Sustainability and carbon emission issues are increasinglyimportant concerns to both the Government andconsumers. The Government has introduced legislationto reduce carbon emission from homes to zero by 2016,with public- and private-sector non-domestic buildingsfollowing shortly after. The sustainable credentials ofbuilding materials, and the waste produced by constructionprojects, have also come under increasedscrutiny in recent years.Despite these challenges, the UK construction industryis one of the largest industries in the UK and is amassive employer. As such, Key Note expects constructionoutput to have recovered by 2013. In 2011 and2012, public spending cuts are expected to offset anyrecovery experienced within the private sector. By2013, public-sector spending is expected to haverecovered somewhat and significant growth is expectedto return in 2014 and 2015, buoyed by public-sectorinvestment in energy infrastructure.Despite difficulties in the public sector, private commercialinvestment in construction should increasefrom 2012 and infrastructure construction will benefitfrom the Government’s investment plans for the energysector. Overall, the sector should recover slightly by2013, with significant growth in the years following.4 TSJ JANUARY 2012

Digitised Eurocodes launched by BSIA new product that digitises all 15,000 pages of theEurocodes has been launched by the British StandardsInstitution (BSI). Eurocodes Plus will help organisationsreduce the cost of implementing the Eurocodes by makingthem easier to understand and more accessible.The Eurocodes are Europe’s first set of unified standardsfor the design of buildings and structures acrossthe continent. Introduced in the UK in March 2010,Eurocodes became the adopted norm for all public procurementcontracts. From 2013 they will be cited in theBuilding Regulations approved documents.BSI’s Eurocodes Plus is an online interactive workflowtool that allows civil and structural engineers to quicklyfind specific Eurocodes at the click of a button. By helpingengineers save time, Eurocodes Plus will assist inreducing the cost of implementing Eurocodes which isestimated at approximately £16,000 per engineer.Eurocodes Plus has been in development for 18months, during which time BSI has worked with influentialcompanies and professional trade bodies toaddress some of the issues and complexities of implementingthe codes. The product has been developed inconjunction with practicing engineers, and has been trialledby 30 major engineering companies across the UK.Eurocodes Plus has other benefits that make it a trulytransformational product. The ability for industryexperts to share interpretations and provide practicaladvice next to specific clauses, tables, figures and equationsmakes it easier for engineers to understand andimplement the codes. This is a particularly compellingfeature of BSI’s new tool, especially at a time whenmany companies are still switching over to Eurocodes.Mike Low, Director of Standards at BSI said:“Eurocodes Plus is the first product of its kind in the sectorand will play an important role in helping companiesimplement the Eurocodes quickly and efficiently. TheEurocodes play an integral role in harmonizing constructionstandards across Europe. We believe this productwill help make them more accessible while helpingcompanies share knowledge, save money and remaincompetitive.”Brian Simpson from Arup, said: “Eurocodes and relatedEuronorms cover a wide scope and replace a lot ofBritish Standards, so it is easy to get lost in the new system,searching through piles of paper. I am convincedthat a web-based system, providing easy links betweenthe related clauses and documents, will be a huge benefitto users.”“Eurocodes no longer need to be difficult,” said MikeChrimes, Director, Engineering Policy & Innovation at theInstitution of Civil Engineers. “With Eurocodes Plus, thewhole process is simplified because you get digital accessto all relevant codes to help you to implement them.”www.bsigroup.com/eurocodesplusMapei has donated its highly flexible S2 rapid set adhesive Elastorapid to a garden installation created for the youngbreast cancer awareness charity, CoppaFeel!, that specifically targets young people. The garden, which has beenshowcased at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, has been designed by Hugo Bugg to captivate, educate andunsettle visitors; emphasising the importance of getting to know your own breasts with the ultimate aim of savinglives. “We have only managed to progress with this exciting project with the support from suppliers like Mapei”,explained Bugg, RHS Young Garden Designer of the Year in 2010.Despite being a relatively young charity, CoppaFeel! has a huge voice and they've had an incredibly successfulpast two years, having saved a number of lives thanks to the support from high profile people such as Dermot OLeary, Fearne Cotton, Dannii Minogue and Lorraine Kelly.It is hoped that this and future initiatives will engage young audiences and heighten awareness whilst takinghome an incredibly important message. Mapei contributed towards the project alongside Tower Ceramics.Visit www.coppafeelgarden.com to find out more about the project.NEWS & COMMENTNEWS IN BRIEFMike Smy has joined theteam at Beltrami after 10years working forGroundwork. Covering theNorth of the country, Smywill be bringing his extensiveknowledge of thestone tile industry and hisexcellent contacts toensure that Beltramiincreases it’s market share in this area.Calling on a wide variety of tile retailers and middleto high-end kitchen and bathroom outlets, Mike islooking forward to a new challenge helping to promoteBeltrami’s extensive range of internal and externalstone tiles.He joins the existing sales team including Ben Prolewho will concentrate on stonemasons and fabricatorsin the North with Suey Ranaweera covering the samein the South, along with Tabitha Smith who looks aftertile retailers in the South.Martin Dolby, MD of Beltrami UK Ltd, commented:“We are delighted that Mike’s joined the team andthis, along with new materials being introduced intothe range imminently, means that 2012 has a morepositive trading outlook already”.After eight years at thehelm of ABCD NickBraybrooke (left), ManagingDirector of Ceramic TilesLtd in Ipswich, has steppeddown as Chairman of thisinfluential group. He isbeing succeeded by Henry Williamson, ManagingDirector of Boyden and Co, based in Croydon.Other changes within the ABCD group includeMartin Bentham, Managing Director of Euxton TileSupplies, becoming company secretary and StefanFirth, Chairman of Yorkshire Tile Co, becoming socialsecretary.The Association of British Ceramic Distributors(ABCD Tiles) is an association of eight of the largestindependent ceramic tile distributors strategicallylocated around the UK offering a nationwide service.Products from the major British manufacturers,together with a unique selection of exclusive rangesfrom around the world, are all readily available. Tilesfor ABCD tiles are sourced from UK, China, Italy, Spain,Portugal, Turkey and Germany, among others. Themember companies have a turnover of some £60 millionand the group is therefore very influential withinthe ceramic tile industry.The member companies comprise Boyden Tiles,Ceramic Tiles, Craven Dunnill, Collinsons Scotland,Euxton Tile Supplies, Hampshire Tile Warehouse,Tileflair and Yorkshire Tile Co.www.abcdtiles.co.ukJANUARY 2012 TSJ5

NEWS & COMMENTArdex UK wins McDonald’s contractJOSS THOMAS“When I first opened ourshowroom in Burford, I couldpretty much predict how eachday would pan out. It wasrather like watchingGroundhog Day. One in threecustomers that took a brochureended up placing an order.Often, this tended to be a ten ortwenty square metre stonefloor and this order would form part of the nextcontainer delivery.Ardex UK has been appointed by the world’s largest family restaurant chain, McDonalds, to supply a tilefixing solution for the re-fit of all of the chain’s UK restaurant locations, having demonstrated expertiseand understanding of large scale ‘roll out’ refurbishment programmes, and the necessity to ensure consistencyof product, as well as the provision of technical support.After initial consultations and site visits with the McDonalds Property Team, Ardex proposed an efficientcost and labour saving ‘tile on tile’ solution for the tiling refurbishment. The proposal was supportedby product demonstrations to the McDonalds team, as well as the appointed tiling contractors.Each refit will commence with the existing wall and floor tiles being cleaned with Ardex DGRDegreaser. Any damaged tiles will be removed, and the areas patch repaired to level using ArdexArdurapid A45 rapid hardening and drying internal repair mortar which is able to receive new tiles only90 minutes after application, regardless of thickness.To facilitate tile on tile application, Ardex P4 Primer was specified for use onto the existing tiles. Thisoffers rapid drying of just one hour, enabling the early fixing of new tiles with Ardex X 77 MicrotecFlexible Floor & Wall Tile Adhesive. Ardex X 77 has an open time of up to 60 minutes, providing greaterfixing efficiency over large areas, and has been developed to fix heavier, larger tiles without slipping.For the floors, Ardex P 4 Primer was specified for use on the existing floor tiles prior to the applicationof Ardex Microtec X 78 S Ultra Rapid Setting Floor Tile Adhesive that offers rapid hardening performancethat enables tiles to be walked on and grouted after only 90 minutes.Ardex-Flex FL Rapid Setting Flexible Grout, with built-in admix, was chosen to fill the tile joints. Inaddition to offering a colour palette of 32 colours, Ardex-Flex tile grouts incorporate flexibility, waterrepellence, ease of application and dirt resistance.01440 714939 info@ardex.co.uk www.ardex.co.ukPutney & Wood completes Europe’s largest fit outSpecialist stone contractor Putney& Wood has completed stoneworkon Europe’s largest fit out project, 1Angel Lane, for multi-billion poundJapanese conglomerate Nomura.The project, which received a prestigiousaward from The BritishCouncil of Offices, had a total a valueof over £100 million. The extensive internal stone flooring and wall liningpackage for this challenging project was entrusted to Putney & Wood by fitout specialists Como. Moleanos, Azul Valverde from Portugal and Yorkstonewere used for internal flooring in various locations throughout the building,while large format Domus quartz tiles were used to line the walls on thedirector’s suites, corridors and entertainment areas on the 11th floor. Putney& Wood also installed porcelain and ceramic floor tiles in the catering anddining areas on the second floor taking the total value of the tiling packageto in excess of £1 million.Whilst putting my feet up over Christmas, I reflected onhow much the market has changed. Yes, you have towork twice as hard to secure a sale, but even the actualsale has changed. We’re finding ourselves working withfewer customers but in a completely different way.Rather than supplying stone tiles for one room, we’rehelping them with specifications for multiple rooms andsupplying other complementary stone products, likestatement bathroom pieces.In many ways, this makes business more exciting. You’reworking closely alongside the customer and seeing thewhole project evolve, as if it were your own home. Interms of the bottom line, it’s harder to make a profit butlast year we achieved our highest turnover sinceIndigenous was founded. But, as we all know, turnoveris vanity and profit is sanity....It can be difficult to re-invent your business when it’sworked so well in the past, but we have to expand ourvision and listen carefully to find out what the customeractually wants. We can’t sit back and order mountainsof the same stone and expect the sales to come floodingin. There are customers out there but they’re entirelydifferent. It’s more a case of finding out what they’relooking for first and then sourcing a product to meettheir individual specification, in terms of size andaesthetics.Business takes more time and smaller one-off orders arecertainly more costly, in terms of the actual cost of thestone and transportation. Things have changed andthere’s no turning the clock back. My goal for this year isto try and ensure that I can still maintain a reasonablemargin – to remain sane and not be vain!”For more information, call 01993 824200 or emailenquiries@indigenousltd.com.6 TSJ JANUARY 2012

NEWS & COMMENTAlistair Mackintosh is coping with Ultra TileRecently an indoor pool had coping stones and tilesfixed by Birmingham-based Ultra Tile stockist,Alistair Mackintosh using Ultra Tile ProRapid RS.The particular coping stones were a new designintroduced recently by Alistair Mackintosh. Theadhesive is rapid setting and is formulated withexceptional bond strength, making it ideal for naturalstone applications.The adhesive can be applied at a bed thickness of3 to 12mm on walls or floors. Its open time is 40minutes and it will be set after just two hours dryingtime.The product is suitable for both wet and dry conditionsand is formulated to adhere to most commonsubstrates including screwed and fixed overboardedwooden floors. It may be used internallyor externally. A high polymer content increases the product’s flexibility and ensures its compatibility withunderfloor heating systems. Ultra Tile ProRapid RS conforms to the requirements of EN 12004 Class C2FTand is available in 20kg grey or white.The swimming pool surrounds were finished off with Ultra Tile WideJoint grout in limestone. Suitablefor joint widths from 1 to 20mm, Ultra Tile WideJoint is suitable for internal or external use. The productis also mould resistant and water repellent.Ultra Tile: www.ultratileadhesives.co.uk.Alistair Mackintosh: www.alistairmackintosh.co.ukTopps Tiles proves resilient in tough marketAnnouncing its annual results, Topps Tiles has noted that its expectations that 2011 would betough for retailers in the tile sector has proved to be the case. “We were encouraged by our firsthalf performance, which saw overall revenues grow by 1.8% on a like-for-like basis. However,as we progressed through the second half the combined effects of a deteriorating economicoutlook, stagnation in the housing market and falls in domestic purchasing power furtherundermined consumer confidence. Inevitably this has had a negative impact on our businessand like for like revenues were down 2.0%. Total revenue for the financial period was £175.5million with adjusted profit before tax of £13.9 million, down from £16.3 million in the priorperiod.” However, Topps’ gross margin remained robust at 59.6%, up from 58.7% in 2010.In the past year Topps has grown its store estate to 320 from 312 and converted five TileClearing House sites to the more profitable Topps format. A further 15 conversions are plannedfor the year ahead. This will leave 16 Tile Clearing House stores which will function as clearanceunits for the Topps stores. The group has also completed its new warehouse, enabling a longerterm shift towards more direct sourcing, thereby enhancing margins. A new IT system is beingintroduced and attempts are ongoing to build greater awareness of the Topps brand throughnational TV campaigns.Barry Bester, Topps Tiles’ Chairman since 2003, and co-founder of the business, brought histime with Topps to a close in 2011, having announced in May that he wished to pursue otherbusiness interests. Stuart Williams, co-founder and President, has also announced his intentionto conclude his formal involvement with the Group. Additional independent non-executivedirectors will now be appointed to bring the Board into line with corporate governance bestpractice. Although trading has been tough in this financial period, the Board was able to recommenda final dividend of 0.6p per share at a cost of £1.1 million. This bring the total dividendfor the year to 1.1 pence per share (2010: 1.0 pence per share), an increase of 10%.Topps has strengthened its position as the UK's leading tile retailer during the period, withthe group’s share of the non-contract tile market growing to 26% . “Looking ahead, we expecteconomic conditions will remain difficult in 2012, with domestic budgets again under pressure.Our response will be to take further cost out of the business, grow margin and maximise salesopportunities, while making operational improvements that will position the business forfuture growth as economic conditions improve,” stated Matthew Williams, Chief ExecutiveOfficer.SEAN MCPHEAT“Keeping your head right and stayingmotivated during long cold calling dayscan be rough. And frankly, the realanswers are not as simple as most peoplethink. Unfortunately, it is often theteaching of the old school managers whostill subscribe to the Smile & Dial era ofyesteryear, that all you have to do is thinkpositively and not "take it personally."However, while I am the biggestproponent of positive thinking, I alsosubscribe to reality. What you need is away to see the truth; the unbiased,unadulterated truth of what is happening.With that, here are three ways to help you see the truth. One: understandyour SOS. By SOS, I am referring to the Science of Selling, and not the simpleold basic law of averages or the old-so-called numbers game. You shouldbe using a good CRM (customer relationships management) software toolthat can keep detailed records of every single action you take everyday.With that information you need to know exactly how many calls you make,how many people you contact, how many prospects move to what point inyour sales model, as well as closing averages, sales averages, commissionaverages and everything else.You must be able to figure out not only how much you earn when youmake a sale, but how much you earn when don't make a sale. You need toknow what every sales activity is worth and if you're up to speed with yourperfect sales model.You need to know exactly how you are paid. As an example, let's say youfind that you have a closing average of 20% or one out of five: for every fiveprospects you ask for an order, you sell one. And let's say you earn £400every time you close a sale. OK. Well, if you make £400 every time youmake a sale and it takes you five closing attempts to make that one sale,then in effect, you actually earned one fifth or 20% of the commission everytime you attempted to close. You actually earn £80 every time you askedfor the order.Take that a step further and let's say that it takes you 10 cold calls to findone decision maker to actually make a presentation to ask for an order.Then you earned 1/10th of the £80 every time you made a cold call or youmade £8 every time you dialled the phone---no matter what happened!Now, armed with the above information, pay yourself. The key is not tolook only at the end result - the sale - and to understand that you earnmoney for every sales activity you accomplish. You may receive your payonce a month or week in a lump sum, but that is not how you actually earnthat pay. Pay yourself as you go, because that is what is really happening.Let's say that after you checked out your numbers, you find that you earn£10 every time you reach the decision maker (DM) on the phone.Now, imagine I come to your office with a wheel-barrel full of money andevery time you reach a DM on the phone, I throw £10 on your desk for youto keep. How many calls you would make that day? How many DMs wouldyou reach that day? Would you get all bent out of shape or depressedbecause you did not actually close a sale or would you just think aboutmaking contact with more DMs? During your day think like that andmentally pay yourself every day.Finally, judge your performance based on facts not fiction and then setgoals to improve in every area. Set a goal to average reaching two moreDMs every day, or to dial 20 more numbers every week or to send out 8more literature packs or email brochures every week. Set short term goalsthat are based on sales activity and not the end result. Then reach them.”Sean McPheat is Managing Director of MTD Training. For further information pleasecontact: 0800 849 6732 www.mtdsalestraining.com8 TSJ JANUARY 2012

NEWS & COMMENTCraven Dunnill Jackfield helps restore Newcastle’s listed theatreThe Newcastle Theatre Royal has recently re-openedfollowing a £4.75 million renovation project that sawthe theatre auditorium and public areas restored to theoriginal 1901 Frank Matcham interior, complete withrich burgundy and embossed decorative wall tiles, anda geometric and encaustic tiled floor, all made by thespecialist tile manufacturer Craven Dunnill Jackfield.Restoration of the Grade 1 listed theatre came underthe scrutiny of English Heritage. TheatreSearch, theconsultants over-seeing the project, recommendedthat the wall tiles were reinstated, as depicted onarchive drawings of the original Frank Matchamdesign.While Craven Dunnill Jackfield is best known for itsbespoke tile-making service, the company also offers astandard range of embossed, plain and decorativedado tiles, which are all historically accurate in styleand still made using traditional techniques for anauthentic look. The embossed Leighton tile design in burgundy, cream and gold was selected as the decorativefrieze element, interspersed with plain burgundy field tiles and edged with Dado and Dart tiles for thewalls in the rear stalls and side walls in the main stalls. Beneath, plain burgundy tiles create a rich swathe ofhigh gloss colour down to the floor. The effect is gloriously opulent and striking but also practical, as the tilesare robust and will withstand decades of wear. The touch of cream in the Leighton tiles is also a useful safetyfeature when the house lights go down.As part of the restoration project, a geometric and encaustic tiled floor has also been installed in one of thestall inner vestibules and up the stairs, which Craven Dunnill Jackfield hand-made. This features a patternbased on The Gaiety Theatre & Opera House, where a similar design is installed.Craven Dunnill Jackfield scheduled the making of the tiles over a period of three months to suit RobertCampbell, the tiling contractor employed on the job. Having chosen tiles from Jackfield’s own range, theTheatre avoided the need for time-consuming design and manufacturing trials, and still achieved the authenticMatcham styling of the original 1901 building.Craven Dunnill Jackfield: T: 01952 884124 www.cravendunnill-jackfield.co.ukTile Contractor: Robert Campbell: T: 0191 416 0632Consultant: TheatreSearch: T: 01423 781957 www.theatresearch.co.ukMain Contractor: Surgo Construction: T: 0191 273 3311 www.surgo.co.ukThe UK economy runs the danger of a delayed recoveryWhile the 2008 recession was not as deep or prolonged as the infamous 1930s Great Depression, the UK's economy is indanger of taking far longer to recover this time round. That is the warning from the Forum of Private Business’s EconomicAdviser, Professor Phillip Wyman. He is forecasting another stormy 12 months for SMEs as the UK, European and Worldeconomies struggle to cope with the euro debt crisis, plummeting consumer confidence and spiralling unemployment.“The current economic situation is serious,” said Prof Whyman. “GDP growth for 2011 is likely to come in below 1%once figures are in, and predictions for next year range from 1.2% to 0.5%, with the Office for Budgetary Responsibility(OBR) predicting 0.7% as its mid-point forecast. This is very weak indeed, and indicates that the economy is more fragilethan most commentators realised.”Prof Whyman said he expects UK unemployment to reach 2.9 million, a figure he says is down to private sector expansionstalling in the face of global uncertainty, but less than the 3 million plus predicted by other economic commentators.“Job losses in the public sector have not been compensated for by a rapid expansion in private sector empl oyment, as predictedby the OBR a year or more ago, and it’s not surprising why this has not occurred,” he explained. “Employers baseinvestment and hiring decisions upon expectations for the future, and, with the current weak trading conditions, externalfactors such as the eurozone crisis, falling consumer expenditure and a continued reluctance for financial institutions toprovide inexpensive loa ns for expansion purposes, these expectations are unlikely to improve in the near future.Commenting on the financial sector, Prof Whyman believes a tougher stance might be required from global institutionsto avoid another credit crunch scenario. And he suggests that, while quantitative easing is a useful tool to stimulategrowth, it could be used more effectively in the UK. “Institutions should be forced to engage in more transparent bookkeeping by putting everything on the balance sheet, not hidden in offshore operations. I would like to see banks own upto residual bad debt exposure within their operations and, where necessary request recapitalisation, with shareholderstaking a haircut to deal with issues of moral hazard.”LISA BREAKSPEAR“Pulling back an oldcarpet to discover anoriginal Victorian floor isan absolute joy. The onlyproblem comes inworking out how torestore it.Most tiles are made ofunglazed clay and are laidwith fine grout lines. As tiles were generally very goodquality and laid to a high standard, a thorough cleanand subsequent treatment is often all that’s required.However, choosing the correct cleaning product isimportant, to ensure that the original aesthetic isn’tcompromised.To thoroughly clean the floor - and to remove organicdirt and wax residues - an alkaline cleaner, like Fila PS87,should always be used. If you’re happy with the results,you can then continue to the sealing stage.However, if any marks remain, it’s worth taking advicefrom a professional, as a specialist stain-removalproduct might be required.In terms of sealing, either a water-based product or asolvent impregnator can be used. Water-basedproduces, like Fila W68, have environmental benefitsand can also be applied with residual moisture present,which speeds up treatment time.Additional liquid wax treatments can also be appliedafter sealing. They offer an extra layer of protection andcan be used to achieve a matt, satin or high gloss finish.Ongoing maintenance products should be chosenwhich both respect the original tile, as well as thesealant and liquid wax. As with all treated materials,only pH-neutral cleaning products, like Fila Cleaner,should be used.Normal multi-surface householdcleaners will break-down the surface protectionprovided.This could cause surface staining andpotentially damage the finish of the original tile.”Lisa Breakspear is Sales & Technical Director of FilaUK. For more information on Fila’s range of surfacecare products, please contact Fila UK on 01584877286 or visit www.filachim.com.10 TSJ JANUARY 2012

TTA NEWSLETTERTTA Awards Dinner, training funding,CE Marking and a review of 2011Welcome to TTA Newsletter“Welcome to the latest edition of The TileAssociation (TTA) Newsletter. 2011 was aneventful year for TTA. It has more than doubledin size since originally formed and within thelast year has seen over 100 new members join,consisting of tiling contractors, fixers, distributors,retailers and manufacturers. It continuesin its mission to promote professionalism andtechnical standards in the tiling industry, as wellas provide technical support to both membersand their customers.”“To further this TTA are delighted to announcethe award of funding to further qualify theworkforce within the tile industry. In thismonth’s newsletter we also focus on the newsthat CE Marking of wall and floor tiles is tobecome mandatory under ConstructionProducts Regulation, and look at the implicationthis will have on our industry.”“We are also pleased to welcome our newestmembers and, with the TTA Awards coming upin a few months. now is the time to book yourtickets to the most prestigious event in the tileindustry calendar.”“Finally we invite you all to take a look back atthe various events that have made 2011 such asuccess for The Tile Association and to wish youall the best for 2012.”Les Rolt, PR & Marketing Co-ordinatorThe Tile AssociationTTA receives Qualifyingthe Workforce fundingThe Tile Association has been awarded fundingof up to £75,000 by Construction Skills tofurther qualify the workforce within theindustry.The ‘Qualifying the Workforce Funding’ isavailable from Construction Skills to TradeAssociations and Unions that represent adirectly employed workforce of over 5,000people, or with an ability to influence a largernon-employed workforce.Construction Skills, the Sector Skills Counciland Industry Training Board for the constructionindustry, work both with and for the constructionindustry, to deliver a safe, professionaland fully qualified UK constructionworkforce. The aim of the Qualifying theWorkforce Funding is to support organisationsin their aims to have a suitably qualifiedworkforce to meet the needs of the industry.To this end, TTA successfully applied for12 TSJ JANUARY 2012The Tile Association is pursuing a pro-active marketingcampaign to promote the 2012 TTA Awards.funding this year and was awarded up to£75,000 over the next 12 months.TTA will be using the funding to support itsmembers in the tile fixing and retail sectorsby giving members who have an employeeachieve either a Level 2 or higher NVQ in Wall& Floor Tiling or the new Tile Retail Diploma(due to be launched in the New Year) £450 peremployee.Although some companies may be too faraway from a college that offers tiling to sendan apprentice, employers can still claimCSkills grants for carrying out in-house trainingof an apprentice via a Specialist TrainingProgramme agreed with Construction Skills.The Tile Association is also offering £2,000 infunding to tile fixing members who successfullyemploy an apprentice who completestheir apprenticeship and achieve an NVQLevel 2. The £2,000 is paid over the two yearperiod and is in addition to the funding thatthe employer can receive from ConstructionSkills.Tickets for TTA AwardsDinner now availableThe Annual TTA Awards Gala Dinner will takeplace on 21st April 2012 at The HiltonBirmingham Metropole. Considered to be thepremier event in the tile industry calendar,the prestigious Awards Dinner will honourthe best of the wall and floor tile industry, andcelebrate excellence throughout the pastyear.The dinner features the presentation of the2012 Tile Association Awards in 22 categories,and everybody who is anybody in our industrywill be there. It is a chance to catch up withold friends and colleagues, and as always youcan be sure of a good night's entertainment.Tickets prices for the 2012 dinner are £125each or just £995 for a table of ten. Hotelrooms are also available at a reduced rate forpeople attending the Awards Dinner, butplease note that the hotel gets very busy withthis event.Demand is always high for tickets to thisprestigious event, so be sure to book early toavoid disappointment!Full details can be found in the 'Awards2012' section of The Tile Association websiteat www.tiles.org.uk..CE Marking of wall and floor tilesto become mandatoryunder Construction Products RegulationIn July 2013 CE Marking of all constructionproducts, including wall and floor tiles, willbecome mandatory under the requirementsof the Construction Products Regulation.CE Marking will have an effect on all sectorsof the tile industry and it is important tounderstand the obligations of this new regulationso that you can plan ahead.To ensure its members understand thechanges to product certification and theimportance of slip testing, The TileAssociation will be hosting a seminar in conjunctionwith SATRA Technology Centre onthe 26th January 2012 at SATRA TechnologyCentre, Kettering.The seminar, entitled ‘Construction ProductsRegulation – Important changes to productcertification and an introduction to slip testing’will be invaluable in achieving greaterunderstanding and awareness of the changesthe industry will be facing.Slip, in particular, is an important characteristicof flooring products and althoughincluded within the essential requirements ofthe CPR a broader understanding of the differentmethods available and how results areclassified will allow those attending to marketproducts more successfully.The tentative programme for the event is asfollows overleaf:

TTA NEWSLETTERProposed programme9.15am Registration and coffee9.30 to 9.45 Introduction to SATRA and welcome9.45 to 10.30 Introduction to the Construction products directive/regulation,background and recent changes10.30 to 11.00 Role of the notified body and attestation routes11.00 to 11.15 Coffee11.15 to 11.45 Summary of essential requirements11.45 to 12.45 CE marking ceramics. EN 14411, labelling and declaration of performances(includes exercise on completing a declaration of performance)12.45 to 13.45 Lunch13.45 to 14.00 Introduction to slip14.00 to 14.30 The pendulum, test methods, calibration and understanding test data14.30 to 15.00 The ramp, test methods, calibration and understanding test data15.00pm Questions and closePlease note there will be an opportunity for attendees to see demonstrations of both thependulum and the ramp after the seminar close at 15.00.The cost to attend the Seminar is £80 plus VAT per person to include refreshments.Please contact les.rolt@tiles.org.uk to receive a booking form to reserve your place at thisimportant event, which is exclusively open to TTA Members only.2011: A year in review2011 will go down as an historic year for TheTile Association, with a series of memorableand ‘once in a lifetime’ events taking place.Aside from the wide range of promotionalactivities on behalf of its members, and its ongoingdedication to professionalism andtechnical standards in the tiling industry, TTAcontinued to provide technical support toboth members and their customers, and sawa high influx of new members joining. Beloware some of the highlights from an eventfulyear for The Tile Association and its members.TTA Awards 2011: The annual TileAssociation Awards took place in April 2011celebrating all that is best in the wall and floortile industry at the annual TTA Gala Dinner.The awards recognised and rewarded theproducts, people, businesses and projects inthe tile industry.Amongst notable winners across a variety ofcategories was Outstanding Contribution tothe Industry award winner Peter Smart. Thisprestigious Award recognised a career in thetile industry that has spanned over 35 years.Numerous other awards were handed outover the course of what proved to be anenjoyable evening for all who attended.A full list of winners can be found on The TileAssociation website at www.tiles.org.ukWorldSkills: At the beginning of OctoberWorldSkills came to the United Kingdom,with over 200,000 visitors, including PrincessAnne, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and BorisJohnson, making their way to London's ExCeLexhibition centre to see young people from51 countries competing in 46 trades.For the first time in ten years, the UK put forwarda competitor in the wall and floor tilingcompetition. Ian McMahon, from North WestCollege in Northern Ireland, represented theUK finishing a commendable 15th in the competition.There were also many opportunities to havea go at a trade, with The Tile Association ‘Havea Go’ area proving one of the most popularstands. Visitors were offered the chance toexperience tiling by setting out and fixing theUnion Flag.EUF Conference: Coinciding with the WorldSkills vocational competition The TileAssociation hosted the European Union ofTiling Contractors Conference where seniortile industry individuals from European countriesmet in London to discuss key policy matters.The meeting brought all sectors of theEuropean industry together for round tablediscussions. High on the agenda were discussionson improved cooperation betweenmanufacturers and contractors, standards intraining of fixers around Europe and the stateof the market.Cut the VATCampaign: In lateOctober 2011, TTAannounced its supportfor the 'Cut TheVAT' campaign,adding their namesto an ever growinglist of organisationsencouraging the UKGovernment toreduce VAT on all home repair, maintenanceand improvement work from 20% to 5%.ISO Plenary Meeting: In November The TileAssociation came to the rescue of standardswithin the tiling industry by hosting the plenarymeeting of the International StandardsOrganisation (ISO). It was at this gathering ofdelegates to a worldwide event that majortechnical issues and the maintaining andplanning of standards were discussed. Thisyear the ISO Plenary Meeting was scheduledto be held in Japan, but following the disastrousTsunami, Japan was forced to withdrawfrom hosting the event.In an effort to ensure that this did notthreaten the maintaining of standards withinthe international tile industry, The TileAssociation stepped in and offered to hostthe event. This would not have been possiblewithout the support of Shackerley HoldingsGroup, Mapei UK, N&C Nicobond, SchluterSystems, Ardex UK, Tiles UK and Tile Giantwho responded positively to TTA’s requestsfor financial support.TTA welcomes new membersThe Tile Association would like to offer a warmwelcome to our newest members: Tile ChoiceLtd, Padstone, About Stone UK, TilemasterAdhesives Ltd, WBS Design Build, TrimtradersLtd, Dallmer Ltd, Romford Tile Company,Blueprint Ceramics Ltd, The Tile Depot, Al-Murad DIY Ltd, Classic Tiling (Midlands) Ltd, AJBathrooms, Potter Perrin Ltd, and WS Tiling Ltd.TTA TweetsYou can keep up-to-date on the latest developmentsin the tile industry by following uson twiter: @tileassociationThe Tile AssociationT: 020 8663 0946F: 020 8663 0949E: info@tiles.org.ukW: www.tiles.org.uk14 TSJ JANUARY 2012

NEW IMAGE TILESRight: In October 2009 NewImage Tile Studio Ltd movedinto an 8,000 square foot,purpose-built unit on theGranby Industrial Estate inWeymouth, that encompassesa showroom, warehouse anddistribution centre and amezzanine suite of offices allunder one roof.It features New Image’sstriking branding, bestsymbolised by the company’seye-catching multi-colouredgecko logo.16 TSJ JANUARY 2012Is franchising the future forindependent ceramic tile retailing?Joe Simpson visits Weymouth to experience at first-hand the retail experiencethat New Image Tiles wants to spread nationwide via a franchise network.In 1989 Steve Cobb, who was working as a tiling contractor,drew on his passion for and understanding ofthe ceramic tile industry to move his career in a newdirection. Dissatisfied by the lack of choice available,and less than satisfactory customer service, he decidedto create a retail business that would meet both his andhis customer’s expectations.In 1998 Cobb and his wife Sharon (who sadly passed awayin 2010) developed New Image Tile Studio, a Weymouthbasedcompany founded on the simple themes of quality,value for money and good customer service. The conceptproved so successful that, within a short space of time, twonew branches were opened in Bridport and Wareham.In October 2009 New Image Tile Studio Ltd moved into an8,000 square foot, purpose-built unit on the GranbyIndustrial Estate in Weymouth, that encompassed a showroom,warehouse and distribution centre and a mezzaninesuite of offices all under one roof.Now, with the invaluable assistance of Franchise Director,Nigel Gauder, Cobb has ambitious plans to roll out NewImage Tiles’ concept through a network of franchises.After more than 12 months Cobb and Gauder have distilledthe New Image concept into a highly detailed 45 pagefranchise agreement that will allow new franchisees accessto a fully-formed and proven retail formula.Central to this concept will be impressive showroomswith the same ‘WOW factor' as the Weymouth HQ, somethingdesigned to provide a great and inspiring ‘customerexperience'.In his own business Cobb has taken every effort to ensurethat his staff are fully trained and conversant with all aspectsof the company's vast product range. This not only includesa considerable selection of tiles, but also own-brand adhesive,grout, under-tile heating, and more recently, bathroomsand kitchens.The new franchise concept is based on the successfulbusiness model built up over the past 22 years. It principalfeatures are a striking brand image (symbolised by the company’seye-catching multi-coloured gecko logo); an exclusiveand extensive product range; in-depth product training;continuous management and administrative support;dedicated and secure franchise territories; tested financialsystems and advice; an accounting package; comprehensivesales, marketing and computer systems training; localand national advertising support; a secure in-house supplychain; plus the financial support of a major British bank.Cobb and Gauder believes that the franchise model offersand win-win situation for New Image Tiles and potentialnew franchisees.For New Image Tiles the appeal lies in the opportunity togrow the business without large-scale capital investment.However, even more importantly, they believe that thepotential franchisees will bring an entrepreneurial drive andpassion to succeed that is had to engender among paidmanagers. Other benefits for New Image Tiles, as the franchisesroll out, will be enhanced buying power and thus,potentially, more advantageous margins for parent companyand franchisees alike.

NEW IMAGE TILESTop: New Image Tile Studio hasnow added kitchens (andbathrooms) to its retail offer.Above: Standard tile range arecomplemented by top-of-therangedecorative tiles andmosaics from leadingmanufacturers such as OriginalStyle.INTEREST IN FRANCHISING?Apply in writing to:Nigel GauderFranchise DirectorNew Image Tiles Ltd8 Kent CloseThe Granby Industrial EstateWeymouthDorset DT4 9TFFor the franchisee the benefits are equally clear. The mainone is buying into a proven retailing format with tried andtested practices and procedures across everything frommerchandising to point-of-sales materials, to financial management,staff training and marketing.However there are two factors that will probably hold thegreatest attraction for potential franchisees. The first is hardto quantify but probably priceless: the ability to discuss anyproblems or issues with a sympathetic yet experiencedmanagement team, safe in the knowledge that they havethe franchisee’s best interest as heart.The other main attraction for the franchisee is margin.Most independent retailers face a stark choice between thefinancial risk and organisational burden of importing directfrom overseas manufacturers, or the limited margins thatcan be achieved when buying through traditional distributionchannels. New Image Tiles contends that the franchisemodel overcomes this difficulty. The company believes thatits franchisees will be able to achieve up to a 15% greatermargin from entering into an exclusive tile supply deal withNew Image Tiles.The reason is simple. When it comes to supplying mostindependent retailers, conventional distributors are competingwith many other distributors and manufacturers forthe business. Each retail account is typically quite small asthe retailer cherry picks from a large portfolio. However, asdistributors normally supply more than 100 other independents,they will maintain their own margins becausethey know there are other fish in the sea should a particularretailer fail.For a franchise owner like New Image Tiles, however, thesuccess of the business is entirely dependent on the successof its franchisees. This, coupled with exclusive supplyagreements, is a great incentive to keep trade prices as lowas possible so that each retail franchisee makes a good profitand thus helps keep the New Image brand strong. NewImage Tiles also has a good reason to set and maintain veryhigh standards of customer care for its franchisees. Thisshould also be easier to maintain with relatively few retailunits to supply compared with a conventional distributor.With 700 pallets of tiles kept in stock as Weymouth, withdeliveries by New Image Tiles’ own fleet of vans, continuityand consistency of supply should not be an issue for thefranchisees or their customers.New Image Tiles is realistic in its growth aims. As statedearlier it has taken more than 12 months to put the franchisescheme together. The initial idea was a relatively rapidroll out in the Somerset, Devon and Dorset area. Now, followinginitial interest from over 100 budding entrepreneurs,the plan is for a more gradual roll out across a wider geographicalarea. The first fruits of this will be a new franchisein Hitchin, Hertfordshire in 2012. Many others are expectedto follow, but Cobb and Gauder are keen to get each newfranchise set up and trading smoothly before moving on tothe next project. This is in keeping with the five year rollingcontracts, guaranteed for 10 years, which underlines NewImage Tiles’ insistence that it is in it for the long term.However, according to Cobb and Gauder, ‘company’ maynot be the most appropriate term for this developing business.They prefer to see the expanding New Image empireas a family; a tight-knit group of dedicated individuals thatwork together closely for mutual benefit.New Image Tiles are equally insistent that they are a specialistniche retailer, quite unlike, say, Topps Tiles or B&Q.This is underlined by the tile selection that spans very commercialvalue lines from overseas manufacturers, mainlyfrom Spain and Italy, but including countries like Portugaland China, freshened by high-end decorative tiles fromleading manufacturers such as Original Style.Franchisees should also appreciate New Image’s ownbrand adhesives, grouts, trims and undertile heating, as thisprevents them getting drawn into like-for-like price wars onthe high street. There is also a strong range of natural stonetiles from Groundwork and Classical Flagstones, plus sealingand cleaning products from LTP. Going forward, franchiseemay also like to take on New Image’s kitchen, bathroom andwood flooring ranges, although the initial focus is verymuch on running New Image Tiles franchises as tile retailbusinesses.Finally, the $65,000 question, how much will it cost? Well,each franchise will require a one-off licence, costing£15,000. The franchisee with also need as estimated£30,000 to source and set up a suitable showroom. NewImage will work closely with franchisees to locate suitablepremises and help negotiate the all-important lease. Giventhe level of support provided both during set-up and afterwards,a one-off cost of £15,000 seems like good value. Theshowroom costs would still apply for non-franchised operationsand should, in fact, be lower because the investmenthas already gone into brand imagery, souring tile displays,product labelling and pricing, and a host of other detailsthat all increase the cost of setting up a new retail tile businessfrom scratch.The concept certainly seems to have a strong appeal.Already New Image Tile has dealt with over 100 enquiriesfrom potential franchisees and is already in detailed discussionswith several strong prospects beside the new franchisein Hitchin. Perhaps Steve Cobb and Nigel Gauder areright to have such faith in their franchise model.01305 781709 www.new-image-tiles.co.uk18 TSJ JANUARY 2012

CASE STUDYMonocibec serves upceramic style at Light SushiA Japanese restaurant inside a vintage location near Milanposed an interesting architectural challenge whereceramic material has offered a perfect solution for thedesigner, architect Nicola Ghilardi.Three views of the Dramaticinterior of Light Sushi, Milan.Anineteenth century courtyard house inLentando, Milan, has been painstakingly transformedinto a temple of creative Japanese cuisine.The project, designed by architect Nicola Ghilardi,has shaped the atmosphere of the structure characterisedby a succession of small rooms to make it anintimate and welcoming environment, where interiorsand modern materials blend harmoniously withthe original rustic components.The Grandi Ditmore collection by Monocibec, in itsMarketings and Rivulet colours in the 500 by 500mmformat, was the choice made by the architect for a floor.The use of a modern high-performance material, suchas porcelain stoneware, in a vintage setting characterisedby the presence of exposed brick and woodenbeams, created a rich aesthetic contrast.Grandi Ditmore offers consciously worn aesthetics,designed to be used in the restoration and renovationof prestigious buildings. The flooring, which is animatedwith Spectacular inserts, becomes the perfect "traitdB’s" in a fragmented environment.Another unifying element of the project is the lighting,made with LED lamps that accompany customersfrom room to room as if under a starry sky. The result isa sympathetic call to nature, to its forms and its colours,traditional sources of Japanese inspiration and culinaryarts, which is also found in the large and tall table with20 TSJ JANUARY 2012

CASE STUDYRight: The interior of LightSushi is the perfect coexistenceof tradition anddesign; this way, in areasemphasised by muted pastelcolours, you will findwenge tables withchromed steel frames, LEDlights, white gloss chairsand white leather stools.a panel placed on the front where the many shades oflight, created by the RAAB lamp placed inside the structure,emerge through the carved peach blossoms.The interior of Light Sushi is the perfect coexistence oftradition and design; this way, in areas emphasised bymuted pastel colours, you will find wenge tables withchromed steel frames, LED lights, white gloss chairs andwhite leather stools. Refined choices, such as the crystallacquered bench and bottle rack with oriental geometry,accompanies one of the classic must haves ofJapanese restaurants, large glass windows that allowobservation of the skilful and meticulous sushi men.Made with Monocibec materials, the Light Sushi projecthas participated in the first edition of theQuinquennial Tile Award, the international architectureaward that the Fincibec Group has created to open aspace for comparison between the designers of livingspaces that have used ceramic materials from its threecommercial brands; Monocibec, Century and Naxos.Currently the second edition is underway, open to allprojects completed in residential, public and commercial/industrialbuildings completed between 2007 and2011. Registration ends on 12th March 2012.Additional information can be found on the officialwebsite at www.tileaward.org.22 TSJ JANUARY 2012

DESIGN TRENDSTwo of the new 200 by 500mmdesigns available from RAKCeramics; left, Lite Stone andright, Update.Large rectangular tiles can tempttoday’s demanding consumersIn the first in a series of exclusive articles for TSJ, Abdulla Mahmood, Head ofMarketing & Communications at the world’s largest tile manufacturer, RAKCeramics, looks at the significant aesthetic impact of the latest tile formats.Whatever your industry, change is the name ofthe game. Brick-like mobile phones have givenway to more compact handsets, whilst bulky laptopsare slowly being replaced by tablets. Similarly,clichéd square tiles are being shunned by trend-consciousconsumers who are opting for slicker tile sizesto enhance their living style.So how did such a dramatic change take place? Notso many years’ ago, practicality steered tile manufacturer.Standard size tiles that were easy to ship, store andwhich were cost-effective from a production point-ofview,dominated the industry. Manufacturers believedin the concept that one-size fits all. Today, consumersare looking to use tiles as key interior design elementsand they are demanding a far wider choice in terms oftexture, colour and format.Larger format tiles, in particular, are in huge demand.Unlike most big products, which have a tendency todwarf small spaces, large tiles can work very successfullyin all room shapes. The larger the tile, the fewer groutlines; and continuing the same tile design across bothwalls and floors gives an even cleaner, open look.To pre-empt demand for even larger products, RAKhas developed a range of unique tile formats anddesigns, alongside more traditional 200 by 200, 300 by300 and 333 by 333mm sizes and mainstream rectangular300 by 600mm tiles. They include 250 by 700, 200by 500 and 1,000 by 1,000mm formats.The first new RAK collection – 250 by 700mm – hasbeen developed exclusively to decorate interior walls.There are eleven distinct tile designs, which reflect hallmarkurban trends. The chic designs vary from theessence of textile finish to wallpaper textures, withoptions available to suit living areas, bathrooms andkitchens. A combination of inimitable size and exquisitedesigns makes walls stand out.RAK’s new 200 by 500mm collection also has a strongurban look reflected through novel design. The collections’on-trend tile size strikes a perfect balance, with amix of vivid colours and surface textures that can beused in umpteen ingenious combinations. The tiles areideal for urban-chic style bathrooms and kitchens andthere are a striking range of options at pocket-friendlyprices.The largest new collection is the imposing 1,000 by1,000mm tile range. On-vogue and increasingly popular,this stunning new format greatly reduces the numberof individual grout lines and offers easier maintenance.Unlike traditional calibrated tiles, large formatrectified tiles also allow for narrower grout joints. This24 TSJ JANUARY 2012

DESIGN TRENDSTop left: Technorak, a new250 by 700mm design.Top right: Jazz, another250 by 700mm range.Above: Contemporarybathroom created using1,200 by 1,800mm porcelainslabs.not only makes a room appear larger but simplifiesmaintenance, as it’s easier to clean the face of a single,large tile, than lots of small surfaces and joints.RAK’s 1,000 by 1,000mm range is available in highgloss, rustic and matt finishes, so provides moreoptions than the mainstream honed natural stone looka-likes.As well as bringing proportionality to largecommercial spaces, the tiles can also make standardsizedrooms appear larger. 1,000 by 1,000mm formatscan also be used in external application and are idealfor use on building façades.In addition to individual tiles, the world’s largestporcelain slabs are also manufactured by RAK. In formatsup to 1,250 by 1,850 by 20mm, the slabs offermany benefits compared to traditional marble andgranite; the inherent strength of porcelain is combinedwith high abrasion resistance and incredibly low waterabsorption, making the material ideal for a myriad ofapplications.Slabs can be fabricated to create stunning vanity topsand surfaces. As the water absorption is less than0.04%, they can also be used to create external façadeswhich perform perfectly in even the most extremeweather conditions.Both the new collections and porcelain slabs providethe opportunity to add value and to make surfacesmore appealing. Materials no longer need to conformto the norm; there are now endless options in bothceramic and porcelain, in formats and designs to suit allforms and functions.“Today’s customers are increasingly savvy and constantlylooking for new designs, so that they can createa unique living space or achieve a specific on-trendlook. By recreating exclusive designs across a range ofnew formats, we can add value and offer even greaterchoice - and our ranges will continue to evolve, to meetthe changing demands of consumers,” concludesMahmood.Established in 1991, RAK Ceramics is the world's largestmanufacturer of ceramic and porcelain tiles. Its productportfolio also includes ceramic sinks, sanitary ware, brasswareand acrylic baths, with products currently exportedto more than 150 countries.For more information, contact Kevin Jackson, UK National Tile SalesManager, on 07891 475364 or email kevin.j@rakceramics.co.uk. OrRAK Ceramics UK: 01730 237850 www.rakceramics.co.uk26 TSJ JANUARY 2012

AFTERCARECleaning, sealing and maintainingTSJ offers an overview of the specialist formulations on the market designed specifically to clean,seal and maintain ceramic and porcelain tiles and all varieties of natural stone.Fila offers an extensive range of cleaners, sealers and aftercare products for ceramic tiles and natural stone.Aqua Mix routine cleaners are non-acidic andwon't damage stone, tile or grout. Specifically formulatedto be part of the perfect routine or heavydutycleaning solution for any stone, tile or groutsurface, they safely remove stains, dirt and grease.They can also restore the appearance of neglectedor heavy use areas. By contrast, general purpose,acid-based cleaners, especially those containinglemon, acid, bleach or vinegar, can visibly damageor etch the tile or stone surface.ProtectAll Advanced from Carr Paints is said to be'The ultimate chewing gum, oil, liquid and stainrepellent'. It is formulated for use on all externaland internal building, roofing and flooring surfaces.Providing effective protection for up to 10 years, itis ideal for local authority gum problem areas. It isclaimed to be both easy to apply and environmentallyfriendly.Meta Creme from Dry Treat was recently specifiedfor the Crown Casino and Entertainment Complexin Melbourne, Australia. Located on the south bankof the Yarra River, Crown Casino and EntertainmentComplex is one of the largest and most central featuresof the Melbourne CBD. The entire complexhas a space of 510,000 sq metres.The first level consists of a sophisticated resin tilesurface, containing quartz particles, of 1,500 sq.metres. There were a number of prerequisites forchoosing the sealer for this project:Super oil and water repellency for superior stainprotectionLongevity so that regular costly and disruptive reapplicationis not required.Retain look and finish on the surface for presentationto the public.Ensure the slip resistance of the already smooth surfaceswould not be further compromised.Sealed surfaces should be easier to maintain andclean – withstanding commercial alkaline cleaningchemicals and machine scrubbers.The solution selected was Meta Creme, said to bethe world’s only permanent bonding ultra low VOCsealer. Specially-engineered molecules in MetaCreme penetrate very deeply and bond permanentlywithin the pores of the stone, tile or paving,without affecting its look, breathability or slip resistance.The deep, permanent Meta Creme barrier providespremium stain protection, plus, by keepingwater with dissolved impurities well away from thevisible surface, it protects against many other commontypes of unsightly damage (including saltefflorescence, picture framing, spalling, and freezethawdamage).Because Meta Creme bonds permanently,becoming part of the molecular structure of thetreated stone, it can stand up to commercial cleaningand wear.Dycon’s extensive product portfolio includes Seal-Guard Grout and Tile Aerosol Sealer. This quick-dryingproduct dries invisible and is supplied in ahandy 300 gramme can. It seals grout linesbetween glazed ceramic tiles to protect against oiland water-based stains. Overspray is not a problemas Seal-Guard dries invisible. It is quick-drying andis ideal for use on benchtops, bathrooms and showerrecesses, small floor areas on all types of grout,unglazed tile and masonry surfaces. It can be usedto seal damp/wet grout within 20 minutes of installation,as well as dry grout.Also available from Dycon, Seal-Guard Gold LabelImpregnator offers superior protection while maintaininga natural finish. It is available in 1 litre, 4 litreand 20 litre containersSeal-Guard Gold Label helps provide durable,long-lasting protection of the treated surfaceagainst both oil and water-based stains whileretaining the natural look of the substrate. It willnot yellow, peel, whiten or flake off the treated surfaces.It is suitable for all types of unglazed tile andmasonry surfaces, including damp, wet or dry groutlines, quarry tiles, sandstone, terracotta, limestone,stucco, architectural concrete, precast stone, brick,porcelain, marble and granite.Seal-Guard Impregnator for Porcelain has beenspecifically formulated to seal porcelain, graniteand marble. It provides durable and invisible stainresistant protection and is suitable for both indoorand outdoor use. It works equally well in preventingoil and water-based stains on all types ofunglazed tile and masonry surfaces, including sandstone,limestone, terracotta and concrete.Seal-Guard Sure-Clean Porcelain Cleaner is a nonacidic formulation designed to removes wax, oiland grout haze. It is a fast-drying, pleasant-smellingcleaner and will not alter grout colour. It is also safeto use on marble, granite, limestone and all ceramicsurfaces.Feder Chemicals’ Kalgres is a scale removingdetergent based on orthophosphoric acid, surfaceactivecorrosion inhibitors for the initial cleaning ofhard ceramic floors, klinker and standard or polishedacid-resistant porcelain material.Feder’s Sanny Kal in an acid scale remover formulatedto take off dirt after flooring operations and forthe initial washing of horizontal or vertical acidresistantsurfaces.Surface-care specialist, Fila offers a wide range ofaftercare products for all natural surfaces withintheir specific environments. Spanning waterproofingand sealing agents to grout cleaners, deepcleansers and wax protectors, the range includes avariety of water and solvent-based formulas,designed for materials throughout the PH-scale.New water-based products include LEED-certifiedFila HP98: a clear, water-based water-proofer forprotection of natural stone, marble, granite,agglomerates, concrete and quarry tiles. Designedto prevent efflorescence and wear caused byatmospheric agents, the eco-friendly solution penetrateswithout forming a film or altering appearance.Fila HP98 is ideal for application both beforeand after grouting, internally and externally, and issuitable for use on frost-resistant tiles and alongsidetraditional wax treatments. Its water-based compo-28 TSJ JANUARY 2012

AFTERCARELithofin is launching training for tilers around theUK in 2012. The sessions, which will be conductedby experienced Lithofin Technical Advisors, willcover a variety of subjects and will include time toanswer any questions attendees may have.Attendees will be able to see product demonstrationsand learn about correct product selection forcleaning, sealing and maintaining a variety of surfaces.There will also be an opportunity to discussaftercare advice and receive a Lithofin SupportPack.Lithofin MN Wash & Clean, new for 2012, is a specialisthighly concentrated maintenance productthat cleans all natural stone surfaces quickly andeffortlessly. Enhancing the natural colour of thestone and the protective effect of impregnators.Lithofin MN Slate-Oil is intended for the protectionand maintenance of rough to finely honed clayslate surfaces. It enhances natural colour andaccentuates the structure, improving the appearanceof the material. Ideal for touching up old surfacesthat have faded in colour.Dycon offers the Seal-Guard range of impregnators and other specialist stone care formulations.sition is fast drying and it can be applied to dampsurfaces. As well as providing protection againstmoisture, Fila HP98 also prevents chewing gumadhesion. For stain proof protection, and ideal forapplication after HP98, Fila W68 seals and protectswithout altering appearance, offering high performanceon internal surfaces for up to five years.For polished porcelain and crackle-glaze ceramic,Fila offers a range of long-lasting solvent aftercarepreparations. They include stain protector, MP90,which can be used on both horizontal and verticalsurfaces – including food preparation counters –providing protection for up to seven years. FilaMP90 can also be used on natural stone surfaces toprovide greater longevity between treatments.For the specific aftercare of grout surfaces, productoptions include Fila Fugaproof, a universal,water-based tile joint protector, and Fila Fuganet, ahigh performance grout cleaner designed forporcelain and ceramic applications.For the deep cleaning of surface areas, Fila alsooffers a range of detergents, including Deterdek, abuffered acid cleaner; Fila PS/87, a degreasingagent and a variety of stain removal preparations.Genesis’s Invisible Sealer is a clear silicone sealerthat will maintain the natural look of the tile. It issuitable for all low porous tiles such as granite, marbleand porcelain, and even low porous terracotta,repelling water and most oils. Invisible Sealer is UVstable and suitable for both interior and exteriorapplications. The sealer impregnates the tile andtherefore maintains the anti-slip factors of the tile.Natural Stone Sealer is a solvent based waterproofsealer system for natural stone. It is very simple touse and suitable for most types of natural poroustiles. With a refined non-yellowing resin formula it isdesigned to be easy to apply, as well as being costeffectiveness but without compromising the protectionit gives.Natural Stone Sealer is both an impregnating andsurface sealer so it colour enhances the tile providinga beautiful satin sheen finish. Natural StoneSealer dries quickly and will cure quicker than mostother un-accelerated sealers.HG natural stone shine restoring cleaner (wash &shine) is a freshly scented, concentrated moppingcleaner specially developed for regular cleaning ofmarble and all other types of calciferous naturalstone floors. It is suitable for both untreated floorsand floors treated with HG natural stone protectivecoating gloss finish..HG natural stone protective coating gloss finish isan easily applied liquid polymer emulsion whichforms a glossy, super-thin yet extremely strong andprotective film when dry. This protects the top layerof the natural stone against wear and damage byacids such as soft drinks and wine. This protectivefilm also has an anti-slip effect.This product is also available in a matt version.LTP’s MPG Sealer is a colourless impregnating sealerspecially formulated for use on tiles that havebeen mechanically polished. LTP MPG maintains ahighly polished finish. It is ideal for use on polishedmarble, polished porcelain, polished granite, polishedlimestone and polished slate, and is suitablefor both wall and floor surfaces. It strongly protectsagainst water, oil, grease and dirt. Ideal for use ongranite worktops. Surfaces should be maintainedusing LTP Waxwash for floors and LTP Stonewashfor walls and worktops.LTP Stoneseal forms a colourless barrier and helpsto protect porous stone surfaces from water, dirt,oil, grease, soot and lime scale, making treated surfaceseasier to keep clean. It provides protection forpolished and unpolished natural and artificial stoneincluding limestone, marble, travertine, slate, sandstone,quartz, terrazzo, basalt, concrete and all othertypes of masonry surface. The product is suitablefor internal and external use.Surfapore T from Nanotech (UK) Solutions is formulatedto protect marble, granite and porcelainsurfaces from staining. It creates an impermeableand invisible shield by blocking even the finestpores of these surfaces. Microscopic analysis ofmarbles, granite and porcelain tiles surfaces revealsthat multiple interconnected pores exist that readilycollect stains. Subsequently, these surfaces losetheir shine and become discoloured. Cleaningthem requires significant effort and some stains areimpossible to remove. The application of corrosivechemicals frequently damages such surfaces.SurfaPore T can be easily applied on existing or newsurfaces and preserves their appearance, whileoffering protection against loss of shine and discolouration.Seal-Guard Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone is asuperior, low odour impregnator to help prevent oiland water-based staining on all tile and masonrysurfaces. This product was specifically formulatedfor use on porcelain, but is excellent on granite,marble, sandstone, pavers, and terra cotta. For bothinterior and exterior use.Pro Clean 04 from Stone Care Europe is a heavyduty alkaline based power clean detergent for naturalstones, ceramics and porcelain tiles. It canremove ingrained dirt, grease and various dirt substances.The product is highly recommended forthe removal of tyre and rubber marks from honed /rough grès and ceramic surfaces. When used followingthe suggested dilutions, it removes dirt fromthe surface pores without damaging the naturalaspect of the stone surface. Pro Clean 04 isbiodegradable.32 TSJ JANUARY 2012

AFTERCAREFrequently asked questions from www.aquamix.comQ: Does a sealer render a stone, tile, or grout stain-proof?A: No, sealers are designed to provide stain resistance. Performance is best described in “reaction time”. Premiumsealers provide longer reaction time than economical sealers. Reaction time is the time that a sealer will repel a liquidcontaminant before the contaminant starts to penetrate the surface and create a sub-surface stain.Q: How can I tell if my unglazed tile, stone, or grout is adequately sealed?A: A simple test is to sprinkle water droplets in various spots. Allow the droplets to remain for 10 minutes or so, thenblot with an absorbent towel. If the surface has slightly darkened, it should return to previous state within 2 to 3minutes. If it stays dark longer, or if water quickly absorbs into surface, additional sealer application is needed.Q: Can porcelain tile be sealed, and if so, what kind of sealer is recommended?A: Only unglazed porcelain can be sealed, and only with a penetrating-type sealer.Q: If my tile is not shiny does this indicate that the tile should be sealed for stain protection?A: Most likely the tile has a matt glaze. Even though there is no surface reflectivity, this glaze renders the tileimpervious, and it will not accept a sealer. Should the tile be unglazed, it should show the same colour on the surface,sides, and back. If in doubt, ask the supplier if the tile is glazed or unglazed.Q: Does all grout need to be sealed?A: With the exception of 100% solid epoxy grout, all grout is porous and subject to contaminant staining. A sealer willprovide much needed stain-resistance, creating time to clean up liquid contaminants before they penetrate.Q: If I have a matt glazed ceramic and a high-sheen finish, are there practical options available?A: Yes, but only if the tile has a rough-textured finish, and only on interior areas. You will need a sacrificial coating,subject to traffic wear, so it needs to be re-applied periodically.Q: If my tile/stone/grout has been previously sealed and I do not know the name of the sealer that was used, canI use any sealer to re-seal?A: First, identify if the sealer left a surface shine or not. If there is no shine/coating and water penetrates, penetratingtypesealers should work fine as long as they are allowed to penetrate. If a previous coating-type sealer was used, thecoating should be stripped if it is in a distressed condition. If the sealer is bonded well and in good condition, a productsuch as Aqua Mix Floor Shine and Hardener can be used as a topical coating (interior only) over the existing sealer.Q: Can penetrating-type sealers be used on all porous stone and tile surfaces?A: Yes, as long as there is at least minimal porosity and absorption, they can be used.Q: Some stone, such as polished marble, is sensitive to acidic contaminants. Will a penetrating-type sealerprotect these stones from acids?A: No. Penetrating or “impregnator” type sealers are designed to protect below the surface, so the actual surface is notleft with a protective coating and is still susceptible to acid etching. Coating sealers unfortunately do not bondeffectively to smooth, polished surfaces, and are not recommended for this reason.Q: If my stone has a polished (gloss) finish, does it still need to be sealed?A: Most marble, granite, travertine, limestone, quartzite, and even some slates and sandstone are available in apolished finish. All of these polished materials are still porous, subject to staining, and should be sealed with apenetrating-type sealer.Q: Can I use coating (topical) type sealers on all porous stone and tile surfaces?A: No. Generally speaking, coating-type sealers are limited to very high-porosity tiles and stones such as terracotta,sandstone and slate, or to surfaces that have very rough-textured surfaces.Q: I want to use a stone that is sensitive to freezing. The stone will be used outside. Will a good sealer protect thestone from the effects of freeze-thaw conditions?A: No. Sealers are not designed to render freeze-sensitive stone freeze-thaw stable. Even though a sealer may help inthis regard by helping to keep water from entering from the surface, it must be remembered that moisture can enterfrom below or from other areas. Sealers are not “water-proofers”, they merely help to resist and reduce waterinfiltration from the sealed surface.Q: How long will my sealer last?A: This can vary from one year to 15 years or even longer. Premium penetrating-type sealers will normally provide thelongest life, whereas coating-type sealers must be re-applied much more frequently. Other key factors that influenceuseful sealer life are traffic conditions, cleaners used and maintenance procedures.Q: Which type of sealer is better: solvent-based or water-based?A: The fact is that, in general, neither is better. It should be understood that neither the solvent nor the water reflectsthe quality of the sealer. Rather, it is the polymer that is left in place. The solvent simply “flashes” off as the sealer isapplied, leaving the polymer or sealing component in place. In the case of a water-based sealer, the waterevaporates, leaving the polymer in place. Therefore, it is the quality of the polymer that determines sealerperformance. It should be noted that on extremely dense, low-porosity surfaces, such as unglazed porcelain orpolished marble, a solvent will penetrate the surface a little easier than water, so solvents may be easier to use. On theother hand, water, not penetrating as quickly as traditional (oil-based) solvent, will actually work better on moreporous tile and stone as there is no benefit in penetrating deeply, as the best benefit can be achieved by keeping thepolymer just below the surface where it can provide maximum protection.Q: What should I use for routine cleaning on stone, tile and grout?A: It is always advisable to use a biodegradable neutral pH cleaner such as Aqua Mix “ Concentrated Stone and TileCleaner”. A quart of concentrate, when diluted with water can yield up to 32 gallons of cleaning solution. Neutral pHcleaners are excellent cleaners that will not adversely affect tile, stone, grout or existing sealers.Q: There are many household cleaners on the market. What do I need to be careful of when selecting a cleanerfor my stone, tile or grout?A: Many of the cleaners marketed for hard surfaces contain acid. Acid cleans by chemically attacking minerals. Thus,acidic cleaners can be very damaging to cement grout joints, and harm stones with calcium content such as marble,limestone and travertine. Acids also do a poor job of degreasing.SEALANT SUPPLIERSAquamix01244 819939www.aquamix.comCarrs01527 599460www.carrspaints.comCoor & Kleever01784 242780www.coorkleever.comDry-Treat0800 096 4760www. drytreat.com0113 231 0218www.tilesandmosaics.co.ukDycon+353 (0) 287 5738www.dycon.ieFaber Chimica+39 0732 627178www.faberchimica.comFeder Chemicals+39 030 338 5578www.federchemicals.itFila01584 877286www.filachim.comFirwood Paints01204 525231www.firwood.co.ukGenesis Floorcare01642 713000www.genesisfloorcare.co.ukHG Hagesan01206 795200www.hg.euLiberon01797 367555www.liberon.co.ukLithofin01962 732126www.lithofin-uk.co.ukLTP01823 666213www.ltp-online.co.ukNanotech (UK) Solutions01480 891377www.nanotechsolutions.uk.comSeal Britannia0800 046 7941www.seal-guard.co.ukSovereign Chemicals01229 870800www.sovchem.co.ukStone Care Europe0845 612 0317www.stone-care-europe.comStonecare by Delta01628 602325www.stonecarebydelta.co.ukTikko Products0845 652 4111www.tikkoproducts.comUniverseal Sealants02380 302562www.universealsealants.co.uk34 TSJ JANUARY 2012

TECHNOLOGYIT solution suits MarshallsMSince Marshalls implemented arshalls, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of natural stoneAX, it has used it to support itsand concrete hard landscaping products, was established overgrowing ecommerce activities.“We were able to put together a 130 years ago and supplies the construction, home improvement andweb company within AX,” says landscape markets with a wide range of products and design services.Paul Thomas, “and we built afront-end using Microsoft.Net The Marshalls Group, which had an annual turnover of £323 million inand integrated the two 2010, operates a diverse portfolio of business interests, employing aroundtogether so that pricing, stock,2,400 people across 54 sites, both in the UK and overseas.product descriptions andcatalogues are all driven in realtimefrom Dynamics AX. It Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and, after many years of using Baan soft-This diversity is one of the key reasons why Marshalls relies heavily onautomatically does all theconfirmations, delivery notes ware, the company was looking for a solution that would fit better with itsand picking notes without any business strategy. Because Marshalls largely grows through acquisition, themanual keying-in from oursolution had to be scalable to accommodate new businesses and systemsstaff. Two sites in particular arereally benefiting from this: quickly and efficiently into the Marshalls model, to ensure a smooth transitionand to realise the financial benefit of any acquisition more rapidly.www.bollardsdirect.co.uk andwww.classical-flagstones.com(above). Marshalls had a clear idea of what it wanted from a new ERP solution andassessed both SAP and Oracle, before selecting Microsoft Dynamics AX.“We were using the integrator eBECS to support our Baan solution and,because they understood our business, we were able to work closely withthem to select the best solution” said Paul Thomas, Group InformationSystems Director. “They recommended Microsoft Dynamics AX and, havingassessed it for ourselves, we could also see that it would provide the rightlevels of flexibility and scalability.”Implementing the new software was carried out in partnership witheBECS. It was achieved seamlessly, assisted by the integrator’s knowledgeof how the company worked. “eBECS get to know your company insideout,” said Steve Donnelly, Microsoft Dynamics AX Programme Manager,Marshalls. “This is a massive benefit, because we can send them into anyone of our businesses and they can talk directly to all the relevant managersand come back to us with their recommendations.”The integration of AX was eased by its familiar interface and interoperabilitywith other Microsoft products. This helped with the training process36 TSJ JANUARY 2012which had previously beenlengthy, allowing everyonewithin the company, to get upto speed very quickly.“I’ve got over twenty years ofexperience using ERP packages, and I would say that Microsoft Dynamics AXis easily the best,” continues Donnelly. “This is because of its flexibility andits general usability – it is simple to customise – and this reduces leadtimes. By using more of the Microsoft stack, there are clear gains to beobtained in terms of total cost of ownership and return on investment. ”Range of benefitsOne of the major advantages of Microsoft Dynamics AX to Marshalls is thatit is intuitive, which makes it easy to use. This has encouraged Marshallsemployees to use it extensively and draw significant value for their business.It has the ability to adapt screens and menus as well as forms, sointernally labels have been applied in a way that people understand andthis makes them feel comfortable with the system.• Cost reductions: Because visibility is possible across all companies anddepartments, Marshalls can assess its common suppliers and customers andnegotiate better deals across the group. It is able to leverage the economiesof scale by having centralised functions that require fewer people to managethem.Finance: AX has enabled Marshalls to standardise finance processes acrossthe Group, removing the task of consolidating many disparate systems andallowing them to reduce their reporting timescales and increase the accuracyof their reporting.Better sales focus and increased productivity: The solution integrates withMicrosoft’s Business Intelligence software to provide sales analysis, detailingwhich products have sold, in what quantities and the level of margin. This ishelping the company to keep track and plan its product line-up for thefuture. In addition, raising of sales orders is much quicker because AX integratessmoothly with Marshalls ‘fast quote’ system which allows the salesteam to convert a quote into an order. This gives the internal sales staffmore time to follow up leads, talk to customers and generate new business,rather than just processing data.Document management: Marshalls previously had to file reams of paperwork,but by using AX, all files are now held electronically and access isavailable to everyone. Information is fed into Word documents, which providesthe businesses with layouts that are specific to customer needs, andinstead of having to re-type documents, the information is available directlyfrom the central files held in Dynamics AX.Customer service: The greater visibility that Dynamics AX affords Marshallshas improved the customer experience, reducing errors and rectificationcosts.Since Marshalls implemented AX, it has used it to support its growingecommerce activities. “We were able to put together a web company withinAX,” says Paul Thomas, “and we built a front-end using Microsoft.Net andintegrated the two together so that pricing, stock, product descriptions andcatalogues are all driven in real-time from Dynamics AX. It automaticallydoes all the confirmations, delivery notes and picking notes without anymanual keying-in from our staff. Two sites in particular are really benefitingfrom this: www.bollardsdirect.co.uk and www.classical-flagstones.com”.Microsoft Dynamics AX has achieved everything that was promised interms of flexibility, integration and usability for Marshalls and the companyis aiming to ensure that all its existing businesses and all new acquisitionsin the future will be using Microsoft Dynamics AX moving forward.According to Thomas: “It provides a flexible solution that can be adapted to“Microsoft Dynamics AX provides a flexible solution that can beadapted to meet the individual needs of your business. I wouldrecommend it to anyone.”Paul Thomas, Group Information Systems Director, Marshalls plc.meet the individual needs ofyour business. I would recommendit to anyone.”www.microsoft.com/en-gb/dynamics/

PUBLIC ARTWaitrose murals exploreisland’s maritime historyTThe two murals on Waitrose’s wo 25 foot ceramic murals have been installednew East Cowes store depict at the Waitrose store on Well Road, East Cowes,historical maritime scenes fromthe Isle of Wight including the close by The Red Funnel ferry terminal on the Isle ofBluebird speedboat, Saunders Wight. They were created for KimberleyRoe shipyard and the Princessseaplane. Developments PLC by the artist Julian P Warren.Warren, 53, studied Law at Bristol and ArchaeologyThe artist, Julian P Warren,at UCL London. He initially worked in construction(pictured top right) hasrepresented himself as the and property, and was reasonably successful until theseaplane’s pilot. economy hit the buffers in 1990 when, needless tosay, along with a lot of other people, he had to downsize.Since then he has forged a new career as sculptorand public artists, initially through helping an oldfriend, Pigsy Wyatt, make candlesticks out of old carparts and selling them from a barrow by the BristolWatershed.With support of his family, especially wife Clare,Warren hasn’t looked back, creating art for business,education and pleasure.Many of the artist’s sculptures can be seen on thestreets of Bristol, London and elsewhere; while thefence marking the boundary of his home inBurlington Road, Redland, Bristol has become a permanentgallery; a local landmark that entertains boththe artist and public.Much of his work reflects the keen interest Warrenhas in the natural world. However if it can be madefrom metal, especially steel or stainless steel, he willconsider any topic. Examples include corporate signage,exhibition and film props, street furniture,advertising stands, architectural decoration, automatonand water features.However, as the East Cowes murals show, Warren ishappy to consider any creative work. As he explains:“This was an unusual creative departure for me. Ienjoyed researching them and creating them forKimberley Developments, so if anyone wants a largeceramic installation of any size to go anywhere (walls,floors, ceilings - inside or out - give me a call.”For the East Cowes Waitrose murals, Warren wascommissioned to produce two artworks depicting38 TSJ JANUARY 2012

PUBLIC ARThistorical maritime scenes from the island. Theseincluded the Bluebird speedboat, Saunders Roe shipyardand the Princess seaplane (with the artist depictedas the pilot!)Warren’s other clients include HargreavesLansdown, John Lewis Partnership, Bristol Zoo, BBC,Millennium Fund, South Gloucestershire CountyCouncil and Blue Marlin Design, as well as many privateindividuals.The murals at East Cowes were installed by P SmithTiling Services; a specialist wall and floor tiling companyowned and operated by Paul Smith. The companyis based in Portsmouth, and covers all areas ofHampshire, West Sussex and Surrey.Smith prides himself on offering a top quality serviceto all customers. The company undertakes alltypes of wall and floor tiling in both the domestic andcommercial sectors. Services offered include the fittingof ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass andmosaics; tanking systems installation, the supply andfit of under-tile heating; natural stone sealing; andfloor levelling and over boarding.For the moral project, Paul Smith prepared the barebrickwork and then overboarded the area using20mm thick Nicobond cement boards using dot anddab and mechanical fixings. He then installed themural which features the artist’s enlarged designsprinted onto 300 by 300mm porcelain tiles. In allthere were seven rows and 21 columns. Paul Smiththen cut in slate-effect porcelain tiles as a border.P Smith Tiling Serviceswww.pstiling.co.uk 02392 294725 pstiling@hotmail.co.ukJulian P Warrenwww.metalgnu.comJANUARY 2012 TSJ 39

WETROOMSDesigning out damp problemsTSJ examines specialist tile backer boards, tanking systems, waterproof adhesives and grouts, anddrainage systems designed to ensure failure-free installations in wetrooms and other locationswhere water ingress can lead to damage unless the correct installation procedures are followed.Above: Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower from Schlüter-Systems.When considering the possible design options and format of a newbathroom, wet rooms were considered a luxurious, extravagant entity.However, in time, these have become a feasible and affordablealternative to the basic shower cubicle. And there are plenty of waysin which to work with the building to achieve the showering experienceof your dreams.There are countless benefits to wet rooms. They are typically contemporaryand chic in style, and can be space saving – often makingthe most of the area and opening up a bathroom into an attractivespace. They can additionally create an easily accessible area, ideal forthose who have reduced mobility. Wet rooms are also compatiblewith under floor heating systems, which make a traditionally coldroom into a cosy space, especially satisfying in these winter months.The design possibilities are also flexible - there are no predeterminedsizes or shapes of the shower allowing more creative designs.However, to enjoy a wet room with complete piece of mind it is vitalto consider how the design and installation should complement thehumid, damp atmosphere. If the right system of products is utilised,not only is the life of your tiles and grout prolonged but the buildingcan also be protected from moisture damage and leaks. Part 4 of theBritish Standard BS 5385 for the installation of floor and wall tilinghighlights that the basic structure behind tiles should be watertightand a tanking system must be applied; ensuring there are no unwelcomeleaks.The substrate should firstly be taken into consideration. When partitionwalling systems or suspended floor are unavoidable, it should beensured that they are rigid and stable. These can typically be quiteproblematic in damp environments. However, with adequate ventilationbehind and beneath each system, the formation of condensationcan be prevented. Alternatively moisture-resistant tilebacker boardsare purpose manufactured for wet areas and they can also be formedinto curves to create an artistic flair to the wet room.For these substrates, in addition to cement based screeds and concrete,the initial step in tanking these rooms should be focused on protectingthose areas where there is the greatest likelihood of movement.Therefore wall and floor junctions, internal wall angles, changesof substrate type or joints in boarded substrates are best protectedwith a product like the flexible watertight Mapeband. Once thesedetails have been waterproofed, the walls and floor of the wet roomcan be tanked using Mapelastic AquaDefense, a ready-to-use waterproofcoating. It is simply applied direct from the tub using a roller orbrush. The quick drying waterproof coating is ready to tile after onlyfour hours, and that is including application of the two coats necessary.It has been designed for easy installation over flat or curved surfacesand is ideal within confined spaces. The tub is also re-sealableensuring none of the product is wasted. Once applied MapelasticAquaDefense creates a watertight, seamless elastic membrane. Thismembrane provides a thin, continuous barrier to protect adjacentrooms and floors from water damage.When working with timber or anhydrite screed substrates, there is apossibility that, in a humid environment, they may deteriorate or bevulnerable to dimensional change. Under these circumstances it isabsolutely essential that a waterproof membrane is applied.Mapelastic AquaDefense provides the perfect protections to the substrates.As an alternative, consideration can also be given toMapelastic or Mapelastic Smart, two-part cementitious systems.Of course, where the client requires a traditional shower enclosureMapei also has a tailor made solution in the Mapei ShowerWaterproofing Kit. The kit consists of Mapegum WPS, ShowerWaterproofing Primer and Waterproofing Tape - everything requiredto waterproof a shower in a single tub.Once the wet room or shower has been waterproofed then it is timeto install the tiled finish. When deciding on the tile or mosaic, thematerial and size should be carefully considered. The total weight ofthe tiling should not exceed the limit of the substrate used. In additionthe materials selected should be appropriate for use in the wet surroundingsenvisaged.Mapei offers a wide range of adhesives and grouts that are perfectfor use in a wet room. Adhesives such as Keraquick or Keraflex Maxi S1can be used onto a wide range of substrates. Kerapoxy Design, thetwo-component, decorative epoxy resin grout is also suitable in wetrooms. It has a satin finish and is impervious to water. KerapoxyDesign is ideal for grouting glass mosaic, ceramic tiles and stone materialwith a particular aesthetic value. It is available in eight colours andcan also be mixed with Mapeglitter in silver or light gold.Ultracolor Plus is a multi-purpose, versatile, fast setting and dryinggrout available in 27 colours. The modified CG2 grout conforms to EN13888 and is ideal when seeking to find the perfect colour match tothe tile or to create a contrast.Mapei’s solvent-free, mould resistant silicone sealant, Mapesil AC, isavailable in 26 colours and complements the Mapei grout range.Mapesil AC is ideal for use in wet rooms and can be used to formexpansion & movement joints on horizontal and vertical surfaces aswell as for general sealing around baths, shower trays, etc.Wet rooms provide a fantastic way to enhance the showering experience.For complete peace of mind Mapei can provide a system of40 TSJ JANUARY 2012

WETROOMSattractive space, can suit a range of contemporary designs, has theflexibility of not having to be a pre-determined size or shape andoffers an ideal substrate for an excellent finish with tile or naturalstone.”“Its pre-sloped surface makes tiling simple and there are four differentsized sloped boards available. These can be combined with waterproofingsets for wall and floor drains, with optional use of base levellingpanels.The elements that make up Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower can easily beadapted for the construction of circular shower designs due to pre-cutgrooves. These are Schlüter-Kerdi-Drain-Base, an especially low floordrain that is suitable for the installation of conventional barrier freeshower designs or for combination with Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower floorelements; Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower-SK, a waterproofing set for floorlevel showers; and either Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower-T or Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower-TC which are sloped substrate boards for the direct installationof tiles in floor level showers.Tile Shapes 01442 234635 www.tileshapes.co.ukSchlüter-Systems 01530 813396 www.schluter.co.ukAbove: Some of the different components that make up Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower.tanking products that will ensure there are no unwanted leaks.For more information and advice contact Mapei’s technical departmenton 0121 508 6970 or email technical@mapei.co.uk. TechnicalDatasheets can be downloaded at www.mapei.co.uk.Capital wet room protectionfrom Schlüter-SystemsA collection of refurbished upmarket apartments in central Londonwhich feature brand new luxury wet rooms are protected by the bestin the business after the installation of Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower fromSchlüter-Systems.Five highly specified homes on Little Russell Street, close to theBritish Museum, all now feature this modular system which offers arevolutionary approach to tiling and is an ideal solution for perfect yeteasy tile covering for walk-in showers, after being installed by representativesfrom Hemel Hempstead-based Tile Shapes.This also included the installation of Schlüter-Kerdi-Line, an aestheticallypleasing linear drainage channel that offers an alternative to regulardrains and shower trays.Daniel Haynes, Contracts Director at Tile Shapes, comments, “Thisproject saw us install the Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower system in each of thefive apartments, both in a wet room and an en suite bathroom fromthe master bedroom. What I like about products from Schlüter-Systems is that they have products available for every possible situation.They are all designed to link in together, such as this wet roomsystem, and I know that whatever a project may require and no matterits complexity, Schlüter will be able to specify the exact products tobe used.”Ian Knifton, Divisional Manager at Schlüter-Systems, comments, “Thepopularity of installing wet rooms at home continues to grow with anumber of brand new and refurbished apartments, such as these inLondon, all now featuring luxury bathrooms. Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower isa modular system for the construction of floor level showers withceramic tiles which stands out for its particularly easy and reliableinstallation and leaves the customer with a wet room of the highestpossible standard.He added, “Installing a wet room with Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower or theSchlüter-Kerdi-Line linear drainage channel can help create a moreWaterproof bathrooms are 100% guaranteedAugust 2011 saw the launch of Tile Rite’s new waterproof matting system,a system that is easy to use and affordable. Worth over 5% of thetiling accessories market and growing, it is no wonder it has been wellreceived by retailers all over the UK.Tile Rite waterproof matting is so easy to fit that even the DIY enthusiastcan be confident of obtaining a professional finish that is 100%waterproof.Waterproofing came about to resolve the common problem of damagecaused when tiled bathrooms and wetrooms are not properlysealed, resulting in damp patches on ceilings below bathrooms, anddamage to timber frames, building joists and plasterboards etc.This can be caused by a number of factors including moisture migrationthrough permeable tiles and grout lines; water seeping behinddry, cracked and broken mastic or silicone seals around baths andshower trays; and moisture seeping behind tiles that have de-laminatedfrom their original position due to subsidence, or the expansionand contraction of wooden or concrete floors.Waterproofing and sealing will protect any construction or buildingagainst water ingress and related damages. Damages from such leakscan create high and escalating repair costs.Tile Rite Waterproof Matting is your simple solution to permanentwaterproofing and benefits from these key features:• Quick and easy to install using powder adhesive and a 4mm squarenotched adhesive trowel.• Your wet room or walk in shower will be completely sealed from waterand moisture penetration to the surfaces beneath.• Tile Rite floor matting is constructed to provide a separation layerbetween the floor and tiles, preventing cracks deriving as a result of thefloor surfaces naturally expanding and contracting.• No waiting or drying time! You are able to install tiles immediately oncethe matting is applied.• Uniform thickness of 0.85mm, with no weak points.• 10 year guarantee for a 100% waterproof seal.• Can be installed with underfloor heating.• Suitable to use on structurally sound, dry, load bearing surfacesincluding; wood, concrete and cement.For more information on the Tile Rite Waterproof Matting system,please call the Tile Rite Sales office on: 01543 500893www.tilerite.co.uk42 TSJ JANUARY 2012

WETROOMSShallowest all-in-one systemfor floor-level showersAs more homeowners choose to renovate rather than move house,demand for floor-level showers in bathroom renovation continues togrow. However in many cases project design and installation optionsare restricted to running all drainage and water services “surfacemounted” above the existing finished floor level. Such cases can presentproblems in the consequential excessive increase in height tointernal floor levels. Following the latest innovation from Wedi, thesecure installation of floor-level showers is now possible from a totalinstallation height of merely 65mm. This makes the Wedi Fundo Planoone of the shallowest all-in-one systems for floor-level showers currentlyavailable on the market.Providing a total installation height (including drain) of only 65mm,Wedi Fundo Plano is a true problem-solver in the renovation of existingbuildings. Here in particular, every millimetre counts. Furthermore,the product is available in a wide range of different dimensions meaningthat any installation situation can be resolved quickly and simply.The Wedi Fundo Plano is supplied as a package comprising:• 65mm high floor element made of extruded rigid polystyrene foam(XPS), with a special coating reinforced with fibreglass• an inbuilt linear drain capable of draining 30 litres of water per minute• exact and uniform surface falls, which means that even the installationof large tiles is easy.Wedi Fundo Plano can be installed quickly and with ease: Accuratelycut to size as required on site, fit into place and simply seal the transitionsto the screed flooring with the corresponding Wedi accessories.Should the height need to be adjusted on site, the tried and testedWedi building boards can be used as a substructure. This means thatno levelling out with cement screed is necessary.The new flat shower element from Wedi is 100% waterproof in thetruest sense of the word. And that doesn't just apply to the specialcoating made from fibreglass and plaster reinforced with plastic, butalso to the XPS foam and the inbuilt drain. With this product, Wedi hassolved one of the greatest challenges in the secure processing of floorlevelshowers.Wedi Fundo Plano comes with an inbuilt uniform fall of ≥ 2.4%. Thismakes laying tiles much easier and optimises surface drainage. Inaddition, floor-level elements are wheelchair-accessible from a tile sizeof 5 x 5cm with no further work necessary.01706 647333 www.wedi.co.ukDesigned to protect moisture sensitive backgrounds.PCI Pecilastic U is a universal membrane for isolating, crack bridging,impact sound reducing and waterproofing all in one, especially developedfor use under floor coverings made from ceramic and mosaictiles as well as natural stones. The membrane can be used for almostany application in indoor and outdoor areas and has a number ofadvantages. The nubbed structure allows any moisture from the substrateto escape by diffusion in the form of water vapour without anydamage after the floor covering has been laid. This means that it iseven possible to use an anhydrite screed with a residual moisture contentof ≤ 2 % (measured using a CM meter).With PCI Pecilastic U, cement-based screeds can be covered withIf it was any more waterproofit would quack!wedi Building BoardThe benefits all add up!wedi Building BoardThe original and the best!EASY TO INSTALLTOTALLY WATERPROOFHEAT INSULATEDLIGHTWEIGHTSTRONG & DURABLEUNIQUE IBFWE FOAM(Global Warming Potential Value1)44 TSJ JANUARY 2012

WETROOMSAbove: Some of the different components that make up Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower.ceramic tiles or natural stone as soon as they can be walked on. PCIPecilastic U is an extremely economical and technically beneficial solutionthat does not require any costly and time-consuming intermediatesmoothing or filling stages.0161 485 6222 www.pci.uk.comTeak tiles for wetroom applicationsUtilising more than 40 years'experience in creating woodenproducts that are suitable for usein wet situations, William GarveyLtd's revolutionary new teak tilesempower the designer to incorporatewood within interiors in asimple way, with dramaticresults.Teak tiles are as hardwearingand easy to clean as a ceramictile but easier to fit and infinitelymore stylish."Noting the increased popularityof wet-rooms, we believe thatteak is a naturally beautiful andwarm surface finish, which isperfect for wet-room applications as well as regular showers, backsplashes,kitchens or anywhere that a tile covering is required," commentsBill Garvey, founder and head designer of the Devon-basedcompany.“If you have ever struggled with messy grout - which is hard to keepclean - you will also appreciate the easy and hygienic installation ofthese clever tiles. The combination of accurate sizing (+/- 0.5mm) andinterlocking joints means the tiles slot together quickly and easily,without grout.wedi buildability - provides original and innovative solutions for today’s environmentsSpecify wedi ® Building Board for fast and easy installation that’s totally waterproofWhen specifying for wet applications you can rest assured with wedi building board from the market’s leading innovators. As a premiumbrand wedi provide a ‘Total Solution’ from a versatile quality product range to expert technical advice and support. wedi creative buildingsystems open up a whole new world of design possibilities providing buildability solutions for wet rooms and bathrooms in which tocreate new, contemporary and inspiring ideas. wedi building board is so much more than an item of building material combining anumber of impressive properties in one product with installation options for virtually any substructure.Specify wedi Building Board for all the right reasons - The original and the best.we di®wedi buildability - original and innovative solutions■ Tel: +44 1706 647 333 ■ E-Mail: sales@wedi.co.uk ■ www.wedi.co.uk INNOVATIVE BUILDING SOLUTIONSJANUARY 2012 TSJ 45

WETROOMSAbove: Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower is the ideal solution for floor level showers.Above: Shower enclosure fully clad with teak tiles from William Garvey."The use of wood within the bathroom is on the rise and teak is perfectfor use within wet environments giving a warm and natural lookto the space. Teak has its own unique qualities and works in harmonywith stone and glass making it an excellent choice for those wantingto create a relaxed contemporary interior. Whilst wood works wellwithin both bath and shower rooms we are also seeing a growingtrend in the use of freestanding baths within bedrooms. Where possible,placing a freestanding bath in the bedroom will give the room aluxurious touch whilst also freeing up space within the bathroomitself," continues William GarveyThe teak tiles are available in the following standard sizes: 234 by234mm, 234 by 117mm and 117 by 117mm - while bespoke tiles canbe made to any size from 6 by 6 to 250 by 1,200mm.01404 841430 www.williamgarvey.co.ukWet room range features new timber optionSchlüter-Systems has continued to answer calls from the increasingnumber of people wishing to install a wet room at home with thelaunch of a new addition to its Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower range.Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower-TB has been specifically designed for timbersubstrate environments, allowing this modular system for the constructionof floor level showers with ceramic tiles to be installed withintimber floor boards. It joins Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower-T and Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower-TC as the third addition to the range but differentiatesfrom them thanks to a unique thinner assembly height.Ian Knifton, Technical Manager at Schlüter-Systems, comments,“Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower was launched as the ideal solution for floorlevel showers which continue to become increasingly popular as peoplelook to add that extra touch of quality to their home. Whilst themodular system is straightforward and hassle-free to install we werealways keen to continue developing the system and the launch ofSchlüter-Kerdi-Shower-TB now ensures that customers with timberfloors can also benefit from this innovative and reliable system.”Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower is a modular system for the construction offloor level showers with ceramic tiles and natural stone, which offers aparticularly low assembly height. Installing a wet room with Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower can create a more attractive space, can suit a range ofcontemporary designs, has the flexibility of not having to be a predeterminedsize or shape and offers an ideal substrate for an excellentfinish with tile or natural stone.Its pre-sloped surface makes tiling straightforward and there are fourdifferent sized sloped boards available. These can be combined withwaterproofing sets, floor drains and optional use of base levelling panelsmeaning there are options available for a multitude of applications.The elements that make up Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower can easily beadapted for the construction of circular shower designs due to pre-cutgrooves. These are Schlüter-Kerdi-Drain-Base, an especially low floordrain that is suitable for the installation of conventional barrier freeshower designs or for combination with Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower floorelements; Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower-SK, a waterproofing set for floorlevel showers; and either Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower-T or Schlüter-Kerdi-Shower-TC which are sloped substrate boards for the direct installationof tiles in floor level showersSchlüter-Systems 01530 813396 www.schluter.co.uk46 TSJ JANUARY 2012

TECHNOLOGYThe Taptile Touch Sensorcontrols one or more wirelessdimmer modules. Each dimmercan control up-to 200 to 300Wof light allowing easy dimmingof spotlights, ceiling lights oraccent lighting in a typicalinstallation. Dimmers arematched to each circuit andmultiple dimmers can bearranged on a single channel toaccommodate larger loads.In addition to the wirelessmood lighting products,Taptile can also switch on/offtype mains applianceswirelessly, such as extractorfans, electrical heaters, radios,CD players or TVs.48 TSJ JANUARY 2012Total touch lighting control whilemaintaining a seamless tiled lookJoe Simpson explores the benefits of Taptile’s secret lighting control systems.Lighting controls can easily prove one area that candetract from a luxury bathroom or kitchen area.Either the controls are obtrusive or poorly designed,spoiling the seamless look of the ceramic tile or naturalstone installation, or the actual lighting control istoo inflexible to create the right ambience ... or both..Harsh, stark and unflattering lighting still compromisessome of the most luxurious bathrooms and wetroomsin homes, spas and hotels. Now there is a wellengineeredsolution to this widespread decorationdilemma in the form of Taptile. This new, touch-sensitivelighting system, allows bathroom and kitchenlighting to be instantly, and subtly, transformed. EachTaptile system can control up to three, dimmable ornon-dimmable lighting (or other electrical) circuits. In abathroom, this could mean separate controls for theroom’s general lighting, its feature lighting such as in awalk-in shower and also accent lighting around mirrorsor beneath plinths or cabinets. These controls can byprovided in one place, offering secret-fix one touchcontrol beneath the ceramic tile or natural stone’s surface.Taptile is also easy to install. Until now, claims themanufacturer, similar lighting products have demandedspecialist designers and installers and have oftenbeen unsuitable for any projects less than new build ortotal refurbishments. Taptile, on the other hand, isboth affordable and straightforward to install.Each Taptile system comprises an ultra-slim, 8mmthick, panel, which is simply fitted behind tiling. Thepanel’s touch sensitive ‘keys’ can then be either etchedonto the bathroom tiles using a special kit, or customised‘keys’ can be created. These might typicallytake the form of tiny mosaics, pebbles or shells, but thepossibilities are endless.No complicated wiring is required as each Taptile systemis wireless. Brand new lighting can be used, orTaptile can be retrofitted to control existing lighting.Each system is also completely sealed and 100% waterproof.This means that it can be fitted adjacent to abathtub or wash basin without the worry of splashes, oreven in a showering area – ideal for creating the ultimatemood lighting.But why stop with just lighting? Today’s bathroomsare more likely to be spa-like retreats than simply functionalspaces. For schemes that might also includelifestyle luxuries, such as AV systems, Taptile can also beused to control these systems as well as the lighting,

TECHNOLOGY200 to 300W of light, allowing easy dimming of spotlights,ceiling lights or accent lighting in a typical installation.Dimmers are matched to each circuit and multipledimmers can be arranged on a single channel toaccommodate larger loads.In addition to the wireless mood lighting products,Taptile can also switch on/off types of mains applianceswirelessly. For example, customers can use one of thefree Taptile circuits to turn on extractor fans, electricalheaters, radios, CD players, or even TVs .Each Starter Pack contains a six way touch sensor, a 5VDC Power Supply including a three metre waterproofcable, two in-line dimmer and wireless receivers, onein-line switch and wireless receiver and one self adhesivewhite decal (transfer).Other add-on options include an in-line dimmer andwireless receiver that has a 300W rating for incandescentloads and a live plus neutral dimmer.Another option is a Tile Etching Kit containing a decorativeself-adhesive stencil, tile glaze etching cream andapplicator, and full designer Instructions.Taptile offers neat, unobtrusive control of lighting and other electrical appliances usingtouch-sensitive controls hidden beneath the ceramic tiling or natural stone surfacing.An example of a verticalinstallation featuringmosaic tiles matching theborder patterns as the lightcontrols.extract fans or any other electrical appliance.The easy to install Taptile Touch Sensor (243 by 52 by10mm) is simply embedded behind a tile or other flatsurface in your bathroom or kitchen. It projects six keysright through the surface that are then wirelessly connectedto the customer’s existing or new lights. Thisallows the users to safely bring full function dimmingand one-touch mood-lighting control right into thebathroom or kitchen, removing the need for inconvenientexternal switches or ugly pull cords.Installation optionsInstallers can then blend Taptile button artwork withany decorating scheme in a number of exciting newways either using the self-adhesive artwork included ortaking advantage of the optional tile etching kit workingin harmony with the tile grout. It is also possible toadd features such as mosaics, shells or buttons to thetile or natural stone surface to act as the lighting controls.The Taptile Touch Sensor controls one or more wirelessdimmer modules. Each dimmer can control up toTypical case studyAs with any product that involves water and electricity,it is wise to heed the very basics before the installationgets started. In Taptile’s case that means switching offthe mains supply, removing the appropriate fuse(s) orcircuit breaker and ensuring that the panel is installedin accordance with the IEE’s Wiring Regulations (BS7671: Requirements for Electrical Installations) andappropriate statutory regulations at all times. Whenworking in The Republic of Ireland, the installationshould be in accordance with the ECTI’s National Rulesfor Electrical Installations – ET 101.Electrical installations in bathrooms, kitchens, gardens,floor and heating systems, swimming pools, andextra-low voltage lighting are classed as special installations.Accordingly, they must conform to Part P regulationsand be certified by an approved electrician.To get started, the tiler/installer will need to prep thearea where they intend to fit the Taptile panel. Thepanel is completely sealed and waterproof, so can befitted virtually anywhere that is convenient within thebathroom, such as adjacent to the vanity area, theshowering area or even beside the bath tub. Additionalpanels are available to control the same lights or appliances,providing multiple control points for even furtherflexibility, which is great for family bathrooms orschemes that demand a degree of inclusivity.When planning the siting of the panel, installersshould bear in mind the journey of the cable that willconnect it to an external mains supply. For an en-suitebathroom, a power connection can of course be madewithin the bedroom. Otherwise, installers should thinkabout powering the panel from a supply in the loft, airingcupboard or dressing room.The drawing above shows a typical Taptile configuration.50 TSJ JANUARY 2012

TECHNOLOGYStep 2Step 3Step 5Step 6The following step-by step installation controls three GU10down lights (main circuit), one GU10 down light over the bath(secondary circuit) and an extractor fan.Step 1: In this case study, the Mains power supply isaccessed from the loft which will allow the Taptile sensors tobe placed conveniently inside the bathroom door and besidethe bath. A three metre cable and a waterproof connector isincluded in all Taptile kits as standard.Step 2: Rebate the wall/plaster board to allow for easy fittingof the Taptile sensor.Step 3: Taptile uses a single 3mm low voltage cable, so chasingis kept to a minimum. Leave approximately 100mm ofloose cable – this makes for easy final connection.Step 4: Decorate your tile to indicate where the 6 buttonsare – there are many ideas shown on the Taptile websiteincluding using the decal that is included in the starter kit.Make sure the decorations correspond with the buttons onthe Taptile sensorStep 5: Peel off the adhesive strips from the Taptile Sensorand stick to the tile. Connect the power cable and ensure theRF antenna is at 90 degrees to the sensor.Step 6: Apply your usual tile adhesive to the tile and offer itup to the wall fix in place.Step 7: Connect the main lighting circuit receiver. SupplyLive and Neutral conductors to the Receiver terminals markedL and N supply. Then connect the cable from the light fittingto the Receiver terminals marked L and N. For earth continuitythe supply and load Earth conductors must be terminatedexternally. Repeat this for the secondary lighting circuit.Step 8: Connect the on/off appliance/fan receiver. SupplyLive and Neutral conductors to the Receiver terminals markedL and N supply. Then connect the cable from theappliance/fan fitting to the Receiver terminals marked L andN. For earth continuity the supply and load Earth conductorsmust be terminated externally.Step 9: Plug & Play – press the small white learner button onthe main lighting circuit receiver so that the red LED flashesthen touch and hold button 4 on the Taptile sensor until themain circuit lights flash. Repeat this for the secondary circuitto sensor button 5 and the fan to sensor button 6.Step 10: Stand back and admire.TaptileT: 08704 931433 www.taptilecontrols.comJANUARY 2012 TSJ 51

TILE OF SPAIN AWARDSCeramic tiles as a key design featureTSJ introduces all the winners and runners up in the Tile of Spain Awards for 2012.IntroductionThe Tile of Spain Awards for Architecture and Interior Design areorganised and promoted by Ascer, the Spanish Ceramic TileManufacturers’ Association. They aim to improve awareness andunderstanding of ceramic tiles made in Spain among architects andinterior designers and promote their use by these professionals.The competition is held annually and is open to projects and professionalsin Spain and worldwide. Entries must make significantuse of Spanish ceramic floor and/or wall tiles in the formal part ofthe building. Prize categories include architecture and interiordesign.There is also a Degree Projects category that is aimed at studentsat advanced technical schools of architecture in Spain.This year the jury was chaired by Benedetta Tagliabue and includedAndrés Jaque, João Álvaro Rocha, Mikko Heikkinen, CarlosQuintáns, Toni Grilo and5 Monfort.ARCHITECTUREWINNER: MUCA AUDITORIUM AND MUSICCOMPLEX, ALGUENADesigned by Miguel Rodenas and JesúsOlivares, COR & AsociadosFirst prize in the competition’s architecturecategory was awarded to COR & Asociados(Miguel Rodenas and Jesús Olivares) for theMUCA Auditorium and Music Complex inAlgueña, Alicante.In this rural town, COR has created a stunningmusic hall and cultural space on a budgetof little more than Euro 500,000. An oldpolice post was converted and extended withan annex clad in white, gloss tiles that reflectthe sky and the sparse but impressive landscapein all its different aspects.The new building is connected to the old52 TSJ JANUARY 2012one with a glass box which contains the staircase,a transparent link that gives access toboth parts of the new complex.The jury was impressed by the intelligentuse of the limited budget and the expressivecapacity of the iridescent ceramic tiling,which allows to building’s appearance toalter with changing light conditions, as wellas blending perfectly with the existing buildingand quarry.“We were asked for a building able to bringtogether all the activities related to music andculture that took place in the village, and alsopromoting its cultural future,” explains thearchitects.“We were commissioned to search for anopportunity, articulate it and carry it out.Under these circumstances, that also comprisedthe definition of an extensive musicalschedule of activities and a maximum budgetof €562.800, we proposed in a first phase therestoration of old Guardia Civil’s quarters thathad been disused since the 1980s which provideda surface area of 670 sq. metres; as wellas the construction on a new Auditorium of350 sq. metres with 230 seats.In a second phase, we proposed the constructionof a park with an open-air auditoriumthat will join the village and its zone offuture urban development.The new construction is separated from theold by new adapted stairs that are enclosed inglass boxes lit from overhead, that try to addfragility to the rotundness of the whole. Themulti-purpose hall houses 230 seats. Theseseats are moveable and the installations are

TILE OF SPAIN AWARDSable to accommodate different kind of functions,from a concert to a new year’s eveparty.The central courtyard is designed to housemusic rehearsals, or any other kind of function,without any fixed element.“In the existing building we proposed therehabilitation without formal changes.Simply recovering all the old constructivetechniques and turning them white with differentgrades of shine with the intention ofgenerating tension between what the usersremember about the building and what it isnow, we search for surprise perceptions andthe generation of a new surface. The new hallis a blind box, a strange element because ofits shape and dimensions. To emphasise thissensation, we proposed a cladding thatvibrates and shines with a pearly-iridescentmaterial.”“The use of a ceramic surfacing with a pearlyand iridescent finish communicates the intentionof generating a vibrant volume in constantflux, due to lighting changes or observatorymovements. This solution makes thebuilding vibrate, changing its colour, saturationand profundity.”The material was made specially for theproject using existing techniques of firing, vitrificationand metal deposition. The porcelainbase material is frost resistant and guaranteedfor use in exterior applications. Each ofthe tiles is dry pressed and fired three times:firstly at 950ºC to create the biscuit. The secondfiring, after glaze application, was at1,180ºC in rapid cycle. The third firing, at780ºC, was used to create the iridescent pearlfinish.Photography by David Frutos.54 TSJ JANUARY 2012INTERIOR DESIGNWINNER: CASA COLLAGE, GIRONADesigned by Elisabet Capdeferro andRamón Bosch, Bosch CapdeferroArquitecturesIn the interior design category, first prize wasawarded to Casa Collage in Girona’s Call districtdesigned by Elisabet Capdeferro andRamón Bosch of Bosch CapdeferroArquitectures.The jury praised the poetic and intelligentuse of the existing ceramic tiles. The juryfound that “the way in which the tiles areused and combined offered an image full ofoptimism and one in perfect harmony withthe other materials.”Collage, particularly through the work ofGeorges Braque and Pablo Picasso, became atechnique for juxtaposing the incongruous,to imbue a work with unexpected meaning.At Casa Collage, Bosch CapdeferroArquitectures used collage to create a singleresidential and office block from a collectionof derelict buildings. The existing structures,in the Jewish quarter of Girona’s Old Town,although built over many different eras, areall traditional Catalan stone constructions.Collage was used to connect structural elementsseparated by time rather than conception.This is seen most explicitly in the blockapplicationof tiles. These pixilated palettespunctuate the project, in both communalspaces and private domestic rooms.Overall, they offer a splash of colour thatcounterpoints the muted masonry. Althoughhighly varied and often applied in physicalisolation, the blocks of tiles work together tocreate an aesthetic continuity between thepublic and the private zones of the project.The idea of collage extended to the spacialplanning and engineering of the site. Newstone walls have been created that bothextend and subdivide the existing fabric. Thearchitects didn’t try to differentiate new fromold, but instead created a harmonious wholefrom the integration of the two. Rather thantidying up the existing structure, the designershave developed a spatial organisationthat celebrates the time-worn complexity ofthe site.Photography by José Hevia.

TILE OF SPAIN AWARDSARCHITECTUREHONOURABLE MENTION: MUNICIPAL AUDI-TORIUM, TEULADADesigned by Francisco Mangado, Mangado& AsociadosThe jury granted two special mentions in thearchitecture category, for the MunicipalAuditorium of Teulada by Francisco Mangadoand the Universidad Popular Infantil, Gandiaby Paredes Pedrosa Arquitectos.The first Mediterranean work by architectsMangado & Asociados, the MunicipalAuditorium of Teulada in Alicante, Spain, isthe missing link between two associatedtowns - Teulada and Moraira - which areadministratively united but geographicallydivided.Teulada is located uphill and Moraira downhillfacing the stunning Mediterranean coastline,a feature that inspired the architects.The building moves with the terrain of thelocation, adapting to the topography with itsangular composition. Internally the volume56 TSJ JANUARY 2012offers a 700 capacity hall that can be dividedinto an audition room for 60 people, arehearsal room for 80, a 600 sq. metre galleryspace and a café.Overlooking the sea the volume features alarge void in the façade where blue ceramictiles, reminiscent of those used in manyMediterranean domes, clad a fissure in theotherwise smooth external wall.“The sculptor of this jagged surface space isthe Mediterranean light: the irregularities weredetermined by studies of the sun’s impact inthe area and the geometries it would generate,”explains Francisco Mangado.A series of thick concrete posts filter directsunlight and cast a regimented geometricpattern of shadow across the minimalistinternal space. At night the building is litfrom within and the central auditoriumbecomes ‘a lighthouse illuminating the pathsthat connect the twin towns’.Photography by Juan Rodriquez and RolandHalbe.ARCHITECTUREHONOURABLE MENTION: UNIVERSIDADPOPULAR INFANTIL, GANDIADesigned by Ángela García de Paredes andIgnacio Pedrosa, Paredes PedrosaArquitectosThe UPI school in Gandía is located within aparterre in the Ausiàs March park featuring sixlarge mulberry trees. The pentagonalparterre is surrounded by a light wall made ofceramic tiles that varies in height dependingon the angle of the roof. Also made usingceramic tiles, the roof blends in with thebranches of the trees.The UPI is a light, spherical building offeringlow cost construction and maintenance. Thelarge ceramic roof unifies the outside andinside of the building. The entrance door,with views over the river, leads to the central,curving patio that connects open spaces,porches and classrooms. The exterior has aserious, continuous appearance, like a largeceramic palisade.The extruded ceramic sections, glazed inwhite, are the sole material used for the outsideof the building. The ceramic sections arecast in pieces measuring 200 by 200 by50mm, forming four waves with a diameter of40mm on one side of their surface, with fourflat strips on the other. The flat side is necessaryfor manufacturing and firing the 3D section.At the design stage it was decided toretain this material after firing and use it, oncethe whole piece had been glazed, to createthe roof of the building. This means that thepossibilities of the sections are used to the

TILE OF SPAIN AWARDSmaximum, using the excess tiles and duplicatingthe use of the square metres of tilingmanufactured. The sections are made ofextruded stoneware, glazed using a purposeformulatedmatt white glaze, and then firedat 1,250ºC to ensure impact, frost and chemicalresistance. The glazed sections are cutdown the middle, to separating both sides.The two separate A and B sides are unglazed,with dovetails to help attach them to thewalls and roofs.INTERIOR DESIGNDISTINCTION: METRO STATION FIRA 2,BARCELONADesigned by Toyo ItoThe jury also awarded a distinction to MetroStation Fira 2 on Linea 9 in Barcelona by ToyoIto in the interior design category.When complete, Barcelona’s L9, the OrangeLine, will be the longest metro line in Spain at48km, of which 43.71km is underground and4.1km in viaducts. It will feature 52 stationsand, when construction finishes in 2014, willhave cost in excess of €6.5 billion.58 TSJ JANUARY 2012DEGREE PROJECTFIRST PRIZE: MOSAIC THERMAL BATHS,HOTEL & RESTAURANT, BATH, ENGLANDDesigned by Patricia Bouzas PascualThe Tile of Spain Awards also have a categoryfor the Best End of Degree Project by studentsin architecture schools in which ceramic tilesplay a significant role.The jury agreed to award first prize toMosaic Thermal Baths, Hotel and Restaurantin Bath, England by Patricia Bouzas Pascual, astudent at the Higher Technical School ofArchitecture in Madrid .The jury highlighted the fact that “it seemsto have been designed based on the characteristicsof ceramic tiles, with solutions rangingfrom the structural qualities through tothe tactile qualities of the finishes, taking intoaccount the pleasant texture of ceramic tilesin contact with water, and seeking an extraordinarilyinteresting relationship with light.”“The starting points for this project weresensations, temperatures, shadows, privacyand its different levels; the interior that Iwould like to explore while enjoying the publicor intimate moment of bathing,” explainsPascual.“The tesserae are pushed and adapted toachieve the correct interrelation of functions,thereby eliminating the need for spaces thatare merely connective in nature.”“The mosaic is located in the city, creating anew riverside space, and developing the riveras the initial point of contact with the water.In constructive terms, the tesserae are rigidframes comprised of sections of reinforcedceramic latticework, covered by domes thatcontribute towards the structure. Beneaththe floor, there are installations such as thehypocastum of the Roman baths. All of thedifferent elements come together to suffusethe building with light, structure, intimacy,temperature and scale.”“Ceramic tiles formed a part of the projectfrom the initial model. I was looking for amaterial that was pleasant to the touch, sensitiveto temperature, and which reflectedlight warmly. A material that could be shapedas required to resolve the details of the complexstructural sections of the latticeworkwith sufficient precision.”“These pieces were gradually introducedinto the whole building, with the same aimsin mind.”“The flooring, directly in contact with ourfeet, called for this warmth and the possibilityof providing a texture that was pleasant tothe touch at the same time as being safewhen in contact with water. The domesneeded to be especially light in order to avoidoverloading the walls, and so a timbrel vaultwas considered to be the best option forbuilding them. However, as ours did not haveany other outer covering, they are exposed toexternal actions that could alter the way inwhich the loads are distributed over thedome, meaning it is essential to reinforcethem. For this reason ceramic tiles and theconstruction system were chosen, complementedwith reinforced and lightweight concrete.Photovoltaic ceramic sections are usedon their exterior to provide solar power forthe lighting.”DEGREE PROJECTOTHER PRIZESDue to the high quality of the projects presentedto the competition, the jury agreed togrant three further consolation prizes forthree additional projects:Museum of Visigothic Art in Mérida (shownabove) by José Antonio Millán Mena fromthe Madrid Higher Technical School ofArchitecture.

TILE OF SPAIN AWARDSMetropolitan Device System (Agriculturaland Urban Recovery in La Vega de Granada)by Carlos Gor Gómez from the GranadaHigher Technical School of Architecture:shown above.Support centre for economies at risk in theregion of Kachchh, India by Erika SanzGarcía de from the Madrid Higher TechnicalSchool of Architecture: shown above.60 TSJ JANUARY 2012The Municipal Auditorium of Teulada by FranciscoMangado.The MUCA Auditorium and Music Complex in Algueña,Alicante.Awards’ 10th anniversaryThis year marked the tenth edition of The Tileof Spain Awards. Over the past decade, theAwards have become an established featureof the design landscape due to the ongoingability to attract high quality entries presidedover by consistently impressive judging panels.These two factors have made theseAwards, organised by ASCER, a referencepoint on the national and international architecturalcircuit.This year’s jury was also marked by the highlevel of its members. The chair of the jury wasBenedetta Tagliabue, an architect from Milanbased in Barcelona and co-founder of the studioEMBT Arquitectes, Enric Miralles &Benedetta Tagliabue. The EMBT studio haswon two Tile of Spain Awards, thanks to itsprojects Diagonal Mar Park and the spectacularrefurbishment of the Market of SantaCaterina, both in Barcelona.The other jury members were the architectsAndrés Jaque, João Álvaro Rocha fromPortugal, Mikko Heikkinen from Finland,Carlos Quintáns, director of the magazineTectónica; the international designer ToniGrillo, and the Chairman of the Architects’Association of the Community of Valencia,Ramón Monfort.The two main categories of The Tile of SpainAwards are architecture and interior design,each of which offers a Euro 20,000 prize. Theawards also include an End of Degree Projectcompetition for students of architecture, witha prize of Euro 8,000.The Awards are sponsored by VodafoneSpain, Endesa, PortValencia, the EuropeanRegional Development Fund and theValencian Institute of Small and MediumSized Enterprise (IMPIVA).The Awards have developed significantlythanks to the quality of the projects that arepresented and the members of the jury.Some of the projects that received prizes inrecent editions in the architecture categoryinclude the Seafront Promenade ofBenidorm’s Poniente Beach by Carlos Ferraterand Xavier Martí Galí from OAB Office ofArchitecture in Barcelona, the Refurbishmentof the Market of Santa Caterina in Barcelonaby Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue,EMBT Arquitectes; Peñíscola ConferenceCentre by Paredes-Pedrosa Arquitectos; theArchive of Castile-La Mancha by GuillermoVázquez Consuegra; the remodelling of CalleSan Vicente de Burriana in Castellón; and theSpanish Pavilion at Expo Zaragoza 2008.

DESIGN TRENDSRefin: Creating Kaosout of harmonyLuca Nichetto has created Kaos, a new range ofceramic tiles for Refin. Kaos is part of the company’sground-breaking DesignTaleStudio project that pioneersthe use of the aesthetic and technical potentialof ceramic tiles for Refin, one of Italy's top tile manufacturersand part of the Concorde Group, Europe’ssecond largest ceramic tile group by turnover.As the name suggest Kaos is designed to be wildlyrandom even though there maybe small and subtlepattern changes. The tiles have a textured surfacethat resemble floating bubbles in relief and the resultis a refreshingly new, non-repetitive design with adistinct identity that can be used in both residentialand commercial projects.A practical, easy to clean, low maintenance ceramictile range for floors and walls, Kaos is a complete collectionoffering a wide range of square and rectangularformats.Kaos is available in a range of 10 shades of warmand cool tones (across the grey and beige spectrum)with a selection of accent colours in red, blue, yellowand black & white, as pictured below.www.refin.itKaos, designed by LucaNichetto (above), is available ina variety of formats including300 by 600mm (top left) and300 by 300mm (top right) in 10colourways including thesestrong accent colours (right).62 TSJ JANUARY 2012

PORTFOLIOQuartz, granite and recycled glass finishes from TrendVersatile ready mix adhesive for interiorsBAL White Star is the ideal ready-mixed tile adhesive for internalwalls. Its versatility, suiting a wide range of applications, makes it the“fixers’ friend” among ready-mixes. Professionals routinely keep a tubhandy, to avoid a trip to their stockist.BAL White Star is easy to apply and, being non-slip, removes theneed for battens to hold tiles in place while fixing. A wide choice oftub sizes – 2.5 litres, 5 litres and 10 litres – allows it to be specified forany job. The smallest tub will tile a small kitchen splashback withoutwaste, while the largest will cover a full 6.6 sq. metres of dry wall. Itcan be used for almost any commercial or domestic applicationindoors, including showers, kitchens, bathrooms and wet rooms. Itsexcellent water resistance means that it is suitable for any interior wetarea except for total immersion applications.BAL White Star offers a good bond strength with a variety of ceramicwall tiles and mosaics, including lighter coloured natural stone.Although not recommended for porcelain, or for tiles larger than 300by 300 mm, it does have the flexibility for use with backgrounds subjectto limited movement or vibration. Appropriate backgrounds, subjectto correct preparation, include plaster, plasterboard, cement:sandrender, existing ceramic tiles, some painted surfaces, tile backerboardsand timber.BAL White Star is a white organic dispersion adhesive, classifiedD2TE, and dries ready for grouting after 24 hours. It is readily availablefrom hundreds of authorised stockists nationwide and, as with everyproduct bearing the BAL name, carries a full 25-year guarantee.01782 591100 or 0845 600 1222 www.bal-adhesives.comTemporary floor protection is newA Surrey business has become the first in the country to stock a revolutionarynew American floor protection product. Trio Plus recentlyreceived its first shipment of the US-made Ram Board, a unique temporaryhard floor protector ideal for use during building projects, renovationsand DIY work. It is beleived to be the only company in the UKto stock the heavy duty temporary floor protection, manufactured inCalifornia and sold through 1000 stores in the USA and Canada.Originally designed to protect floors from the heavy demands of theHollywood movie industry, the super strength hard floor protectionhas been used on sets in blockbusters like Armageddon, The Hulk,Spiderman and Pirates of the Caribbean.Ram Board is supplied in rolls, making it easy to transport around asite. Made entirely from recycled materials, Ram Board is water proofand durable. Indeed, tests have shown that it is strong enough to sustaina forklift truck being driven over it. It can be laid quickly thanks toits handy roll format and will stay flat when applied. The board can beremoved just as easily and won’t leave any residue or mark on the floorunderneath when the Ram Board is taken up.Unlike some hard floor protection products, Ram Board is vapourpermeable, which means it can be used to protect floors that have onlyjust been laid.www.trioplus.co.ukReflecting today's fashion for wood-effect flooring, Italian tile maker Trend has introducednew agglomerate flooring planks for beautiful, eco-sustainable finishes.Rather than mimic the appearance of wood or use face printing technology, Trendhas chosen timber-like quartz, granite and recycled glass finishes for its new TrendTeak range, leaving the 1,200 by 147mm planks to replicate the appeal of solid woodflooring when laid. Just 6.6mm thick, Trend Teak planks are lightweight, flexible andeasy to handle, yet technically superior to most timber, laminate, vinyl and ceramicmaterials, which makes them ideal for demanding flooring applications, such asseamless transitions between the home and outside terrace.Adding further to the appeal of its new flooring finish, Trend is teaming Teak plankswith its innovative Clip2Go installation system, creating one of the quickest, easiestand most hardwearing solutions for new or replacement floors. Pre-mounted in customisedClip2Go interlocking base panels, Trend Teak agglomerate boards will simplyclick together and 'float' above the existing sub-floor, with no adhesives or groutingrequired. Apart from quick, clean and easy installation, with most floors laid injust one day, this system can be subsequently dismantled and the planks removedand reused, all without damaging the underlying floor.The Trend Teak range comes in six standard finishes, from black and 'dark teak' to'softwood' cream tones and off-whites, with other colours available to order. Madefrom natural stone, tempered glass chips and a small percentage of high grade polyesterresin, the agglomerate material is extremely tough, durable, non-absorbentand resistant to impacts, scratching, stains, thermal shock and harsh chemicals.Trend uses up to 78% recycled glass and recovered stone in the production process,making Teak planks a sustainable alternative to non-renewable hardwoods, and thematerial has achieved Greenguard certification for very low VOC levels, underliningits suitability for schools and domestic housing.Being slim and lightweight, with a considerable degree of flexibility, Trend Teakplanks can be readily laid over existing flooring, either bonded direct to the substrateor pre-mounted in Clip2Go interlocking panels. With the risk of slipping an obviousrisk on floor coverings, Teak offers an essential DIN 51130 R9 slip resistance rating.Apart from domestic flooring, conservatories and swimming pool surrounds, thismakes it perfect for entrance halls, stairs and corridors in offices, schools and hotels,wards, clinics and laboratories in the healthcare sector, catering establishments,retail outlets and financial institutions.Moreover, with increasing demand for temporary and 'floating' floor surfaces thatwon't damage existing surfaces, the Trend Teak/Clip2Go combination is an obviouscandidate. Typical applications include hotel-based trade fairs and exhibitions,catering marquees, in-store concessions and preserving historic flooring during renovationwork, with the bonus that Trend Teak is ready for immediate use, withoutspecial cleaning or preparation.Retail prices for Trend Teak agglomerate flooring start from around £135 ex VAT persquare metre, with pre-mounting on the Clip2Go system available at competitiveextra cost, which is offset by savings on installation times and materials.01892 509690 info@trend-gb.com www.trend-gb.com64 TSJ JANUARY 2012

PORTFOLIOEasy, cost-effective battening systemSuretile’s innovative new Tiletracker can save tilers a significantamount of time and money normally spent on timber battens becauseit’s quick and easy to use, strong, free-standing and fully adjustable.Timber battens, claims Suretile, are almost impossible to put on level,with packing being required. They can be difficult to fix, they bendunder the weight of today’s popular large format tiles and they followundulations in the wall. They also take a long tome to put up andthere is the ever-present danger that installers may hit a pipe or cablein the process.Tiletracker claims to offer an easier, more cost effective batteningalternative. Tiletracker comes in two lengths: 0.75m and 1.5m. It onlytakes two minutes to have the Tiletracker ready. The resultant batternis strong with a maximum load of 50kg; enough to cope with even thelargest tiles. Made from lightweight aluminium, it is easy to handleand use. The battern is also fully adjustable, with its threaded legsallowing even fine adjustment for a perfect level. The unit is freestanding, obviating the need for drills, screws, nails, etc. As there is nodrilling or mechanical fixing required, all possibility of damaging pipesor cables is avoided. What’s more, perfect levelling eliminates theneed for packing and offers the prospect of perfectly flat tiling thatdoesn’t follow uneven walls. The manufacturers also claim that theproduct is so easy to use that there is a significant time saving, withminimum battening time and no time wasted going to buy timberbattens.www.suretile.co.ukAdhesive is ideal for showers and wet areasThere is no better tile adhesivefor showers, swimmingpools and other total immersionareas than BAL RapidsetFlexible. Professional tilerschoose it for its fast setting,ready for grouting after justthree hours, and flexibility. Itis also perfect for use withceramic, porcelain and naturalstone tiles includingtravertine. Being polymermodifiedmakes it ideal forapplications subject to limited movement and vibration, whichincludes use for many underfloor heating applications.Tilers also appreciate the versatility of a product which is suitable forboth walls and floors, avoiding the need to use different adhesiveswithin a single project. It can be used with a variety of backgrounds,including flooring-grade asphalt, concrete, cement:sand screeds andrendering, existing unglazed tiling, backer boards, overlaid timber(minimum 15 mm depth), plaster and plasterboard. It offersenhanced adhesion for low porosity substrates.BAL Rapidset Flexible is supplied in 20 kg and 10 kg sacks in whiteand grey and is easily mixed with four parts powder to one part water,by weight. It gives a 45-minute pot life at 20° C and is ready for groutingafter three hours. It is readily available from authorised stockistsnationwide and carries a full 25-year guarantee.01782 591100 or 0845 600 1222 www.bal-adhesives.comPractical workwear offers a touch of branded styleAdvances in technology and a greater understanding ofthe needs of employees mean this winter workers havea bigger and better choice of workwear to choose fromthan ever before, says workplace equipment providerSlingsby.The company, which supplies more than 35,000products through its catalogue and website, offers awide range of personal protective equipment andworkwear.“Workwear is evolving faster than ever before withnew materials, styles and technology being developedall the time,” says Lee Wright, Marketing Director.“Many workers are also becoming more brand consciousand want workwear that looks good as well asbeing practical and comfortable. As a result we havesignificantly increased our product range and now havemore choice than ever from all the leading manufacturers,including Dickies and Snickers, and lots of theseproducts are available with free next day delivery.”“In addition we’re continually expanding our choiceof high visibility and safety products which include alltypes of innovative new features such as hard hats thatuse the same high intensity reflective materials that areused on motorway signs. Plus we’re now able to addcorporate branding to many of these products, which isproving to be extremely popular.”Under the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) atWork Regulations 1992, employers must provide appropriateclothing and equipment whenever there are risksto health and safety that cannot be adequately controlledin other ways.01274 535030 www.slingsby.comSoft textured surfaces evoke the charm of the pastWith Elixir, the new Novoceram porcelainstoneware collection, the charm ofthe surface from the past lives again in asurprising interpretation, that translatesthe wavy irregularities of the polishedstones into a contemporary product thatis clearly aesthetically driven.The soft textured surface is available inthree vibrant colours: a deep black, awarm sienna and a white ivory; each ofwhich is full of subtle nuances.Elixir Craie is a surface with thestrength and variety of stone combinedwith the softness and glossiness of silk.Elixir Sienne is a modern interpretationof traditional burnt sienna tones, thebasis of the Renaissance artist’s palette,for a surface able to bring warmth to anyroom, while always expressing a minimalcontemporary character.Elixir Etain is a grey with hard-to-definenuances, designed for modern commercialsurfaces, but also suitable for refinedhome décors.Finally, Elixir Fusain is a deep black finishthat brings out every detail of thestone’s microstructure.In common with all Novoceram products,Elixir carries Ecolabel certification,the European environmental mark certifyingthe eco-compatibility of the products,from supply of the raw materialsthrough production to disposal.Manufactured using through-bodyporcelain, Elixir is available in craie(white), sienne, fusain (black), etain(grey). Three modular formats are available:450 by 450, 300 by 600, and 600 by600mm. The range is suitable for use onboth walls and floors in residential andcommercial applications.+33 (0) 4 75 23 50 23 www.novoceram.fr66 TSJ JANUARY 2012

Steel-reinforced porcelain tiles launched by NicobondInspired by the technical capabilities, characteristics and growing opportunitiesof porcelain as a resilient material, N&C Nicobond has unveiled anunrivalled collection of Technical Porcelain tiles. The range consists ofthousands of products over 82 colours, including eight anti-slip variations,endless modular size options, fittings, finishes and showerlay systems forthe creation of bespoke designs.The broad portfolio consists of three main tile collections: Architect,Porcelainex and the latest innovation to the porcelain tile industry,Nicobond Steelker. Nicobond Steelker is the innovative, steel-reinforcedporcelain tile with impressive mechanical properties. At only 5mm thick,it is incredibly impact resistant, far exceeding requirements set by international(ISO-EN), American (ASTM) and French (CSTB) Standards.The beauty of Nicobond Steelker is that it can be applied almost anywhereas it uses a dry-fit system, also allowing for minimal disruptions tocommercial activity. It can be laid easily over existing subfloors whilstmaintaining its high strength properties. The construction of NicobondSteelker allows for the tiles to be butt jointed as well as having the optionof grout joints for aesthetic purposes.Porcelain is generally made up of mass consisting of clay, sand, feldsparand water. The Nicobond Architect Porcelain Collection consists of a coordinatedrange of dust pressed porcelain that is pressed under immenseforce to fuse the mass together, then fired under high temperature toform the tile.The Nicobond Porcelainex range is an extruded porcelain which meansthat although it uses the same mass (ingredients) as dust pressed porcelain,it is manufactured differently which influences its mechanical propertiesand strength. Nicobond Porcelainex extruded porcelain is kept wet(18% moisture) and is forced gradually through an exit point to shape thetile. This extreme pressure compresses the tile together to create a densertile with very high resilience at the base and surface of the tile, whereasPorcelainex benefits from greater strength at the edges.For your free copy of the Technical Porcelain Brochure, CD ROM, sampleboard or wallet, please call 0845 605 1345, e-mail info@nichollsandclarke.comor visit www.ncdirect.co.uk for more information.PORTFOLIOBAL Microflex grouts with antibacterial protectionBAL Microflex is the perfect grout for walls in areas where antibacterialprotection is a ‘must have’ property, especially in areassuch as showers and swimming pools, which may be subject toa risk of black mould forming.BAL Microflex incorporates Microban, the patented anti-bacterialtechnology. Built-in at the point of manufacture,Microban becomes an intrinsic part of the product matrix andinhibits the growth of potentially harmful bacteria such as E.coli,Salmonella, Listeria and S.aureus. This offers protection againstthe growth of mould and mildew, which can cause stains,odours and surface deterioration. The protection neither wipesoff nor wears away with use.BAL Microflex can be used on interior and exterior walls in dry and wet areas, for joints from 2mmto 5mm wide, and is resistant to both water and frost. It has a built-in admixture for increased flexibilityand high bond strength at the edges of tiles and mosaics. It is available from hundreds ofauthorised BAL stockists nationwide, in three colours: ebony (3.5 kg sacks), ivory (3.5 kg and 10 kgsacks) and white (3.5 kg and 10 kg sacks). It carries the full 25-year guaranteed offered with everyproduct bearing the BAL name.01782 591100 or 0845 600 1222 www.bal-adhesives.comMakita boosts its dust extracting vacuum rangeMakita has introduced further additions to theprofessional dust extractor vacuum range tomeet increasingly stringent dust extraction regulationson-site and in workshop applications.Two new L class approved models with 20 litreand 35 litre container volumes are available.Both are powered by a 1,100watt motor andare available in 240v or 110v modes. The MakitaVC2010L and VC3511L dust extractors areequipped with a washable PET filter that gives3000cm² of filtration surface. An integral easyto-operatemanual filter cleaning system is provided.These powerful extraction units generatea maximum airflow of 3.6m³ per minute and amaximum vacuum pressure of 18kPa.Both of these new models have a power takeoffpoint enabling them to be coupled to Makita power tools which, when operated automaticallystarts the dust extraction unit to protect the working environment. Both models feature a fleece filterbag which facilitates the collection of moist debris without damage to the filter. The 3.5 metrelongflexible suction hose has a reliable click-connection system for easy changing of the variedselection of tools and hose extensions. The Inox-containers are fitted with four fully floating castorswhich provide full manoeuvrability with supreme stability.The lightweight, compact and easily transportable 20 litre unit stands just 500mm high andweighs only 7.3kg, ideal for transporting in the van and into the worksite, whilst the 35 litre modelweighs 8.2kg and stands 685mm high.Dust extraction is an increasingly important requirement when power tools are in operation.Makita manufacture a range of extraction systems delivering safer working environments.www.makitauk.comJANUARY 2012 TSJ67