• Technical Inspections – receive a 20% discounted rate
• Technical Publications – available for free download
• Technical Masterclasses – significantly reduced rates from £150+VAT to only £50+VAT
• Free credit check – TTA can conduct credit checks on members’ behalf, just email membership@tile.org.uk
  Phone, email and on-site technical support

We have negotiated deals for members with a range of our business partners:

• Worldpay – receive discounted rental rates and more!
• NBS Source – TTA has negotiated a 10% discount for our members on their first year’s subscription to NBS Source
• RIBA CPD – receive a 10% discount on your first year RIBA CPD Providers Network subscription
• Business Shield – protect your interests with TTA Business Shield provided by our business partner Stallard Kane Associates
• Insurance deals – £50 cashback offer for all members who take out public liability insurance with PIB Insurance Brokers
• Tile & Stone Journal – an almost 40% discount on annual subscription. Members pay £30 per year while the RRP is £49

Now that we have refreshed our website, including an improved website directory interface, this year it will only get easier for customers to find exactly what they are looking for.

Master Tile Fixers receive an enhanced presence in our website directory, fixed at the top of the “find a tiler” browser. This is just one of the many advertising benefits that come from being awarded Master Tile Fixer status.

Make sure your company appears in our website directory by becoming a member today. To find out more, visit tiles.org.uk.

All TTA members are requested to have a special show offer running on the day and have the opportunity to exhibit, with the choice of:

• 2×1 metre space for just £200+VAT (includes trestle table, suitable for pull-up banners)
• 4×1 metre space for just £400+VAT (includes trestle table, suitable for a pop up stand)

Gold sponsors are automatically provided with a stand. Non-members are also welcome to exhibit but should contact TTA first on the number below. The event is once again sponsored by BIHUI, which is also a sponsor of TTA Awards 2024. BIHUI strives to provide professional tiling and construction tools for safe handling of large format tiles.

This year’s show will take place on Friday 10 May at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. It’s free to enter and will be open from 10am–4pm. For more details, please contact TTA directly on 0300 3656 8453 or email show@tile.org.uk.

Individual tickets are priced at £195+VAT. Alternatively, there is a package deal for a table of 10 at £1,755+VAT, and a further discounted £1,560+VAT available for a second table. This year we are pleased to welcome Shaun Williamson as our host, an actor renowned for playing Barry Evans in EastEnders. Stay tuned for the announcement of the judges, who are hard at work thanks to your fantastic entries!

TTA is once again grateful to the commitment from our awards sponsors, which ensures that the awards can continue to celebrate industry achievement. At the time of writing, the Gold sponsors are: Amber Underfloor Heating, Banks & Lloyd, Beava, BIHUI, Genesis Global Systems, Jackoboard, Mapei, Palace Chemicals, Polyfab Coatings & Systems (PCS), Shackerley (Holdings), STS, Topps Tiles, UltraTile and Weber UK.

TTA Awards is also a proud fundraiser for Children Today, created to help children and young people with disabilities up to the age of 25 across the UK, by providing specialised equipment to improve quality of life. In one evening alone, last year’s Awards raised a remarkable £14,000 for Children Today!

We look forward to seeing you there and wish good luck to all who have entered. For any further information, visit www.ttaawards.com.

Super-glossy surfaces, bright colours and lively patterns are said to characterise the 15x15cm porcelain stoneware tiles, by Italian manufacturer Ragno.

Three plain tiles are offered in strong hues of white, blue and green – Bianco, Verde and Blu.
In addition, the collection includes three decorative tiles – Foglia, in white, has a light-reflecting three-dimensional raised leaf pattern; Trallicio features a blue trellis design against a creamy white backdrop; and Fulles offers a minimal repeat leaf design in natural greens.

The collection is inspired by the traditional ceramics of Vietri, a small town at the end of Amalfi’s famous coastal road, where artisans first began to produce bright majolica tiles in the Middle Ages.

According to Ceramique Internationale, the irregular surfaces, imperfections and iridescent surfaces of the original hand-made Vietri tiles have been faithfully recreated in the Folium tiles to add extra authenticity.

Peter Vann, director at Ceramique Internationale, said: “The Folium collection features extremely straight edges, creating a rectified effect on both on décor tiles and 3D structures, while slight variations in thickness add animation and enhanced focal interest.

“The intense colour, light and surface detail of these compact but eye-catching tiles are guaranteed to create a Mediterranean mood even in the darkest months of the year.”
www.ceramiqueinternationale.co.uk

Part of the Mapei Group since September 2022, Profilpas is said to be renowned for its high-quality products, innovative designs and commitment to sustainability; core qualities which both manufacturers share. The partnership aims to help Profilpas to grow its business in the UK and will provide access to Mapei’s global distribution network, marketing expertise and resources.

Mapei says its commitment to sustainability is reflected in its long history of developing solvent-free and low VOC emission products and solutions that reduce the environmental impact of construction, products made with recycled materials and renewable energy, and its recently launched Zero Line of products with CO2 offsets. Many of Profilpas’ popular ranges are also manufactured with recycled materials and together, they say, the two manufacturers are well-positioned to create a more sustainable future for the building industry.

Marco Squinzi, Mapei’s CEO said: “Thanks to an exclusive range of Profilpas products that includes technical and finishing profiles, shower channels, spacers and levelling systems for floors and walls, Mapei will be able to extend its range of installation products with additional designer products, so that it can serve professionals and distribution partners even more effectively.”

Veronica Squinzi, Mapei’s CEO, said: “The takeover of Profilpas and its subsidiaries falls in line with our strategy of growth through targeted acquisitions to strengthen our group in terms of markets and products. Having two additional factories in Italy and Poland, and working with local businesses, will definitely make us more able to respond to market needs and work even more closely with our clients.”
info@mapei.co.uk
www.mapei.co.uk

Located in Toledo, Spain, the housing complex (or co-living space) for seniors with customisable socio-assistance services, comprises 35 independent and accessible apartments, with over 1500sqm dedicated to a gym, workshops, a cafeteria, living rooms, gardens, pools, sports areas and urban gardens.

The creators, Sara Romero and Antonio Vallejo, exchanged ideas, gathered concerns and empathised with a large group of seniors, including the future owners and cooperative members of the apartments.

This led them to use various ceramic materials in different areas of the building in harmony with other materials. Ceramics, apart from their high performance and beauty, “are woven into our memory, our DNA, enabling us to create architecture with a human touch,” said Romero.

The building has reportedly achieved the highest energy efficiency rating by incorporating both active and passive efficiency elements. Vitápolis was the winning project at the APE Grupo Architecture Awards, described by judges as “an architectural masterpiece that resonates with emotions and human relationships”.

Originally constructed of concrete during the pandemic, the three-year old outdoor pool showed extensive signs of failure; the breeze block shell was misshapen, there was substantial gapping around pipe outlets and the base was severely cracked across its entire length. The specification was used to repair, waterproof and seal the concrete base and install porcelain tiles within the pool and across the surrounding patio.

In the first phase of works, the pool base was repaired with Mapei Planitop Fast 330 quick-setting, fibre-reinforced cementitious levelling mortar and waterproofed with Mapelastic Foundation flexible cementitious mortar, incorporating Mapenet 150 alkali-resistant glass fibre mesh and Mapeband 120mm alkali-resistant rubber and felt tape for dealing with movement.

D C Building Services then repaired the concrete around the inlet/outlet pipes with a single layer of rapid-set Mapei Planitop Smooth and Repair R4 – a shrinkage compensated, thixotropic, fibre-reinforced cementitious mortar. The whole of the drainage channel was then waterproofed using Mapei Planiseal 88 osmotic cementitious mortar and Mapeproof Swell applied – a moisture expanding, rubber-based hydrophilic sealant – to make joints around pipework and lights waterproof.

During the final phase of works, tiles were installed with Keraquick S1 – described by the company as a very low VOC, quick-setting, deformable cementitious adhesive, mixed with elasticising latex, Mapei Latex Plus.

The porcelain tile specification included 37.5x75cm tiles for the pool, 60×120 cm tiles for the pool surround and matching trim pieces for corners and to create the step. The installation spanned approx. 150sqm (inside pool), 205sqm (pool surround) and 65sqm (plant room building).

The installation was completed with carbon neutral Ultracolor Plus – an anti-efflorescence, quick-setting and drying polymer-modified grout, featuring water-repellent DropEffect and mould-resistant BioBlock; ultra-fast setting and drying hydraulic binder – Lamposilex – and mould resistant silicone sealant, Mapesil AC.
info@mapei.co.uk
www.mapei.co.uk

45 years of trading has made for an experienced, knowledgeable, proven and robust operation, the company says. Palace’s tiling range includes preparation and aftercare products, ready-mixed adhesives, cement-based adhesives and grouts, as well as levellers and waterproofing products.

The company has a broad product range and is said to be a leader in sustainable manufacturing, as well as a supplier trusted by many, with one of the industry’s most flexible manufacturing facilities. Consistent investment in its manufacturing capability has ensured the company not only has the capacity to meet even the largest orders, it says, but also that it has the flexibility to meet mixed orders and limited production runs of multiple product types reliably and efficiently.

Palace also has a number of subsidiary brands within its portfolio, including the recently acquired Pro Gyp-Base, NX and Rock-Tite.

The company produces over 250 formulations and has recently estimated that more than 1 in 5 of all the tiles installed in the UK are fixed using products from Palace Chemicals.

The company’s reputation as a reliable, trusted and honest trading partner has been built up over 45 years. Palace Chemicals’ staff have been a key driver of its growth and success, inspiring a high level of trust from among its customers. Investment in manufacturing capability and staff training help make the company successful, but critically its staff are valued by senior management. This is a key ingredient to increasing productivity and helping the business grow, and the success of this mindset can be seen in the large number of the company’s employees who have remained loyal to the business since its earliest days, says Palace.

It is also reflected out in the marketplace, where Palace Chemicals says its products have a superb reputation, loyally embraced by customers including major multiple retailers, local tile distributors, contractors and independent tile fixers, as well as building and DIY companies. According to Palace, the quality of its product range and the company’s customer service stands behind the trust it continues to enjoy.

This year, the company is unveiling a brand refresh to support its operating excellence pitch to the market. The branding is set to be rolled out during the year across the company’s product packaging, literature, advertising, website and social media channels.

Palace says: “It features an exciting new look, which demonstrates the gravitas that befits the company, effectively and concisely projecting its strong, durable, leading position in the tiling, flooring and DIY markets. The refreshing and rejuvenated design reflects the company’s position of market strength as a modern and trustworthy innovator, whose aim is to make business more profitable for its customers and to make life easier for consumers. Whether it is tiling adhesives and grouts, flooring preparation or tiling aftercare, the aim is to provide excellence for customers. The new packaging style provides a modernised look, with all the required information in an easily accessible format.”

With its updated brand image, the company says, it will build on its existing company and brand values, to increase awareness and positioning in current markets, while also extending the brand into additional market sectors.
www.palacechemicals.co.uk

Roberto Fabbri, president of the ABK Group, said that although the market is difficult for ceramics manufacturers, it is also full of opportunity. The €30m investment will be split between commercial expansion, hiring and acquisitions and follows a more than €100m investment from the company over the last seven years in technology.

Last year, ABK announced the entry of Cleon Capital Advisors as a minority shareholder. The Spanish independent investment and consulting firm has reportedly invested €45m in the company to accelerate and increase its expansion opportunities.

Fabbri highlights Europe and the US as particular areas of interest for the company’s investment, with a goal to focus on innovative technologies and important companies. 2023 saw a drop in commercial performance for the manufacturer, although the group’s president expressed confidence in the continued growth of the American market.

In Italy, the group is reportedly aiming to open the first ABK Studio in Milan in Q1, which will be a material library where designers and architects can view the company’s different products. Fabbri says the company will replicate this same format in other areas of focus abroad, while in Modena, the company is opening a new office hub with a 3000sqm showroom.
www.abk.it/en