The Tile Association Awards 2006 - Winners

The Tile Association Awards is an opportunity to praise the products, services and people who work in the wall and floor tile industry. The winners were announced at the awards ceremony on 10th June. All the winners received a specially engraved trophy and a certificate.

Individual Achievement category:

Outstanding Contribution to the tile industry:
The winner is Mike Wheat (pictured). Mike is one of the most respected people in the industry and has worked closely with TTA and other associations in the technical field as well as in his own company.

He has spent most of his working life with one company, Building Adhesives, and was very much involved in formulating products for the ever changing and rapidly advancing tile industry. His technical knowledge also meant that he spent considerable time on standards work both in the UK and internationally.

Best newcomer, sponsored by Norcros Adhesives: The joint winners are Mark Wilkinson of Northumberland college and Craig White who now works for Mindon Tiling.

This award recognises new entrants into the tile industry, particularly tile fixers. The shortlisted nominations were Connor McDaid of Limavady College, Mark Wilkinson of Northumberland College and Craig White of South Birmingham College.

Outstanding employee, sponsored by Mapei (UK) Ltd: The winner is Trevor Strawbridge from A & C Dunkley (Boscombe) Ltd.

This award recognises any employee in the tile industry.

Trevor is sales director of A&C Dunkley, and has worked there since 1974 since its incorporation. Trevor is head of purchasing so any of the best selling designs are down to him. He is hardworking, loyal and honest and will go out of his way to help anyone.

Everyone at Neptune who deals with Trevor hold him in the highest esteem and respect for his high standard of professionalism and achievements in the industry.

Supplier category:

Excellence in retailing, sponsored by Pilkingtons Tiles Group Plc:
This category is open to any business operating retail premises.
The shortlisted nominations were Tiles Ahead, Taylor Tiles, TILESTYLE and Regan Tiles.
The winner is Tiles Ahead, Cwmbran (pictured).

Tiles Ahead was launched in 1993. The firm started as a small family business with 2 staff and 1500 sq ft on an unappealing industrial estate. The company decided to re-brand under the title of Tiles Ahead and decided to make the leap from a small retailer to a 50,000 sqft. development. Using a major designer, the company designed and launched a user friendly retail premises. It has a dedicated workforce, whose watchword is customer service, and is knowledgeable on all aspects of tiles and tiling. The company has an instant picking service so that customer orders are being wheeled into the showroom before the ink is dry on the credit card slip.

Excellence in distribution, sponsored by Neptune Shipping Agency

This category is open to any business operating a distributorship.

The shortlisted nominations were Parkside Ceramics, Studio Ceramics and RJ Stokes.

The winner is Studio Ceramics

Studio Ceramics is a specialist supplier of ceramic wall and floor tiles to retail and trade customers, through it's showroom and warehouse in Newark, Nottinghamshire. The company also distributes via a number of partnership retail outlets throughout a large area of England and Wales. Studio Ceramics Ltd specialises in quality Italian tiles for discerning clients and says that it is the main UK importer for several manufacturers in Italy, acting as its gateway to the UK ceramic tile market.

Product category:
All nominated products must have been introduced onto the UK market in the period from 1st January to 31st December 2005.

Wall tile of the year, sponsored by Weber Building Solutions

The shortlisted nominations were for The Royce Wood range, Iris Neobarocco, BCT Wet and Equipe Ceramicas Logos range.

The winner is BCT Wet (pictured)

Wet is a collection of wall tiles from award winning British designers Hemingway Design.
Floor tile of the year, sponsored by DEVI Electroheat Ltd.

Floor tile of the year, sponsored by DEVI Electroheat Ltd

Shortlisted nominations were Ceramiche Piemme Valentino and Ceramiche Keope Contempura.

The winner is Ceramiche Keope for Contempura.

The ‘CONTEMPORA’ series blends subtle ‘wengè’ veins and velvety slashes of colour to give life to a contemporary style. The series is suitable for refined environments in which colour and the warmth of wood play an important role, within a modern style. The orderly, ‘directed’ pattern creates elegant and balanced movements that can be customised by precise or random installation patterns.

Best natural product, sponsored by Tile Magic plc

The shortlisted nominations were San Pietro Travertine from The tile Warehouse and Alberti Limestone from Albert & Michael Heath.

The winner is San Pietro Travertine from The Tile Warehouse (pictured).

This travertine is quarried in the Tivoli region close to Rome, the most important travertine producing region of Italy. San Pietro travertine is at home both in traditional or contemporary settings.

Best new innovation, sponsored by Domus Tiles Ltd

This award can be made for any tile or tile related product.
The shortlisted nominations were Kerridge computer systems, Mapei Wet room range and BAL Acoustibond.

The winner is BAL Acoustibond

BAL Acousti-Bond is a new acoustic floor tiling adhesive, which is NHBC-approved for sound insulation in housing applications, when used as part of an impact sound reduction system, formulated to provided a lightweight solution, when used on suspended flooring.

Other Items category:
Excellence in tile marketing, sponsored by Kerridge

This award recognises the marketing activity of a business as a whole or a particular range or product.

Shortlisted nominations were Saint Gobain Group for its overall marketing in the UK, N & C Nicobond plain colour range and The Tile Warehouse for Prospec.

The winner is The Tile Warehouse for Prospec.

PROSPEC UK offers an essential resource to all technical specifiers in the commercial market, including an online information library, full technical catalogue set and complete sampling service.

Projects category:
The nominated projects should have been completed in the period from 1st January to 31st December 2005.

Best use of tile in a construction contract, sponsored by BAL.

Shortlisted nominations were Parkside Tiles for the Michael Powles Ltd building in Leicester, Stone & Ceramic Ltd for 199 Knightsbridge and WB Simpson for the Reuters Building Canary Wharf.

The winner is Stone & Ceramic Ltd for 199 Knightsbridge.

199 Knightsbridge is a health club and gym situation in a residential apartment in Knightsbridge. Various areas have been tiled with Mapei products, including the pool surround, walls, floor and spa baths.Slate to inside of pool, floors, wall and spa bath. Bronze mosaic tiles to pool reception area, glass tiles to shower area, corridors and WC. Slate to feature walls in treatment rooms and changing area showers. Porcelain tiles to staff showers, and slate tiling to steam rooms.

Best use of tile in a housing development, sponsored by Dunlop

Shortlisted nominations were Crosby Homes for Singleton Hall, Shepherd Construction for Discovery Dock, contractor WB Simpson and Charles Church for Katherine Park.
The winner is Crosby Homes for Singleton Hall.

Singleton Hall in Singleton, Lancs., is a unique Crosby Homes Development of 21 apartments. Craven Dunnill worked closely with the developer sup-plying wall and floor tiles, and Craven Dunnill Jackfield manufactured bespoke encaustic geometric tiles for the renovation of an original Victorian reception Hall Floor. Singleton Hall is a gothic style mansion built in 1855 and Craven Dunnill believes that by supplying products that matched the existing floors allowed the developer to save a historically significant ceramic floor. By doing so, the company emphasised its commitment to preserving the original Victorian heritage connected to the Hall.

Best use of tile by an architect or designer, sponsored by Ceramic Tile Distributors
The shortlisted nominations were Tufnell Park Underground Station by WB Simpson and Harvey Nichols, Dublin by Tylestyle.

The winner is Harvey Nichols, Dublin by Tylestyle.

In Harvey Nichols new flagship store in Dublin the mix of material used was both brave and original and the store stands out from the crowd for its effective use of different materials.

Best technical use of tile in a construction contract, sponsored by Mapei UK Ltd
This category was judged on the technical merits of the project.
The shortlisted nominations were Armatile for Ennis Information Age Park and Kemtile for Fredericks Dairies, Merseyside.

The winner is Armatile for Ennis Information Age Park

A 10m high internal feature wall at Ennis Information Age Park is tiled with Floorgres Globe Brown.

Best use of tile within the leisure industry, sponsored by Ardex UK Ltd
The shortlisted nominations were Magna Tiling Ltd for K2 Leisure Centre Crawley, WB Simpson for Brit Oval National Stadium and Cottrell Brickwork Ceramics for Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre.

The winner is WB Simpson for Brit Oval National Stadium

W.B. Simpson's work consisted of visually impressive natural stone tiling to entrance area floors and walls, with high quality ceramic tiling to WC areas.

Best use of tile in a domestic environment, sponsored by H&R Johnson Tiles
The award is for individual homes, both new build and refurbished.

The shortlisted nominations were WB Simpsons for a Bathroom in a private house in Purley, Reed Harris for Caley Properties 78 Woodsford Sq London and Taylor Tiles for Wychwood House.

The winner is Taylor Tiles for Wychwood House
Wychwood House perfectly reflects the versatility of tiles as a decorative and hardwearing product; this contemporary space uses a mosaic panel to draw the eye into the hallway, practical porcelain tiles on the floor, together with glass and mosaic sheets in the kitchen.

Tel: 020 8663 0946
Email: info@tiles.org.uk
Web: http://www.tiles.org.uk

RAK Ceramics Launches New Siox Tile

RAK Ceramics has launched a range of tiles that can be used within the bathroom to create warm, inviting wall finishes with the distinctive look of natural stone.

Called 'Siox', the range features semi-polished ivory and white; the soft colours can be complemented by mosaic borders made up of a mixture of the two tones.

Siox tiles are made from RAK Ceramics' porcelain and are available in 22.2 x 44.7cm and 44.7 x 44.7cm sizes. Mosaic border strips are available in two sizes - 5cm x 22.2cm or 10cm x 44.7cm lengths.

For more details on the complete range of RAK Ceramics' tiles and sanitaryware, visit http://www.rakceramics.co.uk - telephone 01730 815 507.

Spring Bathroom Décor with Romantica and Olimpic

Iris Ceramica has launched its spring range with two new porcelain stoneware collections, Romantica and Olimpic.

Romantica is a new collection of delicate, sensual bathroom tiles: contrasting floral motifs and micro-pearls with a luminescent effect. Incanto, Incanto Perle, Fiorile and Fiorile Mabe are new bathroom surfaces conveying new sensations.

Olimpic is a new series of ANAB certified porcelain stoneware meeting bio-ecological criteria. A new collection of materials named after the Olympic cities - Seoul, Athens, Sydney and Atlanta.

Four materials offering versatility, simplicity and strength, four colours ranging from brick red to ivory to add character to the spaces we live in with respect for our environment.

Floral and pearly effects, material strength and interaction with nature are Iris Ceramica's new keys to bathroom décor and interior design in spring 2006.

Timeless Travertine Wall Tiles from PWS

PWS has recently introduced a range of travertine wall tiles. The range has been launched to complement PWS' new stone flooring range, to offer a wider selection of surfacing solutions for the kitchen.

The wall tiles are travertine but have the tumbled finish which gives them their timeless appearance. To achieve the tumbled finish the stone is subtly aged by a tumbling action that removes the sharp edges and face to create a rugged, hard-wearing finish.

Two colours are available, 'noce', with an ivory tone or the 'classic' with beige and tan hues. Two square tile sizes are offered, 100x100 or 200x200, and for ease of supply all the necessary adhesive, grout and sealer are available to suit.

Comments Andrew Langford, PWS' Marketing Manager:

'We are constantly looking for new products to offer greater choice and design options to our customers. Our new stone flooring and wall tile collection includes colourways and finishes specifically chosen to team beautifully with many of our kitchen furniture and worksurface ranges'.

PWS' new wall tile and stone flooring collection includes travertine, limestone, granite and marble and the ranges can be viewed at http://www.pws.co.uk with a link to order on PWS' e-commerce solution Tradezone, or alternatively telephone PWS Customer Services on 01325 505555.

Saint- Gobain Glass Launches SGG FEELING Glass Tiles in the UK

Saint-Gobain Glass has launched SGG FEELING - the specialist glass wall tile range - in the UK, from spring 2006.

SGG FEELING brings something new to the tile market with is its patented design. Manufactured using a specially developed high performance lacquer, the tiles are cut to size and the edges digitally polished creating a contemporary tile with precision tolerances.

According to UK Marketing Manager Emma McKay ‘Saint-Gobain has used the latest in research and manufacturing techniques to develop a high quality glass tile product. Produced to meet the requirements for both commercial and residential projects, I am confident that SGG FEELING provides a stylish yet durable product for the tile market.’

Designed in collaboration with the architect Patrick Nadeau and the designer Jean-Baptiste Sibertin Blanc the SGG FEELING range maximises the aesthetic qualities of glass, creating surfaces that are alive and vibrant with light, very different from traditional ceramic décor.

Renowned international colour specialist Catherine Filoche worked with Saint-Gobain Glass on the colour series for SGG FEELING.

The resulting eight interchangeable colours form the 'Basics' collection, central to the range.

The Metallic range is available in two contemporary designs which incorporate silvered glass; the Engraved, comprising of four engraved patterns with a coloured or mirrored finish; and the Borders, complementary with the core range, available in six of the Basic colours.

SGG FEELING is available in a variety of modular formats, allowing for both individual design and multiple applications.

Two traditional formats (15x15 and 30x30cm) and two contemporary large formats (15x45 and 45x45cm) can be combined with the Borders (5x15, 5x30, 5x45 and 15x15cm)

Easy to use, the SGG FEELING range is suitable as a wall tile in commercial and residential spaces.

SGG FEELING tiles are resistant to humidity and have excellent durability, the tiles are cut and drilled in the same way as ceramic tiles and are compatible with standard tile adhesives.

Non-porous and completely impervious SGG FEELING is easy to maintain.

Saint-Gobain Glass cemented its place in history in 1665 when the company was created in order to produce glass for Louis XIV famous Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

Over three hundred years later Saint-Gobain is still turning great ideas into reality.

Web: http://www.saint-gobain-glass.com/feeling

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