F. BALL LAUNCHES ENHANCED FLOOR FINISHING
COMPOUND F. Ball and Co. Ltd. has launched Stopgap Micro Rapid, a new ultra- smooth, flexible, rapid-drying floor finishing compound for creating a flawlessly smooth subfloor finish.
Stopgap Micro Rapid can be applied to a seamless feathered edge to fill indentations formed by screws used to secure plywood and hardboard sheets as well as the gaps at joints between the panels. It can also be used to repair minor surface defects in a wide range of other absorbent surfaces, including sand/cement and calcium sulphate screeds. It is ideal for use where an ultra-smooth surface is required to prevent imperfections affecting the finished appearance of new floorcoverings.
The latest addition to F. Ball’s range of floor finishing and repair compounds
NEW TALENT NEEDED IN FLOORING &
TILING TRADES Floorers, wall tilers, painters and decorators, plumbers, heating and ventilating engineers are just a few of the trades that the UK relies on, but a new report has revealed a decline in the number of workers in these industries.
The trade trends report 2021 released by Skills Training Group has analysed 16 years’ worth of data from the Office for National Statistics to assess the state of the UK workforce.
In the report, it revealed multiple key trades on the decline, floorers and wall tilers declined by 33.83% between 2004 and 2020 from 47,300 to 31,300, while plumbers and heating and ventilating engineers fell by 4.19% (157,400 to 150,800), and painters
SKILLED TRADES PROFESSION
FLOORERS AND WALL TILERS
utilises the same advanced cement technology as the company’s fast-track levelling compounds. It is walk-on hard and ready to receive new floorcoverings from just 20 minutes after application, and priming is not required prior to use, making it perfect for use when working to tight time constraints and deadlines.
Stopgap Micro Rapid is a water-mix product, supplied as a pre-blended dry powder, protein-free, making it suitable for use in biologically sensitive areas, and its beige colour allows for easier marking out.
The product is available in 8kg eco pouches, which are 100% recyclable, easy-to-handle, convenient to use and designed to provide extended product shelf life. The pouches can be easily resealed and transported, allowing contractors to use as much of the product as needed and keep the rest to hand until required.
Commenting on the launch of Stopgap Micro Rapid, F. Ball Sales Director Darren Kenyon said: “We are delighted
and decorators by 17.80% (138,200 - 113,600).
Steel erectors took the largest hit of all trades analysed, between 2004 and 2020 workers in the trade fell by 47.93% from 12,100 workers to 6,300.
Using the data, the team at Skills Training Group were able to forecast ahead to reveal what the future may look like for these trades if the average decline continues.
By 2049, the picture for floorers and wall tilers looks completely different, projecting a decrease of more than 80%:
Commenting on the research and why young people may be the key to turning the tide for these industries, Mark McShane, Managing Director at Skills Training Group said: "For many industries, young people entering the workforce early in their careers means they can learn the craft and make it
ALL PERSONS IN TRADE
a long term career – with many being business owners by the time they are 30. But, in order to encourage young people to make these choices, businesses in the industry need to engage with young people, sharing their success stories to encourage a new workforce.
"Communication and marketing needs to be a big part of each of the different industry’s goals – young people will better engage with clear and smart communication. To attract and recruit new talent to the industry, its image needs to adapt as well. Companies and industries that make noise, engage with social media and shout about what makes their trades great will see the tide change in the amount of people wanting a job.”
https://www.skillstg.co.uk/blog/the-trade-trends-report-2021/
Read the full report and insights from it here.
OCT 2004-SEP 2005 OCT 2049-SEP 2050 (EST) YEAR-ON-YEAR AVERAGE CHANGE POTENTIAL DECREASE OVER 46 YEARS ALL PERSONS IN TRADE ALL PERSONS IN TRADE
ALL PERSONS IN TRADE 47,300 9069.721007 – 0.040 – 80.83%
to be able to utilise cutting-edge technical knowledge to provide flooring contractors with a floor finishing compound that we believe is superior to anything that they’ve used before. We invite them to try Stopgap Micro Rapid and see for themselves.”
www.f-ball.com
twitter.com/TContractFloors
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