INDUSTRY UPDATE THE TILE ASSOCIATION COLUMN
Technology is playing a key role in tiling trends
Lawcris Shortlisted for CWUK Role Model of the Year
It’s not every day you wake up to find out that your Head of Marketing & Communications has been shortlisted for the UK Construction Week Role Model of the Year, but for Lawcris Panel Products, this indeed happened. With the huge challenges that remain around recruitment of new people into the construction sector, this initiative aims to take role models in the industry and elevate their profile/story nationwide to inspire a new generation of professionals to join this rewarding and exciting industry. Lauren is thrilled to be chosen (if a little nervous!) and is ready to take on the challenge. She says, “I initially came to work for Lawcris as a freelancer to produce a new website, but soon discovered that the industry lacked creative marketing and saw a big opening for digital innovation. The digital world is changing so fast and we need a new generation to join us, to bring new enthusiasm and understanding.”
UK Construction Week takes place October 09-11, NEC Birmingham.
KWC launches its first UK brochure of luxury sinks and taps
To mark the introduction of its first ever collection of high-end sinks premium Swiss brand, KWC, has launched a new sink and tap brochure for the UK market. Available now, the 58-page, full colour A4-size brochure comes in a stylish matt finish and reflects the company’s flair for innovative design and finest quality precision manufacture.
Featuring the elegant new ERA, ONO and ZOE sink and tap collections, plus a further seven tap ranges, the brochure is packed with inspirational lifestyle photography along with full product specifications. KWC innovations such as TouchProtect, IntelligentControl and LEDShine are also highlighted and explained. Demonstrating its design expertise and attention to detail, a brief history of the company includes an insight into how its craftsmen manufacture and hand-polish each tap. Says Larah Kuziw, brand manager at KWC: “KWC has a reputation for combining innovation, precision and aesthetics with its sophisticated product portfolio. Our new luxury ERA, ZOE and ONE collections have been developed to provide a flawless sink and tap experience and we are delighted to be able to bring these and the rest of the product portfolio together into one aspirational brochure.”
Complementing the brochure is an 8-page price list allowing retailers to easily calculate the cost of the sinks, taps and accessories.
www.kwctaps.co.uk
54 BKU JULY 2018
anufacturers’ investment in new technology is playing a key role in current tiling trends, TTA members are saying. This includes inkjet technologies, which enable the creation of complex arrays of patterns, colours and textures on a wide range of tile materials, particularly porcelain. This technology offers customers a greater choice of tiles ranging from authentic looking Victorian encaustic floors through to textured, realistic looking wood and stone-effect tiles. This comes at a fraction of the cost of traditional stone or wood materials. It also supports the trend for low maintenance products. Thanks to current printing advances, tiles now give homeowners another option for the creation of realistic and sophisticated interiors.
M
High definition printing lies behind much of the current innovation, using increasingly advanced printing methods. The detail that can be
V&A Metro Kitchen Sykes Blue from TTA member British Ceramic Tile
achieved means almost any image can be transferred on to ceramics, capturing grain, structure and tonal variation.
Meanwhile large format tiles continue to be an important trend. Both square and metro large format tiles are growing strongly since they offer a modern twist, being installed in a number of different layouts. They can be fixed in herringbone and basket weave patterns, giving homeowners an opportunity to create a space that is individual to them. Metros with beveled edges and deep jewel tones are in demand and showing good sales figures with retailers. Large format marble effect tiles are also on the rise. Being used to create luxurious bathroom design schemes, sales of large tiles are increasing across the retail and commercial sector. One of the features of large format tiles is that their use will reduce the number of grout lines, giving a more fluid design finish and the illusion of more space. Another current trend is the popularity of industrial finishes, in colourways such as concrete and metal. The diverse nature of these finishes allows them to be used in any number of interior schemes. Rusted and aged metal effects with an added textural element give a raw, urban edge, perfect for those who want to transform their rooms into loft living style spaces.
The Tile Association, The Mount, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0HG. Tel: 0300 365 8453
www.tiles.org.uk
For further information or to join TTA visit
www.tiles.org.uk/join
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