6 minute read
elegante terrazzo
hen Barton Castley fi rst joined the National Tiles team as National Sales Manager, little did he know he would become one of the company’s most successful franchisees. Based in Brisbane, Barton managed the retail sales and design centres for NSW, Victoria and Queensland with the managers of each state reporting through to him. Over a period of 18 months Barton established a strong understanding of the retail sector and design sites and expanded his sales and sales training skills. “Part of my role was to develop a National Tiles franchise network in regional centres. At a corporate level we knew that a retail site in Toowoomba would be very successful because of the size of the available premises and the proximity to Brisbane, so after talking with Nick Walker I decided to resign from head offi ce and take on the franchise opportunity.” The fi rst few years were quite challenging for Barton. He had underestimated the signifi cant impact not living in the area would have, and how important it was to become a valued local identity when opening a business in a regional town. Whilst Barton had been responsible for overseeing around 350 team members at National Tiles, he realised what really mattered was building relationships and being a part of the community.
toowoomba
wExplains Barton, “My wife and I were living in Brisbane, and I commuted to the store for the fi rst three and a half years. I of course did my best to establish myself in the local framework, but around 18 months ago Ba arton Castley Owner rtonCastley we decided to relocate close to the site. It was the best decision we have made.” Over the last fi ve years Barton has established himself, his family and the National Tiles franchise in Toowoomba. He has attended local events, joined local clubs and become involved in charities and community groups to show his commitment to the area and to the National Tiles brand. Importantly, Barton has formed strong relationships with the successful builders who service Toowoomba and surrounds, and these businesses power a signifi cant amount of turnover for National Tiles. “The growth across the business has been outstanding and there is still such potential. We are in a very fortunate position in terms of the location. There is so much investment in the area with exciting building projects that are in the pipeline. It’s such a vibrant market.”
National Tiles Toowoomba: 217 James St, Toowoomba City
wner aving spent much of his life in Ballarat, National Tiles’ franchise owner Neil Haase understands the local building industry. Originally working as a tiler and a sales rep for Mitre 10, Neil grew up on the tools and was a frequent customer of National Tiles. When he heard that Frank Walker was looking to open a franchise store in the area, he and his wife met with Frank and the deal was done. Now 18 years on, the franchise store is fl ourishing, and Neil and his family are part of the National Tiles success story. “Whilst I hadn’t operated a retail store before,” explains Neil, “I knew the local residential housing market. Learning the operating systems was of course a learning curve, and these internal systems have developed a lot over the years. At the end of the day though, business is all about customer service and building relationships. It’s pretty simply really. Treat people like you would want to be treated. When clients walk in the door they are invariably in the market for tiles and fl ooring. People don’t really come in and browse a tile shop like they would an antique store. They are looking for a tile or fl ooring solution. Maybe not immediately, but at some point they will be in the market for what we offer.” Neil says it has been interesting to see the growth in the standard of Ballarat’s residential homes over the years, and to witness how the industry has developed in terms of luxury and design. “When we took over the business the population of Ballarat was around 80,000 and it’s now over 127,000, so the demand for property has really grown. And with minimal new competition for us in the tile and fl ooring market, it’s a very buoyant industry to be in.” In terms of tile selections, Neil has seen an increase in demand for fl oor to ceiling tiles in bathrooms, a design style that really elevates the wet areas of the home. “And the beautiful range of quality European tiles that we now have on offer are really sought after for kitchens and for outdoor spaces. Vinyl and timber fl ooring is also really popular for living areas. Over the years the ranges on offer from National Tiles has grown immensely, both in quality and variety, and as a result our showroom looks amazing. The growth I have seen in the National Tiles business over the last 18 years has been exponential and it has been exciting to be a part of the journey.”
ballarat h
National Tiles Ballarat: 893 La Trobe St, Delacombe
talking trade
Paul Buckley, Mapei Aus tra l ia
bond strength
It’s not unknown that the sizes of tiles are getting bigger every year and with the predominant colour of tiles ranging from mid to darker greys, advice if often requested when bonding tiles to diffi cult substrates, in areas that are receiving prolonged hours of direct sunlight and in heated fl oor scenarios.
As this trend continues, we are making the market more aware of the greater stress for higher bond strengths of adhesives. Thus, Mapei are directing installers towards using S2 adhesives.
Previously, an S2 adhesive was only achieved with two parts, a powder mixed with a latex additive. With our investment into research and development, Mapei have produced a product with this same characteristic in a single-part product, a powder mixed with water, creating Ultralite S2.
The Ultralite S2 adhesive has a greater bond strength and a greater ability to handle the thermal and structural movement that is expected in construction and in areas subjective to heat related stresses.
Installers are becoming more aware that a higher quality adhesive is paramount in order to preserve their industry. Reach for Mapei’s Ultralite S2 adhesive at National Tiles for your next project!
mapei.com/au
Shower fl oor design just got a whole lot easier. The innovative and masterful format of the Bermuda Floor Grate offers a choice of decorating options. The centre tile recess allows a coordinated tile to be at one with the surrounding fl oor tiles, in effect disappearing into the overall décor. Available in an 80mm and 100mm connection size, the design includes a construction dust cover plate and innovative acoustic dampeners. This innovative fl oor grate is available 13 classic and contemporary fi nishes, from black chrome to gun metal grey and brushed gold.
shower power
artaust.com.au
no bull
Introducing the OX 2cm Porcelain Diamond Blade, offering superior and precise cutting performance through porcelain, hard stone, and all other thick tiles. Manufactured using the world’s most advanced technology in diamond cutting blades. With a wide continuous diamond edged 20mm rim with a webbed mesh design, the blade cuts faster, deeper and cleaner than any other blades on the market. Featuring cooling holes for fast effective heat reduction, this blade is engineered to deliver the perfect cut every time with minimised chipping of material; with anti-vibration reinforced centre plate for enhanced safety, and silencing core for quieter operations. Suitable for wet and dry cutting on angle grinders, demolition saws and tile saws. Available in 9 different sizes, ranging from 115mm (4”) to 350mm (14”).
Designed for trade professionals like tilers looking for perfectionism, clean fi nished edges and reduced work load in cutting tiles. Look no further, the 2cm Porcelain Diamond Blade is here to stay as an essential part of the OX Pro Series range. No bull, just OX.
