East Midlands Centre of Excellence puts EMC Tiles at the Heart of the Tiling Trade

Published: Tilezine - April 2014

East Midlands Ceramics have opened a new regional Centre of Excellence for the tiling trade — in one of the company's most ambitious projects since it was founded more than thirty five years ago.

The new centre is purpose-built to serve trade professionals and includes an extra 5000 square feet of warehousing, a state of the art trade service area and a special computerised resource centre for education and training.

The resource centre will create a regional forum for manufacturers and suppliers to showcase the latest innovations and developments and to demonstrate new techniques to trade professionals and tiling students.

EMC Tiles Trade Operations Manager, Phil Slawson said: "It will mean that professionals won't have to travel all over the country to keep up with manufacturers developments — industry leaders will be giving master classes and demonstrations here in one place.

This will also give tiling students the unique opportunity to meet the top practitioners and learn directly from their experience."

All Things Bright And Beautiful  -  At EMC Tiles All New Trade Services Centre

The development is the result of EMC Tiles bold decision not to stand still during the recession — but to expand in readiness for improved trading conditions.

The company bought an available engineering factory next to its existing warehouse and showroom on the Southglade Business Park, Hucknall Road, Nottingham and re-developed it as a flagship unit, dedicated to servicing its trade and contract customers.

Phil Slawson said: "This will streamline our service to the trade. Until now all our business, domestic and trade has been going through one counter.

"This new centre means we can give our hundreds of trade customers a specialised facility — featuring generous discounts and a loyalty points scheme.

"The trade counter will be well staffed and there will be absolutely no change to our unrivalled personal customer service."

The new centre opened on Monday March 24th and was launched with a special Trade Extravaganza Week. This featured five days of events, supported by leading manufacturers, a top-prize darts competition and a Ferrari FI Simulator, with all proceeds donated to charity.

Pictures: Fun, Games and Frivolity... with a good time had by all!

EMC Tiles managing director, Barry Slawson says: "This is a major development for us and a statement of our confidence in the future of this business. We have certainly come out of the recession in a strengthened position — thanks to our decision to forge ahead and buy and redevelop this property. We are now fully able to capitalise on improved trading conditions and are offering our trade and contract customers something extra special.

"We have created a Centre of Excellence for the sale, delivery and promotion of everything the trade could wish for from the tile industry. We have always supported young tilers through our strong links with New College Nottingham, where we sponsor annual awards. We will be looking at ways to integrate our new resource centre into the learning process.

"This will put Nottingham firmly on the map as a regional focus for the tile trade and will stimulate new business from the whole of the East Midlands and beyond."