Sponsored by the Tile Association

Topps Tiles, the UK’s largest tile retailer, has taken out membership of the TTA. With 356 stores and a growing 30 per cent share of the UK retail market, Topps Tiles adds significant weight to the TTA’s presence in the retail sector. Members now include businesses of all sizes from the smallest through to the biggest names in the industry.

Topps Tiles has stated that the main reason for joining the TTA is to benefit from the work of the TTA in many important areas within the industry. Whether it is the TTA’s work on industry standards, on training, on apprenticeships, on encouraging best practice or in many other areas, TTA membership confers significant benefits to the industry as a whole and its members specifically.

Like many retailers and distributors, Topps Tiles is finding that the tiling market is constantly changing – and one aspect seeing most change is that it is becoming increasingly technical, and this is affecting all areas, including retail – with different tile types, adhesive requirements and a growing system approach. The TTA conducts important work on all these areas and many others through its technical committee, which sets up working groups on specific topics of importance, and also has influence nationally within the BSI and internationally within ISO. Businesses which remain outside the TTA risk losing out on getting the right support from this work.

“In our ever-changing market we view the technical aspect of the TTA’s work as critical to the development of best practice within the industry as a whole,” says Brian Linnington, commercial director at Topps Tiles. “This is the work that sets the benchmark to which we can all work and it enables us to offer our customers the products and the technical service which they expect from us. Additionally the TTA’s work on training through the CITB and on the development of NVQs has been very helpful in driving up standards in the retail sector. We are committed to offering a high quality product range and a customer service team which is trained to the highest standards. Our membership of the industry’s trade association will be key to helping us maintain that high standard.”

Topps Tiles was founded in 1963 and now offers the widest possible range of tiles for all applications, as well as adhesives, grouts and tools and a large amount of technical advice for its customers, both in-store and online. The Advice Centre on the Topps Tiles website contains guides, videos and leaflets which are all designed to improve the customer experience. In addition to its larger retail outlets, the company has also in the last three years been rolling out a boutique-style format at a number of locations.

“The fact that Topps Tiles have realised the benefits of being in the TTA is a big endorsement of the work which the Association carries out within the industry,” says Ian Kershaw, TTA chairman. “They recognise that they and their customers will benefit from the support which our work provides – we are delighted to welcome them into membership.”