Before Joe headed off for visits to three of the World’s major ceramics exhibitions he contemplated the trends he was expecting to see. Now he’s back he says that five of the trends were particularly prominent and likely to be of significance to the tile and porcelain sectors in the years ahead. Below is what Joe says...

The top 10 trend predictions for the Coverings exhibition in Orlando that I laid out in the previous issue of Natural Stone Specialist proved to be pretty close to the mark. Having now carefully scanned Cevisama (Spain), Revestir (Brazil) and Coverings (USA) for the latest in ceramic designs, I have sighted each and every one of the Top 10 predicted trends many times over.

However, my take from these exhibitions – especially Coverings – is that there are really five design directions shaping the world-wide ceramic tile market right now.

The most obvious (crystal clear at all three shows) is that green – as the previous article predicted – is today’s dominant accent colour. Of course, green comes in many shades and it is safe to say that a great many different green variants have made their way on to a tile this year.

But 2023’s verdant victors appear to be rich, deep, and restful rather than sharp. Here we are talking about Moss, Sage, Calke, Olive, and Avocado, rather than bold and bright Lime, Celadon, Neon, or Chartreuse.

What is unusual about this colour trend is that it features across so many different types of tile and decorative devices. So these three exhibitions abounded with small rectangular field tiles in various plain green tones, with gloss, satin, or matt glazes.

They were realised on smooth and bumpy biscuit, or as a coloured textured relief tile. Green was also a powerful design thread in stone-effect tiles, from the veins of marble-looks through to dramatic onyx effects. And green was an emerging pace-setter in the porcelain worktop sector – something that really came to the fore in Orlando.

In my judgement the most beautiful tile range at all three shows was The Log by Peronda’s Harmony brand. This featured green as one of the six colour options (the others are white, sand, taupe, silver and anthracite).

The Log, created for the brand by Alt Design, is directly inspired by woodworking techniques. The curved part of each tile echoes wood-turning, while the ends evoke mitres, or the oblique cuts made to fell a tree. The grooved texture is reminiscent of bark. The overall effect is subtly tactile and, like many great designs, simple, versatile, and utterly original.

Dominant trend two is all about format – bricks and small elongated rectangles. These classic small tiles are seen currently in plain and bumpy biscuit, single or multi colours, gloss, satin and matt finishes, natural or polished effects. 

The appeal is that they can be used as a module for creating different compositions. They can be stacked horizontally or vertically, or used in monochromatic or mixed colour patterns. They work as a stripe, chevron or herringbone. They also speak to the overarching value currently placed on heritage and authenticity. 

Many of these small tiles are carefully mass-produced to look as though they have been lovingly hand-made in an artisanal studio. They feature craquelle effects, deliberate surface imperfections, multiple different moulded faces – all devices to create the illusion of being hand made. And I have to say, in many instances the results look convincingly authentic. The distributors report solid and rising sales.

Tactile appeal is important, not least with natural stone effects, and many of the recent tile launches use texture to provide visual and multi-sensory appeal. With digital decoration allowing sophisticated glaze effects to be applied to 3D surfaces, ripples, waves, grooves, and other delicate surface details are all now possible and the leading manufacturers have taken full advantage of that.

The next trend is the ’70s revival. At all three shows tiles recalling the best (and the worst) of 1970s design were much in evidence. There were two-tone browns, ‘groovy’ curves, and psychedelics. Above all, ’70s design was about fun – and if its revival is encouraging home owners in 2023 to be bolder in their choices then it’s good to see it returning.

In case you’re too young to get the reference, the 'rest your eyes in shades of green' headline on this article combines both green and the ’70s in the words from the Small Faces hit Itchycoo Park from the psychedelic era of peace and love... man.

Finally, Coverings in particular really showed how sophisticated gauged porcelain panels and worktops have become in today’s era of continuous pressing, digital decoration, sinking inks, and digital glues.

Some of the marble-effects, complete with subtly defined recessed vein patterns and metallic embellishments, are simply breath-taking. The choice of striking book-match designs grows every year, and the potential for impactful hotel receptions, corporate offices, and domestic bedrooms is now almost limitless.

Factor in the growing options in ceramic wallpaper and furniture facings and we are not so much looking at a key design trend as a range of new markets and applications. 

On the commercial front, the tile sector appears to be bouncing back from the pandemic, escalating energy prices, clay shortages, and a lack of skilled installers.

Coverings 2023 exceeded expectations, with a 50% year-on-year increase in attendance, attracting 27,000 visitors to the Orange County Convention Center.

Buoyed by pavilions from the USA, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Turkey, Portugal, India, and China, international exhibitors made up 74% of 1,000-or-so exhibitors. Most visitors (77%) were from the USA.

The show floor at Coverings 2023 featured the Art Tile Village, an area dedicated to artisans who keep old-world traditions alive with hand-made specialty tiles. This zone featured a dynamic range of imaginative tile art from American studios.

Coverings also provided its usual extensive offering of educational sessions focused on three tracks: Installation & Fabrication, Materials & Trends and Workforce & Profits. As well as the latest information about ceramic tile and natural stone installation, these sessions offered ideas for growing sales during the coming year.

One thing that Coverings, in particular, showed was the emerging strength of the Indian tile sector.

Punitive anti-dumping tariffs have severely impacted Chinese tile sales to Europe and the USA and it is not surprising India has stepped up to fill the void. Although the rapidly expanding domestic market in India has hoovered up most of the country’s production during the past 10 years, manufacturers have been investing in the latest production technology, so that now Morbi is emerging as a ceramic production hub to rival Castellon in Spain or Sassulolo in Italy. 

In Orlando, top Indian brands displaying their sophisticated wares included Exxaro Tiles, Varmora Granito, Italica Tiles, Sunhearrt Ceramik, Simpolo Vitrified, Sparten Granito, Nexion International and Bluezone Vitrified.

As recently as 2018 India did not export tiles to the USA. Today it accounts for 13% of sales by volume. And that figure is growing fast – up over 30% in the past year. It is providing strong competition for Spain, Italy and Mexico, currently the three largest tile exporters to the USA.

The steady development of the USA’s own tile hub in Tennessee will also impact the market dynamics in the years ahead.

Given the close historical and cultural ties between India and Britain, it seems inevitable that Indian ceramics will have a similar impact in the UK. In fact, they are already starting to.

A resounding success. That’s how Stone Federation Great Britain described the Natural Stone Show’s return to ExCeL London 6-8 June after a four-year gap due to Covid.

Previous shows have been held in April but this year’s was put back to June to make the most of the final tweeks being made to the Elizabeth Line crossing London. The line makes access to ExCeL even easier and quicker for more people. It had a minor problem with a signal failure during the Show but was a welcome additional route to the venue.

Undoubtedly the world has changed as a result of the Covid pandemic, notably with an acceleration of digital communications and use of social media. Some of the machinery that would normally be seen at the Show was there in digital format only – on the Breton stand you could spin the Genya to view it from every angle with the stroke of a finger on the touch-screen. And the range of machines sold by D Zambelis – including Omag, Emmedue, Terzago and Achilli – could all be viewed on a touch screen only.

Others preferred to have the metal on the Show floor. On Point was showing a Thibaut T812 CNC, a TC625 saw and Rex4 edge polisher, all on their way to Stone & Ceramics in Belvedere, south-east London.

The same company had also bought the Aquafil water treatment plant on the On Point stand – Aquafil being the recycling system now being sold by On Point.

Salvatore Caruso had a Donatoni Jet on display under the name of his new company, Stone Automation, that he set up when he took over the agency for Donatoni last year. The saws had previously been sold by Intermac, which did not exhibit at the Natural Stone Show in London this time.

Stone Automation also sells Bodiam diamond tools, which were on show, and has taken over distribution of Slabsmith, the inventory control system. Bill Elliot came over from America, where Slabsmith comes from, to talk about the system on the stand.

Salvatore said he had expected there to be plenty of interest in the tools and machinery, as there was, but a surprise to him was the high level of interest that was being shown in another of his stands – Italian Luxury Surfaces, which sells Stone Italiana.

Stone Italiana is at the top end of the engineered stone price range and Salv said he thought fabricators were resisting the race to the bottom with Chinese quartz and looking for more exclusive materials offering a better margin.

In interiors and hard landscaping, in particular, most of the stone is imported and there was plenty of imported natural and engineered stone to be seen at ExCeL, both in the Natural Stone Show and the Hard Surfaces exhibition running in conjunction with it. Turkey, China, India, Spain, Portugal, Italy and other countries were all represented in natural stone, quartz and ceramics.

There was less British stone on show this time, although Colin Keevil, owner of Doulting Stone, said at the end of the first day of the Natural Stone Show it was the best day he had ever had at the Natural Stone Shows in London – and he has been at most, if not all, of them – with top quality enquiries.

It was a sentiment echoed by many of the other exhibitors throughout the show. Gone are the days when stone firms shut down to bring their whole teams to the Natural Stone Show for a day out, but those who attend do so because they are looking for answers. As Sherrie Knight on the Clay International stand in Hard Surfaces said: “The quality of the people who have come here has been superb.” Clay International sells top quality Infinity porcelain slabs from Italy.

There will be a report from the Natural Stone Show and Hard Surfaces in the next issue of Natural Stone Specialist magazine. In the meantime, you can take a quick tour of some of what was at the Natural Stone and Hard Surfaces Shows by watching the short video below. And you can see the full list of exhibitors in the Official Catalogues of the shows that can be downloaded from the links below the video.

Two more stone carvers are among the latest craftspeople to be sharing nearly £300,000 from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) to further their education.

The stone workers are Rasha Obaid and Dan Russell. Their Scholarships will enable both of them to study at the world famous Florence Academy of Art (FAA) in Italy.

Rasha Obaid’s primary area of interest is figurative sculpture and the restoration of historic stone sculptures.

She has a good foundation in carving and modelling from City & Guilds of London Art School, and is now seeking additional expertise in capturing the human form in clay and drawing by attending the FAA.

The QEST 2023 Scholarship will support Rasha during a year-long sculpture programme focusing on anatomy, gesture, and the capturing of human form in clay and drawing.

Rasha believes that supplementing her architectural stone carving foundation with specialised training in modelling the human form will position her to build a career in figurative carving and restoration in stone when she returns to the UK.

Over the next five-to-10 years she also plans to work with recent UK immigrants, aiming to increase their awareness of and engagement with the UK’s abundant artistic and heritage resources.

She says: “I’m interested in the creation and restoration of art in public spaces that engages with the narratives and identities of the local communities and represents a sense of beauty and harmony.”

Dan Russell is a classically trained stone carver, letter cutter, draftsman and sculptor. He studied sculpture at The Heatherley School of Fine Art and gained a First Class Honours degree in Historic Stone Carving from the City & Guilds of London Art School.

Dan’s QEST Scholarship will fund his third year on The Florence Academy of Art Sculpture Programme, advancing his education as a figurative sculptor.

Dan says: “By combining craftsmanship and the wonders of the natural world I strive to create an artistic expression that surpasses mere imitation, offering a unique perspective that resonates with both tradition and innovation.”

QEST accepts applications for its scholarships and apprenticeships twice yearly. The next round of applications opens on 10 July and goes through to 14 August.

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) has also introduced Emerging Maker Grants for the training and education of talented craftspeople who are at an early stage in their career. Applications for this also open on 10 July.

The Emerging Maker Grant is a new funding opportunity providing up to £10,000 to committed makers who have been practising professionally for up to four years and who have a strong connection to materials, technical skills and processes.

The funding specifically supports training and education programs to help makers enhance their craft skills and advance their careers. The training can take many forms, from traditional college courses to vocational one-on-one learning with a master craftsperson or a bespoke programme of short courses.

To find out more about QEST funding and to apply for grants, visit the website: www.qest.org.uk.

Historic England introduced its Building Stones Database for England at the Natural Stone Show at ExCel London this month. 

The Building Stones Database for England was unveiled by Clara Willett, Senior Building Conservation Advisor for Historic England. 

It uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) that can be interrogated for information on local building stones, their sources and uses, and is designed to be as user-friendly as possible. 

It was created in collaboration with the British Geological Survey (BGS) through the Strategic Stone Study, that started in 2007. Local geologists and historic buildings experts around the country provided much of the information.

Now published as the Building Stones Database for England, it covers some 4,000 building stones, more than 15,000 stone sources and 20,000 historic stone structures. Searches can be undertaken by postcode, address or place name, or stone type or name. 

Clara presented the Building Stone Database during the heritage seminars on the third day, Conservation Day, of the Natural Stone Show. She told the audience: “The database will help us get a clearer understanding between stone and buildings and to identify areas where local stones are no longer won but extraction could be made possible.

“We want local authority planning to do more safeguarding and encourage the use of indigenous stone for both conservation work and new builds.” 

The maps include 45 county or area-specific guides detailing local stones and suitable quarries. These have been been created to be more accessible for non-geologists and feature a glossary of terms plus suggested further reading material. 

Building stones often reflect the local geology and add to the local character of towns, villages and rural landscapes.

The database has been designed as a resource for mineral planners, building conservation advisers, architects and surveyors, and those assessing the character of townscapes and landscapes.

The Building Stones for England Database Map Explorer enables you to find building stones and their sources throughout England, as well as the bedrock and superficial geology of areas.

You can browse the geological map, as well as search for a building stone, stone source or structure, or search by postcode, address or place name.

To access The Building Stones Database, visit historicengland.maps.arcgis.com.

Stone companies are reminded of the dangers inherently associated with handling slabs of natural and engineered stone. The warning follows the death of a man after slabs fell on him at Stone Surface in Barking, Essex, on 31 May.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police were called just after 2pm when a man was reported to be injured on Barking Industrial Park, Alfreds Way, Barking, at the premises of Stone Surface. 

London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade and London's Air Ambulance attended the scene, but despite the efforts of emergency services the man was declared dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed. 

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has been notified. An HSE spokesperson said: “We are aware of this incident and are investigating alongside the Metropolitan Police.”

Stone companies are reminded of the advice regarding the handling of large sheet stone slabs on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/stonemasonry/handling-storage-slabs.htm. The first point made is: No person should be within the hazard zone into which a slab might fall while it is being handled.

There are various guides available from HSE, such as the Brief Guide to Lifting Equipment at Work that can be downloaded from www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg290.pdf.

Colleagues from the trade have been making donations to a page set up on Just Giving at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sandeepmalhi to pay for a funeral and help support two children.

Members of the Worktop Fabricators Federation (WFF) are planning to work even more closely with showrooms, suppliers and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in the year ahead as the Federation moves into the next stage of maturity.

Members and sponsors attended the WFF’s Annual General Meeting at the Hard Surfaces exhibition on 7 June. The formalities included the re-election of two founding directors – Mark Mills (Stone System of London) and Andy Phillips (Affordable Granite) – and a heartfelt vote of thanks to a third: Simon Souter of LBS Stone, who stepped down from the board at the AGM for health reasons.

A lively question-and-answer session immediately after the AGM saw members reflect on a year in which membership has grown, positive engagement with the Health & Safety Executive has reached new highs and fit-for-purpose training and accreditation for fitting teams has taken some major steps towards reality.  

In the course of an hour of around-the-table discussion, members agreed on the value of sharing one anothers’ experiences of HSE inspections: the industry has seen renewed activity in the last six months as the HSE has focused especially on respirable dust issues and machine guarding. 

Different inspectors inevitably have slightly different priorities, and Members felt pooling experiences would bring benefits both to the fabricator community and to the HSE itself by helping benchmark what is and is not seen as acceptable in different inspections.

There was broad agreement in principle on the value of a fabricator code of practice. Though the detailed discussions suggested this might need to be in three parts:

• What is ‘good practice’ for relationships with Health & Safety inspectors,
• What is ‘good practice’ for relationships with kitchen showrooms,
• What is ‘good practice’ for relationships with suppliers.

The WFF website is being developed as more of a ‘go to’ resource, with plans to host all suppliers’ design and installation manuals in one place.

It also also intends to draw best practice from the WFF’s member discussions into permanent on-line forum resources, where members can access expertise and lessons learned without needing to scroll through endless overlapping conversations.

The other big trend under discussion was the increased blurring of the distinction between bespoke machine-cut interior surfaces and large-format ceramic tiles.

Several members already supply clients with elements intended for decorative interior walling, and it was agreed some work needs to be done to ensure whoever installs the material is fully aware of the different technical considerations needed.

Congratulations to the 10 Emerging Talents of the stone industry judged to be most likely to be leading lights in the years ahead.

They were chosen from a shortlist of 20 determined before the Natural Stone Show at ExCeL London 6-8 June. You can see the shortlist here. 

The 10 winners were announced during Industry Day at the Show, which was 7 June, although the judges conceded that everyone shortlisted was a strong contender to be considered an Emerging Talent and it was only the rules of the competition that required just 10 to be chosen.

Eric Bignell, the Editor of Natural Stone Specialist magazine, who congratulated each of the winners as they received their prizes, said he fully expected to hear more from all 20 of them in the years ahead.

The 10 winners are (in alphabetical order of surname):

Jeremiah Clark
Technical Manager - Stonegate Precision Tooling   

Nominated by Carl Hazell, Director
Jeremiah started with Stonegate fresh out of college in 2012 as sales support for the external account management team. His progression and development from that point was rapid, thanks in no small part to his dedication to improvement and his thirst for knowledge. His role was integral in providing vital backup for the team in a period of rapid growth for Stonegate. In 2018, Jeremiah became an account manager himself and put in the miles and hours to make sure the needs of his customers were always paramount. Part of this support was understanding the challenges stone fabricators faced, so he could help them find solutions which delivered the best work surface for the end user. With a combination of self-learning, guidance and support from specialists already at Stonegate, Jeremiah grew to become ‘the’ technical knowledge point of contact at Stonegate. In 2020 Jeremiah was made Stonegate’s Technical Manager. He has been instrumental in introducing new ranges and has helped orchestrate the Stonegate Innovation & Training Academy that was launched in May this year. Now Jeremiah, still in his 20s, is working on a new factory audit scheme to improve the workflow and maximise profit for stone fabricators.

Becca Cranfield
Director - Athena Stonecare

Nominated by Dave Cranfield, Managing Director
As Co-Director of Athena Stonecare, Becca is the driving force behind the expansion of the Company. Joining her husband and then the only employee of Athena Stonecare in 2018, she has overseen the growth of the Company to become a four-person business with an increase in turnover of 300%. She has achieved this by building partnerships with stone suppliers and implementing a digital marketing strategy, while also transforming the systems and processes internally to support the company development. Recognising a reluctance of some to use natural stone and observing an abundance of misinformation on stone maintenance, she has sought to change the narrative on the use of stone surfaces, creating a name for the company as a leading voice on stone maintenance. She is also helping other women to succeed in the stone industry as co-Chair of Women in Natural Stone.

Jason Kennedy
Director - Stone Cladding Systems

Nominated by Iain Kennedy, Consultant
Jason was working at Realstone in 2016 when the company went into administration. He started his own stone rainscreen company, Stone Cladding Systems (SCS), and completed Realstone’s outstanding projects. He designed his own cladding system, Aztec, and for a short period, while his new business was becoming established, took on several part-time and ad hoc jobs to survive. The first project SCS secured on its own involved building a 6m2 test panel at Vinci for CWCT testing. He drove a van to Spain to collect a sample panel and returned the next day to Scotland in time for it to be erected for the planners. Through Covid, his hands-on approach continued to reap rewards, with repeat business growing. He believes he produced the first ever Bath Basebed stone rainscreen in Bath. SCS was approached by Hilti last year and now has an OEM partnership with the ventilated façades frame manufacture. Jason now has a thriving company offering cladding in more than 25 stone types, many of them from UK quarries. He expects SCS to break through the £1million turnover barrier this year.

Arturs Legzdins
Senior Project Manager & Associate Director - Restore London  

Nominated by John Rushworth, Managing Director
Having gained a Degree in Conservation at Riga Building College in Latvia in 2013, Arturs moved to the UK to expand his practical conservation knowledge. As English is not his first language, he has worked doubly hard, rising rapidly through the ranks of the business, gaining praise, admiration and respect from professional teams. Arturs started as a labour-only sub-contractor for Restore London in 2015. His talent and professionalism quickly became evident and he was promoted to Site Management, Project Management and now to Associate Director. Projects which have benefited from Arturs’ input include The Drapers’ Hall, The Royal Academy and, most recently, the hugely significant refurbishment, restoration and cleaning works of the Grade I listed National Portrait Gallery. Last year Arturs was part of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Heritage Delegation to Malta that was researching conservation in the context of climate change. A team player who takes individual responsibility when needed, Arturs has sought ever greater responsibility and thrives on challenges.

Luke Maher
Stonemason - Historic Environment Scotland

Nominated by Callum Plews, Training Manager at Historic Environment Scotland
Luke is a fully qualified stonemason who has continued to demonstrate his personal and professional development by committing to Historic Environment Scotland’s Emerging Leaders Programme, which aims to develop the leaders of the future. He has proven himself to be a highly accomplished craftsperson by gaining a Gold Medal in the SkillBuild UK national finals last year. It was the second time Luke had qualified for the finals, having previously competed in Birmingham in 2019, the same year he was awarded Apprentice of the Year by staff at the HES Skills Training Centre, Stirling. Luke faced the significant challenge of completing his Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship (with Advanced Craft) during the Covid pandemic, when almost all site work was halted. However, due to the scope and quality of works carried out at sites such as St Andrews Cathedral, Dunkeld Cathedral and Doune Castle, he successfully completed the evidence requirements of the qualification.

Stevie Murphy
Apprentice - Planet Granite UK / Planet Sculpture   

Nominated by Steve Murphy, Managing Director
Stevie was heavily involved in planning the installation of four robots at Planet Granite’s facility near Coventry when he was 15 and still at School. Now, two years on, he has just turned 17 and is on an apprenticeship scheme at Planet Granite, where he has already, through his own initiative and largely single handedly, learnt all of the software for 3D CAD, scanning , machining, simulation software and G-code, understanding all the intricacies of the robot systems through sheer determination and with little help other than Google and YouTube. He has thrown himself into the whole project and is now running it so he can pass his knowledge on to the rest of the team. He can crate 3D high-definition scans or replicate by 3D CAD virtually any object, including sculptures, on the robots. These are the skills of the next generation in the stone industry.

Ellie Parker
Sales Manager - Stoneworld Oxfordshire

Nominated by Robert Shoebridge, Marketing Manager
Having grown up around her father Rob’s natural stone business, Ellie had hands on experience of the stone trade from a young age. She eventually headed up the sales arm of the business and developed long and fruitful relationships with swimming pool builders, designers, trades and end customers, thanks to her extensive knowledge of stone, fabrication, and sourcing. Ellie consistently seeks to increase her own knowledge and disseminate her expertise through CPDs, advisory consultations and open days for trades. Whether Stoneworld is working with a new stone or a design brief that requires devising a new manufacturing construction, Ellie will head her team at Stoneworld to ensure that innovative solutions are identified. Her commitment was recognised last year when she was presented with a ‘30 Under 30’ ProLandscaper Award. Ellie is a member of Women in Natural Stone, promoting more women to join and actively participate in the stone industry. Aged 25, her commitment to self-improvement through books and attending leadership courses is commendable.

Steve Poole
Design Technician - Szerelmey  

Nominated by Mark Walden, Principal Designer
Steve joined Szerelmey in 2019 as a Design Technician, having come from a background on the tools. He studied NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in Banker Masonry at Bath College and achieved his Diploma Level 2 and 3 in Stonemasonry and Construction. Before joining Szerelmey, Steve gained considerable experience working as a banker mason, eventually moving into the production office and taking on a managerial role. From there he moved to the drawing office, gaining experience as a technical draftsman, and moved to Szerelmey as a Design Technician. High profile projects he has worked on with Szerelmey include One Bishopsgate Plaza, Lucent, Natural History Museum and National Gallery. Steve’s hands-on knowledge of stone is invaluable, giving him a depth of understanding of the material that is so important. Lately Steve won the prestigious Master Journeyman Craftsman Certificate Award, having been nominated for it by The Worshipful Company of Masons. It was presented to him by the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Nicholas Lyons.

Kirsty Smart
Sawyer - Rockford

Nominated by Joanna Davila, Director
Kirsty joined Rockford as a temporary worker in the warehouse. She had no background in the stone industry but showed interest in the factory and machinery and began helping on the saw. Within weeks she had mastered the use of the GMM CNC bridge saw and became the main sawyer, showing great dedication and commitment to her role. She has to be reminded to take her annual leave and is a perfectionist with attention to detail that has helped our company solidify its reputation for high quality work. Her training continues so that she can also work the CNC workstation. Apart from being a female in a male driven industry, Kirsty has always shown exceptional enthusiasm for her work.

Jasper Zambelis
Sales & Marketing Executive - D Zambelis

Nominated by Rebecca Smith, Sales Manager
From the age of eight Jasper knew he wanted to work in the family business of D Zambelis. At the age of 21, while studying at university, he managed the project to design and build the company stand at the Natural Stone Show 2019 and still went on to achieve a first with honours. Six months after leaving university, the Covid pandemic started and Jasper, never shying from a challenge, helped create and manage strong marketing campaigns to maintain contact with customers and keep tooling and machinery sales flowing steadily. He designed the colour-coded rebranding of the D Zambelis saw blades to make it easier for customers to choose the blade they need. He has developed the website, online store and mailing campaigns, based on customer feedback and market trends. At the age of 25, Jasper is hardworking, passionate and dedicated.

The Building Limes Forum is holding a ‘lime slam’ in Lancaster on Saturday 1 July covering the use of lime rendering and harling to protect the fabric of buildings.

The event is taking place at the Meeting House of the Quakers in Meeting House Lane, Lancaster LA1 1TX, where UK Restoration Services are currently carrying out works to the building that include removing the cement render and replacing it with lime harling. The company is also carrying out some structural works.

Phil Braithwaite, Director of UK Restoration Services, and company operatives will give attendees an overview of the works and information on the mortar being used. There will be live demonstrations on the mixing and application of the mortars and an opportunity for attendees to have a go themselves.

After lunch, which is provided, there will be presentations by the people involved in the Lancaster Meeting House building project, including Phil Braithwaite, David Wiggins of conservation engineers Clach Conservation, and an architect from Buttress Architecture.

If anyone else attending would like to give a presentation, or if anyone would like to help cover the costs of the event by sponsoring it, they are invited to get in touch with marketing@restoration-services.uk.com.

The Lime Slam starts at 9am and goes on until 4pm. Tickets cost £38.62 (some bursary places are also available). Book online by clicking here.

Please note: PPE will be required for the site tour and practical demonstrations and those attending are encouraged to bring their own hard hats, hi-vis vests and suitable protective footwear as PPE available on the day will be limited. Wear suitable clothing because you might get dirty during the practical demonstrations.

The first day of the Natural Stone Show was Architects Day, when some of the architects whose projects had won categories of the latest Natural Stone Awards presented their projects during a seminar session.

The Natural Stone Awards were presented in London by Stone Federation Great Britain in December. It was stated at the presentation lunch that an ‘Industry Choice’ category would be opened for the industry to choose their favourite from among the category winners. The Industry Choice winner would be announced at the Natural Stone Show at ExCeL London on Architects Day (6 June).

Following the presentations by the category winners, the Industry Choice winner was announced. It was Eric Parry Architects’ Phase IV of Chelsea Barracks.

Robert Kennett, a Director of Eric Parry Architects, had given a presentation about the project and received the Industry Choice Award from Stone Federation President Chris Kelsey (see picture above).

The Stone Awards recognise the contribution of all those involved in the stone element of projects, and Robert Kennett received the Industry Choice Award of behalf of that team:

• Client: Qatari Diar Europe
• Architect: Eric Parry Architects
• Main Contractor: Multiplex
• Principal Stone Contractor: Szerelmey
• Stone Supplier (1 & 2): LSI Stone
• Stone Supplier (3): Grupimar
• Stone Used (1): Gascoigne Blue
• Stone Used (2): Cabeca Veada
• Stone Used (3): Gris Cadalso

The project was the Award winner in the New Build Modern Style Stone Cladding category of the Stone Awards.

To see details of this and all the projects honoured in the Natural Stone Awards, you can download the souvenir brochure at the end of the report from the Awards here.