Minoli 65th Anniversary – Supplier Stories – BAL (Building Adhesives Ltd)

In the coming weeks, as we mark the 65^th anniversary of the incorporation of Minoli, we’ll be featuring a selection of stories about some of the longest-standing business relationships that Minoli have enjoyed, with clients and suppliers, some of which have been in place for literally decades.

Today we feature BAL (Building Adhesives Limited), with whom Minoli have worked for over 60 years, since 1963.

“Standing the test of time and the changing market dynamics, Minoli remains one of the longest standing distribution partners for BAL tile adhesives and grout.”

In the early 1960s, tiles were still being fixed by sand:cement – however changes in tiles with the introduction of new porous-bodied tiles saw the need for new fixing technology.

With a lack of specialist tile fixing products and support, the development of tile use in the UK faced challenges. As such, in 1962 the members of the British Ceramic Tile Council (BCTC), including major tile manufacturers, formed a new company to produce specialist products and provide service and support for tiling in the UK: Building Adhesives Ltd, with its range of new tiling products branded BAL.

At the time, BAL were the only products recommended by the BCTC– and they began to roll out their new innovative products to distributors including Minoli.

Because there were no real British Standards in the 1960s for tile fixing, BAL also set up a comprehensive Technical Advisory Service to provide advice to fixers and distributors on tiling best practice – a service which continues to provide support to this current day.

Training has always been important to BAL particularly since it became the first adhesive manufacturer to provide training on standards and fixing techniques (rather than just own product reviews). Their commitment in this field is still evident in their RIBA-approved CPDs, product data and systems on NBS Source, the state-of-the-art Innovation and Technology Centre (opened in 2015), the in branch and on-site courses they run, and online training that they deliver through Microsoft Teams and Facebook Live.

Innovation after innovation has followed since BAL launched in the 1960s, with BAL leading the tiling industry with first-to-market products such as the first floating uncoupling mat (Flexbone 2Easy), first thin lightweight mat (BAL Rapid Mat) and the first adhesives with Fibre Strand Technology.

Forward-looking, BAL have a comprehensive new product development programme, constantly looking at new products and systems to improve the industry.

Now, as part of the wider ARDEX Group – a global leader in high-performance building products and construction supplies – BAL can tap into a large worldwide resource of people, product, materials and R&D, ensuring it is consistently ahead of the game.

David Hackett, Managing Director of Building Adhesives (BAL) and ARDEX UK said of the relationship between our companies:

“Minoli have worked with Building Adhesives Limited (BAL) since our company was formed in 1962 by the leading UK based tile manufacturers within the British Ceramic Tile Council. Peter Minoli, the founder of Minoli as it is today, and BAL’s first Managing Director, Norman Nicholson had a long and close business relationship through the 70’s and 80’s. This tradition has continued through to today, with Jonathon Minoli and myself enjoying healthy and enduring business relations for almost 15 years.

“With the normal business churn that one might expect, the tile distribution landscape has changed significantly over the past 20 years, driven latterly by classic market consolidation. Standing the test of time and the changing market dynamics, Minoli remains one of the longest standing distribution partners for BAL tile adhesives and grout. Continuous evolution and the ability to adapt has seen both businesses move with the times, bringing innovative products to fixers, contractors and specifiers alike.”

Our thanks to David for those kind words, and to all the team at BAL for their unwavering support and attentive customer service over the many years as a valued supplier to Minoli.