Highlights of the year – Minoli in 2021

With our client events calendar curtailed and so many commonplace interactions conducted remotely, we’ve chosen to focus on a few special moments that have stood out in a somewhat subdued year.

Reopening in January under Tier 4 restrictions may not have been the ideal start to 2021 but behind the scenes we were preparing for the reveal of some very special products.

On March 18^th the new ranges of Wanderlust, Clay and Cosmopolitan were launched with immediate positive acclaim.

Wanderlust brought us seven stunning porcelain marbles and three mesmerising agata conglomerates with rich, deep blue, burnished bronze and silver-grey colourways.

The Clay series was created to inspire architectural and interior designs with a lightly reflective resin-like surface and a set of six sublimely subtle shadowy shades.

Lastly Cosmopolitan brought a new level of authenticity and elegance to our extensive marble-effect collections, with seven tantalising tones of delicate veining and more pronounced patterning.

With extra-large format slabs, specific exterior use porcelain pavers and beautiful ‘bookmatch’ compositions available, depending on the range, these collections soon caught the attention of our interior designer and architect following.

Today they stand as some of the most successful and sought-after series we have ever launched, with unprecedented interest across our digital and social media channels.

In June, as the market showed signs of recovery and our clients businesses became busier once more, Minoli sought to recruit new team members in our Fleet Driver team, Warehouse Operatives, Social Media Marketing and in Business Development.

As a business we place great emphasis on recruiting colleagues with a collaborative team ethic, a can-do approach and a strong sense of customer focus – attributes that we believe help us deliver a level of service that’s considered second to none.

In July, we took the opportunity to refresh the tiles showcased in our Oxford corporate clients’ showroom. New tile displays included Cosmopolitan, Norway, Heartwood and Etic, while selected hero products from the Marvel series were arranged within new room settings.

In September, Minoli’s brand-new website was launched, after a comprehensive redesign, with new improved search and navigation, richer technical information and exciting new content to fuel imagination and inspiration.

November proved more eventful still. On the 5^th we attended the Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) 2021 Awards. Not only was it great to be back at such a prestigious industry event but also a great pleasure to see our friends at Tapper Interiors and Meda International pick up a gold accolade. Their award-winning work at our Oxford HQ saw them completely repurpose the top floor into a new state-of-the-art board room and presentation suite.

The month also saw us previewing our exciting new ranges for 2022. From the 15^th of November we revealed Boost Stone, Boost Natural, Aplomb and 3D Wall Carve, which are all available for order from early next year.

As welcome additions to our already established porcelain Boost series, Boost Stone is inspired by limestone with the subtle irregularities of organic stone and Boost Natural emulates the soft surface relief of clay.

In ceramic, Aplomb and 3D Wall Carve bring tactile textures and muted colourways with delicate patterns and a sense of sophistication that lend themselves to evocative light effects.

Lastly on the 23rd of November we marked the 25^th anniversary of opening the original newly designed and installed Minoli showroom at our Oxford Headquarters, the doors to which we first opened in 1996.

And so, to December, the highlight of which was a trip to the Leyland DAF factory in Lancashire at which Minoli were presented with their brand new 16-tonne distribution truck, the first of four on order. The event was made even more special as we were to take delivery of the 500,000^th vehicle to be produced by the celebrated truck manufacturer.

Amongst colleagues and members of the production team, the ceremony was conducted by Leyland Trucks’ Director of Operations, Phil Jones, and Marketing Manager at DAF Trucks, Phil Moon, alongside representatives from supplying DAF Dealer, HTC.

Looking back, perhaps there was more of note over the last twelve months than it seemed at the time. It’s rewarding to see how the business has grown in capacity and capability, despite the challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic and turbulent Brexit transition. Our strategy of continued investment is yielding benefits for our customers and also our internal ways of working.

Because we’ve stuck to our ongoing improvement plans, as a business and as a team, we’re better placed to grow again as new and exciting opportunities present themselves in the market.

Going the extra mile for our clients through the tough times has been repaid with loyalty and, more so than ever, we appreciate the support of the customers and suppliers we call ‘friends of Minoli’.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.