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ARDEX GROUP UK awarded prestigious BSI Kitemark for Service Excellence

The ARDEX Group UK – manufacturer of high-performance flooring, tiling and general construction brands across the UK – has been awarded BSI Kitemark™ for Service Excellence, recognising the company’s unwavering commitment to delivering outstanding customer experiences across its operations.

This respected certification, issued by the British Standards Institution (BSI), is a mark of quality and trust, demonstrating that an organisation consistently delivers a high standard of service and places customers at the heart of its business.

David Lyman, UK General Manager at ARDEX Group UK, said: “We are delighted to have achieved the BSI Kitemark for Service Excellence. This recognition reflects the dedication and passion of our teams, who work tirelessly to support our customers, respond to feedback and continually improve the service we provide. While we are proud of this achievement, we remain focused on raising the bar even further.”

The BSI Kitemark for Service Excellence is based on a rigorous, independent assessment process aligned with three internationally recognised standards:

• BS 8477:2014 – Code of practice for customer service
• ISO 10002:2018 – Guidelines for complaints handling
• BS ISO 23592:2021 – Service Excellence principles

Achieving this certification highlights the ARDEX Group UK’s dedication to best practice in customer service, complaint management and continuous improvement – further reinforcing its reputation as a trusted partner to customers across the flooring, tiling and construction sectors through its ARDEX, BAL and DUNLOP brands.

The BSI Kitemark has been recognised for over 120 years as a symbol of trust and confidence, independently verifying that products and services meet rigorous quality standards. The Service Excellence scheme builds on this legacy by helping organisations demonstrate their ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences in a competitive marketplace, where service quality is a key driver of customer loyalty.

For ARDEX Group UK, this achievement reflects a company-wide commitment to listening to customers, investing in service innovation and embedding a culture that prioritises customer satisfaction at every touchpoint.

As the company celebrates this milestone, it also recognises the vital role played by its employees, customers and partners in helping to achieve this standard of excellence—and remains committed to continuously improving the customer experience in the years ahead.

ARDEX Group UK Reopens ARDEXacademy North Following Major Refurbishment

The ARDEX Group UK is pleased to announce the official reopening of the ARDEXacademy North in Stoke-on-Trent.

The Academy has re-opened following a significant programme of renovation and investment. The upgraded facility has been transformed into a modern, highly flexible training environment designed to support education across the full range of building and construction sectors served by the ARDEX Group and its brands – BAL, ARDEX and DUNLOP.

Replacing the previous Innovation & Technology Centre (ITC) used predominantly for BAL branded training, the new ARDEXacademy offers new purpose-built areas to provide a much broader and diverse, practical training space capable of supporting multiple construction disciplines, including tiling, flooring, screeding, waterproofing and general construction.

With immersive, hands‑on and interactive learning at its core, the facility has now fully reopened its doors to fixers, installers, contractors, architects, designers and distribution partners.

New and Enhanced Facilities

The upgraded ARDEXacademy North now includes:

• Brand new moveable floor tiling and flooring bays
• Larger practical wall bays for large format tiling, waterproofing, and other preparation techniques
• A fully refurbished auditorium, welcome room and reception
• An upgraded Studio Room, featuring a large video wall and dedicated training area
• Highly flexible spaces to support training across flooring, tiling, screeding, home improvement and general construction
• Large flexible meeting rooms which can be used for theoretical training and the delivery of CPDs.

Designed to adapt to a wide range of training requirements, the facility enables ARDEX Group UK to deliver tailored education for both practical and/or theoretical training requirements.

For more information on ARDEX Group UK training and to find out about available Training Courses and Sessions visit: https://ardexacademy.uk/

ARDEX UK and Building Adhesives Ltd Retain ISO 14064-1 Certification and Achieve Gold Status for Five Consecutive Years of CO₂ Reductions

ARDEX UK and Building Adhesives Ltd – part of the ARDEX Group UK – are proud to announce they have both achieved Gold Certification for five years of continuous CO2 reduction and have retained their ISO 14064-1 certifications for Green House Gas reductions.

Both companies have retained their certification following successful external audits and peer reviews.

The certifications, issued by Achilles’ Carbon Reduce (powered by Toitu) scheme and verified to ISO 14064-1:2018 standards, recognise the ongoing commitment of both organisations to measuring, managing, and actively reducing their carbon emissions.

Both businesses continue to make significant progress toward delivering the ARDEX Group’s Building Tomorrow sustainability strategy and remain firmly on track to achieve carbon neutrality across Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2030.

Both BAL and ARDEX have demonstrated significant emission reductions over a rolling five-year reporting period.

BAL has delivered a 16% reduction in Category 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions, meanwhile ARDEX UK has achieved an even greater reduction of 21% across the same categories.

These reductions highlight the effectiveness of the companies’ Carbon Neutral Roadmap initiatives, including ongoing investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy, carbon-conscious procurement, active emissions monitoring, and improved operational practices across UK facilities.

Paul Vickers, UK Procurement Manager & Member of the ARDEX Group Sustainability Corporate Unit, said: “Achieving Gold Certification for five consecutive years of CO₂ reductions is a testament to the commitment and collaboration of our teams across the UK. Both ARDEX UK and BAL have made sustainability a core priority—integrating carbon reduction into daily decision-making, long-term capital planning, and our wider organisational culture.

“We are delighted to see such strong, measurable progress and remain fully focused on delivering our 2030 commitment to carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

“This milestone reinforces that we are on the right path, and we will continue to build on these achievements with transparency, innovation, and responsibility.”

ARDEX to Exhibit at SPATEX 2026 – Celebrating 30 Years of Innovation in Wet Leisure

ARDEX Group UK is proud to announce its return to SPATEX 2026, the UK’s leading international pool, spa, and wet leisure exhibition, as the event celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Taking place at the Coventry Building Society Arena from 3rd to 5th February 2026, ARDEX will showcase its comprehensive range of high-performance products and systems designed specifically for swimming pools, spas, and wet leisure environments.

What to Expect at Stand D1:

• Mini-Pool Demonstrations: Experience live demonstrations of ARDEX’s innovative underwater pool repair systems in action, using a custom-built mini-pool display.
• Exclusive Giveaways: Visitors can grab the coveted ARDEX “RED” 30-litre mixing bucket, along with a selection of other goodies and promotional items.
• Expert Advice: Meet the ARDEX team and discover solutions for pool preparation, waterproofing, tiling and grouting.

What’s more, on the Thursday morning, ARDEX Business Development Manager Charlie Gilchrist will present “A Brief Guide to Pool Preparation and Tiling” at the ISPE Workshop Arena, offering practical insights and best practices for professionals in the wet leisure industry.

Join ARDEX at Stand D1 and see why we’re trusted by professionals worldwide for quality, reliability, and innovation in pool and spa construction.

For more information, visit https://www.ardex.co.uk or follow us on social media for updates.

ARDEX Group Wins Prestigious BASA Award for Sustainability

ARDEX Group is proud to announce its success at the BASA Showcase 2025, where the company won the Best Sustainability Initiative.

The BASA Showcase, organised by the British Adhesives & Sealants Association, celebrates excellence and innovation across the industry.

The award recognises ARDEX Group’s Building Tomorrow programme, which commits the company to achieving full Carbon Neutrality by 2045, and Carbon Neutrality for Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2030.

This ambitious strategy includes initiatives such as: replacing finite raw materials with circular solutions, reducing CO₂ emissions across operations, promoting diversity, equality, and ethical business practices and prioritising local sourcing.

Earlier this year, ARDEX Group also received a Gold Certificate from the Achilles Carbon Reduction Programme, marking five consecutive years of CO₂ reduction at its UK plants.

This BASA accolade follows another sustainability win at the Tile Association Awards 2025, making it the company’s second major sustainability award this year.

In addition to the sustainability award, ARDEX Group was shortlisted in the Innovation category for its BAL Micromax Grout-Effect Sealant, and, as a manufacturer shortlisted for multiple awards, was also shortlisted in the Best Manufacturer category.

David Hackett, Managing Director at ARDEX UK and Building Adhesives, said: “Winning this award is a testament to our team’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation.

“Our Building Tomorrow programme is not just a pledge—it’s a roadmap to creating a greener, more responsible future for our industry. We are proud of what we’ve achieved so far and excited about the journey ahead.”

Community mural depicting Welsh valley unveiled thanks to ARDEX

ARDEX have donated products for a large community mosaic mural in the Amman Valley at the western edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales.

The large mosaic tells a story of the rich history of the area, local environment and community and was designed and installed by local people guided by community artist Dani Lee.

The mosaic took a year to design, create and install and was finally unveiled with “The Big Reveal” on 28^th June at the Cwmaman Community Centre in Glanaman.

The community of Cwmaman created the mosaic in sections on flexible mesh at Bro Ryan Hall in Glanaman. It has been a labour of love, with hundreds of hours, countless cups of tea, and a great deal of laughter, patience, and dedication for all those involved in the project.

When the last tile was set, the team moved on to the wall to instal the mosaic it its final position.

ARDEX provided a number of preparation, fixing and finishing materials for the project including ARDEX WPM 200 Liquid Waterproof Membrane with ARDEX Fine Aggregate, ARDEX X 7 G tile adhesive with E 90 additive, ARDEX FLEX-FL flexible wall and floor grout and ARDEX EG 18 Plus epoxy grout.

The finished mural is more than just beautiful – it’s rich with meaning and tells a story, shaped by the people who live here.

Details include the majestic mountains of Tair Carn Isaf rising in the background with a beautiful dragon on the hill gently breathing to create a morning mist.

Within that mist are figures, cyclists and horse riders along the riverside path. You’ll find a proud tribute to Yr Aman Rugby Club, their voices reaching skyward in song. There’s Hen Bethel chapel and its candlelit plygain tradition, echoing centuries of local heritage.

Welcoming terraced houses glow with light and love, with the word “hiraeth” above. The River Amman winds through the scene, alive with wildlife, from local wildflowers to the dippers and otters, even a red kite flying high.

In focus is the areas rich industrial history, represented in the pick axe, Raven Colliery and the miners helmet that still shines its light across the Valley.

For the young (and young at heart!), there’s even a challenge to spot twelve little fish hidden in the river.

Carla Williams one of the community creators, said: “This mural is more than just a beautiful piece of art. It’s a reflection of who we are. It tells a story—our story—crafted by the hands of the people who live and love this place. It’s something we can all be proud of, and it will stand here for years to come, a colourful and lasting symbol of what we can achieve together.

A massive thank you to every person who helped bring this mural to life. We hope it brings joy, pride, and inspiration to all who pass by.”

Dani Lee said: “This isn’t just any public artwork; it was a shared creation. Designed, crafted and installed by a huge amount of amazing individuals who live in, and love this place.

“Many thanks to all the organisations and companies who supported this project including ARDEX, LBS, Carmarthenshire County Council, the National Lottery Community Fund, Dani Lee Arts and the Shadows Depression Group.”

You can find out more about this project by visiting: danileearts.co.uk

ARDEX Group celebrates DOUBLE success at TTA Awards 2025!

The ARDEX Group UK are celebrating after scooping two awards at this year’s Tile Association (TTA) Awards for Best Innovation and Best Environmental Initiative.

The TTA Awards 2025 took place at The Hilton Metropole on Friday 16^th May and were themed “Celebrating Excellence” – recognising the best of the best in the tiling industry.

BAL Micromax Grout-Effect Sealant took home “Best Innovation 2025” for innovative tiling products or services launched in the 2024 calendar year.

Launched in July last year, BAL Micromax Grout-Effect Sealant is a unique matt-effect sealant that matches BAL Micromax3 ECO Grout and BAL Absolute Grout in colour AND texture.

It provides fixers with a sealant that can be used for seamless perimeter and soft movement joints, internal and external corners, without standing out from the grout joints.

It has proved a great success, with BAL Micromax Grout-Effect Sealant fully replacing the old “shiny” Micromax Sealant in BAL distribution partners.

ARDEX Group UK also took home “Best Environmental Initiative” for the Group’s Building Tomorrow initiative – with with a commitment to being fully Carbon Neutral by 2045 and being Carbon Neutral for Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2030.

The UK Group has implemented a Sustainability Roadmap to ensure that the UK business achieves these goals through a wide range of initiatives including: sustainable sourcing of materials, recycling, waste reduction, extended product life-cycles, energy efficiency and sustainable energy sourcing and sustainable work-place practices.

Further success came later in the evening as tiling contractors Elite Tiling Ltd won Best Commercial Large (over 250m2) – Hospitality and Leisure) for Cozenton Sports Centre in Rainham, Kent which used a full ARDEX pool solution.

All categories were decided through a combination of a public vote and an expert judging panel.

Dave Hackett, Managing Director at ARDEX Group UK, said: “To win these awards is a significant achievement for everyone at both businesses – and an endorsement from customers and end-users in our products, services and sustainability credentials.

“These accomplishments are for everyone across the company who have contributed towards the success of BAL Grout-Effect Sealant and the implementation of our Building Tomorrow sustainability roadmap.

“I’d also like to congratulate Gary and Jay Bude and the team at Elite Tiling Ltd for their success with the Cozenton Sports Centre – it is a superb facility and we were delighted to work with them throughout the project to ensure its success.”

ARDEX supports Roman-style mosaic collaboration at sea watching spot with Turner Prize winner

A 50m2 Roman-style mosaic has been unveiled at a sea viewing platform in North Yorkshire – designed by Turner Prize-winner Jeremy Deller and Sculptor Coralie Turpin.

The project has been installed as part of the town’s Wild Eye coastal art and nature trail.

“Roman Mosaic c2025” is a permanent installation on the Scarborough sea front which depicts a large whale swooping under a ship, a seal chasing after fish, and an octopus grappling with a crab.

Other elements of the mosaic, which resembles a “found” fragmentary Roman masterpiece, includes references to a Walrus which visited the town in 2022, a Little Auk which was spotted out to sea on a research trip, and a Roman god “blowing” the ship away.

As part of the project which took 4 months to complete, Coralie and her team of 8 assistants cut up 300,000 individual pieces of porcelain create the mosaic before it was installed on the seafront by Yorkshire-based tiling contractors Techni-Tile Ltd.

“The tiles we used were Winklemans 9mm thick 20cm x 20cm floor tiles which we cut into 1cm strips with a floor tile score and snap cutter, then we chopped the strips into 1cm cubes (tesserae) with a chopping machine we bought from Rome,” said Coralie.

“We had to tumble them a bit in a cement mixer so they wouldn’t be sharp and would look a bit old.

“The tesserae were then attached to mesh over a giant colour print of the image, before being cut into 1ft squares. We then packed them and transported them to Scarborough where Techni-Tile installed them under my close eye.”

ARDEX have supported Coralie on previous projects and were delighted to assist by
recommending ARDEX A 46 for subfloor build up and ARDEX EG 18 Plus epoxy adhesive and grout to fix the tiles and provide a waterproof and durable finish.

Between the mosaic sections was filled with resin-bound gravel, this gives the impression of a newly excavated Roman mosaic.

Geoff Cavell, ARDEX Area Sales Manager, said: “We’ve supported Coralie on numerous projects down the years, so when she contacted us about this amazing project in Scarborough, we were delighted to be able to support it.

“I visited site a number of times with Coralie and Techni-Tile and was pleased to be able to provide technical advice and a product recommendation.

“The mosaic is a true work of art – and with the help of ARDEX will look stunning for years to come for visitors on the Wild Eye coastal art trail.”

The sea watching area on Marine Drive includes a renovated seaside shelter to include an array of free telescopes for watching marine life.

It is one of the best places in England to view cetaceans – the group of mammals which includes dolphins, whales and porpoises.

Roman Mosaic c2025 is a collaboration between art and science organization Invisible Dust and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

Jeanine Griffin, Lead Curator, Wild Eye, said: “We are delighted to complete the Wild Eye coastal art and nature trail with this powerful and thought-inspiring new work from Jeremy Deller.

“Viewing Roman mosaics can give us an unnerving sense of deep time, with evidence of lives like ours and wildlife we recognise existing millennia ago. If we project forward a similar timespan, we see a very uncertain future for the natural world of which we are part.

“This new work conceived by Jeremy Deller, designed and created with Coralie Turpin, contains a central conundrum – it is a piece of contemporary archaeology – made to look like an authentic relic from the past, that invites us to think about the future.”

To find out more about the project and Coralie’s & Jeremy’s work visit coralieturpin.co.uk or on instagram @coralieturpin_sculptor @jeremydeller

ARDEX achieves gold standard for carbon reduction

ARDEX UK and Building Adhesives Ltd – part of the ARDEX Group UK – have both achieved gold certification for five years of continuous CO2 reduction.

The ARDEX Group UK first achieved ISO 14064:1 (otherwise known as CEMARS) for the quantifying and reporting of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and removals in 2019

Building Adhesives Ltd in Stoke-on-Trent and ARDEX UK, based in Haverhill, were the first companies in the global ARDEX Group to achieve this standard and were the first companies in the tiling and flooring sectors to be reporting their GHG emissions through this internationally recognized standard.

To achieve this internationally recognized standard, BAL and ARDEX UK worked with Achilles (an independent consultancy) to accurately measure their GHG emissions and create positive strategies to manage and continually reduce impacts.

Achilles’ Carbon Reduce (powered by Toitu) scheme highlights the necessary data required which is then measured, monitored and calculated under the ISO 14064:1 scheme. Following successful completion and assessment, executive reports are produced for independent verification.

To ensure that BAL and ARDEX are meeting this international standard, annual audits are carried out by Achilles to verify that both companies can prove they are reducing their CO2 emissions.

Recent audits by Achilles at both Stoke and Haverhill plants confirmed an annual reduction for the 5^th year in a row from their base reporting in 2019, ensuring that both sites achieved the Gold Certificate for being 5 Year Certified under the scheme.

The most recent audit confirmed an 11% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 CO2 emissions at Building Adhesives Ltd in Stoke, and a 17% reduction at ARDEX UK in Haverhill using the programme 5 year rolling average methodology.

Scope 1 & 2 Co2 emissions relate to direct GHG emissions an organisation controls, and indirect GHG emissions from purchasing energy.

Paul Vickers, UK Procurement Manager and UK sustainability champion, said: “Achieving this gold standard from Achilles is a significant step in our road to Scope 1 & 2 carbon neutrality by 2030.

“Recent audits have confirmed that we have made significant progress towards our targets, helped by recent initiatives to reduce our emissions including; the installation of solar panels at both ARDEX and BAL, switching to 100% renewable energy sources, installing energy-efficient LED lighting in our warehouses, promoting the use of electric company vehicles and installation of EV charging points and converting diesel forklifts to electric.

“Other emission reduction measures are also continuing including using reducing waste, increasing the use of recycled raw materials in our products and reducing emissions for company wide freight distribution to our customers.”