Adam Miles, Managing Director of Athena Surfaces, explains that surfaces can meet design trends and be durable and sustainable, without breaking the bank
What do you think are the most popular surface materials being used in new-build kitchens?
Laminate is still the ‘go to’ choice in the UK due to its low cost and ease of fitting. In Europe, the US and much of the rest of the World this isn’t the case, where solid worksurfaces are seen to add more value to a property. For upgrades other than laminate we tend to find that quartz is the most popular product choice for house builders and developers over natural stones like granite.
Why do you think they are so popular?
Laminate is both cheap and able to be installed by the kitchen fitter. It is often specified in kitchen packages as it can be supplied and fitted by the KFM. In house builders, there has traditionally been a concern that if worktops are taken out of the kitchen package there will be unnecessary delays or hassle which is where Athena was born. The opportunity to deal directly with housebuilders, thereby providing a better service whilst saving them margin has meant that upgrade options have become much more popular.
Quartz has become the most popular of these upgrades due to its aesthetic and hard-wearing properties. It has taken over from natural stones such as granite as it’s easier to process and handle and is also perceived as a luxury option, which has increased its popularity over the last 10 years. As we move forward it’s becoming trendier to specify 20mm thick quartz rather than 30mm due to the more modern look. Indeed, 80% of the retail market is now 20mm thick quartz and we expect to see this filtering into the house builder market over the coming years.
Do you have any new product launches on the horizon?
Yes, we have recently launched 20mm Porcelain worktops in partnership with Mirage Porcelain of Italy. This is very exciting as we have been supplying various Porcelain and Sintered options into retail for a number of years now, but it’s always been a dream of mine to take that product to our customers in the housebuilding market. This will mean that, for the first time, they will be ahead of the curve and be able to offer their customers an amazing product at a price that represents excellent value.
What can you tell us about your partnership with Mirage Porcelain of Italy?
Mirage have been leading the Porcelain market for 50 years now, so it was an honour when they approached us to take their 20mm products forward. They are a massive force in Europe, the Middle East, and the rest of the World but they have only recently decided to move into the worktop market. The really exciting aspect of this new range is that we can supply large format tiles in 20mm for worksurfaces, large format 6mm for bathrooms and walls, splash backs and door fronts and all sizes of indoor and outdoor tiles, all in the same colours and finishes. The effect is stunning and not something that has been available to most housebuilders due to the previously high costs.
Could you tell us about some of the house builders you work with and the work surfaces they are mostly choosing?
Over the past 10 years we have been lucky enough to become partners with some of the largest housebuilders including Persimmon, Bellway and Berkeley Homes and they all require different solutions. We supply our own range of quartz called Forza as well as some other branded quartz and a small amount of granite. All of them are taking Mirage as we move into 2024 as an option to complement the quartz offering and they are all very excited about offering this to their customers.
What about in bathrooms?
We initially began working with Mirage as we were supplying their 6mm large format material into some of our housebuilder customers’ bathrooms. The large format 6mm cladding is definitely becoming more popular, but it’s a little behind the worktop market. This is due to Tilers where there is a little bit of education and training still to be done but the advantages for the customer are huge. No grout lines so hygienic and beautiful finishes. Again, the retail market is driving this change, and more and more tilers are doing courses that train them how to install large format tiles.
What do you recommend for finding the right balance between durability and aesthetics?
Again, it has to be Porcelain. It is stain proof, scratch proof and heat resistant and, as it is printed, it can look like any material the customer wants from natural stone and marble right through to metal and even wood effects. The price does not have to be prohibitive, and it is also a sustainable product, so it really is the perfect all-round option.
How can housebuilders incorporate aesthetically pleasing surfaces even when their budgets might be more limited?
The first thing to do is engage with a specialist worksurface provider like Athena rather than keep the package with the KFM. This might seem daunting but the value we can bring makes it a smart option. Not only do we understand the products explicitly, but we can also be involved with design meaning we can help reduce wastage and advise on offcuts for vanity units and other areas thereby saving money and ensuring the maximum material usage…If nothing else it’s worth remembering that a KFM will simply be putting the worktops through a fabricator like Athena and adding a margin on, which gets passed to the housebuilder. It just doesn’t make sense.
How important has sustainability become within the context of surface designs?
It’s huge! We are a gold member of the Sustainability School and we take our responsibility very seriously, so it’s encouraging to see the shift over the last year or so towards a real commitment by the housebuilding community to really make a difference. It’s becoming more common now to be asked about the eco credentials of a product as well as the price and we always offer the most sustainable products and espouse the benefits that they bring.
What are some of the common challenges that house builders present to you when they are looking to equip their new-build homes with the right surfaces?
The biggest challenge is always time. Housebuilders are often up against deadlines and they need to know they can pick up the phone to get quick turnarounds before CMLs. We also find that unneeded complexity can cause problems and the other usual challenge is the age-old one of sales teams not being trained in a product so finding it difficult to sell.
How do they overcome these challenges?
We hold vast quantities of stock in the UK and can turn around jobs in 24 hours if needed. Most companies will baulk at this but years of servicing the house build community has taught us that mistakes do happen, and site managers and sales teams need to feel supported in order to drive sales from the ground up. We can only do this by reacting quickly and helping them out when they need it.
We also have a mantra that says ‘simplicity drives our success’, right from the initial consultation on colours and materials, through to pricing, the call off process and everything else we do in between. If we complicate things, we don’t sell so we simplify everything.
Finally, training and education are critical for sales teams if they are to feel comfortable with a product and able to sell. This is especially true with a high value product and so we actively work to increase sales penetration into sites through regular on-site training and development. This is monitored and acted upon to ensure maximum sales volumes for the house builder.
What are your predictions for the surface trends of 2024?
Laminate will continue to dominate but solid surfaces are slowly taking market share. Quartz has had a bad rap in the press recently and I am fully backing Porcelain to become the next big thing. When we launch Mirage in 2024 that will be a game changer as every other supplier is gunning for the high-end retail market as they want to charge over the top prices. Many don’t believe that Italian Porcelain worktops can be made at a price that enables volume house builders to sell them, but Athena are challenging that and it will cause a paradigm shift in the market.
What makes Athena Surfaces unique and therefore a top choice for house builders and housing developers?
We don’t just win a contract and move on. We actively work to improve penetration rates in all sites through training and education and we monitor this to ensure upsell is optimized and we ask that we are measured against this.
We were built to supply housebuilders from the outset. 10 years ago, Persimmon was our first client and we have had the Solus deal since 2019. If you ask any housebuilder what that means they understand that we must be very good value and also give unparalleled service or we would not be in that position.
We have always looked to make the aspirational affordable and as we move into 2024, we will be looking to ensure this remains at the forefront of everything that we do.
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