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Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 9:51 am
by Tony McC
The annual dissection of new brochures from the major manufacturers and distributors begins later than usual for all sorts of reasons, but first victim under the microscope is Bradstone.
Have a read....
http://www.pavingexpert.com/news337.htm
...then let me know what *you* think.
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 4:21 pm
by John156
Good to see that more Porphyry is coming onto the market. I had a struggle sourcing some before Christmas. Tony, thanks for putting me onto Simon from the Italian Porphyry Company. He was very helpful but I had to get the stone quickly so went with a pink granite instead.
Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 7:23 am
by lutonlagerlout
exactly what I would expect from the "northern assassin"
why so many typos in your report boss?
potato shop?
or photoshop?
I recall porphry block paving being new to the market a few years ago and then disappearance without trace
I wonder what that golden and red porphry drive looks like now
good review
decent company
LLL
Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 10:30 am
by Tony McC
Typos? I thought I had it all spill chucked?
PotatoShop is my pathetic attempt at humour. 
Who shall I put my claws into next week: Marshalls or Brett?
Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 4:47 pm
by mickg
Do Brett next and leave the best paving brochure till last eh ???
Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 9:37 am
by Tony McC
Supreme Concrete will be grateful for your support, Mick, but I don't think it's fair to hold them right until the end of the review season! :;):
Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 5:02 pm
by lutonlagerlout
if you look carefully most CBP is copied according to trends
so brett do a chelsea sett that is remarkably similar to marshall's tegula
whatever next!!
LLL
Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:00 am
by Tony McC
There's only so much you can do with a concrete block, and we further limit the potential in Britain and Ireland by not tolerating shaped pavers. And for the past 5 years, there's been a distinct unwillingness to experiment by the main manufacturers.
However, there are some new ideas knocking about this coming season. Some new old ideas, too, with certain products being resurrected, but if you want to see inventiveness, just look at what the Merkins are doing. 10 years ago, they were 10 years behind us in concrete paver developpment. Now, they are possibly 10 years ahead, and the contractiong industry is much better organised, far more professional in general.
I've just bought a couple of (relatively expensive) paver design books from the US. If you bump into me at any point, ask me to show you - they are simply awesome.
Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:50 pm
by lutonlagerlout
we used to do a lot of uni decor and penta but it just stopped being stocked
LLL
Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:25 pm
by lemoncurd1702
lutonlagerlout wrote:we used to do a lot of uni decor and penta but it just stopped being stocked
LLL
.....and that other one er, um was it called "Spania"? Glad they stopped making them cutting in was a pain, very little scope for inboard cutting. Hard to avoid little piddly cuts.
Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 1:06 pm
by Tony McC
What we call(ed) 'Uni-Decor' is one of the biggest selling pavers in North America. Only this week, one of the production managers told me that the factory where it was made would *love* to start making it again, that it's repeatedly on the agenda when they review the product range, but those that know best (allegedly) judge the market not to be quite right for it....just now.
Why are shaped pavers so rare in Britain and Ireland? Is it the customners that don't like them (are we really that different from our European/N.American/Australian/S.African cousins?) or is it contractors that were scared of laying them?
Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 2:38 pm
by lemoncurd1702
Tony McC wrote:Why are shaped pavers so rare in Britain and Ireland? Is it the customners that don't like them (are we really that different from our European/N.American/Australian/S.African cousins?) or is it contractors that were scared of laying them?
Spare me the dig Tony, but they don't give for inboard cutting.
Yes there are certain ways of achieving a reasonable sized cut such as cutting the head of the uni-decor in line with the neck and doing the same with its neighbour to form a larger element.
So whilst one might do it right one is pricing against those who
won't. Its easy to get the cutting right with Tegula etc without losing time and therefore remaining competitive.
But personally I don't think they look stylish maybe even a bit ostentatious.
But tastes change and what people don't like now maybe they will in a few years.
Ultimately it will be up to what the marketeers want, if they say it's the new black, then the new black it is.
Edit: Take a look at this,
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/490259109405523150/
Can't see this one coming back into fashion, was it ever?
Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 5:07 pm
by lutonlagerlout
for a lot of manufacturers its all about market size
thats why concept2 rowing machines cost £1200 here but only $1000 in the USA
because they sell so many more
however logistically the uk is a good country to work in because in world terms it is so small
so go figure
LLL
20 years ago who would have thought that indian stone would be the market leader?
when i first came across some indian stone around 15 years ago i thought i had uncovered a money making secret
and as always everyone got on it :;):
LLL
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 4:56 pm
by mike builder/landscaper
What about tobermore?
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 7:30 pm
by Tony McC
What about them?