Dale Telling, Commercial Manager at Fassa Bortolo, Italian manufacturer of renders and plasters, tells PHPD about the firm’s plans for future development in the British market and how the company will extend its legacy in the coming years.
Fassa Bortolo is a leading manufacturer of render systems and integrated building solutions, known across the world for its unrivalled product offering and firm set of values which date back over three centuries. Founded in Italy in 1710, the company remains family-owned and continues to prides itself on the quality of its products, its commitment to ethical quarrying, advancements in research and raising the bar for innovation.
With a total of 18 production facilities in countries including the UK, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, Fassa employs more than 1,500 members of staff across the continent and in South America.
Since Fassa began trading in the UK at the start of 2014, the business has built up momentum, particularly over the past two years enjoying strong sales and good brand awareness. This rapid growth is showing no signs of slowing down, in fact, with increased investment in our team our targets are set to grow as the brand firmly secures its position as a key player in the market.
The render industry has taken a number of turns over the past decade, and while this presents problems, it also comes with its share of opportunity. The sheer scale of render systems we produce means we’re present in a range of different market sectors, working across projects large and small. No two systems are the same, which allows us to support applicators with a whole host of different solutions to suit their individual needs.
One day we can specify Fassacouche, our popular through-colour scratch render for a project, while the next day we might be suggesting our best-selling thin-coat render system Fassarend for a timber frame development, or even Fassalime which is ideally suited to a heritage restoration. We have seen less demand for external wall insulation systems since the collapse of the ECO scheme, however it still remains popular for housebuilders looking to create more environmentally-friendly properties.
As we continue to grow as a brand, we will look to introduce new products that further enhance our render systems, working with designers, applicators, contractors and resellers to understand the needs of the industry and how Fassa can support them in the future. We never rush a new product launch. It’s vital we know the market well before committing, plus we’re always keen to have as much certification, training and product knowledge as readily available as possible. This not only makes life easier for our clients, but it supports our sales team as they are able to give accurate recommendations and navigate through each project from design to finish with ease.
Whilst there has been no one specific area of growth, the whole of the UK has developed at a similar rate. We have noticed the North become very buoyant of late, opening new demand for our systems, but at the same time we have gained huge interest from designers in London and the South East. We’ve also noticed the Midlands has increased in terms of new resellers.
We are fortunate to have a very enthusiastic sales team that spans the breadth of the country. Each sales manager has full knowledge of the Fassa systems and dedicates time to applicators on site to completely understand the ins and outs of each project and exact specification. Our advanced know-how means we have built up strong relationships with housebuilders over the years who come to us for solutions that answer any challenging projects which may arise.
The beauty of our head office central location in Gloucestershire means we have access to all major road networks which keeps our integrated warehouse at capacity as new shipments arrive from Europe. From our UK base, we’re are able to offer additional services to customers, including next day delivery, bespoke colour mixing and training days. Alongside an impressive exhibition space, our training centre was designed to encourage customers to try their hand at the products, so they can discover for themselves how user friendly and workable they are.
The business is expanding across Europe with a determined vision for growth. All areas of the business are developing and within the UK alone there is plenty capacity to grow through strategic new launches and amplifying our distribution channels to support our ambitious targets. It’s an exciting time ahead for the brand with innovation and product quality at the heart of everything we do.
