Voice of the Trade

Martin has stepped down from his senior role at Balta Group after a 33-year career in flooring which has seen him develop initiatives and drive sales at major UK carpet companies. Not sure whether this is a sabbatical or early retirement, we asked Martin to look back (and forward) on the business.

Q What’s been the biggest change you have seen over your career 

A It has to be technology. When I started on the road, my pockets were full of change for the phone box. The only thing that interrupted your thoughts as you were driving was a good tune coming on the radio. Orders were placed by phone or fax and people accepted you would probably not get a message to return a call until you got home.

   
Today we have real time delivery information, ordering stock that we know is there live over an app. We can send images anywhere in the world instantly, our cars will soon drive themselves and carpet tufting machines can be loaded by robots.

Q  What’s the best thing about the flooring trade? 

A  I am sure the most popular answer to this question is always “The People.” It is still, and has been for the length of my career, a friendly trade, an unpretentious one where the representatives of most companies supply chain and retail know one another and are happy to socialise together. This is what has always made Harrogate so successful as a trade show.

Q What’s the worst thing about the flooring trade?   

A Its attitude towards sustainability. Despite the laudable efforts of CRUK to divert waste carpet from landfill, the broadloom carpet manufacturers have no cohesive plan to deal with the disposal of their product at end of life. 

   
Carpets now represent the biggest contributor to landfill and yet still there is no identification on a product to say what it it made from.This will impact on new recycling technologies that are currently being developed. 

   
If we actually had a trade association of manufacturers, at least there would be a body that could enter into worthwhile dialogue with the waste disposal industry. Somehow there needs to be some self regulation because if we rely on a government department to regulate, we may not like what we end up with. 

Q  What is the product/decision you are most proud off and/or which has made the biggest difference? 

A  I found an old press clipping the other day, dating back to the late 1990’s when I was Sales Director of a small independent manufacturer called Planet Carpets. It showed a much younger and leaner me at The BBC Good Homes Exhibition alongside Anna Ryder Richardson the interior designer. The products that we were promoting were different, brightly coloured and interesting to discuss

   
We won an innovation award from British Wool for one range, Tribal Dance, which made us very proud at the time. I loved that period before beige, and then grey became the turn to neutrals and the fun left carpet colouration. It was great to take the product to the consumers and get a reaction alongside the “influencers” of the day.  

Q  If you had to pick one thing, what do retailers need to do better?   

A  Repeatedly through my career I have appealed to my retail partners to embrace a “less is more” philosophy. Due to the free availability of sampling and oversupply in the marketplace retail outlets can at times become a bewildering maize of me too products with little differentiation. More space and a reasoned layout could considerably improve the customer experience in a large number of independent retailers. 

Q  What do manufacturers need to do better generally?   

A  A manufacturer is looking to supply the right product, on time, to the specified quality first time. I believe that the majority of those servicing the UK market, particularly those based in the UK get that right more often than not.

   
The biggest challenge now, I believe, is understanding how to market to the next generation. A generation who have grown up being “influenced” on social media and who are drawn to recognisable consumer brands. As an industry we are still behind the times with our consumer marketing and if you look at the flooring industry as a whole then it has to be said , hard flooring does it better than carpet.

Q  How do you see 2022 playing out with all the current challenges?   

A  It’s looking like it could be a tough year ahead. Disposable income has been reduced by tax rises and inflation at a time where the nation has filled its boots for the past couple of years with home improvements. I think there will be uncompleted projects still to come through and benefit flooring as we are always the last job, but after that has worked its way through, I certainly see a fall in the volume end of the market. Those who have money will still have money but for the majority of average homeowners I fear the hatches are due to be battened down for a while.

Q  What advice would you give to a young person thinking of a career in flooring?  

A  Regardless of the industry, my advice to all young people setting out on a career is that “knowledge is power”. Learn as much as you can from the people around you. 

Q  What are you most looking forward to doing in the future?

A  I am currently taking a break, maybe it will stop being called a break and be renamed retirement, the jury is still out! With time on my hands I have recognised what I think is a worthwhile cause and I am actively supporting an awareness campaign for the Furniture Makers Company. FMC is a Livery Company but it is also a charity and supports anyone who works or has worked in the furnishings industry, which very much includes carpet and flooring. As well as offering welfare support for people who may fall into hard times for whatever reason, The Company also offers a great opportunity to network with people who do the same job as you in allied trades.