LATICRETE named Ceramic Tile Distributor’s Association Supplier of the Year

Words: John AbanathyLATICRETE, a global manufacturer and leader of premium installation and finishing systems for the building industry, has been named Supplier of the Year by the Ceramic Tile Distributor’s Association (CTDA). This prestigious award from the premier group of independent tile and stone distributors in North America was announced on the opening day of the Coverings’15 show held in Orlando, FL.

"It is indeed a great honor to accept this award on behalf of all of my friends and colleagues at LATICRETE International. We are many individuals worldwide united in a common mission - to provide world class products and services to our customers and industry partners around the globe,” said Ed Metcalf, president of the LATICRETE North America Division. “We consider it a humbling validation of our founding principles that the membership of the CTDA have selected LATICRETE as Supplier of the Year. We highly value the true partnership and trust that we share with our customers, and strive daily to be worthy of their longstanding support.”

The award was presented by CTDA Executive Director Rick Church and accepted by Mr. Metcalf during an April 14 ceremony on the show floor of Coverings’15. The award presentation was followed by a reception which included other US tile trade associations.

The CTDA Supplier of the Year is selected based on results of blind balloting by CTDA members who named their top suppliers and ranked them in terms of innovation, quality, service and other measures.

LATICRETE was judged to be the best among its peers and continues to develop innovative products that support distributors.

For example, earlier this year LATICRETE launched PERMACOLOR® Select the industry’s first dispersible pigment grout solution with the largest, most consistent color range on the market. The benefits for distributors is unparalleled as PERMACOLOR Select is the first product to innovate the way grout is ordered, inventoried and sold — resulting in distributors running their businesses more efficiently and much more profitably. The logistical innovations of PERMACOLOR Select allows distributors to: reduce grout pallet space requirements by 80%, grout inventory value by 50% and increase turns by 100%; expand color availability and options; improve order pick time and accuracy; and fulfill orders quickly and directly to customers through the LATICRETE Rapid Fulfillment Center. More information can be found at www.laticrete.com.

“This award was earned by every LATICRETE team member who takes pride in their work - at every location - from our receptionists to our shipping clerks and to every person in every role in between. These are the people who have earned this recognition, and in their names I gratefully accept it,” continued Mr. Metcalf. “On behalf of the entire LATICRETE team, I would like to thank the CTDA and its members.”
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