The demand for high-performance tiling products with exceptional handling and usability remains the core focus for the Nicobond technical team, based at the company’s factory in Stoke on Trent.
Furnished with BS/EN testing equipment and a laboratory with significant investment in R&D, Nicobond has a portfolio of patented formulations and specialist products designed to suit any type of installation. The company offers a suite of S1 and S2 adhesives for typical applications, as well specialist polyurethane and epoxy products for more demanding environments.
Addressing the growing trend for larger format tiles, the company manufactures Large Format Flex Tile Adhesive which is an S1, pourable, fast-setting, flexible adhesive. The adhesive is designed to exhibit a more fluid consistency to aid bedding of larger format tiles in interior and exterior situations without the need to back butter while offering a strong, resilient bond.
Today, clients are becoming more confident with the use of materials as design creativity and flair take over, Nicobond says. Applications for ceramic and porcelain tiles have expanded beyond traditional bathroom or kitchen environments, and we are now seeing more interesting and obscure areas being tiled.
To meet the challenges of these non-traditional tiling jobs, Nicobond has introduced Nico-lastic, which it describes as a highly versatile, non-slip, high strength, highly flexible polyurethane adhesive for use on more awkward substrates. It’s said to be capable of bonding ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, moisture sensitive resin, agglomerate stones and more to various substrates, including stainless steel, fibreglass and PVC, as well as conventional tileable substrates.
The arrival of anhydrite/calcium sulphate screeds created the need for a gypsum-based tile adhesive to directly bond to this substrate. Cement based adhesive caused a reaction (ettringite) which is a crystallised substance that when formed causes expansion and therefore eventual installation failure. Nicobond Gypfix, formulated specifically for this purpose, is a high strength adhesive which achieves bonds on par with a traditional C2 category cement-based adhesive, the company says.
Nicobond’s ready mixed Tile Adhesive is supported with a portfolio of ready mixed products formulated for various applications. Its technical team and chemists continue to cater to the changing requirements and demands from the world of tiling.
In 2021, the company launched an expansive grout collection with more than 150 colours. This collection included a ready mixed polyurethane grout that could be partially used and then re-sealed for use on the next project, which the company says was the first product of its type in the UK.
Nicholls & Clarke Group have worked extensively over the decades to reduce its carbon footprint and develop green credentials. In 2022, the company introduced its first 100% electric commercial vehicles, while committing to a full transition to electric company cars by 2026. It has utilised ground source heat pumps, solar panels, use of grey water technology within its production facilities as well as using up to 70% recycled raw material content in a growing collection of Nicobond products.
www.nichollsandclarke.com
