COMPANY SHOWCASE
The move marks a major step in Nicobond’s continued growth, with the business reporting consistent double-digit increases year-on-year while largely operating outside traditional distribution channels. The addition of Ronacrete broadens its offer from residential and commercial flooring systems into high-performance industrial screeds, resin coatings and specialist applications.
Richard Hill, managing director of Nicobond, said: ‘Nicobond is going from strength to strength, and the acquisition of Ronacrete allows us to offer a complete flooring solution – from residential through to heavy industrial projects.’
He added: ‘As a British manufacturer, we can now support everything from standard smoothing compounds and DPMs to high-strength industrial screeds used in demanding environments such as ports and logistics hubs.’
The acquisition also brings Ronacrete’s technical expertise into the business, enabling Nicobond to enhance its specification support and deliver a more comprehensive, end-to-end service across the flooring market.
Ronacrete’s leadership echoed the sentiment, with managing director Ronacrete stating the partnership creates ‘a strong, complementary offer that brings together technical excellence and a wider product portfolio to better serve contractors across all sectors.
With an expanded product range and strengthened technical team, the combined business is now positioned to serve projects spanning residential, commercial and industrial sectors from a single source.
Following the expansion created by its acquisition of Ronacrete, Nicobond is now focused on strengthening market awareness and confidence in its brand.
Despite decades of manufacturing experience, Richard believes the company remains under-recognised in parts of the industry. ‘We’ve been manufacturing smoothing compounds, screeds and associated products since 1960, but a lot of people simply aren’t aware of that,’ he said.
Richard also highlighted the scale of Nicobond’s operations, noting that its Stoke-on-Trent facility not only produces its own range but also manufactures for around 20 other brands, many of which will be familiar to contractors. ‘People are often surprised when they realise the extent of what we do,’ he added.
Alongside building awareness, Nicobond is continuing to invest in product development and technical capability. Its in-house laboratories test to relevant standards and support ongoing innovation, including the use of advanced raw material technologies to improve product performance and increase recycled content.
‘We were the first in the UK to introduce low-carbon cement replacement binders into smoothing compounds,’ Richard said. ‘It improves both the handling characteristics and the environmental footprint of the product.’
The company is also strengthening its service proposition, offering on-site technical support, full specification writing and practical solutions for contractors. Recent innovations include its Repair Pro kits, designed designed to allow rapid floor repairs and return to service within hours.
‘We’re very focused on supporting flooring contractors with real, practical solutions,’ Richard added. ‘That’s where we see our value, combining technical expertise with products that genuinely make life easier on-site.’
The company has also invested heavily in digital innovation, with Richard highlighting the launch of its dedicated contractor app as a major step forward. He explains that the platform is designed to make ordering, technical support and project management as seamless as possible for flooring professionals on-site.
‘Contractors can create favourites for the products they use most regularly, build job-specific shopping lists and repeat orders in seconds,’ says Richard. ‘They can store site addresses, access technical and safety data instantly, and place orders directly from their phone using Apple Pay or Google Pay.’
The app allows users to manage everything from a single interface, whether they are ordering materials, downloading documentation or communicating with site teams. ‘It’s about putting everything at their fingertips,’ he adds. ‘Customer service, express delivery, express collection – it’s all there, instantly.’
Richard believes this positions the business at the forefront of digital transformation within the sector. ‘We’re offering flooring contractors multiple ways to work with us, but the app is by far the most efficient and forward-thinking,’ he says. ‘In terms of digital innovation from a manufacturing supplier, we’re leading the way.’
Beyond its investment in digital tools, the business continues to push its message through a strong on-the-ground presence and a renewed focus on specification and relationships.
Richard points to the scale of the sales operation as a key differentiator. ‘Across the wider group we have around 40 technical area sales managers, which is a huge commitment,’ he says. ‘Within the Nicobond and Ronacrete brands we’ve now got around 15 dedicated specialists out there in the UK, speaking directly to flooring contractors, running product demos and offering hands-on support.’
That boots-on-the-ground approach is complemented by a more traditional, but still highly valued, marketing strategy. ‘We’re very hot on producing high-quality literature,’ Richard explains. ‘There’s a trend to move everything online, but our customers still tell us they want something tangible. We’re about to launch a new dual-branded flooring systems catalogue, bringing Nicobond and Ronacrete together in one place.’
At the same time, the company is stepping up its digital presence. ‘We’re active across social media and looking to engage more directly with the flooring community online, including industry forums and groups,’ he says, noting that careful targeting remains important to maintain credibility.
Specification is another major focus. ‘We’re doing a lot more work with the A&D community, delivering CPDs and building relationships with architects and specifiers,’ Richard adds. ‘We’ve secured specifications with organisations like His Majesty’s Prisons and UK Power Networks, and that side of the business is only getting stronger.’
The acquisition of Ronacrete has further accelerated that momentum. ‘They’ve always been very strong in specification and bringing that expertise into the Nicobond side has made us a much more complete offer,’ Richard says. ‘We’re now better positioned than ever to support projects from concept right through to completion.’
The biggest challenge, according to Richard, is simply getting through the door.
‘I think the hardest part is making contact and successfully sitting down with new prospect flooring contractors,’ he explains. ‘A lot of them will have heard of Nicobond, but they don’t necessarily know what we do. There’s sometimes an assumption that we’re just another “me too” brand, and that can make it difficult to get that first conversation.’
He says that initial barrier is often reinforced by time pressure and familiarity within the market. ‘People are busy, they’re comfortable with what they’re already using, and it becomes a case of ‘I haven’t got time for another supplier pitch’,’ Richard adds.
However, once that first meeting happens, the dynamic changes quickly.
‘Genuinely, eight or nine times out of 10, once we’re in front of a flooring contractor and we can explain who we are and what we offer, we win the business,’ he says. ‘The challenge isn’t the product or the proposition – it’s access.’
Richard believes clarity and confidence in the offer are key once that conversation begins. ‘We can demonstrate technical expertise, service capability and a really strong product range, all backed up by efficient ordering and delivery systems,’ he says. ‘We also make a very direct point – we can often save contractors money without compromising on quality.’
He’s careful to stress this isn’t about undermining the market. ‘We’re not out there trying to devalue anything,’ Richard says. ‘But we’re being very strategic about how we position ourselves, and it is working.’
Ultimately, he says, the goal is simple: ‘If we can get in front of flooring contractors, explain who we are and what we stand for, then the rest tends to take care of itself. It becomes about service, performance, and value – and that’s where we win.’
Why is Nicobond making this pitch now? I ask Richard.
Richard says the timing is no coincidence, but rather the result of several strategic developments converging at once across the business.
‘We’ve invested heavily in our manufacturing facility and we now have an increased level of production capability,’ he explains. ‘We’ve put significant capital into new kit and equipment, which means we’re able to scale the business to the next level. It’s really about enhanced manufacturing capacity.’
Alongside this operational expansion, he says the Nicobond range has matured significantly, with a broader suite of flooring systems, repair solutions and technical innovations now in place. ‘The product offer has never been stronger,’ Richard notes. ‘It’s developed into a much more complete systems-based portfolio.’
The acquisition of Ronacrete, he adds, has arrived at exactly the right time. ‘That integration wasn’t accidental in terms of timing – it aligns perfectly with our increased capacity,’ he says. ‘If it hadn’t, I might have had a difficult conversation with the board. But as it stands, it’s worked out extremely well.’
With manufacturing strength, product development and acquisition all aligned, Richard believes the business is now in a position to accelerate. ‘We can genuinely push forward and grow sales because we’ve got the capacity to support it,’ he says.
He also points to continued investment in the sales organisation as a further signal of intent. ‘We’ve actually grown our sales team at a time when many in the industry are reducing theirs,’ Richard explains. ‘Most companies are widening territories and cutting back, but we’ve gone the other way. Our areas are more focused, and we’re backing that with increased sales output.’
For Richard, that combination of capacity, capability and commercial reach is what makes the current moment significant. ‘Everything has come together at once – manufacturing, product range, acquisition and people,’ he says. ‘That’s why now is the right time to step forward and really push the business.’
