Marley Eternit is due to launch a new range of premium handmade clay tiles at the beginning of 2015.
The company says its Canterbury handmade range acknowledges Marley Eternit’s heritage of previous handmade clay tiles, which were available until the early 1990s.
The new Canterbury tiles, which are made using traditional skills to provide an authentic handmade product, will be available in three colours; Chailey (orange), Loxleigh (antique) and Burford (brown), with their own handmade fittings range.
Marley Eternit says premium projects and heritage sites can benefit from the high quality aesthetic of the richly coloured tiles, particularly in areas subject to specific planning requirements and where handmade roof tiles form part of the architectural style of a region.
The tiles will be made by skilled craftsmen using locally sourced Etruria Marl, which Marley Eternit says is generally accepted to be the finest clay for strength and durability. This traditional process includes shaping and pummelling the clay by hand into a mould before being sent for drying and firing. Selected sands are used in the process, which help release the tile from the mould and create different colours and textures. This process brings random undulations and variations that give each tile its unique appearance and character.
Sarah Jackson, marketing product manager at Marley Eternit, said: “The Canterbury tiles will give the premium character and timeless beauty that is expected from a genuine handmade clay tile, but also the high strength and durability from using Etruria Marl. The tiles are available in rich mellow colours with soft edges, fully formed nibs and a sandfaced texture which is synonymous with the handmaking process.
“The Canterbury tiles will give a beautifully distinctive handmade finish to the roof as each tile will be as unique as the hands that made them. The handmade range enables architects to have more choice when it comes to specifying for both heritage projects and those that demand a premium clay aesthetic. The robust nature of the tiles also means they can specify with confidence that the tile can withstand the harshest UK weather.”
The new range is manufactured at Marley Eternit’s Keele factory, which specialises in clay plain tile production. Combining the knowledge and experience gained from handmaking the original Canterbury collection, Marley Eternit says the site is ideally suited to use these skills to produce the new range of premium Canterbury handmade clay tiles, which will be available from early 2015.
