Schlüter-Systems and Boyden Bathrooms & Tiles partnership

Boyden Tiles and Bathrooms, Croydon, is one of the UK’s largest tile distributors for London and creates beautiful bathrooms for both commercial and residential customers.

With an enduring dedication to protecting tile and stone, Schlüter-Systems offers more than 10,000 products for the long-lasting installation of tiles and natural stone, including a comprehensive range of trims, waterproofing, underfloor heating and wetroom drainage systems. The brand is an ideal choice for the premium end of the bathroom retail sector, especially for those looking to take a system-led approach to their bathroom designs and installations. Parts of Schlüter’s portfolio, such as the underfloor heating and tile trims, also appeal to premium-end kitchen showrooms and retailers.

Here we talk to Henry Williamson, managing director of Boyden Tiles and Bathrooms, to find out how the companies work so well together.
 
About your business/customer 

How long have you been a Schlüter-Systems retailer?
Circa 40+ years  

How did you become involved in the bathroom industry? Background etc? 
Boyden was founded in July 1925. 2025 is our centenary year!!  

As a business, how have you adapted over the past three years? (If at all) 
We have been a ceramic wholesaler for nearly 100 years with own brand showrooms for twenty years. 

Have you found customer demands changing in recent years? 
Demands evolve all the time; no five-year period is the same. 

Typical bathroom installation size and value, and customer profile?
Any value from £500 to £20K. The customer profile tends to be upper middle to top end.

Do you design, supply, install?
We are mainly distributors and wholesalers; we do have four retail showrooms where we help specify products for projects.  We also have a strong internal and external sales team and work closely with all our suppliers to ensure the right products are chosen.
 
Have you been nominated or won awards? 
We have been nominated for numerous awards; we have won several awards in the past, including Tile Association ‘Distributor of the Year’, several staff have won Tile Association ‘Employee of the year’, BDO Stoy Hayward ‘Best in Business’ award, Spanish Tile Association ‘Personalisation of Interior Designs’.

How does the next five years look for Boyden Tiles and Bathrooms?
Very good! The new government has pledged to build 1.5 million new homes over next few years - very ambitious!  Even if 33% are built, it bodes well for those connected with the building industry. Boydens is well placed for growth.  We are in the process of significantly increasing warehouse capacity and possibly one or two more showrooms.  

What bathroom trends are you seeing?  
Larger format tiles are very much on trend, as are marble and onyx designs.
  
What do you love about the industry? 
I have been in the tile industry for over forty years and the evolving trends and product improvements are very good to see.  I also enjoy employing younger people who are very creative and seeing them flourish. 
 
About your showrooms 

Size of showroom(s)? 
2,000 square feet to 6,000 square feet, The Beddington Lane Head Office is approx. 55,000 square feet and we are in the process of significantly increasing that. 

How many displays?  Is there a theme throughout? 
At least 150 across the retail stores.  The theme is best summed up that we want to create a display that the customer will want every item in their own home - tiles, sanitaryware, uncoupling solutions, drains, underfloor heating, coordinating accessories.

Will you open more? 
We hope so! We are looking at a couple of new locations at the moment. 
 
About Schlüter-Systems 

Why did you choose Schlüter-Systems?  
We have been using Schlüter products for 40+ years.  It started when floor tiles were becoming very popular, but they kept cracking (before porcelain).  Schlüter introduced Schlüter-DITRA uncoupling mat to overcome that problem as an ‘uncoupling membrane’ .  We sell nearly 200 rolls (x30metres) each month and have yet to go out on a complaint where the product has failed.  Other products have been added over the years with a similar success rate. 

What are popular products/ranges for you/your installers?
DITRA, a wide range of tiling profiles, underfloor heating systems and drainage products.   

How do you find the customer service from Schlüter-Systems? Is there anything that stands out to you? 
Always ‘Best in Class!’ 

Have you completed any exciting projects recently featuring Schlüter-Systems?
Recent projects our tiles and Schlüter-Systems solutions have featured in include: The Mormon Temple, Center Point, 30 Grosvenor Square, The Fitzrovia Hotel are just some.