Kilsaran International in collaboration with garden designer Diarmuid Gavin

First published in the December 2013 issue of Quarry Management as Creative Potential

Kilsaran International develop new concrete product range in collaboration with acclaimed garden designer Diarmuid Gavin

Concrete paving and walling specialists Kilsaran International have announced an exclusive collaboration with renowned Irish garden designer and television presenter Diarmuid Gavin, to design and produce a high-end, bespoke range of contemporary paving products and accessories for the gardening and landscaping community.

Available from February 2014, Kilsaran’s ‘Diarmuid Gavin’ branded range will comprise paving flags, decorative walling, decorative stone and patio bedding products along with kerb edgings and accessories, aimed at both domestic homeowners and commercial landscapers looking for aesthetically pleasing, design-led products. Combining five decades of Kilsaran paving expertise with Mr Gavin’s unique, trademark style, each paving piece will be designed with the end result in mind and available in a designer range of colours and finishes.

New partnership

Announcing the new partnership, Mr Gavin expressed his excitement working at with Kilsaran International, who boast an award-winning manufacturing facility in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, Ireland. Speaking from his development laboratory at the company’s headquarters, he said: ‘I have been well impressed by the Kilsaran commitment to innovation and quality and am really delighted and excited to join their team. We have being busy working together at these impressive facilities for a few months now, developing a product range which both reflects current outdoor trends and adds some totally new ideas into the mix. Our aim is to excite the consumer with the new potential of paving.’

Kilsaran director Roy McKeown added: ‘Concrete paving has come a long way in a short space of time. Our world-class facility in Dunboyne is now manufacturing a huge range of products with innovative and unique finishes. Diarmuid Gavin brings an exciting wealth of experience and creativity to the Kilsaran brand, based on his renowned and gold and silver gilt medal-winning display gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and experience in creating eye-opening, fascinating gardens around the globe.

‘He knows how to deliver something that’s just that little bit different. Our exciting new partnership will allow us to deliver an exclusive range of branded paving products, inspired by the ideas and individual creativity that Diarmuid brings to this process.’

Commenting on the huge potential in the UK garden design market, Kilsaran’s UK sales director, Rob Taylor, said: ‘This new range promises to be the latest garden design ‘must-have’ and is already creating a buzz among our builders’ merchant partners.’ He added that parallel to product development, Kilsaran are continuing to strengthen their distributor network to ensure nationwide coverage and availability for all customers next spring.

New appointment

As part of this process, the company has recently announced the appointment of Craig Stride as northern sales manager with responsibility for driving forward future sales with existing clients and managing new business with a focus on the commercial paving sector. He brings with him 17 years’ experience having worked extensively throughout the construction industry, most recently for Bardon Concrete and Bardon Aggregates.

Commenting on Mr Stride’s appointment, Rob Taylor said: ‘I am delighted to welcome Craig to the team. We have ambitious growth plans in place and his skills, experience and sales relationships are valuable to our success with landscapers, specifiers and architects. He will be dedicated to the development of our business in the north of the UK, extending our reach into this competitive market to establish Kilsaran as the ‘go-to’ landscaping supplier of choice.’

Extended reach

At the same time, Kilsaran have also started to extend their international reach following the completion of an impressive residential renovation project on Jersey. The project – the first for the company outside its established markets in Ireland and the UK – has seen an existing residential house converted into a premium art deco property comprising four high-specification luxury flats complete with extensive parking space at the rear of the development. A complete demolition and rebuild was required due to the state of the existing residential property, resulting in a total transformation of the site and scheme.

A total of 2,500m² of Clima-Pave Tara block paving was supplied to the site, creating a fully sustainable and permeable landscaping solution to handle water run off and eliminate flooding. Bespoke Tara kerbing was also supplied to accommodate the tight radius of the site and complement the art deco design. The build of the luxury complex was subject to rigorous aesthetic and sustainable criteria, in order to carry the desired ambience through to the external environment.

Kilsaran achieved a change in the original hard landscaping specification, which initially detailed a leading competitor, following the establishment of a new distribution agreement with Augres Landscapes, the landscape designer and contractor for the project.

Patrick Jones, landscape architect with Augres, commented: ‘Kilsaran’s Clima-Pave Tara block offers superior stability when laid with the unique 6mm spacers on the block, while the reduced chamfer also minimizes trip risks and creates a smoother ride across the surface. In addition to delivering the functionality we needed, Kilsaran really impressed with their ability to handle site difficulties, offering a bespoke kerb to cope with the design challenge. Due to the unique style of this art deco house, we needed to ensure that all materials used were sympathetic to the overall design.’

Commenting on their new relationship as Kilsaran’s distributor on Jersey, Mr Jones continued: ‘Kilsaran offer great service, products and advice, as demonstrated by their considerable success in Ireland and the UK. We look forward to introducing them to the Jersey market and working with them on future specifications.’

The extension of Kilsaran’s distribution network further supports the company’s growing portfolio of successful specifications and partnerships. With a reputation for high-quality, competitive products and best-in-class support and guidance, Kilsaran have one of the most extensive ‘eco’ ranges in the concrete industry. Boasting an ‘A’ BREEAM rating in accordance with the ‘Green Guide to Specification’, the Clima-Pave range contains 100% recycled water, a minimum of 25% non-primary aggregates, up to 10% pre-consumer aggregate replacement, and a carbon-neutral replacement for 50% of the cement.

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