Since October 2009, Professor Dunlop’s Brainbox campaign has seen entries coming in thick and fast. Now after sifting through the numerous ideas submitted before 31st January 2010, the first Professor Dunlop’s BRAINBOX winner has finally been announced.

Whittling all the submissions down to three excellent entries, it was Ian Draycott from Chester whose idea really stood out, according to the judging panel including Dunlop Adhesives’ Debi Bailey.

Ian is now the proud owner of a Dell Laptop thanks to his winning suggestion for a bagged lightweight screed with insulating properties. As a floor layer by trade, he wanted to replace an ordinary sand/cement screed with a lightweight alternative and explained:

“There does not appear to be an easy way of providing a lightweight insulated screed. So I got round it by levelling the concrete and making up depth with insulating foam board. But my idea, that would have been an ideal solution, is to produce a bagged lightweight screed with good insulating properties. It would only need to be strong enough to carry a board finish as this would cater for most installations.”

Entries were extremely varied including the two other shortlist submissions. Sandy Craig, a joiner from Angus for example, suggested that longer sealant nozzles should come included with the sealant, as sometimes the one provided is too short to get into hard to access areas. The other, by Sheffield roofer, Dean Gerstel, was a fantastic tip for all those who battle with wooden spouts/gutters. He suggested that rather than painting the inside of wooden spouts/gutters with bitumen, which eventually breaks down in the sunlight, instead try painting gutters and spouts with primer, undercoat and gloss. Not only is gloss paint UV proof, but leaves and other rubbish do not stick to the surface of gloss as easily as with bitumen. This means that the gutters stay clear for longer.

We were also impressed with the less serious of entrants from Hi-Viz bikinis to ways to stop hitting your thumb with a hammer.

Debi Bailey, Brand Manager for Dunlop Adhesives commented:

“We’ve been delighted with the level of responses. Our aim was to get an innovative idea that had the potential to go to market. Not only does Ian’s idea fit this remit, but could also quite happily sit beside our current Dunlop Adhesives range. All in all, it was a submission above and beyond our expectations. For that reason we will be continuing Professor Dunlop’s Brainbox throughout 2010.”

If you’d like to submit your ideas to Professor Dunlop’s Brainbox please visit; www.dunlop-brainbox.co.uk

The free online training initiative was launched in June 2009 in order to encourage training in the vast  ceramic tile industry. Aimed at merchants and their staff, the E-Learning Portal has been hailed a time-saving training masterpiece by many, and is providing merchants with invaluable advice to pass onto their customers.

Strengthening Dunlop Adhesives’ calendar of supporting events, including trade mornings, customer training and staff training, the online portal is constantly being updated with new questions and products. Its flexible nature also means that merchants can complete sections at their leisure, whilst receiving certification of competence at the end.

The E-Learning Portal allows registered users to undertake training by tiling locations, including kitchens and bathrooms, by tile types, ranging from ceramic to natural stone, and even by background surfaces such as plasterboard, cement board and timber floors. The site also includes a host of other valuable resources such as video and downloadable ‘How to’ guides, which offer advice on common tiling jobs, as well as information on the full Dunlop Adhesives’ range.

Brand Manager for Dunlop Adhesives, Janet Till, said: “The success of the E-Learning portal throughout its first year has been fantastic. It goes to show that when times are tough our customers know they need to provide second to none customer service, and the portal allows them to do so through the support and training it provides. As a brand, Dunlop Adhesives is always working to ensure it stands apart from its competitors in terms of quality and accessibility. We’ve launched a new website in the last year, an online Bug Blaster game, and a series of competitions, all of which are ways to make sure we’re constantly communicating with our customers.”

She continued: “The E-Learning Portal combines Dunlop’s forward thinking and supportive approach and we’re constantly working on additional content to ensure its continued relevance. Obviously the main objective behind it is to increase merchants’ sales through cross-selling and product recommendations – we want their customers to be as happy as ours.”

Leaving its customers with ultimate peace of mind, all of Dunlop’s products come with a 10 year guarantee. For further information on E-Learning Portal go to http://www.dunlop-adhesives.co.uk/elearning/.

Investing in training and support for merchants and their customers to ensure they fully understand Dunlop products, the specialist manufacturer of tile adhesives, grouts, finishing, and ancillary products is taking pride in this offering at a time when other suppliers are cutting back. Also offering free pens, t-shirts, beanie hats, and other novelty items, the main thing on the agenda is ensuring that Selco customers don’t go home empty handed.

Mike Barber, Branch Manager at Selco, Leeds said:
“The trade morning will give Selco customers a chance to ask Dunlop any questions they have about their products so they are fully equipped to use them and see the best possible results for their customers at the best possible prices. I’m sure the morning will be a complete success. This is an example of how we work in partnership with suppliers to benefit our customers.”

Leaving its customers with ultimate peace of mind, all of Dunlop’s products come with a 10 year guarantee, something that will be reinforced to Selco’s customers on the day. To be held at Selco Leeds, Elland Road Industrial Park, Elland Way, Leeds, LS11 0EY, the event is set to be a resounding success.

For further information on the trade morning please contact Selco Leeds on: T: 0113 276 3360

Designed for any area where continued exposure to water may cause damage, the kit fully waterproofs the substrate behind the tiles to prevent water from penetrating through the substrate. Hence the kit not only prevents water saturating the floor, reducing the risk of unsightly black mould forming, but also prevents more serious issues such as complete floor collapse.

Like all Dunlop Adhesive products, the kit is supported by a 10 year guarantee and strengthens the constantly growing range of products available for builder’s merchants. So confident the kit does what it says on the tin, Dunlop has designed in-store POS in the form of fully waterproofed cardboard boxes to prove its watertight properties.

Offering complete peace of mind in 3 simple and easy steps, the Shower Waterproofing Kit:

Primes
Using a paintbrush, apply the primer to clean and dry walls, up to about 1m high and leave until touch dry

Seals
Apply a layer of Waterproof Coating to all corners, along the edge of the shower tray and floor junctions, and any other cracks or joints in the background. Cut the tape to the required length and push into the applied coating ensuring no voids are left behind the tape

Protects
Apply a second layer of Waterproof Coating to at least 1m in height all over the shower walls, coating any taped areas. The background is now fully protected and will be ready to receive tiles after 24 hours

Following the high demand and positive feedback after the recently launched ‘Patch and Repair Cement’ and ‘Fast Setting Render’, the specialist manufacturer of tile adhesives, grouts, finishing, and ancillary products is promising merchants the Shower Waterproofing Kits will ensure a watertight barrier for years to come.

The new quick and easy system will result in a fully waterproof and leak proof shower. Janet Till, Brand Manager for Dunlop Adhesives, commented:
“Dunlop continually works to provide peace of mind for builder’s merchants and their customers, and to prove the quality of the products they’ll be selling. The Shower Waterproofing Kits are no exception and are simple, quick and easy to use, as all of our products are. We’ve had a fantastic start to the year and are looking forward to working with the merchants into the future to support them even further through staff training and incentive schemes as well as the launch of more new ranges.”

For further information on pricing and offers, please contact the sales team direct on: 01782 591160 or email info@building-adhesives.co.uk

The Patch and Repair Cement will repair cracks and holes in walls, floors and concrete, whilst the Fast Setting Render is a pre-mixed product for use on both external and internal walls. With each product designed to suit a variety of requirements, Dunlop Adhesives is yet again expanding its range of products to aid the success of tiling projects, no matter how large or small. As with all other products in the Dunlop range, these two new products are supported by a 10 year guarantee.

Pre mixed, single part, the Fast Setting Render:

• Is ideal for internal and external wall render
• Sets in two hours
• Up to 15mm thickness. For thicker coverage additional layers of the product can be built up

Strong and easy to use, the Patch and Repair Cement:

• Repairs cracks and holes in a variety of masonry surfaces
• Sets in 30 minutes
• Needs mixing with just water
• Is ideal for fast and easy repairs
• Can be used for small repairs up to 50mm depth
• For larger repairs, bulk out by adding builders grit/sharp sand at a 1:1 ratio

The success of the floor levellers, which became available in February, has spurred Dunlop on to add further products to the range. Brand Manager for Dunlop Adhesives, Janet Till, reported:

“We have had really positive feedback since the launch of the floor leveller products. This was our first real taster of offering products outside the traditional tile adhesive, sealant and finishing product range since the re-brand and so far it has proved fruitful. We believe these further two products will provide a complete collection of preparation products and look forward to building on our range throughout the year.”

Despite England’s defeat against Ireland, Neil, who is from Doncaster, was still in good spirits. He said:
“When entering the competition I never thought about winning, so it came as a complete surprise when I found out. My wife Angela had been planning a trip to London so she was over the moon. I thought wow England verses Ireland at Twickenham and she thought Harrods, shopping, shopping and yes more shopping. We both were excited by the whole experience and it certainly lived up to our expectations.”

The innovative manufacturer of tile adhesives, grouts and finishing products launched the Sporting Year competition in 2008 as a special 12 months campaign to help attract new and repeat customers to the range. The competition began with four prizes on offer, one each quarter to capitalise on the strong association between the Dunlop brand and sport. The success led to Sporting Year 09. Overall, there has been seven big sporting events up for grabs with seven lucky winners.

Brand Manager, Debi Bailey commented:
“We launched the Sporting Year competition as an incentive for our key target audiences, tradesmen and merchants. After we received such a positive response from the first year we decided that we’d continue the promotion for another year. It has been a great way for us to thank customers for buying from the Dunlop Adhesives range and to support merchants, as always with not just a product, but a package.”

Prizes over the two years included; tickets to the Grand National, a VIP trip to Wimbledon, tickets to see premiership teams Manchester United and Chelsea, and the final prize being a weekend away in London to see Rugby Union giants England verses Ireland fighting for glory at Twickenham stadium.

Brand Manager, Debi Bailey concluded:
“Although the competition has now come to an end we will continue to run incentive schemes for both end-users and merchants. Our new website for instance, includes our latest incentive where visitors can play a highly addictive new game, Professor Dunlop’s Bug Blaster, to win prizes.”

Dunlop Adhesives is delighted to launch its new Floor Leveller range, available from stockists from 8th February. The new range compliments Dunlop’s existing Premium Floor Leveller product to provide a comprehensive range to cater for all applications.

The three floor leveller products include: Smoothing and Levelling Compound, Fast Set Floor Levelling Compound and Thick Bed Floor Leveller. These products are suitable for use on all common building substrates including concrete, sand/cement screed, floor grading asphalt, and correctly prepared tiles.

The one part compounds mix with water to provide an easy to apply, self-smoothing finish. Each floor levelling product however has been designed to suit a variety of requirements:

Smoothing and Levelling Compound

• Designed for simple applications
• Bed depth range of 2mm – 12mm
• Not suitable for underfloor heating

Fast Set Floor Levelling Compound

• Ideal for time critical projects or small areas
• Quick workability
• Has a bed depth of 0mm – 15mm.
• Suitable for underfloor heating

Thick Bed Floor Leveller

• Largest thickness range from 2mm up to 50mm
• Designed for uneven floors
• Suitable for underfloor heating

Brand Manager for Dunlop Adhesives, Debi Bailey said:
“Developing and expanding existing product ranges is part of the Dunlop Brand evolution. We are always looking to develop new and exciting products to add to our range hence the launch of our high profile Professor Dunlop’s Brainbox campaign – a new initiative through which end users are asked to submit new product ideas. We will continue to look at our products and hope to have more exciting announcements throughout the year.”

For further information on pricing and offers, please contact the sales team direct on 01782 591100 or email info@building-adhesives.co.uk

Speaking on his Grand Pix adventure, Jim said:
“All our friends are very envious, even my wife who does not like motor racing wishes she had gone. David and I had a great time at the race circuit and the facilities are superb.”

“Both David and I would like to thank Dunlop for the wonderful prize and a very enjoyable break, if only we could win again.”

The final competition prize is a chance to win a VIP trip to the RBS 6 Nations England v Ireland match at Twickenham to be held in 2010 yet time is running out to enter, as the competition will close 31st December 2009. The winner will watch reigning champions Ireland battle it out against England to defend its first Grand Slam winning title since 1948. This exciting prize will include two nights at a four star London hotel, including bed and breakfast, and tickets to the RBS 6 Nations England v Ireland match held on Saturday 27th February 2010. However, the Dunlop Adhesives sporting partnership doesn’t just end here.

The Dunlop brand name is one of the most recognised throughout the world and many of its products have become synonymous with the world of sport. That well-recognised synergy makes the sponsorship of the local rugby team, Longton RUFC, a perfect match.

Commenting on the partnership, Debi Bailey, Brand Manager at Dunlop Adhesives said:
“Several staff members at Dunlop are keen Rugby Union fans, not to mention keen supporters of Longton rugby club, especially former Technical Director Mike Wheat who is now Chairman at Longton RUFC. It is a great opportunity to sponsor our local rugby team and to retain our ties with Mike. Clearly the Dunlop sponsorship of Longton RUFC is proving to be of a great benefit to both parties.”

Entry to the final Dunlop Adhesives’ Sporting Year competition is easy. Simply visit www.dunlop-adhesives.co.uk/sportingyear and complete the online form.

With two out of the three competitions now complete, this is the final sporting competition up for grabs. This time the winner and a lucky companion will watch reigning champions Ireland battle it out against England to defend their first Grand Slam winning title since 1948. This exciting prize will include two nights at a four star London hotel, including bed and breakfast, and tickets to the RBS 6 Nations England v Ireland match held on Saturday 27th February 2010.

Winner of the Belgium F1 Grand Prix tickets announced
Dunlop Adhesives is also pleased to announce the winner of the Belgium F1 Grand Prix prize giveaway which took place over the summer.

Jim Chalcraft from Tavistock, Devon was named as the lucky winner. He heard about the competition through the trade publication Professional Builder. As a property developer, Jim is familiar with the Dunlop Adhesives product range and buys through Screwfix. Jim’s son Dave accompanied him on the exciting F1 weekend that included three star accommodation and free entry to the circuit at Spa-Francorchamps with Grandstand seats on race day.

Speaking on his Grand Pix adventure, Jim said:
“All our friends are very envious, even my wife who does not like motor racing wishes she had gone. David and I had a great time at the race circuit and the facilities are superb.”

“Both David and I would like to thank Dunlop for the wonderful prize and a very enjoyable break, if only we could win again.”