Rtd Launch New Tarkett Click Flooring Product

• 31 December 2015
• Local News
• 956 Views

RTD launched the new range of Tarkett flooring products to the Cambodian market at a special event hosted at the Exchange on 20 November. They also then displayed them at a double booth at the recent CCA Expo hosted at Koh Pich on 3-5 December.

The ‘Combo Night’ event on 20 November officially launched the Tarkett Click Scale carpet range which is exclusively distributed in Cambodia by RTD. Over 100 guests attended from intentionally diverse backgrounds; not only from the property and construction industries but also potential individual residential purchasers.

“We have a very diverse market from the 5-star hotels, high-rise apartment blocks but for this new product we have made a conscious decision to target individual residences. The main objective was to announce the product and then let the sales team follow,” said Colin Rogers RTD General Manager.

The new Scale series is a refreshing carpet design which was inspired by the trails of light that can be found during night time in dynamic exciting cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong.

Having the possibility to combine carpet tiles with the latest trends of vinyl provides an incredible range of design possibilities which are highly appreciated by the design firms. Needless to say, the reactions of the guests were very positive and during the event, new projects were discussed where the carpet and LVT could possibly be used in corporate offices, hospitality and residential projects.

“The local market is expanding rapidly with the construction growth and people are becoming more aware of quality and demanding higher quality although, so far, they have not been prepared to pay the price but we are in the process of changing that,” said RTD Director Nam Vandy.

While he welcomes competition, Colin Rogers strongly believes that Cambodian consumers are increasingly looking for quality. “For sure we have competition in the market but at our level, i.e. the higher end of the market, there is not too much competition which is not neither a good nor a bad thing; I welcome competition because it creates a market. Unfortunately we have a lot of very cheap products imported from various locations and historically the Cambodian mentality has been to buy cheap. We are looking to change that and we are winning. Our sales in the last 12 months have rocketed and we would forecast that this growth will continue into the foreseeable future.”

Colin also explained how the quality guarantee sets the Tarkett Click flooring apart from the competitors. “We have to persuade the public that if you pay a little more, you get a lot more for your money. For example, the new Click top- of-the-range product there is a 20-year guarantee. No glue, easy to lay, it looks beautiful, and it lasts 20 years, whereas if you buy a cheaper product, in 2 or 3 years you will be back in the marketplace.”

Amelia Seah, Tarkett Regional Manager, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, was enthusiastic about the interest in the products from high-end designers. “Carpet is fashion. And to let designers experience what carpet design can do for a project we need to show it. That is why we have a strong track record in Southeast Asia for attracting the most famous interior design companies.

She also acknowledged the increasing scope of the Cambodian market that the launch event reached. “Now with the addition of high end wood flooring and LVT products we offer complete solutions to the design houses in the region. Most of them have been successfully doing business with Tarkett for many years. But it is good to see new companies during this kind of event which also creates a networking ground for many. People love our launch events and we will certainly continue to see this unique concept to maintain and expand our clientele portfolio.”

RTD takes its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) very seriously and the event also saw a presentation and dance performance from the director and students from PSE and many guests generously provided donations in response. “Guests enjoyed the performance and the charity aspect. We weren’t there just to raise money for them but to also raise awareness and that was our aim; was to get PSE known in the marketplace. With 7,000 students there it should be a household name,” said Colin Rogers.

Asked how he sees future for this new product line, Nam Vandy, RTD Director said, “We have the stock, we have the commitment, and we expect, at the moment, to corner the market because there is no other project similar to the Click patent available today. For tomorrow, there will be; already our competitors are already trying to copy, but at the moment we have the lead in the market and we have to capitalise on that very quickly. We are excited by being the stockist of the Click product.

It’s innovative, its quality, and it’s the product for tomorrow. We expect very big sales from this product”.