Marshalls UK National Award Winner

Crystalclear Driveway and Patio specialists were awarded Marshalls 2012 UK national winners of the 'Best Use Of Ethically Sourced Fairstone Paving' category at the Marshalls Register National Awards which took place on 18 March 2013 at Bagden Hall Hotel, Huddersfield, Yorkshire

Over the past couple of years, I have noticed that this category has become fiercely contested with many stunning entries from installers across the country and year after year and the standard of the work and design has improved greatly. As you can imagine, I was delighted to be given the regional award for my area back at the Register Road shows earlier in the year and then completely overwhelmed when it was announced that I had won the prestigious national award for my Fairstone driveway job pictured above in Walkden near Manchester.

I do know that Marshalls don't take to giving out national awards lightly and with the competition as high a quality as it was, I was extremely happy with the national award for the "best use of ethically sourced fairstone paving" and the beautifully cut stone trophy (pictured below), for David Jessop (Register Manager) to then announce that as part of my prize, I was to be taken to Kota in Rajasthan, India to see how the Marshalls ethically sourced Fairstone range is quarried and processed for myself. We were to visit Marshall's sole supplier of Indian Sandstone, Stoneshippers India for a week.

I do try to use Fairstone products where I can on most of my jobs, because, despite the price being higher than other companies products, I feel the Fairstone quality can really make my work stand-out. Coupled with the innovative designs, the awards and the support from the Marshalls team, it really is a no-brainer for me. Plus, by using Fairstone I’ve had the opportunity to come out to India and see it all for myself!

I am the first contractor ever to be taken to India by Marshalls and the first to be allowed inside the Stoneshippers stone processing factories and stone riven yards. As with many large manufacturing businesses, no one is allowed just to wander off the street into any of Stoneshippers’ premises. To keep their secrecy of products and technology, they are surrounded by tall block work walls and have security guards on all of the gates who salute you as you drive in and out. It sounds like I’m describing a prison but far from it, Stoneshippers is a very relaxed place and the welcoming I received from all the guys there was fantastic.

Reg The Member (Marshalls Register mascot) was carefully packed into my hand luggage to make the journey more comfortable for the little guy and off we went to meet up with Marshalls ’International Man of Mystery’ Mr Chris Frankland at Manchester Airport.

Chris Frankland is Marshalls’ International Product Manager who covers a wide variety of products for the Marshalls Group- but mainly imported Natural Stone for use in domestic settings. The products he manages include Marshalls Fairstone, all Stonemarket Natural Stone products, Weatherpoint 365 jointing compound, Classical Flagstones Internal Natural Stone tiles and some Natural Stone products Marshalls sell overseas.

Over the last few years I have met Chris quite a few times and he is very knowledgeable on a wide variety of natural stone products and has been my port of call many times! He is also pretty good company and I was looking forward to having a couple of beers together and learning more about stone.

It was an early start; we met at 4am outside the Air France check in at Manchester Airport Terminal 3. A bleary eyed but chirpy Mr Frankland met me at the check in desk (I’m not sure he’s used to the early starts!) for our scheduled departure time of 6:15am.

Reg was not allowed out of the country without ID so he had to apply for his own passport which was produced at the airport security as we checked in at the Air France travel desk.

After a quick bacon sandwich and coffee In the VIP lounge, we boarded our flight to Paris, Here is Reg getting comfortable in his premium economy seat complete with head phones just before we take off