British Ceramic Tile

British Ceramic Tile (BCT) is the largest manufacturer of ceramic & glass tiles in the UK, based in Devon. The company has been in operation at the Heathfield site, Newton Abbot since the 1850s. In September 2009, a major expansion of the BCT factory was completed,^[1] making it the largest and most efficient tile-making plant on one site in Europe. The factory is currently capable of producing 30,000 square metres of tiles per day.^[2]

Tile manufacturing in Devon and the UK

Tile has been produced at Heathfield in Devon, the site of BCT's facility, for over 150 years, with the raw materials occurring within a mile radius of the site. Historically the UK has struggled in the tile industry, with more than 80% of tiles sold in the UK being imported. Originally Candy Tiles, BCT became the UK's biggest tile manufacturer in 2011, when it acquired shares of Brighouse based Ceramic Prints Ltd. ^[3] Due in part to the decline of the tile-making industry in Britain in the 1970s, a large number of tiles are imported from Spain, Italy and more recently China.^[4] Recent developments have meant that UK manufacturers will be unaffected by a potential carbon tax outlined by the EU, with environmental efficiency a primary concern for both the EU and manufacturers themselves.^[5]

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