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Today, Schluter is widely regarded as a pioneer in integrated tile assembly systems, particularly through products such as KERDI and DITRA, which helped redefine modern waterproofing and substrate preparation practices. Headquartered in Iserlohn, Germany, the family-run company operates across Europe and North America, with manufacturing, distribution and training facilities supporting contractors, architects, specifiers and distributors globally. Education remains central to the company’ s philosophy, reflected in its long-running technical training programs and emphasis on correct system installation.
“ We’ ve always said that’ s where we hang our hat as a company,” says Dee Degooyer, Chief Sales Officer.“ We’ re owned by a tile installer, and we sell to installers, but we don’ t do it through traditional methods. We go to market in a very education-based way. The philosophy from the owner was always that you can’ t sell our products, you must educate our products. So, we don’ t hire salespeople; we hire installers and teach them how to sell. It’ s a different approach to the market, but it’ s a very core part of our business and always has been.”
Dee explains how that same philosophy continues to shape the company’ s product development strategy as the construction sector evolves and skilled tile installers become harder to find.“ We’ re very solutionminded,” he elaborates.“ The industry has changed and the craftsmanship side of tile installation is becoming more difficult to source, so we’ ve evolved as well. We don’ t just target the traditional tile installer demographic anymore; we look at everybody installing tiles, from remodelers through to DIY users. We try to manufacture products with all the belts and braces in mind, so we can offer solutions across all those customer groups.”
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