I've created a blog post pointing out the obvious change in the adhesive market: Are BAL Losing Market Share? | Tile News

Have a read and let me know your thoughts.

i actually like bal adhesives,the only thing stopping me from using them is the price,if they had the sense to be more competitively priced in the market place they would do well imo

I don't think they'd be able to make their adhesives as cheap as the bigger manufacturers long-term but we've seen some discounts every now and again at CTD but Topps, christ, different story.

i love bal adhesives/grouts but the cost makes them un-usable,good to work with but price wise unnacceptable

I have used BAL 90% of the time, I love the stuff and have used it for the last 28 years and has never let me down, BUT......
The price is getting ridiculous and can see them slipping away to the cheaper brands.

Wake up call for BAL

The customer buy some 3 m2 of tiles as cheap or cheaper than £30 and when the job needs Fast Flex and add the price of it, you see the shock on the customer's face... ups!

in my local tile shop bal P.T.B 20kg bag white £....grey £ and there shifting pallet loads of the stuff.......so at the right price it dose sell

Got to say I love using all the BAL products, however, as already mentioned, even at trade prices, the prices are getting outrageous. The simple fact of the matter is that there are many brands on the market now that are as good as the BAL gear at a much more competetive price. In this current climate with everyone having to be exta cautious with the pounds and pennies, even a couple of quid on a bag makes a big difference to the quotes we put in. Its only a matter of time before they realise that tradesmen are buying cheaper products without compromising quality.

Well put Brian.

Originally Posted by Brian J

Got to say I love using all the BAL products, however, as already mentioned, even at trade prices, the prices are getting outrageous. The simple fact of the matter is that there are many brands on the market now that are as good as the BAL gear at a much more competetive price. In this current climate with everyone having to be exta cautious with the pounds and pennies, even a couple of quid on a bag makes a big difference to the quotes we put in. Its only a matter of time before they realise that tradesmen are buying cheaper products without compromising quality.

Very well put, i was a BIG Bal user and for quite a lot of years as well.. never saw the need to try other brands, trust was what i wanted.. but as i saw the price increases o ver the years it was getting silly, so i tried another brand.. and i was shocked, well pleased at how it is just as good if not b etter than some of the Bal ones i used.. so i switched and have no probs with it and the prices are easily halved..

As Brian has stated there are more brands on the market now and it isn't what is was 10 yrs back.. Bal are no longer market leaders IMO and they must change to keep their loyal users.. but for now i will stick with my new trusted brand.. and better prices.

as some of you know i was at BAL HQ the other day along with 17 other tilers. every time they were told you are to expensive they just said we don't want to be known as a cheep adhesive. but when we asked about some of the products and why they had a big price tag they said things like it is the polymers in it or it is whit so it has to be more. but i think the real thing is they have this attitude of we are BAL why should we drop the price. and in fact during the two days i was there this was said to me three times by the BAL reps. my response every time was i don't give a hoot who you are you are to expensive.

Its their loss, BAL is good adhesive but so are many others. Last time I used BAL was over a year ago now and that was free !

It's over 6 months since I've use BAL, Love the stuff but can't justify the £££££££££££

I used there adhesive and grouts until I found other makes cheaper but just as good for the purpose...

I've seen customers in Topps buying at retail and gringing at the cost

In this weather - there is nothing on the market like BAL Variset but its costing me £.... per 20kg bag and the bottle of liquid to vary setting times is another £.... on top (but last for about 20 bags pf adhesive). On the other hand BAL stone and tile PTB (grey) is selling for just £.... per 20kg bag at my local retailer. I like the fact that BAL seems to have the more extensive range of options, but frankly Dunlop does for me most of the time at half the BAL price - and its made by BAL!

Originally Posted by andy8758

In this weather - there is nothing on the market like BAL Variset but its costing me £.... per 20kg bag and the bottle of liquid to vary setting times is another £.... on top (but last for about 20 bags pf adhesive). On the other hand BAL stone and tile PTB (grey) is selling for just £.... per 20kg bag at my local retailer. I like the fact that BAL seems to have the more extensive range of options, but frankly Dunlop does for me most of the time at half the BAL price - and its made by BAL!

Dunlop isn't quite the same though. Ardex own 'em both and Ardex is better IMO (and just as well priced as Dunlop, Mapei, Webber).

I also like using Bal but when your doing work for big house builders and they are cutting costs, you can't use white star at £....per tub when you can get Mapei D1 at £..... per tub. Everyone is cutting costs, and unfortunately we tilers can't sustain the hit we take when purchasing the more expensive material.
In an ideal world they would bring down the costs but I personally can't see it. As the Bal representative put it when I spoke to him, you get what you pay for, and Bal is quality.
However you try telling that to a house builder or another tiling company that is vying for the same contract and the job is going to the cheapest tender. Make no doubt about it.