Business partners Enzo Nudo and Mike Irvine both have Tiling in their blood.
Mike is still running his team of tilers while Enzo a former tiler gave up the tools to start Tilers Direct back in 2005, a trade shop suppling the tiling industry. Not long after starting Tilers Direct, Enzo and MGI began their journey.
Running Tilers Direct has taught Enzo some invaluable business lessons, from staffing issues, to competition and buying out former business partners. MGI has played an important part in assisting Enzo navigate through these challenges, where he has now become an experienced businessperson. Dealing with these issues together has created a bond between our two businesses.
Once Enzo felt that Tilers Direct was back on track, his creative mind started to tick as to what venture is next. Over the years, Mike became a regular at Tilers Direct, and so it was not too long before Enzo & Mike became close friends. Together they would have talk about tiling and how they should create a new Levelling system for Tilers, which would solve many issues that the current leveling systems did not.
“I could see there was a need for a system to streamline the tile installation process to make it more efficient and accurate, especially in the laying of larger tiles,” Enzo said.
“There were other levelling systems around, but there was definitely a need for something to make it quicker and easier to lay tiles. We came up with a spacer and leveler in one. It reduces tiling actions from nine per corner to two.”
After many conversations and attempts at their own prototypes, MGI Adelaide director Nick Hill connected them with a contact that would eventually lead to the design and manufacture of a product. Levolution was created – a gun and clip system that dramatically reduces tiling processes.
Tilers Direct customers did the product testing along with Mike’s team of tilers. The feedback was over whelming. The next step was finding a distributor and not long after Levolution was available nationally and in New Zealand in tiling and hardware stores, such as Beaumont Tiles.
It did not take long for a large US company to take notice and get in contact with Enzo and Mike, showing a keen interest in becoming the US, Canadian, and UK distributor for Levolution. This was a significant process, with hours of negotiation having the support of Nick to help breakdown it down practically, acting as the middleman between lawyers and the distributor. “Nick and MGI have really become part of our business.” Enzo stated.
Levolution is now in some of the largest big box chains in the US and Canada, including Home Depot, Floor & Decor & Menards. Enzo and Mike are regularly travelling aboard, visiting the US and other countries continuing to grow the product into new territories.
MGI Adelaide has supported Levolution through product development and business expansion stages. “Through this process, it was important to ensure we had the right team around the client and product – the right IP advisors, commercial lawyers, bankers and the right business structures to help assist the client.” said Nick.
Nick often drops in to Tilers Direct for a coffee and a chat. “It’s a professional relationship, that has turned into genuine friendship and I think that leads to better business results” said Nick.
