Nick takes plunge to become own boss

May 20 2008 by Karen Dent, The Journal

A BUSINESS is aiming to put a new shine on the North East’s kitchens and bathrooms.

Nick Pope worked around the world as a finance director for British American Tobacco for 20 years before returning to his native North East with The Liquid Porcelain Company concept.

The business uses liquid glaze to regenerate sinks, baths, work tops and tiles so customers do not have to fit new kitchens or bathrooms. The glaze is made from a blend of polymer resins and can be used on old porcelain, plastic, cast iron, ceramic, wood and marble.

Mr Pope, whose final overseas posting was Dubai, saw how popular the idea was when his friend took redundancy from BAT and set up a company using the glaze to refurbish bathrooms and kitchens in the Middle East country.

He said: “As an expat with the company, you have no say where you go. Moving around every couple of years is fine when the children are young, but they are now 12, 10 and eight.”

Originally from Ponteland, Mr Pope brought his family home to the North East and went into partnership with his friend in Dubai to bring The Liquid Porcelain Company to the region at the start of the year.

“I witnessed how this quick and cost-effective solution could really fill a gap in the UK market, not just for hotels but for businesses including bed and breakfasts, gyms, hospitals, schools and residential homes.”

The firm has two vans and four staff and Mr Pope said he plans to invest in a third van and take on another two people in June. He said: “I’d always fancied having my own business. It’s been fantastic.

“I’m not trying to compete with new. There are a lot of people who love their big old bath or people who are renovating and don’t want to rip their bath out. A lot of the older bathroom fixtures are actually very good quality.”

Although most of his customers so far have been residential, he aims to have a 50-50 split between domestic and commercial work by this time next year.

He said: “We’re also targeting those organisations for which clean and safe environments are important, like hospitals, factories and schools.”