an interview with Geoffrey Camilleri; CEO,
Tatara Bathrooms
There are few Maltese who truly get the Japanese work ethic. Geoffrey Camilleri is one of them.
So, while the name Tatara Bathrooms has become a household one, the real meaning escapes many. Japan, and Japanese culture, is what inspired the Tatara name and brand; after a particularly long stint of Geoffrey working in Japan.
This is where he got the name for his company Tatara Bathrooms. “ ‘Tatara,’ Geoffrey explained with a smile, “is the oven in which the samurai katana steel was fired.”
The name embodies the core principles of Geoffrey and those he instilled within the company; discipline, precision and honesty. And these, he believes, are the key to Tatara’s success.
The Camilleris have been in business for over 25 years with established branches in machinery and in the maritime sector. Tatara has evolved over the years and now employs more than 20 employees. Camilleri said that one thing which he is particularly proud of is the fact that many of his clients are repeat clients, particularly so from the B2B sector. “Today, we have clients who do not even feel the need to come to the showroom. They simply task us to supply them with all they require for their new development block. This is a great responsibility, also since the appearance of the bathrooms in particular affects every property’s ‘liveability’, increases the value beyond the cost of the investment; and ultimately, the end customers’ propensity to inhabit,” said Camilleri. He noted that neither this area of business was hardly affected by the pandemic in terms of orders. He also noted that Tatara means quality; a factor which greatly affects their clients’ consistency to reorder. “We are not a corner shop where one comes for bargains, but, we certainly give value for money,” said Camilleri.
” We are not a corner shop where one comes for bargains, but, we certainly give value for money “
A European connection
Though Tatara is a company whose name conjures bathrooms and tiles, “wherever tiles are involved, you will find us,” said Camilleri, explaining that they stock all sorts of tiles “from pool tiles to bedroom tiles; from kitchen tiles to bathrooms; patios and terraces to gardens; corridors to feature walls. “We work a lot with Spain. Indeed, Cifre Ceramica, Spain’s second largest company, is a chief supplier of ours,” said Camilleri, adding that other top Spanish brands too supply Tatara. Turkey is a prime source for vanities, and Italy supplies their quality glues. Camilleri praised the efficiency of their selected supplier network, adding that glitches rarely happen but when they do, they are typically addressed very quickly. This means that shopping at Tatara is effectively a one stop shop: not only can you outfit a house from a tile and bathroom perspective, but one would also get the necessary ancillaries that go with the tiles such as the glue. “Benfer, which is the glue, is one of the very best on the market,” observed Camilleri.
Well Stocked
Such a business relies on adequate stocks and Tatara floats substantial volumes. “Our warehousing has over 6,000sqm of floor space which, if not the largest, is certainly one of the largest stock centres in Malta,” observed Camilleri. He said that this translates into about 100,000 sqm of stock which is normally at full or almost full capacity. Even when a dip in stock was experienced due to huge shipping issues which the world underwent, Tatara sailed through without batting an eyelid. “While waiting for productions to arrive, our orders kept pouring through,” said Camilleri. And it is mostly thanks to their precise control on logistics, and on their commitment to heavily invest in having materials and supply in hand that their clients were hardly aware of such worldwide circumstances.
Where the styles and the nature of the goods are more particular, the company works on a pre-order basis, and even in such instances, the waiting period is often within the week. “80% of what there is in the showroom is in stock. And all the sanitary ware on display is immediately available,” said Camilleri, explaining that any such items not available from stock are simply removed from the showroom displays.
” Our warehousing has over 6,000sqm of floor space which, if not the largest, is certainly one of the largest stock centres in Malta “
Reliability
It is immediately evident that Tatara prides itself on its reliability. This is the main reason, he said why Tatara refuses to work with supplying companies which do not share this ethos, “no matter how great their products or service may otherwise be”. Geoffrey emphasized that Tatara will not keep clients waiting. “We do not deliver ‘in the morning’, we deliver at a specified time, give or take 30mins due to traffic or road issues,” said Camilleri firmly, tacitly acknowledging, like few others, that the client’s time is as precious as his own. He also said that any delays would be notified of, “and the client is constantly kept in the loop.” This has made Tatara also the go-to company for reliability.
photos: portions of the ceramic wares on display at Tatara
” We do not deliver ‘in the morning’, we deliver at a specified time “
Camilleri said that top construction companies work with Tatara not only because it is reliable in delivering but also because the workforce is very well versed in construction. He said that because of this, they actually can see if the chosen elements can work on site. For large projects, site visits and conferences are important so that the issues may be viewed tangibly and tackled on time.
Eco-friendly
Working with EU based companies is not only beneficial in terms of quality and ease of supply. It is also a guarantee of ecological friendliness. Camilleri said that one of their more recent initiatives involved the re-use of the pallets upon which tiles are transported and delivered. While sending them back out of Malta may be quite a hassle, Camilleri pointed out that this is worth the trouble.
He mentioned also that the plastics used to wrap and protect the tiles during delivery have been thinned out: “tiny changes but, when a considerable volume of transactions such as those handled by Tatara are at play, they do make a great difference. This means that choosing to buy from Tatara is also an ecological contribution, said Camilleri.
Creating special rooms and Spaces
Two rooms in the home are particularly special, said Camilleri: the kitchen and the bathroom. The kitchen, he explained, is the place where the family spends much of its ‘together’ time, so this must conform to the specifications of the client’s habits. The bathroom, on the other hand, is a place where one enters alone, a bit of a sanctum; a personal experience, so the design objective there needs to be different.
” in the not so distant past, the difference between marble and a tile which ‘looked like marble’ was evident a mile away. Not so today “
And the decision can be very complex given not only the vast array of goods but also the different technologies available. Tiles, said Camilleri, are increasingly beautiful since the digital technologies involved in the tile printing process are raising the resolutions of the image to an amazing level. By way of example, Camilleri said that “in the not so distant past, the difference between marble and a tile which ‘looked like marble’ was evident a mile away. Not so today”; a tile needs to be carefully examined to evidence its ceramic origins. “In many cases, tiles have become more exclusive than marble,” observed Camilleri. Technology also plays a part in the design of sanitary ware with the more ‘modern’ take being on rimless toilets.
Adaptability
Camilleri observed that bathroom size has decreased over the years. This often causes issues in how to introduce all the wanted amenities within the room, “but one way or another we make it work,” he said. Showers have developed by leaps and bounds, with luxurious fittings and trimmings being the order of the day. Camilleri issued a word of advice: “If you are aiming at a high end shower, first see how much you will be using the different trimmings. Then do make sure to install a water softener. Malta’s hard water and calcification issues could otherwise lead to the facilities being clogged.”
” In many cases, tiles have become more exclusive than marble “
Baths are on the decline and the choice is veering more to showers. Camilleri said that showers are more in line with the country’s hectic lifestyle as well as with the fact that people are often showering multiple times during Malta’s hotter days. Shower units are moreover more easily customisable to fit one’s needs and contained spaces. Free-standing baths, however, noted Camilleri, have become quite popular and many come with the option of being installed against a wall.
photo: a portion of Tatara’s ample stock of quality tiles
What’s fashionable?
Fashion is a factor too in this industry. Geoffrey Camilleri said that their major suppliers strive to innovate and every quarter, their country representatives visit Tatara with their latest models and innovations. The relationship, and trust imbibed by Geoffrey, is such that his recommendations and choice of supply at times affects manufacturing decisions at factory level: “if we reckon that the innovations do not work, they are at times discontinued. We do always push for new items – once we are convinced of their suitability and durability,” Geoffrey assures. The country representatives also ask the company how it envisages their particular market developing, so that they would be able to respond to those needs.
And Malta’s needs are impressive. Camilleri said that Malta’s consumption of ceramic material is, per capita, one of the highest in Europe. The current trend is for the larger tiles: predominantly being of 120x60cm. Sizes carried by Tatara however start from 25x50cm and scale up to 120×260; the largest tile available in the world.
” We do always push for new items – once we are convinced of their suitability and durability “
The smallest bathroom tile from Tatara is indeed of the 25x50cm variety. “We like to combine elements to make every bathroom unique. I hate seeing the same bathroom in various houses,” said Camilleri. He said that his advice to clients is to seek inspiration to bring about a unique project. It is gratifying, he added, when clients actually send pictures of the installed bathrooms. He observed that feature walls are also becoming popular, rendering the mix between styles simultaneously complex and exciting.
“Where our products are concerned, decisions will typically stay with the client for the next 20 years or so. This is not a dress which can be changed with fashion so it is worth everyone’s while to take time to decide properly,” smiled Camilleri in conclusion.
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