Russell Roof Tiles has invested in its first combined Technical Training and Research Centre. The new training facility at Russell’s factory in Burton was opened by local Member of Parliament Andrew Griffiths, who also took the opportunity in trying his hand at fixing some roof tiles.

The Technical Training & Research Centre features a dedicated classroom using high tech education equipment as well as five “rigs”. These custom-made rigs enable course delegates to experience practical sessions with interlocking tiles, plain tiles and fittings along with dry fix accessories.

Training will cover how the products are manufactured, their features, and how they should be correctly installed. Theoretical training in the classroom will also cover topics including product awareness, roofing systems, correct fixing, British Standards, regulations and roof estimating.

The centre also provides a site for research and development for the company’s new product development programme. Evaluating technical aspects of roofing products and systems is key and has been fundamental to the success of the company so far.

The training will be led by Russell’s technical team, headed up by technical director Mark Parsons, who is well known within the roofing sector and advises leading national bodies such as the National Home Building Council and the Roof Tiles Association on technical best practice.

Andrew Hayward, managing director of Russell Roof Tiles, said: “This investment in the new facility enables us to provide expert tuition on installing all out latest products, both tiles and dry fixing systems.

“The practical sessions are to make sure that all of our products can be installed correctly, quickly and efficiently. If you know how to do a job properly, doing it first time around to the manufacturers specific instructions has got to be better.”