Congratulations to Charles Clapham MBE for winning the Lifetime Achievement 2026 TTA Award!
Charlie Clapham, as he is better known in the industry, co-founded Palace Chemicals Ltd with three fellow entrepeneurs in 1978. Based in Liverpool, the company’s guiding principles of quality, service and innovation have remained, while it shifted its primary focus from the general builder’s market throughout the late ’70s to the late ’90s to the tiling sector, which it is best known for today.
Throughout this time, Palace has ‘led from the front’ according to Charlie, pushing to ensure products and processes remain strictly compliant with evolving standards, and making necessary strides to improve sustainability, such as by using post-consumer recycled materials and renewable energy sources.
Charlie has built the business up to become a major player in the tiling sector, constantly pushing boundaries with new product development, training initiatives and, most importantly of all, a superb reputation in the industry for customer service and support, thanks to the loyal and well-respected team which he has nurtured and developed throughout the company’s history.
As part of his drive to support the industry, Charlie has been a consistent supporter of The Tile Association and the standards its sets for the industry which all benefit from. Palace Chemicals has been a member of TTA since 2010 and is a regular supporter of its committees and activity.
After 48 years in business, Palace remains a proud family-led business, which has now supported three generations working in the industry. Charlie is now looking forward to the company’s 50th anniversary which will be ‘one heck of a milestone’, he says.
L to R: Kay Porter, Charles Clapham MBE
