An Auckland tiling company is preparing to expand into the United States with the lifting of a three year non-compete period.

Tilcor are made from steel and designed to look like traditional roofing material such as concrete, clay, shingle or slate. Tilcor is part of the family-owned and operated by Ross Roof Group which has been manufacturing and installing roofing products for more than 65 years.

RRG director Cameron Ross said he along with fellow directors, sister Michelle Baskett and cousin Steven Ross were the fourth generation to work in the roofing industry.

The company sold to more than 80 countries until 2010 when the Ross Roof Group sold Metrotile's stake in joint ventures with manufacturers in Belgium and the United States to develop markets on their own.

Following the sale Metrotile withdrew from numerous countries and was banned from using the name Tilcor in Europe or the US, so a new company brand Tilcor was established to get around branding restrictions, Ross said.

A three year non-compete agreement for the US has expired and the company is preparing to reenter market in January under the Tilcor name.

"We're just getting all our testing and regulations underway so that we can enter the market fully prepared," Ross said.
The US business would be built up progressively starting with a sales agent followed by a sales office, a warehouse and eventually a manufacturing facility, he said.

Tilcor are made from steel and designed to look like traditional roofing material such as concrete, clay, shingle or slate.

Tilcor is part of the family-owned and operated by Ross Roof Group which has been manufacturing and installing roofing products for more than 65 years.

RRG director Cameron Ross said he along with fellow directors, sister Michelle Baskett and cousin Steven Ross were the fourth generation to work in the roofing industry.

The company sold to more than 80 countries until 2010 when the Ross Roof Group sold Metrotile's stake in joint ventures with manufacturers in Belgium and the United States to develop markets on their own.

Following the sale Metrotile withdrew from numerous countries and was banned from using the name Tilcor in Europe or the US, so a new company brand Tilcor was established to get around branding restrictions, Ross said.

A three year non-compete agreement for the US has expired and the company is preparing to reenter market in January under the Tilcor name.

"We're just getting all our testing and regulations underway so that we can enter the market fully prepared," Ross said.

The US business would be built up progressively starting with a sales agent followed by a sales office, a warehouse and eventually a manufacturing facility, he said.