My Journey from Plasterer to Innovator
I started my career as a plasterer at around 18 or 19 years old, earning my NVQ Level 1 and 2 qualifications at Accrington College. After that, I began working for a domestic plasterer, gaining hands-on experience in the trade. Over the years, I worked with several professionals before finally deciding to start my own plastering business at the age of 24.
For years, I worked directly with the general public, handling plastering, rendering, and pebble dashing. Back then, external rendering was limited to sand and cement—there was no K Rend available yet. Most days, I worked alone, labouring for myself, which was tough but rewarding.
The idea for Extratime came to me while working on a particularly large ceiling. I was constantly battling against the clock, rushing to get jobs done before the plaster set. I knew there had to be a way to slow down the setting time. I was already using a retarder for pebble dashing and rendering, but nothing existed for plaster.
Determined to find a solution, I collaborated with a chemical engineer specialising in concrete. Together, we developed Extratime, the first plaster retarder of its kind.
Once Extratime hit the market, I received feedback from plasterers who loved the product but also wanted the opposite—something to speed up the setting time. That led me back to the same expert, and we created Halftime, a plaster accelerator.
Fast forward 9–10 years since founding Eazymix, and our products are now stocked across the UK in Travis Perkins, Jewson, Selco, Huws Gray, and more recently, B&Q, along with many independent retailers. We’ve also expanded our range with Eazyscrim, our own scrim tape, and I’m currently working on even more innovative products.
It’s amazing to see how these solutions are making a real difference in the trade—helping plasterers tackle bigger jobs more efficiently and speeding up smaller ones. I truly believe we’ve changed the way many plasterers work today.
Lath and Plaster 