CTM

What CTM does

CTM (Ceramic Tile Merchants), founded in 1983 and headquartered in Bryanston, South Africa, is the country's largest specialist tile and bathroom retailer. The company operates 94 retail stores across Southern and East Africa, with over 80 stores throughout South Africa spanning all nine provinces, supplemented by an e-commerce platform launched in 2012, Click & Collect from 70+ stores, phone and WhatsApp ordering, and international delivery to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, the Congo, and other markets. CTM employs 501–1,000 staff and runs an independent-owner-operated store model designed to deliver localised service.

The company's product portfolio centres on floor and wall tiles (porcelain, ceramic, hard body, mosaic, cladding), laminate and vinyl flooring, full bathroom categories (baths, toilets, showers, basins, cabinets, accessories, mirrors), kitchen sinks and taps, wall cladding, underfloor heating, and installation essentials. CTM differentiates via a portfolio of exclusive proprietary sub-brands — Tivoli Taps, Kilimanjaro, Organic Earth, Elf laminates, Promax tools, ProGrip adhesives and grouts, and Amalfi Taps — sourced through direct factory relationships that bypass intermediaries. The technology stack is a standard Magento-based e-commerce platform with integrated inventory management, store locator, tile calculator, and floor visualiser tools; no proprietary AI or advanced technical components are disclosed.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time retail sales of tiles, flooring, and bathroom products spanning entry-level (R79.90/m² tiles) through premium tiers (e.g., R8,299.90 bathroom sets), with complementary professional installation services carrying a 12-month workmanship guarantee. Multiple BNPL and credit integrations — Payflex, PayJustNow, RCS, Mobicred, and Ozow — extend affordability, while 30-day interest-free builder trade accounts and the CTM Mastertiler Club loyalty programme support a secondary B2B segment of builders, contractors, and commercial project customers. The company reports a 4.6/5 customer satisfaction rating and is privately held with no disclosed parent company, funding history, or institutional ownership.

Name

CTM

Legal name

CTM South Africa

Website

https://ctm.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

CTM is South Africa's largest specialist tile and bathroom retailer, operating 94 stores across Southern and East Africa since 1983. It sells tiles, flooring, bathroom products, and installation services to individual homeowners, builders, and commercial customers, supported by exclusive proprietary brands and a Magento-based e-commerce platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Home Improvement Retail

NAICS

Floor Covering Retailers (449121), Home Centers (444110), Flooring Contractors (23833)

akta.pro primary industry

Flooring Tools, Adhesives, Grout & Installation Supplies Retail (CRAIAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Resilient Sheet Vinyl & Linoleum Flooring Retail (CRAIAGAF), Adhesives, Sealants, Caulks & Tapes Retail (CRAIADAL)

Keywords

• Tile retail
• Bathroom fixtures
• Flooring solutions
• Home improvement
• Kitchen and bathroom retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Bryanston

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tile and Flooring Product Sales: CTM generates primary revenue through retail sales of tiles (ceramic, porcelain, hard body), laminate flooring, vinyl flooring, and related installation materials including adhesives, grout, and tools.
2. Bathroom Products: Secondary revenue stream from bathroom fixtures including baths, toilets, basins, showers, taps, cabinets, mirrors, and accessories. Products sold as one-time purchases with various finish and style options.
3. Installation Services: CTM offers professional installation services for tiles, laminated flooring, bathrooms, and shower doors, providing customers with complete project solutions including a 12-month guarantee on workmanship.
4. Credit and Financing: The company provides credit options and interest-free payment plans through partnerships with financing providers, enabling customers to purchase on credit with various payment terms including 30-day builder accounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CTM is South Africa's largest specialist retailer of floor and wall tiles, laminate and vinyl flooring, bathroom fixtures (baths, toilets, showers, basins, cabinets), taps, kitchen sinks, mirrors, wall cladding, and tiling essentials (tools, adhesives, grouts). The company sells its own exclusive proprietary brands including Kilimanjaro Tiles, Tivoli Taps, Amalfi Taps, Elf Laminates, Organic Earth Tiles, Promax Tools, and ProGrip Adhesives through 94 physical retail stores and an e-commerce platform. Complementary services include professional installation (with 12-month workmanship guarantee), Click & Collect, next-day delivery, international shipping, and flexible credit/financing options.

Product overview

CTM (Ceramic Tile Merchants) is South Africa's largest specialist tile and bathroom retailer, founded in 1983, with over 80 stores throughout South Africa and Africa. The company operates a single unified retail platform offering an extensive portfolio of building materials and home improvement products centered around tiles, flooring, and bathroom solutions. The core product range includes floor and wall tiles (Porcelain, Ceramic, Hard Body, Mosaic types) in various styles (Wood Look, Marble Look, Cement Look, Stone Look, Subway, Large Format, Kilimanjaro outdoor tiles), laminate flooring (Elf and Krono branded), and vinyl flooring. The bathroom category encompasses baths (freestanding, built-in, spa), toilets and toilet sets, showers and enclosures, basins and cabinets, and comprehensive bathroom accessories. The taps portfolio features exclusive brands Tivoli Taps and Amalfi Taps. Complementary product lines include kitchen sinks and taps, wall cladding (Stonewall), mirrors, and tiling essentials (Promax tools, ProGrip adhesives/grouts). CTM positions several sub-brands as exclusive offerings: Tivoli Taps, Kilimanjaro Tiles, Organic Earth tiles, Elf laminates, Promax tools, and ProGrip adhesives. The company differentiates through direct factory relationships bypassing middlemen, bulk buying power enabling competitive pricing, and a range of value-added services including professional installation (with 12-month guarantee), Click & Collect from 70+ stores, next-day delivery in metros, international shipping, flexible credit options, and trade accounts for builders and contractors. The online store, launched in 2012, extends the physical store experience with tools like tile calculators and floor visualisers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tivoli Taps: Exclusive tap brand bringing quality, value and support guaranteed by CTM.
• Kilimanjaro
• Organic Earth tiles
• Elf laminates
• Promax tools
• ProGrip adhesives and grouts

Products and services

• Tiles (Floor, Wall, Mosaic, Porcelain, Ceramic, Hard Body) Extensive range of floor and wall tiles in various materials including porcelain, ceramic, and hard body. Available in multiple styles such as wood look, marble look, cement look, stone look, subway, and large format. Suitable for indoor, outdoor, and commercial applications.
• Kilimanjaro Tiles Exclusive CTM tile brand designed for outdoor and challenging conditions. Features slip-resistant properties suitable for patios, pool areas, and outdoor applications. Includes Kilimanjaro Edge tiles.
• Laminate Flooring Boards

Quantifiable outcome

• Largest specialist tile and bathroom retailer in South Africa with 94 stores
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Bricorama: Bricorama-style independent tile and hardware franchises in Southern Africa serve as smaller, fragmented competitors that highlight the consolidation opportunity for specialists like CTM in underpenetrated regional markets.

Direct peers

• Italtile Limited: Italtile is South Africa's other publicly listed specialist tile and bathroom retailer with a comparable store network, exclusive brands (Italtile, CTM competitor, TopT), and franchise model. It is the most direct competitor to CTM in the South African tile retail market.
• Tile Africa: Tile Africa is a long-established South African specialist tile retailer offering floor and wall tiles, sanitaryware, and installation accessories through a multi-store footprint, directly competing with CTM on tile selection and trade pricing.
• Bathroom Bizarre: Bathroom Bizarre is a South African specialist retailer focused on sanitaryware, baths, showers, taps, and bathroom furniture, competing head-on with CTM's bathroom category and serving both retail and trade customers.
• Tile & Carpet City (Pennypinchers): Tile & Carpet City is a South African specialist retailer of tiles, carpets, laminates, and vinyl flooring, directly competing with CTM in floor coverings with similar trade-oriented service.

Broad incumbents

• Builders Warehouse: Builders Warehouse is a large South African home improvement big-box retailer offering tiles, flooring, bathrooms, paint, and tools under one roof. It overlaps with CTM on tiles and bathrooms but competes across a much broader DIY/builder assortment.
• Leroy Merlin South Africa: Leroy Merlin is a global home improvement retailer with South African stores selling tiles, flooring, bathrooms, and installation products. As a newer omnichannel entrant in SA, it represents a broad incumbent threat to CTM's specialist positioning.
• Cashbuild: Cashbuild is a South African building materials retailer with an extensive store network across Southern Africa. While focused more on core building materials than finished tiles, it competes with CTM for trade customers and DIY renovation spend.
• Mica Hardware: Mica is a South African hardware and home improvement franchise group with hundreds of stores selling paint, tools, adhesives, and selected tiles/flooring. It competes with CTM in tiling essentials and installation accessories at the trade and DIY level.

Regional players

• Werner Pumps: Werner is an East African-focused tiles, bathrooms, and flooring retailer with a multi-country presence in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. It is a regional peer to CTM's expansion ambitions in East Africa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@ctmafrica
• Xx.com/ctmafrica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sonntag-corporate-finance-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CTM