Interview: We talk to Jason Cox at the opening of Cosentino's City Manchester showroom

As Spanish surface brand Cosentino opens the doors to its new showroom in Manchester, we speak to regional general manager, Jason Cox about what designers and retailers can expect when they visit.

Q: Tell us about the new showroom – what can you offer those who visit?
A: Our new venture, Cosentino City Manchester is located in one of the city centre’s most vibrant and creative districts – an area known for its energy, urban transformation, and thriving design culture. The new space has been created as an inspirational hub where designers, architects, and retailers can explore materials, collaborate with clients, and develop projects with the support of advanced digital tools.

At the heart of the showroom is a comprehensive materials library, allowing professionals to access, compare, and combine our full portfolio: Silestone®, Dekton®,  Sensa®, and Scalea® all in one place. All the products sit within a series of inspiration spaces designed to show the materials in real contexts, from kitchens and bathrooms to façades, workspaces, and cladding applications.

Thoughtfully curated lighting, sample arrangements, and tactile displays bring each surface to life and help users visualise how colours, finishes, and textures will work within their schemes. We are also delighted to bring Cosentino's new offering, Eclos, into the showroom, a new mineral surface with zero crystalline silica, high recycled material content and a groundbreaking layered design system, giving designers an opportunity to experience this new technology in person.

Q: Can you describe the different zones that have been created?
A: Cosentino City Manchester also offers a range of specialised zones to support creative development. The social area is a multifunctional space for networking, training and industry events. The bath studio features dedicated displays showcasing the latest bathroom solutions and trends from across our brands. The live kitchen is a fully functional kitchen used for live cooking sessions, demonstrations, and culinary‑focused events.

The atelier is a hands-on design workspace for experimenting with materials, building moodboards, and collaborating with other product partners. The digital slab has a large 4K screen offering a virtual catalogue of all Cosentino materials for easy comparison and project planning. And the Cosentino facades display showcases demonstrating full-scale façade applications with technical detailing, anchoring systems, and real project examples.

With a full calendar of talks, workshops, presentations, and design‑led events, Cosentino City Manchester has been created as a true meeting point for the design community. It reflects our investment in Manchester and the wider region as one of the UK’s most important creative hubs, and acts as a resource for professionals who want to stay inspired, informed, and connected. Our city manager, Stevie, and city specialist, Ciara, are always on hand to offer technical guidance, creative support, and personalised advice for projects of any scale.

Q: Are there any retailer support offerings such as training and showroom displays?
A: Absolutely – supporting retailers is a central purpose of Cosentino City Manchester. The space has been designed not just as a showroom, but as an extension of our partners’ own retail environments.

Retailers can use the showroom as a display inspiration hub, drawing on our full-scale kitchen and bathroom installations, material libraries, and carefully curated inspiration spaces to help customers visualise how Cosentino surfaces will look and feel in real home settings. These environments are especially valuable for retailers who may not have the space in their own showrooms to present multiple colours, finishes, or larger-format applications.

The City also functions as a dedicated training hub. Teams can visit to learn about the latest product developments, technical specifications, sustainability initiatives, installation best practices, and design trends, ensuring they stay fully up to date and confident when presenting Cosentino solutions to their customers.

We also offer private meeting spaces that retailers can use to host their own clients. Whether presenting concepts, working through material choices, or developing full project proposals, the space provides a professional and inspiring backdrop that supports every step of the design process.

With hands-on zones such as the Atelier, live areas for events and demonstrations, and expert support from Stevie and Ciara, Cosentino City Manchester gives retailers a flexible, high-quality resource that enhances their service offering while strengthening their connection to the local design community.

Clare Howcutt-Kelly is the communications officer for the Worktop Fabricators Federation (WFF) and can found on Instagram @clarehowcuttkelly.