“By having a select number of products at our fingertips, we are able to have better knowledge of each one, inside and out,” says Todd Laidlaw, Regional Sales Manager Oceania for GCP Applied Technologies. “As a global company, the businesses we’re competing with might carry 500-1000 products, where we are offering between 50 and 60. This gives us the ability to learn about them so we can provide detailed advice on aspects like curing time and DFT (Dry Film Thickness). We are committed to providing quality training and technical support to our customers, ensuring that they understand our products well and complete each project successfully.”
GCP is a focused construction products technology company whose premium products include waterproofing, fire protection, and concrete and cement additives. “We operate in the higher-end space with products that offer greater longevity and performance,” Todd says. “The company has been around for more than 50 years, so we have deep market and product knowledge that allows us to provide added levels of reassurance, such as our 20-year long-term product warranties.”
Todd brings nearly two decades of experience to GCP through his background in building and construction sales, business development, and management. “My expertise is in waterproofing, which is 70-75% of our business. We have waterproofed every type of building and structure: commercial, residential, infrastructure. We’ve got our PREPRUFE® Plus high-end belt and braces waterproofing sheet that we use for critical below-grade applications, and we’re currently working on a mid-tier PREPRUFE® sheet that can be used in non-water-table environments. That mid-tier option will enable us to deliver a more cost-effective product for clients and builders to use in non-critical waterproofing environments. We’re expecting to launch that by the middle of 2025.
“By having a select number of products at our fingertips, we are able to have better knowledge of each one, inside and out,”
“We’ve also got our ELIMINATOR® bridge deck waterproofing solution in both asphalt and concrete finishes. This product extends the life of road and railway bridges by protecting the asset from erosion and rust. With it, we’re trying to limit repairs and save the government and taxpayers money by building infrastructure that lasts longer.”
Brisbane-based Todd works with projects across Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific. “We’ve been active in New Zealand now for about eight years, and Auckland’s Commercial Bay is one of our most well-known NZ projects. With three basement levels more than 56 feet deep, Commercial Bay required a waterproofing solution that would work in a wet and muddy environment, form a permanent continuous seal against water, and provide a barrier to resist the stress of ground settlement while still addressing the complex architectural design.
“More recently, we’ve worked on NZ projects including the Wellington Convention Centre and the Wellington Archives Building, both of which required below-ground waterproofing to ensure water tightness and longevity of their basement spaces, giving them the ability to safely store valuable assets, documents and artefacts. On the infrastructure side, we worked on a road tunnel project along the Wellington Northern Corridor, where we provided tunnel-grade fireproofing. Fireproofing is a part of our portfolio we really want to expand in the year ahead, and we see a great opportunity there, particularly in Christchurch and Wellington.”
As the recipient of the 2019 APAC Sales Master honour, Todd has demonstrated a clear ability to reach markets and boost sales growth across Oceania. He’s now set his sights on increasing GCP’s presence in the Pacific, where he has recently been investing a lot of time in getting to know the local industry. “We really want to boost our market profile across the Pacific region; that’s going to be a significant focus for me over the next 12-18 months. We’re currently working on some rooftop projects and a government project in the Solomon Islands, and I spent some focused time meeting with industry professionals in Fiji in August. I’ll be heading back there in early 2025 to do a training session with architects, get them exposed to what our liquid and sheet membranes can do, and help them gain confidence in using and specifying our products.”
The GCP team thrives on building relationships, Todd says, and these skills will be critical in the period ahead. “I wouldn’t be sitting here without our team. They’re knowledgeable, personable, and experienced. With economies and interest rates being so tough recently, it’s more important than ever to get out there and connect with the industry. That’s what will help us finish strong in 2024 and expand our opportunities in the year ahead.”
To learn more and connect with Todd, visit any of the below:
