Mr Christopher Bylhouwer

Hi, my name is Chris Bylhouwer and I started this business in the late 1980’s. At the time, I was operating a building maintenance firm with 20 employees catering for Government housing and private customers. Many of those customers would ask me about treating their concrete. I always had a trade / hospitality background, completing my apprenticeship as a Vehicle Builder with the NSW Railways in 1982. Then managing a 237 room resort in Alice Springs for 2 years.  

In the late 1980’s, the industry of treating or decorating concrete almost didn’t exist.   Yet a demand was there and growing. People wanted their concrete to have better looks and safety, but few options were available to them. I lost a major Government maintenance contract causing me much financial crisis, then leading to a divorce.

The industry was new to me, so I found the answers and the many options available now.  I believed in myself and the industry. So with determination and the end vision in mind, I kept working hard towards that vision of my long term success and security, with a low-stress / relaxed lifestyle.
For many years I worked with a few staff, but mostly by myself to perfect the application process of all the services. I also had to perfect the many administration, marketing, finance and legal issues needed for this specialised industry. My little business was booming with staff, sub-contractors,  customers and profits always increasing.

With legal help, I established a Franchise system and sold our first Franchise in 1998. The profits and flexibility enjoyed by the Franchisees was amazing, yet some of the guys were still not happy. As a Franchise system we had all the usual fees, charges and reporting systems which restricted growth.There had to be a better way, so again with more legal help, we dropped all the fees, charges and reporting and changed to a License system in 2006

All these years of determination, hard work and experience have put me in a fantastic position. Even the problems of operating across the country plus overseas have been overcome. I now have a great team of people working with me. Now days, the business is still completing some quality jobs, but mostly training new Licensees at our training centre. They can have their own successful and a genuine independent business.