Kitchens & Bathrooms News Summer 2020

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KI TCHENS &

BATHROOMS NEWS THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR KITCHEN & BATHROOM PROFESSIONALS

SUMMER 2020

EXCLUSIVE: KITCHENS & BATHROOMS NEWS SUMMER 2020

IDEAL STANDARD MD INTERVIEW Newly-appointed managing director David Barber talks about resilience, mutual support and the bathroom industry bounce back

LIFESTYLE KITCHENS How the lockdown has changed kitchen design – forever!

SMALL BATHROOMS Optimising sales in the smallest of spaces

news ■ expert views ■ company profiles ■ products ■ competitions ■ SME support www.kandbnews.co.uk

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Viega. Connected in quality.

viega.co.uk/prevista

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NO 151 VOL 14 SUMMER 2020

contents NEWS & VIEWS 5 First word Editor’s opinion

6 News Round-up of industry headlines

10 People Appointments and promotions

11 Inbox Reader feedback

24

12 Talking Shop Co-founder of Meliora Kelly Roden offers her experience of kitchen and bathroom retailing in the “new normal”

KITCHENS 15 Lifestyle kitchens

BATHROOMS 24 Small bathrooms Maximising profit in the smallest of spaces

How lockdown has changed the face of kitchen design – forever!

20 Filter water taps

26 Just out Latest bathroom product launches

Why filter water taps could benefit from consumers focusing on health and the environment

26

22 Just out Latest kitchen launches

BUSINESS 28 Ideal Standard interview Newly-appointed managing director David Barber discusses resilience, mutual support and the bathroom industry bounce back

30 Company matters SME advice covering marketing, financial, management, as well as legal issues

20

32 Last word Managing director of HiB Robert Ginsberg looks at challenges and changes to business but believes there is room for growth

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FIRST WORD

Lessons from lockdown When kitchen and bathroom showrooms began to open their doors, to trade in the “new normal”, there was undoubtedly trepidation.

Showroom environments had to be adapted, ways of working in store and on site had to be altered and footfall was uncertain. However, despite this backdrop, independent retailers have reported business is good since reopening and this even includes new enquiries.

It seems suggestions that consumers forced to spend more time at home would realise the value in investing in a new kitchen or bathroom project were far from rhetoric. And it fully supports the notion consumers coming out of lockdown are more affluent, having been unable to spend freely on outdoor activities and saving on commuting costs too.

In fact, a recent survey of 2,000 consumers

by Unhooked Communications reported twofifths (42%) said they are investing more in their home in 2020 as they have spent less money day-to-day during lockdown. It further found more than a third (36%) were ditching travel plans for holidays and instead planning to invest in their home. Of these home improvements, one in 10 consumers wanted a new kitchen, while 14% wanted a new bathroom. It seems pent-up demand for kitchens and bathrooms may be realised throughout the second half of 2020 and onwards.

Bathroom and kitchen retailers who turned up the volume of their marketing through digital channels to reach consumers, while showrooms were shut, are now placed to reap rewards.

However, accomplished retailers will continue to use the learnings from this lockdown period. They will embrace their website and social media channels, along with their showroom presence, to promote their business to the local community.

Of course, the local lockdown in Leicester serves as a stark reminder COVID-19 is still very much present and remains an external and unknown variable affecting businesses. The pandemic is far from over and will continue to influence not only the way companies operate but also their future finances. However, holding the status of “essential retail”, kitchen and bathroom showrooms can be more assured than many high street businesses that they can continue to trade.

The future may be in a state of flux and independent kitchen and bathroom businesses may need to be flexible. However, independent studios are renowned for their agility and ability to swiftly adapt to changing market conditions.

Far from a precarious future, then, using the lessons from lockdown, may see a positive outlook and period of growth for bathroom and kitchen retail.

NEWS & VIEWS

KBN LIKES ✔ ...to hear retailer stories from the front line.

Reports are that business is good, despite all the challenges kitchen and bathroom showrooms are having to face trading in the “new normal”

KBN DISLIKES ✖ ...JP Distribution has fallen into administration and hopes the situation can be resolved quickly for all concerned

KBN WANTS ! ...to congratulate John Robinson who has been elected president of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association, as well as vice presidents Jason Parker and Jason Smith

Philippa Turrell Editor Email your views on this subject, or any other, to pturrell@hamerville.co.uk To be removed from this magazine’s circulation please call 01923 237799 or email circulation@hamerville.co.uk Editor Philippa Turrell e: pturrell@hamerville.co.uk Designer Donna Booth Production Assistant Stephanie Stapleton e: stephanie@hamerville.co.uk Group Production Manager Carol Padgett e: carol@hamerville.co.uk Printer Walstead Roche

Publisher Bryan Shannon Group Advertisement Manager Craig Jowsey e: craig@hamerville.co.uk

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ABC total average net circulation 13,640 (for the 11 issues distributed between January to December 2019)

© 2020 KITCHENS & BATHROOMS NEWS accepts no responsibility for damage or loss, however caused, to any material submitted for publication. While every effort is made to ensure facts are correct at time of going to press, no responsibility can be accepted for incorrect product descriptions or facts. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in any form, without prior written permission from the publishers.

www.kandbnews.co.uk K&BNEWS SUMMER 5

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NEWS & VIEWS

MAKING HEADLINES

Set to invest close to £1million in Adamsez brand

IN BRIEF ■ The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) has rolled out its Protected digital platform that secures fitting monies for consumers and installers.

Consumers pay into a financially protected client account, which is paid to the installer on satisfactory completion and any disputes are assessed by the BiKBBI to support resolution. Read the full story at www.rdr.link/KR001

■ Worktop manufacturer Cosentino is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding as Marmoles Cosentino. The past four decades has seen the company create Silestone and Dekton brands and become the first Spanish company to advertise during the Super Bowl. View the rest of the story at www.rdr.link/KR002 ■ Domestic appliance manufacturer Hoover has been awarded Superbrands status for 2020/21, for the second year in a row. It is evaluated against quality, reliability and distinction and is voted upon by consumers who consider the profile, marketing activities, as well as new products and services. For the full story read www.rdr.link/KR003 ■ Distributor Ideal Bathrooms has formed a partnership with BagnoDesign and is exclusively stocking 650 brassware pieces. It follows trade research by Ideal Bathrooms, which highlighted increasing demand from retailers and merchants for more specialist brands. Read the rest of the story at www.rdr.link/KR004

6 SUMMER K&BNEWS www.kandbnews.co.uk

Aqualla acquires “historic” Adamsez Northern Ireland-based bathroom manufacturer, which is relative new to the market, Aqualla has acquired the established Adamsez brand.

The acquisition sees Aqualla add luxury baths to its existing portfolio of brassware, mirrors and radiators.

Aqualla has announced plans to invest close to £1million in the development of the Adamsez brand over the next 12 months.

It forms part of Aqualla’s growth plans to meet the needs of its customers in Great Britain, the North and the South of Ireland.

The move follows investment in capital and resources over the past 18 months, including the creation of Research and Development, Marketing and Technical Support departments.

Managing director Steven Allaway commented: “Aqualla’s success can be attributed to the continual endeavour to provide firstclass service and quality products to meet the needs of our customers.

“We are confident that the Adamsez brand will experience the same benefits from this strategy.

“The combination of old and new brands coming together has great potential that will improve our offering and service to the bathroom industry.”

He continued: “We are extremely proud to be able to preserve this historic brand and plan significant investment to develop its quality range, working with its established team to introduce new, innovative products to the market.”

Sales director Noel Daly added: “Adamsez has a great history with a skilled and knowledgeable team.

“We aim to breathe new life into this historic brand by investing in its products and service in the immediate term while working toward a brand relaunch at the end of the year.

“It is an exciting and positive time against this post-pandemic backdrop within the industry.

“Adamsez brings a fantastic complementary product offering to the existing Aqualla portfolio, allowing us to expand on current partnerships and welcome new ones – the future is bright.”

Former De’Longhi CEO takes helm

Duravit appoints Tahy as CEO German bathroom manufacturer Duravit announced Stephan Patrick Tahy as CEO at its Supervisory Board meeting on June 29.

He succeeds Prof. Frank Richter who left the company on June 30.

Tahy is former CEO of De’Longhi Germany and prior to that was vice president and GM of Mattel.

Commenting on his new appointment, Tahy said: “I am pleased at the confidence that has been placed in me to drive the

fantastic work of this innovative company forward and to be working with all Duravit employees to shape our common future.”

Gregor Greinert, chairman of the supervisory board of Duravit, said: “We are delighted with the appointment of Stephan Tahy who is a dedicated, high calibre successor to Prof Frank Richter, and who will continue to advance Duravit’s highly successful development. We are really looking forward to working with him.”

He added: “We would like to thank Frank Richter for his outstanding contribution over many successful years.

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Large events “almost incalculable risk”

Grohe withdraws from ISH 2021 Bathroom manufacturer Grohe has announced its decision to withdraw from next year’s ISH 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic and the organisers “unsatisfactory” hygiene concept for the brand.

The company stated three main reasons led to the decision of the global brand, which is part of Lixil.

These included the values of “respect and doing the right thing to protect employees, business partners and customers.”

It also highlighted the “fragile” COVID-19 situation in Germany and in countries throughout Europe, making large events “an almost

incalculable risk.”

Grohe also reported the hygiene concept suggested by the ISH organization “unsatisfactory” for the brand.

CEO Lixil EMENA and Co-CEO Grohe AG Jonas Brennwald explained: “With great regret we have to cancel our participation in the trade fair ISH 2021 at the scheduled time in March 2021.

“Our customers and business partners are expecting us to create a unique brand experience with fantastic product launches and engaging with us on a personal basis during the fair.

“However, under the given circumstances and restrictions we don´t see this possible with a traditional fair concept.”

COO Fittings Lixil International and Co-CEO of Grohe Thomas Fuhr added: “We were very sorry to hear that there was no will to postpone the ISH trade fair until a later date.”

He continued: “One of our company values is doing the right thing. We are convinced that in this crisis situation, the cancellation is unfortunately the only right thing to do to ensure the safety and health of all involved.”

Following this decision, Grohe

will also review participation in other trade fairs in the EMENA region.

Grohe is currently exploring an alternative concept to present its product launches for business partners and the media next year.

Former Ideal Standard MD joins firm

Richard and Bob Norris now joint chair

Stephen Ewer joins Bathroom Brands as CEO

Mereway owners step back and Mark Mills named managing director Following owners of the family-run Mereway Group taking a step back from the day-to-day running of the company, Mark Mills has been appointed managing director.

Brothers Richard and Bob Norris will now hold the position of joint chair of the

Bathroom Brands Group has appointed former Ideal Standard MD of UK & Ireland Stephen Ewer as CEO. Speaking of Stephen Ewer’s appointment, founder of Bathroom Brands Patrick Riley commented “We are in great shape financially to weather the current pandemic and are delighted to welcome Stephen as our new CEO. He will bring new

energy and focus on strengthening our position as a market leader.”

Stephen Ewer commented “I’m very excited to be joining the Bathroom Brands Group.

The business is well positioned to navigate the current crisis and emerge prepared to embrace both the challenges and opportunities that will face the industry.”

kitchen and bathroom furniture manufacturer, with Mark Mills supported by an augmented board of directors.

Commenting on the decision, Bob Norris said: “We have been guiding the Mereway Group since its formation in 1986 and feel the time is now right for us to take a step back from the day-to-day management of the business whilst still keeping a watchful eye on its progress.”

He continued: “We will be helping out and advising in any way that is considered helpful by the management team.”

Bob Norris concluded: “The move creates space for a younger generation of management to advance the business with new ideas and fresh thinking.

“We believe this move will give increased impetus and momentum and will benefit everyone within the organisation.

“Our ambition remains to develop Mereway Kitchens to take its rightful place as a major force in the kitchen industry.”

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NEWS & VIEWS

MAKING HEADLINES

Chinese manufacturer and distributor sales of €1.7billion

IN BRIEF ■ Kitchen furniture manufacturer LochAnna Kitchens has celebrated its 100,000th delivery, which was shipped to Cotswold Kitchen & Bathroom Solutions.

LochAnna Kitchens has been in business for six years, following its launch in November 2014. For more details read www.rdr.link/KR005

■ Appliance brand Beko launched #BekoGiving, donating appliances for frontline NHS, as well as charities and services helping the vulnerable, during the pandemic.

More than 1,600 appliances were donated to over 50 sites across the UK in 12 weeks. Read the whole story at www.rdr.link/KR006 ■ Bathroom manufacturer RAK Ceramics has launched a Showroom Virtual Tour to allow visitors to browse its selection of sanitaryware, tiles and slabs online. The virtual tour of its Corporate Showroom offers a 360° view, with information and images of the product, plus VR functionality with compatible headsets. Read more details at www.rdr.link/KR007 ■ Retailer Tile Mountain has opened a showroom in Birmingham, which spans 12,000 sqft across two levels. Tile Mountain Birmingham adheres to the same design concept as the company’s flagship Stoke on Trent showroom and Stockport location.

It showcases over 1,000 tiles and accessories. Read more on this story at www.rdr.link/KR045

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Investor Jomoo takes over Poggenpohl Subsidiary of the Chinese Jomoo Group, Jomoo Germany has taken over kitchen manufacturer Poggenpohl for an undisclosed sum.

The transferred restructuring was notarised on July 10, 2020 and until the contract takes effect, insolvency administrator Manual Sack at Brinkmann & Partner will continue Poggenpohl’s business for the buyer.

Owner-managed Jomoo Group, which manufactures and distributes sanitary fittings, ceramics and kitchens, is committed to Poggenpohl’s production site in Herford and will take over a large part of the company’s workforce.

CEO of Poggenpohl Gernot Mang, who will continue to head the company, believes the acquisition could result in new business fields for Poggenpohl: “Together with Jomoo, we will expand the international project business.

“Interesting synergies between

the kitchen and bathroom segments will become possible, because in future we will be able to offer project developers a one-stop design for both rooms.

“Poggenpohl is thus making an advance beyond the kitchen into the extended living space.

“In the future, we will push even further into the luxury kitchen segment and, to this end, increase the quantities of our kitchens produced in Herford. The specialist trade plays a key role for the premium brand Poggenpohl.”

General manager of Jomoo Germany Xiaowei Lin stated: “As a critical part of Jomoo’s long term sustainable market and product strategy, we value the need to well cover the high-end and premium market segment.

“We have seriously considered the opportunity to work with or acquire an established brand with high quality and design reputation

for a while.

“Such a brand should preferably have a long-standing history, wellknown around the world and wellrespected with a reputation for craftsmanship and excellence.

“Poggenpohl meet such criteria and would nicely fit into Jomoo’s market strategy in expanding its kitchenware and cabinet offering.”

Headquartered in Xiamen, on the South East Coast of China, Jomoo has factories in China, employs a workforce of 14,500 people, and has annual sales of €1.7billion.

It owns a national network of 5,000 distributors and close to 4,000 shops and showrooms across China.

Jomoo also exports to customers in North American, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and has regional offices, including a base in Munich, Germany.

Yorkshire-based distributor seeks owner

JP Distribution falls into administration JP Distribution, Yorkshire-based distributor of kitchens and bathrooms, has fallen into administration.

The company appointed Francis Newton and Simon Edward Jex Griling of BDO as joint administrators on July 1, 2020.

They have been tasked with finding a buyer for the company or to divide up the business and sell off the assets.

Established for 40 years, the business was founded by John Beckingham and Peter Bence and remained in the hands of the Beckingham family following Bence’s retirement. It was led by MD Graham Bucktrout, who joined the company in May 2018.

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Warehouse to cater for expanding Scudo brand

Harrison Bathrooms opens second warehouse Yorkshire-based bathroom distributor Harrison Bathrooms has moved into a 68,000sqft warehouse, in Leeds, to accommodate its expanding Scudo range.

The company acquired its second site in January 2020, which adds to its HQ in Keighley.

In addition to the company’s existing offices and warehouse, the new facility provides an extra 8,500 pallet space for its Scudo range, which has increased in product choice by 40%.

The warehouse will house a two-storey showroom for the

Scudo brand, which will open in September According to Harrison Bathrooms, following continued growth and demand, the supplier is

on track to meet its £40million turnover target by 2023.

Managing director of Harrison Bathrooms James Harrison said: “As a family-run business with roots

within the industry for more than 100 years, we have made it our mission to provide high-quality products with increased margins for our customers.

“The current global pandemic is likely to hit our industry, like many others, hard. So we are encouraging our customers to look at suppliers with a reduced supply chain to help them make better margins.”

“The new warehouse facility enables us to increase our stock holding across our Scudo range and the excellent transport links will continue our 24-hour delivery service level across the UK.”

COVID-19 lockdown impacts sales by nearly 80%

Ideal Standard business director takes helm

Kitchen and bathroom merchant sales collapse

John Robinson named BMA president

According to the BMBI, merchant sales in April took the force of the Government enforced lockdown from late May and show “unprecedented figures”.

It reflects the fact many trades were not working and most merchants temporarily closed branches or provided a restricted service for essential sectors and emergencies.

Total Builders Merchants value sales in April were down 76.3% compared with April 2019.

All categories saw heavy falls, with Workwear & Safetywear least affected (-60.2%), and Tools (90.0%) hit hardest.

Kitchens & Bathrooms (-86.8%) and Decorating (-81.6%) were also particularly weak.

Total merchant value sales in April were 72.1% below March 2020, with two less trading days.

All product categories were severely hit, with Kitchens &

Bathrooms (-85.3%) among the weakest.

The average sales a day, which removes trading day differences, were 69.3% lower overall than in March.

Sales in the first four months of 2020 were 25.2% lower than in January to April 2019, with one more trading day this year.

Workwear & Safetywear (+4.4%) was the only category that sold more – driven by strong demand for protective equipment in March.

April’s BMBI index was 29.0 and all categories were well down, with the index for Kitchens & Bathrooms at 15.3.

Each quarter, BMBI Experts speak exclusively for their markets, explaining trends, issues and opportunities.

For the latest reports, Expert comments and Round Table debate videos, visit www.bmbi.co.uk.

Business director of Ideal Standard John Robinson has been elected president of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA), succeeding managing director of Roca UK Alan Dodds.

The election took place during the association’s annual general meeting, which was held online for the first time due to COVID-19.

Managing director of Thomas Dudley Jason Parker was named first vice-president and chief commercial officer of Bristan Jason Smith was chosen as second vice president.

On assuming the role of BMA president John Robinson said: “I’m looking forward to continuing my work with the BMA and taking on this role.

“It has been many years since a member from Ideal Standard has had the privilege of being in this position.

“I am honoured to have been

confirmed, and humbled that my peers in both our business and the industry consider me worthy of this appointment.”

Chief executive of the BMA Tom Reynolds added: “John is a wellknown and respected figure in the bathroom industry who I’m looking forward to working with closely as president.

“Along with Jason Parker and Jason Smith, we are lucky to have such a strong presidential team that will ensure the association continues to deliver value for members and be the voice of the industry.

“I want to pay tribute to our outgoing president, Alan Dodds, who has done a tremendous job in leading the association through some tumultuous times.”

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NEWS & VIEWS

PEOPLE

Position filled Appointments and promotions across the industry

PRONORM

SIMON ACRES GROUP

ABODE

JJO

Kitchen furniture manufacturer Pronorm has promoted Richard Turner to the position of UK national sales manager. He has worked for the company for 14 years as area sales manager for Central England and will retain responsibility for his territory, as well as oversee sales in the UK and Ireland. Turner succeeds Jason Grinton who has retired after selling Pronorm kitchens for 32 years.

Recruitment, training and media consultancy Simon Acres Group has expanded its team with the addition of Andrew Wright who takes on the new role of operations manager. Wright has a background in business management, which includes recruitment, logistics and warehousing. He will be working with principal director Simon Acres to drive forward the growth of the business.

National sales manager for Abode Peter Phelan has been promoted to the new position of sales director. He has worked for the company for the past 13 years and his sales achievements and customer relationships have been central to driving Abode’s growth.

Phelan’s promotion follows the company’s appearance at Kbb, where it reported interest in the brand was stronger than ever.

JJO has recently appointed Connor Judge to the role of area sales manager for the West Midlands. He has joined the company from Blackheath Products where he spent the past four years working across its West Midlands and South West territory. Judge will use his experience of working in the distribution industry to nuture and grow JJO’s kitchen and bedroom business.

HIB

FLUIDMASTER UK

WHIRLPOOL UK APPLIANCES

BRANDT DESIGN

HiB has recently welcomed Sophie Watts to the company as contracts coordinator. She has a strong background in sales, having worked for one of the UK’s largest shipping firms, and will help grow HiB’s projects and specification department. Watts will be tasked with developing key business relationships with designers, buyers and commercial project managers, seeking new opportunities and developing existing partnerships.

WC products and accessories manufacturer Fluidmaster has appointed Julia Coulthard to the role of national OEM sales manager. Having previously worked in sales roles for Aqualisa, Bristan and Triton, she will use her experience to drive and secure business with new OEM partners within the bathroom and sanitaryware markets. Coulthard’s appointment is part of the company’s global five-year sales strategy to grow its OEM network worldwide.

Whirlpool UK Appliances has recently appointed Hugo Silva to the role of marketing director for the UK and Ireland.

He has joined the UK team from Whirlpool Portugal where he held the position of country manager for 11 years. Silva started his career at Whirlpool in 1998, building relationships with kitchen studios and the contract market, and has since held a number of sales and marketing roles in the company.

Luxury interiors specialist Brandt Design has recently expanded its Project Design team with the appointment of Dionne O’Brien.

Based at the company’s head office and stone fabrication centre in Stevenage, she will work across both residential and contract interiors. O’Brien has prior experience of design and management, having started out in the education industry. She has also worked for Cameo Kitchens, CC Kitchens and Majestic Showers.

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YOUR THOUGHTS

NEWS & VIEWS

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Inbox...

Philippa Turrell The lessons kitchen and bathroom retailers have learned during lockdown will be invaluable in helping them capitalise on future growth.

Do you agree? @Devonportskitch1 To be honest it has been crazy busy since we reopened the doors. Anyone still not open, don’t panic. Customers are waiting for you, I promise.

Great order book now.

COVID-19 positive people) remain low. Really feel for those [businesses] in Leicester and hope that they get additional support if needed.

We have lots of new clients which is great [and] positive news. Design office is in full flow. Great that magazines are coming back on board, now, as well.

Philippa Turrell Brassware manufacturer Aqualla has acquired Adamsez with plans to invest close to £1million in the brand

Eddie Streader From the experience I have had so far from our retailers it has been very positive.

Showrooms are opening up mainly by appointment only but getting a fantastic response. Convert rate is quite high and there are lots of enquiries. It’s made lots of them consider and change how they run their businesses moving forward.

Gary Hildrow Great news lads!

James Harrison Congratulations

Ryan Harris Great news!

@DesignBrandt April 2020 issue of @kandbnews sees colour return to kitchen design. On pages 21 & 24 our very own Julia Steadman at #BrandtDesign gives her thoughts on the virtues of colour #design #kitchens #colour #kitchendesign. Read the full article at www.rdr.link/KR008 COLOURED KITCHENS

Richard Robinson Congratulations Steven. I wish you every success in this new venture

Discerning palette

KITCHENS

A taste for homogenous home interiors and individuality has seen colour return to kitchen design

John Weir Well done Noel Daly. Great acquisition. Best of luck

Buoyed by the growth of the clinical, architectural kitchen, designed around purity of aesthetics, white became a staple choice. Never out of fashion, it offered longevity in terms of interior styles for consumers who didn’t want to put off a home buyer at a later stage. Now, it has been joined by safe neutrals such as grey or combined with wood effects to add visual interest without dividing design opinion.

However, consumers are becoming ever more adventurous and want to express their individuality in interior design. Marketing and retail sales director of Symphony Simon Collins says: “Grey is the new neutral, and our sales figures have reflected this, with whites and ivories experiencing a decrease in popularity – showing that homeowners do want to choose colour for their kitchen design.”

Head of kitchen channel at Grohe Tony Wilson says the growing trend is driven by social media: “Colour is most certainly playing a more predominant role in the kitchen and we can see this reflected through social platforms, such as Pinterest and Instagram, as well as the changing aesthetics of showroom displays and the residential projects our installer partners and project teams are currently collaborating on.”

And head of operations at Brandt Design Julia Steadman agrees: “I think it’s true to say that colour is one aspect of a kitchen, which makes a strong impact on its design as THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR KITCHEN increased personalisation continues to permeate & BATHROOM PROFESSION the market. We are finding our customers ALS are more curious and open-minded about kitchen design, and colour definitely has a part to play in Adding value unifying schemes and promoting a feeling of through partnerships with cohesion between kitchen and living areas.” suppliers

K I TC H E N S &

1 BA THROOMS NEW S APRIL 2020

HILL’S PANEL PROD UCTS

Get in touch and contact the editor via email pturrell@hamerville or through any of our social media channels:

How the interior Greysistrend a safe choice for a coloured kitchen, as for individualisati reflected by the Q-line range from the Cucina on is encour aging Colore collection.

It is shown in Ceramic Pietra the greater use of colour Ceramica and Graffite Ceramica with a Graphite painted grip profile. See the entire range at www.rdr.link/KP010

2. DAVAL

2

Made from real wood, Pembroke has been designed as a modern classic with a Shakerstyle door. It is shown in a painted navy blue and is available in 20 colours. View the entire palette at www.rdr.link/KP011

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BATHROOM TAPS AND

What styles are

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and customers

COLOURED1. MEREWAY KITCHENS

NEWS APRIL 2020

WaterlooBathrms Business has been much better than expected. Had quite a few people saying they are spending on bathrooms as not going on holiday. Hope it continues!

Sofia Charalambous Congratulations Steven Allaway you will do a fantastic job

@Caple “As the only one of its kind in the world, our Mode175GD sink mixes two metallics – cool steel with warm gold – for absolute style in the kitchen.” Find out more about our unique Mode sink in @kandbnews

KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

Mel Holliday For us business is good and generally the showrooms, workshop and fitting are running smoothly. For us, like many however, especially as we are getting local spikes like Leicester, we feel constantly on high alert. A staff member having a close shave with a distant family member brought it to the fore again. If they had tested positive for COVID-19, we may have had to close again for a week. It is the new norm and hopefully we will get more confident if numbers (of

Email us, write to us or contact us through any of our social media channels. Get involved, as we want to hear your views

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NEWS & VIEWS

TALKING SHOP

Brighter horizons Co-founder of Meliora in Bawtry, Kelly Roden says operating her retail business is challenging in the current climate. But she says high levels of consumer enquiries are providing motivation and glimpses of a brighter future Post KBB we were riding a wave of uncertainty.

But when Boris took to the now in-famous podium on March 23 and announced the closure of retail and the country going into lockdown, I’m sure like a lot of our peers in the industry, we felt a little bewildered. What did this mean for us?

We did have the slight hitch of a fit having started on that very Monday. But in an empty house, with no other trades on site, it was completed to a point it was able to be left for the foreseeable and we battened down the hatches.

As the weeks rolled by, we designed and liaised with our wonderful clients, while working from home. At the same time, we were schooling our 10-year-old, while keeping the business afloat.

By appointment only Mid to late May and with the national chains reopening, we felt we had come as far as we could working from home and started appointment-only consultations at the showroom. With appropriate steps in place, we were able to secure several projects to start in July and the world regained a sense of our new normality.

Prepping the showroom for each appointment is time-consuming and days where we have had multiple appointments thoroughly

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draining. The PPE is expensive and then the sanitising of the showroom is time-consuming and energy-sapping. We are staying open by appointment only for the time being due to this. I cannot morally allow anyone through our doors without being safe in the knowledge that we have prepped the showroom to the standard necessary. And for us, that just isn’t possible with an open-door policy.

Keeping safe onsite When conducting home visit appointments, we have had a mixed bag of reactions. Some customers are almost offended we feel the need to wear PPE and others happily accepting this is how it needs to be for all involved. We started a new project, last week, and had to ask the client’s mother to leave the site as there was no way we could consciously keep her safe, due to the amount of trades needing to be there at that stage. That normally wouldn’t be an issue, and we are always happy when a representative of the client is around for queries, but right now safety must come first for all involved.

Furlough affecting supply We are fortunate that we don’t rely on volume as the supply chain is tough, even now, weeks later. Furlough has made communication difficult

with our suppliers and the lack of area reps on the road means we have been dealing with head office staff who don’t know us, how we work and have been left to fend for ourselves in so many cases. Around three weeks for basic responses has been the norm.

This has encouraged us to assess the suppliers we want to go forward with, as this will not easily be forgotten. With the talk of further waves and localised lockdowns, the impact may be felt further and be ongoing. So streamlining suppliers is absolutely necessary.

Morale boosting enquiries Our saving grace is the level of enquiries we have been receiving; this alone has been a huge boost to our morale. When we feel a little fatigued by the situation, this is a huge motivator to keep pushing on. We do not actively advertise, and these enquiries are through recommendation – the best kind and the ones that make all we do worth it.

The responsibility to the public is all encompassing and people will always come before profit for us. The industry will, and is, going to go through some tough times due to COVID, rolling lockdowns and even a possible second wave. But so far we are busy, and for that alone the future feels a little brighter.

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LIFESTYLE KITCHENS

KITCHENS

Life less ordinary We examine how the lockdown has and will continue to shape the spatial planning and specification of lifestyle kitchens Although the kitchen has, for some time, been a multifunctional space combining cooking, dining and entertaining, the pandemic lockdown has seen its role increase even further. It has also become a space for home schooling, a work office and even remote business conference facilities. Head of UK operations at Rotpunkt Matt Phillips points to this new way of life: “The Office for National Statistics predicts that by (the end of) 2020 over half the UK workforce will be working from home. This means the kitchen needs to serve multiple needs now and seamlessly blend work, leisure and social time.”

Planning for improvements The extra hours spent at home has enabled consumers to see where improvements are needed to enable their kitchen to meet these multi-purpose requirements. Sales and marketing director of Franke UK Jo Rawstron explains: “With all the extra time we have spent in our kitchens for Zooming, teaching, home working, cooking, eating and living, there has been ample opportunity to understand what works and what doesn’t.” So it’s unsurprising to discover recent consumer research indicates two fifths of those surveyed (42%) said they are investing more in their home in 2020, with one in 10 consumers wanting to purchase a new kitchen. So what will kitchens look like for postlockdown life?

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1 Designed for work

1. TKC

The open plan scheme with kitchen islands or breakfast bars has long served the role of the living/dining space and are suited to work space too. Doug Haswell, furniture manager of Caple, comments: “With the numbers of people working from home having dramatically increased since the pandemic began, it has made the island unit even more of a key feature in the kitchen.”

But now there is also greater emphasis on storage requirements to incorporate home offices. Pronorm’s national sales manager for UK & Ireland Richard Turner believes this move towards more home working will buoy the movement for broken plan kitchens, as he

The Cambridge door is shown here in Indigo Blue contrasted with Light Grey. Boasting a Shaker design, each door is constructed from 20mm solid Ash. See all the available finishes at www.rdr.link/KR009

2. CROWN Midsomer is an Oak Shaker in a handleless design and comes in a choice of 18 colours. It is shown here in Cashmere. Discover all the colours and request a brochure at www.rdr.link/KR010

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LIFESTYLE KITCHENS

4 3. CAPLE

5. MOORES

The Metz Graphite kitchen features high gloss, lacquered doors and an integrated handle. It also comes with convex and concave doors.

View the cabinet and door finishes at www.rdr.link/KR011

Part of the Definitive by Moores collection is Zurich, which has a J-profile handle. It is offered in five colours, with a choice of six cabinet colours. Read the brochure online at www.rdr.link/KR013

4. VILLEROY & BOCH

6. ROTPUNKT

The Cera range is available in nine ceramic finishes and is shown in Calatorao Silk. It is manufactured using water resistant Eco-Pro carcasses with laser edging. View the online brochure at www.rdr.link/KR012

Shown on the Zerox range of kitchen furniture is Lava, a dark grey matt. Lava is one of three colours added to the HPL extreme matt range.

Download a pdf with all the product details at www.rdr.link/KR014

KITCHENS

continues: “With more people going to be home working, it will be more important – where possible – to have a distinction between areas of the home so that they have the best possible chance to turn off from work mode. This leans more towards broken plan living or at the least well-designed storage so that work items can be organised, easily accessed and stowed out of sight at the end of a working day.”

And Tim Spann, national sales manager for Keller Kitchens agrees: “For house remodelling, more multi-plan as opposed to open plan will be the way forward for many. We’ve seen how this allows consumers to organise working from home better and create a physical division between life and work.”

Concealment is key, points out award-winning designer and retailer of Alno Diane Berry of Diane Berry Kitchens who says: “The best product to suit the current lifestyle has to be pocket doors. People love hiding their mess.”

However, for consumers with room, it arguably could see the home office, which was resident in the kitchen short-term, made into a permanent fixture elsewhere in the house.

Marketing manager at TKC Neil Taggart states: “Three months home working is a different proposition to long term and, rather that integrate this element into the kitchen, people may look at other areas such as a spare bedroom.”

Social bubble space

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Whether the kitchen includes a home working area or not, it is not at the expense of the kitchen being a socialising space. Sinead Trainor, kitchen category manager for LochAnna Kitchens, says: “Even though more people will use the kitchen space for work, the social aspect of the kitchen will not disappear.

Creating a multi-purpose and practical space has always been the aim of popular open plan kitchen designs.”

In fact, it could be suggested at-home entertaining will become even more prevalent, as it could be far preferable to negotiating social distancing at pubs or restaurants. Diane Berry of Diane Berry Kitchens comments: “I think socialising in kitchens is still top of the list and people will feel more comfortable entertaining at home rather than the stress, potentially, of restaurants where you cannot control how careful strangers are but at home you can control who you choose to share your bubble with.”

And of course socialising is inherently a natural extension of what the kitchen was created for – cooking – lest we forget! VP of design and brand at Fisher & Paykel Mark Elmore says: “Now that more people are working from home, it does not necessarily mean the kitchen must become a less social

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KITCHENS

LIFESTYLE KITCHENS

7. KELLER Embracing Scandinavian styling, the Elba door is shown in a Pebble finish and features stainless steel handle trims. The melamine door is available in the Comfort and Master Collection of colours. See all the options at www.rdr.link/KR015

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8. PRONORM This Proline kitchen in Arctic White gloss and Fineline Oak shows how a lifestyle kitchen can be created in a relatively small space. It functions as a cooking, eating and working area.

View the product range for 2020 at www.rdr.link/KR016 space. More people are moving into the kitchen to spend time with one another. Rather than just sitting and watching the theatre of cooking unfold, we are picking up the wooden spoon and giving the pot a stir. It is now a team effort.

Fisher & Paykel calls this “The Social Kitchen” philosophy and it will remain at the forefront of trends influencing modern interior design.”

He continues: “To successfully create this social hub, it’s important to open up the kitchen design and to move the appliances out into places that allow work zones for more than one person.”

Comfort and health

9 9. DAVAL Inspired by Scandinavian styling, Alaskan Oak is a white-washed oak effect with natural-looking knots and cracks. It is shown on the Varenna furniture collection with modern, slab doors.

Download the brochure at www.rdr.link/KR017

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Equally, with consumers spending more time in the kitchen area, designers should pay attention to the noise level of appliances to create a more comfortable and healthier environment. Head of operations at Brandt Design Julia Steadman comments: “I think designers need to consider additional factors like acoustics and the sensory aspects of a kitchen in more depth, so we can deliver on good-looking kitchens that are subjective and user efficient.” And Diane Berry agrees, adding: “I think many people overlook acoustics and it is important in a room that people want to talk and concentrate in. So, searching out

low decibel appliances is super important.”

As part of this drive towards more biophilic kitchen design, enhancing the health and wellbeing of its users, Jo Rawstron says: “Hygiene has understandably moved up the list of priorities in recent months.” Since sink areas and worktops are key food preparation zones, designers could look for those that offer the most hygienic solutions from touch-free taps, through to antibacterial enhanced surfaces and sinks. Head of product worktops UK at Wilsonart Caroline Elliott comments: “We are seeing huge growth for compact laminate worktops like Zenith and Evolve that not only look high value but are highly functional with high scratch resistance and antibacterial properties.”

High value investment Certainly, research supports high value products will be on the wish list of consumers as they have more disposable income. AA Financial Services reports eight in 10 consumers have spent significantly less during lockdown. The kitchen market also has fewer competitors too, as consumers are shunning holidays in favour of home improvements. It is the belief of Helene Bangert, head of architecture and design at the Baumann Group who says: “People will now spend the time and money previously used for holidays on their homes, so they will invest in designs that have to last for a long while.” And Caroline Elliott of Wilsonart agrees: “Many consumers are diverting budget, which would have been spent on holidays this year, into home makeovers.”

Certainly the pandemic has had an influence on kitchen design and managing director Simon Daval concludes this will continue into the future: “This new desire for an all-inclusive kitchen space that plays a role in shaping someone’s lifestyle for the better has definitely been exacerbated by the outbreak of COVID-19.

And I don’t believe this is likely to change as the home continues to be where end users feel most safe.”

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KITCHENS

FILTER WATER TAPS

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Stream of consciousness How the COVID-19 lockdown could positively affect filter tap sales, as consumers focus on their health and pay greater attention to protecting the environment When the COVID-19 lockdown began, it had the consequences of consumers paying closer attention to their physical and mental health and, arguably, an unforeseen positive impact on the environment. And these are the same key drivers for filter water taps sales, as sales and marketing director of Franke UK, Jo Rawstron comments: “Health and wellbeing, reducing plastic consumption and a desire for better tasting drinking water are the key drivers that lead people to considering purchasing a filter tap.” She continues: “Lockdown has focused people’s attention, more than ever, on mental and physical wellbeing and drinking water is an essential part of that for concentration, digestion, flushing of toxins to name just a few benefits.”

Environmental benefits And during lockdown, it saw people enjoy the beneficial changes to the environment – from reduced air pollution to cleaner waters. But the easing of lockdown resulted in crowded UK beaches with tonnes of rubbish left behind.

There has been rightful indignation and an uproar for people to better protect the

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environment. As a replacement for bottled water, filter water taps sales could be a solution.

Marketing manager for Blanco UK John Robinson states: “In the UK, we use over 7 billion plastic water bottles which can take anywhere between 450 and 1000 years to decompose. There has been a growing education on this and a filter tap offers an intelligent solution to the plastic bottle problem.”

And national sales manager of The 1810 Company Daryl Southwell agrees: “The installation of a water filter tap has massive environmental benefits by eliminating the need for bottled water and its associated pollution.”

2 1. BLANCO Part of the Blanco Smart Tap portfolio is FontasS II which features a pull-out hose and secondary spout dedicated to the filter water supply. It features a 5-stage BWT filter to eliminate micro particles, odours, impurities and heavy metal. Download product information at www.rdr.link/KR019

2. PERRIN & ROWE The 1475 Picardie Mixer with filtration features a three-way system offering hot, cold and filtered water. The filter is comprised of silver, known for antibacterial properties, activated carbon and Zeolite volcanic materials. Download product documentation at www.rdr.link/KR020

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Filtered vs boiling water It could be argued instant hot water taps have taken centre stage in specialist kitchen brassware sales, as channel marketing manager for Perrin & Rowe David Cole comments: “Filter water taps are steady sellers but have been overtaken by instant hot water taps in recent years.” However, with 3-in-1 and even 4-in-1 models coming to the fore, it demonstrates filtered water remains a key ingredient.

3. FRANKE Launched at the Kbb exhibition, the Tasso filter tap is available in matt black, chrome and silk steel. It features separate levers for hot, cold and filtered water. Explore all the filter water taps in Franke’s portfolio at www.rdr.link/KR021

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4 4. PJH The Prima+ 3-in-1 tap range comes in a choice of four finishes and come with a water filter and a 2.4 litre hot tap tank. The tap boasts a 10-year guarantee and a two-year guarantee is offered on the tank.

Download a Prima brochure at www.rdr.link/KR022 Jo Rawstron of Franke UK adds: “Not everyone has the budget for an instant boiling water tap or even wants one but trading up to a good quality, filter tap can be done quite affordably. Retailers can point to the wide range of wellbeing and environmental benefits and how quickly the additional expense can be recouped since there is no need to ever buy bottled water again. There really is a lot of sales potential for filter taps, especially given that wellbeing and the environment are uppermost in the consumer’s mind for the foreseeable future.”

Consider retro-fit While a filtered water tap could make a profitable part of a kitchen scheme, they can also be sold separately boosting retailers’ sales. In fact Jo Rawstron says now is an opportune time for dealers to consider retro-fit sales, stating: “Small jobs executed with good product advice, customer service and installation will always enhance reputation and can lead to bigger kitchen projects down the line.”

Whether an integral part of a kitchen project or an individual retro-fit sale, industry experts are anticipating good growth for filter tap sales.

With consumers becoming more health conscious, as well as increasingly environmentally aware, filter taps will continue to be valued and considered.

5 5. THE 1810 COMPANY The Curvato Trio tap from The 1810 Company provides hot, cold and filtered water and is available in chrome and stainless steel. Using activated carbon, the filter can provide up to 1,000 litres before it needs changing. Find out more details at www.rdr.link/KR023

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KITCHENS

PRODUCT ROUND-UP

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1. NOVY Premium cooker hood manufacturer Novy has introduced cast iron Novy Gas Pro burners which can be integrated directly into any stone, granite, quartz or Corian worktop. Kitchen designers can install them in any design configuration from single up to five burners. In addition, they can also choose where to position and integrate the matching matt black rotary controls. Discover the entire Novy Gas Pro range at www.rdr.link/KR024

2. TEKA Exclusive to PJH, the Teka brand of appliances now includes the Teka WISH HLB 860P DualClean Single Oven.

The 71-litre oven offers two autocleaning functions – Hydroclean Pro for maintenance or the threesetting Pyrolytic mode for stubborn residue. It boasts TFT 4” touch control, 20 preprogrammed recipes and a soft close, quadruple-glazed door. Watch the video at www.rdr.link/KR025

just out

3. ABODE

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Launched in response to the growing demand for industrialinspired kitchen design, Abode has introduced the Tubist range of taps. The range includes a variety of models, including single lever, single lever with pull-out spray and Professional Pull Around, which come in Matt Black, Polished Copper and Brushed Nickel. All the single lever models feature cold start functionality. View the New Additions brochure at www.rdr.link/KR026

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4. COSENTINO Expanding the Dekton by Cosentino range, Uyuni has now been added to the ultra compact surface.

According to the company, it is the most pure and smooth white currently available on the market.

Inspired by the immensity and visual purity of natural salt flats, Uyuni boasts a matt finish with a softly textured surface and like all surfacing in the Dekton by Cosentino range can be used for worktops, flooring and wall cladding. Find out the available formats and thicknesses at www.rdr.link/KR027

5. BLANCO The Solenta-S tap from Blanco features a choice of manual or hands-free start/stop, with a near field sensor positioned in the hose arm. It features a lever on the left or right-hand side and there is a switch for the choice of an aerated stream or rinse spray. The professional-style tap is available in chrome and stainless steel UltraResist finish, which offers stain and wear resistance and it comes with a magnetic spray holder. Download product information at www.rdr.link/KR028

6. CAPLE

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Sink and tap specialist Caple has introduced a two-tone sink in gold and stainless steel, claimed to be a world’s first, for the luxury kitchen. The Mode 175GD sink features a PVD finish which is highly resistant to tarnishing, corrosion and scratching. Measuring 760x 470mm, it comes with a 90mm outlet with waste and overflow provided.

View the full specification of the sink at www.rdr.link/KR029

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BATHROOMS

SMALL SPACES

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Space invaders

Small bathroom sales are unlikely to diminish, so designers should continue to seek out how to optimise space and profit The bijou bathroom is nothing new, after all it’s not without reason it has earned the nickname “the smallest room in the house”. But as space becomes ever more a premium in new build houses and consumers increase the bathing facilities in their existing homes, while demanding they have a luxurious appeal, the focus on small bathrooms has never been greater. Sales director of HiB Ash Chilver comments: “There is no doubt that the market for small bathrooms is growing. As more houses get built more families are getting used to having smaller bathrooms. Emphasis is increasingly put on the number of bathrooms in a property rather than the size and therefore the demand for smaller, but stunning bathroom products is high.”

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Across the board And this has impacted on the research and development of all bathroom products – from shower enclosures and bathing, through to sanitaryware, brassware, furniture and even space-saving heating. Head of marketing at Bette Sven Rensinghoff states: “Bette has over 20 baths specifically designed for smaller spaces, including our new BetteSpace baths. They have been designed using the four-sided trapezium shape, which has only one pair of parallel sides, to reduce the space needed for a comfortable bath or shower bath.” And senior category manager at Grohe UK Paul Bailey adds: “We have developed compact basin designs that can be paired with many of our mixer taps to create a PerfectMatch in both form and functionality. In the WC sector, we also offer compact designs as well as focus our efforts on driving innovation in the wallhung WC market, a style which offers space-saving benefits.”

Of course, demand depends on what consumers want and need in their bathroom space. However offering an overview of sales at PJH, product manager for furniture and vitreous china Julie Lockwood reports: “Sales of compact bathroom products, which includes small basin units (up to 450mm), short projection WCs and reduced depth furniture is growing steadily. In particular, short projection pans and cloakroom basins are up by 14% year-on-year and slimline bathroom furniture up by 17%.”

1. GROHE The Grohe Euro Ceramic range features compact wall-hung WCs as small as 490 x 374mm and handrinse basins measuring from 370 x 180mm. The basins can be matched with a number of Grohe tap models. Download the brochure at www.rdr.link/KR031

2. ROMAN Recently added to its Innov8 range, Roman has introduced an 8mm folding wetroom panel designed for small spaces. It can fold away to either side through 180°. Download product details at www.rdr.link/KR032

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3. AMBIANCE BAIN Mambo features floorstanding and wall-hung underbasin cabinets and has been created for small bathrooms and cloakrooms. It includes matching WC unit and mirror. See all the range at www.rdr.link/KR033

4. BETTE BetteSpace baths have been designed using a four-sided trapezium shapre. This is to reduce the space needed for a shower bath. Discover more details at www.rdr.link/KR034

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Focus on furniture It’s perhaps no surprise that furniture has become a major focus for small bathrooms, with its ability to stow clutter and helping to create visual space. Product and marketing manager of Ambiance Bain Karen Jervis says: “Probably more than 30% of our modular ranges are suitable for smaller spaces and many of our fitted furniture ranges are also available in short projection options to maximise space.” She adds: “Offset and curved units, allowing for door openings, are great for small spaces too.”

However, it’s not simply the footprint of furniture which can help create storage in a small space but how the units are configured internally, as group marketing and retail sales director of Symphony Simon Collyns points out: “Aquadi by Symphony offers a range of cabinets and accessories for every size of bathroom and our reduced depth cabinets range in sizes from 150mm to 800mm. Internal drawers are also available in a range of sizes. They are an excellent way to maximise the space and storage available.”

4 Little but luxurious

Small but growing

What is for certain is that small does not have to equate to a “budget” choice. Managing director of Roman David Osborne points to two spacesaving models, a frameless bi-fold and folding wetroom panel, which it has manufactured from 8mm glass and added to its Innov8 collection: “These are good examples of products which offer design desirability in small spaces. Clearly in our experience small does not necessarily equal affordable and consumers are ready and willing to pay for beautifully designed products.”

And sales director of Vogue (UK) Steve Birch agrees, adding: “I have seen some very desirable small bathroom designs in residential settings which are on par with that we might find in the best boutique hotels.”

The market for small bathrooms, unlike the size of the room, is unlikely to diminish. It is buoyed not only by multi-generational and older households, requiring multiple facilities including ground floor bathroom spaces, but also the prestige of additional ensuites. And inclusive living or multi-age households are on the rise. Installing a small bathroom on the ground floor has become a practical way to ease pressure on the main bathroom.”

David Osborne concludes: We see a constantly developing market for small spaces and the aging population means we have more discerning consumers who understand the value of good design.”

5. HIB Kingsbury has been added to HiB’s Novum furniture collection and features square-framed doors. It comes in three colours: Classic White, Dove Grey and Henley Blue. Read more about the range at www.rdr.link/KR035

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BATHROOMS

PRODUCT ROUND-UP

1. RITMONIO Italian brassware manufacturer Ritmonio has introduced six finishes to its portfolio, as alternative options to chrome. The Finishes Selection includes Rose Gold, Frosted Rose Gold, Brushed Rose Gold, Brushed Dark Bronze, Frosted Black Chrome and Frosted Champagne.

Bringing the total number of brassware finishes to 16, these decors are now available across its Glitter, Pois, Haptic, Taormina, Reverso and Diametro 35 ranges. Discover the range at www.rdr.link/KR036

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2. GEBERIT Luxury bathroom manufacturer Geberit has launched the floorstanding Aquaclean Tuma range, which adds to the existing wall-hung and enhanced seat options. It boasts the function of a signature Geberit shower toilet which includes Whirlspray and oscilating spray, with the Tuma Comfort also offering personal shower spray and temperature settings via the Geberit app.

Aquaclean Tuma comes in White Glass, White Alpine, Black Glass and Brushed finishes. Watch the video at www.rdr.link/KR037

3. BISQUE Designer radiator manufacturer Bisque has introduced the Earth Collection of finishes across five of its most popular models. Classic, Arteplano, Flow Form, Lissett and Archibald now come in a choice of Lake Red, Dutch Orange, Ultra Marine Blue, Verdigris Green and Rangwali. All the colours are available across all model sizes and they are shown, here, on Classic radiators. Find out more about Bisque colour options at www.rdr.link/KR038

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4. UTOPIA Colour and texture form part of a major product launch for Utopia’s latest bathroom furniture.

Seven foil finishes have been introduced across the company’s current collections, including two colours for the Roseberry painted timber range plus super matt decors. In addition, Utopia has upgraded several collections and introduced a range of handles. Pictured is Nadia in Azure Blue with a Brushed Brass Bar handle. Take a look at the video of new introductions at www.rdr.link/KR039

5. TROJAN

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Bathroom manufacturer Trojan has just launched a range of slate-effect shower trays manufactured in the UK. The gel-coated shower trays measure 35mm deep and come in a range of shapes including square, rectangle, quadrant and off-set quadrant. They are available in a variety of sizes from 800 x 800mm to 1700 x 900mm and come in black, matt white, as well as dark and light grey. View the full product specifications at www.rdr.link/KR040.

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6 HIB Expanding its collection of illuminated mirrors, HiB has introduced Globe Plus with smart phone connectivity. Available in three sizes, the mirror features two, integrated speakers and a two-pin charging socket, as well as an internal heated pad to help keep the mirror free of condensation. In addition, it boasts colour temperature changing lights and a digital display showing time and temperature. Read all the technical specifications at www.rdr.link/KR041

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BUSINESS

INTERVIEW

“We are a resilient and necessary industry” Recently-appointed managing director of Ideal Standard David Barber talks exclusively to Kitchens & Bathrooms News about leading the business during challenging times. He says mutual support, throughout the supply chain, has enabled the bathroom industry to bounce back Taking over an established bathroom manufacturer, like Ideal Standard, how much of an advantage is it you have been involved with the business for 14 years?

A: It most definitely has its advantages - from both an operational standpoint and with the wider workforce. I thoroughly understand how our business operates both in the UK and Europe, as well as knowing many of the customers and the industry as a whole. I am also fortunate in that I personally know how talented the colleagues are that we have within our business. My time in the company lets me understand that when you take over at the helm of a business, with such a great pedigree and history as Ideal Standard, you are building on many great prior achievements. This needs to be a spur to continue to make Ideal Standard part of the future and not become complacent because of its past.

Q

At the beginning of the year, Villeroy & Boch announced it was considering plans to acquire Ideal Standard. How difficult has it been to operate the business under this uncertainty prior to the COVID pandemic? Is the acquisition still a possibility?

A: There has been a lot of attention around a potential acquisition, and I don’t believe there’s been any impact on the business. We’re continuing to operate as normal and pursue our strategy. As we’re a private-equity owned company, it’s a reality that, at some point, the business will be sold - so it’s not too surprising when rumours of a potential acquisition gain

Q

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1 1. MANAGING DIRECTOR Former financial director of Ideal Standard David Barber has recently taken the role of managing director UK & Ireland

traction. As Ideal Standard is one of the leading companies in Europe, we will always remain an attractive proposition to many, and we see this as incredibly flattering. Our current shareholders are massively supportive and in no particular rush to sell, so we will just continue to pursue our growth agenda.

How is business? How are the different sales channels performing? Which are the most and least affected by the current COVID-19 situation?

A: Throughout COVID-19, business has been difficult for everyone. As we approached April and the first half of May, it was quite challenging to know where the industry was going to land.

At the beginning of this crisis, our business performed strongly in healthcare, which is unsurprising as we were a major supplier to the new NHS Nightingale hospitals and pop-up testing centres.

Q

However, we did suffer from the downturn in new-build residential developments. This was where the impact was felt the most in the first couple of months, because we have such a large position in the new build market and a lot of activity was delayed or put on hold. As we came out of May and into June, we actually saw a significant increase in sales, and for the last three and a half weeks, our order intake is virtually back to the level that we saw before the pandemic - which is a hugely positive lead indicator for July sales and for the rest of the year.

There has also been various activity announced in terms of Government support, most recently the partial removal of stamp duty, and the relaxation of planning, which again, is really positive.

In terms of the retail sector, I believe the same logic applies. We saw a snap-back in demand in June when many of the retailers returned to work. I also expect online retailers to perform significantly well, in the immediate future, as we have already seen many of our trusted partners grow their online retail presence. In the long term, we do expect our activity in the healthcare market to continue to grow, along with education, amongst others.

However, I don’t believe we will return immediately to a pre-COVID-19 level of performance in all areas.

I was in the business as finance director during the financial crisis of 2008 and then we experienced month after month of declining sales, with no surety around when it would bottom out, which was a very unnerving time.

This time, the drop has certainly been sharper but also much less prolonged and the bounce back much quicker. So, while none of us can be 100% sure of what is around the corner, I’m confident the worst of it is behind us and we can look forward to continuing to grow our business.

Is the UK business fully operational and are Ideal Standard manufacturing facilities able to supply all stock to all of your customers?

A: We never shut down during the COVID-19 crisis, and continued to operate an essential service all the way through to provide support to our customers that required maintenance and

Q

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repair work. We are also proud to have continued serving the NHS and wider healthcare sector.

Our operational strategy throughout these times has predominantly been to align our resources with the demand of the market. Our ceramics factory in Armitage closed for several weeks, but is now back open, as are all of our European factories. Our distribution centre and call centre remained open throughout, at a reduced capacity, in order to fully service those who needed it. As demand continues to increase, this is reflected in terms of adjusting our own resources and capacity accordingly. As the markets begin to pick up again, we have accelerated the back-to-work journey for many of our staff and now the majority have returned on either a full-time or part-time basis.

What strategic decisions/changes have you had to make to ensure the business remains strong during these challenging times?

A: As a business, we’ve been developing and deploying our current strategy for the past couple of years and, after careful review, we don’t believe the plan we have in place has, or will, need to change much at all. We’re happy that our approach remains fit-for-purpose, even in these difficult times, and we’ll adjust our resources to take advantage of areas which need our immediate focus. Two examples of this are online and healthcare, where we’ve increased our immediate resource to reflect the growth in demand during the last few months.

However, we believe that other areas such as the new commercial office market will be slightly delayed. We were already beginning to witness the impact of Brexit in this commercial space and undoubtedly many people will not be returning towards office-based work in the short term. This means the development of new office buildings will be slowed, or may experience a change in usage. So we’ll be changing our focus to reflect this.

To summarise, I’d say it’s not a change in strategy, just a flexible approach to reflect demand.

Q

There has been some discussion about delayed payments to suppliers in the bathroom industry. Have you found this and which sales channel is the worst offender?

A: Delayed payments can be a challenge across the entire bathroom industry and we have experienced this to a degree ourselves.

Nevertheless, a large number of our customers continued to pay on time with no challenges.

On the whole, I can confidently say that there has been little impact here for us, and I wouldn’t say that any one particular channel has been worse than others, as we’ve managed to keep the supply chain moving across all channels.

It’s incumbent on all of us within the industry to take on a degree of accountability to ensure we come out of these difficult times where everybody can still survive.

What are your expectations of the market for the rest of the year and into 2021?

A: The rest of this year is going to be quite challenging and some sectors will perform better than others. The industry is bouncing back quicker than I anticipated it would at this point, especially as we’re only just coming out of this crisis. Therefore, I’m feeling positive about recovery as a whole. However, it’s important that we remain realistic – and I don’t think we will see a full recovery back to 2019 levels, until the end of 2021. Overall, we are a resilient and necessary industry and I think most businesses will survive this. For those that are brave and agile there will be many opportunities.

Q

2 2. COVERING RESIDENTIAL AND CONTRACT Ideal Standard supplies residential, contract and healthcare sectors, with its brands showcased at the London-based Design & Specification centre in Clerkenwell

How are you helping all your customers during these difficult times and what in particular are you doing for independent bathroom studios?

A: Across the entire supply chain, including independent bathroom studios, we’ve been very understanding in regards to any payment issues where appropriate. However, it’s vital that everyone plays their part and continues to behave responsibly, doing everything they can to support our industry. We’ve taken our role seriously when it comes to ensuring that the entire supply chain remains liquid, and no matter where you are within the chain, everyone must do the same.

Q

What do you hope Ideal Standard can achieve during 2020/2021?

A: Our current focuses are to ensure that we make a full recovery to pre-COVID-19 levels by redistributing our resources, aligning ourselves with the demands of the market, growing our position as a reliable and trusted partner and remaining optimistic throughout these difficult times. We’re also preparing for the launch of Atelier, our brand-new Design Collection, so it is a really exciting time for us. By keeping our original strategy in place and being agile and flexible, where necessary, I hope to see the business, and the industry as a whole, work together to stabilise and bounce back as quickly as possible.

Q

What has been the biggest takeout points during these times for the company and what do you think retailers can learn to help them trade successfully?

A: My biggest takeout points from this period would be a recognition of the resilience of our business, the amazing people that we have here, and the supreme effort that our team members have put in during this time.

The mutual support of our suppliers and our customers, the ability to pull together in the crisis, the way all parts of our industry’s supply chain worked together to deliver the Nightingale hospitals, on time against all the odds, are all great examples of what can be achieved. These should be learnings we can all take forward and help us trade successfully in the future.

It’s truly humbling to see first-hand what we’ve been able to achieve and makes me incredibly proud to be part of such a dedicated team.

Although the difficult period hasn’t fully eased yet, I think those who are resilient and adaptable will continue to thrive and trade successfully.

Q

Q

3 3. SUPPORTING CUSTOMERS Barber says the mutual support from suppliers and customers are great examples of what can be achieved and should be learnings everyone can take forward

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BUSINESS

SME ADVICE

Company matters

Offering support for independent kitchen and bathroom firms because your business is our business

MANAGEMENT Next steps after redundancy Everyone takes to change differently. We are all unique and have differing personalities and personal circumstances. For some, change may bring new and exciting challenges, but it can still be difficult at the start. The future may look crystal clear or completely muddled, but either way, it’s a good idea to take time to understand why you feel the way you do. At the outset, it’s about understanding yourself, your values, strengths, motivators and talents.

Proactive job search Try to consider your future career three years from now, or further if you can imagine that far ahead. How old will you be? Ideally where would you be located? What kind of job would you like to be doing?

Create your elevator pitch and make sure your network is on message. Be proactive and use your network to make introductions to target companies.

How are your networking skills? 75% of jobs come through a networking introduction so spend time mapping out your network. There are a number of sources that can create your network e.g. professional peers, past colleagues, suppliers and clients to name a few.

The more reactive ways of job searching are joining agencies to look on your behalf, or by applying for jobs online. These ways are much more competitive.

Create a killer CV You need a CV that works for you. Spending time on your CV will focus your mind on your skills and achievements. It’s useful to remind yourself of this in advance of those networking and interview meetings.

Networking and getting in front of the relevant person is your number one priority. You also need to make your CV consistent with your LinkedIn profile. Nowadays your online brand is more important than a CV and your profile needs to stand out to recruiters.

interviewee. You need to impress them and stand out. Why should they choose you versus someone else. What are your USPs? Practise interview questions using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action and Result). In each case, consider if there was anything that you learned from each event. Write down your answers as bullet points. It helps to do this rather than simply practising your answers in your head.

In summary – my top tips are: ●

●

●

Prepare for interviews

●

Make sure you’ve done your research on the firm that’s interviewing you and/or on the

●

30 SUMMER K&BNEWS www.kandbnews.co.uk

Have a plan, to know where you are going and how you are going to get there. Write it down, share it with your network and build your network.

Work in a way that is structured and systematic, so build yourself a CRM database for your networking.

Search for jobs proactively. Target companies and use your network to get in front of relevant people.

Prepare for interviews. Practise and use positive psychology.

It’s not about the job. It’s about a career that

matches your life-cycle phases and about long-term employability. ● Concentrate on self-investment and continuous learning.

Expert: Liz SebagMontefiore Company: 10Eighty Background: Liz Sebag-Montefiore is co-founder and director of HR consultancy 10Eighty, with more than 15 years of experience. Her clients number bluechip companies and her role involves managing relationships with clients, developing new business and coaching individuals in their career. 10Eighty offers a variety of services from coaching and mentoring through to career transition and thought leadership.

Contact: www.rdr.link/KR042

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MANAGEMENT Best practices in customer service

MARKETING

Excellent support should come as standard, particularly at a time when even one negative online review can have serious consequences.

Recognising this, we have compiled four key considerations which can help design and installation businesses protect their reputation and secure repeat custom in today’s competitive market.

For those in the trade, the ability to rely on an established manufacturer is essential when it has a direct impact on standards.

Product design

Expertise

Retailers and their installers will be all too aware of wasted time on site, which can lead to lost revenue and disgruntled homeowners.

Being able to depend on stock availability helps mitigate this risk, as does using reliable products and accessories that are proven to stand the test of time. Bathroom and kitchen businesses must have the peace of mind that disruption can be kept to a minimum, reducing the chance of falling behind schedule. Working with the best brands offers access to the latest innovations, guidance and training.

There’s a lot to be said for human interaction in a world dominated by automated operators and online chatbots. Working with a brand that is geared towards making it possible to ‘fit and forget’ its products can mean the difference between moving on to the next job or being called back to the last one. Third-party approval is a great way to identify organisations that go the extra mile.

Well-trained staff also have a role to play. It’s useful to look out for companies that invest in expert engineers and technical helplines, so that questions and site-specific requirements can be tackled without needing to be transferred between two or three different departments.

Availability Guaranteed support will not just keep homeowners on side but also help with marketing. Companies that know what stock is available can keep their promises and confidently set apart one quote from the next.

Reliability of this kind is priceless in an industry where most jobs are secured through recommendation and word-of-mouth.

Any appliance with moving parts is at risk of failure, be it through misuse, poor installation or wear and tear. Spares availability is therefore vital for a quick response should customers have an issue.

Reaching consumers at each stage

Ongoing support Customers are the lifeblood of any organisation. It can take a long time to build up a strong base, and only one bad experience to ruin it. So it pays to offer a hassle-free proposition regardless of size.

Taking the time to invest in partners you can trust to deliver excellence in service, technical support and product performance, is key to give your business the competitive edge it needs to succeed tomorrow.

Expert: Tina Simpson Company: Triton Background: Tina Simpson is marketing director of shower brand Triton, part of the Norcros Group. She started her career in retail and special projects, before progressing to become a technical director and marketing director.

Simpson has a marketing diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has recently completed an MBA in Business Administration at the University of Warwick Contact: www.rdr.link/KR043

It’s arguably long overdue, but we’re in the market for a new kitchen.

And already, it’s been a fascinating experience. The most recent Bank Holiday heralded a conversation that continues to replay in my head. It was the day that my wife went from dreaming about a new kitchen to planning for one. With more time on our hands during weekends than usual (thanks COVID), and summer holiday plans out the window (thanks again, COVID), we’ve turned our attention to the house, and focus has centred on the hardest working room.

As Mrs B realised the dream was going to become a reality, it was intriguing to watch her walk the existing kitchen, reeling off all the things she wanted.

Early in the process, she was already exceedingly clear on the features and functionality she wanted in her new kitchen. She was much less clear on the style of kitchen she wanted.

She had only a loose idea of where we might get this new kitchen.

And that’s how I came to spend an entire day in front of my computer on a bank holiday - documenting what I’d just heard and was the start of a kitchen buyer’s customer journey. It underlined for me the power of branding and advertising – the things that we get exposed to, long before we’re ready to make a purchase.

The past few weeks have seen dabbling turn to desire. Mrs B moved quickly to the next stage, where she’s actively looking at kitchen styles.

And as she moves down the sales funnel, it’ll be hugely instructive to see how her requirements, in terms of engagement with companies, change. After she’s settled on kitchen style, it’ll be interesting to see what she’ll spend time on considering next – specific furniture manufacturers, or kitchen retailers?

It’ll be the companies that meet where she is at each point and provide her with the content that adds the most value at that moment, that are likely to hold her attention. This experience serves to highlight the importance of delivering the right message, to the right people, at the right time.

For most people, the process of buying a kitchen takes time. Maybe six months, maybe 12, maybe more. And if your marketing only speaks to the people at one specific stage in the customer journey, you’re missing out on a considerable proportion of people who still want interaction with you, but need more specific content that meets them where they are.

If you’re serious about attracting large numbers of the right customers, you need to put some time and effort into understanding precisely what journey your customers go on, working out where your gaps in engagement are, and filling them in as effectively as you can.

Expert: David Barker Company: InspireKbb Background: David Barker is managing director of InspireKbb, a sales and marketing consultancy for kitchen and bathroom agency.

Barker has over 25 years’ experience, with his areas of specialism including branding and positioning through offline and online platforms to generate tangible sales results.

His family owned a kitchen and bathroom showroom for 15 years and he helped increase revenue eight-fold through sales and marketing techniques.

Contact: www.rdr.link/KR044

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NEWS & VIEWS

LAST WORD

“New normal” growth MD of HiB Robert Ginsberg looks at trading in the “new normal” and says the kbb industry can bounce back It has been a tough few months for the kitchen and bathroom industry, with a lot of uncertainty surrounding when retailers and showrooms can reopen and at what capacity. Across the industry we have had to adapt to trading in a new environment, with new lines of communication and a change of approach. But as the months have rolled past, there have been a great deal of positive steps made, and though there are still a lot of challenges that businesses have to face, there is clearly room for growth.

Phased operations At HiB, we split the impact of COVID-19 into a number of phases. The first phase was the immediate response, tackling how to continue trading with the new measures in place. We set up an impact team, to ensure clear communication to all stakeholders. Priority was given to the wellbeing of our staff and reorganising the business to a remote workforce. Once this was achieved, we turned our attention to phases two and three - planning the business environment.

Though some restrictions are still in place, we are already becoming more aware that the world is going to be a different place to what it once was. Shopping habits are changing, but reassuringly the customers are still out there.

Some experts are suggesting that there may be an upturn in home improvements as a result of the pandemic, with more people choosing to invest in their property rather than go on a family holiday. How far that will go remains to be seen, but in the meantime, we have prepared plans concentrating on how we will increase communication with customers and streamline processes to improve access to information.

Buying changes With more people using the internet than ever before, there is a clear advantage for retailers that make the most of ‘digital’. Virtual showroom tours,

32 SUMMER K&BNEWS www.kandbnews.co.uk

video appointments and interactive design software can make the buying process personalised without the need for entering a store. However, no one can doubt that there is still a place for the showroom and tactile displays are a huge benefit for customers who want to feel the quality and see the sizing in the real world.

With this in mind, putting in place an appointment system may benefit some retailers.

Not only does it ensure staff and customer safety and maintain the social distancing guidelines, it also allows them the opportunity to spend more time with serious customers, giving them a personalised service and taking the time to really understand their needs. That is perhaps where the key lies for the future of retail, more choice and more methods to help customers through the buying process. As manufacturers we also need to make sure we can support retailers with this, which is why at HiB, we make sure that all our products are featured on Virtual

Worlds and InnoPlus and that online brochures are available at the touch of a button.

Bounce back Despite the current situation, we are excited for the future and I believe the industry can bounce back and thrive in the months ahead. At HiB, we have been using this time to focus our attention on product designs and innovations and there are new ranges being finalised ready for launch in the coming months.

From a business point of view, a moment like this gives an opportunity to take stock and prepare for the next stage of our journey. It allows us to refocus efforts towards our company vision, to be the leading supplier of innovative, creative solutions which make bathrooms beautiful, whilst making a substantial difference to the lives of our people, partners and the world we live in – even if that world is a little different to what we previously imagined.

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MARKET PLACE

To book a classified in this section please contact nina@hamerville.co.uk Computer Software

Design Software

Kitchen Manufacturers

KITCHEN COMPANY LTD

Kitchen Manufacturers

Phone: 0800 028 4466 Email: info@mereway.co.uk www.mereway.co.uk

Kitchens

Worktops

T 020 77 23 51 31 E info@hackerkitchens.com W www.hacker-kuechen.com

KI TCHENS &

BATHROOMS NEWS

For further information on advertising please contact Nina Goldberg on 01923 237799 or nina@hamerville.co.uk

SEE IT SEARCH IT SHARE IT @kandbnews

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PRODUCT

SHOWCASE

To book a panel in this section please call Nina Goldberg on 01923 237799 or email nina@hamerville.co.uk DURAVIT

ELSTEAD LIGHTING LTD

KALDEWEI

NEW BATHROOM AND KITCHEN LIGHTING COLLECTION

DURAVIT TAKES C-BONDED TECHNOLOGY TO A NEW LEVEL Duraivt have once again teamed up with sieger design to add new elements to their Happy D.2 Plus series. The archetypical open oval of the Happy D. design classic runs through the elements of this new, supplementary range.

Above-counter wash bowls with precise lines, stand-alone consoles and matching semi-tall cabinets as well as circular mirrors combine to create perfectly harmonized washing areas. The Happy D.2 Plus series sets its own trend in terms of colours, design and finishes.

www.duraivt.co.uk

MUDD GROUT WITH CLOUT Providing a perfect finish for wall and floor tiling, MUDD Grout with Clout comes in six popular colours – white, dark grey, cream, light grey, limestone and black.

Water and frost-resistant, Grout with Clout is formulated with added flexibility, reducing the risk of cracking, leaving a super smooth and hardwearing finish, without patchiness or surface discolouration.

Ideal for grouting ceramic, porcelain and mosaic tiles from 1mm to 15mm joint widths, it can be used in interior and exterior location – including power showers and swimming pools.

For the perfect finish use with MUDD The Finisher silicone sealant, available in matching colours.

Elstead Lighting are manufacturers and Distributors of decorative lighting who were established over 50 years ago.

This spring they launched a great tool for Kitchen and Bathroom designers; The Distinctive Lighting collection offers your consumers a priced catalogue with 162 IP44 rated lights for the bathroom as well as a great selection of 111 kitchen pendants.

The product codes in this catalogue are not found online to help avoid price comparisons.

To request a catalogue and learn more about becoming a Distinctive Lighting reseller contact our sales team for more information.

CAYONO BATH The Cayono bath from Kaldewei packs a punch with compact dimensions starting from 150cm length and a very attractive price point. The clever design features space-saving outer dimensions with a generous interior with steep sides. The flat base allows safe footing for showering and the wide ledge at one end allows for a deck-mounted tap to be positioned.

As with all Kaldewei baths, the Cayono is made from superior steel enamel which is robust, scratch-proof and easy to clean.

Guaranteed for 30 years.

All Kaldewei steel enamel bathroom solutions are 100% recyclable.

www.elsteadlighting.com E: enquiries@elsteadlighting.com T: 01420 82377

www.kaldewei.co.uk

01480 498053

KI TCHENS &

BATHROOMS NEWS

N E W S , I N S P I R AT I O N A N D L I F E S T Y L E The online destination for kitchens and bathrooms.

www.mudd-tiling.com

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KI TC HE NS &

BATHROOMS NEWS THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR KITCHEN & BATHROOM PROFESSIONALS

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