Voted Best Trade Journal 2019
May 2020 Issue 172
www.kbbdaily.com
KBB BIRMINGHAM
EUROLINE PROFILE
ON THE QUIET…
It’s the big one. Don’t miss our pick of all the latest from the UK’s largest kbb show
With new brands and a fresh focus on creating an offer for kitchen specialists
Open-plan kitchens and mindful living are driving ever quieter appliances
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IN THIS ISSUE Pg 60
HOW TO GO GREEN Fly the green flag in your bathroom with high-performing, sustainable bathroom products Pg 68
OTTO’S PERSONAL TOUCH: IN PROFILE Unique designs put handmade tiles on a secure footing Pg 17/59
ALL THE LATEST Our kitchen and bathroom newcomers deliver ideas and innovation that never stop!
Pg 24
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WORKING FROM HOME? DO BUSINESS AS USUAL! Bill Miller, MD of the Kitchen Bathroom Buying Group, has offered a wealth of advice for those of us in kbb forced to work from home due to recent events. “There are positive things you can do from home to keep your business in front of The KBBG's MD, Bill Millar customers,” he explained. “Consider marketing your business so that when the pandemic is behind us your target audience remembers you have been there throughout. It is vital to keep your social media going, and if you haven’t invested any time in this communication tool then now is the time to start. Customers will be spending an increased amount of time scrolling through social media, so it’s important that you are there to be seen. “Video is a great means of communication, now more than ever. Try and keep your products and services in
front of your target audience through videos. Try creating a short video with an update on the latest products that you have on display. Perhaps promote the slightly more unusual products that many customers may not usually have time to think about when they are so busy. Anything from ice-makers to sous-vide ovens and steam ovens. You may inspire customers to make a wish list and begin planning a new kitchen “Remember to mention all the things your business does well – going that extra mile, above and beyond your competitors – such as customer service, home delivery and taking orders over the phone and by email. “Educational videos are a great way of engaging an audience. Consumers are looking for things to do around the house, so a tutorial video on how to measure a kitchen, or plan a bathroom refit, could go a long way. It could even inspire the viewer to reach out to you when you are open for business once again.” For more inspiration check out the KBBG’s full list of ideas on kbbdaily.com at https://bit.ly/3boRFzu
BEATING THE CRISIS BY PLAYING THEIR PART Coventry-based flooring firm Amtico has transformed its manufacturing facilities to produce up to 20,000 parts a day for life-saving face shields used by frontline From flooring… to facemasks! NHS and critical key workers in the battle against COVID-19. Better known for its luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring, the company has adapted the materials and machinery used in its production to create parts for essential PPE for use throughout the UK. This comes as the result of joining forces with schools from
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around the country, who were working on producing face shields using 3D printing before assembling and distributing them nationwide. The company modified the design of the headband and created a new composition of its flooring material specifically for the headstraps. So far they have produced 4,500 of the headbands to date, with capacity to produce up to 20,000 per day. The final samples were taken to Watford General Hospital on Thursday 9 April, where the design was approved and 2,000 units ordered. These were then produced by Amtico free of charge and a further 12,000 parts have been ordered.