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THE K&BZINE ISSUE 157 25th August 2006
Blum
- Innovative Products Produce Further Growth
Julius Blum GmbH has again accomplished a successful operating
result for the 2005/2006 business year ending June 30th: provisional
turnover of the Group amounted to 962.3m euros (in comparison
to 821.1m in the previous year)
[More
on this Story]
Just
Trays in Management Buy Out
Just
Trays, the UK shower tray manufacturer, has undergone a management
buyout led by incumbent sales and marketing director Paul Crossley.
[More
on this Story]
Simon
Bray to Make TV Debut on BBC2's Home
Award-winning
kitchen designer, Simon Bray, will make his debut television appearance
in the landmark new interior design series on BBC2 in September.
[More
on this Story]
Managing
Director for Jacuzzi UK Group
Jacuzzi Brands, Inc has announced Mark Prince in the new role
of Managing Director for the Jacuzzi UK Group, incorporating the
Jacuzzi UK Bathroom Products Group, Jacuzzi France, Jacuzzi Middle
East and Astracast.
[More
on this Story]
Candy
Tile Co Appoints New National Sales Manager
The
Candy Tile Company, a division of BCT Ltd, has announced that it has appointed
Bradley Wild as its new National Sales Manager.
[More
on this Story]
ECA
Approved as Scheme Operator for TrustMark
TrustMark
has approved the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) to become
a scheme operator. The ECA assists and encourages its members to provide
high quality, good value and safe electrical installation.
[More
on this Story]
Vance
Miller's Hilltop Home Burnt Down
Kitchen
supplier Vance Miller has had his £800,000 hilltop home razed to
the ground by arsonists. Vance, 40, who is offering a £50,000 reward
for the conviction of those responsible, believes the uninsured property
was targeted by gangsters jealous of his wealth.
[More
on this Story]
Masco
Corporation Reports Second Quarter Results
Masco
Corporation has reported that net sales from continuing operations for
the quarter ended June 30th, 2006 increased three percent to a second
quarter record of $3.4bn compared with $3.3bn for the second quarter of
2005.
[More
on this Story]
Relocation,
Relocation, Relocation!
As all staff and products complete the moving process, Bristan announces
its official relocation to new head quarters. After a construction period
of just 12 months, which was completed on time and on budget, Bristan
has now relocated to new 240,000 sq ft premises.
[More
on this Story]
Ripples
Continues to Expand
Ripples
Ltd, the premier bathroom retailer, is continuing its rapid growth with
two recent additions to its showroom portfolio and plans to open another
three new showrooms this year.
[More
on this Story]
Rearo
to Distribute Resopal Worktops in Scotland and North
Rearo
Laminates Ltd has been appointed as distributor of the Resopal range of
worktops throughout Scotland and the North of England.
[More
on this Story]
Spotted!
Celebrities Heading to Grand Designs Live NEC
Celebrities
from the world of design will descend on Grand Designs Live NEC exhibition,
representing the four sections of the show - GRANDInteriors, GRANDBuild,
GRANDKitchens & Bathrooms, GRANDGardens plus the DESIGN Shopping Arcade.
[More
on this Story]
FIRA
National Furniture Conference Heralded a Great Success
Some
100 people from 54 different companies from throughout the furniture
and furnishings industry attended the FIRA National Furniture Conference
last month at the Heritage Motor Museum.
[More
on this Story]
Whirlpool
Gains 'Superbrands' Status
The
Superbrands awards acknowledge the highest standards of branding, and
Whirlpool has been chosen as one of the top Superbrands this year.
[More
on this Story]
LG
Fridge Brochure Attracts Complaint
A
public complaint regarding a brochure for LG Electronics UK Ltd, Slough,
Berkshire was upheld in one of two objections according to information
published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
[More
on this Story]
Gorenje
Third in Europe in Environmental Survey
Gorenje,
the European maker of 'white' goods, has been given a podium position
for its contribution to 'green' issues in a major EU energy efficiency
survey.
[More
on this Story]
Shower
Enclosure Manufacturer Cesana Joins the KBSA
Contemporary
shower enclosure manufacturer Cesana is the latest company to join the
Kitchen Bathroom, Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA) as a corporate
member.
[More
on this Story]
Wolseley
plc Acquisitions Update
Wolseley
plc announced on August 15th six further acquisitions for an aggregate
consideration of £36 million.
[More
on this Story]
AND
FINALLY...
88%
of Brits Putting Children at Risk by Not Washing Duvets
A
survey by appliance manufacturer Servis UK has revealed that the majority
of us do not wash pillows and duvets often enough to effectively control
dust mites, bed bugs and bacteria which can be harmful to young children
- causing allergies and making them more susceptible to viruses and
disease.
[More
on this Story]
THE K&BZINE ISSUE 156 18th August 2006
Bristan:
Integrating Interests to Strengthen Service
As
part of its commitment to offer an improved level of service
for its customers, Bristan has joined forces with other
key companies in the Masco's UK plumbing platform to form
a single group, which is now known as The Bristan Group
Ltd.
[More
on this Story]
Burbidge
Updates Showroom And Introduces New Brochures
Following
the launch of over ten new kitchen frontal and accessory
ranges since the beginning of the year, Burbidge has invested
£150k in updating its showroom and introducing new
brochures, including a downloadable e-brochure.
[More
on this Story]
Jacuzzi
Brands Announces Third Quarter 2006 Financial Results
Jacuzzi
Brands, Inc., a global producer of branded bath and plumbing
products for the residential, commercial and institutional
markets, recently announced financial results for the
third quarter ended June 30th, 2006.
[More
on this Story]
KMA
Moves Forward
Following on from an initial meeting at KBB and a subsequent
second meeting at Neff's UK head office a number of the
kitchen industry's leading suppliers have identified several
key areas that they feel will be of significant interest
to the majority of companies supplying goods or services
to the UK kitchen industry.
[More
on this Story]
Room
to Show Off
'If you've got it flaunt it' is Aqualux's motto as it
officially opens its showroom for business at its headquarters
in Wednesbury. The showroom displays a range of Aqualux's
products from its price entry Euro and Aquarius ranges
through to its exclusive Energy and Elite collections.
[More
on this Story]
Full
Marks for Neff from Good Housekeeping
Full marks for Neff! In the September issue of 'Good Housekeeping',
two of Neff's new built in hob units have each come top of their
class in the magazine's annual 'Tried & Tested' feature on
the subject.
[More
on this Story]
Credit
Where Credit's Due
Siemens
has launched a new online promotion to reward its loyal dealers
for individual sales of selected appliances. For a limited period
from 8th August to 30th September 2006, Siemens is running an
online credit promotion on the company's freestanding dishwashers
& refrigeration ranges.
[More
on this Story]
Kliniklene
Kills Hospital Superbugs
Doncaster
based Pegler has been one of the companies instrumental in developing
taps and mixers that kill superbugs on contact.
[More
on this Story]
Planit
Selected by Everest for New Kitchen Business
Planit
International, the UK developer of advanced design and visualisation
software for the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and home improvement
markets, has been selected to play an integral role in the formation
and roll out of Everest Kitchens.
[More
on this Story]
RAK
Ceramics Acquires Trident's West Country Distribution Operation
RAK
Ceramics has announced the acquisition of Trident Bathrooms' Bristol
based distribution business. Now named RAK UK West, the deal involves
immediate investment in the 15,000 sq ft Avonmouth distribution
operation
[More
on this Story]
New
Date for Implementing the WEEE Directive
The
UK's Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has launched
a tender for companies to start projects for closed-loop recycling
of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
[More
on this Story]
Victoria
& Albert Restructure for More Growth
The
UK freestanding bath manufacturer Victoria & Albert has announced
a series of high level corporate changes across the company’s
global operations.
[More
on this Story]
Space
Selling Fast for Bathroom & Kitchen Expo
Bathroom
& Kitchen EXPO (ExCeL London, 13-15 May 2007), the trade event
for the bathroom and kitchen industry, has announced that 70%
of stand space is already taken for next year's show.
[More
on this Story]
New
Chair for TTA
David
Forbes, Joint Managing Director of the Nicholls & Clarke
Group of Companies, has taken over from Brian Newell as Chairman
of The Tile Association.
[More
on this Story]
More
Candidates for BMA Core Merit Courses
Ideal-Standard
is about to enrol 30 people from its workforce onto the BMA Bathroom
Academy course.
[More
on this Story]
New
Britannia Sprinter is Turning Heads
Range
cooker specialist Britannia Living has added a new Mercedes Benz
Sprinter to its fleet of delivery vehicles.
[More
on this Story]
ArtiCAD’S
Instant Remote Support
ArtiCAD
Limited, the CAD software specialist for kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms
and home offices, has announced the launch of Instant Remote Support.
[More
on this Story]
D.A.D
Joins Forces with Fisher & Paykel Kitchen Appliances
D.A.D,
the Gloucester-based domestic appliance distributor, will distribute
Fisher & Paykel's range of free-standing and built-in dishwashers,
fridges and cookers.
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on this Story]
Stoves
Offers Exclusive Warranty for GDHA Elite Retailers
As
part of its continued commitment to customer care, Glen Dimplex
Home Appliances is offering customers of Elite Retailers a special
extended warranty on all Stoves products.
[More
on this Story]
Success
All Round
Image
Showers says that it has had a very positive and extremely successful
first half to 2006.
[More
on this Story]
IDS
Invests in New Handling Machinery
Dubbed
Operation Barge, IDS has invested £300k at its Nuneaton
branch in new specialist mechanical handling equipment for worktops
which will reduce damage, improve Health & Safety and operational
efficiency.
[More
on this Story]
Roman
Welcomes Holy Visitor
One
of County Durham’s largest manufacturing plants welcomed
a Provincial Mother, all the way from Sri Lanka. to talk about
the company’s fundraising efforts to support the Tsunami
victims.
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on this Story]
Long
Term Satisfaction with the Volkswagen Transporter
Domestic
appliance manufacturer, Miele, has been using Volkswagen vans
since the early 1960s when the company first started trading in
Britain.
[More
on this Story]
Twyford
Bathrooms Installed at the House of the Future
Twyford
Bathrooms has been selected as a supplier to the Osborne Demonstration
House at the BRE (Building Research Establishment) Innovation
Park at Garston, Watford.
[More
on this Story]
AND
FINALLY...
Its
Official: Men are Domestically-challenged
The
interest surrounding the debut novel ‘Men in Aprons’
by Alex Mattis proves something all women have known for ages:
men are useless in the home and the ‘metrosexual new
man’ is just a myth.
[More
on this Story]