Weekly Email News for the Kitchen, Bathroom and Bedroom Industries
28th October 2005
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New World has expanded its range of competitively priced 'Vision' freestanding products to include six new 50cm and 60cm stainless
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The creative team behind the Rayburn Cookmaster XT have taken the solid, workmanlike lines of the traditional Rayburn and crafted a work of art which sets a new benchmark in kitchen appliance design
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Premium Appliance Brands (PAB) is poised to launch a new range of larger than life American-brand, White Westinghouse XXL fridge/freezers
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Whirlpool UK has announced the launch of the new Ignis product range to the UK built-in appliance market
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Coming soon from kitchen appliance manufacturer Siemens is a pair of American style freestanding side-by-side fridge freezers
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LG recently announced the launch of its new range of Direct Drive washing machines, created using state-of-the-art technology and cutting-edge design
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Arriving in the UK in early 2006 is Neff's first freestanding American style side-by-side fridge freezer combination model K3990X6
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Burbidge has extended its best-selling Lansdowne range with a new Black Walnut collection of kitchen frontals and accessories
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Crown Wood Products Ltd, manufacturer of bespoke kitchen and bedroom door and drawer fronts, has introduced an in-frame shaker style kitchen in bleached maple
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Decorative Panels is marketing a new range of thicker but lighter weight board options under the LiteCore banner
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SieMatichas added a new colour to its successful SC61 kitchen range. Sterling grey has a soft, deceptively warm tone that is modern but subtle
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J&J Ormerod PLC, the independent UK manufacturer of quality kitchens and bedrooms, has announced the launch of its Cologne and Décor Colonial kitchens in the new Ferrara Oak finish
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'There is now a new answer to remedying Seasonal Affective Disorder (or S.A.D.) and this is the 'Actulite Polarised Daylight Lighting System' with its revolutionary patented multi-layer reflux polarising panel.' says Aura Corporation Ltd
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Burbidge has introduced a new 100mm wide chunky cream-painted pilaster that can be used to accompany any of its cream-painted wood kitchens or alabaster foil wrap kitchens
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PWS has recently introduced a new range of tambour doors. While creating an interesting focal point, tambours offer additional worktop storage space
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Scott Brothers has announced the launch of Pack-Mate® AnyLock™, a reusable food freshness storage bag with unique sealing rods
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Myson has unveiled a new glass towel warmer and radiator which the company says is unique to the UK domestic heating market
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Moods Bathrooms has introduced a new range of heated towel rails to its expanding bathroom collection
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Comprising three models, Apex is the latest design available from dedicated suppliers of radiators and towel warmers, Jumel
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The latest furniture collection from Mg Marga Design is entitled ‘Luce’ and is ideal as a focus piece for a bedroom
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A new online retailer, Allersafe, dedicated to providing healthcare solutions for allergy sufferers, says that it has become the first retailer to offer the complete healthy sleep solution globally
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Burbidge has expanded the Emilia bedroom range with the introduction of a painted cream option
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Kitchen Market Underperforming

Third Quarter financial reports from Maytag and Nobia do not make very happy reading, pointing firmly to an outfall from the lack of retail confidence for most of this year. In Nobia's statement, the group says that the UK market is 6% down overall, but Nobia's own sales were 9% down in the UK, although the group's results improved overall. Maytag, meanwhile, seems to be still haemorrhaging money, managing to lose $18m on a turnover 6.5% up. Much of the blame is attached to overcapacity as a result of demand shifting towards lower end models.

On a more positive note, ALNO appears to be going from strength to strength at the middle to top end of the kitchen market, opening a new retail and contract showroom, with office and warehouse facilities near Sevenoaks in Kent. At an open day yesterday, more of which below (or here), we learned that the UK is ALNO's biggest export market and that the company is making significant inroads into the new build and social housing markets.

The heat is now on to enter the annual House Beautiful Awards 2006 and be recognised as the best of the best in the homes industry.
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The Good Housekeeping Institute has subjected the Whirlpool Prêt-à-Porter to a selection of tests covering performance, ease of use, design and clarity of the included instructions and has passed it on all counts.
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The Active Kitchen sink from Franke won a top honour at the Kitchen and Bathroom Designer’s Manufacturers’ Awards 2005.
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Ideal Standard has announced further recognition of its design led strategy in recently winning the Best in Bathrooms category in the ELLE Decoration Design Awards 2005.
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BK Installations, which handles the contracts division of Nolte UK, was presented with the 2005 major contracts award at Germany's Hausemesse exhibition.
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KBB incorporating Expotile, the biennial event for the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and tile industry is all set to make a big splash in January at the NEC, Birmingham. From 22-25 January 2006, five halls of the NEC will be the home of the biggest and best industry event to date.
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The preparations for the première of the Deutsche Ausbaumesse in Nürnberg from 27-29 April 2006 are in full swing.
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Epoc Messe Frankfurt, Dubai, has finalised its plans for ISH Kitchen and Bathroom Gulf.
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Interbuild 2006 - The Building Show takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from April 23 to 27.
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With the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) pushing its 'Better Backs' initiative this summer, Granada Material Handling (Granada), one of the nation's leading material handling solutions specialists, is the sole UK distributor of Fezer VacuPowerlift handling units.
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PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

Ebor Introduces CaesarStone's Concetto Collection
Available from Ebor Equipment Ltd, Concetto Surface Art is created by exploiting nature's unparalleled designs and hues. ‘Individually cut semi-precious stones are bound together to form the ultimate stone surface - a dream for designers and architects,’ says the company.
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ALNO Opens Luxury Kitchen Showroom and Contracts Centre in Sevenoaks
ALNO yesterday (27th October 2005) opened a new luxury kitchen showroom and contract sales operation in Dunton Green, near Sevenoaks, Kent. The 25,000 sq ft centre, which was opened by John Kinder, managing director of ALNO (UK), houses two distinct operations. ALNO at Sevenoaks is the company's second UK flagship store and displays over 15 fully fitted kitchens in a 3,000 sq ft showroom. The store has been created to showcase the best in kitchen design and innovation from ALNO.
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Maytag Contuinues to Suffer as Market Shifts
Maytag Corporation reported on 21st October third quarter consolidated net sales of $1.26 billion, up 6.5 percent from net sales of $1.19 billion in the same period last year. Reported net loss for the third quarter was $18.2 million or 23 cents per share, compared with net income of $7.5 million, or 9 cents per share, a year earlier.
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lmproved Q3 Profit for Nobia, but UK 9% Down
Nobia's third quarterly profit showed improvement despite a weak trend on several key markets. Progress on the Nordic market remained positive. Demand grew by an estimated 6 per cent during the first nine months of the year compared with the corresponding period last year.
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Wolseley's £140m Acquisition of Encon, a UK Distributor of Insulation
Wolseley plc, the world's largest specialist trade distributor of plumbing and heating products to professional contractors and a leading supplier of building materials, announced on 24th October that, since the last acquisition update on 18th October 2005, it has completed a further two acquisitions including the acquisition of Encon, a leading distributor of insulation products in the UK.
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Russians Unveil Radiator Monument
Energy workers in Russia have marked the onset of the country's severe winter - with a monument to the world's first radiator. The sculpture, of a cat lying on a windowsill over a heater, was unveiled at a power station in the city of Samara, south-east of Moscow.
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KBB and Expotile 2008 are Moving.....
KBB incorporating Expotile, the kitchens, bathrooms and tiling industry event, will be held at a different time of year from 2008. The event will continue to be a part of The Interiors Event in January 2006, but the biennial event will move to the 9-12 March in 2008.
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Consumer Microsites Boost Belling's New Advertising Campaign
Belling has launched a new consumer advertising campaign aimed at appealing to a new younger generation of Belling users and designed to drive customer pull through for retailers. The latest adverts can be spotted over the next few months in woman's national consumer titles.
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Hotpoint 7kg Washer £2m TV Ad Campaign
Hotpoint and Ariel launched their latest high profile TV advert on 15th October, which is set to run till the end of the year. The £2 million ad campaign showcases Hotpoint's new 7kg Ultima washing machine with a clear message that together with Ariel, Hotpoint makes laundry life easier.
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Clyde, Ohio - Chosen for New Manufacturing Site
Fisher & Paykel Appliances is to locate its new manufacturing facility in the United States in Clyde, Ohio. In July this year the Company announced that it would be relocating its Smart Drive clothes washer line that is currently located in Cleveland, Australia and a motor manufacturing line, located in Auckland, New Zealand, to a North American site.
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Fusion Four - The New Hydromassage System from Victory Spa
Victory Spa has announced that all its products will now incorporate 'FusionFour' technology - the bringing together of four performance features. Victory Spa has worked with physiotherapists to develop its FusionFour system, which is built around four principles with the object of providing a healthy massage.
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Lathams Goes with the 'Flo'
A young furniture designer recently got a helping hand from James Latham, when the timber distributor supplied a selection of panel products for his cutting edge table. Philip Inchley's 'Flo' table was designed with modern day living in mind, as it is Suitable for multi-purpose use, such as dining, work and play.
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