Weekly Email News for the Kitchen, Bathroom and Bedroom Industries
2nd April 2004
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For those in search of something vibrant in the bathroom, Twyford Bathrooms offers Energy in the Twyford Pure collection - a suite characterised by its curved organic shapes and clear contemporary styling
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Heritage Bathrooms is launching a raft of new products in April
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A new Shaker range was recently launched into the Ideal-Standard Space furniture collection
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Haro Sanitary has recently introduced the space saving WC seat Nordica. With a length of only 41 cm this seat, made of white duroplast, is customised to small-sized ceramic ware
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Ideal-Standard says that the success of its Space suite, by Robin Levien, comes from it's ability to make best use of spaces within the home
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Dolomite has recently launched the Pasadena range. The company says that this contemporary suite has a timeless design, allowing the Pasadena suite to be coordinated with any interior
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Showerlux Aqualuna is a cutting edge design combining strong, angular lines with contemporary ceramic and glass finishes to create a clean, minimalist look
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Børma has recently launched the Cubic range of bathroom brassware
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Launched as part of the Art, Design and Sculpture Collection, Sottini has recently introduced the Artefakt 6 range of brassware.
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Glance is a recently launched range of contemporary bathroom brassware from Jado. Designed by Artefakt Industriekultur, the brief for Glance was to create a product that offers a new dimension in modern brassware
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Bathroom specialist Showerlux has launched two new ranges of bathroom accessories: the Edge and Cirq accessory collections
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Triton has launched two new Shower Towers intended to bring luxurious top end spa products to a wider audience
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Vasco says that its design credentials are fully apparent in the company's range of 'all electric' radiators
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With a history of making quality towel rails for bathrooms, kitchens and en suites, Imperial has taken a fresh look at radiators and is launching some very striking new designs
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Acova’s designers have added a simple chrome rail to the company's classic Multicolumn radiator and come up with a solution to the room heating/towel-drying dilemma
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Bisque has launched new ranges of quality, luxury valves to complement the company's radiators.
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Designing out Product Malfunction
This week we cover a report from the Consumers' Association which highlights the fact that manufacturers cannot be legally forced to recall dangerous products and that the UK Government is dragging its feet on taking up a proposed EU directive. All products fail, of course, it's a question of when and how dangerously. One hopes that the high level of innovation within the KB industry means that failure becomes rarer and safer. This week we feature two great new ideas from Missel (diagonally installed bathroom ware) and LG (the world's largest front loading washing machine).

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Raffo Design, a northwest product design company, has again used its expert knowledge in the bathroom industry to win the international Design Journal 'Award for Design Excellence 2003', (ADEX) for the company’s minimalist shower range
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De Dietrich has announced that Stephen Jeacock, Area Sales Manager for the Midlands area, is the 2003 ASM of the year
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Jacuzzi UK, one of the largest bathroom manufacturers in the UK, has beaten off strong competition to win a Homes & Gardens 'Classic Design Award 2004', with its latest innovative bathroom concept.
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The NVQ qualification for showroom staff was put together by The Tile Association and the Association for Ceramic Training & Development and is supported by the DTI.
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A series of support seminars run by Planit International, the industry software provider, have proved so successful that the remaining dates for October are all fully booked.
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Heppelwhite says that it's new Panorama Collection is proving to be a hit with retailers who recognise the growing demand for contemporary bedroom furniture.
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Under the Commonfield Contemporary Door and Slide & Store brands, Commonfield Services Ltd is a core producer of folded steel and extruded aluminium framed sliding doors, now incorporating a choice of diffuse, coloured glass options.
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Dynamic Space® was on the booth of fittings manufacturer Julius Blum at ZOW 2004.
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The second Idéo Bain attracted 250 French and international exhibitors, who occupied over 30,000 m2.
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BolognaFiere and CMP Sinoexpo organise Expo Build China and Ceramics, and Tile & Sanitary Ware China, both held annually in Shanghai in April.
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Epoc Messe Frankfurt, Dubai, has finalised its plans for ISH Kitchen and Bathroom Gulf.
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The Salone Internazionale del Mobile (14 - 19 April 2004) for Italian and internationally made kitchen furniture.
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The 6th China International Building & Decoration Fair will be held from 6-9 July, 2004 in Guangzhou .
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ASFI the UK furniture supplies event is being re-launched for 2004
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THIS WEEK'S NEWS

Manufacturers Can't be Forced to Recall Dangerous Products and the Government is Dragging its Feet on Plugging this Gaping Hole in the Law
'According to a recent report at Which Online, seven people are killed every year by unsafe products which haven't been recalled - and 35 new products go on sale every year that prove dangerous, but aren't recalled. These estimates are from a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) study in 2000 - yet the same department has missed a deadline for introducing new legislation to protect consumers from unsafe products. While it dithers, we all remain at risk. What's more, we think its proposals even when introduced could allow unscrupulous traders to continue to be irresponsible.' says the Consumers Association.
[More on this Story]

ElcoBrandt Reinforces Leading Market Share in France but Turnover is up Only 1.3%
The ElcoBrandt Group presented its results yesterday for the year 2003. Reporting turnover of 857.6 million euros, with 40% of its sales outside France, and 16.6% of market share in France, the ElcoBrandt Group thus confirms its position as the Number 1 in household appliances in France. During its second financial year, the Group consolidated its positions in all of its markets and proved that its strategy was bearing fruit.
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De Dietrich Announces Positive Sales Results for 2003
De Dietrich reports that its technologly-led appliances contributed to a good financial performance during 2003. Sales of American refrigeration have more than doubled year on year, while the runaway success in cooking products has been induction hobs, with sales up by over 54%
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In Memory of Simon Austin
Simon Austin, 51, UK managing director for the Vaillant Hepworth Group, has died tragically following a car accident on Saturday 13th March 2004. A well-respected and influential figure in the heating industry, Simon joined Vaillant Limited as MD in 1997 and steered the company through a period of significant growth. Vaillant reaped the benefits of Simon’s open and approachable style, which helped to forge many close relationships right across the industry.
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Design Awards 2004 Named in Honour of Leading Industry Figure
5th Element Publishing Ltd, publishers of The Kitchen & Bathroom Designer magazine and organisers of The Design Awards has announced that the 2004 competition will include an award dedicated to the memory of Simon Taylor of Four Seasons in Leeds, one of the industry’s most respected kitchen designers, who died in January this year.
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Boform Opens Today at Smirk
Established in 1998, Smirk has successfully created a unique service in designing bespoke furniture and interior designs for discerning private clients. 2004 marks the opening of its new showroom, showcasing contemporary furniture manufacturers from around the world and, exclusively to the UK, featuring Boform kitchens from Denmark.
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Jorge Pensi to Design Kitchen for Poggenpohl
The Argentine Jorge Pensi, a specialist in the design of furniture and lamps, will soon be designing kitchens for the luxury brand Poggenpohl. As Poggenpohl CEO Elmar Duffner disclosed, the renowned designer, who resides in Barcelona, is now under contract with the East Westphalian kitchen manufacturer Poggenpohl Möbelwerke GmbH.
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LG Electronics Unveils Front-loading Washing Machine with World's Largest Capacity
LG Electronics (LGE) unveiled the 13kg front-loading washing machine (front loader - model: WD-R130AH) in Korea on February 25. As a home front loader boasting of the world's largest capacity, the model reflects consumers' demand for larger types. In North America, 10Kg top loading washing machines were the mainstream in the past. Today, however, demand for front loaders are on the rise, with their share expected to grow from 5% in 2001 to 20% this year.
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Latest Design Innovation from Missel: Combined Diagonal Installation
Missel, the specialist in innovative bathroom design, has had a new idea that will enable it to offer even more attractive possible uses for all Missel compact elements. It involves attaching two structure-borne sound-insulated compact elements such as a compact toilet cistern and a compact element bidet to a large triangular unit.
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Hansgrohe Strikes a Happy Balance for 2003
The Hansgrohe group in Schiltach, the Black Forest, leading manufacturer of bathroom fixtures and décor, is reporting a fairly good fiscal year 2003. ‘In view of the unfavourable general conditions and a plumbing appliances market in its 7th year of decline, Hansgrohe has managed a turnaround in the long-standing crisis,’ as President and CEO Klaus Grohe expressed it in a statement to the press.
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Homestyle Group Announces Good January Sales and New Chairman 
Homestyle Group announces that in the seven weeks to 17th January 2004, orders taken amounted to £113.8m (2003: £112.5m), with like for like sales 1% ahead (excluding Kitchen Studio). There was also an improvement in the Group gross margin. The Beds Division achieved a 6% increase in like for like sales at improved margins.
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Bluestone Kitchens Makes Most of MASCO Parent
bluestone kitchens is a brand of Moores Furniture Group. the supplier of kitchen and bathroom furniture to the house building market in the UK. bluestone benefits from a wealth of resources and infrastructure as Moores Furniture Group has a turnover of c.£90m, whilst its parent company (Masco Corporation) has a global turnover of $9.49bn
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KitchenVision Granted Design Registration
KitchenVision™, manufacturer of the integrated stainless steel LCD television, has been granted design registration by the Patent Office.
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Electrolux Indian Subsidiary Issues New Shares
As part of the ongoing changes within the Indian operation, Electrolux Kelvinator Limited, the Group's subsidiary in India, is inviting its shareholders to subscribe to new shares totaling approximately INR 2.0 billion (approximately SEK 300m).
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Merloni Puts the Spotlight on Cannon and Creda
Merloni has launched its latest edition of its monthly newsletter 'Spotlight', for its cooking brands Cannon and Creda. Spotlight is designed to keep retailers updated on all the latest news, products, promotions and contact information.
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Glaverbel Launches Matelux Linea Azzurra
Available in thicknesses of 15 mm and 19 mm, Glaverbel's new Matelux Linea Azzurra is a blue satin finish glass. Its translucent aspect is in line with the current trend towards minimalism, simplicity and pure forms.
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Striking Design & Enterprising Japanese Food
Located between the City and the West End, Matsuri High Holborn is designed to appeal to those who might not venture inside a traditional Japanese Restaurant, although traditionalists enjoy the high quality of service and tastes on offer. The project interior by Kajima Design involved the collaboration of, among others, Broughton, Tricon, Ideal Standard and Armitage Shanks.
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COMPANY NOTICES

Notices from The Insolvency Courts, January - March
The following Notices have been posted from the Insolvency Courts relating to Kitchen and Bathroom companies from January - March 2004. Some of the recent companies include D&P Home Improvements of Readingh, Lakeland Design Profiles of Preston, Flu-Care Ltd of Bristol, Concept Kitchens (Leyton), RDM Fabrications of Chingford, Thames Fitted Furniture of London E17, Mr Wilson's Kitchen Store, Manchester.
[More Here]

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KBSA CORNER...

Training, Education and Qualification Initiative will be Good for Us All
Training is an issue that affects us all and when the negative results of a lack of training begin to impact on the industry it is easy to blame somebody else. We are a fragmented industry and for many years there has been no clear training body that everybody can sign up to and no career path exists for the people in our industry who come from a variety of different backgrounds.
[More Here]

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SPECIAL FEATURES

National Charity Works with Trade Partners to find Solution to Bath Water Scalds Affecting Young Children
Child Accident Prevention Trust, the Thermostatic Mixing Valve Manufacturers’ Association (TMVA) and BuildCert recently launched a new generation of thermostatic mixing valves, TMV2, at a seminar in London.
[More on this Story]

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