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Plumbing Imports buys Wilky Bathrooms

Plumbing Imports has announced the acquisition of bathroom distribution business Wilky Bathrooms.
Wilky Bathrooms was formed in the early 1980s and supplies prestige brands such as Villeroy & Boch direct to housebuilders and developers from its operation in Farnborough Hants.

The move will give further exposure to the YUKKA bathroom brand, particularly for housebuilders and retailers in the south. It also gives Wilky customers access to Paini brassware and baths from Airbath, the well-known hydrotherapy brand made in Leeds.

Plumbing Imports MD Matthew Pitt commented: “Wilky Bathrooms is a very professional company which has seen considerable growth recently, despite having become a non-core division of a property company.”
The business will now be called ‘Wilky Bathroom Solutions’ and will benefit from management focus on product design, customer service and competitive sourcing. It gives us a base in the south, further broadens our overall product offer and will help us develop sales of our existing products in the contract sector,” he added.
The Wilky Group has retained ownership of its long-established retail showroom in Guildford, which has now been incorporated as Wilky Bathroom Centre Ltd.
For more information contact Plumbing Imports on Tel: 01845 578089 www.plumbingimports.co.uk or wilkybathrooms.co.uk.

Ideal Standard International Announced as Independent, Privately-Owned Company

A new, privately-owned company operating under the name Ideal Standard International on 5th November announced its independence, regional remit and strategy to deliver total bathroom solutions based on design, innovation and quality.

Comprising over 18,000 employees, Ideal Standard International has operations and sales in over 30 countries located in Europe, the Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific and Central and South America. The new company's presence in Central and South America is via a joint venture, called Incesa, which is 64 percent owned by Ideal Standard International.

Ideal Standard International, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, has a long standing heritage and wide product portfolio covering all aspects of the bathroom from designer ceramic sanitary ware, furniture, taps and showers to high-tech home wellness systems. Cutting edge, design-driven bathroom solutions for residential, commercial and institutional use are sold under its international brands Ideal Standard, Jado and American Standard, as well as leading local brands including Armitage Shanks, Porcher, Ceramica Dolomite, Vidima and Incesa Standard. The new company is also the owner of Edwards Logistics, a transportation services provider with presence in the UK, Bulgaria and Belgium.

The creation of Ideal Standard International follows an announcement made on October 31st, 2007, by American Standard Companies Inc. on the completion of the sale of its global Bath and Kitchen products business to funds advised by Bain Capital Partners, LLC, a leading private investment firm, for $1.745 billion including closing adjustments.

Management-led, leveraged buy-out
The recent sale was a management-led, leveraged buy-out with the decision to purchase based on shareowner confidence in the industry, business strategies, leadership team and employees. As a result, the new company is governed by a Board of Directors comprising representation from Ideal Standard International and Bain Capital LLC.

Looking towards a bright future
As an independent company, 100 percent focused on bathroom solutions, Ideal Standard International is more agile and able to respond faster to market needs. Bain Capital LLC, its new shareowner, adopts a fundamentally different business model from other investment firms and has the philosophy of supporting management teams in growing their business. Whilst the transaction heralds a new momentum for the company there will be continuity in the senior management group with the Ideal Standard International regional leadership team holding full responsibility for setting the company's strategic direction and achieving the business and financial goals.

About Ideal Standard International:
Ideal Standard International, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, is a privately-owned company, operating independently in Europe, Middle East and Africa and Asia Pacific. The company also has presence in Central and South America via a joint venture called Incesa. With bathroom solutions as its core business, the company provides bathroom furnishings, fixtures and shower enclosures for residential, commercial and institutional buildings. Its products are sold under its strong international brands Ideal Standard, Jado and American Standard (Asia/Pacific and Incesa), as well as leading local brands including Incesa Standard (Incesa), Armitage Shanks (UK), Ceramica Dolomite (Italy), Porcher (France and Incesa) and Vidima (Eastern Europe). The company employs some 18,000 people and is operational in over 30 countries. Ideal Standard International is governed by a Board of Directors. Its main shareowner is Bain Capital LLC.

Web: http://www.idealstandard.com

Ideal Standard International Announces EMEA Leadership Team

Ideal Standard International on November 7th announced its new organisation and leadership team for operations in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Ideal Standard International's EMEA president, John Rietveldt (pictured), leads the region employing approximately 13,000 people and comprising thirty production facilities in 27 sites across eleven countries. Ideal Standard International EMEA is Europe's leading bathroom provider* with strong market presence in the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, Greece, Egypt and Bulgaria. High potential growth markets include countries in Eastern Europe, particularly Russia as well as Turkey and the Middle East. A wide product portfolio is sold under the company's strong international brands Ideal Standard and Jado, and leading local brands Armitage Shanks, Ceramica Dolomite, Porcher and Vidima.

The EMEA commercial organisation has nineteen local sales offices and is divided into three sub-regions as follows:

West Europe - headed up by vice president, Roger Cooper;
East Europe - led by vice president, Vassil Kanev; and
Italy, Egypt, the Middle East and Gulf States currently managed by vice president, Massimo Bonotti until his retirement at the end of this year.

Incesa, a joint venture operating in Central and South America, reports into the EMEA organisation. Incesa is headed up by regional president, Carlos E. Araya, and is 64 percent owned by Ideal Standard International with the remaining 36 percent held by local shareowners.

In its drive to ensure continued long-term competitiveness in providing high quality total bathroom solutions based on by design and innovation, Ideal Standard International EMEA is focusing on four main product categories driven by consumer insights, market demands and operational excellence:

* Ceramics led by vice president Filip Van der Linden;
* Furniture & Accessories led by vice president Paul Frankish;
* Fittings led by vice president, Jordi Cazorla:
* Bathing & Wellness led by vice president, Lucio Colussi

The EMEA business will further build on its established platform of centralised support functions. Reporting directly to John Rietveldt, many of these functions will also provide guidance to the Asia Pacific region and Incesa arm of Ideal Standard International.
Functional excellence areas and leaders are as follows:

* Finance: Philippe Ruzé
* HR: Mark McRae
* Central Operations Strategy: Mark Collings
* Logistics and Planning: Mark Williams
* Strategic Planning: Sidney Vastenhout
* Brand Management: Beate Marzinski
* IT: Michael Luzemann
* Legal: Claudia Crescenzi
* Quality: Robert Schickhoff
* Safety: David Tjong

Commenting on the new organisation, EMEA president, John Rietveldt, said, ‘This is a very exciting time for us. We are on the brink of a new era as an independent company. This newly found autonomy enables us to be 100 percent focused on bathroom solutions facilitating our ability to make faster decisions in response to the needs and desires of our customer and end-consumers. With the right leadership team and organisation in place, I believe we are strongly placed to further build on our existing success and number one market position in EMEA. The leadership is committed to the new Ideal Standard International company, its employees and products. Our overriding ethos is to provide great products and solutions to our customers taking the role of the bathroom to a whole new level via new technologies, design and innovations.’

* Measured as annual sales

Web: http://www.idealstandard.com

Coram Increases Warehouse Capacity

Coram Showers has expanded the current warehouse capacity at its Bridgnorth manufacturing site by over 80%, a move that will enable the company to continue to meet growing demand for its range of high performance shower enclosure, tray and bath screen designs.

Following a significant rise in sales, Coram has acquired a new 9,000ft2 warehouse at its Bridgnorth factory, which will enable the company to increase its stockholding capacity and provide a faster, more efficient service to customers.

In addition to the new warehouse space, Coram has also improved its existing storage facilities by purchasing the latest space-saving forklift trucks that allow the company to reduce aisle width and stock finished products more intensively.

Commenting on the recent warehouse expansion, Dennis Burden, production director at Coram Showers, said: ‘At Coram we are dedicated to producing and delivering our market leading designs both quickly, efficiently and to the highest possible standard.

‘To ensure Coram continues to meet these standards, particularly as sales rise, the company has placed significant investment in its warehouse facilities, allowing improved stock availability and, ultimately, an exceptional service to customers.’

Coram Showers specialises in the design and manufacture of shower enclosures, shower pods, shower trays and bath screens. In addition to its new retail range, Acora, the company's current range includes the Premier and Optima ranges of shower enclosures, Waterguard Showertrays and a range of bath screens. Designed for fast and easy installation, as well as watertight performance, all Coram products are designed and manufactured at the company's Bridgnorth factory in Shropshire and enclosures are power shower tested to BS 6340 against leakage.

Web: http://www.coram.co.uk

Cosentino Opens New Warehouse in Manchester

The Spanish-owned Silestone quartz work surface manufacturer, Cosentino is to open a second UK warehouse in Manchester on 5th November. The 16,000 sq ft warehouse, located at one of Europe's most prestigious business parks at Trafford Park, is just three miles from Manchester's City Centre with easy access to all major road networks serving the North of England.

The move is in response to increasing demand for Cosentino's Silestone quartz work surfaces throughout the UK. The company's Watford-based warehouse will continue to supply customers in the South.

The new warehouse will be run by Cosentino's general manager for the North, Gary Isherwood (pictured), ‘This is an extremely exciting time for Cosentino. Our trend-setting colour palette, unique Microban anti-bacterial qualities and approach to customer service set us apart from our competitors, helping Silestone to cement its position as the best selling quartz work surface in the UK.

‘The new Manchester warehouse will be able to hold 3000 slabs of Silestone, which fabricators will be able to order on-line for even greater efficiency and speed. This combined with over 3000 slabs held at the Watford warehouse, means that Cosentino will have the greatest stock availability of quartz surfaces in the UK. Over 10 jobs will also be created.’

Silestone by Cosentino is the first and only quartz surfacing material in the world, with patented Microban antibacterial protection. This helps fight the growth of micro-orgasnisms and harmful bacteria which may be on the surface, such as EColi, Salmonella, Listeria, Staphlococcus and the MRSA superbug.

Functional, beautiful and hygienic, quartz worktops are made from 93% natural quartz crystals and 7% pigments, resin, mirror and glass. Only three other natural minerals; diamond, sapphire and topaz are harder than quartz. Scratch, stain, heat and scorch resistant, Silestone can be cut and profiled to provide unlimited design options and is available in over 50 colours.

The Microban anti-bacterial technology is incorporated throughout the structure of all Silestone Quartz products during the manufacturing process, providing continuous protection, which cannot be removed or eliminated during the lifetime of the product.

Tel - 08700 118 788
Email: uksales@silestone.com
Web: http://www.silestone.com

All go at Crosswater

Crosswater has relocated to a brand new 65,000 sq ft, multi-operational site. The complex in Crossways, Kent is the company's group headquarters which features a stunning showroom, conference and training facilities.

The 40-strong staff benefit from working in an inspirational and stimulating open plan environment. Philip Carr, Commercial Director at Crosswater Holdings Ltd, comments:

‘We needed to facilitate the continued growth of the business and it was vital to find a suitable location that gave us adequate space, yet was in close proximity to our existing facility for the entire Crosswater team. I am pleased to say that everyone has transferred to the new location.’

For more information on Crosswater, please call 0845 873 8840 or visit the website http://www.crosswater.co.uk.

CMPi Launches KBB London

CMPi has announced the launch of KBB London, a new exhibition for the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom industry at Earls Court, London from 17-19th May 2009. Aimed at architects, developers, interior designers and retailers, the new exhibition will showcase the latest products and services in the heart of London.

CMPi is also the organiser of KBB incorporating Expotile, the industry leading event in Birmingham, and has used the enormous success of this event to grow its portfolio to include KBB London which will run in alternate years to its namesake in Birmingham.

Paul Sweeney, CMPi Event Director commented, ‘The launch of a London event is a natural extension of our KBB franchise. This will be a different style of exhibition to our event in Birmingham, with a greater emphasis on furniture and design.’

‘Our research has confirmed that Earls Court was the most popular location for an event in this market due to its central London location and the ease of access for exhibitors and visitors alike,’ says Event Manager Sam Cande, ‘and I am delighted with the initial response to KBB London. Almost 30% of the space was reserved ahead of the official launch which is an outstanding achievement for a new event and underlines the faith the industry has in our company to deliver a great exhibition.’

If you would like to be a part of KBB London, please call Sam Cande on +44 (0)20 7921 8438 or email scande@cmpi.biz.

Tile UK and CFR to Cease Publishing under CMPi

CMPi has announced that it will cease to publish two of its magazines, Tile UK and Carpet & Flooring Review. CMPi is currently investigating options for the future of both titles outside of the company and will ensure all their readers and advertisers are informed of the circumstances on a regular basis.

Jonathon Collins, Publisher comments, 'With the steady increase of online business, the publications have met a challenging market and it is with regret that we have taken the decision to cease publishing of both these magazines. The September edition of Tile UK will be the last published by CMP, and the October edition of CFR is due to go to press.'

Tile UK and CFR are both influential magazines within their industries, with a readership spanning the tiling and flooring markets including architects, interior designers, manufacturers and retailers.

Big Brands Back at Interbuild 2008

On the back of 2007's successes 61% of exhibitors have already confirmed for Interbuild 2008, taking place 26 - 30 October at Birmingham's NEC.

‘Thanks to high attendance levels and a large number of interactive displays and on-stand activity there was an immense buzz across all of the halls and the feedback from exhibitors and visitors alike has been extremely positive,’ says Interbuild's newly appointed Event Director, James Gower.

Deals done at Interbuild proved to be a popular talking point throughout with Mtech, the leading specialist consultancy for offsite construction, attributing 30% of new business as being generated at the UK's biggest building show. Other exhibitors already reaping the rewards of another successful Interbuild include David Roger Franklin, Mercedes-Benz and Polypod.

‘We've had a really show-stopping exhibition that has delivered in every area,’ says Frank Dunn, Sales Manager at Polypod, who exhibited within Hall 5's structural section. ‘We've made deals with the developers in Dubai, USA, Holland, Belgium, Portugal and Spain, as well as making excellent contacts with the UK's top three developers. It goes without saying that Polypod will be back at Interbuild next year.’

Similarly enthusiastic testimonials were obtained from C.K International, which has already rebooked with double the space for next year; Mercedes-Benz, which was encouraged by the large number of leads generated each day; Multifloor, which rated Interbuild for its access to architects and specifiers; Purus, which made over 3,000 contacts in the plumbing sector alone; CCL Special Supplies which was impressed with the calibre of visitors at this year's event; and Impey UK which considered Interbuild a crucial building block in the company's business plan leading up to its launch four years ago.

‘There's a little bit of everything for Impey at Interbuild and it provides the ideal platform from which to reach specifiers and developers,’ says Jim Newitt, National Sales Manager at Impey (UK). ‘As far as I'm concerned Interbuild is THE show.’

Newcomers Hemway Podit and Hardwood & Joinery Softwoods (HJS) were thrilled with their first Interbuild appearance. For HJS it was the company’s first time at an exhibition of any kind and its presence has already paid off with an important deal clinched while on-site at the NEC.

Proving show-going's thirsty work, 3,300 cups of builders' tea were served throughout the full five days on Hall 4's FMB stand. The specially formulated recipe hit the spot with nearby spectators watching all the action in the Test The Trades live arena, and the car-cutting capers taking place on the Lenox stand also kept the crowds enthralled in one of the show's busiest areas.

The Architecture Pavilion in Hall 5 created a stir, with the creative white space drawing significant numbers to the BRE and RIBA CPD seminars taking place in the exclusive theatre areas. The Timber Zone, international pavilions and popular offsite solutions zone also located in this hall worked well alongside each other to attract large numbers of professionals.

There was also plenty of novelty value in Hall 3/3a with the new CEDIA and Voltimum Centres being key highlights and ex-England footballer Matt LeTissier making a VIP appearance on the Tuesday, three days into the five-day show.

‘There were plenty of highlights at this year's Interbuild and we are all thrilled with the results,’ says Event Director James Gower. ‘With over 60% of exhibitors already confirmed for next year's show I look forward to making history with an even bigger and better Interbuild 2008.’

Bosch, Metabo, Makita, Irwin, Ford, Volkswagen, Sunfold Systems, Potton, Eurocell and JCB are just a small selection of heavyweights already lined-up for action at Interbuild's annual debut.

For further information visit http://www.interbuild08.com

Rivals Floored In The Battle Of The Trades

South Birmingham College students walked away with £4,000 of tools following a colossal clash of the trades at last week's Interbuild show - the UK's largest building exhibition.

Battling it out for the show's Test The Trades jackpot prize, courtesy of headline sponsor Dewalt, specialist flooring apprentices from the college were victorious against their peers in the building, roofing and plumbing trades.

Hosted by Big Brother's Craig Phillips, Test The Trades is Interbuild's centrepiece event and a major draw for thousands of the show's visiting professionals - all keen to find out, once and for all, which is the most skilful trade.

Craig Phillips, winner of the first Big Brother series and a professional builder in his own right, said: "This year we put students in the spotlight to show off their skills and demonstrate why they're the lifeblood of the building trade. Each and every one of the apprentices involved in Test The Trades has shown real promise and an aptitude for hard work. With these key ingredients I'm sure they'll be snapped up and working professionally by the time we begin next year's Interbuild show in October 2008."

All four student teams from the college, representing each of the trades, put in a sterling performance, but it was the floorers who eventually separated the men from the boys by claiming first place, just ahead of the roofers. Keen not to take home the wooden spoon, the plumbers claimed third place, while the builders - with a heavily pregnant tutor in their ranks - must take home the title of most committed trade.

Individual Test The Trades challenges across the four trade disciplines were set by exhibitors including Web Dynamics, Multipipe, Kevington Building Products and Floors-2-Go. Test The Trades' main sponsor, Dewalt, donated £4,000 worth of premium trade tools to the college and participating students, including a Dewalt Accessory pack which was given to every one of the 48 students taking part. Scruffs workwear also kindly donated a prize pot of more than £500 in clothing and accessories to the daily winners.

12 of the students' tutors also took part in a 'warm-up' Test The Trades challenge and they each picked up a special goodie bag from Bahco Tools.

Interbuild's event director, James Gower, says: 'It's great to see fresh, new talent coming through, which will help plug the industry skills gap and meet the needs of the many exhibitors and visitors that have come to Interbuild over the last few days. The challenge, as always, is to make it bigger and better when we take the show annual next year.'

Interbuild 2007 - the Building Show was staged over five days between Sunday 28 October and Thursday 1 November 2007 at the NEC in Birmingham. Established since 1895, Interbuild is the UK's most comprehensive event on the construction calendar. The range of visitors is wide and varied from all levels of the market - from multi-disciplined specifiers through to specialist contractors, general builders, installers and end users. A total of 44,436* people visited Interbuild in 2006. 5,463 visitors were working on live projects with a total value of £16.19bn. Interbuild is now wholly organised by Emap Construct, the leading publisher and exhibition organiser dedicated to the building industry. www.interbuild.com / *ABC audited.

InSinkErator Grinds Out Record Sales in 2007

InSinkErator, manufacturer of food waste disposers, has achieved record breaking sales in 2007 – growing its business almost 20 per cent and demonstrating the increasing popularity of its main product line among UK householders.

Ashley Munden, Sales and Marketing Director for InSinkErator UK, said: 'Awareness of food waste disposers, and their associated benefits, is growing at a rapid pace. On a daily basis we are talking to an increasing number of major national retailers, independent kitchen showrooms, housing developers and local authorities who are recognising the very real advantages food waste disposers can offer.

'Food waste disposers are a logical purchase for all kitchens; they are convenient, can reduce the amount of waste consumers throw in wheelie bins, and long term ends up in landfill sites. This is a particularly topical with local authorities working to meet strict deadlines to reduce the volume of biodegradable waste going to landfill and the forthcoming Climate Change Bill that will give local authorities power to introduce pilot pay-as-you-throw schemes, which could penalise consumers who put too much rubbish in their wheelie bin.'

Two organisations which have continued to be strong advocates of food waste disposers in the last year are Worcestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council. The two authorities run a pioneering initiative, called Sink Your Waste, which offers residents cash-back of up to £80 for installing a food waste disposer in their home. The campaign has been very successful and the scheme has provided more than 1,000 rebates to date.

In addition, a recent report* looking at the environmental impact of food waste disposers found that they ‘provide a cost-effective, convenient and hygienic means of separating putrescilble domestic kitchen food waste (KFW) at source and diverting it from landfill’. The report goes on to identify that ‘this route [food waste disposers] costs less and has a smaller global warming potential than the routes comprising kerb side collection followed by centralised composting or landfill’.

2007 also marked the launch of a new product category for InSinkErator - the Steaming Hot Water Tap – which has proved exceptionally popular with kitchen retailers across the UK. Stylish, functional and economical**, the Steaming Hot Water Tap delivers 98 degree centigrade filtered hot water, on demand – meaning a relaxing cup of tea or bracing mug of coffee takes seconds. It is also a great help during food preparation, providing instant hot water to cook pasta, rice or vegetables.

* Environmental Impact Study of Food Waste Disposers, 2007.
** Based on a consumer using 8 cups of hot water

Tel: 01923 297 880
Web: http://www.insinkerator.co.uk

NHIC says Use Existing Properties to Create New Homes

The National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) says that building new homes and all the associated infrastructure problems is never going to totally solve the nation’s housing needs. So once again it urges Government and homes providers to look very seriously at the wealth of opportunities that existing redundant properties provide in meeting the ever-growing demand for dwellings to house the nation’s burgeoning population.

NHIC Director, Graham Ponting, explains: 'With yet more figures published on the nation’s housing requirement of 3m new homes by 2020, it’s even more imperative that Government, local authorities, housing associations and developers consider the thousands of empty buildings throughout our towns and cities.

'The vast majority of them are well suited to conversion into `attractive, energy efficient, affordable-to-run homes for sale or rent. As they are already part of the local environment the problem of creating new infrastructure doesn’t arise, because it already exists. And, of course, the very delicate Green Belt issue does not arise!

'The new occupants of such converted properties can be automatically integrated into the locality so far as schools and medical facilities are concerned, and transport would not be a problem.'

Graham Ponting also points out: 'A reduction in the standard rate of VAT related to home improvement could be a very positive incentive to encourage all homes providers to bring back into use these redundant properties, which would go a long way to resolving our housing requirements.'

According to the Government’s own, latest housing statistics as well as those of a leading building society, today there are as many as 1 million homes standing empty in the UK. This is 4% of the nation’s total housing stock and the vast majority of them are sound, well built dwellings that simply need upgrading with modern, energy efficient systems, double-glazing and good insulation.

In addition there are more than 700,000 redundant premises such as shops, offices, churches, and so on in our urban and rural areas, which could readily be converted into first class homes for sale or to rent.

Screwfix Email Offer ‘Misleading’ says ASA

According to information provided by the Advertiing Standards Authority (ASA) an email offer from Screwfix Direct Ltd was misleading.

The e-mail, had the subject heading 'Summer Sale - Massive Savings'. The ad featured an image of a DeWalt power tool and stated ‘SAVE UP TO 40% POWER TOOLS NOW FROM ONLY £49.79 SEE ALL’.

The complainant objected that the ad was misleading, because the DeWalt power tool shown in the ad cost £249.99.

Response
Screwfix Direct Ltd (Screwfix) said customers who clicked on the ‘see all’ link would be directed straight to a list of the discounted items together with an image of each power tool on their website. They said the price of a selected product was 100% clear at all times and there was no risk of a consumer being misled. They said the use of the DeWalt power tool in the e-mail to designate ‘power tools’ was not intended to mislead consumers into thinking they would be able to obtain a power tool that normally cost £350, for less than £50. They believed it was clear that the ‘save up to 40%’ claim related to all power tools in the summer sale. They said, in addition, it was clear that the range of power tools in the sale started at £49.79 and there was a click through for customers to ‘see all’. They said all of that was intended to refer to the range and was not, in their view, designating the price of the pictured power tool.

Screwfix said they had sent the e-mail to over 800,000 customers and pointed out there had only been one complaint. They maintained that if a consumer had known about the usual cost of a DeWalt power tool then they would not have been misled, because they would have known that the pictured item would not be available for £49.79. Alternatively, they said if a consumer was unaware of the DeWalt brand and the cost of their power tools, they could not have been misled as they would have just clicked through to look at the range, which did include a power tool for £49.79.

Screwfix provided a list of the discounts available on power tools during the sale. The discounts ranged from 14% to 40% and the prices from £49.79 to £249.99.

Assessment
Upheld
The ASA noted the ad included a direct link to a page on their website, which listed each of the products on offer and their prices. We also noted the price was prefixed with ‘from’.
However, we noted the model shown was the most expensive in the sale and that the text ‘Now from only £49.79’ was listed directly below the image. We considered that consumers could be led to believe that it was possible to purchase the depicted product for the price shown. We concluded that the ad was likely to mislead.

The ad breached CAP Code clauses 7.1 (Truthfulness), 15.1 and 15.4 (Prices).

Action
We told Screwfix not to repeat the approach. We advised them to seek guidance from the CAP Copy Advice team for their future ads.

Modular Furniture Without the Big Brand Hassle

Launched only a year ago, on-line furniture company space2 says that it has moved seamlessly into the flat packed furniture industry with 'innovative products which are exclusive without being expensive and an unsurpassed service package'.

Now armed with the experience of a years trading and a deeper understanding of its customers requirements, space2 is announcing the launch of its flexible modular furniture ranges that can be mixed and matched to suit individual needs.

Visitors to the website can design their own bedroom furniture with the on-line step by step process of choosing and ordering products.  Sleek modular wardrobes start at £98 for a single wardrobe with hanging rail and shelf. There are 5 configurations of wardrobe carcase to choose from with 10 different stylish doors and additional co-ordinating bedside tables and chests.

The contemporary Calgary office range is also modular with 16 choices of units to create the perfect work space. Simply start with a basic desk for only £80 and add corner units, filing cabinets, bookshelves, wall units and accessories.

Paul Johnson, Director of space2, comments 'We are really excited by the new product ranges and the high level of customer service we offer simply makes ordering and assembly of the products so easy. We have a dedicated, named customer services representative dealing with orders and after sales care, free delivery on orders over £150, availability within 5 to 10 working days and free returns on any item for any reason.*  Why would you want to buy anywhere else?'

* Free returns service available on damaged goods and if you simply change your mind providing the item is still in good condition. If you build the product, you must disassemble it and put it back in its original packaging before collection. If a product is faulty space2 collect it in whatever state it is in when the fault is found.

Web: http://www.space2.com

Patent Pending Solution to Leaking Shower Enclosures

Anyone with a shower enclosure will have struggled to clean the silicone seal where the glass meets tray. It gets grubby quickly and tends to deteriorate over time, thus spoiling the clean cut look of a stylish bathroom. Even worse if the shower tray flexes in use it can cause the silicone seal to break resulting in the enclosure leaking. Now you can wave goodbye to leaks and grubby silicone forever, thanks to a 'no silicone' solution from Adamsez. The company's in-house engineers have developed an intelligent enclosure using simple physics to create a robust, leak-free shower without the need for unsightly silicone.

The company says that ‘this genuine bathroom innovation has a patent pending and cannot be found anywhere else in the bathroom industry. The unique 'no silicone' technology works on the basis of water control. The specially designed deflectors divert sprayed water back into the tray while any escaping water is diverted back into the bowl from a channel on the outer flange. No other shower enclosure on the market is genuinely leak free without the use of silicone. The water deflectors are fully removable for easy cleaning, and the enclosures are incredibly simple to install. Such is Adamsez' confidence in the quality of the product that the enclosures also have a lifetime guarantee against any manufacturing defect.’

The system now comes as standard on all Adamsez’ enclosures and walk-in screens. Pictured is the Quadrant Enclosure, which is available in a wide range of sizes ranging from 800mm x 800mm to 1200mm x 900mm (shown), with prices starting from £1521.63.

Tel: 028 9048 0465
Web: http://www.adamsez.com

Consumers Urged to Check Gas Fitters' Registration after North Wales Prosecution

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning consumers to check gas fitters are CORGI registered before allowing them to work on domestic gas appliances. The warning comes after a gas fitter from Wrexham was prosecuted by HSE for carrying out work at a house without being CORGI registered.

Nigel Paul Chadwick, of Benjamin Road, Wrexham was fined a total of £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs after pleading guilty to a breaches of of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

Chadwick repaired a leak on a gas cooker at a house in Wrexham, but failed to identify another leak in the system, greatly increasing the risk of fire or explosion. Fortunately the householder noticed there was still a problem and reported it to Transco who made it safe.

HSE inspector Barbara Francis said: 'We will prosecute people who work on gas appliances without the proper accreditation. In this case, the risk was fire or explosion but improperly maintained appliances can also give rise to carbon monoxide (CO) which is potentially lethal. You cannot see, smell or taste CO fumes, leaving anyone exposed feeling unwell. In the worst situations, CO can kill without warning in just hours.

'The law requires that only trained, competent people work on gas appliances, and the only accreditation currently recognised by HSE is membership of CORGI. If you are having gas work done, always check the fitter's CORGI identity card before you let them start work.'

New Tile Collection Designed Exclusively for Homebase by BCT Ltd

Tile manufacturer British Ceramic Tile (BCT Ltd) has introduced a collection of contemporary tiles for leading UK home enhancement retailer, Homebase. The designs introduce both a stylish and modern selection of tiles suitable for the bathroom and kitchen. The Linen, Riva Mosaic, Liberty and Manhattan ranges will be available in selected stores across the UK.

Linen is a distinctive tile collection with a textured finish which mirrors that of the real fabric. Available in two colourways, the Linen tile offers a softer look than natural stone whilst keeping within a neutral colour palette. It comes in classic but fashionable duck egg blue or a subtle taupe. The range allows you to create an elegant room design using the Palm strip, which features raised palm fronds, or Linen Squares strip embellished with platinum.

The clean, geometric design of the Liberty and Manhattan range is reminiscent of New York’s minimalist city grid, lending a cool, elegant look to today’s stylish home. Adding chic glass, platinum, or pearlescent strip completes the look.

The large format Riva Mosaics provide a timeless mosaic option available in gloss white, natural, or blue. The natural and blue colourways offer a myriad of subtle colour variations within each tile, bringing a beautiful, shimmering effect into your bathroom or kitchen.

The full collection is now available from selected Homebase stores across the country.

Linen
Field tiles are available in 248mm x 398 mm
Palm and Linen Squares strips are sized 248 x 40 mm

Liberty and Manhattan
Liberty and Manhattan field tiles are available in 248 x 398 mm
Grand Central, Broadway and Madison strips are sized 248 x 40 mm

Riva Mosaics
Riva Mosaic tiles are available in 248 x 398mm

Brits are a Nation of Entertainers New Survey Reveals

Britons are a nation of entertainers according to a new survey released by kitchen and bedroom retailer County.

More than 64% of people surveyed across the UK admitted that their dining rooms are practically redundant as they now use the kitchen as the principal room for entertaining guests.

County's parent company, Sigma 3, which commissioned the survey to gain a snapshot of what Britons' want from their homes in the 21st century, found that the kitchen now performs a number of roles. No longer is it just the place where meals are prepared and eaten, but it has become a hub for entertaining, sorting out bills and watching TV.

Sigma 3 & County's marketing manger Paula Morris says: ‘The survey shows that times are changing and people want a much more functional kitchen to fit in with our busy lifestyles. When given a choice between functionality, style and size, almost two thirds of people prioritise practicality.’

However the survey reveals that Cardiff homeowners are more likely to place an emphasis on style. The people of the Welsh capital are also more likely to opt for sleek contemporary designs over traditional kitchen looks, whilst the inhabitants of Guildford, Surrey, are most likely to opt for timeless classics.

The survey also revealed that the most wanted item in the kitchen other than the essential trio of cooker, fridge and freezer was a dishwasher. In second place was a wine cooler with a built-in microwave being third on the list.

Paula continues: ‘Across the UK people are opting for bigger workspaces, more seating, clever storage and funky gadgets like wine coolers and built-in coffee makers to impress friends when entertaining. It seems we are really are a nation out to impress our peers by entertaining in our kitchens, the room which is swiftly becoming the hub of modern British homes.’

There are five Sigma 3 showrooms - Cardiff Culverhouse Cross and Cardiff Colchester Avenue, Swansea, Newport, Warton (nr. Preston), and seven County showrooms in: Camberley, Guilford, Esher, Hove, Worthing, Horsham and Chichester.

Web: http://www.sigma3.co.uk

Construction Industry Honours Geberit as Green Supplier of the Year 2007

Geberit, the supplier of sanitary, supply and HDPE drainage systems, was presented 'The Green Supplier of the Year' award at the prestigious 'Construction News Green Awards 2007', at the Hurlington Club, London, for demonstrating its commitment to affecting positive change to the environment.

Since the 1990's Geberit began its work towards environmental change, long before other manufactures, when it developed a pioneering and comprehensive environmental strategy, which established sustainability as a central theme within Geberit.

As part of its environmental strategy, Geberit has produced a code of conduct for handling resources which goes far beyond statutory requirements and has enabled the company to save water and energy and reduce wastes and hazardous substances. In addition, Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) are carried out on its products to ensure all developments are environmentally friendly.

Waste and internal recycling are crucial to Geberit and, as the inventor and leading manufacturer of HDPE drainage systems, the company avoids the disposal of plastic wastes by collecting, milling and reusing 100% of the waste parts in the production process. HDPE itself is recommended by Greenpeace as an environmentally friendly alternative to other pipe systems as it consumes less energy during manufacture and transport when compared to cast iron.

As a specialist in plumbing technology, Geberit recognises the importance of water and its responsibility to developing efficient systems which ensure as little as possible of this precious resource is wasted.

Geberit also participates in the Climate Change Levy to improve energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. During 2004 - 2006, emissions of greenhouse gases at Geberit fell by 8% and by 2009, the company aims to achieve a culmulative 15% reduction compared with 2006. Over the past two years, Geberit has reduced its absolute environmental impact by 18% each year.

Since 2002, Geberit has been listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, making it a European Leader in Sustainability, recently echoed in January 2007 when Geberit was awarded a combined Group Quality and Environment Certificate as per ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

To ensure the ethos of Geberit is shared by all employees, Geberit holds Eco-design workshops to emphasise the importance of choosing environmentally friendly materials and ensuring a high efficiency of resources is achieved.

Mike Hürlimann, managing director of Geberit, said: ‘We are delighted to have received this prestigious award as it recognises our continued investment in reducing the impact on the environment. Sustainability is an ongoing theme for us and has been for many years now and we continuously set ourselves challenging goals to ensure our work in this area continues to produce positive results’.

For more information about Geberit or to view the company’s 2004 and 2007 sustainability reports visit http://www.geberit.co.uk or call free on 0800 0778365.

Homag Group Growth Continues in Q3

Homag Group AG has succeeded in making further significant gains even in what is traditionally a seasonal low period during the 3rd quarter. Compared to the previous year, incoming orders are up 27 percent to reach EUR 158 million (prior year: EUR 125 million). Over the past 9 months of the year, this has given the company and overall rise in orders received of 21 percent, totalling a value of EUR 605 million (prior year: EUR 499 million). Orders in hand amounted to a value of EUR 321 million as of September 30th, 2007, representing a 50 percent increase over the previous year's total (EUR 214 million).

‘It is particularly gratifying that the 3rd quarter results have bucked the seasonal slow-down over the holiday months in the West European furniture markets’ reports Board Spokesman Joachim Brenk. ‘By introducing a large number of further developments we have succeeded in addressing the wide-ranging requirements of our customers. Another factor is our outstanding sales and servicing proximity to customers in practically every market.’

The marked increase in incoming orders is an added bolster to continued positive business developments in the Group, whose financial ratios for the 3rd quarter and for the first 9 months of the year will be reported in more detail in the Group's interim 3rd quarter report on November 15th.

Tel: 01332 856500
Email: info@homag-uk.co.uk
Web: http://www.homag-uk.co.uk

The Good Food Village Trust Helping Children Develop Good Taste for Life

The Good Food Village Trust is a charity dedicated to promoting palate training – a way to help parents introduce their children to a wide range of healthy foods, which helps create good eating habits in the future. Research shows that the earlier good eating habits are formed, the more likely the child is to continue these habits into adulthood.

The Good Food Village Trust is calling on parents, grandparents, individuals and organisations working with children to come up with fun ways of going about palate training.  Groups or individuals can be awarded a grant valued at up to £5000 to carry out their project.

Parents too busy to set up projects can offer support in other ways by joining the Trust’s ‘thumbs-up’ list.  Visit the website at http://www.thegoodfoodvillagetrust.org to learn more about palate training and send a message or feedback for the trust. 

Chef Antony Worrall Thompson has given the thumbs up to The Good Food Village Trust, saying 'Palate training is about making a difference from very early on. The pre-school years are absolutely crucial in establishing good eating habits for life.'

The Good Food Village Trust is currently working on a selection of projects and includes helpful ideas on its website. It is calling for more projects from across the UK and wants to help support a range of activities such as healthy picnic clubs, food sports days, blind tasting tea parties and children’s cooking classes.

The trust is dedicated to providing practical information for parents and believes that palate training can help to overcome some of the many issues children have around food and help to make the time we spend with our children the happiest and most harmonious it can be.

With childhood obesity on the increase and currently affecting one in 10 six-year-olds, the total number of obese children has doubled since 1982. On present trends half of all children in England in 2020 could be obese*. The trust is trying to help parents and grandparents reverse this trend. 

Individuals or organisations that would like to get involved in palate training activities can visit http://www.thegoodfoodvillagetrust.org for inspiration – the site includes background information about what can be done day to day, downloads for specific games and activities, as well as regular podcasts filmed exclusively for the Trust by cook and mum, Julia Carr, on how to create great, tasty meals from scratch, using fresh ingredients.

Application forms to fund specific individual projects can also be downloaded from the site and anyone with a great, fun idea can apply.

For further information about The Good Food Village Trust visit: http://www.thegoodfoodvillagetrust.org

*Source BBC.co.uk

The World's First '3% Fat' Chip

Chips represent one in every three potatoes eaten in the UK - adding up to nearly two million tonnes of potatoes a year and a staggering 240,000 kilos of hidden fat entering into the UK food chain. However, thanks to a new fryer: the Tefal ActiFry, chip-lovers won't have to compromise their health or their waistline.

Tefal says that the ActiFry is the world's first deep-fryer that can make a kilo of crunchy, golden chips - with just one small spoonful of cooking oil. The result is a chip with only 3% fat, compared to 9% in a conventional oven, 13% in a microwave and 14% in a standard deep-fat fryer.

Switching to an ActiFry to make chips could have a significant impact on the UK's fat consumption, because more than four out of ten households still use a traditional chip pan and 34% use a deep-fat fryer.

The product is the result of patented technology that took Tefal 10 years to develop. A specially-designed paddle gently and slowly rotates the chips around a removable, aluminium non-stick pan, ensuring each potato baton is coated with a fine mist of oil. The batons are then subjected to a constant stream of hot air which cooks the chips to a crispy, golden brown.

As well as chips, the ActiFry can be used to cook numerous different foods such as meat, fish, vegetables and fruits - all with the absolute minimum of fat.

Unlike other deep-fat fryers, the ActiFry oil is used only once so it does not degrade or carbonise during the cooking process. In fact, the distribution of fatty acids in the oil is barely changed so the food will have a much higher level of Omega 3 and lower levels of saturated fats. Also, because of the very sparing use of oil (the machine comes with its own titrated measuring spoon), the bulk of the calories in ActiFry chips (around 80%) come from carbohydrates. Fats (in small quantities) only provide 22 calories in a 100g serving - that's only 11% of the calorie intake.

Finally, you can use whatever oil you like - including a mix of oils such as olive oil, rapeseed and flax - all of which have their own individual health benefits such as a high level of Omega 3 and 6.

The ActiFry is part of the new Tefal 'Nutritious & Delicious' range, which is committed to providing products that combine both the pleasure of good food with nutritional benefits.

Jane Clarke, a trained dietician and nutritionist, is a firm supporter of this positioning:
‘In the last 20 years there have been some fundamental changes in the way we approach food. The phrase, 'You are what you eat', has never been so clearly understood. We now know that what we and our families eat can have a significant impact on our long-term health. To get the optimum benefits from the food we eat, we not only have to review what we eat, in terms of the balance between fruit, vegetables and protein, but also how we prepare it,’ she says.

‘This is why I have been delighted to support the new Nutritious & Delicious range from Tefal. These products makes it easy for us to make small changes to our food preparation and cooking habits that will have very real benefits to our long-term health yet still produce delicious food that everyone can enjoy. It is all about combining good nutrition with the pleasure of eating wonderful food, something that I, as a trained nutritionist and dietician, have been advocating for years.’

The Tefal ActiFry is available from Lakeland and has an RSP of £149.99. Further information is available on http://www.tefal.co.uk