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Statements 7 in Venice: Dornbracht Presents Steven Gontarski, Marc Quinn and Thomas Rentmeister
       
Tomorrow, at the 50th Biennale di Venezia 2003 - which runs from 13th to 30th June - Dornbracht will present 'Statements 7, which according to the design led bathroom fittings specilaist 'revolves around corporeality in art', and consists of sculptural works by the three artists Steven Gontarski, Marc Quinn and Thomas Rentmeister. The pre-opening yesterday, 12th June, was attended by the artists; in addition, Marc Quinn's 12.5m high sculpture will be on display outside on the Grand Canal terrace of Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, home of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

This year's Biennale directed by directed by Francesco Bonami, presents an 'exhibition of exhibitions' throughout the spaces of the Arsenale, the historic Giardini della Biennale, the Museo Correr in San Marco, and various projects within the city of Venice to be included in the section Interludes, making it bigger than any previous Biennale Exhibitions.

'In contrast to the introspection of the last issue of Statements, Statements 7 looks outwards,' Dornbracht explains. 'Haptic, touchable and within reach, the sculpture and, by association with that, the corporeality of art, is the overall subject. The artists reveal their interpretations of corporeality in their own language, expressing it in materials, surfaces and structures'.

Steven Gontarski lives and works in London. His sewn and cast sculptures of human and amorphous forms take up aspects of the most diverse types of visual expression and the latest street culture, such as art, music and even pornography. Gontarski sees himself as part of a creative community that consists of a larger, more open bandwidth of forms of expression and disciplines than those embodied by the traditional definition of 'fine art'.

Marc Quinn (above left) is one of the best-known representatives of 'Young Brit Art'. He first arrived on the art scene in the early 90s with 'Self', a work for which he had 4.5 litres (8 pints) of his own blood taken over a period of five months, created his own likeness, and displayed it in a refrigerated cabinet. Quinn tackles bonded corporeality, its limitation and conquest. His latest works are Eden, a walk-in stainless steel container housing a paradisiacal garden of exotic plants, and a series of DNA portraits.

Since the early 90s, Thomas Rentmeister (above right) has been best known for his organically shaped polyester sculptures with their highly sensitive, reflective surfaces. Characteristic of these works are the perfection of the external appearance and their partly figured and comic-like, abstract-minimalist shapes. Both his polyester sculptures and his works in Nutella chocolate spread and Penaten baby cream share the interplay with superficiality, first impressions and unusual contextuality.

Since 1996 Dornbracht, the international manufacturer of high quality bathroom fittings, has been presenting internationally renowned artists, writers, musicians and designers in various Statements projects and challenging them to tackle the interrelated subjects of 'Water, cleansing and rituals'. The Statements projects are presented at various international exhibitions and are also documented in catalogue editions.

Pre-Opening Statements 7
Exhibition from 13th to 30th June 2003 daily from 12.00 – 21.00
Antichi Granai della Republica
no 6 / Giudecca 10, 30133 Venezia
Outdoor presentation Statements 7, Marc Quinn: On the Grand Canal terrace of Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, home of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Fisher & Paykel aims to Double UK Presence by March 2004

Fisher & Paykel, New Zealand based appliance manufacturer, who recently reported a whopping 50% increase in annual profits, has announced plans for expansion in the UK. The dynamic company has achieved nearly 40% growth in UK sales in the year to March 2003, (from 6500 to 8500 units) despite what it admits is a 'tight market'. Furthermore, it aims to increase its distribution network from 238 to 500 by March 2004.

The company has only been active in the UK since 2002. It is probably best known for its refigerator range, although offers a complete range of washers, dryers, dishwashers and cookers. The company is proud of its 'from the ground up' technology base and has over 400 patents and 200 patents pending.

In Europe as a whole, the addition of a large Belgium distributor boosted sales some 333% from around 2,500 units to over 9000.

In its native New Zealand, F&P reckons it has around a 55% share of the total appliance market (market size: 503,000 units) and a 20% share of the Australian market (market size: 2.8m units). The company enjoyed a 15% growth in sales in the USA where it currently has 2200 outlets (which sold some 115,000 units in 2002-3) and a 9.7% increase in Singapore where it sold some 13,600.

Capital expenditure is forecasted at $42m for 2004, nearly twice as much as 2003, the large increase due to the requirement for extra capacity to cope with sales growth.

If you want the full 28 page presentation (in PDF format), click here (it's 280K, which only takes a few seconds).

Donald C. Devine, President and Chief Operating Officer of Jacuzzi Brands, Inc., said of the appointment, 'We believe the trends in the retail and builders merchant segments require us to have a more integrated approach to managing the UK and European markets. We are pleased to appoint Steve to this new role so that he can further integrate the activities among our business units and accelerate our growth on the continent.'

Steve Cox commented, 'I am delighted to take on this challenging new role, extending our successful UK business model into Europe. The team at Jacuzzi UK has worked tremendously hard over the past few years and it is a credit to them all that our business success has resulted in my additional responsibility for Europe. Jacuzzi has a strong presence in Europe and I am looking forward to working with the European team to build on an already successful European business'.

Analysis Names the 75 most Profitable Companies in the Industry 
       
If your company made an enviable profit, would you want to shout about it or keep the news to yourself? 75 companies in the UK Kitchens industry have precisely this dilemma, as for the last two years these companies have been making nearly four times the profit of the rest of the industry, according to the latest analysis from Plimsoll. These 75 companies were revealed as having an average margin of 11.8%, compared to the industry average of just 3.3%.

Two different views
Yet this issue of exceptional profit making raised an interesting conundrum for those concerned. If you are one of these companies making enviable profits should you be:
a) Concerned that once your competitors, suppliers and customers find out about your good business they will start to work against you threatening this profitability?
b) Or proud of your achievements and would want to share this with the industry.

'Without doubt, these 75 companies are proving the industry can reward success. It is surely the ultimate measure of a good company, good employees and good management to succeed in profitability,' says David Pattison.

Pattison concludes, 'Of course, their dilemma, yet one we would all like, is how to spend their profits wisely to preserve and maintain their lead in the market.'

Not all companies enjoying a spell of profit making
A staggering 6% of the companies Plimsoll could study are currently loss making. Looking at the difference between the 75 most profitable companies and the 62 companies making a loss, the gap was astounding.

Findings from the Plimsoll profitability analysis:

The Third Edition 2003 Plimsoll Analysis has identified trends in profitability of the top 961 companies in the Kitchens industry over the last four years. Order the analysis for £305 and receive a free listing of the 75 most profitable companies in the industry.

You can reach Plimsoll Publishing on (01642) 626400
Web: http://www.plimsoll.co.uk

Readers of The KBZine will receive a 5% discount if mentioning this article upon ordering.

Houseproud Consumers Lift Kingfisher's Sales
       
Kingfisher, Europe's biggest home improvements retailer, has reported a 34 percent jump in first quarter profits, helped by a strong euro and a strong performance at B&Q, defying a UK consumer slowdown. In the Easter holiday. Garden equipment, power tools and off-the-shelf kitchen units were much in demand, the company reports.

'We don't see a reason why, anytime soon, B&Q's performance should be limited by the environment,' new Chief Executive Gerry Murphy told reporters on Wednesday June 4th, brushing off concerns over a weakening housing market.

The British firm signalled to the market that its stronger than expected performance meant analysts' profit forecasts for the year were too low.

It expects market forecasts to rise to about 740 million pounds from the current consensus of 725 million pounds, largely to reflect the impact of a strong euro - a big part of Kingfisher's earnings come from Europe.

Yet shares were broadly unchanged at 266-3/4 pence, in line with the market, having risen 18 percent in the last six months to trade at a premium to its UK rivals.

Kingfisher has been shedding businesses to concentrate on its fastest growing and most profitable activity - the third largest home improvements business in the world.

That strategy paid off with group retail profits before exceptional items rising to 154 million pounds in the 13 weeks ended May 3rd, from 114.6 million in the same period last year and beating analysts' forecasts of 141-145 million.Group like-for-like sales growth was 4.1 percent, again an unexpected improvement from 3.6 percent the previous quarter.

As well as the strong euro, which boosted sterling earnings, profits were lifted by cost savings after Kingfisher took full control of Castorama in France and exited Germany, where it was making a loss.

Sales at the B&Q chain grew by 6.3 percent on a like-for-like basis, fuelled by Britons' traditional dash to spruce up their homes and gardens in the Easter holiday. Garden equipment, power tools and off-the-shelf kitchen units were much in demand.

French DIY chain Brico Depot put in the best performance, though Murphy said it was flattered by unique features which were unlikely to be repeated.

The downside was the group's electrical division, KESA, which continues to struggle against stiff competition, particularly in France where it owns Darty, the country's top electricals chain.

The soon-to-be demerged electricals arm saw its sales dip 1.3 percent, though in Britain, its Comet chain outperformed its close rival Dixons. The company warned profit margins in France remain under pressure and consumer confidence was weak.

'I don't see this picking up anytime soon,' Murphy said.

The transformation of Kingfisher will be completed when KESA is demerged and listed separately next month. Kingfisher confirmed its plan was on track for the second quarter and said more detail will be released in the next few weeks.

Ahead of the company's annual meeting on Wednesday June 4th Kingfisher was forced to bow to criticism and change its executive pay scheme to ensure it was voted through.

The company agreed to limit potentially large pay-offs to directors in the event they leave the company and has more clearly defined the performance criteria governing Murphy's share option scheme.

Still, some Kingfisher shareholders voiced concerns at the meeting about former chief executive Geoff Mulcahy's 15 million pound pension pot which one called 'astonishing' and Finance Director Helen Weir's 335,000 pound relocation package which was described as 'inappropriate'.

Chairman Francis Mackay agreed the pension pot was large but said it was a contract that had to be honoured. He said Weir's relocation expenses were worth it because she had cut her journey time in half.

AMA Shower Market Report - UK 2003-06 
       
The 'Shower Market Report - UK 2003-06' is now available, incorporating original input and a detailed assessment of the market, the report represents value for money to those in the industry or considering entry.

Key sectors covered include:-
* Shower Controls - mixer, electric, power and bath/shower.
* Shower Enclosures, Trays and Screens.
* Accessories - shower accessories, curtains etc

The report is presented to answer the need for both a comprehensive review of quantitative market developments combined with analysis of the qualitative background reasons and influences affecting the UK Shower Market.

Key issues of particular interest:-
* Increasing replacement levels with second time buyers trading up to higher quality products in the shower controls and enclosures market.
* Growing trends towards more powerful, higher specification showers and larger shower enclosures.
* The continued growth of shower facilities in new build housing and additional installations in existing properties.
* Distribution trends, in particular the growth of bathroom specialists.

The review is written by marketing professionals, with experience in the shower industry, enabling them to provide comprehensive and detailed coverage of these fast changing markets. The report comments not only on what is happening in the industry, but why, and whether it is likely to continue.

The report content includes:-

* Household penetration levels. Growing influence of replacement - mix of new build, new penetration, replacement & second showers.
* Assessment by sector, electric, mixer, power, bath/shower - product mix, trends etc.
* Analysis of the power shower sector - integral (cabinet) showers, pumped and pressurised systems, growth areas, key new products, market leaders per sector.
* Competitors' shares - total market and by product group, companies gaining share, companies specialising by distribution, competitors' market positions.
* Distribution channels - changes in the DIY multiples sector, development of Merchants, Bathroom Specialists and The Internet. Future prospects for key channels.
* Share of sales from manufacturers and to end-users.
* Installation & specification - influence of the installer, mix of DIY and professional installation, non-domestic market size, main influences on consumer purchase process.Shower Enclosures, Screens and Trays
* Analysis by product group - developments in enclosures, screens & trays, sales trends, growth sectors.
* Market penetration levels - current and future levels, main bathroom/en-suite facilities.
* Analysis of material developments - glass and acrylics, glass designs, standards, frame colour options.
* Channels of distribution - analysis by VOLUME and VALUE, strengths & weaknesses by product, recent changes and future developments. Review of import/export structure
* Competitive structures - including market share of major competitor and changes to supply structure.Shower Accessories
* Market definition by product group - Curtains, Rails, Grab Rails, Mats/Hoses etc.
* Review of major product groups and their future trends, product characteristics.
* Competitors' shares - review of strengths, distribution and position.
* Channels of distribution - DIY Multiples, Merchants, Specialists and Distributors role. Influence of Mail Order, Department Stores and Catalogue Shops.Review of Future Prospects
* Developments within major product groups in the shower market.
* Increasing influence of replacement demand in the market.The report contains over 120 pages and 30 tables of Original research and comment on the UK Shower Industry and provides an independent and incisive view into these fast growing markets.
 
Cost of Shower Market Report - UK 2003-06: £565
Te: +44 (0)1242 235724
Email: mailto:sales@amaresearch.com
Web: http://www.amaresearch.co.uk

Cake, Anyone, asks Eurobath in offering Trip to the Zoo
       
If your customers want to have as well as eat the proverbial, the new Zoo mono bath mixer from Eurobath could be just the tub filler for you. Minimalist and contemporary it keeps bath rims looking tidy and simple however it is not just a pretty monobloc; it is a well thought out design that should satisfy several of your customer's needs.

As well as being easy to clean it is a piece of cake to use. The smooth single-lever mixer operation ensures more temperature control: a far cry from the traditional pillar tap set-up which guarantees toe scalding!

The bath filler is part of the recently-launched Zoo range, which encompasses basin and bidet mixers plus stop and shower valves, however the bath filler would also sit comfortably with the Kiruna and T-mix collections from il bagno.
And for the icing on the cake the new Zoo bath-shower mixer is available, incorporating all the features listed above plus the many benefits of a shower handset.

The Zoo bath filler and bath-shower mixers have been designed to operate on virtually all water systems from medium-low to medium-high pressure. With a five-year guarantee reflecting the quality and confidence that Eurobath places on its products, you can be sure that these will sell faster than hot cakes!

Tel: +44 (0) 1934 744466

http://www.eurobath.co.uk

Electrolux Equips 18th Century Vessel for Round-the-World Travel - Conquering Extremes across the Globe
       
Electrolux will equip a 40-meter replica of an eighteenth century sailing ship with state-of-the-art kitchen and laundry appliances. The Ostindiefararen (East Indiaman) will be launched in Gothenburg in June 2003. The three-masted wooden ship will visit ports on four different continents during her maiden voyage to China, which begins in the autumn of 2004. The ship's household appliances will be specially built by Electrolux to meet the unique challenges of a round-the-world voyage in an authentic sailing vessel.

The ship will follow its predecessor's eighteenth century trade route. In the twenty-first century, however, it will be properly prepared to feed and do the laundry for its 100-strong crew. Equipped with modern appliances, navigation equipment, and an engine, the new version will be able to avoid the sickness and other dangers that awaited sailors in the past. The original vessel sank as she sailed into Gothenburg harbour laden with silk and tea from China. The company Svenska Ostindiska Companiet, which has been constructing the ship since 1993, is using the same building methods as the original. The ship is a historical heritage project of the Svenska Ostindiska Companiet AB.

'We are used to working on very tough projects at Electrolux,' says Kristian Vidfar, Marketing Manager at Electrolux. 'But the task of equipping the Ostindiefararen with absolutely reliable appliances is particularly challenging when you consider the demanding environment.'

The appliances must operate perfectly while in constant motion from waves, wind, weather, and currents. Extremes of temperature and humidity also pose a formidable challenge. Temperatures of over 45 degrees C at the equator will fall well below freezing in the Southern Ocean, the most dangerous of all the world's seas.

Optimal work surfaces and equipment for the galley and laundry are being created for the cramped spaces below deck. The frying table, for example, will be mounted on gimbals to keep it horizontal even in the roughest seas. The cooker is equipped with rails to prevent pots and pans from falling. Fridges have been 'tropicalized' to cope with the extremes of heat and moisture.

Other equipment includes a dishwasher, freezer, a fan-assisted oven, cutting and preparation machines, microwave ovens, and every sailor's favourite for night watches, a coffee maker. Electrolux washing machines and tumble dryers have been installed in the laundry section.

'Both the galley and laundry are essential areas. We must be able to trust the equipment one hundred percent,' says Jorgen Gabrielson, managing director at Svenska Ostindiska Companiet. 'We appreciate the expertise and cooperation of Electrolux. The company's specialist competence is very important to the overall success of this venture.'

Electrolux, the producer of powered appliances for kitchen, cleaning and outdoor use, is no stranger to extreme challenges. It recently delivered twenty-eight household appliances to two Antarctic research stations.

Web: http://www.electrolux.com

Europe Appliance Maker to Invest £60m in UK
       
Merloni Elettrodomestici has announced a £60m investment programme in the UK, 'in spite of the government's continuing delay in joining the European single currency'. The three-year project is aimed at increasing production from the company's four UK factories near Bristol, at Peterborough, in North Wales and in the Midlands by 10-15 per cent between last year and 2005.

The company is also attempting to increase the proportion of its UK output that it exports to the rest of Europe, from 5 per cent to 15 per cent.

Marco Milani, chief executive of Merloni's UK operations, said: 'If the UK entered the euro, it would make life easier for us at Merloni, by a long way. But if the UK does not become part of the single currency, then this does not make Britain a bad place for us to invest in.'

The stance by Merloni - which is the third biggest European maker of domestic appliances, after Electrolux of Sweden, and BSH of Germany - flies in the face of fears that the British delay in embracing the euro is making UK-based manufacturers less competitive.

Merloni's main products sell under the Ariston and Indesit brands. It also took over last year the Hotpoint brand, one of the best known names in the UK white goods business. This was accomplished through a two-stage, £309m deal to take control of General Domestic Appliances, a white goods maker formerly owned by the UK's Marconi and General Electric of the US.

Merloni sales in Britain last year, including imports, were about £500m, or roughly a quarter of the company's total annual revenues. Mr Milani said that, taking into account issues such as labour rates and factory performance, 'manufacturing competitiveness in Britain is as good as anywhere else in Europe'.

A large part of the expansion will be in tumble dryers -a type of machine that Merloni hopes will be a particular export success - as well as in refrigerators and washing machines.

Merloni's main production operations up to now have been in Italy, while the company has also set up manufacturing units in Poland and Russia.

Recipe to Keep Cooker Sales on the Boil
       
A team of designers from Electrolux, the Swedish appliances company, recently spent three days in Hamburg, working alongside restaurant staff in hospitals, hotels and company canteens.

It was part of an effort by Mike Münchow, the German head of Electrolux's professional equipment division, to give his staff new ideas that might boost the company's future fortunes.

'Putting product designers to work in the places where their machines are used is a great way to discover useful insights - for instance, to ensure the equipment can be cleaned as simply as possible,' says Mr Münchow.

Electrolux is a leader in professional kitchen equipment - a $14bn (£9.9bn) a year market for ovens, refrigerators and laundry systems for non-domestic use.
During the 1990s, with the world economy growing steadily, consumers' increasing desire to eat out triggered new investment in hotels and restaurants. As a result, the professional equipment sector grew by between 3 and 5 per cent a year in many countries.

This year and next, however, many in the industry expect growth to stall or turn negative following consumer tensions linked to the Iraq war and worries about the global economy.

The difficult environment is forcing equipment-makers to innovate and boost their marketing efforts. Their strategies are an illustration of how companies in niche markets can counter negative economic trends.

A look at Electrolux - and Rational, a smaller German company with a strong record of innovation - gives some idea of the possible approaches. While Electrolux's professional equipment division, with sales of $700m a year, has a broad product range, Rational is much more focused.

All Rational's sales of $207m last year came from a single product, the combi- steamer, invented by Rational in the 1970s.

Combi-steamers use a mixture of convection heating and steam to tailor the cooking method to a range of foodstuffs. Sensors can work out what kind of meat is being cooked and devise a cooking programme that caters for a customer's preference - crispy on the outside, or well done in the middle, for example.
The German company is the world leader in this highly specialised product, accounting for just under half the global market.

Both Electrolux and Rational say their - quite different - approaches are working well. Electrolux says its 10 per cent share of the European professional ovens and fridges market, worth about $4bn annually, has increased, partly owing to the launch in 2002 of dozens of new products.

Meanwhile, Günter Blaschke, Rational's chief executive, expects the company to maintain its sales growth record of about 10 per cent a year, purely by tapping the large latent market. 'So far only 400,000 of the world's 2.5m catering establishments use combi-steamers. We say to restaurants we can save them time and money, while still producing high-quality foods,' says Mr Blaschke.

Electrolux's design and development effort is much more spread out than Rational's - where everything is focused on its small head office and plant in Landsberg, near Munich.

The Swedish company's professional equipment division has product development centres in Switzerland, southern France and northern Italy - where it also has its headquarters. The 20 people who visited Hamburg's kitchens were drawn from the 100 or so designers and engineers in these three centres. Such trips are organised by Mr Münchow twice a year.

Mr Münchow's approach possibly comes from his career outside the catering equipment industry. Before joining Electrolux in 1999, he worked in software, industrial bearings, paper manufacturing and at the German post office. 'I tell people in my present job we are not an engineering company but an orchestrator of gastronomic events,' he says. 'We must be as close to the customer as possible.'

Accordingly, Electrolux likes to team up with cooking schools and food manufacturers to gain insights into new cooking processes. For instance, it has collaborated with Barilla, an Italian pasta-producer, to produce a new type of 'pasta station' that maintains an even temperature and factors in the pasta's thickness to optimise cooking time.

Like Electrolux's much bigger domestic appliance business, the professional equipment division organises its products around 'platforms'. These are basic engineering frameworks to which various components can be added to suit customers' preferences. The professional equipment division uses seven platforms, which form the basis of about 70 products. These are sold across Electrolux's four main professional brands, covering the range of requirements from small ovens sold to bars and cafés to top-of-the range cookers for organisers of banquets.

At Rational, the approach seems a lot simpler - owing to its extreme product focus. It sells its combi-steamers in three basic types around the world, with 80 per cent of its revenues coming from outside Germany. All of its manufacturing is in Germany but 40 per cent of the company's 680 employees work in sales, service and marketing and 170 sales staff are employed outside Germany.

Many of its sales staff are qualified chefs, who try to use their detailed knowledge of cooking to persuade new customers to invest in the combi-steamer approach.

'When customers switch over to our equipment (from conventional ovens) they are like horse riders who have discovered how to drive a Porsche,' says Mr Blaschke. The company claims its machines are used every day to cook 85m meals, in tens of thousands of variants. Recently the company chalked up its biggest order so far, a $5.2m contract to supply 900 KFC fast food outlets in China run by the US Yum group. Mr Blaschke hopes this is a sign of future success for his company, whatever the tribulations of the world economy.

OFT Supports Proposals to Tackle Extortionate Credit
       
Government plans to make it easier to challenge extortionate credit agreements were welcomed by the OFT yesterday, 12th June.

The OFT has pushed for reform for a number of years – publishing a report on 'Unjust Credit Transactions' in 1991 – and in its response to the Department of Trade and Industry's consultation supports proposals to redefine the law covering extortionate loans and provide consumers with greater protection and means of redress.

The current provisions under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 which allow consumers to challenge an extortionate agreement in court have been interpreted narrowly and have failed to protect vulnerable consumers. The OFT agrees that changes are needed to make it easier for consumers to contest extortionate terms and practices either through the courts or through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

Proposals welcomed include:
* replacing the current 'grossly exorbitant' test by one that encompasses 'excessive' payments
* allowing the courts to consider matters arising after the agreement was entered into, including interest rate variations
* including as one of the factors to be taken into account by the courts whether the transaction involved business activity which was 'deceitful or oppressive or other unfair or improper' - in line with the consumer credit licensing fitness test
* encouraging greater use of time orders where the courts consider that the borrower should be allowed more time to repay, or that the length of the loan or the interest rate needs to be changed
* requiring the courts to notify the OFT of extortionate credit cases, so that the OFT can provide a public record and issue guidance
* the power for the OFT and other qualified entities to seek a declaration that a particular credit transaction is unjust where it affects a number of consumers
* giving the OFT the power to make restitution orders as a means of compensating consumers affected by extortionate credit deals
* an obligation on lenders to lend responsibly and with proper regard to the borrower's ability to repay
* the extension of the Financial Services Ombudsman's jurisdiction to all consumer credit, as part of a range of mechanisms to enable consumers to complain about unfair terms and practices and seek redress.

The OFT also argues that the court should be able to re-open an agreement of its own motion. This would be a valuable additional protection for consumers who are unrepresented in court action.

Penny Boys, OFT Executive Director, said:
'Extortionate credit operates on the margins of the market where vulnerable consumers are susceptible to exploitation. The current provisions are not working. We wholeheartedly welcome the DTI review and its proposals for reform, which we have been calling for since 1991.'

Matrix - VitrA's Manufacturing Masterpiece 
       
With the addition this year of the 100-piece 'Matrix' bathroom system to its already extensive product portfolio, VitrA is set to demonstrate to the UK market the capabilities and versatile capacities of its manufacturing processes.

Part of the Eczacibasi group - a multi-billion dollar Turkish company - VitrA is able to draw upon the benefits of the significant amounts its parent group invests into key areas like technology. In 2000 alone, $25 million was invested into up-to-the-minute processes, such as high-pressure casting, allowing the company to produce one high quality piece of sanitaryware every 12 minutes and over 4.7 million pieces each year.

In total, VitrA has nine production plants that manufacture sanitaryware, brassware, baths, furniture and tiles. The company claims its Bozuyuk site in Turkey ranks among the world's top three plants worldwide in terms of capacity and product variety.

This advanced technology and flexible production scale has enabled VitrA to realise its latest design innovation, 'Matrix'. Designed not as a suite, but as a complete bathroom system, Matrix comprises over 100 individual pieces of sanitaryware, furniture, acrylic baths, taps and accessories that share one common design aesthetic. The result is a system of pieces that, no matter the combination of product, work in harmony and balance with one another when placed side-by-side.

Bulent Ozerdim, Marketing Manager for VitrA UK said: 'Matrix is an excellent example of the high standards of manufacturing processes VitrA employs. Investment into systems like high pressure casting means that the products we produce in our nine factories continuously exceed quality standards and manufacturing turn-around times.'

Tel: 01235 750990
Web: http://www.vitrauk.com

'Super-Blower' Solution for Gower from Indusvent
       
Industrial ventilation engineers Indusvent have provided a state-of-the-art extraction and filtration solution at the Leeds factory of furniture manufacturers Gower.

The Gower kitchen carcase manufacturing facility has experienced steeply increasing growth over the last three years with turnover moving from £18m to £27m in the last year alone. All of this progress has occurred at Gower's Leeds factory - the company has various other facilities in the UK.

The pressures on production are obvious but the main problem has come with the inability of the ageing chain filter system to cope - Gower is extracting some 72 tons of chipboard dust per week at this factory and is looking to significantly increase this. The present extraction and filtration system occupies a large amount of space and is very expensive from a maintenance point of view both on cost and time.

Replacing the chain filter with a similar system was not an option as it would require unacceptable downtime.

Gower Group Engineer Darren Johnson turned to Indusvent and after intensive evaluation of the situation at the Gower factory, had no hesitation in recommending the new, state-of-the-art negative pressure Super-Blower filter as an all round solution with comprehensive advantages.

The main benefits that Gower has realised by installing the Super-Blower are that Indusvent could deliver and assemble the very compact system, while the existing system was still in operation. The switchover and removal of the old system was scheduled over a weekend period. But perhaps more importantly, Gower will realise substantial savings in electrical energy consumption and the associated environmental benefits. This will significantly reduce Gower's operating costs while increasing the company's capacity at the same time.

The environmental considerations were also critical. Gower operates a strict policy of environmental compliance and neighbour awareness. Being close to residential areas that have grown up around the factory the company worked closely with the local authorities with regard to noise and emission levels. Here again the Super-Blower with its fans on the clean air side of the filters easily met the legislative requirements.

The high specification of the Super-Blower with a number of new and patented component designs has solved all Gower's problems at one stroke. Into the bargain the company has invested in a 24-hour continuous operation system with zero maintenance and sophisticated in-built diagnostics and monitoring.

The negative pressure is central to the technology of the Super-Blower system. This means that the extracted 'dirty' air is injected directly into the filter chamber and the main exhaust fans are located on the 'clean' air side of the filter enabling them to avoid contact with foreign (possibly damaging) objects and to operate at a dramatically reduced noise level.

To support this level of power the Super Blower is fabricated from high-strength 3mm steel with a high-durability powder coated finish. They are designed for 24-hour maintenance-free operations and include a fully automatic filter cleaning system which is computer activated on demand from a special pressure sensing system. This is the 'Power Pulse®' system which monitors the differential pressure across the filter media. When activated a pulse of compressed air is injected down one filter bag at a time via special nozzles mounted on an internal maintenance-free track complete with its own integral compressor which ensures a constant supply of clean, dry, oil-free compressed air. These blow the dust off the outside of the bags into the hopper discharge section. The process has a number of advantages which includes maintaining the maximum filter area during operation. Not only does this ensure continuous, maximum efficiency operation of the system, it also ensures that the filter media is kept under minimum stress which extends the usable life of the bags. The energy savings associated with this concept are significant. The consequent low comparative running costs offer an attractive return on the initial outlay along with the many production advantages in the factory.

The Super-Blower is designed, in this case, with a screw conveyor discharge system so there are no chain conveyors to maintain. This is an important factor with regard to reliability and maintenance issues.

The safety and protection devices ensure that the Super-Blower has achieved the safety rating of 4. These include safety limit switches, motor rotation sensors, fire thermostat for heat detection and an explosion and shock resistant construction.
The installation and commissioning of the Super-Blower at Gower has been an impressive exercise in operational and planning logistics which has been carried out with precision by Indusvent engineers to the customer's satisfaction.

A major feature of the Super-Blower design is that it occupies a fraction of the space of the old chain filter which will give Gower valuable extra space usage.
The installation at Gower is a 440-SBF system extracting an air volume of 80.000 cfm via 2 JK100MT fan sets. The filtered airstream may be either vented to atmosphere (summer) or redirected into the factory for energy conservation during the winter period.

Indusvent says that the new concept and design of the 'Super-Blower' - particularly its modular system for expansion growth - make it the system of the future. It already complies with and exceeds current legislative limits and will automatically comply with EU ATEX directive.

Tel: 0161 627 3128
Email: mailto:mail@indusvent.com
Web: http://www.indusvent.com

Wolf Appliance Company's Products now Certified by STAR-K
       
Wolf Appliance Company, US manufacturer of luxury cooking instruments and corporate companion of Sub-Zero Freezer Company, has announced that the majority of its products are now certified as Sabbath- and holiday-compliant by STAR-K Kosher Certification.

All of the models of Wolf's gas rangetop, gas cooktop, pro-range, dual fuel range, electric cooktop, and built-in electric single and double oven are approved for use in accordance with the rules specified by STAR-K. Information regarding usage instructions provided by STAR-K will be available to consumers who purchase these Wolf appliances on both Wolf's Web site and the STAR-K Web site.

'We have worked hard to receive this certification,' said Jim Bakke, president and chief executive officer for Sub-Zero/Wolf. 'We strive for product design that is aesthetically innovative and ergonomic, as well as beneficial to the specific needs of the Jewish faith.'

Web: http://www.wolfappliance.com and http://www.star-k.com

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