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Hoover Brand Enters Scandinavian Market

The Hoover Candy Group, has signed a deal with leading Scandinavian manufacturer Helkama Forste of Finland to acquire the exclusive commercial rights for the Helkama and Grepa appliances.  Products sold in the region will now be dual branded with Hoover and aimed at the medium to high end market sector.

The new branding of the Helkama and Grepa appliances marks the first time the Hoover brand has had a presence in the Scandinavian market.  This is the latest move for the Hoover Candy Group to expand its international reach.  In September 2005 Candy acquired the Vesta washing machine plant in Kirov, Russia and in July 2006 the company took a major shareholding in China’s Jinling Electrical Co.

The agreement includes the acquisition of sales and marketing operations in Finland. Current employees in related positions will join the Hoover Candy Group.  Manufacturing will continue to take place at the Forssa works in Finland and the Örsta plant in Norway.  Helkama Forste will focus its remaining resources in developing and producing commercial coolers for use in the brewing and soft drinks industries.

Aldo Fumagalli, chairman of the Hoover Candy Group, commented: 'The agreement with Helkama Forste widens our reach and increases our presence in the highly competitive European markets. The re-branding will increase the presence of our premium brand, Hoover, whilst also building awareness of the local brands. The addition of the Helkama Forste plants, also gives Hoover an even greater manufacturing presence in Europe. The combination of the existing market for Helkama Forste appliances combined with the Hoover brand and know how will allow us to rapidly expand our presence in the region beyond the current laundry and floor-care sectors.'

Web: http://www.candy.com

Big Tour is a Big Hit for Franke

Sink manufacturer, Franke supported the Broughton Crangrove Big Tour this week. The event, which is made up of five roadshows, is designed to attract kitchen retailers from across the UK to see the products on offer.

The Franke stand was well-attended and exhibited a comprehensive array of products including the popular Mythos range of sinks and taps, including the new Mythos Ceramic model. Franke recently increased its range of contemporary Decorative Hoods and now offers over 40 individual designs, with the star of the show being the new Swing.

David Houghton, Commercial Director for Franke, said 'Events, such as the Big Tour, are ideal for us to take our latest products to retailers and talk to them about the specific benefits of the new ranges on a face-to-face basis.'

The Big Tour is moving around the country and will visit Bristol, Lancashire and West Yorkshire over the next two weeks.

For more information on Franke, please visit www.franke.co.uk or call 0161 436 6280.

Celebrating the end of an era, James and Wilhelmina Theobald recently held a garden party to say a big thank you to all the company’s staff and their families. The party kicked off in style with a jazz band to entertain the guests and for the children the fun of the fair arrived with a merry go round and bouncy castle. Everyone wiled away the September afternoon reminiscing over a hearty hog roast and toasted the occasion with a few drinks!

Well renowned within the kitchen industry, James and Wilhelmina Theobald commented on their fond farewell ‘We are both looking forward to taking life at a more leisurely pace and enjoying the finer things in life! Celebrating with everyone at our home felt a fitting tribute to all our staff and their efforts in supporting us over the last 29 years’.

New owners, Jamie Gardiner and Steve Brooks presented Wilhelmina and Jim with gifts and cards from everyone at Theobalds and wished them both the very best for the future.

Theobalds has also announced its Autumn Open days for all its customers on Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th of October, with the showroom showcasing a host of new products.

Tel: 01622 776700
Web: http://www.Theobalds.com

Aqualux Offers Free Showroom Display System

Get your hands on the latest showroom must have with Aqualux's FREE state-of-the-art enclosure and literature display units.

The manufacturer of bath screens and shower enclosures is offering customers a FREE display unit with a choice of five modular units, including Aqualux's latest products, and FREE installation.

The modular displays are available in a variety of sizes and multiple units can be configured together to suit any size area. Units can be ordered by size, including 1000mm, 1500mm and 1700mm. The display system also comes with optional graphic panels which fit inside the enclosures.

As well as the FREE display unit and installation, Aqualux is also offering 70 per cent discount on display products.
The eye-catching display has been designed to create a focalpoint in any showroom and features silver dividing panels with the Aqualux's signature teardrop cut out of each unit. A free literature display stand is also available to complement the display and to ensure customers always have an Aqualux brochure to hand.

For smaller showroom areas there is even an ultra-modern four-sided shower display unit which can hold two 760mm and two 800mm pivot or bi-fold doors.

As well as the shower enclosure display, bath screens can also be displayed in the new Bath Screen unit, which is available as stand-alone or can be combined with the main display.

For more information about Aqualux's new display system and for a brochure with details of the different components available call Aqualux on 0870 241 6131 or contact your local area sales manager.

http://www.aqualux.co.uk.

Whirlpool Launches New Range at The Hospital

Whirlpool launched a new range of handsome and innovative products at 'The Hospital' near Covent Garden yesterday (Thursday 13th September). Particularly impressive was the Side by side espresso fridge with built in coffee maker available from January 2008.

There have been a fair few fridges launched with TV, internet or even a Playstation built in, so it is refreshing to see something integrated which actually belongs in the kitchen and so saves space elsewhere.

 
(Left) Ray Isted, Marketing Manager for Whirlpool UK, showing the KBZine's Richard Place inside the new Power Clean dishwasher, while, (right) Whirlpool designer Alessandro Finetto admires the new side-by-side espresso fridge.

Another product which caught the eye was the Power Clean dishwasher. It has jets positioned in the side as well as at the bottom, so that large flat lasagne dishes no longer have to fill three quarters of a section, but can be put in vertically and will still get cleaned. Other products launched included the Aquasteam washing machine, which it is claimed gives handwash care with the convenience of a machine, a sleek black oven with built in microwave, a wine chiller fridge and a washing machine and tumble dryer specially designed for jeans.

http://www.whirlpool.co.uk

Rugby Stars at Ideal Standard Event

Ideal Standard booked several tables at Austin Healey's testimonial lunch last Friday and used the occasion to show off its Tris shower, steam room and sauna combination. Stars at the lunch included Will Carling, Nick Farr-Jones, Rory and Tony Underwood and Martin Johnson and the Tris product was centre stage in the VIP section, used for pre lunch drinks.

(L-R) Rory Underwood, Richard Place, Martin Johnson and Austin Healey at the Ideal Standard Rugby Lunch

Retailing at around £10,000, Tris is aimed at the luxury home market, but as it takes up similar amount of space as a standard bath, it can fit into bathrooms of people who previously may not have considered a sauna as a possibility. It has an attractive wood finish and comfortably has space for 2 people... unless one of them is a 6 foot 9 ex-England Rugby captain.

http://www.ideal-standard.co.uk

Mira Launches National Consumer Advertising Campaign

Mira Showers has taken the step into national consumer magazine advertising marking a new phase in the company's promotional activities. Aimed at increasing brand awareness and the benefits of a good shower, the highly visual campaign is being launched to a carefully targeted audience compiled of reputable home interest magazines and newspaper supplements.

The titles chosen are believed to offer the strongest vehicle for the Mira brand and will ensure both strong cover and frequency of presence over the Autumn/Winter of 2007, creating a basis for promoting the brand even further into 2008.

Careful planning of the positioning of advertisements will ensure placement within issues containing bathroom and shower editorial. This will maximise exposure and result in a very focused and relevant campaign, reaching consumers interested and actively seeking inspiration for their bathrooms.

Kicking off this step into the consumer media world, Mira will be placing an impressive double page spread within Ideal Home, the UK's best selling and award-winning home interest title. ‘As the voice of the British home owner for over 80 years, we believe Ideal Home is the prime environment to position the Mira brand at this great stage of its development,’ says Daniel Brohn, marketing director at Mira Showers.

‘With a circulation of 231,643 it is believed to be the highest reaching UK home interest magazine, with readers who do their homework before embarking on projects and are looking for inspiration to help them make the most of their homes.’

Tel: 0845 600 6472
Web: http://www.mirashowers.com

Nicholas Anthony Celebrates 25 Year Anniversary and 25% Growth in Sales

Award-winning luxury kitchens and bathrooms retailer, Nicholas Anthony, is celebrating a double success. The kitchen business is 25 years old this year, having established its Colchester showroom to focus solely on kitchens in 1982. During this time, the company has expanded to include kitchen and bathroom showrooms in Ascot, Knightsbridge and the West End of London, as well as an independent Contracts Division.

Proline, from Nicholas Anthony

Nicholas Anthony is also celebrating excellent sales results. With sales up by 25%, the company is on track to achieve its target of £10million by 2008. The company has shown strong growth since 2000 when the turnover was £2.5million, quadrupling its annual sales.

Tony Nicholas, MD of Nicholas Anthony

'Nicholas Anthony has come a long way in the last twenty five years,' commented Tony Nicholas, MD of Nicholas Anthony. 'While we attribute a large portion of our success to our growing contracts division, it's the quality of service we offer which sets us apart from other retailers. The Nicholas Anthony difference not only manifests itself in the product range but in the overall design, installation and project management services; our holistic approach.'

Web: http://www.nicholas-anthony.co.uk

Stuart Frazer is Appointed on a £15m Scheme

Manchester kitchen specialist, Stuart Frazer, has been appointed to design the kitchens for a residential scheme worth £15m at Leabank Country Estate in Rossendale on behalf on The Hurstwood Group.

One of the north west's most exclusive residential schemes, the Leabank development consists of three phases which include the conversion of an old school building, lodge and stables into ten grade A apartments and executive homes.

On the appointment of Stuart Frazer, Trevor Ashworth, residential director at Hurstwood comments: ‘Stuart Frazer was the obvious choice for us, as the company has had a wealth of experience dealing with the type of clientele we are targeting for Leabank Estate.

‘The development combines contemporary living space with outstanding craftsmanship and by using Stuart Frazer as our kitchen specialist we ensure that this same standard is maintained throughout the scheme. We have come to count on Stuart Frazer to deliver on time and on budget and with an attention to detail that we pride ourselves on.’

Paul Rigby, Stuart Frazer's lead designer on the Leabank scheme says: ‘This is a particularly enjoyable design project for us to work on and we hope to develop our relationship further with The Hurstwood Group on similar schemes in the future.’

Symphony Back on the Airwaves

Symphony will make a big come back on national TV this autumn, starring into two primetime television shows.

The company has been focusing its marketing push towards prime time television shows in a bid to gain further exposure for its three retail brands (Gallery, Venetian and Embrace) and reach a greater number of consumers who may be considering investing in their homes.

Symphony’s kitchen brand, Gallery, was the solution to one family’s kitchen nightmare in the recent series of DIY SOS. Majestyk Interiors, based in Harrogate, and Gallery donated a new solid oak framed Vancouver kitchen to one lucky family who enjoyed a complete home makeover, live on air.

Wil Golby, Owner of Majestyk Interiors in Harrogate, says: 'As soon as the producers approached me with this makeover I wanted to get involved. It was a perfect opportunity to generate some exposure for both the Gallery brand and my own kitchen studio which solely supplies Gallery and Kitchen Express products from Symphony. We had a great time working with the DIY SOS team and the home owner was absolutely delighted with her newly revamped family kitchen.'

The producers of 60 Minute Makeover simply couldn’t get enough of Embrace’s stylish range of fitted furniture for the bedroom. Chosen for its oriental design influences and ease of installation, the Kira collection was used to transform a master bedroom into a tranquil sanctuary of rest and relaxation with the added benefit of lots of practical storage.

This recent product placement is just one of a range of promotional activities being utilised by Symphony to gain exposure for its retail brands and drive awareness to retailers. New catalogues, direct mail and strong POS have all contributed towards Symphony’s increased marketing support for its retail division.

Symphony’s Group Marketing Manager Alison Andrews says: 'With the broadcast and print media playing such a pivotal role in consumer buying habits, it’s essential for Symphony’s main three retail brands to be seen in all the right places.

'Makeovers provide a great opportunity to show the product in its natural habitat and help us get the brand right under the nose of consumers, who are then directed to their local retailer for a demonstration of the product and discussion of their design requirements within a showroom environment.'

Symphony has more than 35 years business experience and is unique in supplying all market sectors with bathroom, bedroom and kitchen furniture. The company supplies fitted furniture to the social housing market and private new-build market as well as the independent retail sector and its worldwide export customers.

For further information please contact Symphony’s marketing department on 0870 120 8000 or visit http://www.symphony-group.co.uk.

Electrolux Supply Chain Staff Achieve Prestigious CILT Membership

Five Supply Chain team members at Electrolux are celebrating their success in attaining the prestigious Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Corporate Certificate of Membership which was awarded to them for their outstanding performance in all areas of supply chain, logistics and warehousing. Previous winners of the Supply Chain Innovation award, the team were invited by CILT to apply for membership of the Institute. Each team member was personally assessed to a strict criteria with everyone achieving membership and one senior manager becoming a fellow.

Supply Chain Director (UK & Ireland) - Paul Dunne said ‘We are constantly striving to improve year-on-year. Becoming a member of the Institute means that we can exchange information with other members and share best practices to optimise our performance. We also intend to build on our teams supply chain competence through the Institute's structured development programmes.’

Electrolux Supply Chain - left to right
Andrea Goddard, Supply Chain Financial Controller, Electrolux Major Appliances UK;
Paul Dunne, Supply Chain Director, Electrolux Major Appliances UK
Steve Agg, CEO of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, UK
Cloe Zeng, Supply Chain Development Manager, Electrolux Major Appliances UK
Ian Steedman, Distribution Service Controller, Electrolux Major Appliances UK
Jeff Dunn, Warehousing Controller, Electrolux Major Appliances UK

A spokesperson for CILT said ‘The certificate and presentation is to acknowledge the relationship between our two organisations and is in recognition of the commitment and levels of assessed membership which Electrolux now has amongst its supply chain employees. The Institute is delighted to be able to work with Electrolux and its employees to support them individually and as an organisation and to raise the profile of the company and the profession.’

Electrolux a global leader in home appliances and appliances for professional use, sell more than 40 million products to customers in 150 countries every year. The company focuses on innovations that are thoughtfully designed, based on extensive consumer insight, to meet the real needs of consumers and professionals.

Electrolux products include refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and cookers sold under esteemed brands such as Electrolux, AEG-Electrolux, Zanussi, Eureka and Frigidaire. In 2006, Electrolux had sales of SEK 104 billion and 56,000 employees.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK - CILT(UK) - is the pre-eminent independent professional body for individuals associated with logistics, supply chains and all transport throughout their careers. With 20,000 members, the Institute offers professional qualifications from introductory levels through to MSc; Continuing Professional Development; mentoring and training courses including the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).

Electrolux has also been chosen as the only major appliance manufacturer finalist in the Supply Chain Integration category of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Annual Excellence Awards which are sponsored by Business Direct.

The winner will be announced on 11th Oct.

Tel: 08705 950 950,
Web: http://www.electrolux.co.uk

Electrolux to Apply for Deregistration

Electrolux intends to apply for deregistration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Deregistration is expected to become effective during the fourth quarter 2007.

In 2005, Electrolux de-listed its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) from Nasdaq in response to the internationalisation of capital markets and the increase in international ownership of shares on the Stockholm and London stock exchanges.

As a consequence of the application, Electrolux's obligation to file certain reports and forms with the SEC, including the 20-F and 6-K, will be immediately suspended. Electrolux financial reports and press releases will continue to be made available in English on the Electrolux website (http://www.electrolux.com).

Electrolux shares will continue to be listed on the stock exchanges in Stockholm and London. Electrolux has not terminated its ADR facility.

BMA Member Kohler Mira Has Bathroom Academy Success

Kohler Mira is first member of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) to have an employee gain the Certificate in Bathroom Studies from the Bathroom Academy.

Avril Capel started with the company in June 1998 as a Customer Services Representative and has held the position of Technical Advisor since September 2003.

As well as handling showers calls Avril is also one of the company's most senior staff members specialising in trays and enclosures.

Avril beat off stiff competition from two other Kohler Mira employees to become the first person at the company to complete the Certificate in Bathroom Studies.

Speaking of Avril's achievement Kohler Mira Training Specialist Phil Parker says: ‘Avril was overjoyed she realised that she was not only the first Kohler person but also the first person from a BMA member company ever to achieve this accolade.

‘The Certificate in Bathroom Studies has been very well received within Kohler and we anticipate having nine successful staff by the end of 2007.

‘We are currently looking into how many staff members we will be putting forward for this valuable, cost effective learning tool next year.’

The e-learning programmes offered by the Bathroom Academy at http://www.bathroom-academy.co.uk, which students can follow from the workplace or the comfort of their own homes at their own pace, are designed to enhance and supplement other training and are recognised across the Industry as a benchmark of excellent product knowledge.

Written by Industry experts, course material is supplied in the form of Generic Industry Guides, workbooks, multiple choice questions and case studies. To attain the Certificate in Bathroom Studies students must successfully complete six Merits.

The training offered by the BMA is growing rapidly in popularity with more than 200 students currently undertaking the course material.

The BMA first launched its training in 2005 with the launch of the first Generic Industry Guides. The Certification Programme was launched in 2006 and the Bathroom Academy was made available online earlier this year.

For further information visit http://www.bathroom-academy.co.uk or contact Phil Lumley: phil.lumley@bathroom-association.org.uk

Web: http://www.bathroom-association.org

Kitchen Generator Equips with Homag for the Future

Kent-based Kitchen Generator was set up in June by Director Darren Mace and his wife Tara to manufacture and supply quality carcasses to retailers and small to medium manufacturers. Darren Mace has 15 years of experience in manufacturing kitchen cabinet furniture, twice turning companies around into profitable entities in the process.

In his words ‘It was time to start working for myself and making my own profits’. Darren Mace relied fully on the trusted advice of Homag UK's Charles Smith who he's known for many years. ‘Charles was able to competently advise on the machines we needed, their specification and fitness for purpose.’ Most importantly he was able to offer the Homag Finance packages to enable Kitchen Generator to get started. The Contract Hire package allowed the company to install a Brandt single-sided edgebander, a Brandt shaped edgebander and Weeke Venture 1 CNC machining centre with full breakdown and maintenance cover. A sliding table saw was supplied on an HP basis with a buying option further down the line.

The new investment in machinery has enabled Kitchen Generator to operate a truly bespoke service with the ability to react swiftly to both small batch and volume orders. What effectively Homag's Charles Smith was able to help the company to specify and install is a complete manufacturing cell. Perfectly dimensioned panels are clamped on the table of the Weeke Venture 1 CNC processor where programmes are called up by the operator and individual drilling patterns, routing positions and grooving instructions are automatically selected in an instant. The machine can be set for volume runs or batch size one work.

The single-sided Brandt edgebander has a capability up to 3mm. Any shaped pieces are edged with accuracy and ease on the contour edgebander.

Already Kitchen Generator is looking to expand its service to customers by providing fully fitted carcasses including a door hanging facility, the capacity is also there for larger unit production such as wardrobes.

Due to shrewd and strategic machinery investment the Kitchen Generator is up and running and fully viable. Darren Mace says that the company’s reliance on Homag UK has been fully justified and it progresses with the confidence of having Homag UK's highly efficient back-up and service engineering team right behind it.

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

John Boddy Timber Continues to Invest for Customers

Following on from major investment in moulding and tooling facilities for the company’s value added products services division - primarily mouldings, profiles and flooring - John Boddy Timber has installed a state-of-the-art Raimann KR310M multi-rip saw with computer assisted electronic controls to give it significantly added capacity, accuracy and wastage optimisation so that all of these can pass value on to the company’s customers.

Raimann is part of the international Weinig Group, famous for its solid wood processing technology, especially moulders which already operate at JBT's Riverside Sawmills in Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire.

John Boddy Timber's Works Manager Tony Steele was fully involved in specifying the new multi-rip saw: ‘With the installation of the new moulding capacity and the rapid take-up of our new service in moulded and finished products, we were experiencing a bottleneck with supply of dimensioned, cross-cut timber to the moulder station.’

To supplement its existing multi-rip capacity, JBT researched the market carefully and finally decided on the Raimann saw for a number of important reasons. The Raimann KR310M model offers 80mm height capacity and comes with the ‘Rip Assist’ software which optimises the timber yield from wany-edged boards and automatically positions the multi-rip blades via laser positioning.

The saw which was installed in May is operating perfectly and feeding four cross-cut stations before timber is offered up to the moulder or put into stock orders for dimensioned timber. Currently around 40% of the machine time on the new multi-rip is used for timber that goes on to be moulded. ‘It has transformed our capacity with more than enough for future expansion’ explains Tony Steele. ‘We have the ability to put 30 cubic metres of timber per day through the saw and the fast set-up allows us to react to very small batch bespoke orders with the same ease as volume ripping.’

The Raimann multi-rip has been in constant use - every day - since installation and JBT operators have quickly come to terms with the ease of operation following on-site training and certification by Weinig.

The new investment is already passing on benefits to John Boddy Timber customers in terms of quality of products and service.

Tel: 01423 322370
Email: info@john-boddy-timber.ltd.uk
Web: http://www.john-boddy-timber.ltd.uk

Wolseley plc Acquisitions Update

Wolseley plc, the world's largest specialist trade distributor of plumbing and heating products to professional contractors and a leading supplier of building materials, announced this week five bolt on acquisitions for an aggregate consideration of £87 million. In a full year, these bolt-on acquisitions are expected to add approximately £110 million to total revenue. Goodwill and intangible assets related to these acquisitions is estimated to be around £52 million.

Details of the latest acquisitions are as follows:

North America
On 6th August 2007, Stock Building Supply ('Stock') acquired certain assets of ProSource Building Supply, Ltd ('ProSource') from Cary Miles and Tracy Manes. ProSource is a construction services business supplying primarily commercial doors, trim, hardwood, related speciality products and installation services operating from two facilities in Houston, Texas. In the year ended 31st December 2006, ProSource had revenue of $17.2 million (£8.5 million) and gross assets of $3.2 million (£1.6 million) at that date. This acquisition is in line with Stock's strategy to expand its presence in the commercial and industrial market.

On 13th August 2007, Ferguson acquired Western Air Systems & Controls, Inc. ('Western Air') from Glenn Woodward. Western Air is the exclusive Trane HVAC distributor for the states of California (excluding the San Francisco Bay area) and Nevada, operating from two facilities in California and one in Nevada. In the year ended 31st December 2006, Western Air had revenue of $59.6 million (£29.6 million) and gross assets of $13.5 million (£6.7 million) at that date.

On 27th August 2007, Ferguson acquired Davidson Pipe Company, Inc. ('Davidson') from the Davidson and Krueger families and trustees. Davidson is a pipes, valves and fittings (PVF) distributor supplying the New York metropolitan market. In the year ended 30th September 2006, Davidson had revenue of $125.8 million (£62.6 million) and gross assets of $49.8 million (£24.8 million) at that date.

Europe
On 24th August 2007, Wolseley UK acquired T&R Electrical Wholesalers Ltd ('T&R') from the Bissix family. T&R is an electrical wholesaler, serving public and electrical contractors in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, operating from four sites in West London. T&R will give Wolseley UK's existing electrical distribution brand, Electric Center, additional coverage in an area where it is currently under represented. In the year ended 30th June 2007, T&R had revenue of £9.5 million and gross assets of £1.6 million at that date.

On 16th August 2007, DT Group acquired Proaktiv Bygglogistik i Stockholm AB ('PBS') from Michael Palmlof AB, Mikael Brohall, Pia Svensson, Fredrik Palmlof, Jan Birkebo and Christer Gustavsson. PBS is a newly formed building materials company, established by experienced industry professionals, based southwest of Stockholm.

Chip Hornsby, Group Chief Executive of Wolseley said:

'I am delighted that we have finally been able to enter the New York City industrial and commercial market and complete four further acquisitions towards our target for bolt-ons of £450 million for the year to 31st July 2008. They are excellent businesses that broaden our product and geographic coverage and support our strategy of growing the business through acquisition and organic growth.'

FIRA Conference goes Green

With carbon footprinting, global warming and sustainability high on the political and business agendas, FIRA's National Furniture Conference will have a green theme this year.

Again to be held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire, the event - called The ECOnomics of Sustainability - will explore how companies are responding to the challenges posed by environmental issues.

Among the questions to be answered on 11th October will be:
* How can you be greener without affecting your bottom line?
* How can you measure and reduce your carbon and ecological footprints?
* What cost effective measures can be taken that will enable you to make best use of your resources?
* What measures is the industry taking to meet its environmental responsibilities?

Best practice case studies to show how individual companies are tackling the problems will also be highlighted.

Further details are available on the website, http://www.askfira.co.uk/events, and weekly emails will be sent out before the Conference giving latest news and programme information.

Attendance is free for FIRA members, and costs £100 for non-FIRA members (£50 for additional attendees). To book your place, please telephone Geoff Covey or Chris Winsor on 01438 777777, or email events@fira.co.uk

Whirlpool Brand Scientists go Hi-Tech Helping Consumers Sort Out Age Old Chore

Whirlpool brand's Institute of Fabric Science (WIFS) has entered the re-launch cycle, now the freshest laundry resource for millions of customers worldwide. The recently transformed WIFS Web site utilises the expertise of fabric professionals to tackle the various laundry-related inquiries that Whirlpool receives from consumers.

The revamped Web site (http://www.instituteoffabricscience.com) operates as an informational hub for the many people who struggle daily with fabric care dilemmas. With built-in customer service, expert advice, consumer lifestyle stories, statistics, and more, the site makes laundry easier and less like a chore.

‘Consumers continue to clamour for help with laundry, from stain removal to fabric care tips. Whirlpool can attest to this, receiving an average of about 27,000 phone calls and 1,200 emails each month with laundry questions,’ said WIFS Home Economist Mary Zeitler. ‘WIFS is the place that consumers can turn to, 24/7, to have their questions answered by skilled and knowledgeable experts.’

One highlight of the consumer site is the ‘Laundry 101’ component. This section covers many aspects of fabric care and allows customers to browse the top fabric care tips, laundry myths and other useful hints from the WIFS team. ‘Laundry 101’ also offers suggestions on pre-sorting and managing load size, how to treat stains on varying fabrics and insight into how to interpret care labels.

Another section, titled ‘The Laundry Room’, offers the following features:

* A ‘Perfect Match’ selector tool that helps consumers determine which products are right for them.
* Links to laundry room design sites.
* Information on the entire Whirlpool brand laundry suite, including laundry solutions such as the Fabric Freshener and Laundry 123™ work surfaces, pedestals and towers.

WIFS offers monthly energy efficiency tips and ‘green laundry’ suggestions on its homepage to show consumers just how simple it can be to save energy and water. Other frequent updates include a featured WIFS expert and commonly asked consumer questions.

‘The Web site will give us the opportunity to listen, respond and help make daily life a bit easier - all critical to what Whirlpool does,’ said Pam Rogers, Director, Whirlpool Brand Laundry Products. ‘The average consumer washes seven loads of laundry per week. Using the products that are right for your lifestyle can help you get more done.’

Behind the scenes, the WIFS laundry scientists dedicate themselves to providing the ultimate laundry solutions. These experts test 20 million pounds of textiles each year and monitor laundry in 80 field test sites gathering usage data. Their efforts helped drive the development of some of Whirlpool brand's most revolutionary products such as the Duet HT® washer and the Duet® steam dryer.

About WIFS
Whirlpool created the Whirlpool Institute of Fabric Science in 2000 in response to consumer demand for expert advice, helping consumers make the most of their laundry systems and save money by teaching them the best possible ways to care for their clothes. Through constant feedback, the Institute has been able to pinpoint and address the most common laundry misconceptions and help consumers get more done with less effort. Additional information regarding WIFS can be found at http://www.instituteoffabricscience.org.

Growth Of 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Credit Revolutionises Home Improvement Sales

The introduction of 'buy now, pay later' credit deals to the home improvement market has resulted in a surge in sales within the sector says independent finance specialist Consumer Credit Solutions (CCS).

‘The home improvement sector was quite late to catch on to 'buy now, pay later' finance but take-up has been staggering since it was introduced,’ says CCS Partner, Peter Nicholson. ‘Five years ago, 'buy now, pay later' was a tiny part of the business but last year we managed around £40million worth of deferred credit - that's about 40 times the amount in 2002.’

Success Story CCS Partner, Peter Nicholson and Betta Living Managing Director, Jamie Dean reflect on the dramatic rise of Buy Now, Pay Later credit.

Glasgow-based double glazing firm Gold Seal Home Care Ltd has seen rapid results since introducing 'buy now, pay later' with CCS five months ago: ‘We are absolutely delighted with the impact that buy now, pay later has had on our business. It now accounts for 70% of our turnover and has put us where we want to be in the marketplace,’ said Brian Patterson of Gold Seal. ‘Many of our customers haven't organised their finance when they come to us to look in advance. But with buy now, pay later, they can get what they want straight away so we are able to convert potential customers of the future into definite sales today,’ he continued.

One company that caught on early is fitted furniture specialist Betta Living, which has 21 showrooms across the UK. ‘We introduced the scheme three years ago and it really differentiated us from our competitors. Offering 'buy now, pay later' credit gives our customers more choices and has helped us to a great position in the market. It has definitely led to increased traffic and enabled us to upsell,’ said Managing Director, Jamie Dean.

Peter Nicholson puts the success of the finance deal down to benefits for all sides: ‘Consumers effectively have up to twelve months on an interest free payment holiday. That gives them time to source the cheapest finance or an extra year with their savings intact. Alternatively, they can set up a low-cost loan at the point of sale that can start when the interest free period ends. Meanwhile, our clients get all the benefits of this great sales tool very cheaply thanks to our buying power,’ he said.

Specialising in credit for the home improvement sector, CCS acts as an independent finance provider that uses its £150million per year buying power and impartiality to offer finance products from a select group of blue-chip lenders. Other credit offerings include interest-free and low-repayment terms, including CCS's newly-developed and unique Bankbuster, which at 4.9% is currently the UK's lowest unsecured loan rate.

Caption: Success Story CCS Partner, Peter Nicholson and Betta Living Managing Director, Jamie Dean reflect on the dramatic rise of Buy Now, Pay Later credit.

Cowboy Builders Run out of Town

Rogue tradesmen beware! Develop Your Property, a Which? essential guide has produced guidelines so tough it will have cowboy builders heading for the hills.

With the property renovation market still booming, it can take from several weeks to a year or more to secure a contractor who is available and has a good reputation. This gives dishonest tradesmen a real chance to take advantage of those who choose not to wait.

The Which? guide includes a list of questions that people should ask in the first instance and advises that if a worker refuses to answer any of them, they should not be employed. These include:

• What qualifications have you got?
• Are you a member of an organisation – if so, which one?
• Can you provide a detailed quote for the work in writing, breaking down labour and material costs?
• Can you supply three references of recent work and can I visit them with you?

If a builder can answer these satisfactorily, the next step on the ladder is to get estimates and quotes*, then organise contracts. Develop Your Property says that this is the one area where most jobs go wrong – because neither party takes the time to agree who does what, when and for how much.

Contracts are legal documents and are a good way of ensuring that things go smoothly**. Ideally, customers should get a contract checked out by a solicitor. It may cost a few hundred pounds, but for those spending thousands on renovations, it’s a small price to pay.

Kate Faulkner, author of Develop Your Property, a Which? essential guide, says:

'Disreputable builders can fool the smartest of people. Often they are charming, enthusiastic and appear to be credible. The real conmen will also claim to be members of organisations, assuming this will not be checked, and some even produce fake ID.

'Cowboys have been known to take the money and run before they’ve finished a job, or produce such poor quality work that it costs a fortune to get fixed. So it’s worth taking the time to make sure you get one of the good guys.'

* They should include a breakdown of the major materials; a breakdown of the labour charges; and a recommended contingency plan (including an agreement that if the costs are to increase, this is checked before workmen spend any money).

** For small jobs under £5,000 it is possible to sign a letter of agreement as opposed to a full-blown contract.

Develop Your Property, a Which? essential guide can be ordered on 01903 828557 (£10.99, p&p free) or at http://www.which.co.uk or bought from bookshops.

Major New Route to TrustMark for Reputable Tradesmen

TrustMark has approved FENSA Ltd and Exor Management Services as scheme operators to help sign up firms to the award-winning, Government-backed initiative which helps householders find trustworthy tradespeople to make improvement and repairs inside and outside the home.

TrustMark now has 24 registered scheme operators and close to 14,000 approved firms, but FENSA has the potential to be the largest approval body within the scheme with scope to add another 9,300 firms to the register of reputable tradesmen over coming months.

Set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) and other industry bodies in 2002, FENSA is the original Competent Persons scheme which enables companies that install replacement windows and doors to self certify compliance under Approved Documents L and N of the Building Regulations.

The FENSA standard is widely recognised as the industry standard for self certification schemes. An independent report commissioned by the department for Communities and Local Government found FENSA to be the most successful of all competent schemes to date in the UK, across all industries.

Graham Hinett, Chief Executive of FENSA said: 'Becoming an approved scheme operator for TrustMark is strategically important for FENSA, offering our registered businesses the real opportunity to generate more business from homeowners who care about quality.
FENSA firms can provide householders with peace of mind because they demonstrate professionalism and integrity.

'Being TrustMark approved will help deliver a competitive advantage for the 9,300 FENSA registered businesses that are eligible to apply.'

TrustMark has also approved Exor Management Services as a new scheme operator. Exor is an independent accreditation service provider to the public sector, with over 120 local authorities and other public bodies using their products and services.

Exor can now provide access to TrustMark to any firm, big or small, from any of the 17 trades currently covered by the scheme. More than 200 of its current suppliers will be brought into the scheme over the next few months.

Ian McKinnon, Managing Director of Exor Management Services said: 'We are delighted to be approved as a scheme operator with TrustMark as we see our business as part of the solution to reduce rogue traders. Our robust approach to accreditation and assessment of our contractors is just one example. With our reach into the public sector we are eager to promote the take up of the TrustMark standard even further than before.'

For further information on FENSA, go to http://www.fensa.org.uk

For further information on Exor Management Services, go to: http://www.exorgroup.co.uk

Staff Work Best Under Remote Control

Smarter working practices are becoming more widely adopted. Tomorrow’s Leaders, a study commissioned by City & Guilds and the Institute of Leadership and Management, issued recently, reveals that 73 per cent of managers have flexible working in their organisation.

'The study also highlighted the main obstacle to the wider adoption of smarter working practices generally,' said Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, the national campaign backed by the TUC, CBI and British Chambers of Commerce to promote smarter working. 'The culture of ‘presenteeism’ where management require staff and employees to be at the place of work to be considered working, is an anachronism from the 19th century – it is completely the wrong approach in today’s modern working environment. To overcome this, managers need to have access to more up-to-date training.'

In May this year, Work Wise UK launched the Work Wise UK Quality Mark to assist companies and managers looking at adopting smarter working practices. The new quality mark is assessed using the Work Wise UK Standard, which has been developed over a 12-month period, in collaboration with the TUC, Transport for London, HBOS, NHS, BT and the Association for Commuter Transport. The first of its kind in the UK, the standard provides a framework for the successful reform of working practices, as well as access to a national network of advisers to assist in the process.

Phil Flaxton added: 'The introduction of smarter working practices is inevitable as the UK strives to meet the competitive challenges from the Far East. The study reported that three-quarters of respondents believed workers that worked flexibly were more productive. This reinforces findings issued by BT earlier this year that reported a 20 per cent increase in productivity when smarter working practices were introduced.'

Further information about the Work Wise UK Quality Mark can be found on the Work Wise UK website (http://www.workwiseuk.org) or by contacting Adam Le Gresley on 01784 473005.

Shower Takes Upper Hand as we get too Busy to Bathe

Bath or shower: it's an issue that threatens to split the nation - and the signs are that the shower is beginning to get the upper hand, according to leading home furnishing retailer Housing Units.

'We're definitely seeing a trend towards customers specifying showers instead of baths. We wouldn't say that the bath is going to become extinct, but we have a solid core of customers who probably haven't had a bath in three years - in the nicest possible way,' said Nick Fox, director of Manchester-based Housing Units.

'There's still the hard core bath fan who loves nothing more than a long, hot soak - but they're becoming the exception rather than the rule as people get ever busier both work-wise and socially.

'A shower can take seconds, a bath can take half an hour - and people who want to get up and go to work feeling fresh and clean simply don't have that time to spare anymore.

'They want to get out of bed, get freshened up and out of the door in minutes.
'But climate change is also having an impact as well: people have one eye on the future. Very soon we are all going to have water meters, and a shower uses a fraction of the water needed for a bath.

'There is a core market of busy professionals who are taking the bath out and installing a shower - in some cases it costs less to buy and use, but many people are specifying super-luxury showers for the price of mid-range bathrooms.

'There is a perception that perhaps the removal of the bath may affect the value of a house, but for people who want efficient, easy-to-run lives, a bath can actually be seen as a liability while a shower becomes a bonus.

'High-energy professionals who live in smaller houses and apartments are much better suited to having a shower.

'But bigger homes, where there is enough room for two bathrooms, really do need a bath - although while the shower becomes a fast and functional part of their lives, the bath is almost becoming a special occasion room where people pamper themselves and relax after a long, hard week.'

Housing Units recommends the Showerscape Shower for those fast-moving professionals, while the Celtia whirlpool bath by Jacuzzi is a must for whom the luxury of the long, hot soak is a crucial luxury.

Housing Units - known for its top-hatted doormen - was established in 1947. It is a family-owned furnishings retailer based in Failsworth to the north of Manchester. It stocks 30,000 high-quality lines across a range of departments in two buildings and says that it prides itself on its unique style of customer service, the value of its goods and the shopping experience it provides.

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