Vance
Miller to Face Fraud Charges
Oldham
businessman Vance Miller has been charged with fraud over his kitchen
company.
Trading Standards officials have conducted an 18-month investigation into
Mr Miller's business and handed over their files to the Crown Prosecution
Service.
Prosecutors have now charged Mr Miller, 42, of Ramsbottom, with conspiracy
to defraud and conspiracy to apply false descriptions to goods.
Two of his colleagues, Sadiya Hussain, 27, and Alan Ford, 43, both from
Milnrow, have also been charged with the same offences.
All three are bailed to appear at Oldham Magistrates on November 28th.
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.
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
Utopia
Promotes YOU Modular Range
YOU,
the new modular range of bathroom furniture from Utopia, is the focus
of Utopia's latest phase of consumer advertising. The Autumn schedule
comprises eye-catching, full page advertisements highlighting the new
range. Designed to stimulate consumer enquiries, the campaign runs through
to December and then recommences in the Spring when new products scheduled
for launch at KBB 2008 will be featured.
The schedule concentrates on key home interest magazines, such as Living
etc, Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms and Good Housekeeping, which deliver
consistently good response rates.
Liz Green, Marketing Director at Utopia, comments, ‘The campaign
is structured to exploit seasonal peaks, to be flexible in terms of content
and to deliver the maximum possible number of quality leads. We're confident
that our response mechanism is second to none, with each enquiry being
handled quickly and efficiently.’
For further information, please contact your Utopia area sales manager
or the Customer Services team on 01902 406402.
Web: http://www.utopiagroup.com
Poggenpohl
Exports Management Flair
Poggenpohl
worldwide is set to benefit from the company's UK success. Martin Gill,
Managing Director of Poggenpohl Group UK, has been given new responsibilities
as Poggenpohl's Head of Global Retailing.
The new role, which will be in addition to Martin Gill's current responsibilities
in the UK, involves developing Poggenpohl's retail strategy worldwide
in particular the Poggenpohl-owned stores. The German luxury kitchen manufacturer
currently has 27 owned retail stores across the globe, including eight
in the UK.
The appointment follows the success of Poggenpohl UK's strategic retail
studio development in recent years. Since his appointment in 2001, Martin
Gill masterminded a programme of consolidation, acquisition and expansion
of the UK studios. He has also followed a campaign of targeted UK marketing
and close collaboration with the company's global brand marketing strategy.
All 32 studios in England, Scotland, Ireland and Gibraltar have adopted
Poggenpohl's dynamic +STUDIOCONCEPT format, increasing sales and reinforcing
the strong brand identity of Poggenpohl within the UK whilst improving
market awareness for all studios on a local level.
Commenting on his appointment, Martin Gill said: ‘I am excited at
the opportunity to influence Poggenpohl's success and direction on a worldwide
basis and hope to mirror the achievements made in the UK. Poggenpohl's
development in the UK market clearly shows how owned retail studios can
work together with partners and dealerships to improve brand awareness
and service delivery.
‘The arrangement provides a firm statement of commitment and a platform
of strength within the marketplace that assists brand and dealership development
whilst enhancing profits. This model will be key to my new responsibilities
as Head of Global Retailing at Poggenpohl.’
For further information on Poggenpohl kitchens telephone 0800 298 1098
or visit http://www.poggenpohl.co.uk
Admiral
Stars in ITV1 Cook School Show
Maytag
UK's Admiral side-by-side fridge freezer is a prize in a new ITV1 afternoon
cookery show, 'The Rosemary Schrager School for Cooks' which commenced
on 5th November 2007.
Ladette to Lady star Rosemary Schrager is to host a knockout competition,
which gives aspiring amateur cooks the chance to win real training jobs
as chefs in some of Britain's top restaurants, with one ultimate winner.
The show will be hosted from Rosemary's renowned cookery school in the
stunning setting of Swinton Park in the Yorkshire Dales. Each week a group
of hopeful cooks will be coming to Rosemary's cookery school where they
will be given the chance to show off their culinary skills, tested against
each other, taught new skills and put under pressure to see if they've
got what it takes to make it in a busy commercial kitchen. The best performing
cook will be given the opportunity to work in a top restaurant.
In the final week of the series, Rosemary will decide which of the chefs
has most impressed. The winner will be given a job for six months as a
trainee chef.
The show runs every weekday from the 5th November. Based on ITV1 figures,
it is expected that daily audiences will be over 1 million viewers.
There will be a competition each day and one of the many prizes is Maytag
UK's Admiral refrigerator.
Web: http://www.maytag.co.uk
Firms
to Feel the Squeeze in 2008
Escalating
economic worries, higher prices and tighter spending will combine to make
2008 a much tougher year in the Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Manufacturers
market, according to business analyst Plimsoll Publishing. The company’s
senior analyst, David Pattison, looks back at 2007 and forward to the
New Year.
'Almost every sector of British business stands at a crossroads as it
prepares for the coming 12 months. With uncertainty in the economy, some
will want to sit tight and do nothing radical. Others will need to cut
costs quickly to weather the possible storm. But some who have built up
large cash reserves will be looking at this period of difficulty to make
acquisitions at a bargain price. So which category are you likely to find
yourself in?
'Growth in the kitchen, bedroom & bathroom manufacturers sector in
2007 has been minimal, sitting at 1.1%. This is pretty much in line with
our predictions at the start of the year, where we foresaw that increased
competition in the market would hamper growth. In fact, 48% of companies
actually saw their sales decline. It’s important, however, not to
confuse sales with profit. Some smaller firms, with a turnover of £3m
or less, lost out on sales but still enjoyed healthy margins. They did
so by keeping their costs under control and by carving out a specialist
area in the market. These firms have managed to do very nicely for themselves
by trading in niche products. This trend has been an important factor
since 2006, and I see no reason why it shouldn’t continue.
'In general, if you’re setting your budget for 2008, you should aim
for a growth target of at least 1.3%. Frankly, though, you should expect
to beat this with a combination of imagination, forward thinking and spotting
the opportunities that others have missed.
'With pressure on sales certain to come, some companies will need to cut
costs in 2008. Sadly, for most the term 'cost cutting' translates into
'job losses'. Ernst and Young are already offering services to help firms
implement cost reduction programmes, and more of this will come as the
pressure increases. My advice is to reduce costs as part of a planned
long-term strategy, rather than doing so in panic mode. By the time you
do the latter, it’s usually too late. But don’t be too hasty
– 2007 was not a bad year overall, with margins averaging 3.3%. Indeed,
for some exceptional companies, that percentage was in the mid teens –
in some cases for the second year in a row.
'At the other end of the scale, those firms that find themselves in difficulty
should not buy into the hype that they will be safe from takeover because
potential bidders won’t want to take risks against the background
of a chaotic credit market. Arguably, there has never been a better time
to go on the offensive, and companies with large cash surpluses will be
able to make some dirt-cheap acquisitions in 2008 as others begin to fail.
The predators in cases like this are likely to see growth much greater
than the industry average during the coming 12 months. Takeover targets
are probably relatively safe for the next few months, but once the early
jitters of 2008 are over, the buyers will circle and pounce.
'So which companies will have an unhappy new year? Well, anyone who is
already finding it a struggle is likely to experience even tougher times
unless immediate measures are taken to reduce costs and improve margins.
Any company with escalating debts will certainly find it difficult to
stay competitive, and even in some cases to survive. If your company falls
into this category, the warning lights should already be on.
'In short, then, a difficult year ahead, but those who take steps to streamline
their business model or who supply a particular demand can expect to emerge
in a relatively healthy position.'
David Pattison is senior analyst with Plimsoll Publishing http://www.plimsoll.co.uk.
Tel 01642 626422 or e-mail enquiries@plimsoll.co.uk
Lawcris
Tops £4m Turnover in one Month
Despite
a highly competitive market and continuing pressures on the UK's supply
chain, last month saw Lawcris Panel Products break all previous sales
records.
October saw the company producing £4.1 million worth of sales, dramatically
breaking its own previous record of £3.2 million.
According to the company's Marketing Manager Hal Eccles, investment has
played a vital role in this continued success. He said: ‘Lawcris
understands that in this industry you have to speculate to accumulate
and as such maintains a continuous programme of investment at all levels.
We have a great team which understands the importance of customer service
and an acute knowledge of the industry built up over 25 years.’
The company recently acquired another four delivery trucks to support
its next day delivery service.
Hal said: ‘Lawcris has built its reputation on reliability and quality
of service and this on-going investment guarantees we won't let our customers
down.’
Tel: 0113 2177 177
Web: http://www.lawcris.co.uk
Ideal
Standard Strengthens its Management Team
Ideal
Standard International, a provider of bathroom and kitchen solutions recently
appointed Clive Minett as Director for Showers and Brassware. This week,
Clive has extended his responsibilities to the role of Marketing Director
for Ideal Standard.
With a career spanning 27 years in sales and marketing within the Plumbing
and Heating industry, Clive brings a wealth of experience to his new role
including a full understanding of the showering and bathroom business.
He joins Ideal Standard International from Kohler Mira Ltd, where he held
the position of Sales Director since 1996.
In his new role, Clive will have responsibility for the rolling out of
a new Marketing Strategy which supports Ideal Standard International as
an independent and privately-owned company. His appointment plays a pivotal
part in Ideal Standard International's overall business strategy to maximise
the company's position in this sector of the market.
Commenting on his appointment Alan Stevenson, Ideal Standard's Managing
Director (UK) says, ‘I am very pleased that Clive has joined the
team and I know he will prove a strong and driving force for developing
new product opportunities and help move the business forward.’
Tel: 01482 499637
Web: http://www.ideal-standard.co.uk
'Enjoyment
Guaranteed' - the Grohe Rainshower Promotion
Grohe
is so confident about the quality and performance of its Rainshower®
products that it is prepared to offer the consumer an unequivocal 'enjoyment
guarantee'. If customers do not 'Love every drop' of their Rainshower®
experience, Grohe will refund their money in full.
The
GROHE Rainshower® with its GROHE Dreamspray® technology offers
both a complete shower system and a collection of head and hand showers
that guarantee the ultimate showering experience.
The company is giving people a month to test their Rainshower®. The
terms are very straightforward and simple. Once bought, the Rainshower®
needs to be registered immediately either on-line or by post - a registration
certificate will then be issued. If the customer is not absolutely delighted,
he or she can return the product within 30 days of the date of purchase
together with the registration certificate to receive a full refund.
The consumer can choose from one of four Grohe Rainshower® promotional
packs - the options range from a simple handshower and hose to a complete
thermostatic showering system:
* Rainshower® 130mm handshower including Silverflex hose 1500mm
* Rainshower® 130mm, Silverflex hose 1750mm, shower rail 900mm incl.
head extension arm
* Exposed thermostat, Rainshower® 160mm, Silverflex hose 1750mm, shower
rail 900mm incl. head extension arm
* Built-in thermostat, Rainshower® 160mm, Silverflex hose 1750mm,
shower rail 900mm incl. head extension arm
Jan-Peter Tewes, Managing Director, Grohe says:
‘How do you demonstrate to a customer that your product is as good
as it gets. You have to find a way to show them that you have complete
and utter faith in it and that you are completely confident that they
won't be disappointed.
‘Even the best working displays in a showroom cannot recreate the
actual refreshing and revitalising experience a good shower can give so
we are giving people the opportunity to find out for themselves - to 'love
every drop' of our Rainshower® in the comfort of their own home. And,
in the very unlikely case they decide they don't want to keep their Rainshower®
- we will give them their money back.
‘The GROHE Rainshower® promotion also shows our commitment to
our stockists by providing them with initiatives that considerably increase
the sales potential of our products.’
For more information on 'the love every drop - enjoyment guarantee' and
Grohe products visit the website http://www.grohe.co.uk.
To receive Grohe’s July 2007 kitchen and bathroom product brochure
please telephone 08708 488877.
Hoffmann
is ‘Brilliant’ at Davonport
Colchester-based
Davonport Furniture has made impressive strides since owner Richard Davonport
set up the bespoke fitted furniture business just over 10 years ago.
Surrounding
himself with a highly skilled workforce of craftsmen, Richard Davonport
has swiftly established a reputation for design and quality and the ability
to produce beautiful, bespoke furniture - particularly kitchens.
All of Davonport's kitchens are bespoke and mainly feature in-frame door
styles using hardwoods of beautiful character and grain. These include
styles like Shaker, Victorian and Classical Georgian.
As a matter of policy Davonport equips its workshops with the most modern
equipment and, after many years of constructing cabinet face frames by
pinning and screwing the joints, decided to install a Hoffmann system
of creating face frame joints with the company’s renowned serrated
dovetail key which pulls the faces of the joint together and creates a
bond that is stable, strong, secure, accurate and permanent.
Richard Davonport had read about the Hoffmann system for creating joints
in various trade magazine articles and went to a Woodmex exhibition to
see the system demonstrated. This was followed by him ordering a Hoffmann
MU2 keyway router with extended fences and special Glide Stops for fast
and accurate changes of measurement.
The angles and haunch joints are cut on a guillotine and then aligned
on the Hoffmann keyway router fences before the router cutter comes up
from under the component and accurately cuts the keyway slot to the exact
depth to accommodate the dovetail key.
The frame components - rails, stiles and cross rails - are then quickly
joined at the back of the frame by knocking in the Hoffmann key. The result
is a perfect and strong joint with no gaps or inaccuracies on the face
and perfect alignment of the components and features like cock beads.
‘The system is brilliant’ says Richard Davonport, ‘we're
saving an enormous amount of time, have eliminated rejects and have sorted
out what was a labour intensive backlog. The Glide Stops are easy and
very quick to use and give us absolute accuracy.’
Hoffmann produces a wide range of application machinery for different
situation and joints of any nature in furniture, joinery and constructions.
The company’s catalogue is available on request via the website:
http://www.hoffmann-uk.com.
Aldo
Zilli Endorses Gastron Range Cooker
Caple
has announced that its new range cooker, Gastron, now has the endorsement
of celebrity chef, Aldo Zilli.
A regular on GMTV and This Morning, as well as presenting several television
programmes of his own, Zilli is both a successful television personality
and established restaurateur. Having won a plethora of awards for his
cooking, Aldo Zilli is an authority on creating dishes of the highest
quality and recognised immediately the benefits of Gastron to the modern
chef.
Caple’s Product and Marketing Manager, Amanda Lowe says 'We are delighted
that Aldo has endorsed the Gastron range cooker. We are immensely proud
of the aesthetic and functional benefits the product offers, and it is
testament to its quality that a chef such as Aldo would want to endorse
it'.
Zilli will be appearing in a high profile advertising campaign for Gastron,
as well as featuring on the Caple stand at the 2008 KBB trade show; offering
a cooking demonstration to highlight the immense functionality the range
cooker offers.
For more information on the Gastron range cooker, or for any Caple product
please call Caple on 0117 938 1900 or visit http://www.caple.co.uk.
Baumatic
has joined forces with Bristol-based charity SOFA Project (Shifting Old
Furniture Around) to help recycle its appliances. In the past Baumatic
sent its unwanted fridges to Germany to be broken down (gases removed),
which cost the environment in terms of transport and processing. Now the
company sends all its Grade D appliances (used, faults, returns) to SOFA
Project, which helps over 7,000 households a year to furnish at affordable
prices, while also diverting products that would have otherwise gone to
landfill.
Approximately 80% of the Baumatic appliances that SOFA Project receives
are not reusable so the charity recycles them, which is great news for
the environment. The 20% that are in good working order or can be repaired
are sent to SOFA Project's busy domestic appliance workshop, which employs
skilled engineers to safety test, clean and refurbish washing machines,
fridges, cookers and other white goods that can then be sold in the West
Street retail outlet. While the shop is open to all, the charity offers
further discounts to those on low incomes. In the three months since Baumatic
has been sending graded goods to SOFA Project, 26 tonnes of appliances
have been collected, of which 21 tonnes were recycled, and three tonnes
were reused. Over a year, this could result in up to 40 tonnes of appliances
supplied to those looking for a more affordable solution to refurbishing
or developing their homes.
‘Donating our Grade D appliances to the SOFA Project really is a
win-win situation for all. We cut our export costs; it reduces pressure
on precious landfill sites; SOFA Project makes money for further work
in the community; and the public benefits from low cost products. Perhaps
most importantly, the environment benefits too - and that's good news
for everybody,’ explains Baumatic's MD, Paul Thompson.
For more information on Baumatic call 0118 933 6900, http://www.baumatic.com
SOFA Project: 0117 954 3567, http://www.sofaproject.org.uk
Servis
Announces 'Green' Winners of Cool Art Design Competition
Winners
have now been chosen for all age categories in the Servis Cool Art Design
Competition, which aimed to encourage children and art students to express
their feelings about tackling climate change.
Entrants
were challenged to design the exterior of a fridge freezer with an illustration
depicting what being 'green' meant to them. The competition attracted
an enormous response from budding artists who used an assortment of paints,
pens, computers and collage to deliver wide-ranging interpretations of
their understanding of 'environmentally friendly'. All of the winning
designs are now on display on the 'Cool Art Competition' gallery section
of the Servis website http://www.servisuk.co.uk.
Split into four categories, the winners have each received an A+ rated
Servis AM7310 fridge freezer, and those who entered via their school have
also won the same fridge freezer for the school. Using special technology,
each winning design has been printed onto the front of the appliance and
presented to the winners. The eight runners-up all received vouchers worth
£20 from WH Smith.
With its low energy consumption the A+ energy rated AM7310 fridge freezer
more than conforms to environmental expectations; this highest rating
indicates it is one of the most energy efficient fridge freezers available.
Additionally there is an anti-bacterial protection on the linings of the
fridge giving a lifetime protection against bacteria. With a fridge capacity
of 179 litres, a freezer capacity of 97 litres along with two salad crispers,
there is ample storage for all uses. A host of further features include
a fast freeze facility, manual defrost plus a wine rack, two dairy shelves
and three glass shelves.
Gill Hewitson, Marketing Manager for Servis comments: ‘We are delighted
with the overwhelming response to the competition and most impressed by
the abundance of talent and array of inspirational ideas that it has generated.’
She continues, ‘It is encouraging to see that green issues are very
much top-of-mind with young people today. As a company, Servis understands
that we have a duty to help combat climate change, and we aim to do this
by encouraging consumers to purchase A+ rated products and by educating
the future generation on the importance of looking after our environment.’
For further information regarding the full range of Servis products Tel:
0121 568 8333 or visit http://www.servisuk.co.uk.
The
47th Mapei factory was opened on 31 October this year in the Chu Lai Industrial
Area near Da Nang, Vietnam and will serve the local market. Mapei's operations
in the Far East are expanding rapidly.
Mapei began in 1989 with the opening of Mapei Far East in Singapore and
continued in 1994 with Mapei Malaysia. The Group began operating in China
in 2004 with the opening of the Hong Kong subsidiary followed by a further
two factories in 2006 (Mapei Guangzhou and Mapei Shanghai).
The internationalisation process that Mapei first embarked on in the 1960s
has developed rapidly in recent years, bringing the company into close
touch with the local market. This has allowed it to understand the specific
needs of the market and considerably reduce transport costs.
The Mapei Group currently has 50 subsidiaries, 7 research and development
centres and 47 production facilities, each equipped with its own quality
control laboratory.
This process of steady internationalisation has fuelled turnover growth
during the last ten years. Compared with the 150 billion lire turnover
of 1990, aggregate turnover reached 725 million euro in 2001, some 57%
of which was generated abroad.
In 2006 total turnover amounted to 1.45 billion euro and a figure of 1.6
billion euro is expected for 2007. The group has a total of 5300 employees,
more than 60% of whom are outside Italy.
Mapei's objective is to reach a turnover of 2 billion euro in 2010, corresponding
to an annual 14.3% increase in turnover.
Wolseley:
£84 million spent on five acquisitions
Wolseley
plc has announced five bolt-on acquisitions for an aggregate consideration
of £84 million. In a full year, these acquisitions are expected
to add approximately £109 million to total revenue. Goodwill and
intangible assets related to these acquisitions is estimated to be around
£50 million.
Details of the latest acquisitions are as follows:
North America
On 1st October 2007, Stock Building Supply ('Stock') acquired Architectural
Building Supply Company ('ABS') from members of the Tolboe and Krajeski
families. ABS is a fabricator, distributor and installer of commercial
doors, commercial hardware and access control devices for commercial and
institutional projects operating from one facility in Utah and two in
Idaho. In the year ended 31st December 2006, ABS had revenue of $36.0
million (£17.3 million) and gross assets of $9.0 million (£4.3
million) at that date.
On 29th October 2007, Stock acquired certain assets of Jacobi Hardware
Co., Inc. ('Jacobi') from Walter G. Craven, Anne Craven, Walter B. Craven
and Mary Ann Moldenhauer. Jacobi is a fabricator, distributor and installer
of commercial doors, commercial hardware and access control devices for
commercial and institutional projects, based in Wilmington, North Carolina.
In the year ended 31st December 2006, Jacobi had revenue of $3.3 million
(£1.6 million) and gross assets of $0.4 million (£0.2 million)
at that date.
These two acquisitions are in line with Stock's strategy of increasing
its presence in the Commercial and Industrial market.
On 5th November 2007, Stock acquired the assets of KBC Construction, LLC
('KBC') from Keith Cheshire and George Cline. KBC is a turn-key framer
and wall panel manufacturer located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the
year ended 31st December 2006, KBC had revenue of $16.6 million (£8.0
million) and gross assets of $2.9 million (£1.4 million) at that
date. This acquisition complements Stock's existing businesses in the
Albuquerque area, enabling it to provide a complete range of added value
services to its customers.
On 5th November 2007, Ferguson acquired the inventory of J.D's Wholesale
Plumbing & Supply ('J.D's') from Linda F. DiMuccio. J.D's is plumbing
distributor operating from a single location in Pagosa Springs, south
west Colorado. In the year ended 31st December 2006, J.D's had revenue
of $0.7 million (£0.4 million) and gross assets of $0.5 million
(£0.3 million) at that date.
Europe
On 6th August 2007 Wolseley France announced that it had signed an agreement,
conditional upon obtaining French competition clearance, to acquire Sofiparts
SAS. The offer has been approved by the French competition authority and
completion subsequently took place on 2nd November 2007. Sofiparts designs,
engineers and assembles roof trusses operating from nineteen production
sites
across France. In the year ended 31st December 2006, Sofiparts had revenue
of Euro121.4 million (£81.5 million) and gross assets of Euro36.6
million (£24.5 million) at that date. The acquisition of Sofiparts
is in line with Wolseley France's strategy to move into the truss assembly
market and further increase its presence in the new residential sector.
Chip Hornsby, Group Chief Executive of Wolseley said:
'I am pleased to announce these acquisitions. They are excellent businesses
that broaden our product and geographic coverage and support our strategy
of growing the business through acquisition and organic growth.'
Whirlpool
Corporation Continues Steady Commitment to Energy Efficiency
Whirlpool
Corporation says that it is the appliance industry's leader on energy
and water efficiency, and consistently demonstrates this commitment through
action. This week, Whirlpool was the founding sponsor of the Alliance
to Save Energy's first ever Energy Efficiency Global Forum & Exposition
(EE Global), bringing together leaders from the five regions of the world
to forge new partnerships and develop strategies on energy efficiency
in Washington, D.C.
Jeff M. Fettig, Whirlpool chairman and CEO and the co-chair of the inaugural
event, delivered a keynote address focusing on the Company's leadership
and the importance of energy efficiency in the appliance industry. Others
speaking at the forum included the Honourable Samuel Bodman, U.S. Secretary
of Energy; James R. Leape, general manager, World Wildlife Fund; James
E. Rogers, chairman and CEO, Duke Energy; Colin Dyer, CEO, Jones Lang
LaSalle; the Honourable Mark Pryor, U.S. Senate; the Honourable Georgina
Kessel, Mexico's Secretary of Energy.
‘We continually strive to understand and manage the environmental
effects of our business, not only by creating new and innovative products
that consume less energy and water, but also by improving our processes
and using materials that minimise the impact on our planet,’ said
Fettig.
Whirlpool says that it is the only manufacturer of appliances that brings
an ‘across the board’ focus to energy and water conservation,
from design to manufacturing and distribution to end-of-product lifecycle.
The company focuses its efforts on four key areas:
Manufacturing
* Discontinued the use of volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and eliminated
emissions from the company’s solvents
* Lessened power plant emissions through low-energy lighting and high-
efficiency equipment
* Participated in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) voluntary
emissions reductions programme
Product
distribution
* Partnered with SmartWay Transport®, a collaboration between the
EPA and the freight industry to increase energy efficiency while reducing
carbon dioxide by 33 to 66 million metric tons and up to 200,000 tons
of nitrogen oxide per year by 2012
* Installed electric truck lifts with fewer net emissions
Design and development
* Focused on creating even more resource-saving appliances as studies
show that 93 percent of life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) come
from in-home use
* Developed more than 550 ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances in the
United States, plus numerous ENERGY STAR qualified appliances in Canada,
PROCEL appliances in Brazil and A class appliances in Europe
End-of-life management
* Eighty-five to 90 percent of materials (steel and other metals, some
plastics) used in Whirlpool products can be recycled
* Pioneered efforts to safely dispose of ozone-depleting refrigerants
* Reused plastic foam that was previously sent to landfills; it's now
ground up and made into plastic furniture, food containers, playground
equipment and other consumer products
For more than 30 years, Whirlpool Corporation has shown a commitment to
effectively utilising and preserving natural resources. In 1970, the company
created a corporate office for environmental control, and in 2003 (during
the Kyoto Conference), it became the world's first appliance manufacturer
to announce a greenhouse gas reduction strategy. Whirlpool will continue
to help set the standards globally and work together with government and
institutions to protect the environment.
‘Through our $4 billion innovation pipeline our company produces
cutting- edge, energy-efficient features for our appliances, saving consumers
significant money each year on their energy bills and helping to preserve
our environment,’ said Fettig.
Whirlpool is also an active partner of the ENERGY STAR programme and has
been honoured with the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award eight times
in the past nine years, a feat unmatched by any other home appliance manufacturer.
The company manufactures more than 550 ENERGY STAR qualified products
in the United States under Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana and other
brand and trade partner names, plus numerous ENERGY STAR appliances in
Canada, PROCEL appliances in Brazil and A class appliances in Europe.
Some of the company's most innovative, energy-saving products were on
display at EE Global, including:
* Whirlpool® Duet® Steam laundry pair saves enough water in a
normal wash cycle to fill a 16 x 20 x 6 swimming pool over the course
of a year. The steam options also freshen fabrics, eliminating unnecessary
trips to the dry cleaner.
* Whirlpool® Fabric Freshener removes odours from clothing while relaxing
wrinkles without using chemicals or detergents. It can also save on trips
to the dry cleaner. The Fabric Freshener uses only 9 ounces of water and
10 cents worth of electricity per cycle.
* KitchenAid® Architect® Series II Induction Cooktop offers decreased
cook time and more efficient cooking, and prevents the cook top from heating
up the kitchen.
* Amana® Ice and Easy Refrigerator features Foam-in-Place Insulation
and an Insulated Locking Magnetic Seal to help maintain consistent temperatures
and save energy.
* Jenn-Air® Built-in Dishwasher has a new SteamClean Option that generates
a concentrated, deep cleaning that shines stemware for flawless presentation.
Like all ENERGY STAR-qualified dishwashers, the Jenn-Air models use just
3-10 gallons of water per cycle compared to the average 30 gallons used
when washing dishes by hand.
Web: http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com
Whirlpool
Corporation Ahead of Schedule to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Whirlpool
Corporation announced on 13th November that it will increase the company's
commitment to environmentally-sound business practices by reducing total
greenhouse gas emissions 6.6 percent by 2012. The company will make these
global, voluntary reductions while at the same time increasing production
by 17 percent.
The positive output of this reduction is equivalent to approximately 4.47
million acres of trees, an area larger than the size of Connecticut and
Rhode Island combined.
Whirlpool says that it is the industry leader in energy and water efficiency,
and the only appliance manufacturer that brings an ‘across the board’
focus to energy and water conservation, from design to manufacturing and
distribution to end of product lifecycle. In 2003, Whirlpool became the
first appliance manufacturer to announce a global greenhouse gas (GHG)
reduction target, with a goal of reducing emissions by 3 percent from
1998 levels by 2008, while at the same time increasing production by 40
percent. The company is on track to meet this target, and believes it
has the responsibility to do more.
With this week's announcement, Whirlpool is significantly increasing its
commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, despite having grown its
manufacturing substantially both organically and with the 2006 acquisition
of Maytag Corporation.
Whirlpool Chairman and CEO Jeff Fettig announced the increased reductions
plan this week in his keynote address at the Energy Efficiency Global
Forum & Exposition (EE Global). The conference was the Alliance to
Save Energy's first ever global forum, bringing together leaders from
the five regions of the world to forge new partnerships and develop strategies
on energy efficiency in Washington, D.C.
‘Whirlpool is committed to environmentally sound business practices,
and we are leading by example,’ said Fettig. ‘But we also know
that the greatest differences are achieved not on our own, but through
cooperation and close collaboration with others. And that includes working
with industry, policymakers and other stakeholders to create more choices
and better solutions that benefit us all.’
Whirlpool was the founding sponsor of EE Global, a showcase for the energy-
efficiency industry attracting industry professionals, academics and policy
makers from around the world, not only to exchange the latest technical,
commercial and policy information, but to forge partnerships and develop
‘best practices,’ policies and strategies for global implementation.
Web: http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com