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Poggenpohl Expands its Retail Network

Poggenpohl is going from strength to strength in the British Isles with the launch of eight new specialist Poggenpohl studios in the second half of 2006 and four more planned for early 2007. The luxury German kitchen manufacturer’s expansion is backed by exceptional sales results, which show an increase of around 80% by volume year on year.

New studios have opened in Kilmarnock, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh (all part of the Kitchen Buying Group), plus central Dublin, Leeds, Plymouth and Kingston and Birmingham. Hot on their heels are Bournemouth, Manchester, Widnes and Oxford, which will take the UK and Ireland retail network of Poggenpohl Design Centres to a total of 31.

Six of the new studios will be solus Poggenpohl i.e. entirely dedicated to the brand – with no other manufacturer on display. The showrooms are based on the company’s signature +STUDIOCONCEPT of open space and relaxation, which allows visitors to absorb the Poggenpohl philosophy of ‘creating sheer pleasure in cooking’. Displays include the latest kitchen concepts from Poggenpohl: PLUSMODO, +INTEGRATION, +SEGMENTO and +ALU2000 in striking finishes of Titanium Grey lacquer, Black Parapan®, Swiss Pearwood and structured Zebrano veneers, high gloss Spanish Red lacquer and matt finish aluminium.

Among the new launches are three huge studios: 5000 sq ft in Dublin, 4000 sq ft in Leeds and 2500sq ft in Kingston. In addition, two existing studios, Norman Glenn on the Finchley Road (Poggenpohl HQ in the UK) and Ultimo Kitchens in Wilmslow are undergoing refurbishment. Existing Poggenpohl studios are in Ascot; Belfast; Carlisle; Colchester; Dublin; Exmouth; London (Barnet, Knightsbridge, Pimlico, Wandsworth, W1, Waterloo); Manchester; and Worthing plus outlets in Guernsey and Gibraltar.

All studios have forged strong links with complementary brands such as Gaggenau, Miele, Sub Zero, Wolf and DuPont™ Corian, with some individual studios forming their own associations with brands including Spekva, Brabantia and Stone Theatre.

Martin Gill, Managing Director, Poggenpohl UK, said: 'This strategic development of our retail network further underlines the success of Poggenpohl. We are keen to broaden the coverage of specialist Poggenpohl design centres throughout the UK and Ireland and so have spent a considerable amount of resources, handpicking new tactical locations to further strengthen the brand.

'Consumers are increasingly aware of good design plus the build quality and German engineering that the Poggenpohl brand encompasses. This coupled with their desire for cutting edge looks and a willingness to pay for excellence means that we are getting more customers than ever through the door.

'2006 was a great year for us. Despite some uncertainty about the property market and interest rates, the market for luxury kitchens within the domestic sector has continued to grow and the contracts market is the best we’ve ever seen. In particular, the security of this growing contacts book allows us to be more bullish in our long term decision making, which is of advantage to the entire Poggenpohl network.'

Tel: 0800 298 1098
Web: http://www.poggenpohl.co.uk

Stone Theatre Under New Management

The distinctive Stonetheatre retail outlets of UK Marble Ltd, with locations in central London and Cirencester, have been purchased by Donovan Collier, previously a director of UKM.

The company will continue trading under the name Stonetheatre, which, in a relatively short period, has already built up a widely established reputation for supplying and theatrically displaying some of the widest selection of marble, granite and limestone from all over the world.

Under the newly formed company, Colin McNamee has been appointed to the role of Managing Director. Commenting on his new position, Mr McNamee said, ‘I'm delighted to be a part of this unique company's brand and with the increased variety of stone now available for us to offer, we plan to be even more adventurous in what we can provide to our customers. It's a very exciting time for me to join the Stonetheatre and our intention now is to open a third Stonetheatre location within twelve months and then increase to five or six locations in total over the next two years'.

Another newly appointed member of the team is Valerie Nicolle, originally from Paris, who joins as the Stonetheatre's resident designer and brings a breadth of design experience. In offering customers design service capabilities, together with the company's established and experienced knowledge of stone, the Stonetheatre can offer a truly tangible dimension to customer requirements that sets them apart from other companies.

Specialising in retail sales, design, supply and installation in an exclusive and exacting market, the Stonetheatre attracts a wide range of clients including architects, designers and developers, both for commercial and private projects.

With its main showroom in London Waterloo, close to the mainline station and smaller showroom in Cirencester, the Stonetheatre features breathtaking displays of literally hundreds of stone samples, with over fifty gigantic slabs of marble, granite and limestone, many measuring up to 3.1m x 1.7m. Step inside and you are immediately impacted by the sheer spectacle, choice and inviting textures of stone from quarries throughout the world where every piece on show is as individual and spectacularly unique as the next.

With increased popularity in choosing natural stone, customers wanting to find what can only be accurately described as the 'wow' factor to clad a bathroom, a wet room or design a kitchen, need look no further than the Stonetheatre. The extensive array of this wonderful natural material, from selection to purchase, will be something to treasure and provide a lifetime of pleasure.

For further information on the Stonetheatre log onto the website at http://www.stonetheatre.com alternatively telephone the London showroom on 0207 021 0020 or email London@stonetheatre.com. The showroom is open from Monday to Saturday 9am - 5.30pm, closed all day Sundays.

Number Crunching at KBB

KBB incorporating Expotile will take place from 2-5 March 2008 and already looks set to be an extremely successful event. A key event in the industry calendar, KBB inc. Expotile is a must for both the retail and contract markets and in 2008 will be positioned adjacent to the new launch of HPE, Heating and Plumbing Event. Here's a few facts and figures about the show so far...

33 % larger than the 2006 event
50 weeks until the 2008 event
74 % booked, with a year until the event
5, 950 m2 dedicated to tiles
6, 762 professionals from the retail market visited the 2006 event
9, 288 professionals from the contract market visited the 2006 event
15, 230 m2 dedicated to kitchens
19,122 visitors to the 2006 event
25, 745 m2 dedicated to bathrooms
51, 875 m2 - a staggering amount of hall space for KBB, Expotile and HPE
1,000,000 pounds and more worth of business that a stand at KBB could deliver

KBB inc. Expotile is the UK's largest trade exhibition dedicated to kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and tiles and offers the industry an essential platform to display products to not only retailers, but a large number of contract buyers, developers, designers, architects, specifiers and builders merchants. It's an unmissable event...the figures explain it all.

If you would like more information about KBB, Expotile or HPE, please contact Sam Cande on +44 (0)20 7921 8089 or email scande@cmpi.biz

DTI Appoints VCA As Enforcement Body For WEEE Regs

The Science and Innovation Minister, Malcolm Wicks, today announced the appointment of the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) as the enforcement body for the distributor obligations under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.

Mr Wicks said:
'This agency has an important role to play in ensuring that distributors comply with their obligations under the WEEE Regulations. Free-riding will not be tolerated, and a robust process will be in place to serve notice and ultimately prosecute distributors who are unwilling to become compliant.
'From 1 July, this agency will also make sure that retailers and distributors of electrical equipment play their part in helping household users dispose of WEEE at the end of life, as well as market surveillance and inspections'
From 1 July, distributors of electrical and electronic equipment will have to provide facilities for their customers to return old electrical equipment free of charge when they buy a replacement item. Distributors, including distance sellers, have two options:
1. They can either join the Distributor Takeback Scheme (DTS) which supports a network of primarily local authority collection points where customers can return their waste electricals.
2. Or they can allow customers to bring goods back to the store.
Whether members of the DTS or providing takeback in store, distributors also have to make information available to consumers on how they can dispose of WEEE and the environmental benefits of doing so. .

More Hype For HIPS

'The political battleground rumbles on in the run up to the launch of mandatory Home Information Packs on all residential properties on 1st June 2007', writes Angela Hesketh, Head of Residential Property at Homeplus.

‘This week has seen a debate in the House of Commons where the Conservatives failed in their bid to bin Home Information Packs.

‘The suggestion that the packs should be scrapped has been defeated by a convincing majority.

‘After all one of the main aims behind Home Information Packs is to provide a more stable environment within the housing market. This will be achieved as a result of more committed sellers and more informed buyers.

‘The production of information up front from sellers placing their property on the market giving confidence to potential buyers that they are serious about selling the property and are in a position to do so.

‘This change should lead to a level playing field removing some of the initial stresses and strains of the house buying process.

‘The packs give useful, practical information about the energy efficiency of the property and how buyers can maximise this following purchase to reduce the cost of fuel bills etc.

‘The title information provided gives reassurance that initial investigations have been made to locate the deeds and provide basic information about the title to the property.

‘The searches within the pack give useful practical information about the property at the outset for example whether the road outside the property is maintained by the local authority, what the drainage arrangements are for the property etc.

‘The provision of this information at the outset will enable a buyer to make an informed choice on whether they wish to purchase the property without the need to pay out substantial sums of money to do so.

‘In any time of change there will be critics not least if it is an opportunity to score political points.

‘When you add this to the fact that the housing market is notoriously sensitive to change and often unpredictable in its reaction to such change it is hardly surprising that this is causing such a frenzy of media attention.

‘With any change of this magnitude there will be areas which could have been dealt with more efficiently and effectively with hindsight. The reality is this is a major change in an industry which is neither used to or, in some cases, prepared for change and therefore any such change will be strongly resisted.

‘Even at this stage we have not reached the end of this uncertainty with a further debate in House of Lords next week.

‘As a manager of a large residential property department within a firm who has invested substantial time and money in this change in regulation it is important for us to be supported for this commitment rather than forced to accept continued uncertainty from those who have chosen not to adapt and prepare, hoping that if they object strongly enough it will disappear.’

Web: http://www.llw.co.uk or http://www.homeplus.co.uk

Technology Now in Place for Energy Performance Certificates

The very last pieces of the jigsaw are falling into place for the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in England and Wales on 1st June.

Following the confirmation last week that there will be plenty of qualified professionals in place to implement the new regulations, National Energy Services (NES) has now received Government approval for its online EPC software.

This is currently the only approved software available for use by home Inspectors and energy assessors. It allows them to enter all the necessary data to calculate the home's energy rating and to generate appropriate recommendations for how the home can cut down its fuel bills and harmful CO2 emissions.

Brian Scannell, Managing Director of NES said: ‘NES invented energy ratings for homes over 17 years ago and has been producing software for energy efficiency professionals ever since. We helped develop the RDSAP energy rating methodology and the technical basis for the Energy Performance Certificate, so it is fitting that our software should be the first to be used to produce EPCs on 1st June - the day Home Information Packs become mandatory’.

The EPC online software is from the same family as SAVA's industry-leading Home Condition Report software, the first software used by home inspectors around the country. It has been rigorously tested to produce consistent and accurate results based on the RDSAP energy rating methodology.

William Ball Reveals a New Star in its Midst

As part of its on-going business development, William Ball has appointed a new star player to its management team - Larry Zalcman.

Working alongside md Terry Ball and marketing manager Lorraine Whitfield, Larry will be responsible for expanding and developing the success of the furniture brand in the role of sales director.

Larry has a pretty impressive CV and is more than qualified for the task ahead. Past victories include brand creation and development for prestigious companies such as Ravenhead, Rank Hovis McDougall and Lanzet UK, and he started his career as an accountant with Price Waterhouse having secured a Batchelor of Science degree with honours.

Larry's most recent success was as md for kitchen furniture and appliance distribution company Lanzet UK, where he achieved 22 years of profit growth and significant market share.

‘I am delighted to join the team at William Ball, it is a company I have admired for a long time and I am a firm supporter of British manufacturing.

'My plans to boost the company's forward progression will hopefully take William Ball to the next level, making it a seriously impressive force in the fitted furniture industry. Watch this space!’ enthuses Larry.

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

Ideal Standard Reinforces Leadership Team

Ideal Standard, a leading provider of bathroom and kitchen solutions has appointed former Shires Operations Director Michael Leaf to head up the acrylics and wellness and Irish divisions. Michael will have commercial responsibilities for the incremental growth of the business.

Michael has almost 20 years experience in the kitchens and bathrooms industry, high points include Managing Director of Shaws of Darwen, moving to Operations Director of Shires Ltd; responsible for production and logistics.

'Clearly this is an exciting time for Ideal Standard brands and I am delighted to be heading this innovative and fast moving division. Wellness is a compelling sector of our business, offering retailers an enhanced margin opportunity on superior performance products. In the Ideal Standard portfolio there is a strategic line-up of wellness product that provides new and high value business avenues for many of our retailing partners.'

Alan Stevenson, Ideal Standard’s Managing Director comments 'I am delighted to welcome Michael to the team. His appointment will play a pivotal role in the delivery of the business plan in the UK and Ireland.'

Web: http://www.idealstandard.com

New Sales and Marketing Director at Building Adhesives

Tile adhesive and grout manufacturer, Building Adhesives has promoted Paul Harris to the position of Sales and Marketing Director. The new position as part of the firm's executive team reflects the positive impact Paul has had since his arrival at Building Adhesives in 2005 as Head of Sales.

Managing Director at Building Adhesives Limited, David O'Neill commented:

‘Paul has become a valued asset to the Building Adhesives team, and I am confident he will make a positive addition to our executive team. Our BAL and Dunlop brands continue to perform well in their respective marketplaces, and Paul will help us to maintain and build on this success in the future.’

Paul joined Building Adhesives from Capital Safety, where he held the position of Sales and Marketing Director, and his experience in sales and marketing both domestically and abroad has already reaped benefits for the Building Adhesives team.

Commenting on his new role, Mr Harris stated:

‘I am very proud to be appointed to the new position of Sales and Marketing Director, and I am looking forward to the new challenges the role will present.

'These are exciting times at Building Adhesives - BAL enjoys an impressive market-leading position, whilst the Dunlop re-brand is supporting the range's growth within new and existing sectors.’

Paul officially started in his new role on April 1st, and new responsibilities will include providing a management link between the sales and marketing departments at Building Adhesives, whilst overseeing the continued growth of the regional sales teams.

Web: http://www.bal-adhesives.co.uk

Mermaid Re-launches Website

As part of its ongoing development of the Mermaid brand, Norske Interiors U.K. Limited has re-launched its website. The new site is aimed at dealers and customers, and can be viewed at http://www.waterproofwallpanels.co.uk

So far 2007 has been an exciting year for Norske Interiors. It has already implemented a new identity for Mermaid – the waterproof wall panel system – and developed an integrated PR and advertising campaign. The website will now play an important part in any future promotions.

The website has been transformed to ensure it represents recent product developments. The site is modern in design and contains a simple navigation. This reflects the contemporary Mermaid branding and its stylish new photography.

The decorative Mermaid panels are suitable for bathrooms, shower enclosures and domestic stream rooms and come in a variety of colours and finishes. The three Mermaid colour collections are now easier to locate on the website and room-set photography can be found in the gallery. The latest product literature can also be downloaded and the ‘contact us’ form allows visitors to submit enquires online.

'The re-launch of the website coincides with the development of the brand and its product line-up,' says David Beach, General Manager of Norske Interiors. 'The next logical step was to re-design the website accordingly.

'The site is now much easier to navigate. We hope that this, combined with the new advertising and PR campaign, will raise awareness of the brand and drive more visitors to the site.

'Our overall aim was to make accessing information easier for anyone interested in the product. I think we have achieved this and we are now planning how it can be developed further in the future.'

The Mermaid stand number at B&K Expo (13-15 May) is C29

Tel: 01472 240832

KBSA Sponsors Grand Designs Award

The Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA) is sponsoring the Grand Designs Kitchen Award 2007.

Entries have already closed for this year and the award winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 8th June, which will be held at Excel London Docklands.

The sponsorship reflects the KBSA's investment in a consumer campaign to raise brand awareness of the Association and the benefits and advice it offers.

The KBSA will also be exhibiting this year at both Grand Designs Live shows, to be held in London from 8-10 June and in Birmingham at the NEC on 5-7 October.

Ruth Ward, sales and marketing director of KBSA said: ‘We are delighted to be part of the Grand Designs awards; they are an excellent vehicle for rewarding and recognising excellence in our industry. Grand Designs Lives has also become an inspiring and incredibly popular consumer event, which proved a great success for the KBSA last year.

‘Our stand will enable us to meet with consumers who have a real interest in improving their homes and advise them of the benefits of using a KBSA member. We will also take this opportunity to introduce consumers to ConsumerCare Plus, our improved insurance package which offers enhanced protection and guaranteed piece of mind.’

For more information and tickets call 0870 060 0315 or visit http://www.granddesignslive.com

For more information about KBSA visit http://www.kbsa.co.uk

Mercury Wins Major Award for Thermastone

Mercury Appliances has won Gold in the 20th Annual Excellence In Design Awards, for the company’s Thermastone range cooker.

Entered into one of seven categories, entrants were evaluated by an independent panel of three experts in the field of design.

Products were judged by four criteria: aesthetics, human factors, innovation, and technical merit.

Thermastone is a heat store range cooker, born of the partnership of Mercury's design and development team, and leading product innovator Seymourpowell.

The result is a world class cooking appliance with two of its ovens made from Silicon Carbide (one of nature's hardest substances) delivering twice the heat storage capacity of cast iron.

Web: http://www.mercury-appliances.co.uk

Back to the Future at In-toto National Meeting

At this year's National Meeting, In-toto reviewed achievements over the last twelve months and announced future plans for the continued development of the UK independent fitted kitchen franchise. The event, which was held at Stratford Manor Hotel on the outskirts of Shakespeare's historic town, was attended by over 100 franchisees and suppliers, and featured a presentation by the Olympic athlete and World Championships Gold Medal winner, Roger Black.

‘Last year we set ourselves the goal of achieving 50 stores across the UK - and we are delighted to have exceeded that target,’ commented Graham Russell, National Franchise Manager. ‘We have had an exceptional year - in fact, our best ever, with sales up by 20% over the previous year. We have improved our marketshare and our profile, as well as having introduced a stunning new collection, which has been well received by franchisees and customers alike.’

He added that the National Meeting offered the perfect opportunity to celebrate In-toto's success and set new targets going forward for the network.

Following the conference, Guest of Honour, Roger Black presented In-toto Awards in recognition of outstanding franchisees of 2007. After the meeting was concluded, franchisees enjoyed dinner and 'Back to The Seventies' entertainment with Abba Tribute Band, 'Arrival'. The two day event also included opportunity for guests to participate in a range of activities, including golf, karting and a leisure cruise tour on the River Avon.

2007 In-toto Award Winners are:
* Highest Overall Sales - Chris & Tracey Galtry, Gwent
* Southern Area Award - Simon & Emma Cull, Aylesbury
* Northern Area Award - Richard & Diane Gee, Leamington Spa
* Customer Service Excellence - Tony & Andrea Mawdsley, Plymouth
* Kitchen Retail Sales - Gordon & Angela Bates, Exeter
* Highest Invoiced Sales - Steve & Ellen Littlewood Milton Keynes/Northampton

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

OFT Launches Market Study into Personal Current Accounts

The OFT has launched a market study into personal bank current account pricing, alongside a formal investigation into the fairness of charges for unauthorised overdrafts and returned items. The study will help the OFT consider the current level and incidence of the charges in the broader context of efficiency, transparency, value and consumer choice within personal current accounts. This will be the most wide-ranging study into personal banking to date.

Full details of the study can be downloaded from the OFT website – http://www.oft.gov.uk.

This follows the OFT's recent fact-finding exercise into unauthorised overdraft charges. The OFT shares public concern about the current level and incidence of charges, but believes any quick-fix solution might have unintended and far-reaching consequences across the sector and for consumers as a whole.

The wider study will examine:
* whether the widespread provision of so-called free banking delivers sufficiently high levels of transparency and value for customers;

* the implications for competition and consumers if there were a shift away from the widespread provision of these type of current accounts; and

* the fairness and impact on consumers of the incidence and level of unauthorised overdraft charges, in the context of other charges and any interest payments made for current account services.

John Fingleton, OFT Chief Executive said:

'This market study will enable the OFT to consider wider questions about transparency and value in the provision of personal current accounts. This will provide the necessary context for assessing the fairness of unauthorised overdraft and returned item charge before we apply the law in this area. Our ultimate objective is a competitive retail banking market in which informed and active consumers drive strong competition and high levels of customer service among banks long-term, with minimum regulatory intervention.'

Reusable Furniture Packaging Boosts Profitability

Manufacturers, retailers, packaging and logistics specialists met on 24th April to discuss how the DIY and home furnishings sector can boost business and reduce its environmental impact by reducing, reusing and recycling packaging.

Hosted by WRAP's (Waste & Resources Action Programme) Retail Team, the event featured examples of reusable transit packaging for kitchen worktops trialled by B&Q and sofas by Argos in partnership with WRAP. Presentations from WRAP, Ikea, furniture manufacturer Quality Furniture Company Ltd and leading reusable packaging provider LINPAC, also took place.

Following the presentations, workshops looked at the opportunities available for improving packaging for furniture, white goods and kitchens to reduce both product damage and packaging waste. WRAP will use information from these to help bring about change in the industry.

The event was chaired by British Furniture Manufacturers' managing director, Roger Mason. He said: ‘Reducing packaging waste and costs are becoming increasingly important in the furniture industry, so it is great to see so many companies taking an interest at this early stage.’

WRAP project manager, Mike Robey, added: ‘Our focus is increasingly on the DIY and home improvement sector. We believe that significant reductions in the amount of packaging material which goes into the household bin from the sector, and the cost and wastage from returns in the supply chain, can be removed while boosting profitability and retaining product quality.’

The WRAP Retail team works with industry to reduce the amount of packaging waste produced by the home improvement, household and grocery sectors.

Web: http://www.wrap.org.uk

Pro Publishing Launches New Consumer Kitchen & Bathroom Magazine

Launching in May 2007, Utopia Kitchen & Bathroom Magazine is a new monthly consumer title. Utopia will appeal to AB 30-55 year olds, including homeowners with a high disposable income, independent professional women, interior design professionals and architects/specifiers.

Utopia will focus on the entire spectrum of the kitchen and bathroom industry, from intelligent appliances and eco-friendly products to the hottest designers and inspirational hotel and leisure spaces. The new title will also feature behind-the-scenes case studies and topical issues every month all striving to take readers to the next level, enticing them into world of kitchen and bathroom design.

Utopia Kitchen & Bathroom Magazine is a Corporate Member of the KBSA and will be working very closely with all KBSA Members for its monthly KBSA Zone and KBSA Retailers Directory.

The official launch of the new magazine will be held at Grand Designs Live, Excel London. Launch issue will be on sale 24th May 2007.

For more information, visit http://www.utopiamag.co.uk or contact Clara Perry on 01206 384148 or via email on clara@propub.co.uk

Tab UK Guarantees Delivery

Tab UK can now guarantee delivery within 72 hours on over 95% of orders for shower enclosures, steam cabins, hydro-massage units and bathroom furniture.

Tab UK has refined its logistics chain by looking at the entire process from manufacturer to end customer. Committed to keeping its promise of quality products at affordable prices in reasonable time, Tab has not only embraced bar coding technology to ensure smooth order processing - it has also had a new pallet specifically designed for transporting Tab products to reduce the chance of damage during transit.

This is all further to Tab UK’s recent launch of a new online issues management system that allows distributors access to Tab’s stock level information so that customers can be quickly informed of lead times and the stage at which their order is within the supply chain.

Tel: 0191 4695500
Email: sales@tab-uk.com
Web: http://www.tab-uk.co.uk

HSE Warns of Rogue Gas Installers

The Health and Safety Executive is keen to remind anyone having gas work carried out that they use a CORGI registered installer. HM Health and Safety Inspector Mr Fussell said ‘by law, anyone carrying out work on gas appliances or fittings as part of their business must be competent and registered with CORGI (Council for Registered Gas Installers).

Mr Fussell said ‘We are currently investigating a number of incidences in Ashford and the surrounding area, where gas fitters have carried out unregistered gas work and claimed to be CORGI registered. The penalties for these offences are severe and range from prosecution to imprisonment.’

Mr Fussell prosecuted one such installer, who appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on 27th April 2007. The installer, Westley Maplesden, installed a new boiler at a local Ashford animal charity, Sugarloaf Animal Sanctuary, in Ruckinge. The owner Mrs Janet Buckley received carbon monoxide poisoning, and was taken to hospital for treatment, and it is fortunate that a family member arrived at the sanctuary before Mrs Buckley could receive fatal levels of carbon monoxide. Mr Maplesden had left the gas installation with numerous faults and was not CORGI registered to work on LPG gas.

Mr Maplesden was fined £4000.

Mr Fussell went on to add ‘People should check their installer or fitter is registered by asking to see their current CORGI photo ID card which has a photo of the installer, their CORGI registration number, their trading title and the expiry date of the card. The reverse of the card details what kind of gas work the installer is able to do. You can also ring CORGI on 01256 372300 or log onto the CORGI website on http:://www.corgi-gas.com’

Every year about 30 people die from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues which have not been properly installed or maintained."
Many others also suffer ill health. When gas does not burn properly, as with other fuels such as coal, wood or oil, excess CO is produced which is poisonous.

You can't see it, taste it or smell it but CO can kill without warning in just a matter of hours.

Symptoms of CO can include tiredness, drowsiness, headaches, giddiness, nausea, vomiting, pains in the chest, breathlessness, stomach pains, erratic behaviour and visual problems. These symptoms can mimic many common ailments and may easily be confused as flu, or simple tiredness.

If you or your family experience the above symptoms and you believe CO may be involved you must seek urgent medical advice. Your doctor will need to test you for a blood or breath sample. Be aware, CO quickly leaves the blood and tests may be inaccurate if taken more than four hours after exposure has ceased.

All gas consumers are advised to have appliances checked for safety at least every 12 months by a CORGI-registered installer (Council for Registered Gas Installers).

You are at risk from CO poisoning if:
* Your appliance was poorly installed
* Your appliance is not working properly
* Your appliance has not been checked for safety or maintained regularly
* There is not enough fresh air in the room
* Your chimney or flue gets blocked up
* You allow non-CORGI registered engineers to install or maintain your appliance(s)

Signs to look out for include:
* Yellow or brown staining around, or on appliances
* Pilot lights that frequently blow out
* Increased condensation inside windows
* Yellow rather than blue flame (apart from flueless fires)

If you think your appliance is spilling CO
* Switch off the appliance and do not reuse until remedial action has been taken
* Open all doors and windows to ventilate the room - do not sleep in it
* Visit your GP urgently and tell them that you believe your symptoms may be related to CO poisoning and request either a blood and/or breath sample
* Contact a CORGI registered installer to make repairs

The AEG-Electrolux Noise Report

A new Noise Survey commissioned by AEG-Electrolux has revealed that the vast majority of consumers across Europe say it was a mistake not taking more consideration of the noise an appliance makes at the time of purchase.

The Noise Report found that 42% of those buying vacuum cleaners, 29% of those buying washing machines, 28% of those buying dishwashers, 33% of those buying cooker hoods, 27% of those buying tumble dryers and 18% of those buying refrigerators wished they had taken noise into account to a greater degree when they bought each item.

Andy Mackay, Brand & Marketing Director at Electrolux comments, ‘Consumers have, in the past, been encouraged to focus on price and efficiency when buying domestic appliances. They are both important, but customers have been disappointed with noise performance when they actually get the item home. In some cases, so disappointed that the offending appliance is eventually thrown away or never actually used.’

The survey revealed that given the choice again, around half would go for the quieter option, even if it was more expensive, whether it was for vacuum cleaners, washing machines or dishwashers. Interestingly, and perhaps not surprisingly, the survey found that many people also strongly associated quieter appliances with quality, reliability, efficiency and thus environmental friendliness. From Electrolux's point of view, this is certainly true for the new range of AEG-Electrolux appliances.

What constitutes a 'quiet appliance'?
The problem with noise is that it is subjective - one person's harmonious melody is another person's nightmare. This makes it impossible to measure noise, only sound can be measured. Most of us realise that decibels are the units by which sound is measured but few of us know what this means when it comes to measuring how loud appliances are in the home. The chart below gives a guide to the sound levels of some common noises. These are not absolute levels but give an indication of the relative rankings of everyday sounds. The chart includes average noise level for various domestic appliances along with the AEG-Electrolux quieter models.

0 dB The threshold of hearing
20dB The sound of a whisper
30dB WHO recommendation for undisturbed sleep
33dB AEG-Electrolux Santo K98800-4i Fridge
40dB Refrigerator or a library
41dB AEG-Electrolux F80870 ‘Quietest dishwasher in the world’
46dB AEG-Electrolux Lavalogic L1620 washing machine
50dB Average Dishwasher
60dB Sewing machine
59dB AEG-Electrolux Cobra Cooker Hood
65dB Average Cooker hood
70dB Average Washing Machine or TV
85dB Prolonged exposure above this level can cause damage to hearing
90dB Food processor, lawn mower,
100dB Electric drill
110dB Personal stereo
120dB Thunder, loud stereo,
130dB Threshold of pain
140dB Fireworks, plane taking off
150dB Gunshot

What few of us realise is that a change of 3dB(A) technically halves or doubles sound levels. For example, this actually means that a power drill emits more than 8 times as much noise as a food processor and more than 64 times as much noise as the average vacuum cleaner.

A full copy of the AEG-Electrolux Noise report can found on: http://www.electrolux.com/noisereport

Tel: AEG-Electrolux 08705 350 350
Web: http://www.aeg-electrolux.co.uk

Homag Expands Sales and Service across Ireland

After 10 years of successful growth and an expanding customer base in the whole of Ireland, Homag has moved to restructure and expand the company’s sales and service operations.

Michael Bradley who is well known and respected for his significant technical and engineering capabilities will move into sales concentrating on Leinster while Andy Jones who remains Sales Manger for the Republic will continue in his highly successful sales capacity concentrating on key customers south of the border.

Main Homag men in Ireland (from left) Derek Reid (Electro-Tech), Mike Bradley and Andy Jones.

In order to maintain the high level of aftersales service, Ken Kyne recently of Homag Australia has been appointed Senior Service Technician with the support of Robbie Gerahty as service engineer with the full support of Homag UK. At Homag UK service the main point of contact is Gerry Harvey who will be responsible for recording all service customer calls, scheduling technicians and liaising with Mike Bradley and Andy Jones with regard to customer machine installations.

Derek Reid of Electro-Tech (Homag's main agent in Northern Ireland, with his base at Moneymore) will extend his sales and service organisation into Connacht and Munster backed up on the ground technically by the Electro-Tech engineering team, with further support from Homag UK service as required.

Improved fast links to the main spares and engineering department at Homag UK will back up the whole team in Ireland which will have continued direct access to all the Homag Group companies and their hi-tech service facilities in Germany.

The restructuring acknowledges the rapid growth and expansion of the market in Ireland and the increasing demand for quality and high-tech machinery. ‘We wish to express our appreciation to all our customers for their contribution to making Homag Ireland the major specialist machinery supplier to the panel and solid wood sectors including timber frame construction in Ireland as whole.’

Please note the Customer Service Aftersales telephone number is 0044 433244 or 046 9241906.

Andy Jones, Mike Bradley and Derek Reid will all be at Ligna throughout that important exhibition to welcome customers.

Snaige AGM Reports Good 2006

The annual general meeting of Snaige shareholders approved the company‘s financial statements for year 2006.Retained earnings at the beginning of the year - LTL 55 772 622 (EUR 16 152 868). Net profit for year 2006 is LTL 10 659 081 Lt (EUR 3 087 083).

Other financial details:
Transfers from reserves - LTL 26 899 000 (EUR 7 790 489).
Profit for distribution - LTL 93 330 703 LTL (EUR 27 030 440).
Profit for distribution to the reserve for acquisition of the company's own shares - LTL 10 000 000 (EUR 2 896 200 ).
Profit distribution to the investment reserves - LTL 23 647 600 (EUR 6 848 818).
Profit distribution, to other reserves - LTL 440 000 (EUR 127 433),including: support, charity - LTL 90 000 (EUR 26 066), social, cultural needs - LTL 350 000 (EUR 101 367).
Profit distribution , to dividends - LTL 0 (EUR 0 ).
Profit distribution, to bonuses of the board members LTL 0 (EUR 0 ).
Retained earnings at the end of financial year 2006 - LTL 59 243 103 (EUR 17 157 989).

The AGM also agreed to buy out ordinary registered shares of Snaige AB worth LTL 1 by nominal value (ISIN code LT 0000109274) by means of a voluntary tender offer in accordance with the procedure prescribed by legal acts regulating securities market and execute the said tender offer on the Vilnius Stock Exchange;

The purpose for the acquisition of the shares is to maintain and increase the price of the company's shares;

To buy out up to 10 percent of the company's shares in the national securities market for LTL 10 000 000 (ten million), i.e. this is the share of profit allocated to the reserve for the acquisition of own shares;

The Company will buy shares till October 26th, 2008;

The maximum and minimum acquisition price: the minimum buying price of the shares is LTL 5, the maximum buying price of the shares is LTL 16;

The minimum selling price of own shares is LTL 16 per share. To ensure equal opportunities for all shareholders to buy the shares of the company. The company's own shares bought by the company will be traded only on the Vilnius Stock Exchange.

To authorise the Board of the company to establish and decide on the specific conditions and terms of the voluntary tender offer, the volumes and prices of the shares to be acquired, and the selling prices and conditions of the shares. All other issues, which are not provided for in this decision shall be delegated to the Board of the Company.

Saint Gobain makes Acquisitions in Italy and Spain

A good debut in 2007 for Saint Gobain Building Distribution division, the European leader in the distribution of building materials and the leading world distributor of ceramic tiles.

In particular, the Group carried out two important commercial operations in April, in Italy and Spain.

In the latter country the Group acquired the second largest ceramic tile distributor, the Discesur group which is headquartered in Madrid with a 4,000 sq.m showroom. In 2006 the group reported a turnover of more than 55 million euro.

In Italy Saint Gobain took over the Vemac Group, one of the largest building materials distributors in the country and the leader in the Abruzzo region. The group has ten branches and a turnover in excess of 66 million euro.

Also in 2007 the company opened the second La Plateforme du Bâtiment brand store for building materials in Milan.

These two important commercial operations, added to the others realised in the first four months of 2007 and the ones achieved last year, testify the constant growth of Saint Gobain Building Distribution division.

Web: http://www.saint-gobain.co.uk

Linde Launches Eco-Friendly Dry-Cleaning Brand

The Linde Group is to roll out its Fred Butler® brand across Europe - offering dry-cleaning services based on an eco-friendly process that uses carbon dioxide.

'Fred Butler is a prime example of the many applications for industrial gases,' says Professor Dr Wolfgang Reitzle, chief executive officer of Linde AG, 'We are committed to developing this business model, investing around 50 million euros in outlets and cleaning facilities by 2011. Through Fred Butler, we will make a sustainable contribution to protecting the earth's climate - and to creating new jobs.'

Over the next five years, Fred Butler® aims to establish thousands of new jobs across Europe. These plans were announced recently at a press conference in Munich by CEO Andreas Klensch. The franchising company is currently opening shops in Munich, kick-starting a Europe-wide roll-out of the brand. At the press conference, the company was also awarded Blue Angel environmental certification by Matthias Machnig, State Secretary of the Federal German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. The Fred Butler® cleaning method uses recycled carbon dioxide. As a result, it is not only more environmentally friendly, but is also far gentler on clothes than conventional dry-cleaning techniques.

Plans for 200 areas across Europe by 2011
Following a highly successful market trial in Frankfurt, Fred Butler® has now opened two outlets in Munich (in Wasserburger Landstrasse and Rosenheimer Strasse) and a central cleaning facility in nearby Feldkirchen. 'This year, we will set up a further nine cleaning facilities - so-called areas - in major German economic centres. Six of these will be run by franchisees' says Klensch. The company is planning to create 33 more areas Europe-wide in 2008. And it aims to establish 50 per year between 2009 and 2011. That will take the total to almost 200, providing jobs for several thousand people.

The Fred Butler® principle
The Fred Butler® cleaning technique is based on recycled carbon dioxide: no toxic chemicals or high-speed spin cycles are required. This prevents skin irritation and, according to a study carried out within the scope of the EU Life initiative, makes clothes last 30 to 40 percent longer. Moreover, the process is suitable for items that, until now, could not be dry-cleaned - such as leather or extremely soiled industrial work clothing. In addition, Fred Butler® offers added-value services: including setting up collection points at companies such as banks, insurance firms, publishing houses, etc. - and cleaning and returning clothes within 48 hours.

Fred Butler® is a brand of Cleaning Enterprises GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of leading industrial gases and engineering company, the Linde Group. Cleaning Enterprises GmbH is headquartered in Pullach, near Munich, Germany and employs around 100 people.

The Linde Group is a world leading industrial gases and engineering company with more than 51,000 employees working in around 70 countries worldwide. Following the acquisition of The BOC Group the company has gases and engineering sales of approximately 12 billion euro. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. For more information, please see the Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com

Carpets Make a Comeback

Carpets are making a big comeback, if the demands of customers of Housing Units are anything to go by.

North Manchester-based Housing Units, the leading independent furnishing store in the region, recently opened a carpet specialist section at its store complex near Oldham.

And while laminates and wood look-alikes have been all the rage for the past few years, the sales team - recruited from flooring retailers locally - are noting a swing away from laminates to wood, but, notably, carpet in particular.

'There's no science to this, we're just seeing a clear swing towards carpets. It's not a trend that's going to put the laminates and wood floor manufacturers out of business, it just seems that more people are changing their floor coverings right now - and trying different things,' said Nick Fox, director of Housing Units.

'Laminates can give a room a clean, crisp feel and sound to it, very suitable to the minimalist and modernist feel that suits many homes. Carpets completely change the atmosphere to a much softer character, while natural wood floors are somewhere in between.

'We suspect the carpet and natural wood trend is part of a bigger picture of people going for a richer colours and material range for the current and developing home style and design direction.

'People are also beginning to realise how much flooring can become a feature of the room. There are the obvious focal points such as a fireplace, a big sofa or even a plasma screen, but in the same way people walk into, say, for instance, a tourist attraction featuring distinctive tiles, there is a recognition that flooring can be extremely impactful.

'We are also seeing a renaissance of stair carpets, particularly a stair-carpet/wood- border mix, again as a focal point or feature.'

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 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

Adopt Policies or Face the Consequences

A landmark ruling in an industrial tribunal that recently made national headlines should serve as a warning to employers across the region, warns lawyer Roscoe Fernandes of Freeth Cartwright LLP.

Anna Coulombeau, a former employee of Enterprise Rent-A-Car (UK) Ltd won her unfair dismissal case against the company – a dismissal which was deemed to have taken place due to Ms Coulombeau’s expressed intention to take adoption leave.

It is thought that this was first time in the UK that a Tribunal has given judgment in favour of a claimant regarding a case of unfair dismissal directly related to adoption leave.

The judgment, which took six weeks, decided that Enterprise Rent-A-Car (UK) Ltd’s reason for the dismissal was on account of Anna Coulombeau’s future adoption intentions.

The hearing also deemed that the claimant had been subjected to sex discrimination during her employment, on the grounds that she was dismissed for genuine and minor errors for which male comparators had merely, and at best, been reprimanded.

Roscoe Fernandes, a senior solicitor at Freeth Cartwright LLP who advised Anna Coulombeau throughout the case, has said that this case should act as a warning for companies.

He commented: 'This was an interesting case in itself and very important for the individual concerned. But it highlights a number of issues of which companies should be aware.'

These include:

• Companies must ensure that they have a sound working knowledge of the law as it is constantly changing. They should also have comprehensive policies and procedures in relation to family-friendly rights, including adoption, and ensure that these are updated regularly.
• Crucially, companies must provide training on policies to all staff. Managers must then set an example to the rest of the staff and emphasis the importance of complying with statutory rights afforded to individuals. After all, a work life balance must be valued. It could also prove to be profitable as staff are often more motivated when they find the right balance. It also helps when trying to retain skilled and experienced workers.

The rules regarding adoption leave are covered by the Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations (2002), which make it illegal to subject an employee to a detriment because they intend to, or are taking, paternity or adoption leave.

Essentially, adoptive parents have the same rights as natural parents.

Employees may take a period of ordinary adoption leave for 26 weeks followed by a period of additional adoption leave for a further 26 weeks if they so desire. From April 2007 employees will be entitled to 39 weeks’ payment of statutory adoption pay which is at the same level as statutory maternity pay.

Couples who are adopting can also choose which parent takes the leave.

There are a number of websites that provide information on rights and what businesses should be doing to protect themselves and their employees.

If you are a business who needs expert help on legal matters relating to employment issues, contact Roscoe Fernandes at Freeth Cartwright LLP on 0115 936 9369.