OFT Finally Publishes Advice on Extended Warranties
After
what to many has seemed an unacceptable delay - the referral was first
made to the Office of Fair Trading in July 2002 - the OFT has finally
published its advice to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
regarding the Competition Commission report on extended warranties for
domestic electrical goods. In summary, the Commission concludes that there
is insufficient competition in the marketplace.
IThe OFT referred the market for the supply of extended warranties on
domestic electrical goods (DEG) to the Competition Commission in July
2002. In the advice note published yesterday (although sent to the Secretary
of State at the end of October, the Commission estimates the DEG market
to be worth between £15-20bn a year, and the annual volume of Extended
Warranties is around 19 million, at a value of about £900m.
The initial referral followed a study by the OFT's markets and policy
initiatives division which found that competition in the market did not
appear to be working effectively and that consumers were not adequately
informed or protected.
Extended warranties typically can add around 50 per cent to the cost of
an electrical good. Most extended warranties are sold by the large multiple
electrical retailers.
Download the complete Advice Document here
(8 page PDF file)
PWS
Claims Success in Design Rights Case
PWS is jubilant after a successful legal action against Doors and More
Ltd in Northern Ireland who had brought out a copy of the Croft Oak door.
PWS issued proceedings in August 2003 against Doors and More for infringing
PWS design rights in the Croft Oak design and went to court for an immediate
court order to stop sales of the copy. On 21st October 2003, PWS obtained
a court order as part of an overall settlement preventing Doors and More
selling the Croft Oak lookalike and also awarding damages and ordering
the payment of PWS's substantial costs which will be assessed by the court.
PWS, renowned for its design expertise and forward thinking approach,
takes intellectual property protection very seriously with many of its
doors and feature products carrying UK and EU wide design rights.
Comments Roy Stephenson, Managing Director PWS, 'We are pleased with the
result of this case and the speed with which we could enforce our design
rights. Croft Oak has become a most successful timber door for us after
a relatively short time on the market. We recognise the importance of
protecting our designs to give support and peace of mind to our customers
and will continue to defend our design rights vigorously in the event
of any future infringements. We hope our action will help raise awareness
in the market that kitchen designers place a clear emphasis on protecting
their creations and will not tolerate abuse of their innovations and ideas.
This goes to show that the intellectual property laws do work and we hope
our case will encourage other designers to enforce their design rights'.
To achieve design rights protection, products must be original in design
with some distinguishing features. PWS have design rights on many products
both traditional and modern, including the recently launched rustic Eden
timber door ranges and the curved feature doors in the contemporary Fresco
and Alustyle collections.
Important
Diary Date Reminder for Senior Furniture Manufacturers
A specialist five-day course designed specifically to help senior professionals
in the furniture production industry improve the running of their operation
is being held only on Sunday 21st March to Thursday 25th March 2004. The
venue is Highgate House International Conference Centre in Creaton, Northamptonshire.
The Hans Jourdan course for Manufacturing Management is the only one of
its kind in the UK. It is organised and partly funded by the Worshipful
Company of Furniture Makers, a non-profit organisation that comprises
some of the industry’s most successful furniture manufacturing operations
such as Burbidge, Hypnos, Ercol, Sutcliffe Group, Morgan Contract Furniture
and Hands of Wycombe. The course has already helped over 75 senior managers
across the industry in improving their businesses.
The five-day event includes presentations from key industry figureheads,
team building exercises, syndicate work and a ‘hands on’ case
study derived from the operations of a real manufacturing organisation.
The keynote speaker is Professor Richard Scase, Professor of Organisational
Behaviour at the University of Kent. The course is co-ordinated by Andrew
Fox, Senior Lecturer and Programme Director for Furniture Manufacture
and Design at Buckingham Chilterns University College.
The cost is £695 per person plus VAT which includes accommodation
and meals. Limited places are now available, so anyone interested in attending
should contact Jan Wright of The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers
on clerk@furnituremkrs.co.uk
or call 0207 248 1677, for further details and an application form.
For more information about the Burbidge range of kitchen frontals and accessories, please visit www.burbidge.co.uk or call 0247667 1600. Products can also be viewed in realistic room sets in a dedicated showroom at Burbidge’s Coventry manufacturing facility. The showroom is open 5 days a week between 8.30 and 5.00pm.
Heroic
Dog Launches Toilet for Disabled on Warship
It's
a rare day when a new toilet is officially launched by a canine hero on
an historic warship. But Tony Hewson, sales representative for Ideal Standard,
and Richard Moss, communications manager, Bath and Kitchen Europe, swear
this actually happened not long ago.
The toilet, an Armitage Shanks Doc M Plus Pack, was purchased for the
HMS Warrior, an iron-hulled Victorian battleship that was launched in
1860 to ward off Napoleon III. The unique ship never did see action on
the high seas, but today it is commanding a lot of interest from tourists
in the Portsmouth harbor on the south coast of England where it is docked.
With all the visitors, many of them in wheelchairs, Captain David Newberry
knew the ship needed a wheelchair-accessible bathroom to be in compliance
with England's Disability Discrimination Act, which takes effect next
October. He turned to Hewson, who worked with Armitage Shanks, a division
of American Standard Bath and Kitchen U.K. Armitage Shanks commands 60
percent of the $18 million disability product market in the United Kingdom.
That market grew 8 to 10 percent last year alone.
Armitage Shanks provided its Doc M Plus Pack, so called because the market
is controlled by Document M of the government's building regulations.
Doc M contains many safety features and conveniences for people in wheelchairs,
such as grab rails and a hinged arm support near the toilet.
Captain Newberry decided an opening ceremony was in order for the new
washroom and he recruited Endal, a Golden Labrador dog, to officiate.
Endal had won the country's prestigious Dicken Medal for saving his companion,
Allen Parton, a disabled Gulf War vet. Amazingly, Endal tried to give
the unconscious man's mobile phone to him after Parton was struck by a
car, then ran for help. After such a heroic feat, officiating at a washroom
debut was a snap and Endal used his teeth to 'cut'the ribbon across the
doorway to the bathroom. 'This is a very clever dog,'Moss said.
'We couldn't ask for a more prominent way to display our Doc M toilet
pack, 'he added. 'Even though the Disability Discrimination Act has gotten
a lot of publicity, indicators show that a lot of people won't be ready,
and will leave themselves open to civil cases brought against them by
people with disabilities. We can see a mad scramble for installations
throughout 2004 and continuing into 2005. And we'll be ready.'
'No Need to Bleed' Concept at Interbuild
A
solution to an engineering conundrum that has been baffling inventors
for almost a century has finally been found by NLB Engineering. The Bishop
Stortford-based company's Aladdin valve solves the problem of trapped
air in central heating systems by bleeding radiators automatically. After
five years in development, it is already causing a stir in the trade because
it also makes central heating systems easier to install and saves energy.
So the manufacturers believe that taking Aladdin to the UK's premier construction
industry exhibition, Interbuild, will give it the extra exposure it needs
to the right audience to really make the product take off.
The innovation will be just one of the products on display on the NLB
Engineering stand at the show, which runs at the NEC in Birmingham next
year between April 25 and 29.
Engineering Director John Heffernan said: 'This is a very old problem
and patents for devices attempting to solve it have been applied for at
a rate of around six a year for the best part of a century.
'Research has shown that the vast majority of radiators contain between
two and 50 per cent of air and this can reduce energy output by up to
30 per cent as well as cause them to corrode internally.
'Historically, there have been only two suitable kinds of shut-off valves
that would solve this problem.
'The first is a ball-cock type which works well but is too big and the
second is a hygroscopic valve, which relies on paper washers shrinking
and swelling to control the flow of water but this idea is more than 70-years-old
and leaks a lot.
'What we've done is use the century-old ball-cock principle - a shut-off
valve with a monitor float - in conjunction with a switch that works on
the same principle as an electric kettle shut-off but activates at much
lower temperatures.'
He added that the Aladdin valve checks the radiator level every time it
heats up and allows more water into the radiator if it requires more water.
'Once fitted, the valves keep the central heating system completely topped
up with water and operating at full efficiency,' added John.
The valves also facilitate automatic priming and draining down of the
system, making installation much easier and removing completely the need
for a return visit to bleed the system.
Interbuild is held every two years and the 2002 event attracted 1,200
exhibitors and more than 50,000 trade visitors.
To pre-register for free tickets call 0870 429 4558 or visit http://www.interbuild.com
Rangemaster
hits TV screens in £Million Property Experiment
Rangemaster
hit TV screens last night as the £Million Property Experiment -
dubbed 'the biggest property experiment in television history' - came
to the company’s hometown of Royal Leamington Spa.
And joining Rangemaster’s bicentennial celebrations of manufacture
in the town, the company’s national TV appearance saw a cream Elan
range cooker take pride of place in the renovated townhouse’s basement
kitchen.
The Elan is an ideal range cooker option in both traditional and modern
kitchens, the Rangemaster Elan proved to be a big hit with the new house
buyer, who gushed: 'I really love the cooker!'
A Belfast sink and coordinating tap – from Leisure Sinks – was
also on show.
The aim of the TV show –fronted by designers Justin Ryan and Colin
McAllister – is to develop properties from £100,000 to a house
that will sell for over £1million with all profits going to Children
in Need.
And Justin and Colin were so taken with the Rangemaster Elan they specified
in the new kitchen, that they even made a visit to the company’s
Clarence Street factory in the town to meet members of the design team
and to look around Rangemaster’s new show room.
Wayne Hampton, head of marketing at Rangemaster, said: 'The £Million
Property Experiment is a great concept and particularly relevant to Rangemaster
as we have an ever growing presence in the UK homebuilding and renovating
sector.
'As Justin and Colin showed, range cookers create a certain feel and look
in any kitchen, and they really are the cooking appliance of choice in
the UK’s most stylish homes. We now hope that through the show even
more people are now aware of their benefits – both performance and
aesthetic.
'Our appearance on such a primetime, highly rated TV show is made even
more exceptional as we helped provide focal points in the kitchen in the
Leamington Spa property during our 200th year of manufacture in the town.'
Falcon Turns up the Gas with Ongoing Brand Investment
After
six months of enhanced marketing activity – and the addition of a
number of new product ranges to its portfolio - Falcon Appliances is establishing
itself as a key player in the kitchen specialist sector. ‘Upping
the ante’ on its communications, retail support and new product strategies,
this considerable investment by parent company Aga Foodservice highlights
the company’s commitment to the brand and its future aspirations.
This is reflected by the recent additions to Falcon Appliances’ product
portfolio, which now encompasses undermount sinks, taps, commercial performance
refrigeration and an increased specification 1092 deluxe range cooker.
Falcon are now in the enviable position of providing a complete design-led
kitchen proposition that is already taking pride of place within the UK’s
most discerning homes.
The investment also includes the introduction of two additional dedicated
Falcon Appliances sales personnel, working to develop positive relations
and secure increased retailer listings.
New literature has been introduced to promote the extended Falcon range
through stunning room set and food photography.
And to further increase consumer awareness so as to drive footfall, Falcon
Appliances recently launched a consumer ad campaign in titles such as
the Times, Guardian Weekend, Ideal Home, BBC Good Food and Country Living.
Investment has also been made in an interactive, consumer-focused website
– www.falconappliances.co.uk
- that lists local retailer details and showcases all of the products
from the Falcon collection.
Falcon Appliances’ Clare Harris, comments: 'We’ve come a long
way in the last six months to further develop our highly aspirational
brand identity.
'Great investment has been made in reinforcing our brand message through
an enhanced programme of support activity. There are great plans in place
to take the brand in to 2004 - next year is set to be the best yet for
Falcon Appliances.'
For brochure requests please call 01926 457 457 or visit www.falconappliances.co.uk
Dyson
takes BSH to the Cleaners in Advertising Dispute
Dyson Ltd recently complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)
about a national newspaper's colour supplement advertisement for BSH (Bosch)
washing machines. All four complaints were upheld and the ASA told the
advertisers to make clear in future advertisements that they were comparing
their new machines with their previous best machines.
The advertisement was headlined 'Loads more. Loads faster'. It stated
'With a drum that takes a full 6kg, Bosch washing machines can take a
pretty big load - so you need to do less washes. With quicker programmes
as standard and spin speeds up to 1600rpm, when it comes to choosing your
new washing machine, you can trust Bosch to have the model you're looking
for. For further details call 0870 727 0446 for a free brochure, or visit
www.boschappliances.co.uk'.
The advertisement featured a photograph of one of the advertisers' washing
machines; the model of the washing machine was not clear from the photograph.
The complainants challenged:
1. whether the claim 'Loads more. Loads faster' misleadingly implied the
advertisers' machines loaded more than competitors' machines;
2. whether the claim 'Loads more. Loads faster' misleadingly implied that
the advertisers' machines washed the largest load capacity more quickly
than competitors' machines;
3. whether the claim 'you need to do less washes' misleadingly implied
that consumers would need to do fewer washes with the advertisers' machines
than with the competitors' machines and
4. whether the claim 'quicker programmes as standard' misleadingly implied
that the standard programmes on the advertisers' machines were quicker
than those on competitors' machines.
1. Complaint upheld
The advertisers said their advertisement was a series of facts that highlighted
changes in their new range of washing machines: they said that the advertisement
stated 'Bosch washing machines can take a pretty big load'.
The advertisers said it was an industry recognised standard, that the
marketing of the load capacity of a washing machine was required to match
the EU Energy Label for that machine, which was for a load capacity of
5kg in 2002. The advertisers said that, in 2003 the EU Energy Label for
their washing machines had been re-rated, which allowed them to advertise
their larger load capacity. They said their Logixx and Exxcel models had
a 6kg load capacity and Classixx models 5.5kg. Because during 2002 they
had advertised that their models had a 5kg load capacity, to reflect the
EU Energy Label at that time, they asserted a 20% increase in capacity
could be quantified as 'loads more'.
The advertisers maintained that the advertisement had not compared their
range of washing machines to other manufacturers' models. The advertisers
said it was irrelevant that a Dyson washing machine had a 7kg capacity
because the advertisement was not a comparison to Dysons' washing machines,
nor had the advertisement claimed their models had the largest capacity
of all washing machines. To clarify that the advertisement referred to
changes in their own range of washing machines, the advertisers said they
would amend the advertisement to '... with a drum that takes a full 6kg,
Bosch washing machines can now take a pretty big load'.
The advertisers said that, if the advertisement was taken as a comparison
with other manufacturers' washing machines, which was not intended, the
claim 'loads more' was justified. The advertisers provided figures, produced
by GfK, the independent global research company, that categorised the
volume of the fully automatic washing machine market in the UK by drum
size. The advertisers asserted that because over 75% of the market had
a drum smaller than 6kg, their standard 6kg drum did load more than the
bulk of the market.
The Authority acknowledged that GfK's statistics showed that over 75%
of the market had a drum that was smaller than 6kg. The Authority recognised
that GfK's figures also showed that 0.5% of the market had a drum that
was larger than 6kg; it acknowledged that was a very small part of the
market. The Authority, nevertheless considered that it was not clear that
the headline was intended to imply that the advertisers' new range of
washing machines would load more with their 6kg drum than their previous
range. It noted the advertisement did not refer to the advertisers' new
range.
The Authority considered that the headline was likely to be interpreted
as a superlative claim that implied their washing machines could take
a bigger load than competitors' washing machines. Because other manufacturers
made washing machines that had a capacity of over 6kg the Authority considered
the headline claim was misleading, because the advertisers' range did
not have a larger capacity and load more than all of the rest of the market.
The Authority told the advertisers to make clear in future advertisements
that they were comparing their new machines with their previous best machines.
2. Complaint upheld
The advertisers said that because they had reduced the time taken for
their standard washes on their new range of washing machines, a model
in the new range washed a comparative load faster than the equivalent
model from their previous range. They provided data that showed the wash
times for the new range of Exxcel washing machines were shorter than those
for the previous Exxcel range. They said their 'wash plus' option provided
a more intensive wash if required and that option lengthened the cycle
time. They gave the explanation from a manual of how the 'wash plus' option
worked: they acknowledged that it was ambiguous, but they asserted that
'wash plus' was merely a selectable option and did not need to be chosen
to wash a 6kg load. They said their new range had a spin speed of up to
1600 rpm, which was 14% faster than the fastest spin speed of their previous
models.
The advertisers said that as more than 75% of the market had a drum smaller
than 6kg, they were justified in claiming that their range of washing
machines with a 6kg drum, coupled with or without their express wash programmes,
would wash the largest load capacity more quickly than most washing machines
on the market.
The Authority considered that the headline implied that the advertisers'
machines would wash the maximum load of laundry more quickly than all
competitor's washing machines on the market. Because the advertisers had
not provided data to support that, the Authority concluded that the headline
claim had misleadingly implied that the advertisers' machines washed their
largest load more quickly than all competitors' washing machines on the
market.
The Authority told the advertisers to make clear in future advertisements
that they were comparing their new machines with their previous best machines.
3. Complaint upheld
The advertisers said the advertisement was not a comparison to the Dyson
CRO1 washing machine and its 7kg load capacity. The advertisers asserted
that, because their new range of washing machines had a larger load capacity
than they had previously advertised, by definition a user needed to do
fewer washes to clean the same amount of laundry. The advertisers said
that, if the advertisement was taken as a comparison with other manufacturers'
washing machines, which was not intended, GfK's statistics for the fully
automatic washing machine market showed that their standard drum of 6kg,
was 20% larger than 58.5% of the market that had a drum of 5kg or less,
and 10% larger than nearly 20% of the remainder of the market. The advertisers
said the statistics showed that users of their range of washing machines
with a standard 6kg drum would need to do fewer washes than with over
75% of the market.
The Authority acknowledged the veracity of the statistics the advertisers
had provided and accepted that compared with over 75% of the market, consumers
would need to do fewer washes with the advertisers' 6kg drum washing machines.
The Authority considered that it was not clear that the claim was intended
to imply that a user would need to do fewer washes with the advertisers'
new range than was required with their previous range. It noted the advertisement
did not refer to the advertisers' new range.
The Authority considered nevertheless that readers were likely to understand
that the claim implied that, for the same amount of laundry, fewer wash
cycles were needed using the advertisers' washing machines than if other
manufacturers' washing machines were used. Because the Authority noted
that other manufacturers made washing machines that took a larger load
than the advertisers' washing machines, the Authority concluded that the
advertisement was misleading.
The Authority told the advertisers to make clear in future advertisements
that they were comparing their new machines with their previous best machines.
4. Complaint upheld
The advertisers asserted that they had not made a comparison to competitors'
washing machines. They said 'loads faster' illustrated both that their
new range of washing machines had quicker wash programmes as standard
than their previous range, and that the new range had increased spin speeds
of up to 1600rpm, which was 14% faster than the fastest spin speed of
their previous models. They provided data that showed the wash times for
the new range of Exxcel washing machines were shorter than those in the
previous Exxcel range.
The Authority considered that readers were likely to understand that the
advertisement's claim was a superlative claim that implied their standard
programmes were quicker than competitors' standard programmes. Because
the advertisers did not provide evidence that they were, the Authority
considered the claim was misleading.
The Authority told the advertisers to make clear in future advertisements
that they were comparing their new machines with their previous best machines.
Chancellor
Signals Hope on VAT
The fudged outcome of last week's ECOFIN (European Council of Finance
Ministers) discussion on VAT has boosted the hopes of those campaigning
for a reduction of VAT on housing renovation and refurbishment work in
the UK.
ECOFIN was unable to agree the draft directive which would revise VAT
rates for labour-intensive services, including housing RMI, but EC Finance
Ministers, including Gordon Brown, unanimously agreed to extend the pilot
scheme on reduced VAT rates for such activities for another two years.
Whilst this means that Belgium, France and Italy, which have already applied
reduced rates on domestic RMI can continue to do so, it is unclear whether
others will be able to follow suit. However, Andrew Large, director of
external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), sees no reason
why the current trial in the Isle of Man should not be extended throughout
the UK.
Said Mr Large:
'The fact that Gordon Brown voted to extend the pilot scheme is not insignificant.
If he had been against the principle of a reduction in VAT he would not
have supported the proposal.'
The FMB, which has long campaigned for the reduction of VAT on the renovation
and refurbishment of housing, will continue to press the Chancellor to
adopt a 5% rate of VAT for such work in the lead up to the publication
of his Pre-Budget Report.
The ECOFIN decision brought the Finance Ministers into conflict with the
European Commission, which said Member States should either adopt the
draft directive or apply normal rates. The Commission is prepared to accept
only a six month extension on pilot schemes during which Member States
should agree on the directive.
However, Andrew Large believes the pilot schemes will be able to continue
for two years, saying:
'The main sticking points within the VAT directive do not relate to the
building industry, and it is likely to take more than six months to reach
a compromise where national interests are at stake. When colder heads
look at this again in the new year they are likely to see the sense of
continuing with the status quo for a longer period.'
Imperial
Towel Rails First to Offer Team of Service Engineers
Since being the first towel rail manufacturer to introduce a 5 year guarantee
on all brass towel rails, Imperial has beaten the market again to become
the first to offer a team of service engineers to completely cover the
UK, ensuring maximum support for retail partners and consumers alike.
As the purchase of a heated towel rail or a 'designer'style radiator is
a luxury purchase for many consumers, Imperial understands that customers
expect a quality of service to match the high quality of product purchased.
Comprised of 26 engineers, the Imperial service team aims to fix any problem
first time. Whilst faults are rare, each engineer carries key spare parts
to ensure a quick and efficient service.
The 5 year guarantee and service team contribute to the superb quality
of the Imperial product range, allowing retailers and installers to sell
and fit Imperial Towel Rails with full peace of mind and total confidence.
See Imperial at Stand C89 at KBB 2004 or visit http://www.imperialtowelrails.com
for more details.
German
Consumer Watchdog rates Miele in Endurance tests
Endurance testing has now finally delivered scientific proof that there
is a causal link between quality and price. For 16 months, washing machines
were subjected to an exacting 7/24 endurance test regime at RosTest, the
institute which performs official product tests for Germany's Stiftung
Warentest. This extended endurance test was monitored by Professor Dr.
Hans-G. Hloch from Germany's renowned wfk test institute. According to
the closing report, there are 'considerable differences in quality and
durability between washing machine brands'.
The Krefeld-based wfk was commissioned to procure 20 washing machines,
to oversee the endurance testing including all measurements and test evaluations
and to analyse the machines at the end of the test schedule. Professor
Dr. Hloch's report does not mince its words: 'Without the intervention
of a service technician, only the three Miele machines survived the test
in working order. On all the other appliances defects and failures occurred,
which in some cases were numerous, and required a service call-out and
even resulted in the premature termination of testing. On the relationship
between quality and durability, the wfk report continues: 'This applies
both to the result of the endurance test chosen by StiWa lasting only
231 test cycles (2079 programmes) and to the more stringent test regime
covering 555 test cycles (4995 programmes) commissioned by Miele.'
Specialists from the domestic appliance industry have long been aware
of the link between input and results, costs and quality. Dr. Markus Miele
puts it this way: 'The quality and durability of washing machines are
factors which can be influenced becausee higher-quality componentry and
more sophisticated designs have a clear impact on machine design.'
That Miele uses only top-quality components in its appliances is best
illustrated according to company sources using the washing machine as
an example. A robust drum shaft and sturdy ball bearings ensure a rugged
machine build. Counterweights are made from heavy cast iron and the door
hinges are pressure castings. 'Its hard to envisage a more solid design",
says Dr. Eduard Sailer, responsible at Miele for technology. 'These design
features and specifications put Miele in international pole position in
terms of durability and quality.'
Miele's Novotronic W 961 was test winner in Stiftung Warentest's own washing
machine test. StiWa bases its testing on a life cycle of ten to eleven
years. Miele for its part expects 20 years of its machines. 'This makes
a Miele excellent value for money as our machines are quite literally
worth their asking price', says Dr. Markus Miele.
In September 2003; StiWa gave Miele's W 435 Plus WPS washing machine once
again a 'First' with marks on the German school scale of 1.8. Miele was
the only machine to achieve a 'Very good' for handling (as well as cleaning
and maintenance). In November 2003, the Miele condenser dryer T 273 C
and the Miele vented model T 263 both achieved first place in StiWa tests.
Electrolux
Holds 5.0% of own Shares
On December 17, 2003 Electrolux repurchased 400,000 own shares of series-B,
at an average price of SEK 152.59. After this transaction, the Company
holds 16,323,872 own B-shares, corresponding to 5.0% of the share capital
and 3.9% of the voting rights.
The total number of shares in AB Electrolux amounts to 324,100,000.
The Electrolux Group is the world's largest producer of powered appliances
for kitchen, cleaning and outdoor use, such as refrigerators, washing
machines, cookers, vacuum cleaners, chainsaws, lawn mowers, and garden
tractors. Every year, customers in more than 150 countries buy more than
55 million Electrolux Group products for both consumer and
professional use sold under famous brands such as AEG, Electrolux, Zanussi,
Frigidaire, Eureka and Husqvarna. In 2002, Electrolux had sales of SEK
133.2 billion and 82,000 employees.
Instarmac
rebrands Adhesive & Grout Range
To make product specification and retail selection less demanding, and
to eliminate the possibility of choosing the wrong material for the job
in hand, Tamworth based manufacturer Instarmac Group plc has decided to
re-name its ULTRA range of adhesives and grouts in order to specifically
designate each material’s primary function. The first of the re-branding
changes has just occurred.
Instarmac’s well-established and extensively used concrete floor
levelling and smoothing compounds, previously marketed as Ultraflex SLC1
and SLC 2, will henceforth be known as Ultra Concrete Floor Leveller and
Ultra Flexible Floor leveller, respectively.
The uses for both materials remain exactly as before; to provide a smooth
and level sub-floor prior to the application of floor coverings, but the
new names will assist the uninitiated by directly indicating each product’s
specific use. I.e., both products are clearly floor levelling compounds,
but one is for general use whilst the other is for surfaces where movement
is likely, or anticipated.
Ultra Concrete Floor Leveller, a single part compound, will even-out irregular
concrete substrates prior to applying floor coverings. The compound, which
can be laid at thicknesses between 1mm and 50mm, is produced by simply
mixing with clean water on site.
Ultra Flexible Floor Leveller is a specifically designed 2-part formulation
for use on irregular substrates that demand a product with a slight flexural
capacity. The compound, made up with its own latex polymer, is ideal for
creating smooth surfaces up to 5mm thick on wooden floors prior to applying
the final floor covering. On substrates other than flooring grade asphalt
and wooden substrates, thickness can be extended up to 12mm by the addition
of aggregate.
Both the single and 2-part grades are also suitable for use in conjunction
with modern under floor heating systems, which heat by circulating warm
water through tubing laid into the screed, thus providing even distribution
of warmth throughout the home or office.
Further information can be obtained from The Instarmac Group plc, Kingsbury
Link, Trinity Road, Tamworth, Staffs B78 2EX. Tel: 01827 872244. Fax:
01827 874466. Email: email@instarmac.co.uk
Government
Unveils £150m National Technology Strategy
A detailed action plan to increase innovation and help British businesses
succeed in an increasingly competitive global market is today published
by Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt.
'Competing in the Global Economy: The Innovation Challenge' follows a
wide- ranging review of innovation policy, led by Science Minister Lord
Sainsbury. The report identifies the UK's excellent science base and track
record in invention, but warns more needs to be done to exploit this for
commercial benefit.
The UK will find it increasingly hard to compete in the global market
against countries with low labour costs. Future success will be won through
the exploitation of new ideas, particularly in areas such as nanotechnology,
biotechnology and information and communication technology.
Action must take place across government to boost innovation and the Prime
Minister has asked the Trade and Industry Secretary to lead a new Ministerial
team that will deliver on innovation across Whitehall.
The Innovation Report aims for the UK to be the leading major country
in Europe in terms of business Research & Development and patenting
within a decade. Proposals in the report made after wide consultation
with businesses, academics, innovators and trade unions include:
* A National Technology Strategy to provide a framework for policy priorities
and focus support on innovation. The strategy will be underpinned by £150
million - including £90 million allocated for nanotechnology and
funding released by the review of DTI business schemes.
* New government procurement guidelines to make government a more 'intelligent
customer' by encouraging innovation through the £109billion it spends
each year on products and services.
* An increased role for the Small Business Service to promote innovation
and knowledge transfer. An Innovation programme will provide advisory
services on Intellectual Property Rights, assistance with R&D Grants
and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, as well as brokering collaboration
between companies and Higher Education Institutes and alerting SMEs to
public procurement opportunities.
* New goals to increase the rate of knowledge transfer and level of interaction
between science and business - to be taken forward by the Director General
of the Research Councils with each Council.
Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry said: 'Innovation
is the successful exploitation of new ideas. We want to get ideas out
of the lab, into the factory and onto the balance sheet to help British
businesses compete in the global market.
'For the economy as a whole, innovation is the key to higher productivity
and greater prosperity for all. We have already laid the foundations of
an innovation-driven economy by creating a stable macroeconomic environment,
boosting competition, promoting fair and free trade and improving education
and skills.
'But there is more to do. To hold our own in modern manufacturing we will
need to innovate strongly by creating new high-tech manufacturing industries
and upgrading traditional sectors such as steel and textiles. At the same
time we need to raise the level of innovation in our service industries.'
'Competing in the Global Economy: The Innovation Challenge' highlights
how action will be taken across government. Other proposals include:
* Office of Government Commerce will produce best practice guidance on
capturing innovation from suppliers and as pilot projects the Department
of Health will promote innovative hospital design and greater uptake of
telecare and telemedicine technologies.
* A regional drive on innovation with refocused DTI support for investment
in the Assisted Areas to help create sustainable high-value investment
and jobs. Regional Science and Industry Councils will be set up and high-tech
clusters supported.
* Patent Office is to target SMEs in a major awareness-raising programme
on intellectual property (IP), and will develop a national strategy for
dealing with IP crime.
* The National Measurement System will increase its research on emerging
technology areas such as the biosciences and nanotechnology and the Design
Council will launch a series of demonstrations to show how design can
raise the innovation and profitability in manufacturing, emerging technology
and service industries.
Science and Innovation Minister Lord Sainsbury who led the review said:
'We are increasing the funding by our Research Councils of scientific
and engineering research from £1.3bn in 1997-98 to nearly £3bn
by 2005-06. We now need to see a step change in our rate of innovation.
'We want the UK to be a key knowledge hub in the global economy: a country
with a reputation not only for outstanding scientific and technological
discovery, but also for turning that knowledge into new and exciting products
and services; a country that invests heavily in business R&D and education
and skills, and exports value-added goods and services around the world.
'The Innovation Report sets out what we need to do as a country to meet
the innovation challenge and secure future economic success.'
The Report recognises that innovation depends on the knowledge, skills
and creativity of people at work. The Government's Skills Strategy will
equip the workforce for the innovation challenge and the Innovation Report
sets out in detail DTI's role in ensuring workers have the skills that
business needs. A new CBI/TUC taskforce on innovation will also be set
up.
Welcoming the report CBI Deputy Director General John Cridland said:
'Implementation holds the key to success on Innovation. Appointing the
Secretary of State to lead a Ministerial roll-out across government is
an encouraging first step but we need to see action from all areas of
government and a genuine commitment to press ahead with improvements.
'Business is particularly keen to see development of the intelligent customer
role for government, out-come based regulation and a new dynamic technology
strategy'.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Innovation in work organisation
and employment practices is vital if new products, technologies and processes
are to deliver high performance workplaces of the future. The TUC welcomes
the Innovation Report and looks forward to working with Ministers and
others in following up its recommendations.'