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Young Blood Changing the Face of Industry

A wave of new appointments at the top of the UK’s largest 275 kitchen, bedroom & bathroom manufacturing companies is set to prompt a radical change in their behaviour and put even greater pressure on those with ageing boardrooms.

That’s the view of Plimsoll Publishing, the industry analyst which has a track record of predicting business trends in the UK, France and Japan.

There have been 170 new appointments at director level in the last 18 months in an industry with 647 directors in total. According to Plimsoll, new blood represents a transformation of the industry, with new ideas, renewed focus and different ways of working.

Senior analyst David Pattison says: 'There has never been a more important time to take note not just of the companies you are doing business with, but of the decision makers behind those companies. We all know that companies don’t do business with companies – people do business with people. But the people are changing, and firms will be caught out and lose business as a result, simply because they took a customer, competitor or supplier for granted on the basis of an older management style.'

Plimsoll’s detailed analysis has investigated each company’s financial performance and offers firm views on the challenges the new directors face, as well as the strategies they are deploying to stamp their mark on the industry.

It finds that for 57 of them the challenge is to keep the company afloat, while for 113 others it is to deliver industry-leading performance. In both cases, a change in the way of doing things looks inevitable.

Said David Pattison: 'The reasons for the new appointments are varied. Some have been taken on with the direct objective of finding a buyer for the company, while others look as if they have been appointed to see through a management buyout.
Whatever the reason, this wave of new blood is simply the start. 20% of directors are over the age of 60, and we will see yet more evolution in the not too distant future.'

In summary:
Average director’s salary in the kitchen, bedroom & bathroom manufacturers industry was £79,724 last year

UK director’s average salary is £68,500

Directors’ fees increased on average 63%

Top earners can see their pay rise to more than £194,500

The typical time in office in the kitchen, bedroom & bathroom manufacturers industry is now over 5 years, compared to the UK average of just over seven years.

This new independent analysis of the UK’s 647 most influential decision makers and the 275 companies they are responsible for is available now. Readers of the k&bzine can obtain the full report for £300 – a discount of £50 – by quoting the code PR02 when ordering online at http://www.plimsoll.co.uk, by calling 01642 626400 or by emailing c.sherwood@plimsoll.co.uk.

Roman Invests in Customer Relationships

Roman, the UK shower manufacturer, is set to open a new Customer Relationship Facility where customers can contact Roman with sales orders, to find out about promotions, order queries, installation questions, technical enquiries and to generally receive any help and advice needed. The new facility represents over £100,000 worth of investment.

Roman has recruited a Customer Relationship Manager to fill a new position and to be responsible for Roman’s new state-of-the-art Customer Relationship Facility. Alison Harrison is due to take on the role as Customer Relationship Manager and will bring a wealth of experience to the team.

The new facility will see the merging of several departments at Roman, including; Marketing and Sales Support, Technical Helpline and After-sales Service- all coming together as one complete Customer Care unit.

Construction of the New Customer Relationship Facility gets underway. Left to right: Alison Harrison Customer Relationship Manager, John Wright Operations Director, Ian Simpson Facilities Engineer and Loraine Gamblin Marketing Director.

Alison’s previous roles include Call Centre Manager at a range of companies including; Orange, Cleveland Police and Garlands – all major call centres renowned for customer care.

The facility will initially include 3 teams, totalling 20 office-based staff, which will increase over time, allowing for more Marketing, Sales and Call-centre Staff - eventually able to hold 40 people in all. It will be a modern open plan, glass fronted facility, aimed at bringing everybody together as a full customer care team – it’s elevation gives it dramatic views across the main production facility

Alison Harrison comments; 'I am very excited about getting into my new role. I have already heard great things about Roman and the company's exceptional service and am extremely keen to become a part of making this service even better. I hope to be able to pass my experience onto the team and to make Roman’s excellent service even more renowned.'

David Osborne, Managing Director, at Roman comments; 'At Roman all our customers are extremely important and we want them to be completely satisfied with their whole Roman Brand experience. It is essential that they can easily approach us and access a Customer Relationship Team that are on hand to help with any questions and solve problems. We are always looking to improve and optimise customer care and this new facility can truly help with that. It is there for all our customers, whether they be the retailer, end user or installer.'

Tel: 0845 0522 445
Email: brochures@roman-showers.com
Web: http://www.roman-showers.com

Planit Presents Fusion Software at Waterline's Showcase Events

The quality, speed and ease of use of Planit International’s Fusion’s design and visualisation software will be demonstrated once again as the only CAD vendor to participate at Waterline’s annual Showcase events.

Waterline is the UK’s largest independent kitchen distributor with distribution centres in Milton Keynes, Bristol, Bolton and Cumbernauld. The series of roadshows has established itself as one of the premier promotional platforms in the UK for kitchen design, with presentations from the industry’s biggest names in appliances, furniture, lighting, worktops and other kitchen equipment.

'Waterline is renowned for bringing together the industry’s top products and services, together with some special hospitality,' says Planit International’s national sales manager Chris Anderson. 'The roadshows attract several hundred top quality visitors to each venue, which is why suppliers regard them as some of the most important dates on their calendar.

'We are delighted to have been invited to demonstrate the latest capabilities of our industry-leading Fusion CAD package at this year’s events, especially as it is the software of choice employed by Waterline’s own design department. The company is one of many users taking full advantage of Fusion’s in-built product libraries from leading manufacturers such as Bosch, Neff, Franke, Crown and Waterline’s own kitchen offering, Zimmer – with even more flexibility to create stunning, fully costed, kitchen designs in minutes.'

This year’s programme commences on 22nd April at Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire, before travelling to Tortworth, Gloucestershire on 29th April; Hilton Hotel, East Midlands Airport, Derbyshire on 3rd May; Sandown Park Exhibition Centre on 10th May; Cedar Court Hotel on 17th May; and finishing up at Tatton Park, Knutsford on 23rd May. The events run from 10am until 6pm and refreshments are available. To register, please visit http://www.waterlineroadshow.co.uk

'This premier event, bringing together all that’s new in kitchen design, allows visitors to see first hand all the biggest brands and to meet the people behind the products,' comments Waterline’s marketing director Tim Hutchinson. 'There will be exclusive offers that are only available at the Showcase events and opportunities to order displays and talk directly to the manufacturers and software partners.
Specialists from Waterline will also be on hand to answer questions, offer advice and guide visitors through the various features of new products on show.'

Web: http://www.waterline.co.uk
Web: http://www.planitsoftware.com

BMA Sponsors Waterwise Conference

The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) is one of the sponsors at this year's Waterwise Water Efficiency Conference - The Economics of Water Efficiency in the Natural and Built Environment - to be held as part of UNESCO's World Water Day on 21st and 22nd March.

The event, to take place at Oxford University, brings together the leading policy makers, doers and thinkers on water efficiency, both as speakers and participants.
High level speakers include key regulators, practitioners from water companies and other industries, government and academics including Baroness Barbara Young, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency; Pamela Taylor, Chief Executive of Water UK; Bengt Pihl, Chief Executive of Sanitec; and, Walter Menzies, Chief Executive of Mersey Basin Campaign.

Commenting on the BMA's involvement in the Waterwise conference, BMA Chief Executive Yvonne Orgill says: ‘We are very much looking forward to attending the Waterwise Conference and hearing what the speakers have to say.

'Water efficiency is extremely topical and it will be interesting to see if we are all singing from the same hymn sheet.’

The BMA will have a stand at the conference to provide delegates with information on BMA water efficiency initiatives.

For further information about the BMA please email karen.myles@bathroom-association.org.uk or telephone 01782 747123.

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

Foresight Design Conferences - Fostering a Cultural Renaissance across Boundaries

Johnny Grey and CMPi have set up a partnership, Foresight Design Conferences to exchange knowledge and foster a cultural renaissance to the design world. In a sector which is becoming increasingly sophisticated, staying on top means deepening knowledge and embracing change.

Johnny Grey, the designer, cultural influencer and author will be the creative force choosing themes and speakers, whilst CMPi, part of United Business Media, will organise the events and act as hosts using the company’s extensive exhibition and event management skills. The venture will dovetail into current activities using its substantial portfolio of magazines and professional media to provide Foresight with excellent promotion and market intelligence.

Inspirational speakers from the public arena will be flanked by industry experts and world class designers to provide well balanced and memorable days out of the office. Break out sessions will be provided as part of the programme for a more intimate discussion and presentation of ideas.

Initially Foresight will focus on staging one day events at the forefront of new thinking for professionals. The themes of these conferences will challenge current thinking and help interpret consumer trends enabling designers and the industry in which they operate to translate the future needs of society with greater accuracy. At their most ambitious they will stir cultural change, at their very least allow individuals to develop their skills. All events will include discussion panels enabling participants to engage in a dialogue with speakers.

Once these events have become established the scope of the events will be extended along with the subject area covered to such other sectors as food and healthcare.

The four conferences will be staged in London at RIBA, dates to be announced.

Housing From Heaven
Aimed at architects, house builders, developer, planners and the construction industry .

Our house building is cliché ridden in style and execution, with little attempt given to creating a sense of place. Are these the hallmarks of the early 21st century we expect to leave behind as a gift for the next generation? We could choose to live in sustainable, stylish, humane environments that are affordable. This is only possible if we work at it through creativity, research and better integration between the various constituencies of the housing industry.

We have asked leading architects and housing experts to talk about their vision and frustrations as well as their solutions - and to debate some of the major issues we face so that we can relearn the art of creating homes.

Mapping The Future Kitchen
Aimed at kitchen designers, architects, journalists, manufacturers and kitchen retailers.

The identity of the kitchen is undergoing massive change from several sources - the ambitiousness of open plan to changing eating habits, to environmental upgrades, new technology, knowledge gained from the cognitive sciences and obsession with cleaned-up minimal design. This will explore how we plan for a really humane kitchen space that works in the living spaces of the future?

The Gourmet Bathroom - evolving a new sensitivity
Aimed at bathroom designers, architects and bathroom manufacturers.

The new confidence in the bathroom as a sanctuary affects the way the whole upstairs is planned. The ambience and function of bathrooms is now an open subject and under review by householders & industry alike. Which way will it go - this conference will review it.

The Emotionally Intelligent House - sociability, sanctuary and light.
A high profile event suitable for professional designers, architects, interior decorators, journalists and consumers.

The house structures we have inherited have become dislocated from the way we want to live and how we want to live in their interior spaces and how they perform for us. This conference will explore the idea of a house designed to fit man's physical, practical and emotional needs. It will give a platform to high profile designers, cognitive scientists and other experts who have original ideas about the home of the future, analysing new trends and offering design solutions, taking us from a house a series of heat boxes to active living spaces and sanctuary.

Foresight Conferences 2008 (dates to be announced)

Designing With Light; Bringing Interiors To Life
Aimed at interior, lighting designers and architects, and at the lighting industry.

There is an insatiable demand for lighting design in interiors from the general public in their homes and from the commercial sector in public buildings. Many designers don't have the training or the skill to show their work off to best advantage or to offer a lighting design service to their clients. This event will address that gap in designer's skills.

We are bringing expert lighting designers from residential and commercial backgrounds together, providing core background science of lighting and will bring on stage a lighting design guru from the entertainment sector that creates unforgettable, ethereal experiences, enabling us to enter into a sublime world of enchantment and illusion. He will do that for us at this event.

Furniture Futures And Intelligent Design
Aimed at the furniture manufacturing industry, specifiers to the construction sector and to interior, furniture and product designers

The furniture industry is at a cross roads; with manufacturing moving to China and other low cost labour markets what is the future for furniture designers, manufacturers and makers? Can the UK and other high cost countries stay ahead? Through clever thinking, market intelligence, design led creativity, craft engineering and the pioneering work of one-off artist-craftsmen we will be shown ways the industry can move forwards.

We have asked six key players in the industry from designers, marketers, trend analysts and manufacturers to spill the beans and set us on course for an information-rich and provocative debate as to how the furniture of the future might look.

Design Hotels And The Future Of Hospitality
Aimed at architects, interior designers, international hospitality sector, travel industry.

The emergence of cool, boutique hotels has been one of the biggest growth areas of design, enabling small hotels to outwit the international hotel groups by winning business though innovation and great design. The conference will examine how rich, exciting environments are created using skills from theatre design, pioneering hospitality ideas, art as a communication media, by borrowing from domestic expectations and through the blurring of the boundaries between the world of entertainment, travel, home and psychology of belonging. We will also examine the nature of changing customer profiles in the luxury market and the emergence of the 'Experience Economy'.

We have asked experts from across the international hospitality sector and the best designers to reveal their secrets and debate the issues in an open session.

Re-Arranging Houses: Interior Design Of The Future
A high profile event suitable for interior designers, architects, the home products sector, building services , home design journalists and interested consumers.

History hangs on to house design. We are becoming increasingly dislocated from the house structures we have inherited. We want space, light, sociability and sanctuary but most homes don't offer this. Whilst this provides a huge opportunity for designers to either remodel people's homes or create new ones, we have a new challenge. We need to retrain ourselves to design homes that fit the new mood for emotionally intelligent design and practicality.

As homes are now so highly valued there has never been a better time for individuals to invest their money in a well designed home. Do we, as contemporary designers have the knowledge to meet these expectations? Only a tiny proportion, around 2% of the population have ever contacted a designer. We want to help raise this figure. The ideas from the conference will aim to help designers become more attuned to home owners needs.

We will be giving the platform to high profile designers, well known authors on the meaning of home, futuristic thinkers and creatives who have cutting edge ideas about the home of the future to present their ideas. They will analyse new trends and offer design solutions that will take us from a house a series of heat boxes to one with futuristic active living spaces.

http://www.foresight-design.co.uk/

Biography of Partners

UBM and CMPi
With over fifty magazines, newspapers and exhibitions UBM is a substantial presence in the world of media and communications. CMPi is dedicated to providing professionals across many sectors with knowledge support. Please visit their website for further details. http://www.cmpi.biz

Johnny Grey.
JG is an international designer running studios in Hampshire UK and San Francisco with work from projects in many countries. He is a consultant to the kitchen industry both in the UK, USA and Europe as well as being a media spokesperson to the kitchen, construction and design sectors. He is the author of four books on design and a renowned speaker at conferences, talking recently in USA, Canada, Australia & New Zealand. For further details please visit http://www.johnnygrey.co.uk

JJO PLC Announces Strong Business Growth in 2007

J&J Ormerod plc (JJO), the independent manufacturer of kitchens and bathrooms, has announced that its business is growing from strength to strength, with a healthy leap of 54 new retailer accounts for the kitchen business opened in the last quarter.

Lancashire-based JJO manufactures around 700 kitchens and bedrooms per week, and is highly supportive of its dealer base in the UK.

Richard Proctor, sales and marketing director of JJO, claims ‘Our strategy for investment, weighed against our controlled growth, is paying off with dividends in 2007. The business has invested more than £7.5million in panel production in our factory to date over three years, which will allow us to double the capacity over the coming 12 months. Of the 50 plus new retailer accounts opened in this quarter, the majority look to be excellent partners, which bodes well for long term business. The new retail showrooms stocking JJO kitchens range from as far south as Worthing to Glasgow and from Anglesey across to Leigh-on-Sea, as well as Newry in County Down!’

JJO's investment has led to the introduction of a new entry level range, eco kitchens, which gives retailers a different price-point option alongside the flagship Colonial Kitchens brand. eco kitchens has proved a successful launch, with sales growth exceeding 400% of targets set.

Richard confirms, ‘Our expansion continues apace into 2007. The 54 new accounts reflect the upwards sales curve we have been seeing, and expect to see over coming months. We will aggressively be launching new doors and new colourways in the second quarter of 2007, to enhance our existing retailers' sales into the market, and will continue to grow our retail base accordingly.’

JJO plc is a corporate member of the KBSA (Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialist Association), a long term member of ASFI (Association of Suppliers to the Furniture Industry) and a supporter of FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association).

For further information JJO plc can be contacted directly on 01706 877877 or alternatively email Natalie Peters on npeters@jjoplc.com.

Web: http://www.jjoplc.com

New In-toto Showroom

Kitchen specialist In-toto kitchens has recently opened a new showroom in Norwich, with a special launch event.

The Lord Mayor of Norwich, Councillor Felicity Hartley officially opened the showroom, which is situated at 154 Dereham Road, Norwich.

The new showroom has been fitted with six new displays, all of which illustrate the quality, creativity and style of In-toto kitchens and the new designer range of Geba kitchens is also now on display. This exclusive range is ultra contemporary and offers new ideas for luxurious kitchens.

Alan Payne, franchisee, In-toto Norwich was delighted with the turn out. He comments:

‘The opening was a great success, we were extremely busy on the open day and have continued to be busy since. In-toto offers high quality, impressive kitchens, covering both contemporary and traditional styles and we ensure first class service from initial consultation through to installation.’

Norwich is one of a nationwide network of almost fifty In-toto showrooms.

To find your nearest In-toto retailer or to order a brochure please call 08700 433 737 or visit http://www.intoto.co.uk.

Exceptional Colour Matching from EDP

British supplier of hi-tech surfacing and edging materials to the furniture industry, EDP, has introduced a colour matching service for foils and edgebanding in association with the company’s principals Pentadecor and Probos.

Cutting edge new digital scanning technology at Pentadecor's German laboratories allows EDP to supply board samples used by customers from any of the main board suppliers such as Egger, Kronospan and others to create an identical colour and pattern match in the foil. The system allows the fast production of a colour match with exceptional results.

EDP's Terry Willett with a perfect match - Pentadecor foil HO 13 Casamance with an Egger board sample ST15 Natural Plum

EDP says that this allows the company the chance to offer its UK and Irish customers an exceptional service. Samples can be produced in 2-3 weeks and production of foils can be delivered in 5-6 weeks. Thereafter EDP will hold UK stocks for minimum order requirement on a 7 day delivery. Orders can be down to a minimum of 1500 linear metres per décor, as an initial colour match.

Similarly EDP can supply an edgebanding matched service from Probos whose laboratories and production facilities in Portugal are equally high tech. Samples in either PVC or ABS can be produced and production of rolls in the Proadec brand follow shortly.

EDP's Terry Willett says: ‘This is a very exciting development. We have been working hard for quite a while to achieve this level of technical accuracy and matching service. Exact matching of foils to other surfaces has long been a problem with many furniture manufacturers. We're now in a position to rectify this.’

Tel: 01702 618877
Email: Edpgroup@btconnect.com
Web: http://www.edpgroup.co.uk

kbbreview Industry Awards Announce 2007 Winners

In the week that Helen Mirren took home a well-deserved BAFTA - the UK's bathroom and kitchen industry had its own special night as the kbbreview Industry Awards took place on Monday 5th February at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Now in its 13th year, the prestigious annual kbbreview Awards, organised for the second time by industry magazine, kbbreview, is the industry's biggest party. And, this year's glittering awards ceremony, hosted by critically acclaimed comedian, Michael McIntyre, was as successful as ever.

Andrew Davies, editor of kbbreview explains, ‘The kbbreview Industry Awards are a great event and one of the highlights of the kitchen and bathroom industry calendar. Today's bathrooms and kitchens are the two rooms in our homes with the biggest investment - and it's absolutely right that we should salute the designers who make their clients' dreams come true. There were some fantastic entries this year and several of the categories were really close. It's as nerve-racking as the Oscar's on the night, but it's always worth the trouble when you see how thrilled the eventual winners are when their names are read out.’

The judges, a panel of industry professionals, respected journalists and chaired by Andrew Davies, scrutinised more than 1000 entries to create a shortlist of 40 finalists. The 14 winners, the cream of designers and retailers in the UK and Ireland, were announced at the awards ceremony to an audience of over 800 key industry retailers, manufacturers and designers.

‘The business categories are also essential. Customers go to independent retailers because they want the service and expertise only they can offer. This year's winners have some amazing showrooms, fantastic service and are rightly held up as great examples of the best this industry has to offer.’ adds Andrew.

Highlights of this year's kbbreview Industry Awards ceremony included:

* The UK swept the board in the International Design categories. Winners of the top design categories for Bathrooms and Kitchens are judged against stiff competition from winners of design awards in their own countries. Entrants from Australia, New Zealand Canada and the USA were all in attendance. Scott Lawrence, from Kitchen Culture won the International Designer for Kitchens title and Tim Baber, from Ripples in Bristol, took home the title in the Bathroom category.

* Legendary kitchen designer Mark Wilkinson was awarded the coveted Special Achievement Award. Celebrating his 30th year at the top of his profession he is a well deserving winner respected by his peers. Alongside his wife Cynthia, Mark has built up a hugely successful design, manufacturing and retail business, with showrooms across the UK and five different countries including the USA and Russia.

* The Accessible Design categories recognise the need for kitchens and bathrooms that prove function does not have to compromise style or affordability and with aim to improve quality of live. Alison Wright, Easy Living Home, went home with the Designer Award for both Bathrooms and Kitchens.

* Special credit to acknowledge the achievements of Houseworks. Since they began in 1983, this family run business has become a benchmark in kitchen retailing in Ireland. This year they won the two most prestigious accolades in the field.
Houseworks received the Showroom Award for Kitchens, for their Belfast showroom and the biggest award in their trade, the Master Retailer Award for Kitchens. Houseworks have been multiple winners in these awards over the years and were previous winners of the Master Retailer Award in 2003.

The kbbreview Industry Awards recognise design and business excellence in the bathroom and kitchen industry and are open to all retailers, interior designers and architects working in the bathroom and kitchen field. The award categories for 2007, most of which cover kitchen and bathrooms separately, included; Master Retailer Award, Showroom Award, Designer Awards - for projects costing up to and over 15k and 25k, Young Designer Award, Customer Service Award and Designer Award for Accessible Design.

Running alongside the kbbreview Industry Awards, and also organised by kbbreview, were the International Designer Awards. Now in its 6th year, these Awards recognise the skills of leading bathroom and kitchen designers throughout the world.

Award Categories, Finalists' Details and Winners' Details:
* Master Retailer Award for Bathrooms
- Finalists: The Bathroom Shop, D W Burns, Dream Design and Bodywash Ltd
- Winner: D W Burns
* Master Retailer Award for Kitchens
- Finalists: Premier Kitchens & Bathrooms, McNally Kitchens Ltd, Kitchen Culture and Houseworks Ltd, Dublin
- Winner: Houseworks Ltd, Dublin
* Showroom Award for Bathrooms
- Finalists: Taylors Etc, Dream Design, Puro Design and Bedford Bathrooms
- Winner: Taylors Etc
* Showroom Award for Kitchens
- Finalists: Dream Design, McNally Kitchens, Houseworks Ltd in Belfast and Greenhill Kitchens
- Winner: Houseworks Ltd in Belfast
* Designer Award for Bathrooms - project costs over £15k
- Finalists: Ripples in Bristol, BAD Ideas, SHH Architects and Midland Showers and Bathrooms Ltd
- Winner: Timothy Baber, Ripples in Bristol
* Designer Award for Bathrooms - project costs up to £15k
- Finalists: Quirke-McNamara Consultancy (Susan Quirke 1), Quirke-McNamara Consultancy (Susan Quirke 2) and Sarah Louise Ireland, Ripples in Cheltenham
- Winner: Sarah Louise Ireland, Ripples in Cheltenham
* Designer Award for Kitchens - project costs over £25k
- Finalists: Acanthus, Colliers, In Design and Kitchen Culture
- Winner: Scott Lawrence, Kitchen Culture
* Designer Award for Kitchens - project costs up to £25k
- Finalists: McNally Kitchens, Molten London and Greenhill Kitchens
- Winner: Peter Leonard, Greenhill Kitchens
* Young Designer Award for Bathrooms
- Finalists: Deana Ashby for Ripples in Bristol, Jessica Blake for Ripples in Chichester and Kiran Bhudia for In Design
- Winner: Jessica Blake for Ripples in Chichester
* Young Designer Award for Kitchens
- Finalists: Sally Gasking for Kitchen Culture, Darren Barker for Nicholas Anthony and Carissa Snelling for Nicholas Anthony
- Winner: Sally Gasking for Kitchen Culture
* Customer Service Award for Bathrooms
- Winner: Dream Design
* Customer Service Award for Kitchens
- Winner: McNally Kitchens
* Designer Award for Accessible Bathrooms
- Winner: Alison Wright, Easy Living Home
* Designer Award for Accessible Kitchens
- Winner: Alison Wright, Easy Living Home
* International Designer Award for Bathrooms
- Finalists: Luke Interiors in Australia, Ingrid Geldof Design in New Zealand, Lori Carroll in USA, XTC Design Incorporated in Canada and Timothy Baber, Ripples Bristol in the UK
- Winner: Timothy Baber, Ripples Bristol in the UK
* International Designer Award for Kitchens
- Finalists: Sublime Group in Australia, Shane George in New Zealand, Thomas Trzcinski in USA, Binns Inc in Canada and Scott Lawrence, Kitchen Culture in the UK
- Winner: Scott Lawrence, Kitchen Culture in the UK .

Many of the winners will be showcasing their latest product innovations and designs at the bathroom and kitchen industry trade event, Bathroom & Kitchen EXPO in May at the ExCeL exhibition centre in London. For more information on Bathroom and Kitchen EXPO and to register for a free ticket to attend, visit http://www.bkexpo.co.uk.

Planit Users Feature Prominently in kbbreview Industry Awards

Winners of the 2007 kbbreview Industry Awards held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London on 5th February, included a significant number of users of Planit International’s Fusion design and visualisation software for the kitchen, bathroom and home improvement markets.

Now in its 12th year, the aim of the prestigious Awards is to applaud the best businesses and designers in the KBB market. Retailers, showrooms and designers are invited to compete with the best in achieving recognition for high standards of customer service.

Scott Lawrence of Kitchen Culture, based in Esher, Surrey, was delighted to receive the Designer Award for Kitchens (with a project cost of more than £25,000) from Alastair McPheat, managing director of Planit International. This Award is sponsored jointly by Planit and Whirlpool.

'Our involvement in sponsoring this important Award reflects our firm belief in supporting design excellence in the KBB market,' says McPheat. 'Out of the 10 categories it is encouraging to see Planit customers as finalists in seven and winners of four. This serves to reinforce the power of Fusion software as the industry’s benchmark tool, enabling users to enhance both their design capabilities and sales potential.'

Planit customers won the Master Retailer Award for Kitchens, Showroom Award for Kitchens, Customer Service Award for Bathrooms and Customer Service Award for Kitchens.

Web: http://www.planitsoftware.com

No Shutdown for Ideal Standard Bulgaria

The American Standard plant in Sevlievo will not be shut down, Bulgarian economy minister Rumen Ovcharov was assured last Wednesday by David Modi, vice president of the U.S. parent company, and by Krasimir Kopchev, executive director of the local unit.

The American Standard executives were invited to meet with Ovcharov in connection with the plans of the U.S. company to shed its bathroom-and-kitchen business.

The orders are stacking up and there will be 115 job openings by mid-2007, said Kopchev. He added that the company will continue to export the bulk of its output.

American Standard recently announced it will sell its bath-and-kitchen unit as part of a restructuring effort that will allow it to focus on its biggest business - air-conditioning systems and services.

The buyer of the bath-and-kitchen unit will acquire American Standard's production assets in Sevlievo: the Ideal Standard Bulgaria maker of sanitary wares and the Ideal Standard Vidima maker of tapware.

Marflow's English Style Books in at Philadelphia Hotel

A popular east coast US hotel is giving its customers British bathroom elegance, refurbishing all of its suites with Marflow Engineering's St James range of brassware.

The Windsor Hotel in Philadephia has chosen the traditional Victorian-inspired design to add the finishing touch to the new Italianate-style marble and English cherrywood bathrooms.

All products have been supplied by Bristol and Bath in Philadelphia, Marflow's exclusive distributor in the US.

The hotel was built in 1963 and this is its first major refurbishment. 'The hotel management is looking to attract customers from across the Atlantic and realised that European amenities like thermostatically-controlled showers that reach the required temperature in under a minute, heated towel rails and fine bathroom furniture would be expected,' explained Bristol and Bath director, Bryan Melville.

'American bathroom design is less developed than that in Europe and the luxury touches of the St James range means the Windsor Hotel can offer something out of the ordinary.'

The hotel is being refurbished at a rate of ten to 20 rooms a month and the bathrooms are fitted with several pieces from the St James range, including thermostatic showers, basin mixers, glass shelves, single and double towel rails, shower seats, shower tidies and toilet roll holders.

The refurbishment is being carried out on a rolling programme and will encompass all 300 of the hotel's suites.

Hotel general manager James Brown is delighted with the quality of the products.

'[It is] the perfect addition to the Windsor Hotel's new bathrooms,' he said. 'Elegance and simplicity comprise the look of the rooms, and Bristol and Bath's beautiful wooden English bathroom furniture with fine marble countertops and chrome fixtures ensures every visitor will feel like royalty.'

David Stone, Joint Managing Director at Marflow Engineering says: 'The St James collection has always been very popular, but it is now our best selling export product and used for house, apartment and hotel refurbishments as well as new build in over a dozen countries. There will always be a demand for traditional products and this range offers unrivalled choice and quality.'

Marflow Engineering is a recognised market leader in the design and manufacture of a wide range of showers, mixers, taps and bathroom accessories. Marflow has been established for nearly forty years and maintains an enviable reputation for excellence in design, innovation and service.

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

Marbrex gives New Apartments the Finishing Touch

Fully-fitted bathrooms at a prestigious development of 30 luxury two-bed apartments in Worsley, near Manchester, have been completed using Swish Building Products low-maintenance Marbrex wall-covering range.

The material was chosen instead of traditional tiles for use at the new Marshes Fold development because of its easy application and effective thermal properties. It was the first time the material had been used by Swish customer Recomac Developments.

Development manager Arthur Macklin explains: ‘I was already familiar with Marbrex as I had seen it used before at a relative's house in Ireland. When this development came up I wanted to try the product out, so I used Marbrex in four test sites on the development, including two show homes.

‘When our interior designers saw the results, they were so impressed we decided to roll-out Marbrex across the entire development. I definitely plan to use it again. It saves so much time and labour and gives a great finish every time.’

As it was the first time the company had used Marbrex, Swish provided Recomac with a comprehensive support to advise on the most suitable colour-schemes and styles for the development.

‘We found Swish extremely helpful from the word go,’ says Macklin. 'The company was full of useful advice on getting the best out of the product and was able to deliver products exactly when we needed them - one of the most important factors when working on time-sensitive projects such as this.’

The Marbrex system features tongue and groove joints that are waterproof and do not require grouting. With an open cell structure that helps to insulate the room and reduce condensation it produces an easy to clean surface that does not harbour mould or germs. Marbrex conforms to the General Hygiene Regulations 1995 and also has a Class 1Y fire rating.

For more information on Marbrex please visit: http://www.swishbp.co.uk. For more information on Recomac Developments please visit: http://www.recomac.co.uk

Felsted ‘Very Happy’ with Hoffmann

Started 18 years ago as a general joinery company Felsted Cabinets was formed nine years ago as owner Steve Tooley found the demand for the company’s bespoke kitchen and bedroom furniture soon became the main and finally exclusive product line of the company.

Felsted supplies to order to architects, specifiers, the trade and individual customers. Some of the company’s kitchen furniture has been installed as far afield as Spain.

Working mainly in hardwoods, Felsted has the capability to manufacture to any order. For instance, as Steve Tooley explains, the company manufactures out of Poplar for painted work but has also had calls for Maple, Character Oak, Ash and North American Black Walnut.

All the company's furniture facades feature the traditional in-frame design. In the past Felsted used a system of router jigs to form the joints but around five years ago Steve Tooley read about the Hoffmann system for dovetail jointing face frames in the trade press.

Following investigation and a demonstration from the Hoffmann Machine Company, Felsted invested in a Morsø guillotine for cutting the haunch joints and a Hoffmann MU2 manual keyway router to cut the slots for the serrated Hoffmann keys.

Once these two processes are completed the keys are inserted and the opposite joints pulled securely, accurately and permanently together.

‘This system is far faster and more accurate than our previous method’ explains Steve Tooley. ‘It's extremely easy to operate and anyone in our workshop can do this. We're really very happy with the Hoffmann system in fact it's a pity our competitors have to know about it!’

The quality of Felsted Cabinets' kitchens and bathrooms is the reason for the company's ongoing success. The first and most consistently viewed and used part of the furniture are the doors and drawers and, using the Hoffmann system, the frames in which they sit remain perfect and constantly secure.

Tel: 01524 841500
Email: info@hoffmann-uk.com
Web: http://www.hoffmann-uk.com