BSH
Appoints New Contract Sales Director
BSH
Home Appliances has appointed Bill Simpson as the company's new Sales
Director for the group's prestigious contracts division.
Bill
Simpson joined the company in February 2005 as part of the contract sales
team headed up by John Watson. Bill was promoted to Contract Sales Director
recently following John Watson's retirement from BSH earlier this year
after more than 30 years service to the group.
With more than 20 years experience of the domestic kitchen appliance market,
specifically in the specialised area of contract development, Bill is
ideally placed to take over the reins from John Watson.
Prior to joining BSH, Bill spent five years with Whirlpool as Group National
Sales Manager for contracts and before that, he was Sales Director at
Burnhill Distribution, a distributor specialising in the contract sales
market. He has previously also worked on contract business at PJH Hopkinson.
At BSH, Bill handles contract sales for all four major appliance brands:
Neff, Bosch, Siemens and Gaggenau. Bill and his team liaise with designated
trade partners to build relationships with builders and developers nationwide
and find the right fit for each of the BSH brands.
With four brands to choose from, BSH can provide appliances to suit all
types of developments, from small, one bedroom apartments to large scale
luxury mansions. After-sales service is provided by sister company BSH
Appliance Care and every BSH appliance now carries a free two year warranty.
Supporting Bill Simpson in the BSH contracts division are Nik Millington
and Sudhir Shah, who between them have spent a total of 40 years in sales
roles with the group. Nik Millington was originally part of the Neff field
sales team and Sudhir Shah started work with the Bosch brand; both now
work across all four BSH brands, reporting directly to Bill Simpson.
'I feel privileged to be responsible for such a prestigious portfolio
of brands in a market where labels really matter as the calibre of kitchen
appliances is usually integral to the promotion of the development' comments
Bill. 'The built-in side of the business is very buoyant right now so
it's encouraging to know that our four brands can satisfy all types of
contract specifications'.
http://www.bsh-group.com
Extending
The Miele Experience
The
success of the Miele Experience Centre in its first 18 months of operation
has lead to the trial introduction of extended opening hours. This gives
customers the opportunity of late night and weekend appointments.
Providing
a unique facility to consumers and retailers, the Miele Experience Centre
in Abingdon, Oxfordshire offers customers the opportunity to see and interact
with Miele's extensive range of appliances and kitchen furniture in a
no-pressure environment, before returning to their chosen retailer to
make their purchase. Customers spend on average more than £3,800
with their local retailer following a visit to this impressive facility.
This approach has proved enormously popular with over 6,000 visitors received
at the Experience Centre since it first opened its doors in March 2005.
As a result, the Miele Experience Centre is now extending its 9.00 am
to 5.00 pm weekday hours to offer late night opening on Thursdays and
Fridays (until 8.00 pm) and all day opening on Saturday (until 5.00 pm).
To
help retailers to maximise sales opportunities by promoting the Experience
Centre to their customers, Miele has produced a stylish new brochure which
provides a tantalising snapshot of the variety and scale of what's on
display at the Centre as well as promoting Miele's popular 'Let's do Lunch'
days.
Experience Centre manager, Nicky Youngjohns comments, 'Due to the sheer
scale of our showroom facility, customers are able to see our vast range
of domestic appliances, kitchen furniture and commercial appliances. With
most machines being electrically live, customers can even try out the
controls to reassure themselves that they are comfortable with the technology.
'Through one-to-one consultations, our specialist advisers are able to
identify our visitors' specific lifestyle requirements and highlight products
and features which best meet these needs. As a result, customers often
decide to purchase additional or highly specified appliances.
'Post-visit feedback confirms an impressive rate of sales conversion with
retailers reaping the benefits.'
For more information about the Miele Experience Centre or to order copies
of the new showroom brochure, Miele retailers can call 01235 554455 or
email enquiries@miele.co.uk.
http://www.miele.co.uk/
Race
& Nairn: Cooking up a Storm at Grand Designs Live NEC
At
Grand Designs Live NEC (6-8 October), the GRANDKitchens & Bathrooms
will feature Celebrity Chefs' Dream Kitchens where visitors will be able
to salivate over cutting edge cooking spaces from John Burton Race and
Nick Nairn and experience the ultimate in modern kitchen design.
Three
Michelin star winner, John Burton Race (pictured), has chosen the luxury
kitchen company, Pedini, for its obvious quality and aesthetically pleasing
looks, which John believes is essential in a domestic kitchen.
Nick Nairn, the youngest Scottish chef to be honoured with a Michelin
star, has chosen Poggenpohl as his favourite kitchen manufacturer, because
of the company's tactile and well-engineered mechanisms, tough nature
and irresistible looks.
From walnut worktops to wet rooms, GRANDKitchens&Bathrooms showcases
the best in inspirational design and materials to bring the most functional
areas of the home alive.
Bathroom expert, Cheryl Gurner, will be part of an expert panel on hand
to offer face-to-face advice in a brand new Resource Centre within GRANDBuild.
And to talk about the lows as well as the highs in good design, Naomi
Cleaver will be giving a free seminar on how 'not to' ruin a house, and
may even share her own bathroom grouting disaster!
For a sniff as well as a nose, visitors will be able to dine in style
at Jean-Christophe Novelli's restaurant in GRANDKitchens & Bathrooms,
experiencing quality seasonal produce prepared with care and passion by
the fabulous Frenchman. The specially designed Grand Designs Live menu
will be offered in the restaurant over the three-day event, with Novelli's
Maitre'd present to ensure diners get the best.
As well as French dining, Grand Designs Live offers bacon sarnies in the
Gourmet Builder's café in GRANDBuild, a Champagne and Seafood Bar
in GRANDInteriors catering for refined palates, and Tapas Bar for outdoors
nibbles in GRANDGardens.
Web: http://www.granddesignslive.com
Ticket hotline: 0870 380 0341
KBSA
Has its Sights Set on Grand Designs
The
Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA) is exhibiting
at the first Grand Designs Live show to be held in Birmingham at the NEC
on 6-8 October.
Its stand will be based in the Grand Kitchen and Bathroom Show - one of
four shows featured at the exhibition, which is based on the hugely popular
TV series. The other shows are Grand Interiors, Grand Build and Grand
Gardens, where in total over 400 of the best designers will be exhibiting.
Lucinda Kenny, operations director of KBSA said: ‘We are very pleased
to be part of such an inspiring event, which has already proved a great
success in London. With so many names under one roof it is sure to provide
inspiration for many consumers looking for great design ideas from our
industry.
‘We will take this opportunity to introduce consumers to ConsumerCare
Plus, our new insurance package which offers enhanced protection and guaranteed
piece of mind.’
The show is open 10am - 7pm on Friday 6th October and Saturday 7th October
and 10am - 6pm on Sunday 8th October. For more information and tickets
call 0870 380 0341 or visit http://www.granddesignslive.com
For more information about KBSA visit http://www.kbsa.co.uk
James
Latham Named Panel Products Trader of the Year 2006
James
Latham has been named 'Panel Products Trader of the Year' 2006 by industry
publication, the Timber Trades Journal (TTJ).
This top industry accolade was presented to Lathams' Director, Chris Sutton
recently by Geoff Rhodes, Sales & Marketing Director of Weyerhaeuser
in front hundreds of guests, which included the guest speaker, former
Director General of the CBI, Sir Digby Jones, at The Savoy Hotel in London.
James Latham won the award after collecting the largest number of nominations
in the category in a poll of TTJ readers which included representatives
from the industry's key customer sectors.
On receiving the award, Chris Sutton commented, ‘We are delighted
to have been given this accolade, which reflects the company's continued
commitment to source an increasing portfolio of value added products in
response to market demands.’
Siemens
Extends Credit Promotion to Built In Appliances
Following
on from the success of its recent 'Pure Card' credit promotion for freestanding
appliances, kitchen appliance manufacturer, Siemens is now extending this
popular scheme to incorporate its range of built in and integrated appliances.
As
before, the scheme is designed to reward loyal dealers for individual
sales of Siemens appliances. For a limited 12-week period from 25th September
until 16th December 2006, this online credit promotion is tailored specifically
to promote the company's extensive built in ranges of cooking, cooling,
dishwashing and washing appliances. Also included are both range cookers
& selected freestanding refrigeration, such as the Cool Media.
The cash rewards are offered online at http://www.purecard.co.uk
via a special debit card called a 'Pure Card'. Each time a sale is registered,
the appropriate amount of cash is credited to the participant's account.
Totals can be checked online simply by logging on to the website and using
a unique password to access the information around the clock, seven days
a week.
The 'Pure Card' is the gateway to Internet shopping at top high street
stores without ever leaving your home or place of work. Participating
stores include Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Argos, Next, The Link and
PC World. Full details of the reward scheme, together with the special
registration forms for the promotion, can be found in the dedicated leaflet
prepared by Siemens.
In total, around 150 built in appliances are eligible for cash rewards
in this new sales promotion. Each appliance is designated a value so that
cash rewards of between £5 and £100 are offered for individual
sales. For example, by selling any Siemens island chimney hood, the participating
dealer would receive £50 credit 'cash back' to spend on his or her
personal Pure Card.
To ensure maximum exposure for the brand in the run up to Christmas, Siemens
has invested a considerable sum of money in above the line press advertising
which will appear in key national consumer home interest titles such as
Ideal Home, Good Housekeeping & House Beautiful magazine.
Comments Siemens Brand Manager, Jane Massey: ‘Having trialled this
reward scheme with our freestanding dishwasher & laundry ranges earlier
this year, we discovered how popular this type of online promotion can
be with our dealers. By extending it to the built in ranges, we are confident
that we will have a similar success story on our hands by the end of the
year!’
Time
is Running Out for First Totally Online Trade Promotion
With
the final quarter of 2006 now almost in view, there are only just over
three months left to accrue valuable points in Gaggenau's first totally
online reward scheme trade promotion.
Called
'Gaggenau Designer', this promotion went 'live' at the beginning of April
2006 via the company's specially created dedicated website at http://www.gaggenaudesigner.com.
After nine months of consistent input from the trade in terms of appliances
sold & points gained, the promotion comes to an end at the end of
the year when a total of fifteen retailers and their partners will each
be winning the trip of a lifetime in a fiercely fought final 'play off'.
To add an element of competition to the promotion, each participating
retailer has been automatically entered into one of three league tables.
At the end of December when the promotion ends, the top five winners in
each league will each win a luxury 4-day holiday to Marrakech in March
2007.
By registering on the website, retailers are entitled to gain points each
time they enter a sale of a Gaggenau appliance, from ovens, hobs &
hoods to dishwashers and refrigeration. Every Gaggenau appliance is eligible
for this heavyweight promotion and points are automatically accredited
as soon as Gaggenau has actually invoiced the appliances. Between ten
and thirty points are accrued for each appliance, depending on the models
- and combinations of models - actually sold by the retailer.
A wide selection of other prizes is also available by redeeming points
online. These include travel vouchers from Thomas Cook, grocery vouchers
from Waitrose & Sainsbury's, department store vouchers from John Lewis,
Selfridges etc and Experience Days.
Comments Gaggenau Sales Director, Adam Roddan: ‘The competitive element
has definitely been an incentive to our dealers in this promotion, as
has the online aspect which has meant flexible 24 hour access for all
participants. Sales figures so far this year show that the promotion has
helped to motivate our dealers to sell more Gaggenau appliances across
the product spectrum. We urge them to accelerate their sales input in
the next three months to have a chance of being one of the fifteen finalists
joining me in Marrakesh next March!’
Maytag's
Autumn Deals on Refrigeration and Drying
1st
October heralds the start of Maytag's autumn promotions. Featuring a raft
of offers across all product groups including refrigeration with flexible
Capital Bonds.
Until
the 31st December, Admiral and Maytag refrigeration and the Maytag Drying
cabinet attract Capital Bond incentives for retail staff. This multi-choice
voucher, widely accepted by most high street stores offers one of the
most flexible shopping experiences, with no end of purchases to be had.
Worth up to £75, the Capital Bond is accepted at an array of national
stores and may be used to purchase anything from shoes to jewellery, hotel
accommodation, meals at restaurants or even green fees and balloon flights
- the choice is yours.
Capital Bonds may be earned on; Admiral refrigeration's side-by-side,
SAC224GB, with full stainless steel cladding and trendy stainless steel
bar handles, attracting a £25 bond; Maytag's three-door TriLogy,
the SOV026TB, liveried in full stainless steel offers a £50 bond;
the popular Maytag SOV225GB side-by-side is worth £75; and finally
Maytag has included the appliance to sort out autumn clothes drying, the
Maytag Drying cabinet, with £25's worth of Capital bonds with every
sale.
Capital Bonds on Maytag's autumn deals are available to all sales people
and operate from the 1st October to the 31st December 2006. To sign up
for the scheme and further details contact your Area Sales Manager or
call Maytag UK for the latest version of Maytag's quarterly marketing
communication, 'Outlook' on 01737 231269 to find out more.
Built-in
appliances, 'magic' corners, flip down TV's, clutter-free zones and breakfast
bars, these are just some of the ways to impress potential house buyers
according to a recent survey by Sigma 3, Wales' leading kitchen manufacturer
and retailer.
When asked what the biggest bugbear of inheriting a kitchen from previous
owners was, customers put lack of work surface and limited storage top
of their most 'unwanted' leftovers.
Other points of annoyance were poor lighting, lack of communal eating
areas, badly fitting cabinets and poor layout of kitchen appliances.
Producing
more than 1,300 kitchen units per week and installing some 3,500 kitchens
annually, the Welsh-based company works with customers, and new house
builders designing kitchens to suit modern lifestyles. Dealing with over
200 customers per week through its showrooms, the company has noticed
a definite increase in the number of customers seeking the perfect house.
‘People no longer seem to be willing to make do with second hand
or inherited items,’ says Mike Broomhall (pictured), Sigma 3's Retail
Development Director, ‘The same can be said when moving in to a new
home. With the kitchen being the hub of the home, unless the buyer is
lucky enough to inherit a perfectly designed and finished kitchen it's
often the first area people will look at improving.'
Customers surveyed also revealed that integrated appliances were high
on home owner's wish lists. Sleek, streamlined finishes where mod cons
can be hidden away, or cleverly designed cupboards where even the most
unusual places can be used for storage, are definite must haves in uber
modern kitchens.
Over the next few years, Sigma believes customers will increasingly be
seeking ways to make corners into curves to create more space and unusual
design touches.
Mike continues: ‘A quality kitchen isn't simply about the style and
finish of the units themselves. The actual layout, the positioning of
appliances in such a way that makes food preparation easier and having
an integrated communal eating area, whether this is a breakfast bar, island
or some other built-in seating area, is equally important.
According to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors the best way to
add value to a home is not by adding wooden flooring, changing the way
a room is used or restoring old fireplaces but rather investing in a conservatory,
loft conversion, central heating, or a new kitchen, all of which will
add value of varying degrees to most properties.
Mike explains: ‘Fitting out your home can be expensive and people
should make sure that it's more than a quick fix, especially if thinking
about selling the house in the future to the next equally discerning buyer.’
Tel: 01443 237732
Web: http://www.sigma3.co.uk
GDHA
Wins Top Customer Service Award for Second Year Running
Glen
Dimplex Home Appliances has, for the second year running, secured the
top spot in the prestigious Domestic & General TEQ (Total Excellence
and Quality) Awards for delivering customer care excellence.
GDHA
has not only retained its number one position but has once again achieved
a record high-quality rating score, beating the previous record it set
in 2005. GDHA achieved 90.61 points out of a possible 100, based on a
series of independent questionnaires sent to customers following a repair
call.
Domestic & General's annual awards are designed to recognise the very
best in customer care operations. The independent nature of its research
provides a reliable indicator of customer experiences and the results,
which are published quarterly and yearly, help set industry standards
for service excellence, encouraging manufacturers to benchmark themselves
against their competitors in a bid to offer the very best in care and
attention.
The award marks the culmination of another dynamic period for GDHA. During
the past twelve months, GDHA has integrated the Lec domestic refrigeration
business into its Prescot headquarters, established a new national distribution
centre in Stoke-on-Trent, launched 79 new Stoves, Belling, New World and
Lec products to market in addition to continuing to develop and refine
its industry-leading customer care operation.
Paula Hodkinson, Customer Care Director at GDHA comments:
‘It would have been easy after last years' win to be content with
our position and service capability, but to stand still is not an option
for GDHA! We are absolutely thrilled to have won the TEQ award for the
second year running and to have beaten our previous record score highlights
just how much work the business has put into ensuring that GDHA continues
to set the standard for customer service in our industry.
We are determined to prove to our customers and to the trade that when
it comes to customer service, GDHA is no one hit wonder. Throughout the
past year we have continued to improve our processes and systems and our
training programmes to ensure that the customer care team in the office
and the engineers on the road are equipped with the tools they need to
do their job well.
‘Our strategy to provide the very best in terms of resources and
training has been rewarded by having a highly motivated team who want
to help and satisfy our customers. Our mission now is to pass the benefits
of our success on to retailers, who ultimately stand to benefit by working
closely with an organisation committed to providing the best customer
care experience for the end-consumer.’
Ken Wilson, Managing Director of Domestic & General added:
‘We are delighted that Glen Dimplex Home Appliances has once again
finished top - particularly as it was achieved with a record TEQ quality
points score. The TEQ Awards are one of the largest independent surveys
of customer service in the UK. This year we mailed out over 350,000 questionnaires
to our customers following a repair visit’.
WF
Makes it a Hat Trick of Wins at Electrical Industry Awards
WF
Electrical has for the third time in succession scooped the top industry
award for Customer Service in Electrical Wholesaling.
The Award was presented at a gala banquet at London's Grosvenor House
organised by the NICEIC, the electrical engineering association to commemorate
its 50th anniversary.
Sponsored by ABB, the award was assessed against stiff competition by
a panel of judges including members of the NICEIC. This year, WF Electrical
was cited by the judges as offering exceptional service to customers and
for placing them at the forefront of its business.
WF Electrical's sales over the past 12 months have risen by more than
twice the Electrical Distributors Association (EDA) figures for the industry
- which show a year on year growth of just 6.3%. WF's growth should reach
21.3% by the year end.
Brian Smithers, WF's managing director, stated, ‘our growth is the
greatest testimony to our attention to service. The accolade we have received
from the NICEIC and the Electrical Industry Awards is a welcome public
acknowledgement of that fact’.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8517 7000
Email: wf@wf-online.com
Web: http://www.wf-online.com
A
Storming Success for GDHA at This Year's CIH Show
Visitors
to this year's CIH Show could not miss the Glen Dimplex Home Appliances
stand, with its vibrant colour scheme, spacious new product displays and
celebrity chefs James and Chris Tanner cooking up a storm.
GDHA had an impressive live cooking area with TV's very own Tanner brother's
on stand demonstrating Stoves Genus oven all day on Monday 11th September.
Cooking not one but three dishes, the famous chefs well known for appearances
on This Morning and for James being a Ready Steady Cook and Saturday Kitchen
regular, demonstrated the benefits of Genus to many intrigued visitors
to the GDHA stand.
Louise Morris, Marketing Services Manager at GDHA, comments: ‘CIH
2006 was a really successful show and provided an excellent opportunity
for us to meet with the trade and talk them through the various new product
launches from Stoves, Belling, New World and Lec.
‘On Monday, the Tanner brothers held four lively cooking demonstrations
on stand using Genus to cook up a feast of roast chicken breast, Thai
style sea bass and bramley apple and sultana compote in a fraction of
the time but with quality results.
‘Visitors were able to get up close and see the Tanners work their
culinary magic with many having their photo taken with the chefs to commemorate
the occasion.’
On stand, Stoves unveiled its all-new Richmond 90cm range cooker whilst
Belling displayed its latest range cooker collection and 60cm halogen
and gas freestanding products.
New
World announced its fresh new look and reinvigorated collection of cooking
and complementary products, with two new freestanding dishwashers, available
in 60cm 14 place and 45cm 9 place settings, and entry price point built-in
ovens in 60, 70 & 90cm specifications on display.
Lec also had many of its expanded and improved range, including the first
60cm under counter fridges and freezers from the brand and a selection
of frost free models.
Louise Morris added: ‘The show as a whole was a massive success and
we hope that everyone who visited the stand enjoyed the demonstrations
and seeing the very latest appliances our four brands have to offer.’
Wolseley
plc Announces Another Record Year
Wolseley,
the world's largest specialist trade distributor of plumbing and heating
products to professional contractors and a leading supplier of building
materials and services, announces its tenth consecutive year of record
results.
These results reflect strong organic growth in North America where additional benefits were obtained from a significant increase in copper prices, partially offset by a decrease in lumber prices in the latter part of the year. There was also an incremental contribution from acquisitions in both North America and Europe. They have been achieved whilst the Group continues to invest in people, facilities and technology to secure future growth.
Summary of Results
* Group revenue up 25.8%, including organic growth of 10.9%
* Significant increase in Group profits:
o Trading profit up 24.7%
o Profit before tax and before amortisation of acquired intangibles
up 21.8%
* Cash flow from operations up 11.1% from £765 million to £850
million
* Strong financial position with gearing(2) of 75.2% (2005: 50.8%) and
interest cover(3) of 14 times (2005: 23 times), before the acquisition
of
the DT Group
* Return on gross capital employed (ROGCE(4)) at 18.8% (2005: 19.1%),
well ahead of the Group's weighted average cost of capital and demonstrating
continuing significant shareholder value creation
* Increase in dividend of 11.4% for the full year to 29.40 pence per share
reflecting the Board's confidence in the future prospects of the Group
Wolseley's US plumbing and heating business, Ferguson, performed very
strongly, achieving revenue growth of 35.1%, of which 24.3% was organic,
and trading profit growth, including acquisitions, of 40.4%. Stock Building
Supply ('Stock'), Wolseley's US building materials business, achieved
growth in revenue, including acquisitions, of 27.4% and trading profit
growth of 40.6%. The Group's businesses in the UK, Ireland, Canada, The
Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and PBM in France also performed well
in their respective markets, although Brossette in France recorded lower
profits as a result of its continuing restructuring.
Group revenue increased by 25.8% from £11,256 million to £14,158
million. Trading profit rose by 24.7% from £708 million to £882
million. After deducting amortisation of acquired intangibles of £48
million (2005: £6 million), operating profit increased by 18.8%
from £702 million to £834 million.
On a constant currency basis, Group revenue increased by 22.8% and trading
profit by 21.6% compared to the previous year. Currency translation increased
Group revenue by £274 million (2.4%) and Group trading profit by
£18 million (2.5%). The Group's trading margin fell slightly from
6.3% to 6.2%.
Reported profit before tax and amortisation of acquired intangibles increased
by 21.8% from £671 million to £817 million. Profit before
tax and after amortisation of acquired intangibles, increased by 15.6%
from £665 million to £769 million. Net finance costs of £65
million (2005: £37 million) reflect the increase in acquisition
spend and higher interest rates, partly offset by stronger operating cash
flow.
Interest cover was 14 times (2005: 23 times). Earnings per share before
amortisation of acquired intangibles increased 19.7%, from 82.60 pence
to 98.90 pence. Basic earnings per share were up 11.2%, from 81.61 pence
to 90.77 pence.
Europe
Construction markets in Europe showed very little growth during the year.
Nonetheless, with the exception of the Czech Republic, which had marginally
lower revenue, all of the continental European operations increased revenue
and most achieved profit improvements. The results benefited from the
effect of acquisitions but were adversely impacted by the fall in Brossette's
profits due to its restructuring and lower profitability in Austria.
Reported revenue for this division increased by 11.1% from £4,637
million to £5,150 million, of which 2.8% was from organic growth.
Acquisitions accounted for £382 million (8.2%) of revenue growth.
Trading profit, after European central costs, increased 2.9% from £307
million to £316 million. European central costs rose by £3
million to £7 million due to the planned expansion of the European
infrastructure to drive future growth and profit initiatives.
The overall divisional trading margin, after European central costs, fell
from 6.6% to 6.1% of revenue, primarily due to the lower trading margins
in Brossette, Austria and the UK and the effect of acquisitions. Margin
improvements were achieved in PBM (France), Manzardo (Italy), Cesaro (Czech
Republic), Electro Oil (Denmark) and Wasco (Netherlands).
In the year, a further net 375 branches were added to the European network,
giving a total of 2,861 locations (2005: 2,486).
UK and Ireland
Wolseley UK's performance held up well against a UK building materials
market which is estimated to be around 4-5% down on the prior period.
Whilst the fundamentals of the UK economy remained positive, with relatively
low interest rates and low unemployment, RMI spending slowed in the first
half of the financial year in response to weaker consumer confidence,
but sales trends started to show a gradual improvement in the final quarter.
Government spending remained a relative bright spot, although there have
been noticeable delays on planned social housing expenditure.
Against this more challenging background, Wolseley UK, which includes
Ireland, recorded a 14.4% increase in revenue to £2,690 million
(2005: £2,351 million). Organic growth of 2.1% outperformed the
market generally, with Bathstore, the retail bathroom offering, and Heatmerchants
and Brooks, the Irish businesses, performing particularly well, producing
double-digit organic revenue growth.
Wolseley UK's trading profit increased by 9.9% on the prior year mainly
as a result of the acquisitions of William Wilson, Encon, AC Electrical
and Brandon Hire, all of which have outperformed expectations at the time
of acquisition. Although the gross margin improved, the trading margin
fell slightly from 7.8% to 7.5%. This was the result of the ongoing investment
in the business to increase the management resource, improve supply chain
and logistics and expand the branch opening programme. These investments
provide a platform for future growth in both the traditional brand areas
as well as those recently entered.
The new national DC in Leamington Spa, which is located alongside Wolseley
UK's new headquarters, commenced deliveries to branches in August 2006.
The regional DC, in the north west, is scheduled to open in Autumn 2007.
These investments and the current initiatives to centralise control of
transport and branch inventory management should enhance customer service,
improve efficiency and support continued growth in the business.
During the year, 288 net new locations were added in the UK and Ireland,
including 262 branches added as a result of acquisitions, taking the total
number of branches for Wolseley UK to 1,858 (2005: 1,570 branches).
Outlook
Although the economic background in the USA is uncertain, the repairs,
maintenance and improvement ('RMI') and industrial and commercial markets
should continue to grow and more than outweigh the softening in the new
residential market. The outlook for Stock will be more challenging but
the diversity of the Group's US operations should enable them to outperform
the market and make good progress overall.The UK market is expected to
continue to show a gradual improvement with Wolseley UK also benefiting
from recent acquisitions, product expansion and enhanced supply chain
efficiency.
In France, growth in the RMI market is likely to remain modest; both Brossette
and PBM are expected to show sound progress.
The Nordic region is expected to remain positive and whilst the majority
of markets in the rest of continental Europe are likely to remain broadly
flat, Wolseley's operations are expected to show growth relative to their
respective markets.
There are a number of business improvement initiatives in place that should
improve performance. The Group will continue to aim for, on average, double-digit
sales and profit improvements through a combination of organic growth
and acquisitions.
The 10% placing of new ordinary shares, announced today, will enable the
Group to continue to pursue its growth strategy and its programme of bolt-on
acquisitions.
The Board expects another year of good progress benefiting from its geographic,
product and customer diversity.
Chip Hornsby, Wolseley plc Group Chief Executive said:
'Achieving a decade of continuous growth is a fantastic achievement by
the Wolseley Group and reflects the benefits of our customer, product
and geographic diversity. More importantly, the fragmented nature of the
construction materials distribution market in Europe and North America
gives us confidence that we can look forward to many more years of substantial
growth. Although the slowing US housing market may bring us challenges
next year, we will continue to pursue our double-digit growth targets
through a combination of organic and acquisitive growth, utilising our
competitive advantages of our scale, people, supply chain and reaping
the rewards of our commitment to delivering customer solutions.'
Tiles
Supplied for Daily Mail Property Award Development
Craven
Dunnill is celebrating the success of new homes developer Cliveden Homes,
which has just won The Daily Mail Property Award for its Holland Park
luxury villas in Bramhall.
Craven
Dunnill supplied all the ceramic wall and floor tiles for the kitchens
and bathrooms in the development, having established a reputation for
punctual on-site delivery, high quality product and excellent customer
support.
Holland Park is an elegant development in Bramhall, Cheshire comprising
five-bedroom, detached villas starting at around £915,000 and four-bedroom,
semi-detached houses selling at around £690,000. Cliveden Homes
designed the properties to be highly aspirational combining contemporary
interior design with high quality craftsmanship. All the bedrooms have
ensuite bathrooms and the house layouts include sunrooms and studies.
Interior Designer, Adele Baddeley, chose a selection of subtle-hued floor
and wall tiles from Craven Dunnill's Renaissance Platinum collection including
matching stone-look, large format floor and wall tiles from the Teak range
made by Tau Ceramica.
Craven Dunnill offers a stocked range of over 10,000 different wall and
floor tiles, many of which can be supplied with an element of exclusivity,
even for smaller developments at competitive prices. Peter Sage, Contract
Sales Manager emphasises how the company sets out to be more than a supplier
of tiles: ‘Our whole approach is to provide complete solutions for
our customers, rather than just to sell them tiles - we spend time understanding
the look they want to achieve and the functional specification and will
always come up with a wide choice of options’.
The company then supports its customer by providing next day site delivery
across the UK.
Tel: 01746 761611
Email: contracts@cravendunnill.co.uk
Web: http://www.cravendunnill.co.uk
De
Dietrich 2006 Autumn / Winter Consumer Advertising Campaign
Focusing
on Innovation and Design as the core emphasis of the brand, De Dietrich
has launched its new consumer advertising campaign.
Using a collection of themed executions, the press campaign will highlight
key products in the range featuring technologies that De Dietrich has
pioneered: the DTI309X 90cm induction hob, the DCM6120X double pyrolytic
range cooker and the DOD448X double pyrolytic double oven. Combining minimalist
yet powerful copy lines with stunning imagery to convey the benefits of
their concepts, the campaign is created to showcase the beauty, innovation
and design of each appliance.
Full and half page advertisements will appear in early front half sections
of quality interiors publications such as House and Garden, 25 Beautiful
Kitchens and the newly launched Source Magazine together with The Times
Magazine and Observer Food Monthly.
De Dietrich Sales (Trade) 01256 308 067
Email: sales@fagorbrandt.com
Web: http://www.dedietrich.co.uk
Wholesale
Domestic and Merlyn at Ideal Home Show Scotland
Luxury
shower manufacturer Merlyn Industries has announced that it is to partner
with one of the company’s largest Scottish retailers, Wholesale Domestic,
at the Ideal Home Show Scotland.
In addition to taking a substantial stand at the show, Wholesale Domestic
is also sponsoring the DIY Theatre, indeed the Theatre is called the Wholesale
Domestic Theatre.
The Wholesale Domestic theatre will host a range of informative lectures,
hands on workshops and advice sessions led by popular TV Personalities
Justin Ryan and Colin McAllister.
Merlyn's doors have been especially customised to allow ‘Scotland's
most popular design duo’ to make their grand entrance on stage via
a blast of dry ice!
Merlyn is set to showcase a selection of Series 5+ and Series 7 enclosures
from the Wholesale Domestic stand. Regional Sales Manager Michael Jones
says ‘We are delighted to be working with Wholesale Domestic on such
a high profile and successful show and demonstrates the strength of our
relationship with the company’.
For stockists contact: Merlyn Shower Industries, 00353567791555, info@merlynbathrooms.com
or visit the new website at http://www.merlynbathrooms.com.
Kitchen
Specialist Extends Customer Reach and Boosts Business with Amcat
Amcat
a global specialist in customer care and interaction solutions has won
a significant contract to supply Bracken Bay Kitchens with its Contact
Centre Suite solution. The bespoke kitchen specialist plans to use the
technology to extend its customer contact capability and improve appointment
setting for its free customer kitchen design service.
The company has eight branch offices across the UK and Scotland, with
its contact centre based at Barnet, North London. The new Amcat solution
will initially support 25 outbound agents extending to 45 over the coming
months.
Commenting on the reasons for choosing Amcat, Christine Fleming, Director
at Bracken Bay Kitchens said 'We wanted a system that was easy to manage
in-house, and one that was user friendly for our agents. We also needed
to extend our customer reach and with Amcat's extensive data management
capabilities we will now be able to grow the company and take much greater
control over our operations.' She added 'Amcat's friendly and extensive
IT support was also a major factor in our choice of system'.
Bracken Bay Kitchens plans to integrate its central database of over 5
million contacts with the Amcat system. Data will be analysed in-house
enabling the company to monitor the success of specific campaigns by geographic
location. Successful areas will then be pinpointed via postcode and new
outbound campaigns will be created to specifically target customers in
those areas.
About Bracken Bay Kitchens:
Bracken Bay Kitchens is fast growing UK bespoke kitchen specialist, supplying
quality kitchens and appliances of the very highest standards. Headquartered
in Highham Ferrers, Northants the company employs 250 staff across its
eight branch offices. With an emphasis on customer care, quality craftsmanship
and imaginative design the company strives to deliver a 'dream kitchen'
to its customers within a specified time. The company offers a Free Design
Service, and qualified fitters install all of its kitchens.
Tel: 0870 6001146
Web: http://www.brackenbaykitchens.co.uk
About Amcat:
Amcat™ is a leading provider of contact centre solutions that helps
employees delight customers. With Amcat's IP-based contact centre platform,
organisations can guarantee that each customer contact is an intelligent,
productive contact, increasing employee morale and customer satisfaction.
The Amcat customer contact platform ensures that companies align their
entire organisation around customer care, providing better service at
lower cost. As a result, companies profit from better customer acquisition
and retention metrics, and ultimately, more revenue and profit. Today,
Amcat is helping over 2,000 companies delight their customers while improving
efficiency, increasing productivity and enhancing professionalism - creating
prosperous companies through better customer service. For more information
visit http://www.amcat.co.uk
or call 0161 772 7100.
Inflexible
Work Beckons as Workers’ Joints Stiffen
The
legislation outlawing age discrimination in the workplace, which comes
into force next month, has been welcomed by Work Wise UK, the campaign
to promote smarter working.
With an increasingly ageing population, UK businesses are going to have
to rely more and more upon the services of more mature staff. ESPON, the
EU’s monitoring organisation, recently revealed the extent of Europe’s
population trend with fertility rates in every single European country
now falling below the population replacement rate. Although immigration
will go some way to mitigate the effects on population, the whole of Europe
faces an ageing workforce, and over time, staff and skills shortages.
UK businesses will face an increasingly competitive recruitment market,
and will have to do far more to attract and retain staff. Government,
employers’ organisations and trade unions are agreed that adopting
smarter working practices, such as home working, flexible, remote and
mobile working, will enable businesses to provide a more appealing working
environment and also a more productive one.
Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, said: 'Employers will have
to adapt their working practices to fit with their ageing workforce.
'Actually, working 9 to 5, five days a week, at a central location is
a bit of an anachronism. It is only culture which dictates this rigid
work structure and is largely unnecessary – Work Wise UK aims to
break down these traditions, which will not only benefit maturing workers,
but all workers.'
The adoption of smarter working practices has a number of other benefits,
such as reducing the need for travel and introducing flexibility into
when travel is necessary, which smoothes out the excesses of rush hours
in terms of traffic and public transport overcrowding, and also reduces
transport-related pollution and CO2 emissions.
Phil Flaxton added: 'The UK is entering a period of significant change
– what we are calling the second Industrial Revolution. This is not
directly related to technological change, as the first Industrial Revolution
was, although technology is certainly at the heart of it, but through
a fundamental change in working practices and culture.'
Further information about Work Wise UK can be found at http://www.workwiseuk.org.
Electrolux
Survey of nearly 2000 SAGA Readers Reveals ’Life Begins at 50!’
In
20 years time nearly 40% of us Brits will be over 50*. The good news is:
50 appears to be the new 40. Which implies that ’life begins at 50!’
This theory is backed up by a recent survey carried out in the UK by appliance
giant Electrolux in association with SAGA Magazine.
Nearly half (47%) of the 1742 SAGA magazine readers (over fifties) surveyed
told us they feel 10 to 20 years younger – while 27% said they felt
5 years younger. Only 23% actually felt their age.
Full survey details can be found at:
http://www.thekbzine.com/newsarchive/ElectroluxSagaSurvey.html
The fact that so many feel younger is no coincidence. The survey revealed
that the over fifties are working at keeping body and mind sharp by eating
more healthily and almost unanimously rejecting the fast food culture.
They also enjoy ’cooking in’ more – and are ahead of the
rest of the population when it comes to trying out new technology in the
kitchen!
Pinot Grigio & Pine Nuts
The stereotype of older people living poor quality ‘meat and two
veg’ lives is a myth according to the Electrolux study which found
81 percent of women and men over 50 are more interested in eating healthier
food these days. A more appropriate image is one of Pinot Grigio and Pine
Nuts!
Technologically Advanced
The Electrolux survey of SAGA readers revealed that many over 50’s
are ‘early adopters’ when it comes to buying into the latest
technology – a massive eight percent said they owned an induction
hob, compared with less than one percent for the general population. Induction
hobs allow you to cook without radiant heat by using the principles of
magnetism. It is faster than gas, safer, cleaner and more controllable.
More (38%) also owned a dishwasher compared with the general population
( 27%) – and one can assume many are more wised up to the water savings
and convenience of dishwasher ownership. Sophisticated taste in coffee
is reflected by 10% ownership of an espresso machine.
Fast Food Gets the Thumbs Down
Fast food such as burgers and pizzas got a massive thumbs down: 87% said
they NEVER or RARELY eat fast food. Only one single respondent of the
1742 survey admitted to eating such food every day of the week!.
More Interested in Cooking at Home
3 in 10 respondents were more interested in cooking and food preparation
– with more than 50% experimenting with new recipes once a month
or more.
British Cuisine Inspires – As Does Italian, French and Indian
When asked which cultures inspired them in the kitchen, 54% cited our
own cuisine in the UK. Next came Italy, followed by France and then India,
reflecting the new multi-culturalism in British food stemming from increased
foreign travel and the plethora of cooking programmes on TV. Even Sweden,
home of Electrolux, is seen as influential – Ikea in the kitchen
in more ways than one.
Satisfaction Guaranteed (from Vacuuming)
Respondents were also asked what they thought about when vacuuming. ’Top
of mind’ for 469 respondents was having a drink (although some thought
about coffee rather than wine or beer), 78 about romantic adventures and
25 wanted to head off into the sunset on a Harley. Most bizarrely, perhaps,
420 said they just liked vacuuming.
*Projections based on National Statistics 2004
Web: http://www.electrolux.com