Environmentally
Friendly WC Syphon Commended for Innovation…
Midlands
based manufacturer Thomas Dudley Ltd
has reached the final of the prestigious IWEX innovation Awards.
The awards were presented at a dinner as part of the IWEX show, the leading
exhibition for the water industry held earlier in November at Birmingham’s
National Exhibition Centre.
The
Company’s Dudley Turbo 88 Duoflush syphon, the first with full and
reduced flushing capabilities to comply with the Regulator’s Specification,
was a finalist in the ‘Contributions to Environment & Sustainability’
category.
The Turbo 88 has provided reliable WC flushing for many years. The design
has now been enhanced by the addition of a Duoflush facility that provides
water-saving benefits in WC installations.
We don’t own mother Earth, we’re merely looking after it
for our children …
Ivan Isherwood, Joint Managing Director at Thomas Dudley commented ‘the
Turbo 88 has long been the installer’s preferred choice when replacing
most flushing syphons available. However, the need to conserve water and
energy is becoming increasingly important. Flushing of toilets accounts
for around 25% of domestic potable water consumption. As only one in five
visits to the toilet requires a full flush, a significant volume of water
is wasted which requires huge resources of energy to process, recycle
and pump back into the mains supply. With this in mind, we decided to
develop the ultimate water waste preventer and are delighted to be recognised
in the Innovation Awards’.
Furthermore, the syphon retains the patented 2-part design that is unique
to Dudley Turbo syphons. This allows maintenance to be carried out in
under five minutes without the need to disconnect the water supply and
dismantle the cistern.
The Turbo 88 Duoflush is fitted in low level Dudley Tri-Shell cisterns
as standard and is available as an optional extra in most other low level
Dudley cisterns. It is also available as a spare for the replacement market
where it can be fitted with confidence.
Tel: 0121 530 7002
Email:
sales@thomasdudley.co.uk
www.thomasdudley.co.uk
English
Technology Winner of Product of the Year Award in the USA
A
leading glass publication in North America, US Glass Magazine, has announced
that ClearShield achieved the number
one position in the magazine's prestigious Product of the Year Awards.
US Glass Magazine is a monthly publication that serves the architectural,
fenestration, metal and glazing industries. US Glass has the largest circulation
of any glass magazine in the United States.
These awards were given to those products that received the highest amount
of
reader-service leads during 2002. ClearShield was therefore the technology
that
raised the greatest interest throughout the year.
ClearShield Technologies LLC and Ritec lntemational are very proud of
this great
achievement, and anticipate more growth in the demand for their Low-M
(Low-
Maintenance) Glass technology in the future.
Tel: +44 (0)20 8344 8210
Email: mailto:info@ritec.co.uk
Web: http://www.ritec.co.uk
Award
for Services to the Vacuum Cleaner lndustry
The
BSl has presented an award for distinguished standards development service
in the floorcare industry to Grahame Carpon-Tee.
The award was presented at a ceremony at the BSI in Chiswick. Margaret
Ryan presenting the award remarked, 'Grahame has made on unstinting contribution
to standards development over the last two and a half decades. His determination
and dedication has contributed significantly to the development of the
industry, for which we thank him sincerely.'
Grahame has been connected with the floorcare industry through National
and International Standards development. He is Chairman of the relevant
BSI committees and since 1980 has been Chairman of the IEC equivalent
committee.
Grahame began his career with Hoover at Perivale in 1963, and has devoted
his time and energy to floorcare products since his very first vacuum
cleaner project in 1964. This led him into standards development in 1979.
His experience of the floorcare industry is unrivalled and there is no
greater champion of the UK business, invaluable with the invasion from
the Far East.
Grahame heads up Mearsdon Associates, not only a consultancy dedicated
to all aspects of floorcare advancement and development, with the additional
benefit of contacts with leading design houses, but has many contacts
and experience in general business management.
Grahame may be contacted via Mearsdon Associates on 01225 751 2769.
Kitchen & Bathroom Design Awards - Pictures
The
Kitchen & Bathroom Design Awards organised by Kitchen & Bathroom
Designer Magazine was held at the Mezzo Restaurant in Soho, London last
week. The event was a tremendous success, enabling guests and entrants
alike to see the innovation and talent that is coming through. Some 30
leading industry names lent their support as sponsors to this worthy event,
including Blum, Bushbooard, Carron Phoenix, Franke, Hansgrohe, Laufen,
Insinkerator, Ideal Standard, Jacuzzi, Neff, Planit, Poggenpohl, Smeg,
Waterline and Whirlpool.
The New Designer category entries were truly inspiring - and the judges
had trouble choosing the winners from the excellent finalists. Kevin McCloud
from Channel 4's Grand Designs proved an able host and 'performed' as
a double act with the Awards presenter Sir Terence Conran (who did themselves
a disservice by comparing themselves to Hale & Pace).
Sir Terence used the occasion to decry modern building design, challenging
housing developers to produce something which doesn't just pay lip service
to 'wellbeing' and 'light and space', and called upon the industry to
provide genuine solutions to peoples' living needs.
Here are some of the prize winners.
Kevin
McCloud (far left), and Sir Terence Conran (far right),
present the Editor’s Award to (l-to-r) Simon Taylor, Roberto Pezzetta
and Roger Cooper (on behalf of Robin Levien)
2003 New Bathroom Designer of the Year, Zak Reynolds from Ripples
of Chichester, receives his prize
Amanda Dunlop from Stuart Fraser is the 2003 New Kitchen Designer
of the Year
2003 Bathroom Designer of the Year Mark Mallindine of Feeny
Mallindine Architects
Jason Vickers of Kitchen Elegance is the 2003 Kitchen Designer of
the Year
Get
a copy of The Kitchen & Bathroom Designer for more information
(Tel: 01483-239865, email: edits@designeredits.co.uk)
Fagor
a Finalist in Euro Quality Awards
The
Cooking Business Unit of Fagor UK’s Spanish parent company, Fagor
Electrodomesticos, has been selected as a finalist in the Large
Organisations category of the prestigious 2003 European Quality Award
awarded by the European Foundation for Quality Management. The other finalists
are Siemens Nederland, Medicor in Hungary and TNT Express Nederland.
The choice of finalists follows a lengthy and rigorous assessment process
in which EFQM experts singled out Fagor Electrodomesticos for its open
management system and for a ‘solid corporate culture’ established
throughout its management process.
Its status as a cooperative is one of the strong differentiators for Fagor
Electrodomesticos – a company that the EFQM says has established
profitability and employment as the key targets in its management model,
and whose core values are democracy, work, solidarity and internal cooperation.
In the opinion of the EFQM, the company’s approach fosters the development
of ‘autonomous, active and innovative teams’. Fagor Electrodomesticos
was also singled out for its contribution to cultural, educational and
industrial development.
As a finalist, Fagor is entitled to use the EQA logo until September 2005.
Tel: 0161 877 3533
Email: mailto:sales@fagorappliances.co.uk
Web:
http://www.fagor.com/uk/
Stoves
Scoops Domestic & General Customer Service Award
Cooker
brand Stoves, part of Glen
Dimplex Cooking, has received an accolade in Domestic &
General’s prestigious Total Excellence & Quality (TEQ) Awards.
Proving that post-sales customer care is a top priority for GDC, Stoves
finished in second place – an impressive rise from number seven last
year - with an overall score of 85.62%.
The
Awards are based on results from one of the UK’s largest independent
surveys of domestic appliance service standards. This year over 450,000
questionnaires were sent out to customers following a visit by an engineer,
covering every aspects of customer service - from the moment the initial
telephone call was made right through to the repair engineer leaving the
home.
In addition to speed and efficiency of repair, ‘softer’ issues
were taken into consideration such as politeness, punctuality and attitude
of the engineer. Over 50% of questionnaires were returned.
Paula Hodkinson, customer care director for Glen Dimplex Cooking comments:
‘Providing the highest quality after sales care is an essential part
of our business and vital to protect the reputation of our brands and
the company. We invest heavily in customer care operations as well as
in-depth training for all our engineers. That this award is voted for
by customers is testament to the fact that our plan for excellence, introduced
eighteen months ago, is achieving significant results, which we will continuously
strive to improve.
‘In this time, the company has radically overhauled nearly every
aspect of its customer care service to provide unrivalled after sales
support. With multi million pound investment, a new 83 seat call centre
has been set up with a capacity to handle 34,000 calls per week. The customer
parts centre has also been redesigned and can now dispatch 35,000 parts
per week, whilst a 126-strong team of field engineers is capable of making
over 4,000 service calls per week across all three brands.’
In addition to the above improvements, key performance targets have been
set with the following results:
• Zero terminated or engaged calls
• Each call answered in under 10 seconds
• All correspondence answered within 24 hours
• Choice of AM/PM appointments available daily – plus the option
of first or last appointment of the day
• 90% first time fix rate
• All engineers visit in under 2 days
• 98% of spare parts dispatched within 24 hours
Web: http://www.stoves.co.uk
Daryl
Industries Awarded ISO 14001 Certification for Environmental Excellence
Luxury
shower manufacturer Daryl Industries
has been awarded the ISO 14001 certification for its aluminium anodising
plant – Daryl Anodising - in Skelmersdale, Lancashire.
This
registration to the ISO standard on environmental management systems was
awarded to Daryl Industries following independent audits carried out by
BSI Management Systems.
An environmental working group, led by business systems director Heather
Devlin, was established at Daryl Industries in March 2002 when the company
began working towards the management systems standard. Since then the
team has been focusing on ensuring excellence in the company’s working
practices as well as communicating the importance of achieving the award
to the entire business.
Initiatives that were carried out included a regular newsletter to all
staff informing them of the progress made, as well as a competition for
employees’ children to create environmental themed drawings to display
around the site.
Managing director of Daryl Industries, William Hogg, commented: 'Working
towards environmental excellence is part of the overall Daryl Industries
business strategy and we are delighted that we have achieved this important
standard. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication shown by our
employees, particularly the environmental team.
'It also demonstrates to our customers the approach, attitudes and standards
to which we operate and reinforces our commitment to manufacturing the
best engineered products supported by the best customer service.'
Daryl Industries’ implementation of a waste and utilities management
system has resulted in exceeding the standards set by environmental governing
bodies. The company now has a mission statement of ‘working towards
environmental excellence’ and it is recognised that its efforts have
already had a significant beneficial impact on the environment.
Neil Hannah, managing director of BSI Management Systems EMEA, concluded:
'Daryl Industries has made substantial improvements to its environmental
policies through recognising the importance of sustainability in the manufacturing
sector. BSI congratulates the company on its IS0 14001 award, which will
help them deliver ongoing business and environmental benefits.'
Whirlpool
Corporation Wins Industrial Design Excellence Awards
Whirlpool
Corporation
has received a gold and two bronze awards for home appliance design innovation
in the 2003 Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) competition. Presented
by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and sponsored by
BusinessWeek magazine, the IDEA is regarded as one of the premier industrial
design awards globally.
The company received a gold award for the innovative Whirlpool® Duet®
fabric care system, and its European counterpart, Whirlpool® Dreamspace™.
The company also received two bronze awards for the KitchenAid® briva
in-sink dishwasher, a sleekly designed cleaning aid tucked inside a fully
functioning sink, and the Supermatic® Tapa Lava-Lava® scrubber
lid, a simple but smart clothes scrubbing and drying attachment to manual
washing machines used by customers in Mexico.
The awards highlight a global effort from Whirlpool Corporation's Global
Consumer Design (GCD) department, which includes industrial design and
usability professionals based in offices all over the world including
Mexico, Italy, India and the United States.
'Whirlpool Corporation's global presence makes it possible for Whirlpool
and KitchenAid brands to deliver innovative solutions such as these to
consumers around the world,' said Charles Jones, vice president, Global
Consumer Design. 'From Asia to Europe to North America, we continue
to build on the design and cultural expertise of our global colleagues
to create industry-leading product designs that appeal to the specific
needs and preferences of consumers in markets worldwide.'
This year's IDEA judges evaluated more than 1,137 entries: 38 entries
received a gold award; 38, silver; and 45, bronze. The Whirlpool, KitchenAid
and Supermatic brand products were recognised because they demonstrated
design innovation, benefit to the user, benefit to the manufacturer and
ecological responsibility as well as appropriate aesthetics and appeal.
For example, the Whirlpool Duet washer uses 67 percent less water compared
to conventional washers. In addition, the Duet washer uses 68 percent
less energy that could save consumers up to $120 a year in electric bills.
IDSA's quarterly magazine, Innovation, will feature in-depth case studies
on the gold winners in its Yearbook this autumn. The award ceremony was
held at the Marriott Marquis in New York City on Saturday, August 16th
Brandt
Components Achieves ISO 9001 Certification
Brandt
Components,
the subsidiary of ElcoBrandt and based at its site in Nevers, France,
has attained the ISO 9001: 2000 certification. The ISO 9001 is an industrial
standard which monitors whether there is a quality management system in
a company, whether the company is managing its resources, whether it is
measuring efficiency and analysing ways of improvement. If these requirements
are met, the certification is given.
The ISO registration is becoming a must for companies that do business
in Europe. As ElcoBrandt does business in over a dozen European countries,
including the UK, with the Brandt and the De Dietrich brands, this universally
recognised standard is a welcome achievement. The Group has established
a ‘Quality Plan’, which works across all sites and uses the
same regulations over its processing systems. The implementation of this
plan has already paid dividends as all the Cooking and Washing sites have
already been awarded the ISO 9001: 2000.
Bromsgrove
Company Wins Top Kitchen Retailer Award
Bromsgrove
kitchen retailer A K Fitted Interiors
has netted first prize in a national award designed to spotlight best
standards of business excellence amongst kitchen, bathroom and bedroom
retailers.
Against stiff competition from companies across the UK, the team from
AK Fitted Interiors won the Nova Retail Finance Award for Business Excellence,
presented at the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association AGM
gala dinner held at Oulton Hall, Leeds.
The award, now in its third successful year, was developed jointly by
the KBSA and Nova Retail Finance (now Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance),
the consumer credit services provider which specialises in providing finance
facilities to kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and home office retailers.
In order to win, A K Fitted Kitchens had to complete a detailed questionnaire
and deal with a 'mystery shopper' telephone call. The criteria for selection
included company performance, customer service, marketing, personnel development
and use of KBSA membership.
Runners-up were Elegant Home Interiors of Aberdeen and In-Toto of Cheltenham.
A K Fitted Interiors managing director John Davies said:'We’re absolutely
delighted to have won this prestigious award, it’s a tremendous accolade
and one well deserved by the team at A K Fitted Interiors, which has worked
so hard over the past 12 months.'
The award was presented by Ben Robinson, marketing development manager
of Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance, who commented: 'We had more entries
than ever this year and the standard of entries was especially high. Congratulations
to A K Fitted Interiors who did remarkably well to scoop first prize.
'This award was designed to set a benchmark within the interiors industry
and it certainly seems to be achieving that aim.'