KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
9th May 2019
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 International News
Products Wall-hung WCs made easy with striking glass casing Vitrus from VitrA
Orsoni from Trend for beautiful mosaic surfaces
Award-winning artist Dror designs masterpiece tap for Franke
Bora Pure: Design on a whole new level, scaled down to the bare essentials
Be inspired by new kitchens from Keller
The brochure is packed with beautiful imagery of stylish kitchens and a focus on each model's detail such as handle trims and lacquer cabinetry, to show it off to its full advantage. New Hotpoint fridge freezers offer extended freshness
TKC adds Dust Grey colour to its contemporary Lucente and Vivo+ ranges
LochAnna Kitchens now available on Compusoft's Winner Design
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Did you hear about the woman who went missing for two days last week, who had become trapped in a lift? As if that ordeal weren't bad enough, rumour has it that she had to drink her own urine as she was becoming dehydrated and she thought it might help. I know people who do that for health reasons but I just can't get my head around the idea somehow, trapped and dehydrated or not... The reason I mention this is that the woman is a cleaner, & she's not the first cleaner - and won't be the last - I've heard about who's become trapped while working alone or moving from one part of the job to another. It occurred to me that the people at the sharp end of our industry - the thousands of kitchen and bathroom fitters and maintenance/repair specialists - are often isolated when they work. After all, a sensible householder will choose to vacate at every opportunity, surely, over trying to function at home when there's hammering, drilling and the sound of electric tools cutting and grinding through wood and metal? An installer's/repairer's work isn't easy - often it's carried out in enclosed spaces and many of the items being fitted/repaired will be heavy and of a size that makes manoeuvreing them for work before being dragged into place, somewhat difficult. Accidents will and do happen. If you're alone in a property and are conscious and close to your phone, you can make a call; but if not, how can you summon help? Is it just a case of waiting until you're missed in the hope that someone will get to you before it's too late? Just imagine lying on a cold (and possibly wet) floor with a slipped disc, dislocated shoulder or with your arm wedged and immovable under something heavy, like a washing machine... I've written about lone worker tracking and monitoring systems in the past and was wondering whether anyone in our industry uses them for safety reasons, rather than just to keep tabs on the workforce to ensure they're actually working? For small or sole businesses, the expense would be too great, but how about those who are members of a trade association? Are there any schemes I wonder, whereby associations offer the possibility of tracking and monitoring members for the enhancement of worker safety? If not, is it something you'd like to see put in place? Yours,
 This Week's News
Designing outside the triangle
"The so-called kitchen triangle is now redundant. Gone are the days when work in the kitchen was seen as a chore to be done as efficiently as possible, usually by only one person. The kitchen has become our studio for creating and socialising - it's the social hub. Saniflo launches Kinedo Kinespace shower enclosures
Available in four sizes, the range features chrome profiles with some versions also available in statement black or 'on trend' copper. Shine bright with gold mosaics
Orsoni, a Trend Group brand, which is a traditional Venetian producer of glass mosaics, gold mosaics and Venetian enamel, is encouraging the use of gold in today's modern world. Traditional with a modern twist; Blanco's Faron sink
The Faron XL 6 S comprises a generous bowl with a draining board which features double grooves. The look is reminiscent of country-style panelling; the grooving in the seamless surface enables water to run off and the Silgranit PuraDur finish prevents stains. New cool compact wine storage from Danby
This bijou cabinet is the first of a comprehensive range of wine-cooling units coming on stream and available from distribution partner Exertis. Growth continues at KBSA with four new members
The latest new retail members include Abbey Kitchens in Cheltenham, Ktchns in Rickmansworth and Red Kite Kitchens in Beaconsfield. The new foundation member, Handcrafted By Woodworks, (pictured) also manufactures its own bespoke furniture on site in Northampton. InSinkErator announces combination tap and food waste disposer promotional offer
Working with InSinkErator distributor partners, the latest promotion enables InSinkErator kitchen retail customers to purchase the two promotional products at a discounted price, with the option to install or to use them in any way that supports the business. The special offer is designed to support kitchen specialists and ensure they have all the tools to effectively demonstrate and display the two products. Striking concrete-style worktops from Königstone
The four shades in this range - Shell, Fossil, Sand and Clay - expand on the existing 24 colours from the König Quartz worktop portfolio. LDL introduces new brand partner
As a member of the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers, the company is dedicated to achieving the very highest quality attainable. From the high copper content of its brass, to the specially developed technology incorporated into its hinges, Simonswerk is committed to the pursuit of perfection in its work. Panelstyle updates its Splashpanel PVC bathroom panelling range with eight new décors
The new décors include classic White Marble Matt and White Marble Gloss; the textured looks of Weathered Stone, Metallic Concrete, Grey Concrete Matt and Grey Concrete Gloss; and vibrant decors of Blue Quartz (pictured) and Grey Quartz. Phone fear affects over half of UK office workers (but clearly not the one pictured)
Fear of making or taking calls, also known as 'Telephobia', is a real thing that's not just limited to fear of calling a loved one or ordering a pizza. Jill Isenstadt, interviewed by the BBC, is the vice president of coaching for Joyable and stated they have clients who are "held back in their careers" due to the thought of interacting with others over the phone - "For a lot of people, getting on the phone is a particularly complex interaction. You have to think of things on the fly and you have to respond to what someo  The KBzine Archive Search We keep an extensive archive of news stories and product information that have featured in past issues of The KBzine. If you would like to run a search of the The KBzine web site using the search tool below please just go ahead by entering in the name of the person, product or company or any other key words that you are looking for. How to contact us at The KBzine:
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clicking the link above. Recent News
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People
Gary Nolan is promoted to regional sales manager, Blanco UK
Gary has worked for Blanco for seven years. His new role means he is responsible for developing effective sales strategies and focusing on customer satisfaction within the Kent and Essex areas. New operations manager appointed for Kitchens International
Literature
'Free Trade' with Euro Brochure by Vogue (UK)
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