The KBzine

KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
10th September 2019

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International News
Products

VitrA announces UK premiere of Claudio Bellini collaboration at designjunction 2019

Leading bathroom brand VitrA has chosen to premiere Equal, its latest designer collaboration, in the UK for the first time at designjunction 2019. Now in its ninth year, designjunction has proven itself to be the most anticipated exhibition of the London Design Festival, attracting over 27,000 visitors across five days in 2018.
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Rangemaster introduces new granite sinks

Rangemaster has expanded its Igneous Granite range of sinks with the introduction of new Mayon, Mica and Paragon models, alongside a new Dove Grey finish.
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Airuno launches powerful new wall hood

A new contemporary wall hood has been launched by designer cooker hoods brand Airuno, expanding its extensive collection of eyecatching kitchen appliances.
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Uponor endorses IDS Malmo Rigid luxury vinyl tile for use with its underfloor heating system

IDS's luxury vinyl tile flooring, Malmo Rigid is the first flooring in its category to be endorsed by underfloor heating firm Uponor for use over its Minitec water-piped underfloor heating (UFH) system.
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Commercial stainless steel wc now in a white finish

British manufacturer, Pland Stainless, has introduced a new white powder coated version of its popular Atlanta2 back-to-wall WC pan. This new model offers the same hygiene and strength properties as stainless steel but in a clean white finish.
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New Tampera Hot from Blanco 3-in-1 hot tap delivers 100°C filtered water; in an instant

Quite simply, the new 3-in-1 Tampera Hot from Blanco is all that is needed for instant, beautifully filtered, 100°C boiling water at the twist of a child-safe lever; from an ultra-safe, super-hygienic and taste-free, four-litre titanium boiler.

Featuring an insulated spout, it offers all the benefits in terms of time, energy and space of a hot tap, with no need for optional extras, delivering deliciously pure cold, warm and instant boiling water from a single mixer tap which oozes engineering quality.
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Lunar-inspired laminate celebrates 50th anniversary of moon landing

To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, Formica Group has partnered with renowned artist Matthew Day Jackson to create a unique laminate design replicating the surface of the moon.
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Mix & play by combining three different designs from Schmidt, for something truly special

Planning for a new kitchen can be a difficult task when there is so much to choose from in terms of cabinetry style, finish and colour. Add worktops, appliances, lighting and finishing touches to the mix and it's easy to see why it can be a daunting thought.
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Copper finish added to VitrA's Eternity by Sebastian Conran

Warm, glowing copper is having its moment in the spotlight as interior designers use it with contrasting materials to create a variety of feels from mid-century cool to Scandinavian luxury. VitrA has extended its popular accessory range, Eternity by Sebastian Conran, by adding a luxury copper finish to the existing chrome and gold finishes.
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Hoover reveals latest WiFi and large capacity laundry launches

Hoover has unveiled details of its latest laundry launches, including WiFi-connected, large-capacity models and a heat pump tumble dryer with an ultra-quiet drum.

WiFi-connected washing machines can be controlled and monitored through the Hoover Wizard App, which provides access to additional washing programmes, maintenance advice and the user manual.
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Welcome to the
KBzine

I had my computer fixed this week and in talking to the technician as he worked, discovered that the once easy upgrades to RAM or the replacement of hard drives are unlikely to be possible in future because the parts which used to be easy to remove and replace are now soldered in. I had loved this brand because I had felt that in producing computers which could seemingly go on forever, the company was bucking the trend of producing cheap, throwaway products that end up polluting our environment - and instead marketing something far more sustainable.

We went on to discuss the damage our heavy consumption of new goods is doing to our planet and both felt that these days, if we have the technology to lengthen a product's life, then we should be using it. After all, it's the only responsible thing to do, isn't it?

I don't normally mention individual companies in my Leaders but I have to make an exception this week, having been inspired by the presentation by Arcelik's CEO Hakan Bulgurlu, at this week's IFA exhibition in Berlin. The company has produced a washing machine with a built-in microplastics filter, which will prevent some 90% of the microplastics that normally leech out in the wash, from entering our water systems. And not only could it be available next year, but the company is offering to share the technology with other manufacturers, for the good of the planet.

"Today sustainability is a way of life; it is a business model," he said. "As responsible leaders in businesses, we have to change our act. Plastic pollution is one of the biggest problems of our world today. What is very clear is that we have to rethink our relationship and how we use plastics. We must stop polluting the oceans now."

Speaking of the technology, he said: "This is one of the most important innovations to come out of Arcelik. We are prepared to share this technology with anyone who is interested in using it. I invite and challenge our competition today to use this innovation in any way they wish. We need to act. Change begins today, right here."

The washing machine was just one of the exciting environmentally-friendly appliances unveiled by the company. Whether the technology used in these, too, will be shared with the competition is another matter, but this gesture by Arcelik may well have opened the doors to a better way of manufacturing that will be of benefit to us all.

Yours,

Jan Hobbs

This Week's News

Yvonne Orgill joins BiKBBI

Respected industry leader and CEO of The Bathroom Manufactures Association Yvonne Orgill, has joined The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation as the latest member of their Advisory Board.
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Increase your sales by at least 30% with 4D Theatre, or your money back

Independent KBB retailers are being offered the opportunity to increase their sales by 30% by using Virtual Worlds 4D Theatre, or the software provider will give them their money back.
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GoodWeave launches £12K designer rugs charity raffle

GoodWeave is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the launch of an online charity raffle with two amazing designer rugs - with a retail value of around £12,000 - from luxury brands Deirdre Dyson and The Rug Company as the star prizes.
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BC Designs showcases flagship bath collection at London Design Fair

Innovative bath maker, BC Designs, is to exhibit at London Design Fair for the first time.

The company will showcase three of its flagship baths - Copper Boat Bath, Kurv and the Casini - the latter in Satin Rose following the launch of its Colourkast solid surface baths.
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AKW launches innovative new wet room former

AKW, one of the UK's leading providers of accessibility solutions, has launched Tuff Form8, a super-strong, innovatively designed, easy installation wet room former.

It combines all the benefits of AKW's existing Tuff Form former with a new octagonal fitting plate, allowing for up to 15 different waste positions and ensuring easy installation every time.
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Rangemaster introduces new Nexus Steam dual fuel range cooker

Steam cooking retains foods' moisture, flavour and nutritional value, making it one of the healthiest ways to cook. Rangemaster's new Nexus Steam uses pure steam injection to rapidly heat its cavity. The technology allows the user to control the temperature to within a single degree for precise and flexible cooking. It also prevents the transfer of flavours, allowing the user to cook different types of foods at once.
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Blueair air purifiers awarded Quiet Mark

Blueair, a world-leader in air purification for home and professional use, has received the coveted Quiet Mark seal of approval for its whisper-silent, energy-efficient air purifiers.
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Ray Isted legends film from Acres Consultancy

Well known industry professional Ray Isted is the third KBB professional to take part in Acres Consultancy's 'Industry Legends' series - launched to share the thoughts and advice of some of the most successful professionals in the industry.
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City living with Caple's sophisticated Sassari bedroom

Caple's new Sassari bedroom furniture collection has been designed with modern living in mind. With three on-trend colours to choose from, Cashmere, Mussel and Grey, you can design and create a bedroom with one statement shade or even mix and match more than one complementary colourway for a more personal finish.
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New user-friendly website for JP

JP Kitchens and Bathrooms has launched a new website, developed to provide its customers and business partners with a more user-friendly browsing experience.
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Wilsonart appoints new senior project manager

Paul Neal has joined Wilsonart UK, in Shildon, County Durham, as a new senior project manager working with the company's growing specification team.
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BMA raises almost £4,000 for Children's Burns Trust

The Bathroom Manufacturers Association has raised £3,895 for the Children's Burns Trust. The money was raised by BMA members that supported the golf days and charity raffles which took place during previous Bathroom and Kitchen Conferences.
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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:

Jan Hobbs
Publishing Editor
Email:[email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)1372 811 307
Mobile: 07980 288 373

John Austen
Publishing Director
Email:[email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)1580 755 863
Mobile: 07766 707 888

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