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28th January 2021
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Carron Phoenix
Carron Phoenix had an enormous stand, which Sales & Marketing Manager Neil Clark (pictured below) explained had been set up as six pavilions to make navigation easier for those visitors searching for a particular range or something in a particular price bracket. Clever that!
Neil explained that the company was launching new sinks, taps and cooker hoods at the show as part of its continuing drive for a comprehensive portfolio based on the principles of affordably, good design and long-lasting quality.
He said that in addition to the new launches, the company was showcasing all of the products launched in Summer 2011, further underlining the full depth and breadth of what's on offer to retailers from a company with more than 250 years' of manufacturing heritage in the UK.
But perhaps we need to start with something that will be music to the ears of those battling the cuts everyone's having to make in these troubled times... Carron Phoenix is also relaunching its popular Essential Collection - renamed the Essential Value Sink & Tap Pack Range - with an overhauled product profile and a clearly designed new eight page brochure.
"Carron has carefully researched the market to come up with a range that offers an 'All-in-One Exceptional Pack Price', strategically geared to give the retailer a competitive selling tool with attractively discounted prices on pack purchases together with wider design flexibility and simplicity of use," explained Neil.
The product range has been upgraded to respond to current market needs with a wider offer in both sinks and taps. There are five sink ranges available offering a choice of 14 different models. These are: the Precision Plus in stainless steel; Zeta stainless steel in both inset and undermount options; Carisma stainless steel; Summit in granite; and Shonelle in ceramic. All have been selected for their broad-based appeal to consumers.
The improved tap selection offers seven different tap styles, increased from just two previously and counting different finishes, makes a total choice of 14 options to choose from. The choice includes: two brand new styles of Pura and Henley; the existing Aztec tap; and popular sellers drawn down from the retail offer and which will now only be available on the Essential Value range. These are Zeta, Lucida, Alba and the Inca Filter. A key benefit of Carron Phoenix's range over competitors is that a sink can be combined with any of the taps in the range for a single fixed price, without having to juggle between upgrade options. This gives the benefit of wider design flexibility for the consumer, while also keeping things simple for the retailer.
The new tap offer directly responds to growing market demand for style and affordability in the £100-150 price range. Neil explained that the company's research shows that the value-conscious consumer has downgraded his or her average tap spend from £200 to £100-150 and the taps here fall comfortably within and also underneath this bracket, appealing to the consumer while offering the retailer a sufficiently generous margin.
"The Essential offer gives retailers the product quality and assurance of a Carron branded product with the benefits of greater design flexibility, ease of use and great margin opportunities," he said. "We have shaped this offer around their needs and are confident that it will give them a strong selling tool more than ever in the current market."
Back to the launches... There were three brand new sink ranges offering something new for each level of the market. At the top end is pitched the Silhouette premium glass sink range available in black and sporting contemporary design lines. This super stylish sink is available in a 1.5 bowl left and right-handed model. It combines a glass frame fused with two undermount stainless steel bowls for a stylish take on material mix, while also being superbly practical.
The frame has a low profile perimeter and features sandblasted glass drainer grooves which give a smart contrast detail against the smooth polished glass surface. Silhouette measures 1000 x 535mm overall - with the stainless steel full bowl and half bowl measuring 400 x 340 x 200mm and 400 x 177 x 140mm respectively and fits a 600mm cabinet. Combining chic styling and functionality, this fashion statement sink is supplied with the new Revolution waste and overflow kit as standard and like all Carron Phoenix sinks is guaranteed for life.
For the mid to upper end is Samoa, a granite inset sink model which will be exclusively available in jet black, reflecting the burgeoning popularity of this material and colour. Samoa will be available in a practical double bowl model, measuring 802 x 520mm and fitting a minimum 900mm cabinet. The two bowls are equally sized at 390 x 345 x 205mm, enhancing their functionality for washing, draining, vegetable prep and rinsing.
Chic polished glass covers in black further enhance the style and practicality of this sink. Made from safety glass they can be used as a chopping board or conceal the basins allowing dirty crockery to be hidden away, while also being aesthetically pleasing to the eye offering a stylish design flow with the worksurface. Samoa comes with the smart chrome Revolution waste and overflow kit and stainless steel basket for stacking and drying crockery.
Rolling out as a keen price-fighter is another granite sink range called Debut which marries sound design and functionality. It replaces the Summit range which is being moved to the price-pointed Essential Value Sink & Tap Pack Collection. Debut represents the new value granite product in Carron's retail offer, complementing the keenly priced Contessa stainless steel range which is a popular seller.
Strategically the retailer now has the benefit of a pair of price-pointed sinks in a choice of materials to appeal to the budget-conscious consumer.
Debut will be offered in the four top selling granite colours of jet black, polar white, stone grey and champagne. It comes in two models, the Debut 100 single bowl measuring 780 x 500mm and the Debut 150 one and a half bowl measuring 970 x 500mm. Accessories are a bamboo chopping board and a stainless steel wire basket and strainer bowl.
Two new taps are being added to the retail offer. With 42 tap styles overall on display, Carron Phoenix demonstrated the ability of its tap portfolio to appeal to all sectors of the market and consumer spending brackets.
The new Waverley tap in chrome finish follows the winning formula of the monobloc two lever style but responds to the new design trend for the levers to be positioned higher up on the tap body. Solid chrome paddle levers combine chic styling with an effortless quarter turn action to dispense hot and cold water. The slim cylindrical body and straight spout offer a flexible and timeless design that will blend with a wide range of kitchen styles, traditional or modern.
Measuring 346mm high and with a spout reach of 228mm, it offers the functional advantage of more reach and space underneath for working in the sink area.
The Flora in chrome is another monobloc two lever tap with the more traditional styling of a swan neck with a flared spout and fluted handles and body. It has been introduced to fill the gap between the Victoria and Arterian and provides retailers with a superbly priced tap that works extremely well with the resurgence in traditional and painted kitchen styles currently. It measures 346mm high and has a spout reach of 193mm.
New for the contract market is a range of three entry level cooker hoods aimed at builders and developers. Carron has enjoyed notable sales success in this sector with its dedicated range of sinks, taps and waste sorter bins and is enhancing its offer with a strategically geared range of unbranded hoods at a very competitive price. Three models are available: the Slender 600 and 900mm chimney hoods and the Unity 600mm integrated style. Made from top quality stainless steel, the models combine good levels of extraction performance with a hard-to beat price tag.
For those that couldn't make it to the show, Neil said that a brand new retail brochure will shortly be available, showcasing the full depth and breadth of Carron Phoenix's upgraded portfolio for 2012.
T: 01324 638 321
W: www.carron.com
Top photo shows: The new Samoa granite sink in jet black with glass covers and shown with the new Waverley tap in chrome
16th March 2012