KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
15th June 2012
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International News
Products New brand launch: Live Life The Mereway
An instant coffee is just that, instantly made and instantly forgotten, but a coffee that has had time, passion and effort lavished on it is a coffee to be savoured, enjoyed and never forgotten. This is the philosophy behind the new Mereway Kitchens brand. There are kitchens and then there are Mereway kitchens. An ethos captured in the new strapline 'Live Life The Mereway'. New fridge-freezers: fresher colours, fresher ingredients
Zesty Zurich for fabulous drinking water
EQ launches new 2D Planner for eStore
Concealed dual flow heads come in two styles
EU Policymakers weigh options for water pricing Putting a price on water is essential to encourage savings but EU policymakers are cautious not to spark a social backlash with a one-size-fits-all solution. "Pay more if you use more" is, however, a model which could work, the MEP in charge of water issues told EurActiv.
This variety of contemporary designs incorporates elements of soft curves and straight lines bringing natural and man-made materials into the home. Hafele's new Kato handle range is fast and easy to fit
Hettich opens the way to better sliding doors
Vado sponsors World Cycle Tour
Daring Dynamos are planning to visit some of Vado's international customers during the tour, which is expected to last approximately two years. |
When we broadcast our last issue we'd rather lost track of time and had forgotten that the extended Diamond Jubilee celebrations were upon us! We don't know about your inbox, but ours take some wading through after just a Bank Holiday Monday, so we felt that after a two day break, possibly extended to the full week, you might just be rather too busy to give KBZine the attention it deserves - particularly if you'd taken part in a full four days' worth of partying as opposed to watching the pageantry from the comfort of your own home... Anyway, together with some major problems on the server, we decided it would be a good idea to hold the issue over until this week. Hope you were not too inconvenienced. Yours,
This Week's News
KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
We strongly recommend viewing KBzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
Construction growth continues to slow in May Released last week, the Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index revealed that construction growth continued to slow in May, with output growth hitting a three-month low. New business has risen at much slower pace and confidence in business outlook has dropped sharply since April May data indicated that output increased again in the UK construction sector, but growth momentum slowed further from the near-two year high seen in March. This was highlighted by a fall in the seasonally adjusted Markit/CIPS Construction PMI from 55.8 in April to 54.4 in May.  Q1 figures reflect second highest mark in two years The US National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has released the Kitchen & Bath Market Report for the first quarter. Results conveyed that showroom traffic, which is traditionally up and down from quarter to quarter, rose 8% in the first quarter of the year to 24 consumers visiting the average kitchen and bath showroom in March. While this remains 13% down from a year ago, Q1 of 2011 was a particularly standout quarter. This quarter's figure is the second-highest mark over the past two years.
Part of the Modern Life collection, this luxurious handle has an understated elegance with its soft curves and flat lines. It is available in four different lengths with a polished nickel finish and has been designed to complement various types of furniture around the home including the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. For more information on handles or for the full range of Hafele products, T: 01788 548811 Curves in all the right places...
Whirlpool introduces the new Gusto microwave oven
Whirlpool's new Gusto GT 285 BL microwave oven boasts the quality cooking performance expected from an oven at the greater speed of a microwave. KitchenAid's new built-in coffee machine has automatic cappuccino function
The KitchenAid KSCX 3625 built-in coffee machine is perfect for satisfying a consumer's craving for a smooth, strong coffee full of character and flavour, and allows consumers to create professional-style coffee in the comfort of their own home. Amica launches 8kg machine in new washing range
Steel allows consumers to design colourful dream hob
Steel's Ascot hobs are perfect to complement the brand's collection of built-in ovens, and allow the consumer to configure their dream hob using the wide range of hob configurations available. Consumers can choose to mix and match between gas, wok-burners, induction, fry-top, deep-fryer, barbeque, ceramic or lava stone grill, allowing them to create an array of exciting meals using their ideal cooking method. All you need is Essential from Carron Phoenix
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Bosch and Methven back UK Water Efficiency Awards 2012
British Ceramic Tile joins 'Great British' celebrations this Summer unveiling plans for change This summer there's no better time to celebrate being the best of British and to commemorate this momentous occasion, British Ceramic Tile has announced a series of key changes as the company implements its ambitious plan to become a one-stop super shop for all tile, stone and glass products.  Anyone needing to specify tiling can do so with complete confidence, thanks to the total support offered free by BAL. The popular name in professional tile adhesives and grouts, renowned for setting standards in tiler training, makes its expertise freely available to specifiers. Figures show public sector house building still low, but private sector making progress Figures released today by NHBC have shown public sector registrations to build new homes in the UK are still below last year's figures. Thames Water has donated 2.5 acres of property in a bid to help a new property-focused crowdfunding website raise thousands of pounds to transform a neglected London dock into a creative hub ahead of the Olympics. Annual Bathroom Conference: booking now Bookings are now being taken for the Annual Bathroom Conference, which is taking place on 9th October at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire and is open to everyone in the KBB Industry. The Bathroom Manufacturers Association's Yvonne Orgill tells us that places are filling up - so do book soon to make sure you don't miss on this popular event, which promises to be even better than last year Dimplex launches online guide to green energy We knew Dimplex was an expert in electric heating, but what we didn't know is that it is also a market leader in renewable energy solutions, with what the company says is the widest range of heat pumps available in the UK. Now the company is sharing its expertise with the launch of a handy new website to guide everyone through all the green heating and hot water options that are available. Apollo continues to drive safety message home As one of the UK's largest retailers of made-to-measure blinds and shutters, Apollo Blinds is at the forefront of the industry's efforts to raise awareness of dangers relating to looped blind cords and is launching a campaign to drive the message home. Smart Systems' free online sales enquiry, quoting & ordering facility is seriously faster! Due to the increasing uptake by retailers creating the need for larger storage facilities, KBBConnect, by Smart Systems, has now upgraded to a more advanced Cloud hosting service provider. In addition to significantly increasing individual storage capacity, add yet further layers of security and give even greater reliability, it can also provide Internet connection speeds up to 50 times faster. Scotland welcomes KBSA at successful regional meeting
People
Andrew Bentley joins Ambiance Bain as UK National Sales Manager
ECF strengthens sales & marketing teams
Marketing
Franke develops useful 'Trade Area' for retailers
Franke is the leading global manufacturer of sinks for domestic use and has a 100-year heritage so retailers can be assured that, in specifying a Franke sink, they will be giving customers the best quality, best design and the reassurance of a 50-year guarantee. |
