KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
24th October 2014
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 International News
Products Retro's back! Indulge in the elegance of yesteryear with Retro Nouveau
Let there be light whatever the hour, with Geberit Monolith Plus
Ben de Lisi for beautiful bathing
Encompassing a complete bathroom portfolio including sanitaryware, baths, bath and shower screens, towel warmers and accessories, Ben de Lisi's organically-designed collection will allow the designer to create the perfect room; while liaising with only one supplier. 'Furniture design is our forte', says Utopia
Geberit announces offer to acquire bathroom ceramics giant, Sanitec
Franke introduces two new Maris tap styles to complement its Maris sinks
The Maris offers the popular U-shaped spout design that works with so many kitchen styles, and features a striking cylindrical body with upright paddle levers. Finished in sparkling chrome or sleek silksteel, the tap measures 319mm in height, has a spout reach of 197mm, and a slim overall width of 120mm. |
The KBB industry’s commitment to manufacturing products that reduce water consumption took on greater importance for me today when I was asked whether I’d willingly drink water that had been recycled from toilet waste. The question came from a friend who’d heard that plans which could see treated sewage water introduced into London's drinking water supply to eke it out, have been backed by 69% of those that responded to a survey, out of the 5,000 people asked. I have two things to say to that: “Who the heck did they ask!” and: “How many people responded?” I gather Thames Water launched the consultation with a view to finding the best way of serving the rapidly growing population in London and the Thames Valley, which estimates predict could, in the not too distant future, reach 10 million. One of the options mooted was the use of recycled waste water. If this scheme were to be put in place, the waste from toilets would be recycled back into the River Thames, drawn out and retreated to make it safe to be streamed into the mains supply. Although the company says it has no definite plans to implement the scheme and that if it does go ahead, it won’t be for at least another 10 years, I understand that a test plant has already been commissioned in Enfield, north London. OK, so I often complain about the cloudy, chalky water we have in Epsom and the awful limescale we have to deal with, which means we get through a kettle every 18 months despite filling it from a filter jug, but I know where I’d rather be living right now! Other, more palatable options that appealed to respondents were the installation of water meters in homes and businesses and a redistribution system, whereby water is transported from areas where it’s plentiful, into other parts of the country that are experiencing shortages – both of which make a lot of sense. Thames Water warns that unless action is taken, there could be a water deficit of around 125 million litres per day by next year, so something clearly needs to be done quickly. Dealing with leaks more rapidly would, of course, be a good place to start… Finally, please accept my apologies for the odd symbols that appeared in the Schueller story last week, which were caused by a corrupted umlaut. Happily, Schueller's furniture itself is a great deal more consistent and comes without any nasty surprises! You can read the symbol-free story here: http://thekbzine.com/pages/8400/brand_designs_for_schueller/
Yours,
 This Week's News
New safety initiative launching next month On 4th November 2014, AMDEA, the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances, will be hosting a reception to introduce stakeholders to 'Register my appliance', the new industry safety initiative aimed at encouraging the public to register their appliances.
There are at least 100 million large appliances in use in UK homes. In some cases the average lifespan is over a decade. In the rare instances that a fault appears in a particular batch, a simple in-home fix can normally banish the risk. Yet, unlike cars, there is little traceability and the challenge facing manufacturers is identifying owners to send in a qualified technician. A Ben de Lisi bathroom mirror - a reflection of design
New bathroom mirrors from the iconic American fashion and interiors designer, Ben de Lisi, are now available to buy at Abacus Manufacturing Group via www.ben-de-lisi.com The mirrors, with discreet gloss white framing, come in three sizes with lighting on the right, left or both. Big Energy Vision will boost market for energy saving home improvements, says Trustmark A new long-term campaign to empower UK households to take control of rising energy bills was launched yesterday with support from TrustMark, the Government endorsed quality mark for tradesmen. Leaders of influential businesses and charities including TrustMark met in London to share their vision to help householders to 'use less, waste less and pay less' for their energy. Together they will communicate clear, simple and consistent messages about the things people can do to control their bills, which includes a wide range of energy saving home improvements and maintenance jobs that can be done by local, reputable tradespeople. Top five tips for selecting your worktop
When it comes to choosing materials for a kitchen, worktops are a key consideration. Modern consumers expect high quality surfaces that look great, are hard-wearing and complete the look of their kitchen. The range of colours, styles and finishes can be a little overwhelming, so it is worth being aware of the top five considerations for consumers that are choosing a kitchen worktop. KBBG launches exclusive membership offers The Kitchen Bathroom Buying Group, part of DER KREIS, Europe's leading kitchen and bathroom buying group, has secured two major exclusive offers for its members. Britannia Living, supplier of the premium Britannia and Bertazzoni appliance ranges as well as Best cooker hoods - and Jetstone, the Hertfordshire-based specialist in stone worktops, have exclusive offers available to members until 31st December 2014.
Britannia is offering all KBBG members an exclusive display deal across its full product offer. Chris Honer, managing director, Britannia Living explains: "We are very pleased to be working in conjunction with the KBBG and supporting its members with this offer. We support and protect independent kitchen specialists with a robust margin protection scheme and we are proud to be differe Burlington in bloom: decorated sanitaryware is coming back!
Pattern is nothing new - Victorian and Edwardian sanitary ware was often covered in a riot of colour, with flowers a firm favourite. The UK enjoyed a brief love affair with decoration on traditional designs in the 80s, and then all white became the enduring key trend. British Safety Council offers free stress advice to businesses
"Businesses managing risks in their workplace are increasingly seeing occupational health as a priority," says Alex Botha, chief executive of the British Safety Council. "A number of factors are contributing - a workforce that is ageing, the changing shape of our economy to one that is more service orientated, the pressures on government and the NHS with the fact that people are living with illness and disease for longer. Hafele expands Essential architectural ironmongery range
As a trusted name in architectural ironmongery and hardware, the company has searched the globe to find the best product at the best prices for its trade customers and the newly presented range of Essential ironmongery offers a selection of improved, new and exclusive products, all of which are competitively priced. 1909 & Metris training is a huge hit with PWS customers
Recent training has included four dedicated on-site seminars at PWS's Design Centre as well as six highly successful roadshow events in Birmingham, Camberley, Oxford and Scotland. All sessions were well attended, with an average of 20 delegates per day, including designers, fitters and company owners. Numbers were kept manageable in order to effectively demonstrate product to the audience. On screen debut for latest Burbidge sales tool
The 'Burbidge Story' is an engaging three minute video fronted by managing director Ben Burbidge. It features interviews from production, factory and marketing managers, along with the many long-standing employees still on the factory floor. The video has been launched to showcase to retailers how the Burbidge core values of producing well-designed, well-made and long-lasting kitchens - borne out of its 140 years+ heritage - extend to today's commitment to investing in modern manufacturing processes and responding to consumer's contemporary needs.
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Homeowners set to spend £6BN on property upgrades Nearly a third of UK home owners are looking to carry out work on their home in the next three years, with up to £6BN in projected works planned annually, according to a new study from the Federation of Master Builders.  Screwfix insight backs up FMB's research
"Our insight from tradesmen echoes today's research by the Federation of Master Builders into the amount of work homeowners are planning to carry out on their home over the next three years. BMA announces new logo and visual brand identity
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