KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
7th November 2014
We strongly recommend viewing KBzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
Please note that you are viewing an archived issue of The KBzine.
 International News
Products 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. 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. Burlington in bloom: decorated sanitaryware is coming back!
Hafele expands Essential architectural ironmongery range
1909 & Metris training is a huge hit with PWS customers
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. |
I know the link between the KBB industry and what I’m going to say now is a tenuous one, but you’ll see from this week’s news, that I attended the launch of some fabulous new Whirlpool dishwashers this week. This involved travelling to London by train and embarking at St Pancras Station, before walking across and through St Pancras International and along the shopping mall. But despite a frantic search, nowhere did I see a poppy for sale and nor have I seen any in my home town of Epsom. I wear a poppy to show my respect of ALL those who’ve lost their lives fighting what I consider to be unnecessary battles throughout the world and am flummoxed as to why – on the 100th anniversary of the start of World War 1, I’m unable to do so this year. I felt self-conscious walking into the room without a poppy, but noticed immediately from the other people’s lapels that I’m clearly not alone in being unable to buy one! Where have all the poppies gone I wonder? Has so much effort been put into making the wonderful display of ceramic poppies at the Tower of London and the large versions festooning our towns and cities, that no-one’s been making the paper versions? Elsewhere in the news is trouble of a different sort, with Turkish appliance manufacturer Beko being fined £75,000 (plus costs) for failing to reveal to Trading Standards that several Beko cooker models were potentially unsafe, if used with bottled gas when the grill oven door was shut. Sadly, this is a difficult one to recover from, since once a brand is associated with an issue such as this, members of the general public quickly forget what particular part of the company’s portfolio has suffered problems and avoid the brand completely, just to be safe. While next year’s poppy push will no doubt feel somewhat subdued after this year’s extravaganza, I can’t help feeling that the Royal British Legion will find it easier to get back to normal by this time next year than Beko will…
Yours,
 This Week's News
UK Infrastructure ambitions in jeopardy unless skills shortage addressed, says LCCI With 20% more workers required to meet the pipeline of around £96 billion of construction projects in 2014 - 17, the London and South East region is facing a major skills crisis. This could impact the wider economy as early as April 2015, when a total of over 600,000 workers will be needed on site to deliver major projects currently in planning, according to a new report by London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and KPMG.
The Report, 'Skills to build', outlines the labour requirements to deliver construction projects in London and the South East between 2014 - 2017 and the gaps in training that must be filled to meet this demand. Manhattan makes heads turn, not just movies!
Finished in a premium quality gloss foil that produces a mirror-like finish (minimising any orange peel effect); Manhattan offers exceptionally high quality and affordability for the handless look that seems like it's here to stay on the market. BSI launches first global risk management standard for supply chains British Standards Institution, the global business standards company, has this week launched PAS 7000, a universally applicable supply chain information standard for suppliers and buyers at organisations of all sizes around the globe. It will bring transparency and cost savings to the procurement of supply chains.
PAS 7000 Supply Chain Risk Management-Supplier prequalification helps answer three key questions relating to any organisation's supply chain partners: Who are they? Where are they? Can they be relied upon? The standard draws on the collective expertise of 240 professionals drawn from global industry associations and organisations, and it addresses product, process and behavioural criteria for supplier prequalification. Crosswater adds 'Glitz' and 'Sparkle' to bathrooms this Christmas
"We're thrilled to offer something new, something dynamic and on trend to add to our eclectic collection of bathroom mixers," explains Dave Hance, Group Chairman of Crosswater. Lixil Water Technology Group: A new global market leader to be born
Whirlpool launches new dishwashers with PowerDry option
As we witnessed during Wednesday's launch, this PowerDry option makes clouds of steam a thing of the past when you open the door after dishwashing - and everything, including plastic items, is perfectly dry and ready to put away! The machines are incredibly quiet too... New arrangements regarding Liebherr in the UK Liebherr-Hausgerate GmbH, responsible for the Liebherr Group's domestic appliances division, has decided to establish its own organisation in the UK, providing sales and service of Liebherr refrigerators and freezers in the future. Liebherr has come to an arrangement with the current importer, Coolectric, whereby its business activities relating to Liebherr will cease. "We would like to thank Coolectric for their contribution over the years," says the manufacturer. Abode's popular Connekt flushfit sink now available nationwide
The sink with its ultra-thin edge detailing, delivers a sleek, contemporary look to any chosen worktop. Both 1.0 and 1.5 bowl sinks are manufactured in premium 18/10 grade stainless steel, have distinctive drainer patterns, are both reversible and are quite simply, all-round stunning designs! Idiots on Ladders contest reaches new heights
Aimed at spotlighting the importance of ladder safety and training, submissions can come from anyone anywhere in the world, and after being vetted by Ladder Association experts, the worst - and often most dramatic - examples are added to the Idiots on Ladders album on the Association's Facebook page (facebook.com/ladderassociation). Hafele announces winner of national trade competition
Jon Swain was presented with his cheque for £5,000 this week, after being randomly picked as the lucky winner in the 'How do you say Hafele?' competition. The competition saw over 300 entrants submit a video clip of themselves to the Hafele UK Facebook page saying: "This is how I say Hafele," for their chance to win a number of prizes, including 50 Festool CXS drills, Hafele t-shirts for every entry, and a top prize of £5,000. The bar mixer with the Exe factor: The new Exe Bar Mixer from Triton
Triton's Exe Bar Mixer shower is available with one of two handle design options. The Exe Standard Handle is smooth to turn, whilst the contemporary design will fit well with most existing bathroom designs. Alternatively the Exe Lever Handle is suitable for all applications and user abilities. The extended paddle design gives added ease of use and is simple to operate with one finger, providing an inclusive showering environment BAL looks to the future of health and safety Standards
It has again been awarded business-wide accreditation for a range of International and British Standards relating to quality, environmental management and occupational healthy and safety. Having long held BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and BS EN ISO 14001:2004 certification, it has now added BS OHSAS 18001:2007 accreditation. 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:
|
 REQUEST THE KBZINE HERE The KBzine is broadcast
every Friday. You may receive it FREE each week by
clicking the link above. Recent News
'Hot Water Burns Like Fire' campaign launched at the Bathroom & Kitchen Business Conference 2014
 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. 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. 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. British Safety Council offers free stress advice to businesses
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
Marketing
KBB NTG's new website is designed to work on mobile devices
Literature
|
