KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
5th June 2015
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 International News
Products Cape Cod brings a touch of nature into the bathroom
With his new Cape Cod bathroom range, the French designer has reinvented the bathroom, removing the barriers between nature and the indoors. Nature becomes a permanent part of the bathroom, a place for rejuvenation and refreshment with aesthetically appealing materials and forms.
"Consumers are seeking stylish, technologically advanced gadgets in every area of their lives," comments Stuart Benson, national sales manager for Gorenje UK. British Ceramic Tile collaborates with Ted Baker to launch no ordinary designer tile range
A fashion forward selection of wall and floor tiles, the range blends British Ceramic Tile's unique manufacturing heritage with Ted's eye for detail and appreciation for a tile with style. Grohe launches complete cubic brassware range
Included is the Grohtherm Cube thermostat, which features precision-engineered Turbostat technology to deliver a safe and enjoyable showering experience. Gaia's Devimat: the perfect finishing touch for wet rooms
Not only does UFH create a warm, comfortable surface to walk on, it is also a more efficient way to heat a room than traditional wall-hung radiators. 'Devine' handpainted pantry with custom made, dark oak interiors
The pantry includes beautifully crafted custom made dark oak interiors with multiple dovetailed drawers, while both cupboard doors are fitted out with extensive walnut racks for storing spices and herbs. New voluntary label offered by European Water Label, includes energy saving and technical icons
Exquisite finishing touches from Belle Epoque Arcade
Each piece is handcrafted with the brand's hardwearing nickel finish, and for the ceramic pieces each is made of the finest china. Sygma launches collection of fully stainless steel Metro tiles, inspired by Paris Metro
Introducing the newest addition to Jetstone's Ceramic collection: Emperador Grigio
International retailers find growth in UK shopping centres The latest British Consortium of Shopping Centres/Local Data Company vacancy monitor has found the number of shops in UK shopping centres trading as 'multiples' has increased in the last year, with the data showing a rise of 1.3% in the number of 'multiples' and a corresponding 1.3% drop in the number of independent shops. Abode launches Vedo - the perfect finishing touch to a bathroom
The indulgent organic forms used to create this very modern Vedo collection will provide bathrooms with a softer, gentler feel and add the perfect finishing touch to any bathroom decor. Appliance retailers' awakening awareness of alternative brands' attributes affirmed at CIH Showcase
New Tech-Drawer from Mark Wilkinson Furniture
"Homeowners these days have a collection of devices to fill their family lives," says the manufacturer. PWS gets smart with Kesseboehmer storage offer
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Remember when, a few years back, Electrolux produced a limited collection of vacuum cleaners called Vacs from the Sea, made from plastic debris collected from the ocean? Well it may just be that before long, other manufacturers will be supplying products mainly comprising ocean-salvaged plastics, as theyíre going to be collected via a passive ocean cleaning system that will be the longest floating structure in history. Boyan Slat, 20-year old founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, announced that a new system is to be deployed in 2016 - probably off the coast of Tsushima, an island between Japan and South-Korea. It will span 2,000 metres and will be operational for at least two years, catching plastic pollution before it reaches the shore. Within five years, after a series of deployments of increasing scale, The Ocean Cleanup plans to deploy a 100Km-long system to clean up about half the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, between Hawaii and California. "Taking care of the world's ocean garbage problem is one of the largest environmental challenges mankind faces today," said Boyan. "Not only will this first cleanup contribute to cleaner waters and coasts but it is a step towards our goal of cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This deployment will enable us to study the system's efficiency and durability over time."
The scalable array of floating barriers, attached to the seabed, is designed for large-magnitude deployment, covering millions of square kilometres without moving a centimetre. Boyan's team's research indicates that a single 100Km†cleanup array, deployed for 10†years, will passively remove 42%†of the great pacific garbage patch. "We conservatively estimate this to be 70,320,000Kg," he said. Plenty for each of us perhaps to one day own a product manufactured from waste plastics salvaged from the sea. Yours,
 This Week's News
Alno AG completes the next step of its repositioning Last Saturday, Alno AG took the next step in its repositioning and sold its subsidiary Impuls Kuchen GmbH (Brilon) to Steinhoff Furniture Holding GmbH (Austria). The change of ownership is scheduled to take place at the end of June 2015, subject to antitrust approval. Alno AG and the Steinhoff Group will co-operate on a long-term strategy, which will secure jobs and the current trading position. Steinhoff will supply Impuls kitchens to Alno for the export businesses, meaning product supply and availability will continue as usual. This agreement will allow better utilisation of Alno's remaining plants and economies of scale in purchasing and production. All existing employees of Impuls Kuchen have been retained by the new owners.
iKBBI Inspectors: A great response
Responses have been overwhelming with over 150 applications received in just under a month. Choose Arctic White for uber-cool kitchens and bathrooms
Lustrolite acrylic panels can be used for shower walls, bath panels, splashbacks - anywhere you lust after a stunning surface. Other fashionable colours in the range are Glacier, Blue Atoll, Rouge, Mocha, Safari, Forest, Titan and Carbon; they come in seven sizes. Prices start from £127.20. Brighton's Eco Technology Show
Key show highlights include: Blanco offers new kitchen storage solutions
The Select range is now being expanded to include four new models including the Blanco Select XL 60/3 Orga, which has three individual buckets and a convenient organiser drawer. Ashgate Hospicecare and Nenna Kind benefit from annual dinner
Both charities are close to the company's heart and both receive regular donations of monies and equipment. This latest round comes from the raffle and auction donations at the company's annual dinner held in March. Wall cabinets - Blum covers all options
The wide design of wall cabinets has been driven by market trends and is increasing year on year. The Aventos lift stay system is unmatched in terms of ease of use due to various features, and now covers all types and sizes of wall unit.
The Chao basin mixer creates a designer-style statement to any bathroom with its sweeping body design and single lever control for effortless single handed control and can be easily teamed with both conventional basins, as a deck mounted tap installation option, as well as at the side with deck mounted basins. British Ceramic Tile expands its marketing team with the appointment of a new digital manager
Previously digital marketing executive (EMEA) at global carpet tile manufacturer, Interface, Oliver will report directly to marketing director, Caryn Clarke, and joins the business with over eight years' experience of delivering B2B, digital and social media projects. A long-term contract from Leisure Sinks
There are five models available (LC42, LC105, LN105, LC106 and LN106), each made from 18/10 stainless steel. All sinks have two 31mm tap holes suitable for pillar or deck mixer taps, as well as a satin bowl and bright drainer. Plus, all Contract sinks boast a 10-year warranty. Plumbing lecturers put to the test at final
At every event the best apprentices from each region were put through their paces with a practical test that included the installation of a Saniflo macerator. At the final the students were given two days to plumb a complete bathroom; using a Saniaccess 3 for the waste water from a basin and w.c. Ideal for bathroom en-suites, the Saniaccess 3 features convenient covers for simple servicing and ease-of-maintenance without the need to remove the macerator from behind the w.c. Kitchen fitter prosecuted for endangering homeowners' lives A Tyneside man has been sentenced for putting the lives of homeowners at risk after deceiving a local kitchen fitting company by claiming he was Gas Safe registered.
Neil Scott, a self-employed kitchen fitter, was contracted by the company to carry out work at three properties in Newcastle where kitchens were being refurbished in the last quarter of 2012. The work involved installing gas appliances - including gas hobs - and in one case a central heating boiler. 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. News in Brief Congratulations to Nolte Kitchens, which took Silver in the Architects Partner Awards - T: 01707 290 444 … J. Rotherham tells us it’s installing the UK’s first dedicated sintered stone production line for even greater shaping accuracy – T: 0845 388 1927 … The Ideal Home Show runs until Sunday afternoon in Manchester - www.idealhomeshowmanchester.com … Susann, Euromobel’s latest handleless Linea Piantra range, comes in glossy grey, three further neutrals and a zingy yellow – T: 01922 698000 How to contact us at The KBzine:
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People
PWS makes senior operations' appointments
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BAL strengthens specification support team
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Marketing
Max value for retailers with Max-Top
Literature
Another exciting kitchen tap brochure from Abode
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