KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
20th November 2015
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 International News
Products Fixol Universal Drawer Kit available exclusively from LDL
Arcelik Group gains AA sustainability rating Arcelik Group, one of the leading players in the global home appliances industry and parent company of Beko, has been awarded an AA rating in the MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) Global Sustainability Index Series. This latest accolade reinforces the company's, 'Respects the Globe, Respected Globally' vision which focuses on delivering sustainable efficiency and excellence throughout all its business processes.
HiB marks a new era of super stylish storage with Xenon
Signalling the next generation of sophisticated bathroom storage, Xenon comprises a sleek double-sided mirrored cabinet finished off with a luxury LED lighting trim. The result is an uber modern feel, guaranteed to make a boldly contemporary style statement in even the simplest of bathroom designs. Insinkerator heats things up with the new Anthracite 3N1 steaming hot water tap
Linear kitchens become the design for 2016
Burbidge's commitment to craftsmanship is commended with Manufacturing Guild Mark
Britannia breezes into retro refrigeration
The collection - available now, features three A+ rated models in a variety of configurations: 70/30 fridge freezer split, top mount fridge freezer and standalone fridge, in up to three colours, including Gloss Black, Vanilla and Chilli Red. Recycled leather creates warm effect
LDL to stock Blum Servo-Drive flex
Roper Rhodes extends Hampton furniture range with two new units
Lustrolite helps householders stay calm and collected
Abode launches the ISO bathroom taps collection
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Remember the days before the TV remote control, when instead of rummaging around under the cushions or grabbing the device from the person who always seems to hog it and simply pressing the buttons as we do now, we had to drag ourselves up from the sofa and walk across the room to press the buttons on the TV set itself? Haven’t things changed! Over recent years, smart home technology has made huge strides forward and now has the potential to control just about every aspect of our lives. There’s hardly a part of the home that can't be automated or controlled via smartphone/tablet app and I’m sure we have further to go before all the possibilities have been exhausted. There are simple things such as turning on the lights and heating so we can come into a cosy home and opening the garage door as we approach. The washing machine can be loaded before we leave in the morning, then activated from our workplace so it’s just ready for us to empty while we drink that first cup of tea – no waiting time for that either as we can activate the kettle from down the road so it’s boiling when we get in. Our bathwater can be regulated to stay at our chosen temperature all night if we wish, while those lucky enough to own a smart toilet can programme it to warm the seat prior to use and provide the perfect personal ‘wash and brush up’ afterwards while playing one's favourite music. Then there are the smart appliances themselves… the dishwashers and washing machines that can calculate how much has been loaded into them and how dirty it is, before setting their own cycles to provide the best wash and dry in the most economical way. Our fridges and cookers meanwhile – and what they can do for us, has changed them beyond all recognition. We can now be notified when food is getting past its best and our cooking technology means we can produce gourmet meals without even really needing to learn how to cook! I wonder how many of those that are old enough to have had to change the TV manually and who’ve been in the industry since their youth, will have envisaged the changes we’re now enjoying? And are they wondering, like me, where it’s all going to end? If you’re one of these people, I’d love to hear what you think... Yours,
 This Week's News
Whirlpool awarded consumer Superbrands status
The matchless accolade is awarded to brands which, after scrutiny by an expert council and a nationally representative sample of 2,500 British consumers, are deemed to have the strongest consumer brand image in Britain. Industry stalwart, Ron Blount of Blanco, reflects on his career as he bows out
Blanco UK is a strong company with sales forging ahead year on year and a committed team serving great customers. Simon Hart, my successor, has the enviable role of leading the company - with the full support of the UK team and our colleagues in Germany - to ever greater heights as the years unfold.  The changing face of surfaces in 2015
- Speed and simplicity are a top priority: As surface installation often accounts for just a fraction of a renovation project, the speed and simplicity of installation can be crucial to ensuring that timescales and kept. Modular work surfaces offer a lightweight solution that can be cut on site, in no time at all and have therefore proved increasingly popular throughout the year. New MGS Black Steel 3-hole basin mixer available from Grange Design
Presenting a curvaceous design that will enhance any luxury bathroom; the new MB282 is a low set deck-mounted design. Add some colour with multi-coloured grab rails
Made in the UK from UK-sourced steel that is powder coated and polished to ensure excellent quality and durability, these rails are available in a wide range of standard sizes and can also be custom made to order.
All potential Dream Doors franchisees will now undergo the Extended DiSC personal assessment - used by 70% of Fortune 500 to improve work productivity, teamwork and communication - and will also take the Devine Inventory skill assessment, which helps companies find the right candidate. Schmidt shows how a relaxed country casual style suits both modern and period homes
Furniture no longer falls into classic or contemporary categories; today it's all about getting the best of everything to create an ultimate dream design. Schmidt has the perfect solution for those who want a clean, fuss-free look with a softer feel and the warmth and natural character of timber. Rhoper Rhodes launches beautiful Verse brassware range
The basin mixer with click waste is controlled by sleek, easy-to-operate joystick-style levers and is suitable for use with all plumbing systems, including conventional gravity fed systems with a minimum 0.3 bar pressure and above. Liebherr revolutionises refrigeration design with BluPerformance
The compressor and condenser unit has been removed from the back and is now compactly integrated into the base of the appliance. This provides a much larger internal capacity and ensures the appliance is quiet in operation. Steven Jaques joins board of directors at Utopia
Ian Hall, joint managing director, comments: "Steve has in effect been fulfilling this role at Utopia since 2013 and we are now very pleased to recognise this formally. Caple's new sinks and taps brochure now available
With beautiful photography and all the information needed to help buyers make the right decision, this new brochure is an invaluable tool. LDL raises £3,200 for Lewis Moody Foundation
Lewis Moody, the rugby player and former England captain, founded the Foundation with two main objectives. The first is to support families where a child or parent is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness by giving them a day out of the ordinary to create special memories. 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:
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Construction staff remain in high demand The latest 'Report on Jobs', published today by KPMG and the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, highlighted slower, but still robust, growth of demand for permanent and temporary staff in the construction sector during October. Season: the Exclusive Cookery School
 Campaign raises awareness of the dangers of scalding and makes over £5000 for charity as it does so
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Uform announces appointment of new managing director
New appointment at KBBG to support KBBG independent kitchen specialists
Haier appoints Vincent Rotger as general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe
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