KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
18th March 2016
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 International News
Products Ideal Standard unveils two new bathroom collections
Cosentino launches Dekton XGloss
Natural beauty set in stone with Raw Concrete
Latest kitchen lighting and power solutions
British Ceramic Tile sponsors the UK's first National Tile Week
More than one in three of us prefer neutrals when it comes to decorating our bathrooms
Slide into style with a new feature from in-toto
The kitchen is often the heart of the home... a busy hub of people gathering to eat, drink and socialise. |
Today’s the day that the National Living Wage is introduced, increasing the pay of millions of the UK’s lowest paid workers (reportedly one in three people will benefit) in by far the biggest compulsory rise that’s been seen since the National Minimum Wage was brought in, back in April 1999. While it has long been felt by many that taxes collected from better-off workers should not have been used to subsidise the wages of the low paid through tax credits, enabling some of the more successful companies to increase profits through not paying their workforces a living wage, there are other companies that would have struggled – and still will – to pay what’s being demanded of them. So what’s the answer? Many have said that they will have to lay people off or reduce the opportunities for overtime work that may be paid at a higher than normal rate, to balance out the wage bill to manageable levels. Others are saying that they will have to reduce benefits in some way, perhaps by cutting the length of breaks or even holidays, or by reducing bonuses or altering commission structures to make it harder for staff to reach targets. Many recent studies have shown that company perks do more to promote loyalty and improve employee satisfaction than pay rises, so cutting perks is unlikely to be beneficial. It may encourage the most valuable members of the workforce to seek employment elsewhere and thus increase costs through the need for recruitment and the subsequent training of new members of the team. Staff turnover can also damage the business more subtly, with the lack of continuity and valued business relationships that are broken as a result, perhaps making clients consider switching to a different supplier. We, in the UK, are often slated for our lack of productivity and it is through addressing this issue that many see as being the best way of coping with higher wage bills and improving the company in other ways as a result. The Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development has, I believe, a good take on the best way forward. You can read its statements below – and if you have any comments on the suggestions made, or ideas that you’d like to share with KBzine’s readers, we’d love to learn about them Yours,
 This Week's News
KBBG enjoys immense success on much larger stand than that used in 2014
Winners of kbbreview awards 2016 announced at glamorous gala
We heard that a number of those who'd been out celebrating - whether as winners or not - hadn't actually made it to bed and had simply returned to their rooms for breakfast, a shower and a change of clothes! Blanco - German perfection at impressive KBB
TKC showcases new Lucente Cashmere kitchen range, premium wirework and revamped lighting collection
Sanipex Group UK showcased new ranges
Among the highlights was the expanded range of M Line brassware (pictured), now available in a choice of finishes including chrome, brushed nickel, matt black, matt white and polished copper. Kitchen design that is as smooth as silk: that's Masterclass
Smooth to the touch and just as easy on the eye, the newly introduced silk finish was attracting lots of attention, as were the four new kitchen collections that wear it well. Trend Interiors: creating a stir
Indeed the stand featured four kitchen, four bedroom, five full bathroom, five basin units and one media display. All the kitchen displays included the new European styled square edged worktop, UrbanTop, which creates a fully coordinated designer look by matching with doors, cabinets and panelling across a wide range of finishes. More celebrations: this time a 21st birthday!
"We feel the market is ready for a fresh injection of ideas that will appeal to a broader demographic of customers from young to old," explained Claire Lambert, product director for Showerwall. "Between our standard Showerwall range and the bolder Infinity range, we are offering up a wealth of choice that can cater for a wide range of tastes and projects." Back with a bang - Burbidge makes welcome return to show after a 16-year hiatus
Burbidge boasted a stunning stand adorned with its beautiful new bathroom collection, supported with a full team on hand throughout to meet and greet guests, give advice and answer questions. Smart surfaces and clever ideas from Bushboard
Adding to that, Bushboard is majoring on its strong support for independent showroom retailers with free installer training, comprehensive POS showroom display support for all brands and 360 degree customer service offering technical and product advice and free sampling.
Fiona Bowyer, marketing director at Franke, explained that retail partners are invited to display Carron Phoenix as the dominant sink and tap brand in their showroom and commit to achieving a set turnover target and in return enjoy an attractive rebate scheme, receive free display products, have a priority web listing and receive dedicated branding promoting their exclusive partnership with Carron Phoenix. Pronorm on-point with new products to create luxury kitchens
Pro-Tech is the top of the range spec in the company's drawer box offering and is precision manufactured from high quality aluminium to give exceptional visual sleekness and functionality. Hafele brings more life per sq.m
In a world where work and living spaces are continuously shrinking, Hafele demonstrated the stylish solutions that are actively making household spaces work harder. Helping deliver these solutions are the many market leading brands the company brings together under one roof. Two key partners, Grass and Vauth-Sagel, exhibited alongside Hafele, showcasing their latest innovations too. Visitors were also able to learn more about the most recent brand partnerships with Smeg and Vi When opportunity presents, with Pelipal
With its clean lines and simple, elegant design, the Solitaire 6010 has joined Pelipal's premiere collections. Numerous widths in the vanity units and LED lit mirrors plus a host of wall-hung cabinets are just the start of a stylish and flexible range that enables every bathroom to be tailored to individual customer needs. Caple: showcasing more than 85 products on two stands
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Utopia appoints creative brand co-ordinator
 Whirlpool UK appliances appoints new digital marketing manager
Hoover appoints Glyn Martin as account director
Smeg UK welcomes Matt Balm as southern sales manager
Urban Interior (London) expands its design team
Marketing
British Ceramic Tile launches an exclusive Retailer Club at kbb Birmingham
Literature
LDL introduces new consumer guide to kitchen storage
Caple's updated appliance brochure is available now
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