KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
7th December 2020
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 International News
Products Luxury steel framing defines Caple's new WF1550 freestanding wine cabinet
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You know what they say about 'best laid plans'? In my last Leader, I promised not to leave it so long between broadcasts, but it's been even longer! Not that I've not been thinking about the industry of course... Thanks to a degenerative spine condition my dementia-suffering mother has gone from hospital into a care home and the conversations and paperwork this has involved - not to mention sleepless nights and worry about my lovely mum's bewilderment, have taken a huge toll. Sincere apologies! Indeed if anything, I've been thinking about the industry more than usual. If you're a regular reader of my musings, you may recall the saga of my fridge freezer two years ago... It had started playing up in just over a year and broke completely shortly afterwards. I had quite a fight with the mass-market supplier (used as it owned the brand offering the biggest capacity appliance) whose repairer messed me around so much that I was without the appliance for weeks. When the supplier replaced it with an identical model, (after Christmas!) I kept the original, intending to have it repaired for donation to charity. I never got around to it and it still looks like new - as does the replacement, which tellingly, has gone exactly the same way, in the same amount of time. The engineer who'd tried to fix the original came to fix its replacement. He'd not been told by head office he was supposed to be repairing both so wouldn't touch the original and - as before - didn't have the required part. Before leaving, he expelled all the gas, saying he'd order the part and return when he had it. Next visit he still didn't have the part so said he'd try and repair the original, before expelling all the gas from that one too and going to meet a colleague "who might have the part on his van," never to return. I've since learned that his company doesn't repair gas canisters, and that he's rendered both appliances useless as no-one else does either! It wasn't just him but the administrators too, who should be ashamed of their incompetence - most of which I've not revealed here. You'd think, with so many companies going into administration and social media having such influence, a savvy manager would realise that the customer is once again king. I'm about to enter my eighth week without a fridge freezer, all guns blazing - and I'm expecting to share good news with you in our next issue on 18th December! Yours,
 This Week's News
Verona releases new statement tiles to bring new design potential to walls and floors
Combining the opulence of the Art Deco era with a modern edge, Lilypad is a versatile collection that works equally well across bathroom floors as it does kitchen walls. Blending a soft, delicate colour palette with a striking linear pattern, this tile is ideal for homeowners who want something more decorative and out of the ordinary. The Used Kitchen Company launches lockdown initiative with KBSA
TUKC has put meaning behind the hashtag #inthistogether, through its pledge to make a donation to the KBSA for every ex-display or used kitchen that it sells during lockdown. This will continue for as long as the second lockdown lasts.
That's the message from lakes sales & marketing director & BMBI expert Mike Tattam. Unified Water Label features in energy Saving Trust's Top 10 Campaign
BiKBBI welcomes Anthill as latest sponsor
Anthill specialises in CRM, process management and automation with a technology that focuses on how companies and their customers interact. VitrA launches V-Care Prime: the latest innovation in smart WC technology designed by Arik Levy
The elegantly designed new shower toilet provides a modern, refreshing, and hygienic washroom experience, is available to retailers and specifiers now. New channel director at Whirlpool UK Appliances
Russell joins the Whirlpool team with a wide and in-depth knowledge of the white goods and electronics industries, from previous roles including sales and marketing director at Samsung Electronics. During his 12 years at Samsung, Russell implemented marketing and channel strategies for its portfolio of white goods, while building and maintaining relationships with major retailers. Insinkerator sees sales spike due to increased demand for kitchen hygiene
This has led to consumers re-evaluating their homes to ensure they meet a wider range of needs, including enhancing the kitchen to support the increase in home cooking and being more hygienic. As a result, InSinkErator has witnessed a spike in sales of its range of food waste disposers. Planet-U becomes BMA affiliate
Tom Reynolds, chief executive of the BMA, welcomed Planet-U, saying: " Sustainability is one of BMA's strategic priorities, from water efficiency to reducing waste. Energy purchasing and efficiency investments can be difficult to navigate, so Planet-U is uniquely well-placed to help BMA members reduce the environmental impact of their operations." Lockdown launch for Lancashire interior startups
Former digital director Dave had been discussing a partnership with bathroom specialist Lewis for some time - but being furloughed gave him the time to put plans into action.
The introduction of Washed Oak, a warm, natural finish with a beautiful woodgrain effect, brings the number of Halo finishes to six, while a new slimline ceramic basin offers an alternative to the existing Gloss and Matt Coralux solid surface washbasin options. Pronorm maximises space to provide 10% more storage with new Proline128+ range
To maximise functionality and help consumers optimise storage in their kitchen, Pronorm has increased the carcase height of its Proline128 base units from 768mm to 832mm (excluding the plinth) to create Proline128+. Sleek new Sarenna is Marbled with style
Wall-hung and modular, the Sarenna Marble vanity unit measures in at 1000mm in width and features a unique curved marble-effect worktop that can be paired with any of a beautiful range of ceramic countertop vessel basins for a coordinated look. Russell Hobbs launches stylish Midnight Collection
The collection incorporates impressive features across the product range to deal with the demands of a modern kitchen. Boiler and service upgrade makes this the best Pronteau yet
Spelling an end to complex installation methods, the ProBoil.2X is quick and simple to fit, with self-calibration and no requirement for connection to the sink waste. The connections are colour coded using simple wingnut fixings which can be tightened without any need for specialist tools. 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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clicking the link above. Recent News
BiKBBI and BMA cement international relationships
Vast majority of Brits have no idea how much water they use each day
A welcome statement and great picture from the BiKBBI!
Following the temporary closure of our head office operation in March, and in response to the national Coronavirus lockdown, we have managed to continue the delivery of our service remotely. KBSA supports Covid-19 research project for kitchen and bathroom industry
Double win for RAK Ceramics at first virtual BKU Awards
Strong appetite for bathroom refurbishment, poll shows
Virtual workshop confirms opportunities for bathroom industry to benefit from renovation wave
The Used Kitchen Company sets another milestone in UK recycling
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