KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
1st July 2011
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International News
Products KitchenAid launches new built-in coffee machine
EU closes in on contract law for consumers and SMEs A common European contract law came one step closer to reality last week after MEPs backed proposals by the European Commission to establish an optional EU-wide system. But consumer groups warned that such a scheme would do little to boost cross-border trade and only add to the confusion faced by businesses and shoppers alike. Atag's new gas hobs have digital timers
Terence Ball kitchens launches six new ranges
FIRA-CMA expands testing capacity Following unprecedented demand, FIRA's Hong Kong testing facility - FIRA-CMA Testing Services, has expanded its capacity for furniture testing. Build-a-bed online with The Sleep Room Brand new to The Sleep Room is its 'build-a-bed' service - designed to give you even more choice when buying your bed online. With just two easy steps it couldn't be easier to create your perfect bed. |
Welcome to the The industry has taken a bit of a knock over the past few weeks, hasn't it? While Sharps has achieved some continuity with its acquisition by a group with a previous interest in the company, the future is not looking so bright for Kitchens Direct, Moben and Dolphin and many customers have been told that they will lose the money they have already spent on goods purchased but not delivered. Now consumers are concerned about their fridge freezers. When it's one brand that has been found to have produced some appliances that have a fault, we can cope, but when other brands exhibit a similar fault, consumers owning all the other manufacturers' products with the same 'benefit' - in this case a clever device that prevents the need for that laborious and hated manual defrost - are likely to be concerned too. I expect some probing questions to be asked by buyers and specifiers of appliances in the near future, as well as a good number of worried telephone calls from appliance owners to manufacturers whose products have not been at fault, but who will now become suspect anyway! A safety warning issued by the London Fire Brigade on Tuesday, after it emerged that certain Beko fridge freezers had been linked to a number of fires in London since 2008, led to Beko receiving so many calls that its customer care line couldn't cope. As a result the company has thoughtfully increased its call centre capacity by 20 times and is keeping it open on Saturday and Sunday. The company points out that only a small number of fridge freezers have failed out of the thousands it has sold and stresses that all its products are independently tested before being placed on the market and that they meet all UK and European safety standards,. It has obtained a list of customers who have purchased appliances from the batches affected and is now contacting them to arrange a free modification. In the meantime, it is urging customers to check their model on-line to see if it is affected before calling the Customer Careline (0800 009 4837). Consumers have also been warned about the discontinued white Lec TF2304W, manufactured between January 2004 and October 2006, as it features the same faulty defrost timer as the affected Beko models. Lec's parent company GDHA is asking customers with this appliance to arrange for a repairer to carry out a free modification by ringing 0800 110 5728 between 08.00 and 18.00, Monday to Friday. It's encouraging to see companies handle such problems in a responsible way and I hope that consumer confidence in the many great advances made by this industry over recent years, is quickly rebuilt. Yours,
Jan Hobbs
This Week's News
Moben, Kitchens Direct, Dolphin and Sharps owner to enter administration Homeform, which owns the Moben, Kitchens Direct, Dolphin Bathrooms and the Sharps Bedrooms brands, has announced that it is to go into administration. Earlier this week the company said that it was close to securing a deal that would "safeguard the future" of Sharps and Kitchens Direct, but we understand that the Kitchens Direct deal has now fallen through. Volatile market heightens need to address consumer confidence The news that high street names such as Moben, Dolphin, Sharps and Habitat have gone into administration is a stark reminder of the need to promote the confidence afforded by KBSA membership, says KBSA CEO Graham Ball. "It is always unfortunate to hear of company failures that leave consumers out of pocket and facing turmoil as they try and recover what they have paid for," he says. "Sadly the slowdown in the recovery of the economy means it is likely that we will see more retailers fail. A world first in Cloud technology for the KBB sector
But it is not just about numbers... Successful software development companies need always to keep their eye on developing technology; if that technology can be harnessed to the greater benefit of the customer, it needs to be embraced wholeheartedly. Quintessentially Abode - a KBB winner!
The new portfolio of brassware is inspired by, but not living in, the past. The inspiration for Quintessentially comes from the classic era of British design and manufacture - refined and distinct. An eco first for Glen Dimplex Home Appliances
Leading the way in the production of energy saving appliances, almost one hundred products across all three of GDHA's cooking brands, Stoves, Belling and New World, have undergone hours of testing against strict Energy Saving Trust Recommended criteria, set by an independent panel. They have been judged to be amongst some of the most energy efficient on the market, with reduced carbon emissions and reduced running costs for consumers. Wentworth Kitchens Banbury - a breath of fresh air
Working closely in partnership with kitchen furniture manufacturer Mereway Kitchens, the two companies have created a stunning showroom to wow the locals, and celebrated with an open day event allowing customers to come along and take a tour of the studio. Polypipe launches Silavent low energy fans Polypipe Ventilation, has launched the first new addition to the Silavent range following its acquisition of the brand last year: a new range of low Watt centrifugal bathroom extract fans. The new, competitively priced Silavent low Watt fansare said to use an incredible 70% lesspower than conventional fans, dramatically reducing operating costs and helping HiB brings cabinets alive with LED
Austin, Colorado and Minnesota, each very individual designs, are LED back-lit cabinets with the illumination within the cabinet door. While Austin (single door) and Colorado (double door) are designed to go against a flat wall, Minnesota is for hanging in a corner. With all three cabinets the lights stay on when the door is open and the high gloss white interior contains adjustable glass shelves. The doors are fitted with soft close hinges and, being LED, operation of the cabinets is low energy and eco-efficient. CP Group expands its Specification Division with appointment of Allan Dixon Tile manufacturer and distributor, CP Group, has expanded its Specification Division with the appointment of Allan Dixon as National Specification Manager. Allan joins CP Group after 30 years in the building products sector, most recently with Porcelanosa as Commercial Account Manager. He will lead a new and growing specification team at CP Group, and will be responsible for driving forward CP's presence in the specification sector on a national scale. 'Complete the look' - with the Kutchenhaus furniture range
Open-plan living is now one of the most sought-after concepts for UK homes, so Kutchenhaus wants to ensure that it offers customers a complete design solution and not just a kitchen. When a number of rooms suddenly become one, the furniture is just as important as the kitchen in creating a finished room which exudes style. 'Don't forget to remember' you're our new ambassador, SBID tells Robin Gibb, CBE
Of course, Robin needs no introduction as one of the most successful songwriters of all time. Immediately the endless list of hits enjoyed by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb come to mind. When the list of legendary acts who have enjoyed success with their compositions is added - such as Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, Diana Ross and Celine Dion, along with those who have covered Bee Gees songs to chart topping success such as Take That, Destiny's Child and Boyzone, it becomes clear that the unique achievement is unlikely to be ever matched. No other writers in British or US chart history have achieved No1 hits in five consecutive 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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Appliance recycling firm fined after worker injured A worker was injured by a falling stack of cookers and washing machines at one of the UK's largest electrical equipment recycle firms, which has been fined as a result. Appliance recycling firm fined after worker injured A worker was injured by a falling stack of cookers and washing machines at one of the UK's largest electrical equipment recycle firms. Marketing
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