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Villeroy & Boch demonstrates resilience in a tough market

Bathroom-Review-Villeroy & Boch demonstrates resilience

Villeroy & Boch posted a 6.7% increase in revenue for the first nine months of 2025, reaching €1,075.2 million. This growth was largely driven by the Ideal Standard acquisition, despite challenging market conditions and lower consumer spending. Operating EBIT rose slightly to €65.1 million, reflecting strong performance in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and in the fittings and shower systems business.

Tough global economy, but solid results

The first nine months of the financial year were marked by a challenging global economic environment. In the Bathroom & Wellness division, the ongoing decline in the European residential construction sector, coupled with restrained investment – including in renovations – had a significant impact on business development.

“Against the backdrop of the current global economic situation and the associated restraint in consumer spending and investment, which is particularly affecting key growth markets for us such as China and the eurozone, we performed well in the market in the first nine months,” summarises CEO Gabi Schupp.

“The positive response to our innovations in both business segments and the further internationalisation of our business are the result of our strategic realignment following the acquisition.”

Strong Performance in EMEA Region

The Bathroom & Wellness division achieved sales growth of 8.3%, reaching €865.6 million. This was driven by strategic acquisitions, with fittings and shower systems growing by €37.9 million and sanitary ceramics and kitchens increasing by €21.7 million. The launch of new products like ALU+ and Antao, as well as the i.life and Architectura collections, were well received. The EMEA region saw particularly strong growth of 13.4%, while the Asia-Pacific and Americas regions experienced a drop in sales of 26.9%. The division’s operating EBIT was €52.5 million, consistent with last year.

Dining & Lifestyle Shows Modest Growth

The Dining & Lifestyle division generated €207.6 million in sales, with a 2.0% increase in pure product business. Sales to retail partners grew by 11.0%, and the project business for hotels and restaurants was up by 8.9%. Operating EBIT for this division was €12.6 million, marking a 3.3% increase compared to last year.

Outlook for 2025

The economic outlook remains uncertain, and Villeroy & Boch is adjusting its forecast for 2025. It expectss sales growth to be in the low single digits, with operating EBIT slightly below last year’s figures. Investments in property and assets are expected to be slightly lower than the previous year.

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Kaldewei’s colour-coordinated waste covers for seamless shower tray design

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Steel enamel bathroom solutions brand Kaldewei has introduced colour-matched waste covers for its shower trays. This offering helps interior designers and specifiers provide options for coordinated bathroom aesthetics.

Whether updating a residential bathroom or prepping a new build, the ability to harmonise every detail matters. Kaldewei’s latest innovation allows the waste cover to be colour-coordinated with the shower tray itself, eliminating the visual interruption of standard chrome and enabling a seamless, monochromatic finish.

The waste covers are available in Alpine White, Kaldewei’s full palette of sanitary colours, and an extended collection of coordinated tones. Designers can choose from:

  • Five shades of cool grey
  • Eight warm grey options
  • Matt and gloss black finishes
  • Two warm beige variants
  • Trend-led tones curated for contemporary interiors

In addition to colour, the waste covers are offered in multiple formats—small or large circular designs and sleek rectangular options—ensuring compatibility across a wide range of Kaldewei tray styles and spatial layouts.

Crafted from 100% recyclable steel enamel and backed by a 30-year guarantee, Kaldewei’s waste covers combine sustainability with enduring performance, aligning with the brand’s commitment to circular design and long-term value.

For interior designers and those who want to add detail and sustainable innovation, to their bathroom, Kaldewei’s colour-coordinated waste options offer exciting new options for their shower tray finishes.

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Sensio Luka Smart Mirror delivers hands free technology to the bathroom

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The Luka Smart Mirror is more than just a mirror; it serves as a hands-free portal to a connected world. This mirror seamlessly integrates Amazon’s Alexa into your bathroom routine, with integrated LED lighting and touch-sensitive controls. The Luka Smart Mirror is also available as a bathroom cabinet and is designed in the UK, sold exclusively from Sensio.

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In recent years, the surge in smart home technology has ushered in a transformative era, reshaping the way we experience and interact with our living spaces. This evolution is driven by the collective desire for a hands-free lifestyle in which technology seamlessly integrates into our daily routines. From voice-activated assistants to automated thermostats, these innovations have not only simplified tasks but have also redefined our homes as intelligent hubs of convenience.

Amidst this wave of innovation, the Luka Smart Mirror emerges as a beacon of intelligent living in one of our most private spaces—the bathroom. Imagine starting your day with a voice-activated assistant that updates you on news, weather, and your schedule, all while you prepare for the day.

240 volt kinetic smart receiver

Complementing these innovations is the 240-volt Kinetic Smart receiver, a testament to our commitment to the smart home trend. Easy to install, connect with existing 240-volt lighting rings or add to a new scheme. Control is key, whether through smart devices, our wireless kinetic switches or traditional switches. Users can effortlessly customise and control their lighting environment through the Sensio app, enhancing both convenience and efficiency with this receiver.

Here is a link to SSensio’s YouTube video showcasing the Luka mirror and Cabinet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhCjhbzbcZ0

T:(+44) 01977 522020

E: info@sensiolighting.com W: www.sensiolighting.com

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Bathrooms to Love on Cue with new Kuba

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Bathrooms to Love by PJH has launched its newest modular furniture range, KUBA in TEXTURED WALNUT, a contemporary wall-hung range blending generous bathroom storage with striking design.

Featuring soft curved edges and a beautifully textured walnut-effect front with vertical fluting, the new Kuba Walnut range introduces warmth and a natural feel to the bathroom. Its clean lines, handleless form, and rich tones pair perfectly with pure white ceramics and bronze accents – as shown here.      

Taking pride of place on the front cover of the new Autumn/Winter Bathrooms to Love brochure, the Kuba Walnut family consists of wall-hung basin units in three sizes (500, 605 and 805mm width), complete with generously sized inset ceramic basins and a deep storage drawer. For further storage solutions, a wall-hung tall unit comes in at 350mm wide and includes two shelves. The luxurious range boasts durable construction and features soft-close doors and drawers for a premium finish.  

Kim Cooper, PJH’s head of marketing & product, said: “Our refreshed Bathrooms to Love Collection has an inspired and on-trend focus on natural textures and tones, drawing on soft muted shades, wood-grained effects and tactile finishes. The new Kuba Textured Walnut range homes in on modern functionality and elegant design, and joins our other Kuba range, a Textured Oak, which has become one of our best-selling furniture lines.”

Bathrooms to Love offers a comprehensive range of coordinating products that can team up with Kuba Walnut for a fully cohesive bathroom design – in particular, matching metallics, such as the Brushed Bronze taps, mirrors, radiator, shower, screen and overflow rings as pictured.          

Supplied rigid for ease of installation, the new Kuba Walnut range comes with PJH’s market-leading service package, including easy online ordering via the PJH Partners Portal™ and Next Day Delivery to store or home. For more information on display deals, POS and other showroom sales support, speak to your Regional PJH Sales Manager now. 

See the new Bathrooms to Love Collection here: BTL Issue 26

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Module MPRO Push 2 Outlet Shower Valve with Handset

Module Push presents the latest in luxury showering technology and design. Featuring a sleek, minimalist design, Module Push elevates any modern showering space. The precise water flow and thermostatic controls provide the opportunity to tailor your showering experience to your needs. This Module Push showering control features water-saving flow control without compromising on performance.

With push button on/off controls, Module Push is easy to use without the need of gripping a lever. This functionality allows you to leave your temperature and pressure controls in place, ready for the next time you step in. Enjoy water flow from multiple outlets at the same time with its multi-button design.

Complete with an MPRO handset, achieve a stylish showering set-up with multiple functionalities.

Module Push is available in Crosswater’s six core finishes, allowing it to match the other brassware and accessories throughout your bathroom.

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BAGNODESIGN Introduces the Carlyle Collection at HIX

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BAGNODESIGN will unveil its latest hospitality collection, Carlyle, at HIX 2025. Designed with the refined elegance of American five-star hotel living in mind, Carlyle combines classic form with contemporary functionality, making it the ideal solution for luxury hotel and spa bathrooms.

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Visitors to stand 23 will experience the full Carlyle range, which delivers a timeless design language across brassware, furniture, sanitaryware, and accessories. With subtle detailing such as scalloped mixer edges, octagonal mirrors and luxuriously profiled furniture, Carlyle creates a sophisticated yet highly practical bathroom environment. This makes it a compelling choice for hoteliers and designers seeking a cohesive specification that balances style with durability.

The brassware in the Carlyle Collection is offered in a curated palette of finishes, including Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Soft Bronze, PVD Oyster and Anthracite. This flexibility allows designers to integrate the collection into both traditional and modern interiors with ease. Coordinating bathroom furniture is available in Dark Oak with Soft Bronze accents, Silver Oak with Oxide, or Matt White with Brushed Bronze, providing multiple configuration options to suit project requirements.

Carlyle has been developed to meet the demands of the high-end hospitality sector, where premium aesthetics and product longevity go hand in hand. For specifiers and project managers, it offers a complete solution that simplifies the design process while delivering a high level of visual consistency across all bathroom elements. For retailers, Carlyle introduces a new commercial opportunity for clients who value timeless design and elevated performance.

Alongside Carlyle, BAGNODESIGN will also present other standout collections, including Fonteyn, showcasing the brand’s continued commitment to excellence in bathroom design and innovation.

To explore the Carlyle Collection in person, visit BAGNODESIGN at HIX 2025, Stand 23.

For more information, visit www.bagnodesign.it or contact SANIPEX GROUP on 01924 233977.

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BC Designs strengthens sales team with new area sales manager for London and the South

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BC Designs has appointed Ross Buck as area sales manager for London and the South of England in support of independent retailers and to drive growth across a key region for the business.

With a strong background in premium bathroom retail, Buck brings experience from across the industry. In his five years with Ripples, he progressed to director of Ripples Chelmsford, where he gained insight into showroom operations, customer service and commercial decision-making. Having worked on the retail side, Ross understands first-hand the demands placed on independent businesses and the importance of reliable supply partners.

In his new role, Ross will work closely with BC Designs’ existing retail network while building new relationships across London, the Home Counties and the South of England. He will focus on developing sales across the brand’s award-winning portfolio of baths, brassware and furniture, as well as delivering product training, merchandising support and strategic growth planning for retailers.

Adam Smith, national sales manager for BC Designs, says: “Ross brings a rare combination of industry knowledge and retail experience. He understands exactly what showrooms need from a brand in terms of service, product margin and commercial support, and he shares our commitment to long-term partnerships. London and the South are strategically important regions for us, and Ross will play a key role in helping us widen our reach, strengthen relationships and continue the growth of the BC Designs brand.”

Ross adds: “Having worked with BC Designs as a retailer, I have always respected the brand’s reputation for quality and consistency. This is a company that listens to its partners and understands how important trust and service are in today’s market. I am really looking forward to working closely with retailers across the region, helping them grow bathroom sales with products that are both commercially strong and design-led.”

The appointment follows a period of continued investment at BC Designs, including product development, customer service enhancements and expanding sales support across the UK.

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Stephen Woolsey joins Kudos Showers

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Stephen Woolsey has been appointed as senior business development manager at Kudos Showers. Based in Orpington, he will support the Kudos Distribution partners and grow the business for Kudos in London and the Southeast of England.

Woolsey brings extensive showering experience to the team at Kudos, having worked in the market for the past nine years. He will report to Mark Hill, managing director, in this new role.

“I’m excited to be joining Kudos at this time, supporting all of our distribution partners. They have a long and established client base, having serviced the bathroom retail industry through many challenging times, and have made Kudos the go-to shower enclosure of choice.

I am looking forward to meeting all customers, both old and new, who have supported the Kudos brand and helped to showcase our products. I am enjoying being part of this successful and long-established brand that continues to deliver both stylish and innovative showering solutions.”

Mark Hill, managing director for Kudos adds, “We are delighted that Stephen has joined the team to support our business in London and the Southeast, which is a sizeable and important region for us. The timing is perfect too, as 2026 is forecast to be an expansive year for us to maximise our Group strengths. We are planning some exciting product launches over the coming months, and Stephen will be key to ensuring delivery across his region.”

Kudos Shower Products has been designing and manufacturing shower products at its Cumbria facility since 1999. Now part of the Ronal Bathroom Group, its portfolio includes shower enclosures, shower trays, over-bath screens, and wet-room solutions sold via KBB showrooms and merchants across the UK.

Visit its website, kudosshowers.co.uk, call 01539 564040, or email info@kudosshowers.co.uk.

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Grant Westfield to debut Naturepanel launches & more at HIX London

Bathroom-Review-Multipanel-CrystalMarble

Grant Westfield will unveil new Naturepanel collections and the latest addition to the Multipanel Tile Collection at HIX London 2025, taking place at the Business Design Centre on 26 and 27 November 2025. Hoteliers will be able to see the products first on Stand [2].

Naturepanel: new Shiplap and extended Wood Slat

Naturepanel, Grant Westfield’s nature‑inspired waterproof wall panel brand, expands with a new Shiplap collection and additions to its Wood Slat range. Shiplap brings a relaxed, characterful look suited to boutique bedrooms, spa areas and guest bathrooms, while the Wood Slat family adds fresh neutrals and warm oak tones for calm, minimalist schemes. Both use the brand’s Hydrolock joint system to create a near‑seamless, completely waterproof finish.

For taller spaces often found in heritage hotels and contemporary atria, Naturepanel now offers a new taller panel option across selected Wood Slat décors, helping designers achieve floor‑to‑ceiling finishes with fewer horizontal joins.

Multipanel: XL Offset joins the Tile Collection

Multipanel, the UK’s leading bathroom wall panel brand, introduces the XL Offset design to its award‑winning Tile Collection. The new format delivers the look of on-trend staggered, brickwork‑style tiling with a pale grey etched grout line, providing a sleek, uninterrupted surface that reads as calm and contemporary in both compact and large‑format bathrooms. Panels are supplied in A and B formats to create the offset pattern on installation.

XL Offset launches in four décors: Cremona Marble, Crystal Marble, Valmasino Marble and White Terrazzo. Each supports spa‑inspired palettes that are popular in hospitality refurbishments and new‑build hotel programmes. The Hydrolock joint enables quick, clean installation and a watertight finish without grout.

Speed, hygiene and guest‑ready durability

For operators, the practical benefits are clear. Both Naturepanel and Multipanel eliminate grout, reducing cleaning time and helping to maintain a fresher look between maintenance cycles. Multipanel states that its panels can be installed up to five times faster than tiles, minimising room downtime during fit‑outs or rolling refurbishments.

Panels across both brands are manufactured in the UK from FSC‑certified materials, are 100% recyclable and carry a 30‑year warranty, supporting durability targets and sustainability goals in hotel asset plans.

 www.grantwestfield.co.uk

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Aqualisa Quartz smart shower – Alexa controlled for sustainable living

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Aqualisa’s latest smart showers deliver precision, personalisation and safety. The industry-leading Quartz range is simpler than ever to use, featuring an updated app that lets each household member create an individual shower profile. It can be voice-activated via Alexa or Google Assistant, or operated using a remote control, ensuring water is always at the desired temperature and flow rate.

The Quartz smart shower also features SmartValve technology, which integrates seamlessly with Wi-Fi and is easy to install, maintain and use. During installation, the SmartValve can be set to the maximum water temperature for safe showering. Flow rate can also be switched to Eco mode, reducing water use by up to 33% and saving on costs.

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With over two billion litres of water used daily in the UK and demand expected to rise by 30% in the next 20 years, the bathroom industry is embracing smart products that enhance wellbeing while supporting sustainable living. Smart technology makes homes more efficient and cost-effective, reducing energy use, cutting environmental impact and providing a personalised experience – particularly with smart showers.

The Aqualisa app lets users control shower duration and monitor usage, helping manage household water consumption and costs. Paired with an Aqualisa Harmony shower head, consumers can achieve an additional 25% water saving. Harmony’s intelligent design includes an ‘eco’ spray mode that concentrates and angles the spray from its outer rings for a powerful yet water-efficient shower.

The smart showers also include a bath fill option, enabling remote selection of bath temperature and level – giving households full control over water use and ensuring comfort, safety and sustainability.

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