Kudos has expanded its collection of Pinnacle8 luxury shower enclosures to satisfy a growing demand. It’s now offering a 1000mm quadrant, four new offset quadrants (900x800mm, 1000x800mm, 1000x900mm & 1200x800mm) and two new door sizes to the hinged range, 1100mm and 1300mm, that are suitable for use in either corner or recess installations.
Pinnacle8 is an elegant range of semi-frameless shower enclosure models initially launched in 2018. The collection has been increased by a number of additions in both 2019 and 2020 in response to increased demand. Now one of the most popular selling enclosure ranges offered by Kudos, the collection has been expanded again and these new options are available to retailers from March.
At 2000m in height, the Pinnacle8 collection offers enclosure sizes ranging from 760mm to 1800mm. All models feature crystal clear seals and 8mm toughened safety glass throughout which is treated with Lifeshield™, a lifetime protective coating for easy cleaning. The collection can be paired with the Kudos KStone or Connect2 shower trays and is covered by a lifetime guarantee.
Pinnacle8 enclosures have been designed to be easy to install with a slimline wall profile with fully concealed fixings maintaining 20mm wall adjustment. SmartSeal technology is used on the crystal clear seals and glass-to-glass corner join seals, to ensure a clean uninterupted finish and a water tight bond. Kevlar impregnated pins are used in the rise and fall chromed hinges for consistently smooth opening and closing of the glass doors and aircraft grade stainless steel roller bearings are used in all sliding doors for smooth action and longevity.
Leading showering solutions manufacturer, Coram UK, recently celebrated the British launch of its exclusive shower glass brand, Sealskin, and its premium range of Sealskin duka enclosures.
Bringing a brand new, unique glass offering to the UK marketplace, this selection of bespoke, high-end shower enclosures utilises cutting-edge technology and market-leading design to offer the ‘wow factor’ to modern wetrooms and shower spaces.
The Sealskin duka portfolio showcases performance and design; using clean lines, understated elegance and high-quality materials to create an unparalleled, contemporary selection of enclosures.
Advanced technology
Duka say the range is unlike anything currently available in the UK marketplace thanks to its hidden ‘open and close’ mechanisms, cutting-edge UV bonding technology and matchless hygiene and maintenance functionality offering a refreshing, unique spin on shower enclosure design.
Sustainable design
All enclosure materials used in the production of the Sealskin duka portfolio are carefully sourced from Europe, with the units manufactured in a purpose-built factory which has been designed to conserve energy and champion sustainability.
Three new styles
The launch consists of three key styles, acqua 5000, libero 5000 and pura 5000; all compatible with both wetroom floors and shower trays, offering maximum flexibility for the bathroom designer and end user. And with personalisation very much part of the offering, profile colours, glass options and configurations to suit even the most challenging design schemes, pose no problem.
Every Sealskin duka enclosure is tailor-made to the exact measurements of the specifier, with a fast four-to-six-week lead time as standard. On delivery, each unit is provided with a unique QR and ID code, which gives full information about its manufacture, right down to the intricate details of assembly. The result; a truly distinctive offering which boasts attention to detail, offers a wide variety of design preferences and assures outstanding performance for years to come.
Sealskin libero 5000
For more information or to enquire about becoming a stockist visit: sealskin.uk
Arrowpoint Advisory’s Consumer team has advised the shareholders of Plumbworld Limited, one of the UK’s leading e-commerce specialists for bathroom, kitchen, plumbing and heating products on its sale to H.I.G. Capital’s Highbourne Group.
Following a MBO backed by Panoramic Growth Equity in December 2018, Plumbworld, led by CEO and founder James Hickman, has delivered exceptional growth. Underpinned by proprietary technology, its pureplay online business model and market leading customer proposition continues to drive both new and repeat customers, with 1.7m customers served since inception.
The combination with Plumbworld will strengthen Highbourne’s leading omni-channel capabilities for both trade and retail customers. Plumbworld’s proposition is highly complementary to Highbourne and will enable the group to expand its footprint in the UK and Ireland, while maintaining its commitment to providing the highest quality services and convenience to its customers.
James Hickman, CEO and founder at Plumbworld, commented:“Throughout the project we were very impressed by the Arrowpoint team. From identifying potential acquirers, preparation of marketing materials right through to final terms negotiation, they consistently added value. Perhaps most importantly they were able to keep us on track during the inevitable roller coaster ride that this sort of process entails!””
Jamie Hutton, Director at Arrowpoint Advisory, added: “It has been an absolute pleasure working with the Plumbworld team and we are thrilled to have delivered an outstanding result for all the stakeholders. James and team have created an exceptional business with market leading digital capabilities. They have a clear and exciting vision both for the business and wider sector and, in Highbourne, have a partner who will help them accelerate growth, whilst also benefiting themselves from Plumbworld’s invaluable e-commerce experience. We wish them every success on the next phase of their journey.”
Patrick Groarke, Managing Director at Arrowpoint Advisory concluded: “We are delighted to have advised the shareholders of Plumbworld on this transformational transaction. With the support of Panoramic the business has significantly outperformed the market and we look forward to watching the business continue to go from strength to strength under new ownership.”
It is with profound sadness that KBBDistributor, PJH shares the news that its regional sales manager of 21-years, Eddie Rock (45), passed away suddenly over the Easter weekend.
Richard George, CEO, PJH said: “We [PJH] are deeply shocked and saddened by the untimely death of Eddie Rock. The thoughts of everyone at PJH are with his family and friends, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them.”
Rick Adams, PJH’s head of sales (retail), added: “Eddie was simply a beautiful soul, a genuine human being who showed so much love towards his colleagues and customers – everyone at PJH is heartbroken. He was a delight to work with, a model professional who always showed a positive attitude and gave everything to his role, he authentically cared about other people, no ego just simple love.
“We will miss him so much, he would have loved what’s coming along soon and I can imagine how he would have described it, ‘Absolutely Awesome!’
“God bless you Eddie, all of us at PJH will do you proud and never forget you.”
Eddie began his career at PJH working within the internal sales team, before quickly progressing to Internal Key account manager. His customer-centric style was the perfect fit for face-to-face sales, which saw him join the PJH external sales team where he worked successfully for over ten years.”
Ideal Standard has added to its award-winning Atelier Collections with two new beautifully crafted ranges: Calla and Joy Neo.
The collections combine classic features with modern technology and innovative design. Created by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, the products in the Calla and Joy Neo ranges have been developed with flexibility in mind, allowing them to integrate with a variety of different interior styles.
Streamlining the design process for customers, architects and specifiers, these two collections bring together the company’s sector expertise and design vision, as well as the complete range of Ideal Standard’s products.
Calla
Inspired by the Victorian age and early ceramic production, Calla features simple geometric shapes with strong horizontal and vertical lines, for a timeless end result.
Atelier Collections – Calla
Calla comprises a wide range of ceramic pieces, including elegant basins and pedestals, sophisticated toilets and bidets, and a stunning statement piece – a free-standing bathtub. The basins can also be combined with the more contemporary leg set, giving the product a completely different and more contemporary identity.
Joy Neo
Joy Neo represents an evolution of classicism, combining features from the more contemporary and cylindrical Joy collection with classic, square design elements, and either cross or lever-handles. The result is a highly versatile and sophisticated range of fittings that can be perfectly combined with neo-classical ranges similar to Calla, but also with more minimalist ceramic lines, such as Ideal Standard’s Extra.
Joy Neo offers a comprehensive variety of pieces, including single lever basin mixers, dual control basin mixers, wall-mounted basin mixers and 3-hole basin mixers as well as different bath and shower products. Available in two finishes, Magnetic Grey and Chrome, the collection is adaptable to suit any space.
Sustainable features
The EcoFlow regulator reduces water consumption down to 5 litres per minute for a more sustainable use of water without compromising on comfort. It is effortless to install, with EasyFix® decreasing installation time by 30%.
The Magnetic Grey products are produced using the latest technology – Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) – to preserve the vibrancy of the coloured brassware. PVD is a thin protective coating applied in a vacuum, which ensures products are ten times more resistant to chemicals, wear, impact, discoloration and corrosion. Additionally, SmartShine® finishing on the chrome models increases longevity, while also making cleaning easier.
Speaking on the new collections, Roberto Palomba said: “It was never our intention to create collections that can only be used in classic interior design, but instead our aim was to design products that can be adapted and fused with elements from other eras to give customers freedom to express themselves. Innovation, heritage and the needs of the modern day are key elements represented in the neoclassical Calla and Joy Neo ranges.” Both the Calla and Joy Neo ranges are available as of April 2022.
Both the Calla and Joy Neo ranges are available as of April 2022.
With more than 25 years of manufacturing experience and over half-a-million installations across the UK, the market-leading Impey brand continues to raise the bar for modern wetrooms.
Combining key design elements and innovative showering scenarios, Impey’s contemporary showering solutions portfolio showcases countless possibilities for wetroom designs within residential, commercial and specialist settings.
The Impey product selection has been designed specifically to offer a choice of wetroom solutions to the premium end of the retail market. It includes an array of unique products, which it says improve the versatility and adaptability of a wetroom installation, whilst maximising desirability.
At the heart of Impey’s recognisable range are flagship products like the multi award-winning AquaDec EasyFit™ wetroom floor formers and WaterGuard™ tanking system, which are synonymous with high quality and longevity. These designs sit alongside a unique collection of linear floor formers, designer drainage grates and high end, design-led bathroom accessories from Impey’s sister brand Geesa.
known for the concept and creation of the UK’s leading wetroom elements, Impey considers it has been influential in the advent of modern wetrooms into the British market; helping consumers to understand how to incorporate a contemporary showering space into every kind of bathroom setting.
At Impey’s UK factory every wetroom dec is precision engineered with attention to detail, ensuring enhanced quality and reliability, which retailers can recommend with confidence.
And, to aid with the realisation of the design process and help maximise sales opportunities, Impey’s latest brochure allows users to ‘step-into’ the wetroom spaces as seen on the page. Developed in association with Virtual Worlds, the virtual-reality click-throughs offer an immersive experience of wetroom scenarios, revealing a tempting snapshot of how a wetroom can look and feel.
Find out more, or enquire about becoming an Impey retailer at:
The Intuition smart digital shower from the Elisa range incorporates smart shower technology designed to enhance the wellbeing of owners through its personalisation features, while providing greater visibility of water usage, to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle.
The Intuition smart digital shower comes with a clever app called ShowerMe, which allows every member of the family to create their own personal showering profile. The shower can be activated through voice control, thanks to seamless connectivity with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa smart home systems, or can be started remotely over Wi-Fi, with the reassurance that the water is at the precisely desired temperature when the user steps in. A bath fill option ensures the bath is filled to the perfect temperature and level every time, while a convenient wireless remote control is included, providing simple on/off operation.
Thanks to the ShowerMe Smart App, users have the ability to select the duration of the shower, helping to save water and energy, while an easy-to-use dashboard gives the homeowner a clear picture of individual water consumption.
Powered by Elisa’s SmartValve technology, Elisa showers offer multiple options for installation in any bathroom size, shape or configuration. The SmartValve also allows the maximum temperature of the shower to be set for added safety, and the flow rate switched to ‘Eco’ mode to reduce water usage further (by up to 33%).
Intuition comes with a choice of fixed drencher head, adjustable handset and bath fill features, and is fitted as a concealed shower unit for a discreet and elegant finish. It is available in a choice of chrome, matt black or brushed brass finish, and each model comes with a five year guarantee.
GLHÖSS is a family-run business that was founded in 2015 and now has a showroom in Brentford, Middlesex, and two design centres in Slough and Marylebone. They specialise in designing and installing well-designed kitchens and functional living spaces to create a better everyday life for their clients.
Owners Mani Sehmi and Anuraj Sehmi said, “We are delighted to become part of the Kbsa family. As a business we are committed to delivering an exceptionally high level of service, having the Kbsa badge will help reassure potential customers that they will be in very safe hands”.
“The range of benefits offered as part of the membership package is also impressive, giving us access to market leading support services. We are particularly interested in the consumer finance package which could prove to be a significant benefit for our customers, and help us achieve more sales, the Kbsa Designer Awards and access to a pool of specialists in the KBB industry”
Kbsa national chair Richard Hibbert added, “I am delighted to welcome GLHÖSS as our latest retail member. We have increased our retail membership substantially since the start of the year and are looking forward to building on this with the 6-figure investment and 5-year support plan that we have recently secured with Quooker.”
SAVE THE DATE
We are delighted to announce that the Kitchen & Bathroom Conference 2022 hosted by the Kbsa will take place on 28th September. The venue is the Belfry Hotel and Resort in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. The conference will be preceded by the Kbsa Retailer Networking Dinner on 27th September and culminate in the Kbsa Awards Dinner following the conference.
Houzz Inc, a leading platform for home renovation and design, has released the 2022 Houzz UK State of the Industry report.*
The report provides an outlook on 2022 and review of 2021 performance for residential renovation and design businesses based on data reported by industry professionals in the Houzz community.
The report details that businesses have a confident outlook for 2022, with more than three-quarters anticipating revenue growth (76 percent) and two-thirds expecting profits to increase (66 percent). This follows strong 2021 results with more companies reporting revenue growth, as compared to the previous four years, exceeding expectations for the year.
“Following a successful year for the home renovation and design industry, the findings from the Houzz State of the Industry report show that professionals are bullish that momentum will continue throughout 2022,” says Marine Sargsyan, Houzz senior economist.
“The positive outlook is prevalent across industry groups from interior designers to builders, despite global challenges and increased costs of doing business.”
2022 UK State of the Industry: Major Findings
Design and build firms are most optimistic about 2022: Design and build firms are the most optimistic about revenue growth in 2022 (88 percent), followed by interior designers and architects (80 and 76 percent, respectively). Companies across all industry sectors plan to grow revenue by bringing in larger budget projects (60 percent).
Revenue growth surpassed expectations in 2021: In 2021, a larger share of businesses reported year-over-year revenue growth than in the last four years (69 percent). More than two-thirds of companies reported that revenue growth was at or above their initial expectations for the year (69 percent). Nearly three quarters of both design and build firms and architects reported increases in gross revenues in 2021 (72 percent), followed by interior designers (70 percent).
Hiring is on the rise: More than a quarter of businesses increased headcount in 2021 (29 percent), compared with only 17 percent of businesses who added employees in 2020. Design and build firms were the most likely to hire last year (35 percent), compared with architects and interior designers (29 and 26 percent, respectively). Hiring is expected to continue among nearly two in five of businesses in 2022 to support revenue growth (38 percent).
Increases in the cost of doing business: More than three-quarters of businesses reported an increase in the cost of doing business in 2021 (77 percent). Design and build firms were the most impacted by rising costs (94 percent), followed by interior designers and architects (70 and 65 percent, respectively). Price volatility of products and materials was one of the top challenges reported by one in five businesses (22 percent).
*The complete 2022 Houzz UK State of the Industry report can be found here.
The Unified Water Label Association is calling on the kbb industry to promote their own commitment to using water wisely on World Earth Day (Friday 22 April). World Earth Day is an international event to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held in 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally, which includes 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.
UWLA MD Yvonne Orgill says, “Earth Day presents a fantastic opportunity for companies to communicate what they are doing to use water efficiently, helping to save energy and protect our planet.
“The UWLA has been engaging with the industry to help them realise they have an important part to play in helping consumers make responsible water-saving choices. We have made good progress, gaining support and commitment to help consumers understand the issues around water scarcity, and drive home the message that for the sake of the planet we must use water wisely.
“The Water Label is used extensively by over 10,500 architects on new building projects and we have a database of products across 14 categories, which currently covers over 13,500 individual products. Support is growing from a number of retailers both large and small with global home furnishing brand IKEA, and leading German DIY retailer Globus now promoting the Unified Water Label across their sustainable bathroom and kitchen products.
“Companies that share their commitment to water efficiency and the Unified Water Label this Earth day, will be playing an important role to influence and educate consumers on the options available, and help them make the right environmental choices when investing in their home.”
“There has never been a better time to become involved and support the UWLA – visit the website today to find how you can play your part.”
