The Bathroom Association brought businesses from across the bathroom sector together at The Grand Hotel, Birmingham, on 8 October for its annual Connect Conference.
Held under the theme Stronger Together, the event welcomed more than 120 delegates representing manufacturers, distributors, merchants, retailers, installers and industry partners. The programme combined an honest assessment of current market conditions with broader discussions about resilience, innovation, customer needs and the skills required to support the sector’s future.
Daphne Doody-Green, chief executive of the Bathroom Association, said: “Connect demonstrated the value of bringing different parts of our industry into the same room. The market remains challenging, and there are no simple answers to the issues businesses are facing, but the day showed that our sector has an enormous depth of knowledge, experience and determination.
“Our theme, Stronger Together, was reflected not only in the presentations and panel discussion, but also in the conversations taking place throughout the day. Those relationships give us a stronger foundation from which to share insight, influence decisions and turn common concerns into collective action.”
Opening keynote speaker Jez Rose combined humour with a thought-provoking examination of behaviour, change and resilience. He encouraged delegates to recognise the different “seasons” through which people and businesses move, using more difficult periods as opportunities to reset and prepare for what comes next.
His presentation also challenged delegates to question their assumptions and look for more reasons to say “yes, if…” rather than automatically responding with “no, because…”. His central message was that no industry is immune to change, but businesses can choose how they respond.
Rebecca Larkin, head of construction research at the Construction Products Association, then provided a candid assessment of the UK economy and construction market.
Her presentation described an economy “muddling through”, with weak growth, rising borrowing costs and continued pressure on household and business confidence. For construction, she highlighted subdued private housebuilding, home improvement and commercial activity, alongside rising material, labour and regulatory costs.
While areas including commercial refurbishment, social housing improvements and public-sector programmes may provide pockets of growth, Larkin warned that risks remain heavily weighted to the downside. She also identified the possible loss of skills and industry capacity as a serious medium-term concern.
Dr Vanessa Brady OBE, founder and chief executive of the Society of British and International Interior Design, explored how closer cooperation between designers, manufacturers and specifiers could support innovation and market growth.
Her presentation challenged traditional assumptions about interior design and considered how bathrooms must respond to changing lifestyles, an ageing population, cultural differences and evolving expectations around privacy, comfort and independence. She encouraged businesses to focus less on competitors and more closely on what buyers and end users genuinely need.
Skills and competence took centre stage during an industry panel chaired by Bathroom Association Technical Director Andrew McLean. He was joined by Steve Collinge, managing director of Insights Retail Group, Simon Acres, Julie McLean, UK marketing director at Hansgrohe and the Association’s new president, and Jonathan Samuel, Managing Director, Water Regs UK.
The discussion examined the demographic pressures facing the plumbing and installation workforce, the need to attract more people into trade and manufacturing careers, and the importance of maintaining high professional standards.
While apprenticeships remain essential, panellists agreed that they are only part of the answer. Progress will require better communication about industry careers, greater engagement with education, support for employers and a willingness from businesses throughout the sector to play their part.
The daytime programme concluded with Rob Law MBE, inventor of the Trunki ride-on suitcase, whose story demonstrated how rejection, commercial setbacks and unexpected crises can become catalysts for innovation.
Drawing on the experience of building an internationally recognised product and manufacturing business, Law shared lessons about perseverance, understanding the customer and finding opportunity in difficult circumstances. His presentation brought the day’s themes together by asking delegates to consider whether their greatest challenges could ultimately become their greatest opportunities.
Daphne Doody-Green concluded: “The success of Connect was created by the people who took part, our speakers, panellists, sponsors, members, partners and guests. The challenge now is to carry that energy beyond the conference and continue working together on the issues that matter to our businesses, our customers and the future of the bathroom industry.”
