Roca Group has reinforced its presence in Brazil with the acquisition of a sanitary ware plant located in the state of Ceara, northeast of the country. Roca Group will invest 16 million euros in this operation, with which the Spanish group reaffirms its bet on Brazil, where it already has 11 factories and 4,170 employees.

The acquired asset comprises an industrial plant (buildings and machinery) of 37,000 square meters, as well as the land on which it is located, which covers an area of 122,000 square meters. In addition, the production unit is strategically located close to the Port of Pecem and in one of the regions with the highest economic growth in Brazil.

CSC, the owner of the plant until now, was also dedicated to the production of sanitary ware, but filed for bankruptcy in 2018. Roca Group has been the successful bidder of the facilities after submitting the highest bid in the auction held and receiving the approval of the judicial authorities and the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE) from Brazil.

As part of its strategy to contribute to the economic growth of the countries in which it operates, Roca Group will create 270 jobs in this center. Recruitment will begin in February and priority will be given to staff who previously worked at the facility. The company’s aim is for the plant, which has been shut down since April 2020, to gradually come into operation from May onwards, with the forecast that it will be fully operational by February 2022.

The factory, which has a production capacity of 1.4 million pieces per year, will be dedicated to the manufacture of sanitary ware for the Group’s brands and to the export of the Roca brand to the Central and North American markets.

The facilities, built in 2016, are considered one of the most modern in their segment. Additionally, the group will implement its EcoRoca sustainability program, based on the reduction of emissions, energy savings and revaluation of waste.

Roca Group’s CEO, Albert Magrans, highlighted that the operation increases the company’s commitment to Brazil and the American continent. “This acquisition strengthens and enhances our growth in Brazil, one of our most important markets and one with high demand for bathroom products, while reinforcing our global leadership in sanitary ware.”

Yvonne Orgill, MD at The Unified Water Label Association (UWLA) is urging KBB retailers to realise the benefits of promoting bathroom products that carry the Unified Water Label to consumers.

Yvonne says, “Research has shown that consumer attitudes have changed over the last 12 months. The Covid pandemic has had a huge impact, not only on how much time people now spend at home but also in terms of their views on environmental responsibility and climate change. There is a growing interest in products that can help save water and energy, helping keep household bills down and contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle.

“The good news for retailers is we now have a huge selection of innovative products that are designed to use water wisely, without compromising on quality. Retailers do not have to compromise on design or performance when selecting environmentally friendly products to promote to their customers. These products can be sourced easily from our database of over 13,000 products.

“Many of Europe’s most well-known and well respected brands offer bathroom products that carry the UWL, providing taps, showers and toilets that use water wisely and offer great choice to the consumer.

A recent survey by The Bathroom Manufacturers Association revealed that consumers would like to make better purchasing decisions but lack the knowledge to do so. The survey found that half of those surveyed would like to improve their household water efficiency (55%), and state it influences their purchasing decision (51%). The survey also reported that four in ten adults are not sure how to improve the water efficiency in their home (41%) and three in ten (28%) don’t know how much water they use daily.

“These results clearly illustrate that retailers could benefit by providing this information to the consumer.

“We have produced an information sheet for retailers to help them understand the benefits and will be promoting our #dontforgettheplug campaign to them over the next three months to build awareness.”

Information on the UWL can be found here

Homelessness is always hard – not least at Christmas and certainly not least in the midst of a pandemic. In response to this crisis, Knightsbridge – one of the UK’s leading manufacturer of wiring devices, accessories and lighting – has donated a percentage of sales revenue from its weatherproof range to Signposts, a Dunstable and Luton charity dedicated to supporting the homeless in the company’s local area.

Signposts doesn’t simply provide accommodation to its clients: it offers a wider range of support that seeks to holistically address the causes and consequences of homelessness such as social isolation, mental ill health and substance/ alcohol abuse through a strengths-based approach which includes learning, sharing, developing and using skills.

The £12,000 donation stems from Knightsbridge’s social responsibility initiative Committed to a Brighter Future, which encompasses charity work, increased sustainability – such as a move to sustainable packaging that is both 100% recyclable and made from 100% recycled materials – and research into and investment in energy-efficient products.

The donation will be used as a starting point to set up ‘Knightsbridge bursaries’, a service that relieves the stress of electricity, gas, and food costs for people who have come into accommodation directly off the streets. Tim Archbold, Chief Executive of Signposts, said, “We are so grateful to Knightsbridge for their support. These bursaries will make a real difference to people’s lives and enable them to get back on their feet and back into society.”

Other Knightsbridge milestones realised under Committed to a Brighter Future so far include a 95% reduction in single use plastics, 98% of packaging being biodegradable; and contributions in both goods and volunteers that have helped feed over 1300 people at the company’s local food bank.

For donations to Signposts, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/signpostsbursaryfund

Roca Group has signed the acquisition of a 75% stake in Royo Group, the European leader in the field of bathroom furniture. Roca has purchased 62% of the company from the American fund HIG and the Royo family will continue to hold 25% of the firm’s capital.

Royo Group owns three production plants in Spain and Poland and two innovation centres. The company manufactures around one million pieces of bathroom furniture annually, with a turnover of 95 million euros in 2019 and a workforce of 793 people.

With this operation, Roca Group and Royo create a world leader in bathroom furniture, with a global turnover of over 173 million euros in this segment and a production of close to two million units per year in nine production centres located in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, China and Brazil. Additionally, Roca Group is consolidating its leadership in the creation of bathroom spaces, increasing its market share in an activity that complements sanitary tile. Roca Group has been advised by Alantra and Broseta in this transaction, which is pending approval by the German and Polish competition courts.

As part of Roca Group’s strategy to set up specialized centres of expertise for different product categories within the bathroom space, Royo Group will become the hub for the development of the furniture segment for Roca Group, while continuing with the commercial development of its brands.

According to Albert Malgrans, CEO at Roca Group, “with this alliance, we reinforce the bathroom furniture category, key in our sector, with the European leader with whom we share the business vision and with whom we have collaborated closely over the last 10 years. This merger will allow us to further increase our competitiveness in the bathroom space and achieve the world’s leadership in this segment.”

Raúl Royo, CEO at Royo Group, highlights that this is “a great strategic alliance through a joint venture between the two companies, that reinforces the maximum possible commitment between both parties”. “The agreement with Roca, one of the largest Spanish industrial groups and a leader in the bathroom business worldwide, will help us to jointly build an even more leading and innovative company, accumulating almost 150 years of history in the bathroom sector between the two families”, he adds.

Roca Group operates in 170 countries with 81 production centres and a workforce of 24.000 professionals worldwide. In 2019 it recorded a turnover of 1.861 billion euros.