Rate relief, restart grant, expansion of support for self-employed and investment in skills will help KBB industry get quickly back in business; However, housing market subsidy needs to be matched with incentives to invest in quality of homes.
The British Institute of Kitchen Bedroom and Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI), has welcomed the support for small businesses and skilled trades announced by the Chancellor in today’s Budget statement. However, the trade institute, that represents thousands of tradespeople and independent retailers in the home improvement industry, calls on the Government to go further to ensure that the industry can play its fullest role in ‘levelling up’ every community.
Damian Walters, Chief Executive of BiKBBI, said: “Many of the measures in today’s budget will give a real boost to the KBB tradespeople and independent retailers who have had to deal with so much over the past year. In particular, the restart grant and extension of business rate relief will help the showrooms that have had to close their doors through the lockdown get quickly back into business over the coming months. Alongside this, the expansion and extension of support for the self-employed offers a lifeline for the sole-traders that are the lifeblood of our industry.
“The doubling of incentive payments for employers taking on apprentices is also great news, particularly given the urgent need to train a new generation of skilled installers.
“Our members will be a little disappointed that the VAT relief being enjoyed by other industries is not being extended to the home improvement sector, particularly given the potential it has to stimulate local economic activity. And while mortgage guarantees will drive activity in the property market, they do little to incentivise people to invest in the quality of their homes. We hope that this is something the Government looks at over time to ensure that homes themselves are valued just as much as home ownership.”
The new bathroom planner on the Kaldewei website offers users the option to plan their new dream bathroom in 3D, and receive VR glasses to view.
Users can create their own plan or use one of the sample bathroom layouts; after planning if they enter their address and they will be sent environmentally friendly cardboard VR glasses to enable them to view the bathroom as if they were standing in the room.
Whether guest bathroom or converted attic spa, there are a large selection of shower surfaces, washbasins and bathtubs to choose from, enabling an individual’s style to bevisualised in simple steps. Bathroom furniture, partitions and accessories areintegrated along with different materials and colour options for the floor and walls.
There are no limits for creativity and at the end of the consultation the planning tool provides an itemised list of products to be used, ensuring the virtual dream bathroom can become a reality in no time at all.
Click the link to go directly to the Kaldewei bathroom planner.
Neoperl has launched a new website at neoperl.com. The site has been designed to appeal to a wider audience, demonstrating the water and energy-saving solutions provided by the World-wide group.
Neoperl products are present in millions of home appliances and the figure is growing as each year they produce over 200 million tap aerators, 125 million check valves and over 120 million flow regulators across the world. They supply most leading tap, shower and boiler manufacturers, helping to regulate the flow of water through appliances to save water, energy and extend the life of the product. Many of their products can also be retrofitted, so ideal for retailers and consumers to consider installing in the home within kitchen and bathroom taps and showers.
The new site promotes their key product areas of flow regulators, check valves, tap aerators, hoses and diverters and details new innovations now available in this specialist field. It also debuts a new corporate video demonstrating the scale of the operation and how the company is providing solutions across the globe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYb0cuC5JqU.
On Friday 26th February, Aqualla confirmed its acquisition by, FM Mattsson Mora Group, a leading supplier of kitchen and bathroom taps in the Scandinavian and Netherlands markets.
The acquisition will see both Aqualla and Adamsez brands sit alongside the FM Mattsson, Mora Armatur, Damixa and Hotbath brands already under the FM Mattsson Mora Group umbrella.
Based in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, Aqualla is a fast-growing business renowned for its high levels of customer service and focus on quality and design; in 2020 the business grew by more than 30%, delivering revenue of £7.6m and employing 37 people.
Aqualla will continue to operate as a free-standing business unit supported by the Group, with its current management team remaining in place, led by founder and Managing Director, Steven Allaway, and Company Sales Director, Noel Daly, together with its wider senior management team.
The acquisition will enable Aqualla to bring new innovative products to the market, bolstering its current portfolio through access to in-house design and manufacturing facilities. Not only offering an increased choice to customers in their home market but giving Aqualla the opportunity to export their brands and products to the Nordics and across Europe.
Steven Allaway (MD) commented “when we were approached by the Group about joining forces, we were poised for a period of exciting new opportunities with both the Aqualla and Adamsez brands and experiencing rapid expansion. We had no plans to sell, but the cultural and strategic fit between the two businesses was clear from day one and we believe there could be no better long-term home for Aqualla and our people.
By working with the Group going forward, we are excited to be able to offer new, innovative and unique product ranges to our existing customers, as well as take advantage of the Group’s in-house design and manufacturing capability to further extend our own capabilities.
We feel that this is a huge step forward for our business, indicative of our continual endeavour to provide first-class service and quality products to meet the needs of our customer. We are looking forward to offering some of the best products designed and manufactured in Europe”
Noel Daly, Company Sales Director at Aqualla added, “by working with the Group going forward we will be able to offer our customers an even wider range of products, including some of the finest available in Europe, and offer our highly valued team myriad opportunities personally and professionally to continue developing and growing Aqualla and Adamsez in GB, North and South of Ireland and beyond. We will be continuing to invest in Aqualla and accelerating our growth plans, including adding more people to our team to support the growth. FM Mattsson Mora Group values parallel our own with a commitment to growth through a customer centric approach and focus on company culture”
Fredrik Skarp, Group CEO, said “The acquisition of Aqualla is a very clear and exciting step in our growth strategy and establishes us in the UK and Ireland which is one of the largest bathroom markets in Europe. At the same time, we are taking a historic step by expanding our product portfolio beyond taps. I have been extremely impressed by the strength of Aqualla’s customer focus and dedicated employees so am very much looking forward to continuing the journey with them as part of the group.”
Clearwater is introducing the Cleargreen collection to its portfolio. A range of high-quality baths and bath screens, the addition of the Cleargreen collection allows Clearwater to target a broader audience, catering to more price points, spaces and designs.
By expanding upon its offering Clearwater is able to present a variety of options, from the versatile Cleargreen Sustain model to the extravagant double-ended Balthazar traditional bath.
Cleargreen acrylic baths are manufactured using 30% recycled material delivering contemporary styling. Created using an exclusive manufacturing process, featuring steel rods to reinforce the bath rims and superior heat-retaining qualities, Cleargreen baths offer reliable durability.
“Adding the Cleargreen collection to clearwater will create a broader catalogue of bath sizes and styles to help homeowners overcome any space limitations. The addition of the collection will position clearwater to have product available for any home.” comments Faye Froye, Bathroom Brands Marketing Manager.
For over 10 years, Clearwater has been handcrafting striking freestanding baths and basins aimed at the luxury market. The addition of the Cleargreen collection enables homeowners to experience the enhanced quality and luxury synonymous with the Clearwater brand, irrespective of project size or budget.
Today, Ideal Standard is introducing its brand-new design-led range, Atelier Collections, created in collaboration with renowned Italian studio PS+A.The bold designs have been created to work in harmony to allow complete customisation on every project.
The products bring together the skills of Palomba Serafinia Associati (PS+A), through its founder Roberta Palomba, with Ideal Standard’s broad manufacturing expertise.
The ranges draw inspiration from iconic Ideal Standard products of the past to create exciting new collections for the present. Roberto Palomba, with 25 years of experience in international design, has created unique collections that include an exclusive range of ceramics, brassware and furniture.
Inspired by Ideal Standard’s leading product lines from the past, the Conca range (pictured top) nods towards the iconic Ideal Standard basin, offering minimalist designs. The Blend range of WCs has been created to perfectly complement these basins.
Conca round vessel 45 cm and free-standing pedestal – Joy wall mounted basin mixer
Conca washbasin & Conca furniture Matt Sunset finish
Core to the Atelier collections is colour. PS+A have created a new, bold colour palette, some of which draws on colour influences that can be found in Ideal Standard’s design heritage, and others which reflect and define new colour trends. Launching in March, the colours have been applied to the Ipalyss range of super slim washbasins, designed by Robin Levien. Incredibly striking in colour and design, new shapes and sizes are also being introduced, creating an extremely durable and versatile range, made possible by Ideal Standard’s Diamatec® technology.
Additionally, there is also new brassware, with two new lines of mixer taps, Check and Joy. They are available in chrome and PVD finishes to offer a stylish simplicity.
Ipalyss washbasin
Joy Tap
Joy Vessel Mixer
Commenting on the new collections, Roberto Palomba said: “We are particularly proud of the results of our partnership with Ideal Standard. We maintain a very simple approach for our creations: quality paired with intuitive design that also keeps an eye to the past, while ensuring the levels of practicality, purity and elegance meet the needs of modern society.”
Torsten Türling, Chief Executive Officer at Ideal Standard added: “Throughout our history, we’ve worked closely with the leading designers of their era. Master designers have a unique ability to capture the essence of the time and translate that into designs that shape the evolution of society and influence the culture of design beyond the bathroom. This essence of design is what we wanted to capture again and this is reflected in Atelier Collections.”
The Atelier Collections will be available exclusively through independent retailers, with Ideal Standard committing significant investment into showroom and marketing support for the collections.
David Barber, Managing Director for Ideal Standard UK and Ireland said: “The Atelier Collections mark a new era in Ideal Standard’s design journey and we understand the importance of these ranges for our retail partners. Not only are we committing to a consumer advertising campaign to drive footfall to showrooms, but we are also working with retailers to provide support and tailor-made packages to ensure they are fully equipped to serve their customer base.”
Ideal Standard International is one a leading manufacturer of high-quality private and public bathroom solutions. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the privately-owned company employs around 9,000 people and operates 16 manufacturing sites, serving over 100 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Using the latest technologies and working with world-class designers, the company is focused on developing innovative bathroom solutions across multiple product categories including bathroom Ceramics, Taps & Fittings, Bathing & Wellness and Furniture & Accessories. Its products are sold under strong international and local brands such as Ideal Standard, Armitage Shanks (UK), Sottini (UK), Porcher (France), Ceramica Dolomite (Italy) and Vidima (Eastern Europe).
VASCO is expanding its range of electric heating solutions, to include an updated Wi-Fi-controlled electric radiator, the Niva, together with a hybrid version of the designer radiator the Niva Mix.
Electric radiators are the perfect partner for new ‘green’ builds and renovations; especially when combined with the installation of ground source heat pumps or solar panels.
The newly upgraded Niva range of electric radiators are easily controlled you can choose from a radio frequency version, which is not connected to your home internet and comes with a compliant thermostat as standard.
The electric radiator also has a VASCO Climate Control app (you will need the E-Volve Wi-Fi control version), this and the control unit can be ordered separately. The compact Wi-Fi module uses Bluetooth to communicate with a small temperature sensor located in the same room as the radiator. A third version, which allows you to control the radiator with your home automation system, is also available.
The Niva is a dry thermal panel electric radiator and does not contain any water; it heats up very quickly as it uses VASCO’s new infrared technology to generate a comfortable, radiant heat.
The upgraded electric Niva allows you to control and limit the radiator’s surface temperature, which is an extremely practical feature in rooms where safety is paramount, such as nurseries, it is far lighter than a water-filled radiator making it much easier to install based on a plug-and-play principle.
Niva Mix: hybrid radiator available in 2 sizes The VASCO Niva Mix is an exciting new hybrid radiator. It is an ideal solution as it offers two options: it can be connected to a hydronic central heating system or run on electricity. This makes the Niva Mix hybrid radiator perfect for areas that need to heat up quickly when the central heating system is switched off, such as bathrooms.
The minimalist, sleek and stylish electric Niva and Niva Mix radiators are available in an extensive range of colours that will work with any interior.
Wide range of accessories All VASCO accessories that are suitable for the hydronic Niva radiators are also available for the upgraded electric Niva and the Niva Mix.
About Vasco – www.vasco.eu Vasco offers a wide range of innovative and sustainable total solutions in the field of heating, ventilation and cooling for an optimal indoor climate. For example, Vasco delivers high-quality and internationally acclaimed design radiators that are characterized by a combination of top design and functionality. The quality brands for panel radiators are Superia in Belgium and Brugman in Germany, France, Poland and the Netherlands. In addition to radiators, Vasco is also an important player in the field of ventilation and underfloor heating. Vasco radiators are guaranteed with a quality guarantee for a period of 10 years on waterproofness and lacquer. The production companies are located in Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland. Vasco, headquartered in Dilsen (BE), has approx. 500 employees and is part of the Swiss Arbonia Group.
Roca’s new multi-device website www.uk.roca.com now offers a site with a more intuitive design and increased functionality. With improved browsing and product search, a more accessible website has been created for all audiences, offering customised content to help customers with their everyday needs.
OPTIMISED MULTI-DEVICE DESIGN
Roca’s new website guarantees perfect browsability on computers, smartphones and tablets thanks to its responsive and fully adaptable design. With an exceptionally fast load time, its contents are displayed in the most convenient layout for the user’s device, adapting the menu structure and content order to make them more accessible to multi-device browsing.
EASY BROWSING
With a state-of-the-art web design, products become the focus and are also more accessible. An optimised algorithm improves the direct search of words through a smart browser, while the filter system and the improvement of product classifications, makes it easier to access the different product categories and their options.
CUSTOMISED CONTENT
In order to provide the best user-experience and to respond more accurately to individual needs, Roca’s new website organises the content in a more user-focussed way for the brand’s different audiences: end users or professionals.
The new website invites users to browse and discover an extensive range of bathroom products to inspire and help find the ideal solution for your bathroom project. The website is designed to make it easy to search for a product, refine your selection, make your choice and buy through your nearest retailer.
AWARD WINNING
The new Roca website has been awarded a prestigious bronze award by the Association of Art Directors and Graphic Designers within the web category of the recent ADG Laus awards.
For more information and to experience the new website, visit www.uk.roca.com
Bisque Radiators has announced it has been presented with the BUILD Home & Garden Award for Most Stylish Designer Heating Company.
This award has been handed to Bisque in recognition of its ongoing commitment to creating innovative, design-led heating solutions for the last forty years (and counting).
Founded in 1979 by Geoffrey Ward, Bisque Radiators (now part of the Zehnder Group) has been a trailblazer in the design and engineering space. Over the years its portfolio of luxury radiators and accessories has been bolstered by collaborations with the likes of Paul Priestman and Leo Salzedo, designers of the popular Hot Spring and Archibald radiators respectively.
For the last four decades Bisque has always placed style at the forefront of design without sacrificing technical efficiency. Various models such as the etched copper Arteplano illustrate the brand’s bold style sensibilities, while its unique made-to-measure and colour-matching services allow customers to create truly one-of-a-kind, bespoke designs.
Winning the BUILD award is yet another fantastic achievement for Bisque, with BUILD’s expert panel acknowledging winners based on a select criterion including expertise and knowledge within a given field; dedication to client service and satisfaction; and an ongoing commitment to excellence and innovation.
About Bisque: For the last 40 years, Bisque (part of the Zehnder Group) has established itself as the pioneer of beautiful radiators for stylish interiors. It was the UK’s first ever heating brand to offer a selection of electric, dual fuel and plumbed models inspired by luxury interior design, and since then has made a name for its innovative selection of iconic radiators. Its reach and widespread appeal has only further been strengthened by its bespoke offering, including made-to-measure sizes, colour-match service and sustainable collections. Its rich heritage and versatile selection has thus resulted in Bisque becoming the go-to brand of choice for architects and interior designers in the UK.
Six new retailers have joined the Kbsa in February, bringing the total to thirteen new members so far this year.
The members include; Inhouse Designs, Oxford; Handsons Interiors Ltd, Lincolnshire; Artizan Interiors, Surrey; Somerton Kitchens, Somerset; Bathroom & Kitchen Planet Stirling and Foundation member Harrison Smith Interiors Ltd, Doncaster.
James Owens from Somerton Kitchens said, “We are delighted to join the Kbsa and help give our customers additional confidence and peace of mind when ordering kitchens from us.
“The member benefits available to us through Kbsa such as the finance packages will be welcomed by our customers, and we will also gain commercial value from features such as the legal support.”
Kbsa national chair Richard Hibbert said, “I am delighted that membership growth has started so strong in 2021. We remain committed to working on behalf of the independent sector, protecting their interests and helping them make the most of future opportunities.”
