The Kitchen Bathroom Buying Group (KBBG), part of DER KREIS is continuing to support its members throughout lockdown by working with its suppliers to offer webinars exclusively for KBBG members. 

The first webinar, which took place on 27^th January 2021, titled ‘How to successfully sell in a virtual world’, was led by the Director of Lead Wolf, Graeme Wilson. The webinar was carefully crafted to help KBBG members successfully organise virtual appointments to continue to generate leads while showrooms must remain closed during lockdown. Graeme shared insights and tips that covered the whole process of organising virtual appointments from what to include on a booking form, right through to how to host the meeting and follow up with the client afterwards.

Graeme Wilson, Director, Lead Wolf, explains: “Virtual appointments have never been so important with the changing nature of how independent retailers are operating due to the pandemic. What’s more, we have taken note of the change in consumer behaviour and foresee many of the new ways of working to continue to be popular with consumers beyond the pandemic. We therefore encourage retailers to adapt their selling process now, by introducing virtual appointments for example, and integrating these new ways of working into their future sales process too.”

The webinar was gratefully received and very well attended by KBBG members. Tasha Cloete, Owner, CLOPPENbourne Kitchens, praised the webinar: “I found it very useful and have implemented a few of the points already”, while Darren Walker, Director, Laings, said: “The webinar was good, well presented and clear – good points made for this new way of working”.

Bill Miller, Managing Director, KBBG, adds: “The feedback we received following the webinar was very positive, with many members praising the session for being interesting, informative and detailed. In addition, each attendee was sent a pack to help them get started, enabling them to drive their business through virtual appointments. A number of our members have also expressed interest in further discussions with Graeme on a one-to-one basis.”

The KBBG is planning further webinars to continue to support members of the buying group during this uncertain period of time. Bill explains: “We were pleased that the webinar was so well-received and we are working with our suppliers to plan further sessions for our members to partake. We also encourage our members to let us know if there are any particular topics they would be keen to learn more about and we will do our best to make it happen.”

For more information on the KBBG, call Bill Miller on 07887 247811 or email b.miller@derkreis.co.uk

As of the 21st January 2021 Waterfront Designer Bathrooms entered Voluntary Liquidation.

An automated email reply from a senior company spokesperson confirms:

Waterfront Designer Bathrooms has entered into Voluntary Liquidation. As of the 21st January, all staff including myself were made redundant.

Thank you for your support in the past and we wish you every success for the future.

Based in Waltham Abbey, Waterfront Designer Bathrooms Ltd’s portfolio included Designer, Signature and Studio bathroom collections. The company worked with leading designers and architects on projects such as Emery Wharf Dock (pictured).

AWARD-WINNING CPMG Architects, has announced the relocation of its head office. Following more than two decades in Warser Gate, the architectural practice will be moving its operations to a new home in St Peters Gate. 

The Grade II listed two-storey building, which has had a former life as a bank and more recently a bar, will be completely refurbished by CPMG with a design approach that captures the company’s mission: to design “places that feel better”. 

Overlooking St. Peter’s Church, the former banking hall will bring the team together in a single studio environment with newly installed mezzanine, along with subterranean meeting spaces occupying the former bank vaults. The entrance space will incorporate a co-working and coffee area. 

Managing director Richard Flisher said: “This move is a vote of confidence in our home city of Nottingham and in the future vitality of the city centre. Everything we do at CPMG is driven by our core values of people, purpose and place – and our move to St Peters Gate is no different. 

“As designers we adopt a flexible approach to the workplace and this move gives us the opportunity to instigate new ways of working for our staff, based on choice, and supported by flexible workstyles and cloud-based IT systems. 

“In support of CPMG’s commitment to the ‘RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge’ and our drive towards making all our designs zero carbon, we have designed our new offices to eliminate fossil fuel use whilst continuing to offset the remainder of our operational carbon use via Forest Carbon.” 

The design team will be revealing key details and progress on the refurbishment of the site over the coming months.  

Talking about the driving forces behind the decision, Richard continued: “We have been working towards a more flexible and varied approach to working for a while and there is no doubt that this has been greatly accelerated by the effects of COVID-19. Our existing lease at Warsaw Gate was coming to an end and it has given us the perfect opportunity to look afresh at the way we want to work in the future. 

“While we have in recent years opened offices in London, Birmingham and China, Nottingham is where our headquarters will always be. With this office move, we are reaffirming our commitment to a city that is our home and the place where we continue to design key projects across the city. 

“Nottingham has been our home for more than two decades, and we’re looking forward to being here for many more years to come.” 

For more information about CPMG Architects, please visit https://www.cpmg-architects.com.  

Duravit AG has announced it is welcoming Christian Brinkmann to the team as “Head of E-Commerce Europe” on April 1, 2021.

In line with the company’s consistent strategic orientation, Duravit is substantially bolstering its expertise in the field of e-commerce in order to better serve its customers’ varying needs and requirements. Having graduated with a focus on marketing and strategic management followed by more than ten years’ experience at Philips GmbH, Christian Brinkmann’s role at Duravit will be to drive forward the company’s e-commerce business.

In his previous role, Christian Brinkmann handled accounts for international e-commerce customers
including Amazon and also set up online shops, subsequently developing them into drivers of revenue. In his new position at Duravit, Brinkmann will report directly to CEO Stephan Tahy.

“I’m delighted and honored to be asked to manage Duravit’s e-commerce operations during this new and
exciting chapter in the organization’s development. I’m especially looking forward to working with the
Duravit team to develop our business and to create added value for our customers and partners as a result,” said Brinkmann.

About Duravit AG
Founded in 1817 in Hornberg in the Black Forest, Duravit AG is today a leading international manufacturer of designer bathrooms. The company is active in more than 130 countries worldwide and stands for innovation in the fields of signature design, comfort-enhancing technology and premium quality. In cooperation with high-profile international designers, such as Philippe Starck, sieger design, Kurt Merki Jr., Christian Werner, Matteo Thun and Cecilie Manz, the company develops unique bathrooms that enhance the quality of life for users on a sustained basis.

Duravit’s product portfolio comprises sanitary ceramics, bathroom furniture, bathtubs and shower trays, wellness systems, shower-toilets, tap fittings and accessories as well as installation systems.

Whilst applications for the smart home are growing in popularity, and this technology is still primarily to be found in the fields of entertainment, communication, energy management and security, ISH organisers tell us drinking-water installations also offer considerable potential, albeit one that has so far been rarely been exploited to any degree.

According to MesseFrankfurt, intelligent sanitation fittings are setting new standards in digitalisation. Smartphone apps not only increase product functionality but also make them much easier to use. At the same time, the individual fittings are more than the sum of their components. Through digitalisation and connectivity, the various parts combine to make intelligent drinking-water systems – for greater comfort, efficiency and hygiene.

“Today, fittings can deliver much more than just water. They are digital, high-tech products that offer an impressive demonstration of the sector’s innovative power. Manufacturers of brand-name products are focusing more and more on people and their needs. Their aim is to create genuine added value, to offer greater convenience and to increase both health and vitality”, explains Wolfgang Burchard, Managing Director of Germany’s VDMA Fittings association and spokesperson of the Blue Responsibility initiative.

Manufacturers are creating interconnect fittings that work together cross-brand to make them controllable via smartphones, thus enabling the user to centrally regulate, for example, the flow rates and temperatures of the shower, washbasin and kitchen fittings.

The result is bathtubs can be filled with water (at the desired temperature) at the click of a mouse while smart-control solutions in the kitchen ensure that hot water is available for the pot straight from the fitting. But that is not all: intelligent sanitation concepts mean house owners can automatically be sent notifications to their smartphones as soon as the system detects unusually high water consumption or a blocked pipe, so they can take all the steps necessary to repair the fault without delay.

Hygiene in corona times – drinking-water technology is the key
The Covid-19 pandemic has not only reduced the pace of life in many respects. The circulation of drinking water has also been slowed considerably. With many facilities being closed and the number of people in the office having been reduced significantly, numerous buildings have had none or hardly any water flowing through their pipes.

Water stagnation is a problem because biofilms can form and provide a potential breeding ground for harmful pathogens and bacteria. Anyone wanting to prevent this must also ensure that a basic rule of hygiene is not broken even in unused or little-used buildings: water must flow. When water is in motion it is difficult for biofilms to form and the danger of water contamination is reduced significantly.

In this respect, digitalisation is the key to optimum water management. For instance, hygiene systems permit drinking-water installations to be flushed regularly or spontaneously, to counteract the formation of pathogens and bacteria. A click on the manufacturer’s app is all it takes to start pumps, activate valves and open taps. The temperature can also be regulated, thus permitting the installation to be flushed with hot water if required. Thanks to these measures, it is possible to reduce the danger of legionella, which multiply most rapidly when the water temperature is between 25 and 55 °C.

Important in this connection is not only the individual fittings but the whole system. For this reason in particular, manufacturers of brand-name products have their eye on the drinking-water installation as a whole. Combining hardware and software, they offer innovative solutions that guarantee excellent drinking-water quality even in times of an international pandemic.

ISH digital offers additional information and innovative products for drinking-water installations at www.ish.messefrankfurt.com

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.”