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UK shower enclosure manufacturer Merlyn has unveiled some trend-setting colour options in their stunning collection of modular wetroom panels. As well as the colour finish options these versatile 8 mm panels include 17 components and various fitting options to create a very individualised bathroom space.

Homeowners embracing the enduring trend for coloured bathrooms can now elevate their spaces with the new range of panels, including the striking bracing bar—a true standout feature in our range. Available in five stunning finishes—Standard Chrome, Brushed Brass, Matt Black, Brushed Gun-metal Grey, and Brushed Bronze—the bracing bar, along with matching caps and profiles, allows for a bold expression of style. Whether it’s seamlessly integrated or used to create a striking contrast with showers and faucets, this prominent feature ensures that every bathroom reflects the buyer’s unique taste

These panels, with a generous height of 2015 mm, and versatile widths from 300 – 1600 mm, are available in clear glass and on-trend low iron consistency fluted glass, both with Mershield protective coating. Not only are the consumer-friendly Wetroom Panels aesthetically pleasing, but they are also extremely robust and durable, with an exceptional industry-unique service lifetime guarantee and a commitment to using only the very highest specification materials with a quality finish that excludes the use of PVC.

Tom Reynolds, chief executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association, draws attention to an often-overlooked issue in public health: toilet plume.

While a designer’s focus in creating bathroom spaces concentrates on their technical knowledge to achieve functionality and beautiful design, they will also ensure that safety and practicality are part of the brief. However, how many of us are aware of the risks of toilet plume or have even heard of the term?

Toilet plume refers to the microscopic particles and droplets released into the air when a toilet is flushed. These particles can contain various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and other microbes, posing a potential risk to human health. Flushing generates a turbulent flow of air and water within the toilet bowl and can cause these microorganisms to become airborne, where they may linger and settle on surrounding surfaces.

Research has demonstrated that toilet plume can transport harmful pathogens such as staphylococcus, E. coli, and even the virus responsible for COVID-19. This airborne spread is particularly concerning in public and shared bathrooms, where multiple users increase the likelihood of exposure to these pathogens.

One of the most effective measures to reduce the spread of germs is to close the toilet lid before flushing. While not 100% effective, this simple action creates a physical barrier that can significantly reduce the dispersion of airborne particles, containing them within the toilet bowl. Maintaining proper bathroom hygiene through regular cleaning and disinfecting surfaces further minimises contamination risk. Aware of the dangers, bathroom manufacturers increasingly offer antibacterial glazed coatings that make cleaning easier, helping to reduce contamination of surfaces.

Ventilation also plays a crucial role in managing the effects of toilet plume. Adequate ventilation can help dissipate airborne particles more quickly, reducing their potential to settle on surfaces or be inhaled. Designers should take note and ensure that bathrooms can be well-ventilated, whether through windows or mechanical ventilation systems.

Given the health implications, increased awareness about the risks associated with toilet plume should be high on the agenda. A public information campaign is essential to educate individuals on the importance of proper bathroom practices, but designers can also help this effort. By raising awareness and promoting preventive measures through clever product selection, incorporating ventilation into design concepts, and educating clients, reducing the transmission of illnesses linked to toilet plume is possible.

It’s time we closed the lid on this unseen health hazard.

The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) has announced that Reels in Motion, a leading video production agency based in Stoke-On-Trent, has joined as an affiliate member

Established in 2004, Reels in Motion has built a reputation for creating compelling content for brands worldwide. It offers a range of services, from corporate videos and animations to broadcast and promotional films.

Renowned for their creativity and commitment to excellence, Reels in Motion has produced hundreds of award-winning films for prestigious clients, including the NHS, Jaguar, and Hilton. Their personalised approach ensures that each project aligns with the client’s vision, delivering exceptional results that resonate with audiences.

Reels in Motion’s dedication to quality has earned them a spot in the EVCOM Top 50 list, along with accolades such as Production Company of the Year and GOLD EVCOM Clarion Awards. The company also boasts a perfect 5.0 Google Review Rating.

Tom Reynolds, the BMA’s Chief Executive, expressed his excitement about welcoming Reels in Motion to the association: “We are thrilled to have Reels in Motion join the BMA as an affiliate member. We’ve worked with the company for several years, so we know well their track record of creativity and excellence in video production. They will be an invaluable asset to our members.

“In an increasingly digital world, their expertise in creating engaging content will help our members to better connect with their audiences and strengthen their brands.”

Matt Hubbard, Account Director at Reels in Motion, said: “We’re excited to partner with the Bathroom Manufacturers Association. Our goal is to share our expertise in video production and demonstrate its powerful applications in the manufacturing industry, including product demonstrations, virtual facility tours, and training videos.

“As part of this collaboration, we’ll offer exclusive discounts and special offers to BMA members, along with workshops, blogs, and valuable resources to demonstrate how members can harness the power of video.

“With over 20 years of experience producing high-quality video content for businesses like those within the association, I’m eager to work closely with members and drive impactful results.”

As the aftermath of GCSE results day illuminated the future career options of hundreds of thousands of students who sat these exams, apprenticeships have garnered significant online interest.

Analysis of Google search data shows that searches for ‘apprenticeships’ hit an all-time high of 614% since 2004, suggesting that students are increasingly open to the possibility of alternative pathways to university. After thousands of students received their GCSE, T-Level and A-Level results in the last fortnight, many young Brits must make critical decisions about their future career paths. Clive Holland, broadcaster on Fix Radio, the UK’s only national radio station for tradespeople, comments that encouraging young people to take apprenticeships is key to mending the skills deficit. 
 
New data from Fix Radio shows that a staggering 65% of Brits weren’t encouraged onto the worksite and 18% of British parents wouldn’t want their childrent to work in the construction industry as they don’t believe they’d earn much money. New data shows that attitudes towards apprenticeships might be changing, as research from the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) shows that 47% of parents no longer believe a degree is the “golden ticket” to success. As the national average salary for a construction apprentice stands at £23,828 according to Glassdoor, the benefit of taking an apprenticeships means that apprentices will be able to not only earn on the job but be debt-free. This also coincides with many tradespeople’s jobs earning sizeable amounts more than university graduates. According to research carried out by The Federation of Master Builders, brickies, plumbers and other skilled professionals were taking home earnings which dwarfed those of graduates by thousands of pounds.

  • Site manager – £51,266
  • Plumbers – £48,675
  • Supervisors – £48,407
  • Electricians – £47,265
  • Roofers – £42,303
  • Bricklayers – £42,034
  • Carpenters and joiners – £41,413
  • Plasterers – £41,045
  • Scaffolders – £40,942
  • Painters and decorators – £34,587

Further research from Fix Radio unveiled that 67% of Brits (29.7 million) agreed that their most valuable professional development came from learning on the job from skilled professionals, highlighting the importance of supporting apprenticeships. Research from the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) indicates that the average graduate salary in the UK sits at £33,229. As the number of people starting apprenticeships fell from 500,000 in 2015 to 337,000 last year, more must be done to encourage young people to opt for apprenticeships over traditional university degrees. According to Clive Holland, failure to address the lack of builders in the UK will affect any measures introduced to tackle the housing crisis after the election, which could potentially be alleviated by encouraging more young people into apprenticeships. 

As the need grows for more young people to take apprenticeships in the UK, data from the Department of Education reveals that only 1% of young people are studying for a T-Level, while further analysis has shown a 41% decline (almost 54,000) in apprenticeship starts for those under 19 between 2015 and 2023. Broadcaster on Fix Radio, Clive Holland discusses how national apathy towards apprenticeships has exacerbated the skills deficit, and by extension, the housing crisis.

Clive Holland, host of The Clive Holland Show on Fix Radio, shares his thoughts on how the skills deficit has affected the construction sector:

“Apprenticeships are on the decline and the Department of Education by their own admission shows that only one percent of all young people are studying for a T-Level.

“Since Brexit, record numbers of tradespeople have left the country, and the stresses of an overstretched workforce are prompting thousands of colleagues to either retrain or leave the industry entirely. As Fix’s research has shown that the nation is starting to feel this pinch – with increasing numbers finding themselves waiting in excess of a year for a tradesperson to see them – imagine what this means for the housing crisis in the long-term.

“Years of continually missed homebuilding targets is now pricing millions of people out from the property market, and it’s only going to get worse. We simply need more builders. If political parties, irrespective of their stripe or colour, honestly believe they can address the housing crisis without having the serious conversation of addressing the skills deficit, we’re heading into a very dangerous position.”

About Fix Radio
Fix Radio, the Builders Station is the home of entertainment, music and information for UK tradespeople.

Since 2017 the station has been built from the ground-up with tradespeople in mind, providing a mixture of authentic trade voices, up-beat music and a schedule designed around the tradesperson’s day.

The station’s schedule includes some of the biggest talent in the industry, including social media influencers the Bald Builders, Clive Holland of the BBC and formerly Cowboy Trap, the country’s most famous plasterer Chris Frediani from DIY SOS, plumbing influencer Andy Cam, electrician turned YouTuber Thomas Nagy, carpenter, craftsman and social media influencer Robin Clevett and TV presenter and builder, Mark Millar.

Broadcasting nationally on DAB since May 2022, Fix Radio has an average reach of 460,005 tradespeople each week. The Builders Station also boasts 26.9 average weekly listening hours. Fix Radio’s audience reach and listening hours are audited by Nielsen.

HygieneGlaze – Duravit’s unique, patented ceramic glaze for environmentally friendly bathroom hygiene – has evolved. In addition to its highly efficient, antibacterial effect, the HygieneGlaze® Plus ceramic surface offers outstanding levels of cleanliness and even greater ease of cleaning. This effect has been achieved by altering the surface tension following a modification of the glaze.

Fewer deposits, greater cleanliness

The smooth, low-adhesion surface texture of HygieneGlaze® Plus means that dirt and limescale particles are even easier to rinse off with water. This keeps the ceramic looking and feeling as perfect as the day it was installed.

The long-lasting cleanliness of the ceramic makes cleaning noticeably easier, which generates economic benefits in facilities with a high user frequency, such as public toilets. In addition, the reduced use of cleaning products lowers the environmental impact.

Lasting and efficient hygiene

HygieneGlaze® Plus works based on the oligodynamic effect – the harmful effect of positively charged metal ions on bacteria – this is integrated into the glaze during the firing process. This manufacturing process ensures a lasting effect, leading to a dynamic reduction in pathogens such as escherichia coli. After just six hours, 90 per cent of the bacteria have been eliminated, rising to an excellent hygiene level of 99.99 per cent after 24 hours.

Aurena complete with HygieneGlaze® Plus

Aurena by Antonio Citterio is the first complete ceramic series to be launched with the HygieneGlaze® Plus surface. This extends to washbasins, toilets, and bidets, as well as all ceramic colours supplied (White, White Satin Matt, Black, Matt Black). Other series are already being planned.

More products from Duravit


The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation has announced it has been awarded Silver status in the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme.

BiKBBI became a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant in 2020, joining 4,000 other businesses nationwide in promising to ensure that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces and their families are treated fairly. Subsequently, it achieved a bronze award in the Employer Recognition Scheme, a programme designed to acknowledge employers who have provided exceptional support to the armed forces community.

In March 2024, BiKBBI upgraded its Employer Recognition Scheme status from bronze to silver, which entailed a rigorous application process. The company demonstrated its support for Defence and actively communicated and upheld a positive stance to employees via established human resources policies and procedures.

Damian Walters, CEO at BiKBBI, commented ‘BiKBBI has proudly supported the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces Covenant for many years, firstly in support of the brave forces personnel that give so much to, and have given up so much for our country. Secondly, we recognise the opportunity to support highly trained ex-services personnel with transferable skills by bringing them into the KBB sector, thus supporting our industry too. We joined the Employer Recognition Scheme not only to recognise our efforts to date, but with the express interest to keep improving and growing the support that we provide to the armed forces community. We are thrilled to achieve the Silver Award, the next milestone in our journey towards our ultimate goal of the Gold Award.’

Intrepid staff at Utopia’s Wolverhampton headquarters dodged the rain showers to raise over £1,500 on their recent annual 10k charity walk. This enjoyable event was organised by Matt Cox, an Assembly Team Supervisor at Utopia. Matt describes the walk as a pleasant stroll with colleagues, stopping for refreshments along the way.

With a record £1,545 raised this year so far and awaits the possibility of further donations, the impressive sum will be split between the Men’s Mental Health Charity, which aims to raise awareness about mental health among men, and Utopia’s own Liz Green Fund, set up to benefit cancer charities and local causes in memory of one of the founding directors, Liz Green.

The happy group of 20 walkers had a brilliant day and walked 11.2k in total. They were strikingly attired in bright pink T-shirts proudly displaying the logos of the two chosen charities.

Matt comments, “Quite apart from raising valuable funds for charity, this is such a brilliant team-building occasion. It’s a great opportunity for Utopia staff to spend time together outside work. Congratulations to everyone who took part.”

Bathrooms to Love, PJH’s exclusive bathroom brand, continues to refresh its furniture collection and has launched this latest premium range, the LIGNE MATT GRAPHITE GREY floor-standing modular family.

Featuring a textured geometric design of vertical and diagonal lines, LIGNE’s range of units are finished with a beautiful super matt, fingerprint-proof surface in a bold graphite grey colour. In stunning contrast, the basin cabinets are complemented with elegant solid Maple wood ‘framed’ legs. The combination of the different materials and finishes results in an effortlessly stylish, luxurious look.

Bathroom-Review-BTL

A top-of-the-range Bathrooms to Love collection, LIGNE, named after its unique linear pattern, boasts generous storage space, and includes a range of two-drawer basin units as well as a wall-hung tall unit with shelves. Basin cabinet options include units with a thin-edge, white inset ceramic basin, and units with a coordinating maple-effect worktop that can be teamed with a vessel basin. LIGNE is also suitable for smaller bathroom spaces as the vanity units have a shorter than average depth projection of 395mm.

With a choice of basin unit sizes ranging from widths of 610mm to 815mm, the high specification design features premium soft-close fittings for ultra smooth gliding action and longevity. There is choice of sleek handle designs in three metallics; Brushed Brass, Chrome and Matt Black, which can be coordinated with the same metallic finished basin wastes, overflow rings, flush covers and seat hinge caps. Cont./…
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Embracing the latest bathroom furniture trends in organic textures, bold hues, tactile finishes and streamlined looks, the new LIGNE MATT GRAPHITE GREY floor-standing family is an eye-catching design perfect for showroom displays and bathroom projects of all sizes.

Now in stock and available to order from PJH, the stunning LIGNE range comes with competitive display deals, product swatches and a package of showroom support. This includes QR codes with AR links for customers to view LIGNE in their own space, as well as this engaging video: LIGNE by BTL

Supported with Next Day Delivery (to 93% of UK postcodes), including the opportunity to deliver to store or home, LIGNE can be ordered via PJH’s Partners Portal™ e-commerce website.

Further information:
Bathrooms to Love by PJH: T: 0800 8 77 88 99 / www.partners.pjh.uk / www.bathroomstolove.uk

UK kitchen distributor Waterline has announced the launch of the Waterline Bathroom Collection, its first venture into the bathroom sector. This expansion marks an exciting milestone for the company, as it now offers a full KBB service solution for independent retailers.

The Waterline Bathroom Collection features a wide range of products catering to traditional and contemporary tastes. Developed in close collaboration with industry experts, the range includes everything from furniture, WCs, and flushing systems to brassware, basins, shower trays and enclosures, baths, heating solutions, flooring, and mirrors.

Design is at the heart of the Waterline Bathroom Collection. Both square and round themes are featured in the sanitaryware, while the furniture pieces feature contemporary and traditional styles. The shower enclosures offer a variety of styles, including quadrant, sliding doors, and hinge doors, while the brassware comes in multiple tap configurations with finishes that match the shower enclosures. Colour features throughout the range too, ensuring cross-product colour coordination to meet diverse design preferences.

Competitively priced to enable retailers to maintain strong margins, Waterline offers exclusive incentives for displaying its products. Importantly, none of the products in the Waterline Bathroom range will be sold online, ensuring exclusive support for its retail partners.

“We are delighted to launch the Waterline Bathroom Collection, marking our first step into the bathroom market,” said Michael Marriott, CEO of Waterline Distribution. “This expansion is a testament to our dedication to providing a full KBB service solution.”

For more information, visit www.waterline.co.uk or call 03330 149 149.

Allow customers to think outside of the box when designing their dream bathroom. Adding a colourful cistern can be the perfect solution to add a statement piece without overtaking the room. For this, the Thomas Crapper 814 cistern is exactly the product required.

As with all Thomas Crapper products the quality and timeless design features set this brand above many of its competitors.  The marine quality aluminium alloy used to produce this cast cistern gives an impressive, long-lasting, highly durable smooth finish

The 814 cistern is available in five standard colours – red, matt black, blue, white and green – or can be specified in a selection of RAL colours. 

Bathroom-Review-Thomas-Crapper-Colourful-Cistern.

For further information on Thomas Crapper, please visit www.thomas-crapper.com