In focus, Neil Clark, Managing Director, Franke

IN FOCUS

Neil Clark, Franke UK

2019 brings a brand new regular feature to The Installer Magazine called ‘IN FOCUS, ‘where we look at the working and personal life of an industry personality. We are delighted to launch this series by interviewing Neil Clark, the highly respected Managing Director of Franke UK.

How long have you been at Franke? I joined the Franke Group in 2004 as Sales and Marketing Director for Carron Phoenix and moved to Franke UK in January 2013.

What is your industry history before joining Franke? Prior to that I was in the electronics industry - everything from power supplies to automotive sensors to radar systems!

Were your impressions of Franke before you joined the company accurate? Yes. Having worked for our sister company, Carron Phoenix, for eight years, I had a clear idea of how the group and the UK business were operating.

If so, have the opportunities to improve the company that you envisaged been difficult to implement and why? No - we have a fantastic team here with a progressive outlook. We’ve made significant progress in all areas, but especially in consumer care and marketing. The challenge is how to move the business forward without damaging what has gone before. 

The exciting new Box Center reinvents the sink and transforms it into a multifunctional workcentre"

Omni 4-in-1 tap in Copper.

What are the strengths of the brand in your opinion? Our strength lies in the depth and breadth of products across all of our brands and providing access to quality and design for different segments of the market. We focus on premium quality and are always looking at new ways to innovate. For example, we have patented hood technologies such as the Atmos ‘Steam Off’; the exciting new Box Center reinvents the sink and transforms it into a multifunctional workcentre; we have exclusive finishes on our stainless steel worksurfaces; we were first to market with a 4-in-1 tap that delivers filtered boiling and filtered cold water as well as standard hot and cold; plus of course installer innovations like our Fastfix fixing system for stainless steel (and soon granite) sinks…. I could go on! Franke has traditionally been acclaimed for its quality sink design and manufacture and most industry diehards would probably still recognise the brand for sinks and taps, so do you think that the shift into making hoods available through the brand could be developed further? Sinks and taps are undoubtedly our traditional heartland where we see big opportunities, especially in the instant boiling water sector. Franke owns the Faber Group, which is the world’s largest manufacturer of extractors and renowned for its expertise with around 60 designers working on R&D, so this gives us the means and opportunity to look at increasing market penetration for hoods too with a flow of new products from our innovation pipeline. 

We were first to market with a 4-in-1 tap that delivers filtered boiling and filtered cold water as well as standard hot and cold"

The Installer Magazine is almost 4 years old, and my perception is that of all the brands that I have encountered in my role as Editor, Franke probably makes the best use of different sales promotions, why do you think they work so well for you? Our products are widely available and we are always looking to support promotional activity with our trade partners, regardless of their market position. Our current ‘Wonderful Offers’ include many of our best-selling sink ranges paired with a nice range of taps at an attractive price point.

As a UK subsidiary of a European brand do you view Brexit as a pain or an opportunity and have you made any special plans? Brexit presents us with some challenges, but we are confident that we have made appropriate plans regardless of the outcome. The greatest challenge is the uncertainty. A little more about the products themselves; how much is the installer/fitter considered when designing a new product? Installers are very much considered as part of our design process. To be a reputable brand, it’s important to look at installation topics properly and provide the right balance of costs vs ease of installation. If a product is complex to fit or takes too long, it’s costing an installer time and money as well as storing up potential problems arising from incorrect installation. We experienced this with our first boiling hot water tap, the Minerva, which was proving quite tricky to install. We took feedback on board and developed our M-Box, a ‘plug and play’ system for the pipework and parts allowing our Minerva taps to be fitted in less than 30 minutes. It turned a negative into a big positive for the installer, the retailer and ourselves. Another example was the development of our Fastfix clip system for our midmarket inset sink ranges which allows a sink to be fitted in seconds once the cut-out has been done. We recognised that, as a volume seller of sinks, it was crucial to have a high level of installation excellence.

Tell us a little more about yourself … are you married? Do you have a family? I am married with four children, including three teenagers!

Any leisure interests? Basketball – all of my kids play or have played. It’s the best team sport (in my opinion!).

Franke has an enviable reputation built up over decades, where do you see the company heading over the next decade? The outlook for Franke is very positive. We have a strong position in the UK but never take this for granted. We will continue to invest in further innovation within all our product categories – and never forget the installer. Speed to market will increase and product trends will come and go at a faster pace. Service will become increasingly important – we’ve taken first steps with our field service team and I see this expanding as consumers and our trade partners become ever more demanding. www.franke.co.uk

Franke owns the Faber Group, which is the world’s largest manufacturer of extractors