INDUSTRY NEWS supplied by kbbdaily

from The Installer - Issue 8 - Winter 2017

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

IMPEY REVEALS 2017 WETROOM TRAINING DATES

Wetroom manufacturer Impey has released 11 new dates for its 'We Are Wetrooms' training course for 2017 following a “sell-out” 2016 tour, with the new training tour set to kick off in March this year. The 'We Are Wetrooms' tour is designed to teach “essential wetroom fitting skills” to UK installers for Impey products, such as the AquaDec EasyFit floor former and AquaDec Linear floor former. Other areas covered in the training days include how to achieve the correct wetroom gradient, effective drainage, leak-free waterproofing, and how to correctly tile on a floor former or wetroom tray.

The 2017 training dates for Impey's 'We Are Wetrooms' are as follows:

15/03Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire 05/04York Racecourse, York 26/04Sussex County Cricket Club, Hove 10/05Northampton Rugby Club, Northampton 31/05Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club, Exeter 14/06Murrayfield, Edinburgh 12/07Nottingham Forest Football Club, Nottingham 13/09Peterborough Football Club, Peterborough 27/09Gloucester Rugby Club, Gloucester 18/10London-based Football Club. (venue TBC) 01/11North West-based Football Club, (venue TBC)

THE K TEAM SCOOPS A PRESTIGIOUS INDUSTRY AWARD!

The inaugural ek&bbusiness awards were held at The Brewery in Central London in December and at last, an awards organiser has recognised installation as a fundamental piece of the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom industry jig-saw. Subsequently, over 500 people attending the gala event witnessed the announcement that BiKBBI member The K Team, had scooped the Exceptional Installer of the Year award, sponsored by ALNO UK. In their absence, the award was collected on their behalf by BiKBBI Chief Executive Officer Damian Walters who commented afterwards, “Congratulations to The K Team, it’s a great business and is a very deserving winner, but to be fair, we have many members that could be in contention for this accolade so I hope others follow in their footsteps and enter in the years ahead.” Damian added, “A big ‘UP’ for the organisers ek&bbusiness magazine for recognising our sector by including this award in their event. I have to say that Darren and his excellent team at the magazine have always been most supportive to the institute.”

MAX-TOP REASSURES CUSTOMERS WITH PRICE FREEZE IN 2017

Surface company Max-Top has said that it intends to freeze prices for the next 12 months “to accommodate fluctuations in the financial market following Brexit and now the effects of the US election result.” According to Managing Director Stephen Moss, the company is keeping its MaxTop Quartz product at the same price “at a time of unpredictability”. The action by the business is designed to “reduce financial tremors” as consumer confidence, interest rates and the pound fall following the EU referendum. “Import costs and currency fluctuations have affected imported goods, forcing some companies to increase prices accordingly,” said Max-Top Managing Director Stephen Moss. “However, we have taken the decision that we are in the right financial position to keep the cost of our work surface the same." “While the prices of other products and materials are already rising, we are keeping the retail cost of our quartz worktops at under £220 per metre,” he said. “In doing so, we hope to repay the faith our customers and regular installers have placed in us.”

SANIFLO ROADSHOW BOOSTS KINEDO SALES

Saniflo UK's 'Building Better Bathrooms' roadshow, which began in May and ended in October, has resulted in a boost to sales of Kinedo, and was “so successful,” according to the company, that it will take to the road again this year visiting new venues with new products. The purpose-built roadshow truck visited 80 venues across England, Wales and Ireland this year, with more than 820 installers and builders visiting, according to the company, to talk to the Saniflo technical and sales teams. The roadshow resulted in an increase in the number of Kinedo showroom displays being ordered, Saniflo said, as well as “excellent feedback from attendees including showroom and merchant staff who were taught how to build the Kinedo shower cubicles”. Saniflo UK Customer Services and Marketing Manager Ann Boardman said: “We’re delighted with the feedback and results of the Saniflo 'Building Better Bathrooms' roadshow. Our hands-on approach has led to a direct increase in showroom displays of the Kinedo shower cubicles. Visitors were able to see for themselves just what a valuable business proposition Kinedo shower cubicles offer.”

UK PLUMBER OF THE YEAR 2016 MAKES INSTALLATION VIDEO FOR JT

Shower tray manufacturer JT has published an installation video for its Evolved by JT product starring Shaun Scott, who won 2016 UK Plumber of the Year, a competition held by JT alongside Bristan and Plumb Center, last year. The video features Scott , who works for Derek Scott Plumbing Limited in Insch, explaining “the three simple stages of installing the 25mm tray: preparation, fitting and finishing,” according to JT. “The feedback on our product has been superb, but as with any new product, questions arise when it comes to installation,” said JT Managing Director Paul Crossley. “We've listened to our customers and delivered this easy-to-follow video, with the help of Shaun, to enhance the installers experience and answer any questions should they need it,” added Crossley.

CAESARSTONE MARKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY BY LAUNCHING DIRECT DISTRIBUTION IN UK

From January 2017 Caesarstone, the global leader in high quality engineered quartz surfaces, commences with direct distribution in the UK.

This decision follows significant success for Caesarstone with its direct distribution model in other regions, including US and Australia, and highlights the importance the brand places on the UK as one of its key markets. “We are up and running and open for business,” says Caesarstone UK’s Managing Director Amir Reske. “With our well stocked, 42,000 sq. ft. warehouse at our HQ in Enfield, North London, complemented by our own delivery fleet we are in a strong position to ensure our customers enjoy a quick and efficient turnaround from order to delivery. Together with our team of dedicated sales and support people we aim to offer the exceptional service that you would expect of a premium brand - a service that is in line with our global service standards”. One of the first companies to take delivery of products from Caesarstone’s new UK business is Prima Stone Surfaces. Director, Robert Jay, commented, “We are delighted with the smooth transition and excellent service received. We can see the passion and commitment to the brand in the UK market and we are looking forward to working with Caesarstone UK to develop our own quartz business.” Caesarstone already enjoys significant brand presence and market share within the UK and is recognised as a premium, aspirational surface product by both trade and consumers. The company sees huge potential in the UK quartz market. “Quartz continues to grow in prominence within the UK surfaces market, driven by growth in new builds, commercial projects and consumer confidence in domestic renovations and their desire for high quality materials,” says Reske. “With this in mind we see great opportunities for the brand in the UK. We want to take our products and services to a new level, while ensuring that our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We will do this by enhancing our product offering – we already offer 40 desirable colours and designs and we will be launching more ground breaking products later this year – and by building stronger ties with key partners via new loyalty programmes and unsurpassed service." Caesarstone starts its relaunch with a big statement which underlines the confidence it has in its brand by offering a 25 year warranty on all domestic products sold from January 2017 onwards. Further investment has gone into new facilities: the company has fitted out its own state of the art offices and warehousing at its North London HQ. A new showroom within the same space will be unveiled in the coming months. “We want our facilities to become a resource for fabricators, designers and architects in its own right – and our product design and innovations an inspiration to them,” comments Amir Reske. “We now have everything in place to maximize the potential for Caesarstone in what will be a major market for the company.”