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PROFESSIONAL
BUILDERS MERCHANT SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT
A century of innovation
Quality and innovation
Customer insights
Supporting merchant businesses
www.hafele.co.uk
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SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT
2023 marks 100 years of Häfele. Here, we chart the company’s developments from humble beginnings to global growth while continuing to remain under family ownership.
Supporting industry for 100 years
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rom its origins as a single speciality joinery shop that opened its doors in 1923 in Württemberg, Germany, Häfele has evolved to become a global, privately-owned business with more than 8,000 employees and an annual revenue of almost two billion Euros. Still family-owned and operated, Sibylle Thierer was recently confirmed as chairperson of the Board of Directors, with Gregor Riekena, taking the post of CEO — becoming only the second non-family CEO of the Häfele Group. Throughout its 100-year history, Häfele has maintained its founders’ focus on making innovative products based on customer need. Today, this mission is as true as ever as the company marks its centenary with a series of new product introductions and services all designed to enable tradespeople, architects, furniture designers and manufacturers to maximise the value of space for their customers, together.
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A century of high-quality products As well as distributing some of the most respected brands in the furniture, kitchen and appliances market, since 1954 Häfele has developed and manufactured its own products that are relied on by trade professionals and have had a lasting influence on how we join materials today. One such system to revolutionise the sector is the Häfele Minifix connector system. Minifix and its associated bolt launched in 1983, enabling flatpack furniture to be quickly and accurately assembled, compared with a glue and dowel method. Now, 3.2 million Minifix are produced in Häfele’s Berlin factory every day, which on top of each other, would be taller than 100 Shard buildings. Supporting with services Häfele’s focus on supporting customer need also means the business has a keen eye on service. From the first Häfele exhibition bus in 1966 to creating a Technical Support Team nearly three decades ago, the business prides itself on being there for customers every step of the way. As part of its centenary celebrations, Häfele created Service+, which is a
multi-pronged service proposition designed to add value from concept through to installation and beyond. The proposition comprises: l Service+ Knowledge — connecting customers with specialist Häfele product and industry knowledge; l Service+ Planning — a range of free planning and specification support; l Service+ Customised — offering a wide range of custom manufactured solutions; l Service+ Assist — providing ongoing technical support pre and post-sale. Local success Its focus on innovation and service has seen Häfele go from strength to strength in the past 100 years. In the UK, Häfele has had a growing presence since 1980 when it opened its first site in Rugby. Over the decades, Häfele UK has grown exponentially to an annual turnover of more than £115m and a 400-strong team of employees, including more than 60 field-based sales experts and area sales managers, offering national coverage to its 25,000 active customers. Its two sites sit across 290,000 sq. ft., offering more than 20,000 pallet locations which ship, on average, 2,000 orders every day. n For more information, visit www.hafele.co.uk
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Natalie Davenport, Head of Marketing at Häfele UK, shares the findings of its latest Functional Spaces: Homes for Living research.
“One-in-five homeowners are planning a new kitchen”
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unctional Spaces: Homes for Living is a study of 2,000+ homeowners designed to help our merchant and retail partners understand changes in consumer wants and needs when it comes to their home and kitchens in particular. Exploring factors including homeowners’ biggest pain points and what features would improve their space, quality of life and wellbeing, its purpose is to give retailers useful insights to help boost and focus sales and marketing activity. is year’s Functional Spaces: Homes for Living study revealed that almost half of UK homeowners (45%) are planning home improvements within the next two years. One in ten respondents said the cost and difficulty of buying and selling will see them actively put off plans to move in favour of
home improvements and over a third (36%) of all respondents aren’t considering a move but have plans to upgrade their home. Strong opportunities in kitchens In positive news for merchants with a strong kitchen offer, a new kitchen was one of the most popular home improvements that consumers said they are planning over the next two years. Second only to interior decorating, our research found that more than one-in-five homeowners (23%) are planning to upgrade their kitchen space before 2026. Examining the findings regionally, hotspots for new kitchens include the East of England (30%), South West and Wales (both 26%), and London (25%), a close fourth. Drivers and priorities Analysing the data, we also uncovered the critical motivators for changing a kitchen, drivers when planning a new one and reflections on a recent upgrade project. One-quarter selected a style overhaul as the motivator for why they would or have updated their kitchen. Quality improvements (23%) and lack of storage (19%) were second and third on the list. Against a backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis and rising interest rates, it’s perhaps
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unsurprising that budget and the overall cost was the most important factor for those who’ve recently bought or updated their kitchen (34%) and almost half of those who said they need to upgrade their kitchen are worried about the cost to do so. is figure has increased by 6% since our 2022 study. However, the drivers were more varied for those planning a future project. Almost a quarter (24%) said they would shop around to get the best functionality for their budget, and 14% said ‘function and usability’ was the second most important factor, just five percentage points behind cost and ahead of style and quality. In terms of specific features most desired, kitchen islands topped the list at 41%, closely followed by a pantry or larder (39%) and a separate utility room or cupboard at 38%. When it comes to cabinetry internals, 31% longed for pull-out wirework, 30% for pan drawers and 28% for corner storage. We hope that through our research, merchants can get valuable insight to help capitalise on sales opportunities and support consumers in creating spaces that meet their evolving needs and balance function with budget and style. n Download Häfele’s full Functional Spaces: Homes for Living report at hafele.co.uk
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SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT
Highlighting some of the new and best-selling solutions available from Häfele:
THE XTRAHAND Invented by carpenter and cabinet maker, Alan Gillett, the XtraHand is an innovative hands-free dust extraction tool for drilling, cutting and grinding available exclusively from Häfele UK. The device fits onto hose-mounted vacuums and sticks to almost any flat surface, and is ideal for tradespeople, furniture manufacturers and DIYers helping to minimise airborne particles and mess. The XtraHand — which appeared on BBC Dragons’ Den in March 2023 — is the only tool on the market that is compatible with all drill bits, including spade, bullet, masonry and auger bits, as well as tile drills and hole saws. It also works on various surfaces such as wood, metal, plastic, concrete and brick — and will even attach to ceilings. Helping professionals conform to Health & Safety Executive requirements on protecting against the risks of hazardous construction dust, The XtraHand gives ‘on-tool’ extraction and helps trades keep sites and customers’ homes tidy.
STORAGE SOLUTIONS As Häfele’s research shows, ample kitchen storage can make or break a kitchen’s functionality. To support this, Häfele offers a range of storage options at a range of price points to suit client and project budgets. Highly popular with Häfele’s merchant customers, Vauth-Sagel COR Flex, distributed by Häfele, is a great solution for corner cabinetry as its four baskets fully exit the cupboard when opened giving full access to everything inside. It’s also available in classic linear silver, chrome wire baskets and solid base options giving extensive choice. Another well-performing option is Tal Gate Pro also from Vauth Sagel. This swing out larder system features a mechanism that brings the entire larder system out of the cabinet, so all content is on display, and includes a back-of-the-door shelving system for additional storage. Working to a tighter budget? Häfele Swing Out Corner Storage helps maximise space in often underutilised areas but at a lower price point. The wire baskets are now available in chrome linear silver, as well as white, for more design flexibility and are provided with a ten-year guarantee.
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ALUSPLASH Traditionally, splashbacks are an area of the kitchen where fitters might call in a specialist subcontractor, whether that’s a tiler or a glazer. But thanks to innovative products, that needn’t be the case, giving tradespeople an extra revenue stream and another string to their bow. Distributed exclusively through Häfele in the UK, AluSplash is a practical, hassle-free alternative to glass, acrylic and tiled splashbacks. Simple and straightforward to fit — in fact, it’s three times quicker to install than tiles — AluSplash can be installed with readily available tools and minimal training. This makes it a great, value-added offer to the customer and an easy extra profit stream for all trades. AluSplash is available in three precut sizes, including up to 3050mm lengths, and 12 colourways, including new on-trend matt finishes. Innovatively designed, it allows fitters to v-groove and fold around corners without joints and cut holes for sockets with ease. As well as being easy to fit, the product is constructed from a flame-resistant aluminium surface with a fire-resistant mineral core which means AluSplash can be used behind all hobs and cooktops, including gas, for a seamless run of colour that’s also easy to clean. To accompany AluSplash, Häfele offers an installation kit that includes everything needed alongside a standard fitter's toolkit and a series of YouTube videos that give step-by-step instructions from preparation to finish.
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METALLA 310
FLEX LIGHTING SYSTEM Introduced earlier this year, Häfele's Flex Lighting System offers a simple and efficient solution for installing kitchen and furniture lighting designs. The system features a flexible silicon-based ribbon that is highly flexible. It serves as a versatile lighting option for various applications and can be controlled remotely through an app. The system comes with a new selection of profiles suitable for plinths and handleless cabinets, as well as AluSplash splashbacks. Users can select the appropriate Flex Light profile and easily push-fit the ribbon to achieve their desired lighting effect. The profiles can be cut to different lengths to accommodate various sizes, and users can choose between cool white and warm white lighting options. For added convenience, the Flex Lighting System can be integrated with another Häfele innovation — Modu3. This combination allows customers to create custom modular shelving solutions using chipboard or MDF panels in five different finishes, paired with aluminium profiles. The shelving is available in two standard sizes — 600mm and 900mm.
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The result of three years of global research and development, Häfele’s Metalla hinge range was created with quality and long-term performance firmly in mind. But even better than that, customers who’ve swapped their usual hinge for the Metalla 310 have reported saving up to half of their usual spend — making it one of the most valuable fittings in the toolbox. Specially designed to give kitchen manufacturers and installers a high-quality choice, whatever the application, the Metalla 310 offers a large assortment hinge suitable for wide-angle openings, post hinge, and 30 or 45˚ openings. It is available in a soft-close or a nonsoft-close variant and is ideal for standard installations such as common 110˚ angle openings. The Metalla 310 hinge has been tested to at least 40,000 cycles and 48 hours against corrosion resistance in accordance with EN 15570 level 2 / LGA quality certification. It also comes with a 25year guarantee, meaning joiners and installers can be confident they’re providing customers with complete reliability, ease of use and enduring quality.
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Supporting your business With a heritage in trade sales and distribution, Häfele understands first-hand the challenges of making sure customers have what they need when they need it. In response, the company has developed and is continuing to build, a range of services tailored to the unique needs of merchant customers. On tour with Vauth Sagel n In partnership with internal storage
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Once okayed, Häfele will also test, cut and package the precise lighting components needed, ensuring no wastage, and making life easier during the installation process.
Adding value Häfele prides itself on delivering more than just products and over its 100-year history, it has developed a suite of services designed to save merchants money, reduce hassle, and improve efficiency. One of these is Service+ Customised. Through the service, merchants and their customers can access Häfele’s free Lighting Design Service. Simply submit plans to its team of designers and they will create a bespoke lighting layout for the project.
Showroom support Merchants can also access Häfele’s customer and colleague training services, which knowing time is tight, are available without leaving the branch. As well as its new Vauth-Sagel van (see panel), branches and customers can learn more about lighting on Häfele’s Loox van and additional mobile showrooms are currently being developed. Not only great for training, these standalone Renault Relay vans can also be booked for trade days and customer events. Need help with your showroom set-up? Get showroom design, specification and installation support from Häfele Assist and its team of experienced sales and product specialists.
peed of supply is critical for the trade. As such, Häfele offers next-day delivery on thousands of products without any minimum order quantity. Orders just need to be placed before 5.30 pm. Additionally, builders’ merchants can benefit from Häfele’s standard 0% return policy, helping to minimise potentially costly admin fees.
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manufacturer, Vauth-Sagel, Häfele is offering merchants the opportunity to host its newly refurbished Vauth-Sagel Van. Decked with 13 of Vauth-Sagel’s high-quality system solutions for living spaces, merchant teams and their customers can get hands-on experience and training in how the products can be incorporated into designs and installed. Amongst the products on board are the TAL Gate Pro 500mm in Premea Lava, a new dark grey colourway of Vauth-Sagel’s innovative swing-out pantry system. It also features the SUB Larder in Saphir Platinum and Premea White baskets, ADD Flex in a sub larder in Lava Grey and the VS WASH Laundry system, all of which are new from Vauth-Sagel.
n Merchants interested in hosting the Vauth-Sagel Van should get in touch with their Area Sales Manager at Häfele, or register their interest via www.hafele.co.uk
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Jamie McClaren is Business Development Manager for Lighting at Häfele UK, helping to promote and grow the company’s lighting portfolio, which includes the Loox plug-and-play LED lighting system.
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How did you get into the industry and to your current position? I’ve been at Häfele for over nine and a half years now. I started my career in the motor industry, so a completely different sector, but I decided I wanted to do something new. I wanted a job that was going to be a challenge from day one and with over 25,000 products to learn about and a range of different customer types, I knew a career at Häfele would give me that test. I started as a Customer Support Advisor, but I’ve always loved anything technical so I eventually moved into our technical department, which is where I grew my passion for lighting. After that, I went on the road as an Area Sales Manager and also worked on national accounts, supporting the likes of Travis Perkins, Homebase and Wickes. Then when a job came up as Business Development Manager for Lighting, it was an opportunity to combine the two areas I love in the business. Day to day, my job is to help our team in the field to grow lighting sales. From a merchant perspective, that can range from working with head office teams to get our product listed and stocked, or shown in a branch showroom, to helping upskill branch colleagues and kitchen designers. We understand that all merchants are different, and all customers are different too. Some want to tap into our Lighting Design Service for example whereas others just want product, so my job is to help shape an offer to meet their needs.
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How do you feel the industry has changed in recent years? The growth of social media and platforms like TikTok and Instagram, especially during the pandemic, becoming so influential has been a key change. Daily, tradespeople are on social media looking about what other trades are doing and thinking: “I can do that…” And then they post their work, there’s a chain reaction and it continues. We see this regularly with lighting now. Often, we’re contacted by customers to say
they’ve seen one of their peers creating something on social media using our products and they want to do it too. This is something we as an industry really need to embrace as a sales tool. There’s also even more of an appetite for products that helps tradespeople work more efficiently without sacrificing quality — and the latter part is hugely important. Tradespeople want to grow their business but there’s only a number of jobs that they can fit in within a year, and they also need to protect their reputation. If we can create products that help trades combine speed and quality, it’s amazing what it helps them achieve.
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What has been the highlight of your career to date? Our customers! Because they are an absolutely incredible bunch of people, and they challenge you to think differently. Take our new Flex Light System or our Chip on Board ribbon lighting. When taking it to market, you think about its uses and applications, but seeing how creative and innovative customers are with our products only inspires you further. It’s a privilege to see it first-hand.
“If we can create products that help trades combine speed and quality, it’s amazing what it helps them achieve.”
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Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? Ahh, the dreaded question! In five years, hopefully, I’m still here and if I’m still Business Development Manager for Lighting, I’ll be extremely happy because I love this job. In this role in the next five years, I’d like to see Häfele be recognised as the number
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one lighting manufacturer for furniture. In terms of our turnover, we’re already there, but we’ve got some work to do with customers and merchants to help them truly understand our range, expertise and ability to supply, and be recognised as that first choice.
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Which individual has influenced you most in your career? It’s impossible to pick one person. Everybody that I’ve worked with at Häfele has impacted me and influenced me to better myself in my career. Matthew Lissaman, Gareth Bevan, Michael Osborne and Steve Davis are just a few. I can’t pinpoint one individual, but I would say everybody at Häfele has impacted me and influenced me differently.
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What has been your biggest challenge so far? My biggest challenge so far on a personal level was learning a brandnew industry. Understanding “Who are the customers? What are they doing? What products do we offer to service those industries? Do we have everything that all our customers need?” That was definitely a steep learning curve.
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