NEWS | Round-up NEWS IN BRIEF
• Thomas Crapper organised a bike ride that has raised almost £1,500 for Bowel Cancer UK. The static bike ride took place at the brand’s headquarters, with a goal of cycling 250 miles. This represents the distance from Thomas Crapper’s Huddersfield offices, via its previous home in Stratford-on-Avon, to the site of Thomas Crapper’s original factory in Chelsea.
• Leeds-based shower tray manufacturer Just Trays is celebrating its 35th anniversary. The company was founded in 1988 and designs and manufactures shower trays from its Leeds headquarters.
• In a bid to tackle the skills shortage, The Furniture Makers’ Company has launched a new early careers website. The My Furniture Career site is aimed at 15 to 24 year-olds who are choosing their career path, signposting specific industry training and connecting young jobseekers with employers.
• Geberit has announced a new strategic partnership with Irish distributor Niko Bathrooms, which is now an authorised distributor of Geberit’s complete portfolio, including products from its heritage Twyford brand.
• Reaffirming its commitment to sustainability, Blum has installed seven new beehives at its headquarters, making a total of 10 hives on site. Blum says it hopes the hives will help support the local environment and wildlife, and has an added benefit of producing honey, which can be harvested.
• Wet-room brand Impey has successfully completed its Adaptations Technical Training Tour. The campaign was made up of four events, spread across the UK, offering training opportunities in wet-room installation and maintenance, as well as valuable networking opportunities.
• Kitchen franchise operator Kutchenhaus has opened a new retail showroom in the centre of Solihull. The 1,010sq ft studio on Poplar Road is owned by Somayeh Kaveian – an interior design professional with six years’ experience as a restaurant director.
• The KBSA has welcomed five new retail members into the association. The new members are The London Bath Co, Impact Kitchens, Bold Kitchens and Kitchenality. Quarrybank Boutique has also joined the KBSA as a foundation member.
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GDHA Prescot plant may close if proposed plan goes ahead
GLEN DIMPLEX Home Appliances (GDHA) has announced that it is considering making changes to its operations that could lead to the closure of its manufacturing facility in Prescot, Merseyside. A GDHA spokesperson said in a statement that in order to further develop its Belling and Stoves brands, the company is proposing “to partner with leading international manufacturers to access latest technologies and expand our comprehensive, high- quality and innovative product range”. The spokesperson went on to say that, if the proposal goes ahead, this would lead
to the closure of the
company’s manufacturing facility in Prescot, Merseyside.
The GDHA spokesperson added that the company’s current priority is to its “colleagues whose roles cannot be moved to other UK businesses within the group”, also affirming that it “will be doing everything we can to support them during this time”. The company is also proposing to “simplify” its support function organis- ational structure, which GDHA’s spokesperson said would regrettably “lead to some redundancies across affected functions”.
Despite the news of the possible closure of the Prescot manufacturing facility, GDHA said it would retain a UK-based engineering and design capability in order to develop and maintain its products, which would
then be manufactured by its “carefully selected partner”.
Explaining its decision, GDHA said that it believes the company will enjoy “considerable” benefits after adopting the changes, such as strengthening its brand promise to provide appliances at accessible price points, updating its product range, providing better promotional support for retailers, and increasing its geographical coverage. The news comes just months after GDHA spoke to kbbreview about its plans to raise the profiles of its Stoves and Belling brands the KBB market.
Häcker Kitchens opens first North American showroom
Hettich expands production plant with €16 million investment
FURNITURE FITTINGS specialist Hettich is expanding the production capacity at its Frankenberg (Eder) production plant with the investment of €16 million (£13.95m).
The planned expansion will add 9,400sq m of space to the plant, which manufactures plastic components and damping systems. Construction is expected to begin in Q1 2025. The plant currently employs around 480 people. Hettich managing director in Frankenberg Frank Blanke commented: “The new multifunctional production hall offers us the opportunity to use state-of-the-art production facilities to increase capacity in the coming years and – at the same time – to offer our colleagues an attractive working environment.” The mayor of Frankenberg, Rüdiger Hess, was present at the laying of the foundation stone ceremony. He said: “Laying the foundation stone is always the beginning of something big. A new important building is being built, there is a lot of anticipation, a lot of expectation. By building a new production hall here, Hettich is investing in the future of the company – and in the future of the location. As mayor, of course I think that’s great and I really welcome it.” Hettich says that the new hall is part of its journey towards long-term sustainability. Blanke said: “The production hall will significantly exceed the requirements of the Energy Saving Ordinance. We are building the upper floor using wood construction and investing in a full-scale photovoltaic system.”
HÄCKER KITCHENS is expanding its presence outside Europe for the first time with the opening of its
first America.
The new 3,600sq ft flasgship showroom in Miami is strategically located adjacent to Miami’s ultra- opulent Design District. It features five displays and is intended to introduce the brand to homeowners and trade professionals alike. The showroom has a dedicated
design
centre and an area where visitors can browse samples, cabinet frontals, handles and surface materials. Displays will also feature integrated Gaggenau appliances. Andreas Gommeringer, president of
Häcker Kitchens North America, said: “Häcker Kitchens is expanding at an accelerated rate and we are honoured to bring the future of German design to North America. Our passion for the art of kitchen cabinetry is at the heart of everything we do and we are ecstatic to introduce this side of the world to the timeless beauty and cutting-edge customisation tendered by Häcker Kitchens, through this new showroom.” The showroom’s grand opening took place on November 9.
• December 2023 showroom in North
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