NEWS | Round-up


People are funny and in this


regular series, our bathroom retailer recounts some of the crazier moments he has had dealing with customers


Can you smell something?


I’LL NEVER forget that fateful morning when we unlocked the showroom as usual and then walked in only to be hit by a pungent smell. It had been lingering for a couple of days, and seemed to be getting worse.


Could it be the plumbing? Maybe the drains outside? A discussion started among the team as to where this awful smell was coming from. We all moved around sniffing like hound dogs, looking in different areas of our beautiful space. This was very different from the usual aroma of our showroom, and far from the expectation our clients would have. Someone said “it’s strongest over here”, while another disagreed and said “it’s far stronger at this side”. We continued to investigate with our noses. It wasn’t until that afternoon that the source was finally found. It was, unfortunately, a poo, and it was in one of our showroom display WC pans. We were both disgusted and affronted. Shock horror and lots of expletives later, there were suggestions that it had been part of someone’s evil plan to leave the mess there. Could it have been a joke from a can of pretend poo?


We really hoped and prayed it was. Sadly, it was real. Surely, they could not have delivered it from the ‘actual source’ into the


pan that lay near our


showroom front window? Who was this vile cad and how were we going to find the perp– etrator? They needed to pay for this revolting crime. We started the search back


Egger sales down following ‘demanding’ year


BOARD MANUFACTURER Egger has seen a decline in sales for its 2023/24 financial year, which it has mostly attributed to a “challenging” business environment and a drop in demand. In its half-year financial statement, Egger,


which supplies wood-based products to the KBB and furniture industries, reported that it was down by 7% to €2.1 billion (£1.8bn) compared with the same period last year. This has also led to a fall in profits before tax of around 15%, down to €299.2 million (£259.2m). The manufacturer has attributed these results to persistently high inflation, volatile raw material prices and geopolitical crises, which combined to create a “challenging business environment”. Despite these challenges, Egger said it was satisfied with its stable development during the half-year period. It says that last year’s financial period was characterised by an “exceptionally” good market environment and margin level, and the change in fortune reflects the highly volatile general conditions of the last six months. Egger has also continued to invest in expanding


its plant and active backward


integration programme, as well as further increased its sustainability performance. The company upped investment spending by almost 4% in 2023, for a total of €238.6m across its sites.


Looking ahead, Egger said it expects the


next six months to deliver “subdued earnings expectations”, owing to the current general economic uncertainty. It realistically expects a


This was very different from the usual aroma of our showroom


through the showroom CCTV system, which was not easy as there was no real reference point. The poo lay hidden under the seat lid, and we had no idea how many days it had lingered there. Hours were spent on the hunt for evidence – we did it in shifts, carefully watching the screen for all and any ‘movements’ near the pan. Then, in clear sight, we saw the deliverer of the showroom surprise.


None of us had expected the outcome, nor the innocence of the dreadful deed. A couple of days earlier, a family had arrived for their design consultation. Their mother had entered our VR design experience and had the headset securely in place. Our designer was watching the large screen and walking our client through the experience. Meanwhile the young lad had moved to the WC, done his business, and then carefully closed the lid. There was no malice or hatefulness - just a young lad going about his business in the way his parents had taught him. We were pleased with the result and the once


distressing tale was over. A simple mistake and one we could all understand… when in need, use the loo!


8


further decline in demand, but also emphasised that it is well equipped to weather the current economic downturn. Egger chief financial officer Thomas Leissing (pictured far left) said that the past six months have been “demanding” for the company. He explained: “Persistently high inflation in many regions, stricter capital requirements for home purchases and global geopolitical uncertainties have led to a general weakness in consumption and a decline in demand in almost all markets. Thanks to the efforts of our more than 11,000 employees, we are nevertheless able to report Group-wide sales that decreased only slightly.” Just as kbbreview went to press, Egger also announced that it had acquired a 25% share in Thailand-based manufacturer Panel Plus, which the company said will help it further its expansion plans for the Asian market.


Kutchenhaus opens new Hampstead Garden location


KITCHEN RETAIL franchise Kutchenhaus has opened its latest showroom, in London’s Hampstead Garden Suburb. Located at 1 Lyttleton Road, the showroom measures at 1,250sq ft and features five working displays, incorporating appliances from brands such as Miele, AEG, Bora and Quooker. The new showroom was opened by the mayor of Barnet, Councillor Nagus Narenthira, in a launch event that gave visitors the opportunity to discover Kutchenhaus’s offering of contemporary and traditional kitchens. James Nicholson, owner of the new franchise location, said that the team behind the new showroom had sold six kitchens during the process of opening the store. “We are really excited to be offering high- quality kitchens to residents in Hampstead Garden and beyond”, he said.


“Our team is committed to delivering an exceptional customer experience for those in the local area. We offer personalised advice to all our customers and are passionate about creating beautiful bespoke kitchens.”


Kutchenhaus’s head of marketing, Paul Lee, is also optimistic about the future of the showroom. “It’s brilliant to see the Hampstead Garden showroom open its doors, and James’s enthusiasm has been apparent from day one. “The showroom is looking fantastic and we’re sure those who visit


for a consultation will


receive a very warm welcome, with the chance to view the very latest in kitchen trends and technology.”


Kutchenhaus has been on a roll this year with new showroom openings, including


new


franchise locations in Whiteley, Solihull, Canterbury and Cardiff.


• February 2024


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