NEWS | Round-up
Major UK KBB brands exhibit at America’s KBIS show in Las Vegas
SEVERAL MAJOR KBB brands from the UK were exhibiting at the USA’s National Kitch en & Bath Association’s (NKBA) Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) this year in Las Vegas, which took place from February 27-29. Part of this year’s KBIS show included the International Pavilion Program, which was a dedicated exhibition space where attendees could engage with brands from outside of the US market. This was the first time that some of the UK brands had exhibited in the US.
The UK pavilion was produced in partnership
with the UK’s own
Bathroom Manufacturers Associa - tion (BMA). It showcased several UK KBB brands and had an overarching theme centred of Innovation’.
around ‘A Tradition
The BMA had its own exhibit in the UK pavilion, as well as cabinetry fittings specialist Crofts and Assinder,
bathroom fittings manufacturer Fitzroy of London, shower tray
specialists
SENSTEC, and heritage bathroom brand Thomas Crapper.
As well as UK brands, visitors to the KBIS show were also able to visit the German pavilion, which featured 15 German manufacturers united by a
‘Made in Germany’ theme. It featured brands such as Hettich, Nobilia and Vauth-Sagel.
In addition, there was also a Brazilian
Natural Stone Pavilion, produced by Centro Rochas, the Brazilian Asso- ciation of Natural Stone Exporters. Suzie Williford, chief global relations
Majority of homeowners looking to make their kitchens bigger
MOST HOMEOWNERS looking to undertake home renovations are also looking to increase the physical size of their kitchen spaces, new research has found.
This was the finding of a recent study conducted by home renovation platform Houzz, which asked around 500 homeowners about their planned home renovations.
recent or Three-in-five homeowners said that they are
questioned reported moving the kitchen’s location within the home entirely. The survey also found that the average price of a kitchen renovation had increased over the past year. According to the research, the median spend on a kitchen renovation is now £13,000, which is an increase of roughly 8% over last year.
Adding further context, Houzz believes this had risen to £15,000 for “large kitchens” and is around £9,000 for smaller kitchens.
looking to make their kitchens bigger, with a quarter saying that they increased the total size of their kitchen by more than half of its original size. Houzz concluded that this was being driven by the continued popularity of open-plan kitchen designs. According to its research, almost half of those polled wanted their kitchen to be more open to nearby rooms as part of their most recent renovations. A third renovated their kitchens to have a completely open-plan design, without any dividing walls. As part of renovation projects, half of those
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In terms of kitchen design, according to the study, 71% reconfigured the kitchen’s layout and 62% upgraded plumbing, electrical or heating systems. In terms of colour, grey still appears to be the most popular cabinetry colour, with an average of 20% of those polled admitted to using it in their most recent renovations. However, this dropped two percentage points year on year. White dropped to around 15%, being overtaken by green, which has risen to around 16% popularity in projects. Unsurprisingly, the research also reflected that brushed nickel continues to be the most popular finish for handles, and that hi-tech home appliances are continuing to rise in popularity. In fact, hi-tech appliances reportedly rose almost 10% in popularity in just the last year.
“Creating a bigger and more open kitchen appeals to homeowners for both functional and aesthetic reasons, but doing so may impact the project’s overall budget, requiring more technical changes,” said Houzz staff economist Marine Sargsyan. “We’re seeing homeowners make significant structural updates during their kitchen renovations, such as layout or location changes, which require the expertise of professionals.”
Exclusive Irish distributor revealed for 1810 and Schock
THE 1810 Company and Schock UK has appointed Häfele Ireland as its new exclusive distributor for the North and Republic of Ireland.
The partnership will come into effect on February 1, with The 1810 Company and Schock anticipating the new deal will “increase its market penetration and customer satisfaction”.
The 1810 Company was acquired by Schock in March 2022 in a bid to expand its sales presence in the UK market, and is now part of the Schock Group. The brands say that customers in Ireland should be able to benefit from improved product availability, as well as faster delivery times. 1810 and Schock also said that customers can expect the launch of the distribution partnership to be a seamless transition with minimal disruption. Gareth Williams, chief executive of The 1810 Company and Schock UK, said: “Häfele Ireland share our values of excellence and customer focus, making them an ideal partner to represent our two brands in Ireland. “Together, we aim to elevate the customer experience and drive mutual success.”
• March 2024 officer at the NKBA, said that the
sheer number of international brand’s exhibiting at this year’s show “speaks volumes” about the impact of its Global Connect initiative.
This initiative was launched to
expand international awareness of the NKBA and the KBIS show. It was intended to help offer resources to make it easier for international brands to enter the North American kitchen and bathroom sectors.
Commenting on the initiative,
Williford added: “The face of the international kitchen and bath industry should
reflect the diversity of its makers. There are so many stunning Global Connect members joining the North American design conversation and their presence in International Pavilions make it easy for our attendees to find and be inspired by their offerings.” This year’s KBIS show marked the 60th anniversary of the event.
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