Round-up | NEWS EXCLUSIVE


Former JPD boss takes over at Imperial


BRITISH BATHROOM manufacturer Imperial Bathrooms has appointed Graham Bucktrout as its new managing director. Bucktrout’s appointment is part of a company restructure and ambitious growth plan set in motion by new owner Lousada Plc. As part of its commitment to investing and advancing the brand’s British manufacturing facilities, Bucktrout’s appointment also set in motion a merger between Imperial Bathrooms and Whiteville Ceramics – an Italian-designed brand of contemporary sanitaryware, manufactured in Egypt.


Speaking to kbbreview about his appointment and the launch of the Whiteville brand in the UK, Bucktrout said: “I’ve been developing a range of sanitaryware with Whiteville – the largest manufacturer of sanitaryware in Egypt – for the last two years. I’d been looking for a home for those products and one of my ongoing discussions was with Imperial Bathrooms as it was looking to strengthen its structure and move the business forward.


According to Bucktrout, his plan is to treble the size of the business over the next three-five years through continued investment in the Imperial Bathrooms manufacturing side but also by creating new opportunities and new channels to the business. In August, Lousada Plc revealed it had taken a major stake in the business and announced the appointment of James Stevenson, son of founder Geoffrey Stevenson – who sadly passed away on 1st October after a long battle with cancer – and former export director, and John Kitchener, as interim joint managing directors. With Bucktrout at the helm, Stevenson will revert back to his historical role of creative and export director and Kitchener exited the business at the end of November.


Allmilmö announces its return to the kitchen market


PREMIUM GERMAN kitchen brand Allmilmö has returned to the kitchen market after filing for insolvency three years ago. Part of the La Cour Group, the top-end kitchen producer used the provisions of Germany’s insolvency law to initiate a restructuring of the company. But now Allmilmö has announced its “return with strength” to the market, a precondition of which was the setting up of Allmilmö Küchen GmbH & Co KG in 2017.


The company said that, as well as


selling through existing channels to specialist


kitchen studios, it would


expand its distribution within the EU, Switzerland and Eastern Europe and strengthen its presence in the Far East and Middle East.


Managing director Johannes la Cour said: “Like many mature and demanding consumers, the [high-end]


kitchen specialist dealership wants to and must stand out from the crowd to challenge disruptive upheavals successfully. What is therefore more suitable than the quality, reliability and services of the long-standing trusted partner


Allmilmö with its top-end


luxury kitchens?” Part of Allmilmö’s strategy going forward is to step up its presence at shows. The brand had intended to relaunch on to the market at the Küchenwohntrends show in Munich, which would have taken place on May 5-6 2021, but was cancelled because of


the coronavirus pandemic. For


similar reasons, it also did not take part in Küchenmeile in East Wesfalia in September. It had also planned to be at Eurocucina this year until


it was


postponed until 2021, and at Living Kitchen in Cologne, which has now been moved to 2023.


Wren opens first showroom in America


WREN KITCHENS’ showroom network has hit 100 with the opening of its first store in America.


Abode invests in new showroom to support retail network


SINK AND tap supplier Abode has opened a new showroom at its HQ in Barnsley, south- Yorkshire, as part of a strategy to strengthen its support to retailers. The showroom – which features a range of working displays showcasing the brand’s latest products and technologies – will allow the brand to offer a consistent training programme to dealers. The showroom will also be available to Abode employees, for training and


December 2020 ·


marketing purposes. Talking about the new showroom Abode marketing manager, Leanne Adamson, said: “The space will help us to deliver a consistent training package, including dedicated training days in the future, for our customers and staff, enabling us to impart key messages. Key stakeholders will be able to see operational products and varied displays to help them really understand the important elements of the Abode offer.”


The British kitchen retailer announced its decision to expand into the US market in February 2020. The new showroom – located in Milford, Connecticut – is part of its ambitious growth strategy which includes plans to open five more showrooms in Northeast America by 2021.


At 31,456sq ft and featuring 100 displays, Wren’s showroom in Milford is said to be the biggest kitchen showroom in the USA. It also features two virtual reality studios and an ‘interactive tap lab’ where customers can test working taps with hot, filtered and sparkling water.


There are also several planning areas within the showroom and three interior design suites where designers and architects can book the space for clients to work on projects together. Plus, it also features 20 open plan desks where Wren Kitchen staff can work on designing projects.


In celebration of the showroom opening, Wren donated $1,000 (£761) to the


Mayor’s charity of choice, Milford Food2Kids – a local charity that has been set up to help children during the pandemic.


Wren has created 25 new jobs with this new showroom. A further 360 will be made at its US HQ in north-east Pennsylvania – where it has a 252,000sq ft production and assembly site.


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