NEWS | Round-up


Our climate change champion, Richard Hagan, managing director of Crystal Doors, considers the many benefi ts of investing in electric cars and vans


Lessons from THE MILK FLOAT


IN 1978, I spent the summer holidays in the seaside resort of Harlech. I remember being woken up every morning by a hand-rung bell announcing the daily milk delivery from an electric milk fl oat. If it wasn’t for the bell, you would never have known they were there. Forty years on and I’m now experiencing the same smooth silence of electric transport myself. Three years ago, I purchased a 100% electric Nissan Leaf 2, built right here in England. It’s capable of 130 real-world miles in one charge and has now driven over 30,000 miles. It’s a car I will keep for life, capable of doing all my short trips with almost no maintenance required since purchase.


I now have a second-hand 2017 Tesla P100D, which is simply amazing. It can go from Manchester to Glasgow or London on a single charge, and a 15-minute charge is enough for over 100 miles.


For anyone looking at new vans or cars for their business, last year was a turning point for electric and hybrid vehicles. Car manufacturers now have to meet average CO2 emissions of 95g/km across their fl eet or face heavy EU fi nes.


In the UK, electric cars became exempt from benefi t- in-kind tax, saving company car users thousands of pounds. Then the Prime Minister announced that all new cars and vans will have to be electric or hybrid to be sold in the UK from 2030.


While new car sales


Our next vans at Crystal Doors will be hybrids


dropped in 2020, sales of electric vehicles continued to accelerate. At the moment, going 100% electric can still be costly and the market for electric vans is still young, but there are many hybrid models that provide the best of both worlds. Our next vans at


Crystal Doors will be hybrids. There’s something else we can learn from the milkman. Forty years ago, the milkman knew every household and delivered their product in recyclable glass bottles that were then taken away as part of the service. This is something independent KBB retailers can learn from. Close relationships with customers present opportunities for a lifetime of aftercare to extend the life of their kitchen and replace it when the time is right.


Sustainability isn’t just about what people buy, it’s about consumption – buying quality products that are longer-lasting and can be upgraded, repaired and taken away for recycling at end of life. At Crystal Doors, we’re researching and developing


new products and services for the circular economy of tomorrow and working towards B Corp certifi cation this year. By 2022, we’ll be a carbon-neutral company across all scopes and boundaries.


Small to medium-sized businesses can be leaders in sustainable environmental practice, offering consumers a choice of real action and better value for money. You can start by pledging to be carbon neutral and engaging with your suppliers and customers.


8


Flair Showers buys luxury British enclosure brand


IRISH BRAND Flair Showers has bolstered its position in the market with the acquisition of Essex-based premium enclosure manufacturer, The Majestic Shower Company for an undisclosed sum. According to Flair, the “strategic long-term investment in Majestic aims to combine and build upon the strengths of both companies.” It confi rmed that the acquisition secures all 26 jobs at Majestic for the future. The business will continue to operate from its facility in Essex and Tom King will remain in his role as managing director. This strategic move follows Flair’s acquisition of Marfl ow Engineering in June 2020 and will, according to the statement, serve to expand the brand portfolio and customer network of parent company The Sanbra Group. It also confi rmed that over time both brands will extend their product and service offerings to various markets including the UK, Ireland, France, Italy and Benelux.


Speaking about the acquisition of Majestic, Martin Murphy, managing director of Flair Showers commented: “We are delighted to be investing in Majestic and are excited about our future collaboration. Our intention is to work closely with Tom King and the talented team at Majestic, supporting them to successfully deliver their business plan in the years ahead. Majestic is an iconic luxury brand, which the team at Flair have always admired.” Giving his perspective on the deal, Tom King, managing director of Majestic said: “Through partnership with Flair Showers, we are not only aligning with a dynamic brand with a fi ne heritage and compelling products, but we are working with a team we greatly admire. “The opportunity to share skills, pool resources and add value


will yield positive


outcomes for the Majestic brand, our clients and our people.”


Haier ranked as global No1 major appliance brand for 12th consecutive year


HAIER HAS been ranked the number one global brand for major appliances for the 12th year in a row by market researcher Euromonitor International.


The researcher ranked Chinese giant Haier as the number one global brand for volume sales of major appliances. It won its fi rst number-one ranking back in 2009 with the largest sales volume in the category. According to Euromonitor International data, Haier was the number one brand for volume sales of cooling products for 13 years in a row. For home laundry, it was number one for 12 years running, 10 years running for freezers and for 11 consecutive years in freestanding electric wine chillers and coolers.


Euromonitor said: “In 12 years, the transformation to scenario brands and ecosystem brands is creating a new path and adding new power to Haier – the global leader in the industry.”


Jim McEwan, chief commercial offi cer of · February 2021


Haier UK, commented: “We are honoured to be the No1 global major appliance brand for the 12th consecutive year. Haier is constantly striving to listen to consumers’ changing needs and adapt to them, while harnessing cutting- edge technology to stand out in the market.”


Climate


Champion Change


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