NEWS | Round-up VIEWPOINT Sharing ideas drives


everything we do BMA chief executive Tom Reynolds looks back to his fi rst experience of the ISH exhibition and how his mission has developed since then


Fiesta to help employers sign up for the Government’s Kickstart programme


I believe that the industry is coming together in a much more united way


ONE OF my fi rst actions after joining the BMA, even before starting in post, was attending ISH in 2019. I joined the team in Frankfurt to promote the Unifi ed Water Label to manufacturers and European Commission policymakers at the biggest event in the bathroom industry calendar. The team’s mission was successful, signing up more manufacturers to the scheme and securing the tacit support of offi cials. ISH was a wonderful introduction to our incredible industry. Most of the BMA’s members attended and I got to see their most innovative product ranges and met an array of stakeholders. Large events may never be exactly the same again, but I believe the industry is coming together in a more united way. People are attending more digital events than they would have done in person, and the convenience of this style of meeting is changing the world of work. ISH has returned this year with an exclusively digital format, with all the exhibitor activities and facilities linked in an intelligent and interactive way. A testament to what can be done virtually. Most activities that used to be face-to-face are now happening in the digital environment, with no travel, less time pressure and for a fraction of the cost. At the BMA, we’re enjoying higher attendances at our digital events and we’re reaching a wider network. We’ve hosted webinars on topics such as mental health, cyber security,


brand marketing and customs troubleshooting. It’s also encouraging a sense of like-mindedness in terms of the fundamental values of members, shaping our collective views on sustainability. Several members have been reducing or eradicating single-use plastic packaging and we established a sustainability forum in 2020, looking at a broad range of issues to bring about change. This includes transitioning to carbon-neutral bathrooms and using digital models to improve our sustainability as a sector. We have also included carbon saving within the Unifi ed Water Label. We need products and practices that respond to climate change in a meaningful way. The Unifi ed Water Label is the foundation of this, it enables people to make a positive impact by choosing products that deliver environmental and cost-saving benefi ts. The Unifi ed Water Label needs to be on everyone’s


radar, in the supply chain, among architects, builders, installers and customers, so everyone knows to look for it. It must be visible at the point of sale so people can identify with this shared value and fi nd the bathroom products that allow them to respond to the climate change challenge.


• For a review of this year’s Digital ISH fair, see pages 39-44


10


FIESTA IS supporting the Government’s Kickstart scheme by working with an apprenticeship management specialist to streamline the process for employers. The Furniture and Interiors Education and


Training Alliance (Fiesta) is working with The Apprenticeship Group to make the process of accessing the new government apprenticeship initiative easier for companies in the KBB industry.


Fiesta is an approved Government Kickstart Gateway Organisation and is supporting its members wishing to benefi t from the Kickstart scheme, which has a £2 billion fund available to aid post-Covid regeneration by allowing employers to offer a six-month work placement, aimed at young people aged 16 to 24 who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Fiesta advises employers not to be put off by the “hefty” Kickstart registration process as they can now make use of its management


specialists, who have established system and processes in place.


Bespoke kitchen specialist Roundhouse Design will be taking on a Kickstarter for six months of training to teach them all aspects of kitchen design. It aims then to move on to a Level 3 apprenticeship as a Technical Assistant and a kitchen/living spaces design degree. Craig Matson, Roundhouse founder and chairman of The Kitchen Education Trust (TKET), said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to introduce new talent while showcasing our industry to young people. We work in a thriving sector that is going from strength to strength and needs new talent and fresh ideas to continue on that trajectory.” Fiesta chairman Gary Baker added: “While the Government’s Kickstart initiative is hugely exciting, we also recognise the time and effort required by an employer to sign up and commit to such a programme .”


Hettich achieves good fi gures despite coronavirus pandemic


GERMAN FURNITURE fi ttings specialist Hettich has reported sales of €1.1 billion (£940 million) – more or less equalling 2019 despite the coronavirus pandemic. In Q2 of 2020, Hettich said that sales initially took a sharp dip in the wake of global lockdowns, where retailers were forced to close. The second half of 2020, however, left Hettich “on a high” as new trends – for home improvements, greater DIY activity, and more people working from home and rediscovering “the ambience of the kitchen” – boosted demand. Hettich said that China’s economy was particularly quick to recover from the pandemic. The company, based in Kirchlengern in Germany, had sales of around €1.1bn for 2019, which was up 3.2% on 2018. Around 70% of Hettich’s sales for 2020 were outside of Germany. The company now employs in excess of 6,600 staff around the globe, with more than 3,500 of them based in Germany.


The Kitchen Group donates displays to help fund child’s cancer treatment


THE KITCHEN Group is donating the proceeds from selling their old kitchen displays to pay for a cancer treatment for three-year-old Jacob (pictured). Liam Hopper, managing director of The Kitchen Group, has been friends with Jacob’s father, Gary Batchelor, since they were children and wanted to help Jacob in any way he could. The Batchelor family has started a campaign on the website Solving Kid’s Cancer in order to help fund the treatment. Jacob was diagnosed with high-


risk neuroblastoma – an aggressive childhood cancer that has a 40% to 50% chance of long- term survival. Jacob has undergone intense chemotherapy at Great Ormond Street Hospital. The displays will be sold through the Used Kitchen Exchange and Helen Lord, founder and director of the company, has waived the listing fee to make sure all profi ts go to Jacob’s treatment. Jacob’s mother, Noor Batchelor said: “Despite all that he’s been through, Jacob’s wicked sense of humour is still there.”


· May 2021


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