NEWS | Round-up
UK shower tray company pledges to address supply chain issues
UK SHOWER tray manufacturer Private Room has worked hard to “address the criticisms aimed at the established shower tray manufacture and supply base”. The Gloucestershire-based shower tray manufacturer, which launched at the beginning of 2020, has won the SME News award for ‘Best Shower Tray Manufacturer 2021’. Operations director John Tanner said: “We are proud of this recognition by the ‘Best shower tray manufacturer 2021’ in the SME News awards on behalf of Made in Britain. However, we won’t be resting on our laurels. We have several new designs, surface finishes and colours in development for launch in 2022.” Tanner added that Private Room has been busy addressing some of the problems experienced in the shower tray supply chain.
He told kbbreview: “During the past 12 months we have taken the time to analyse and address the
aimed at the established shower tray
Bright Skies is the Dulux Colour of the Year 2022
DULUX HAS made Bright Skies – a light sky blue – its 2022 Colour of the Year. It is said to symbolise the return to freedom and reflect optimism.
Bright Skies can be paired with a variety of shades and, as a guide, Dulux has created four ‘ColourFutures’ palettes – Greenhouse, Studio, Salon and Workshop. The 37 curated colours within the palettes match with the blue shade and work together to make a distinct look. The Workshop palette is described as having “light and positive colours that make the functional fun”. Greenhouse is more natural with fresh green and blue shades. Studio is more pastel focused with a mix of pale blues, pinks, reds and oranges. Salon has a softer palette of colours that are more neutral but also blend with the pale blue of Bright Skies.
Marianne Shillingford, creative director of Dulux UK, said: “Right now, people want to feel revitalised and enjoy the freedoms that are returning to them, to look out and bring in new ideas. What better inspiration can we take than the endless skies around
18 criticisms
manufacture and supply base. This information has been gained through extensive market research, our team have spoken to everyone, from local independent retailers, through to national plumbing merchants, online retailers and of course the consumer.” Tanner added that the company has focused on “lean manufacturing” and has invested in building the best team it can and bringing as many of the production processes in house as possible so that it can better control quality and supply.
He explained how this had benefited the business: “With our wealth of plastic experience and our in-house R&D facility, we have been able to design and develop our own specific moulds and associated tooling and jigs. These key attributes facilitates the scalability of our business model and the commercial viability of launching new designs on an ongoing basis.” The company has also developed its own specific blend of ‘stone resin’ to achieve the optimum balance of
strength and weight. The company says it offers a full spectrum of finishers to suit any bathroom design. These range from its anti-slip Connect-Tray to its Revelation range of natural granite. There will be new shades for 2022. But Private Room recognises the challenges ahead,
especially with
regard to costs. Tanner said: “As a business, the biggest challenge we
are facing is lead times for raw materials and escalating prices, which are increasing daily and, as a new business, this is causing commercial issues for us regarding costings. We are trying to negate any price increases into the market by constantly looking at efficiencies through manufacturing and engineering without compromising on quality.”
Verona marks 20 years with two initiatives to boost sales
LEEDS-BASED TILE distributor Verona celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and is marking it with two initiatives to help drive brand awareness. By way of saying thank you to the customers who have supported Verona over the past two decades, it is launching a special anniversary video. The video goes on a journey from
us?.” She continued: “Bright Skies and the palettes are not about idle daydreaming. It is about turning those dreams into reality and forging ahead with
to make.”
Bright Skies is the 19th Dulux Colour of the year. It was put through the same creation process as all the former shades by AkzoNobel and looking at global design trends. The AkzoNobel Global Aesthetics Centre in Amsterdam held a virtual conference to decide the colour of the year. The event was attended by leaders across a diverse set of design disciplines
the changes that we want
including, fashion, colour and interiors. Heleen van Gent, head of the AkzoNobel Global Aesthetics Centre, said: “Over the past 19 years, we’ve seen a dramatic shift from a concentration on brighter tones to an emphasis on neutrals. “This year, however, vibrant colours and light tones are re-emerging – a reflection, perhaps of our need for positivity and a fresh approach. After a spell of feeling shut in, we crave expansion – the great outdoors. The 37 curated colours in this year’s collection help to make it easy to choose complementary shades.”
Verona’s humble beginnings selling stone and mosaics to independent customers to the multimillion-pound business of today, distributing tiles and mosaics in natural stone, porcelain, ceramic and glass. In the video, managing
director
Adrian Hinchliffe and his team share the plans for the company’s future and provide a personal insight into the business, which it says respects and values its people. The company says it prides itself on good staff retention and is quick to recognise those who perform well and promote from within, offering existing employees the opportunity to progress up the career ladder.
As well as the new video, Verona has a series of launches planned for the rest of the year and into 2022.
· November 2021
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