Time for UK manufacturers to ‘stand alongside Germany and Italy’, says Whiteleaf MD JUNE 4
LOCKDOWN HAS given UK furniture manufacturers a unique opportunity to demonstrate that
their products are as good as anything produced in Germany or Italy, according to Whiteleaf Furniture MD Ben Algate. Speaking in a kbbreview Podcast, Algate said that “if this isn’t the time for UK manufacturers to stand up and actually be counted, then I’m not sure when there will be”.
Whiteleaf operates in the contract market, supplying housing developers and many other areas of the construction market. It is one of the oldest furniture makers in the UK,
EXCLUSIVE: Aqualla buys one of the UK’s oldest bathroom brands JUNE 30
NORTHERN IRELAND-BASED brassware specialist Aqualla has acquired Adamsez – one of the oldest brands in the UK bathroom market.
Aqualla, established in 2011, said it is investing nearly £1 million in the development of the historic bath brand over the next 12 months.
The acquisition marks a step forward in Aqualla’s ambitious growth plans, following signifi cant investment in capital and resources during the past 18 months, including the creation of dedicated R&D, marketing and technical support departments. Aqualla managing director Steven
celebrating 150 years this year. Algate added: “Talking to a lot of the
big developers that I deal with, over the years the pressure has been to name check whether it’s an Italian kitchen or it’s a German kitchen. They wanted a European kitchen because they felt that was the requirement. “It would be nice for UK manufacturing, within the furniture industries, to be recognised as standing alongside Germany and Italy. Now is the time for us to demonstrate we have the capability to do just that.”
OBITUARY Graham Hopper 1959-2020
By Liam, James and Arran Hopper
JUNE 17 GRAHAM HOPPER sadly passed away in his offi ce at home at the age of 61 from an embolism in the leg.
Allaway (pictured left) said: “Aqualla’s success can be attributed to the continual endeavour to provide fi rst- class service and quality products. We are con - fi dent that Adamsez will experience the same benefi ts from this strategy. “We are proud to
preserve this historic brand and plan signifi cant
investment to develop its quality range, working with its team to introduce innovative products to the market.” The Adamsez brand dates back to
1880 and has been best known for its high-end bath range.
Sales director Noel Daly (right) said:
“We aim to breathe new life into this historic brand by investing in its products and service in the immediate term while working toward a brand relaunch at the end of the year.”
JP Distribution closes after no buyers come forward JULY 16
Grohe pulls out of ISH show over ‘unsatisfactory’ Covid plan JULY 17
GROHE HAS announced it is pulling out of ISH – Europe’s biggest bathroom trade show – because Covid-19 plans from show organiser Messe Frankfurt were “unsatisfactory”.
The show is due to be held in Frankfurt from March 22-26 next year. Jonas Brennwald, CEO of Lixil for the Europe, Middle East and North Africa region and co-CEO of Grohe AG, said: “Under the given circumstances, we don’t see this as possible with a traditional fair concept.” However, in an exclusive interview with kbbreview, Messe Frankfurt’s chief of communications Iris Jeglitza- Moshage said: “Numerous well-known manufacturers in the bathroom sector have confi rmed their attendance.”
8
JP DISTRIBUTION WILL close and all 57 staff made redundant after
administrators confi rmed
that they have failed to fi nd a buyer for the business. The West Yorkshire-based company entered administration on July 1 after a management buy-out lead by managing director Graham Bucktrout collapsed. Kbbreview understands
was pulled when the market fell away at the start of lockdown.
Administrators Graham Newton and Simon Girling from BDO LLP will now
Graham leaves behind his wife Wendy and a marriage of 37 years, three grown-up children and a granddaughter. He was a partner in three
separate businesses and he helped to build a multimillion-pound UK-wide Leicht dealer network over his amazing 40-year career, which became his ultimate legacy. Graham Hopper was known as “Mr Leicht UK”. He started working for Leicht in 1980 and went on to mastermind one of the largest and most prestigious brands of kitchens being imported into the UK. Forty years on, the brand he looked after is hugely successful thanks to his vision and leadership during his time. Graham was known in the industry for his loyalty – one man, one job, one company and one career. That says a lot about a man’s integrity. Graham was true to his word, straight-talking and always down the line. His drive and passion for what he loved fast became his legacy many years later. Around 2006, Graham told us he
break the company up to repay creditors – including stock that kbbreview understands is worth around £800,000.
that fi nancial backing
Newton said: “As joint administrators, we are taking all necessary steps to maximise value for the benefi t of all creditors. In these extremely diffi cult market conditions, it has not been possible to secure a buyer for the business and the joint administrators therefore had to make the diffi cult decision to make employees redundant. We will work to ensure that all employees receive the support they need in these diffi cult times.”
wanted one day to have a kitchen showroom, maybe at retirement, which was still 16 years off then. He wanted
to leave something that
perhaps carried his name. Graham managed to live this dream a few years later through his children. He was involved in fi ve showrooms – four retail and one contract – across London and Kent, supplying kitchens into the UK retail and construction sector. The fi rst ‘German Kitchen Design Centre – by Graham Hopper’ is planned to open in 2020 – showroom number fi ve within the group. Thank you for everything, dad.
Howdens sales plummet by over half during lockdown JULY 23
made a loss of £14m.
THE LOCKDOWN saw sales at Howdens slashed by more than 55%, half-year results revealed. Across the fi rst six months of the
year, revenue fell by just under 29% compared with 2019. However, if the two quarters are split, Howdens Joinery UK revenue was 1.1% higher in the fi rst and 56% lower in the second. In 2019, Howdens’s pre-tax profi t
for the fi rst half of the year was £78 million, but this year the company
It also took full advantage of government help, with £15m from the Job
Retention Scheme and tax
payment deferrals of £61m. However, the pent-up demand caused by lockdown has meant that in the fi rst four-weeks of the second half of the year – which ended on July 11 – total sales at Howdens Joinery UK depots actually rose by 2.2% on the same period in 2019. Total number of depots trading at
the end of the half was 732 and it said it expected to open around 15 new depots in the second half.
Chief executive Andrew Livingston, said: “Howdens performance in the fi rst half of 2020 was materially impacted by Covid-19, which led to an overall loss of £14m in the fi rst half. Our performance improved in Q2, as we found ways to reopen for business. We believe a more challenging marketplace can play to the advantage of our in-stock, local model.”
· September 2020
LOCKDOWN NEWS ROUND-UP
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