FOCUS ON DISTRIBUTORS


Häfele on why 2021 is a year for reflection T


he start of the year is the time we make our resolutions and


predictions, but given the past 12 months and how 2021 has started thus far, the year ahead is a hard one to call. What is a given however is it’ll be another year


Comment by Natalie Davenport Head of Marketing, Häfele UK


of adapting and being agile. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s the importance of being responsive, nimble and moving with whatever comes our way. At Häfele for instance, we used 2020 to increase our focus on services, cementing and improving those we already had in place and launching new ones. For example, we know that resources may be tight so we launched our free- of-charge lighting design service, our new technical specification programme for sliding door gear and our bespoke timber drawer manufacturing offer. Looking ahead, the importance of added value


services will only continue and the more that distributors and manufacturers can do to support the customer, the better. This might be developing tools and platforms that kitchen,


bedroom and bathroom retailers and studios can use to increase enquiries and sales, and to better inform customers on how to get more from their space and their budget for instance. 2021 is also going to be the year that we try to understand the new world our customers are living in and the environment in which we’re now operating. As hard as it may be to come to terms with, it’s


likely that our way of life has changed forever and that we may never return to our exact pre- pandemic routines. In a recent survey of 2,000 homeworkers, we found that respondents expect to spend over half (54%) of their week working from home in 2021. That’s a significant change from this time last year. Over the next few months, we’ve got to


understand how different demographics are going to respond to this lifestyle shift, what it means for homes of the future, how we purchase and how we prioritise and make decisions. Listening and learning will be critical in 2021 more than ever.


Häfele UK launches award winning flap fitting to market H


äfele UK has launched a pioneering hingeless flap fitting, which promises


to set a new standard in furniture design, planning, and production. The Free space flap fitting creates more storage room within cabinetry by eliminating the need for large cover caps, and has an internal installation depth of only 63mm. Offering a consistent design for all flap-opening doors, it is mounted with ease using a single pre-mounted conventional screw connection on the side walls, driving manufacturing efficiencies through speed of installation. Designed by developers at Häfele’s FCC plant


in Hungary, Free space secured a special award with the globally-renowned Red Dot Award, and was presented as a ‘world first’ when it achieved the interzum award for ‘High Product Quality’, both in 2019. Since then, Free space has gone on to win the German Design Award and German Innovation Award in 2020. Free space’s pin system requires only one fixing


screw to lock the flap in place, while its spring force can be adjusted for a multi-position stop function. It presents low opening resistance and smooth running properties, with its integrated soft closing mechanism ensuring gentle and quiet closing of the flap. The opening angle can be set and limited to 90° by means of a tool-free, integrated adjustment option, which allows the cabinet to be installed at an elevated height without risk of the door hitting the ceiling. For standard applications with a handle, the Free space 1.11 offers a load bearing capacity of


20 BKU JANUARY 2021


1.2 up to 10.7 kg for a cabinet height of 400mm, and is available in five model versions. The Free space 1.8 push to open has a load bearing capacity of 1.2 up to 8.3 kg for a cabinet height of 400 mm. It is available in the standard colours, white, light grey and anthracite – and in black as a special order product – but can also be matched to any cabinet colour to create a seamless finish. Justin Crofts, Category Manager at Häfele UK,


said: “Manufacturers are always on the lookout for innovative fixtures and fittings which give customers more options when it comes to the style and functionality of their spaces; the Free


space flap fitting has been created with them in mind. “It has already inspired hundreds of thousands


of designers and manufacturers to think differently about hinge work, and has been recognised by world leading award programmes which highlighted Free space for its distinctive but functional properties. We are very pleased to now be able to offer it to the UK market, and are confident it will continue to lead the way in flap fittings for a long time to come.”


0800 171 2907 www.hafele.co.uk


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