p34 BKU-JAN22 BMA - BIKBBI_bku 07/01/2022 11:55 Page 34


INDUSTRY UPDATE THE BMA COLUMN


BMA – Suppose a mad thing happens in 2022


A


nyone budgeting and business planning for 2022 could be forgiven for throwing their hands up in the air.


The economic and societal roller-coaster shows no signs of slowing


down, and this has prompted some business sectors to appeal for additional Government support. Packages like furlough


and the bounce back loans provided a lifeline for many in the hospitality and travel trade. But now, without sector specific help, some commentators are warning of widespread business failures in these sectors in the coming months. Despite our own


supply-chain nightmares, things in the bathroom sector are thankfully not as bleak. In most cases, we have traded throughout, with better- than-expected performance. Outputs have


generally returned to pre-pandemic levels, and all the signs indicate continued growth, assuming Brexit issues, the haulage crisis and supply chain constraints do not escalate. In this scenario, related industries like the KBB sector can deliberately


position ourselves as a stable and steadying force in the economy. If we dare to fast forward to summer 2022, I hope we have recovered


from the impact of Omicron, with the country entirely re-opened and public confidence restored. Construction and manufacturing are full steam ahead, leading the


bounce back, and this raised profile is inadvertently helping to rebalance the skills shortages we all face. Builders, electricians, joiners, and a whole raft of other partners in the


supply chain like manufacturers, distributors, and merchants, are being seen in new light. These jobs are seen as attractive, skilled roles offering stability and career development. The pandemic has made the public think differently about their prized


safe place - their homes, and we can all benefit from the reflected glory. Construction-related industries are also stepping up our cross-sectoral


collaboration to improve the sustainability of the built environment and decarbonise the nation’s homes. I would like to see this construction-focused recovery recognised and


appreciated alongside the intrinsically linked manufacturing partners. We can be the drivers of the long-term regrowth of the economy in 2022, helping Britain move forward.


Tom Reynolds Chief Executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association


u For more information contact BMA on 01782 631619 or email info@bathroom-association.org.uk


34 BKU JANUARY 2022


2022: A year of two halves says BiKBBI Chief


W


hilst 2021 has been a mixed bag, with us all having to adapt to the new ‘normal’ (whatever that may be this


month), it’s a fair claim that we have all learned to make changes to the way we do things – whether that’s in business or in our personal lives. The key theme for 2021 was flexibility, and I believe that we will still need to apply that sentiment in the New Year, whilst starting to think beyond the chaos that Brexit and the Coronavirus pandemic has, and continues, to create. 2022 will most certainly be


a year of two halves, with the first seeing further economic uncertainty as the Government continues to grapple with the pandemic; balancing the need to put public health first whilst protecting industry, jobs and the UK economy. We will almost certainly see the continuation of interruptions and delays to the supply chain, causing more short- term disruption. The latter half of the year is predicted to bring more certainty and stabilisation but, as we learned in December with the Omicron variant, predictions can be turned on their head very quickly. Within the KBB industry, we must continue to pay attention to the


impact that the ongoing national and global challenges have on our sector, and how those issues threaten the future growth of the home improvement industry. The most significant challenge for us in 2022 and beyond remains the skills gap crisis, which has undoubtedly been expediated and intensified by both Brexit and COVID-19 but has been coming down the tracks for at least two decades, with vocational learning underfunded and undersold as a viable further education and career choice. And the ramifications of the skills gap is not as simple as consumers


having to wait longer and installers having to work harder, which comes with its own problems, but the real threat is the certainty of unskilled, and sometimes unscrupulous opportunists taking advantage of workforce shortage, causing long-term damage to the reputation of the industry. At BiKBBI, we have made strides towards a long-term solution, with the


Level 2 Fitted Interiors Apprenticeship and the introduction of a ground- breaking employer package which makes it easier than ever to take on an apprentice. But we also recognise the need for short to medium term solutions too and we have made some positive steps towards providing these by forming partnerships with the likes of the Ministry of Defence and our Bronze Award under the Armed Forces Covenant, as well as the development of our online CPD proposition, BiKBBI Campus. The lack of qualified, experienced and compliant installers is not a


problem for the installation sector, it’s a problem that will impact all areas of the industry; manufacturers, distributors, retailers and installers and therefore it is vital that the whole industry take ownership of the challenge and come together to support the efforts of the BiKBBI and our partners in 2022 as we develop the future generation of installers for the KBB sector.


Damian Walters, Chief Executive Officer.


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