Q&A BKUQ&A Meet the Sponsors


In our second feature this month profiling one of the fantastic sponsors of our Awards, we are delighted to hear from German bathroom and kitchen brand Hansgrohe Group.


Tell us about your company Hansgrohe Group is headquartered in Schiltach, Germany. We are known for our AXOR and hansgrohe brands, with a range of showers, taps and accessories. Founded in 1901, we are a leader in innovation, design and quality in the bathroom and kitchen industry, having invented the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen tap, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower. Our long-lasting, high-quality products can be


found all over the world, on cruise ships, in boutique hotels and spas, in guest bathrooms and lodges, in public facilities, and in countless homes. With 32 subsidiaries and 22 sales offices, we supply products in more than 146 countries. We pride ourselves on design and precision engineering, and in the last half a century our products have scooped more than 700 design awards.


This year’s awards are our first carbon-neutral event – how important is sustainability to you (and the sector more widely)? We’re committed to social responsibility, now and in the future, for water, for the climate, and for our manufacturing processes. Hansgrohe Group has seven production facilities worldwide which are wholly owned – four in Germany, and others in China, France and the USA. Not only does this give tighter control over our processes to ensure the highest quality products for our customers, but it means we can roll out sustainable initiatives quickly and on a significant scale. By the end of 2022, all of our international sites


will have switched to green power and achieve climate neutrality in terms of direct emissions and energy consumption. Water is our passion, and we believe it is vital


that we protect this valuable resource. Our innovative, water-saving EcoSmart technology can


be found in a wide range of hansgrohe showerheads, which use up to 60 percent less water than conventional products – without compromising the showering experience.


Consumer retail confidence is a hot topic these days – what can the KBB sector do to support consumers in their buying decisions? With sustainability becoming of growing importance for consumers, there is a step-change taking place. This is seeing more people move away from a culture of responding to trends and replacing items regularly to carefully selecting products that will last for years to come. Producing high-quality, robust bathroom and


kitchen products is therefore increasingly important in our sector. With showers and taps, early signs of wear and tear are often evident in the finish. We use a refined Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) finishing process, which means that colours such as Polished Gold are absorbed into the product and therefore more resistant to external factors. We also manufacture our own mixer


cartridges, so we can offer a five-year manufacturer’s guarantee on the whole product. Our customers can also benefit from a spare parts guarantee - for up to 15 years after the product is discontinued - so they can be reassured that even if the product is no longer available, the spare parts will be.


Many consumers are still working from home, and this looks unlikely to change in the short term – is this reflected in the types of kitchen and bathroom products and services consumers are buying? The bathroom has long been viewed as a clinical and functional space. Nowadays, bathrooms are being seen more and more as personal places of sanctuary and retreat from an ‘always on’ world. Given the chaotic nature of the last few years, this seismic shift is understandable. Bathroom products that therefore provide


consumers with a ‘home spa’ experience will therefore continue to be popular. Shower heads that incorporate different spray patterns provide a luxurious showering experience for most budgets. We have put significant investment into spray technology development over the years, and the key to this is the renowned and industry- acclaimed PowderRain. PowderRain is much finer than conventional


shower jets; with up to six outlets per nozzle, the spray is transformed into thousands of micro droplets, designed to envelop the body in a gentle cocoon of water. These micro-droplets also help to reduce noise and minimise splashing, creating a peaceful, tranquil space for the user.


10 BKU JULY 2022


What’s next on the horizon for Hansgrohe that our readers should be aware of? Sustainability will continue to be a big focus for us, and we have some exciting product launches coming up that will promote water-saving and energy-saving, whilst still providing customers with great water experiences. Most recently we announced our new line of


Rebris taps, which are available with our latest EcoSmart+ technology. Taking our existing EcoSmart innovation even further, this reduces water flow to just 4 litres a minute – 20% less than existing EcoSmart products. Our popular, affordable Vernis range will also


be expanded with two new shower systems available in chrome and matt black.


If you had to pick one thing that you think will make a positive difference to the KBB sector in the next year, what would it be? Kitchens and bathrooms are the most energy- intensive rooms in most domestic homes and as manufacturers of kitchen and bathroom products, it is vital that we provide consumers with a wide range of sustainable options for these areas, so that consumers don’t feel like they have to compromise style to be more eco-friendly. What’s more, with the rising cost of energy a


key talking point at the moment, providing consumers with a suite of products that helps them to reduce the amount of water and energy they use in their home will be more than welcomed to help save consumers money too.


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