Q&A BKUQ&A Meet the Sponsors


In the run up to the much-anticipated BKU Awards this July, we are delighted to be highlighting a selection of Award sponsors whose contributions help make the event the huge and enjoyable success it is. Here we meet Nick Graville, Sales & Marketing Director at Kudos Shower Products Ltd.


Tell us about your company Kudos Shower Products have designed and manufactured high quality showering products since 1999, bringing together innovative design, functionality and value. The Kudos collection encompasses doors and


enclosures, shower trays, wet-room systems and over-bath screens. Proud members of the Made in Britain


campaign, all of our products are manufactured in either our factory in the Lake District or Coleraine in Northern Ireland. All of our products carry a lifetime guarantee


providing complete confidence and peace of mind and are supported by our national team of Retail Support Managers who provide not only product knowledge but also display fitting, training and end user visits.


Kudos Showers is a regular sponsor of the Awards – why was it important for you to sponsor an award this year in particular? Sponsoring an Award is important to us every year, this year does feel a little more poignant though, as we all know, the last two years have been challenging in a number of ways and this year represents a return to normality. What better way to celebrate that than by supporting our industry peers?


This year’s Awards are our first carbon-neutral event – how important is sustainability to you (and the sector more widely)? First of all, congratulations on achieving a carbon- neutral event, it’s something you should be incredibly proud of. Sustainability is hugely important to both us and


the wider sector and is something that we should all be striving towards. This year has seen us introduce a new


approach to packaging, as part of our ongoing strategy to reduce the amount of single use plastics in our product packaging, we have invested in a new machine which will enable us to move to a cardboard-based solution. This new machine has enabled us to design


new cardboard packaging that retains the structural integrity required to ensure it meets the demands of the supply chain, without the requirement for single use shrink wrapping. Introducing this new approach demonstrates


our intent to move towards more environmentally friendly ways of working, something that I think we will see more of within the industry as a whole.


10 BKU JUNE 2022


Consumer retail confidence is a hot topic these days – what can the KBB sector do to support consumers in their buying decisions? I think that we’re teetering on the edge in terms of consumer retail confidence currently. We’re all experiencing cost increases, whether that’s fuel or raw materials, and ultimately it’s going to have a huge impact on the way people choose to spend/invest their money. At times like these we have to let our industry’s expertise guide consumers when they’re looking to renovate their property. Support them with making decisions that will


maximise their investment, illustrate ways in which they can essentially future proof their space – steer clear of ‘fast fashion’, opt for timeless classics that won’t need updating/look dated in just a few years’ time. Look for manufacturers who, like us, offer a lifetime guarantee on products ensuring that your chosen bathroom/kitchen will last the tests of time. Do they need to consider how long they’re


looking to stay in their current property? If it’s their ’forever’ home, do they need to ensure that their bathroom space will be accessible as they get older? Are they planning a family? If so, they need to make sure that the design they choose is suitable through all stages of family life – it could be as simple as choosing a slip resistant product over a high gloss item or something that’s easy to clean/ won’t stain easily. Will their chosen product help to reduce their


overall spend on water and electricity? These are all key considerations at a time where bills are increasing so significantly. There are so many ways that we can support and guide customers with their decisions overall.


2021 was a better year for the sector than some had perhaps forecast – how is 2022 shaping up? 2022 has been great for us, and the industry, so far with retailers/installers advising us of full order books well into Q4 of this year which is far better than we had anticipated given how strong 2021 was. I think that the latter part of 2022 will better


reflect the current mood in terms of consumer confidence and will give us better insight as to how the continued increases in the cost of living will impact (if at all) on the industry as a whole.


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? Absolutely, people are far more aware of the space that they have at home now more than ever before and the limitations that it maybe presents. Kitchens have become home offices for some people and the need for a relaxing bathroom space has grown exponentially. So many of us have seen a significant increase


in the amount of time that we spend in our homes, and kitchens and bathrooms have taken on a new role in the sense that they’re no longer just functional spaces – they’re key to ensuring that we are able to relax once we have turned our work phones off/logged out for the day. Comfort is key and spa-like bathrooms with lots of space, discreet storage (and very little clutter) are top of people’s wish lists when looking for a new bathroom.


What’s next on the horizon for Kudos Showers that our readers should be aware of? We have lots of new product development planned in for the rest of the year and in to next, with a keen focus on how we can support retailers and their showrooms in particular and will expand the Kudos offer giving the end consumer more choices to satisfy their bathroom design ambitions. Introducing coloured finishes is also imminent


with Pinnacle8 in black scheduled to launch in July and our Inspire bath screens in black later in the year. We are also going to introduce a shower door to our hugely popular Ultimate10 panel range and are really proud it has just won a Red Dot design award.


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? The last two years have been crazy in terms of sales and installation bookings, I think that the next 12 months will allow people to take a (small) step back and be able to re-evaluate and update show room displays. The restrictions that were put in place during the pandemic and the sheer business in showrooms has limited for many the time and resource to review display spaces. Working with companies like Kudos who can assist in not only product selection but the installation as well will enable spaces to be refreshed to the latest styles and inspire the consumer of 2023!


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