p44 BKU-MAY21 BMA_bku 07/05/2021 06:09 Page 44


INDUSTRY UPDATE THE BMA COLUMN


Tom Reynolds Chief Executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association


Franke expands Consumer Care team with three new staff members


Franke has appointed three new members of staff to its Consumer Care team, which provides a 360° support service to the brand’s trade customers and consumers. Macarena Maldonado, Jill Harrison and Helen Armitt have joined the


expanding team as Customer Service Advisors. Their responsibilities include handling all inbound enquiries relating to Franke’s portfolio of sinks, taps, cooker hoods and waste disposal units, answering product queries, troubleshooting and processing orders for spare parts and accessories. Frauke Baselet, Customer Service Manager at Franke says: “The kitchen


sector is currently very buoyant, so we have brought on board new staff members to ensure our team continues to provide an efficient and responsive support service to our broad customer base. Macarena, Jill and Helen are already proving to be valuable and welcome additions.”


BMA – Recognition for the here and now


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Malmo™Senses LVT is named best in class at Tomorrow’s Contract Floors Awards


The Malmo™ Senses Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) flooring range has been named the overall winner at the Tomorrow’s Contract Floors Awards, scooping first place out of 50 finalists spanning the UK flooring sector. Malmo™ Senses was


launched in 2019 to become one of the first rigid LVT ranges available in the UK to combine the look and feel of real wood with the technical hard-wearing properties of vinyl, thanks to the authenticity achieved by the registered embossed print and texture technology. Featuring excellent functionality including wear and R10 slip resistance,


compatibility with underfloor heating and sound absorbency, Malmo™ Senses offers wide potential for use throughout the home in kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms and also for light commercial use. Gail Alcock, Flooring Director for Malmo™, says: “We’re delighted that


Malmo™ Senses, a relative newcomer to the LVT market, has been recognised by Tomorrow’s Contract Floors for its use of innovative registered embossed technology which has helped to revolutionise the vinyl flooring market. We are committed to further innovation in the future.” Malmo™ Senses is part of the comprehensive Malmo™ Luxury Vinyl Tile


(LVT) range which offers 57 designs in plank, tile and herringbone formats across Rigid click and Stickdown installation options.


44 BKU MAY 2021


fter a year deprived of networking and corporate events, the prospect of diaries filling up again is likely to prompt


mixed responses. Seasonal decline of the Covid-19 pandemic and the progress of the


vaccination programme is slowly starting to impact our work environments with many BMA members re-opening offices and showrooms, albeit in a restrained manner. We have taken the decision to hold BMA’s Annual General Meeting


online for a second year running, on June 7. As lockdown eases and companies relax travel policies, we hope to introduce hybrid meetings, but for now we are remaining digital. Most trade shows and awards ceremonies have also announced they will


not gather their crowds before the second half of 2021 or even into 2022. Yet, there is much to celebrate. Despite the economic contraction due


to the third lockdown, the outlook in the bathroom world is positive. The labour market is proving resilient, and the sector is benefiting from the home improvement craze. At BMA, we spent much of 2020 generating original video content on


hot topics to keep a sense of networking and participation. We filmed online ‘roundtables’ with guest speakers which were then shared on our social channels. Topics included sustainability issues in the sector, public washroom legislation and our #GetLavvySavvy campaign which encourages homeowners to check their WCs for leaks. Despite testing times, this strategy resulted in membership growth and


increased the engagement of existing members, a proud achievement in any circumstance. BMA has recently been shortlisted as a finalist in the Association


Excellence Awards 2021, digital marketing category, recognising and rewarding the hard-won achievements of trade bodies. We hope to be able to attend the celebration in June, but either way, the recognition in the prestigious shortlist of finalists is something to shout about.


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


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