BrIT Girl: Passionate about cooking

Kitchens & Bathrooms News
editorial assistant, Britta O'Boyle

Our effervescent editorial assistant Britta O’Boyle has an infectious enthusiasm for the kbb industry and latest cooking appliances. Do you share the kitchen bug?

When people say they love their job, more often than not, you can detect a hint of sarcasm. But, when part of your job involves a lap around a racing track in a Ferrari GT racing car and having celebrity chefs cook a metre away from you, it would be more likely you were being sarcastic if you said you hated it. But in this industry, I’m not alone in saying I love my job (thankfully)! And I have yet to meet a bathroom or kitchen retailer who doesn’t have their heart and soul in it. I am almost certain if I were to ask any retailer within the industry, they could say they love their job with the same sincerity as I can. Unless of course, they are all Oscar- winning actors and actresses in disguise!

Enthusiasm isn’t something that you hear or see much of in a recession; in fact the word recession alone has made this sentence sound glum. But the kbb industry has it spot on. Having recently visited the Ferrari head quarters in Italy for the launch of the Hoover Candy 2011 product range, I discovered it is not only retailers who are full of enthusiasm but manufacturers  and  distributors too. Granted, the adrenaline of traveling 200 km/h is bound to help put a smile on most faces. But the very beautiful Ghisa hob also played a big part in lighting up a few, excuse the pun. There seemed to be genuine heartfelt enthusiasm for the new products, so much so in fact, two retailers from Turkey dismantled the Ghisa on display trying to work out the technology behind it….I’ll save you the effort of trying to put it back together again.

Hoover’s Ghisa hob uses Premix burner technology to mix forced air and natural gas, prior to ignition, using a small fan to force the air into the burner. A vertical flame is generated and directed to the base of the pan, with an overall hob height of 28mm compared to the traditional 45mm. It features contrasting blue display lighting and is a very pretty appliance, which is quite honestly the last word I ever expected to use to describe a gas hob.

 Lacanche is also giving kitchen retailers something to get enthused about. It has launched a range of 900mm range cookers, which Jean Christophe Novelli had nothing but good things to say about. According to him, cooking is all about consistency which his bright yellow, signed, Lacanche cooker provides him. If only it was that simple for all of us. Cooking for me is more about making every effort to avoiding food poisoning! Available in 20 colours as standard, with a choice of four trims, the latest Beaune and Bussy range cookers boast a 69-litre dual function oven and a six burner gas hob.

 With this industry, there always seems to be something to get excited about. Don’t get me wrong, new dresses and shoes will make my eyes twinkle. But when I say I love my job, I do actually mean it. With absolutely no sarcasm intended! Then again it would be very difficult not to with all the clever products and when everyone else within the industry seems to! If you can’t beat them, join them as they say!

More BrIT Girl comments, news, views, product trends and advice in Kitchens & Bathrooms News.

EDITOR'S COMMENT: Why one industry voice just will not work!

Kitchens & Bathrooms News
Editor, Philippa Turrell

Apparently, there are moves underfoot to initiate ‘one voice’ which represents the bathroom and kitchen industry. I understand the basics; we all want to sell bathroom and kitchen products, through the supply chain, to the consumer - so why don’t we all join in together? And if this is a group for sharing knowledge, then there may - just may - be an opportunity. If however, it’s to represent the entire bathroom and kitchen industry chain - in reality and erring on being cynical - I think it will be an obstacle too far.

The bathroom and kitchen industry is a complicated (and frequently entangled) web of supply. A consumer’s bathroom or kitchen purchase could be through a high street showroom, DIY, merchant, installer, housebuilder, property developer, architect, interior designer or even internet retailer. It could even be a mix of all the above. These groups have differing interests, needs and wants – some of which may be conflicting - and all of whom are fighting to gain the bathroom and kitchen business.

 The thought that ‘one voice’ could speak or direct all these groups is ideological nonsense. Let’s face it – there isn’t even consensus of opinion in the retail sector alone – as the lack of representation at trade associations already shows.

A report this ‘one voice’ is now planning to reduce the number of costly call-backs, by setting standards for industry training, is inconcievable. How will this select group succeed when existing schemes have floundered? Has anyone even asked those on the shop floor, for their view, about how to prevent call-backs because retailers certainly don’t want the hassle of dealing with irate customers? Surely, if it as an easy as gathering a panel of industry people together to speak with ‘one voice’ – why hasn’t it been done before? The answer’s simple – the will isn’t there if the vested interests aren’t met.

This industry has got to raise its professionalism – taking a lead from the kitchen and bathroom industry in the States – with qualified or certified individuals. I believe this can’t be driven by the industry but must be enforced by Government or financial institutions (such as home insurers) demanding works can only be completed by qualified personnel. What the industry should be doing is putting vested interests to one side, and discussing this issue with external parties to see how it can benefit all. But I bet no such thing has been done… In fact, so far this underground 'voice’ for the industry has been rather quiet - hasn’t it?

For more comments, news, views and product trends, subscribe to Kitchens & Bathrooms News for FREE

SUPPLIER FILE: Heritage gets intimate with retail

General manager, David Savage

Reducing the number of retailers you sell products through, on first glance, may not seem to make the most business sense. But that’s exactly what Heritage Bathrooms has been doing, halving its number of retailer accounts – from 600 to around 300 – with plans to shrink it further, to 250. General manager of Heritage Bathrooms, David Savage says it has allowed the company to better support its retailers, ‘creating an intimacy with the customer’ and offer an improved purchasing experience.

Following a customer survey , the company found “40% of consumers wished they had known more about their bathroom purchase”, explains marketing manager of Heritage Bathrooms Kaouther Montacer-Shivlock. And the company has worked to help consumers in making their purchase, offering support for its loyal retailers and improving the installation of the bathroom with easy-fit products.

To offer consumers a greater insight into all the products it sells – across 10 categories – Heritage Bathrooms has a brochure and 2D planner on its website. The planner provides a starting point for the consumer of how they want their bathroom to look, while a ‘find your showroom’ locator directs them to their nearest retailer. David Savage says “We want to encourage the consumer to see the Heritage brand and buy into it.”

While for its retailers, Heritage Bathrooms has worked on its communication and sales support. It has introduced a one point of contact – one order, one delivery, one invoice – to improve logistics and created a Spotlight newsletter to keep retailers in the loop on product availability. It also offers retailer training, not only on product information but on bathroom trends and consumer insight too. And most recently, Heritage Bathrooms has undertaken a programme of showroom display makeovers, for those that meet its tiered retail criteria in terms of display and support.

But one of the latest sales support tools has been the company’s investment in the Virtual World’s CAD software with all Heritage Bathrooms products now available.  Kaouther Montacer-Shilvock commented: “Virtual Worlds is a fantastic piece of kit that enables retailers to showcase a really wide choice of products and to increase sales opportunities. From a commercial perspective, not being able to visualise the finished look is often a stumbling block in the sales process. With the new Heritage Bathrooms 3D planner on Virtual Worlds, it will be much easier for showrooms to help customers bring their dream bathroom to life.  As such, we are expecting to see a much easier conversion of initial interest into actual sales.”

Although Heritage Bathrooms now has a smaller network of retail showrooms, it shows how investment by retailers in the brand, and vice versa, can reap powerful results.

For more detailed company profiles, news, views, product trends and interviews read the latest issue of Kitchens & Bathrooms News

KBB ‘salespeople’ to blame for costly call-backs

Kitchen and bathroom retailers which concentrate on selling rather than designing are to blame for costly call-backs, according to an online chat with our readers today. They suggested not enough emphasis was being placed on the importance of good design in high street showrooms.

Mostlybathrooms wrote: “Many ‘designers’ are actually people who work in shops selling…” And the Federation of Kitchen & Bathroom Designer (fkbd_garry) agreed, stating: “It’s all a consequence of the retail trades’ emphasis on free design.”

The readers agreed that a good kitchen and bathroom designer needs to have a basic understanding of house construction, as well as product training. They further suggested standards be set for all kitchen and bathroom designers, although it was uncertain whether this was through qualification or certification.

A panel of industry representatives was cited as the best way to set industry standards, with suggestions spanning award-winning designers, manufacturers, distributors and even Sarah Beeny.

Although interior business jcinteriors argued: “[The] problem with installers is they can be a bit negative, want an easy solution rather than stunning design.” And freelance kitchen designer Majjie added: “If it’s about design, it has to be designers judging – not manufacturers or installers.”

However, there was also a concern that return service visits, for example fixing a kitchen door once it has settled following building work, could be misconstrued as a call-back.

The readers concurred the industry needed a training course to deliver competent people to plan and sell kitchens and bathrooms.

However, aside from manufacturer training days, few were aware of the training already on offer, including courses verified by the KBB National Training Group.

For a full version of this feature, ensure you receive the September issue of Kitchens & Bathrooms News.

Boffi’s second showroom “sign doing well”



Recently launched Aprile kitchen in white, designed
by Piero Lissoni and featuring acacia shelves
and nero marquinia marble worktops



Italian kitchen and bathroom manufacturer Boffi has opened the doors to its second showroom, situated on Wigmore Street in London. Having established a stand-alone showroom in Chelsea, in 2008, Boffi has now extended into the West End. Managing director of Boffi UK Steven Salt has been pleased with the progress of the company. He said at the official launch of the Wigmore Street showroom: “This is a sign that the company is doing very well. We’ve grown in Chelsea every year between 15-20%.” In fact, as a marque of the UK's significance to the Boffi Group, CEO Roberto Gavazzi commented: "Boffi UK is around 6-7% of group sales. It is the fourth biggest export market."

Now the company plans to continue its success in this internationally-renowned area for kitchen design and sales. Salt explains why Boffi has become the latest addition to Wigmore Street: “The Chelsea showroom does very well in Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Belgravia and all the areas that surround it. But I do think a lot of people in the West End don’t necessarily go to Chelsea. Also, a lot of people in north London, a lot of people in east London and a lot of people outside of London come here. In the first week of opening, we’ve seen a lot of people come in from outside London or even abroad and when they look for kitchens in London, they come to Wigmore Street. We taken a few plans and we are having an official launch in September to time with the London Design Festival.”

Bathrooms are displayed in the original vaults



Sited in the premises of the former Pedini showroom, Boffi has completely redesigned the space, so the 3,000sq ft display area is split over two floors. The flooring, heating and ventilation had to be replaced.Access also had to be created through the concrete floor to install the heavy, composite bathrooms into the basement.

The two-storey showroom boasts many original features, having originally been constructed as a bank. It features dual aspect, three-metre high, windows which wrap around the ground floor and vaults, complete with safe doors in the basement. The Wigmore Street showroom also plays host to the recently-launched Aprile kitchen, designed by international architect Piero Lissoni, who is also the creative director of Boffi showrooms.

For more news, views, comments and product trends make sure you receive a FREE regular issue of Kitchens & Bathrooms News.

COMMENT: Righting the wrongs

Editor Kitchens & Bathrooms News,
Philippa Turrell

Beko must be breathing a sigh of relief (with News of the World having taken most of the recent headlines), following the national publicity surrounding the safety of some of its fridge freezers.  The figures of 500,000 frost-free fridge freezers, which could pose a fire hazard, made for uncomfortable reading and caused a near meltdown of its customer hotline. There’s nothing quite like an outraged public to create such a reaction. Although I naturally understand the concerns of those consumers involved, and don’t want to make light of the circumstances, it should be pointed out this is a rarity in domestic appliance manufacture.

Malcolm Scott, corporate chair of the Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom Specialists Association (KBSA) comments: “It is clearly regrettable that there is a problem but it must be remembered that this is an isolated incident and with more than 100 million appliances in use in the UK at the moment, it illustrates just how safe modern appliances are.”  

The appliance manufacturer should be proud of dealing with the situation and the way it reacted is testament to the hard work of all its employees. It not only increased the capacity of its call centre by 20 times, employing more staff to man the lines, but increased the capacity to modify the faulty appliance by five times. Beko certainly didn’t hide from its responsibilities but kept all customers up to speed through social media. And it continues to do so.

It should offer a valuable lesson to all, that problems can and do arise in all companies. And before you’re too quick to judge, consider what can happen in your own business. It’s not only the issues that arise but how you deal with them that shows the true marque of a business. And, although I’m fairly confident that Beko didn’t want to deal with the situation, in such an open arena, it should be recognised not criticised for recent actions.

Beko call centre flooded with customer queries

Appliance manufacturer Beko has increased its call centre capacity by 20 times to cope with customer queries over its 500,000 fridge freezers, which pose a potential fire risk. It has three call centres operating on Saturday and Sunday and has increased its capacity to offer free modifications by five time and 'plans to increase further'.
The company has also provided an online check for concerned consumers, allowing them to supply contact information and for a modification appointment to be arranged.
The Beko fridge freezer models affected were manufacturerd between January 2000 and October 2006. These have a serial number that begins with either 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 or 06 and can be found on a label inside fridge. Other Beko branded models and all Beko frost-free fridge freezers manufactured after this date are unaffected.
In a statement provided by Beko: "We had already spoke directly with tens of thousands of consumers."
It added: "Over 500,000 of these products have been sold and most have been safely  in use, some for over 10 years. It is important to realise that the risk to consumers is extremely low. You can continue to use your fridge freezer, but as with any electrical product, if you notice anything different please contact us. Our original plan, as discussed and supported by Trading Standards was for a phased approach in order to minimise consumer delay and concern."

For more news, views and product trends get your FREE issue of Kitchens & Bathrooms News

COMMENT: What impact will the growing rental market have on white good sales?

Steve Macdonald, marketing director of Hoover Candy shares his views on the growing rental market in the UK and how it could impact on the industry. He says in this recession-driven economy, retailers and manufacturers of high value products need to look at the key drivers in the marketplace to guarantee the success of the future.

It goes without saying that no matter what the government says, we are still in the grips of a recession driven economy  and as the consumer has learnt to live within a more frugal economy, the consumer is also asking themselves with every product purchase no matter how large or small;  ‘do I really need it.’ We have seen this across all sectors, but appliances are still in an area where the consumer is proving prudent.

The market is changing – the cheap and chic consumer is becoming more polarised from the aspirational high end purchaser; with the middle market a very competitive playing field. But is there another way we can look at the market – and perhaps look to the past to gain lessons for the future?
Recent statistics (source: Your Property Network August 2010) indicate that tenant demand in the UK continues to grow. The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) issued a report which states more and more people are looking to rent, rather than buy, in the short to medium term. The Paragon Group's second quarter 2010 report also tells us that three times as many landlords say that tenant demand is rising. As marketers of white goods, do we need to respond to this change by offering the consumer a solution that is relevant to their lifestyle choice - but also importantly responds to the disposable trend -
where consumers want to be able to replace and upgrade more frequently than ever. In our consumer-driven society where the perception is that if something goes wrong, there's no sense repairing it when the replacement cost is not that much higher, do we need to look at adding another solution to our offerings?

For more views, news and product trends - register for your FREE issue of Kitchens & Bathrooms News

Impulse Bathrooms expected to snap up Ideal Standard plant

Group managing director of
Imperial Bathroom Products, Jan Klomp

Chinese manufacturer Impulse Bathrooms is said to be striking a deal with Ideal Standard over the purchase of its Middlewich factory.
The news follows Impulse Bathrooms announcement [Kitchens & Bathrooms News, February 2011 issue] it was seeking to acquire a ceramic manufacturing plant 'with a strong preference for a UK location'.
This was around the same time Ideal Standard announced its Middlewich factory closure.
Almost 250 people lost their jobs when Ideal Standard shut the doors of its Middlewich plant but this deal could see a  rumoured 150 jobs created.
Although details of the deal remain firmly under wraps, Impulse Bathrooms has been recruiting for staff in the local area.
Group managing director of [parent company] Imperial Bathroom Products, Jan Klomp commented: "The rumours in East Cheshire have been for a while the 'Chinese' are coming...But they [local press and residents] have finally put two and two together. Our pre-recruitment for staff and presence in Middlewich over the last 10 days has generated an interest. We will refrain from any further comments."

A statement issued by Ideal Standard read: "Ideal Standard International can confirm that it is engaged in ongoing meaningful discussions with Imperial Bathroom Products Ltd regarding the potential purchase of its Middlewich facility. To this date nothing has been concluded."

For more on this story and other news, views, product trends and interviews, subscribe FREE to Kitchens & Bathrooms News

BSH repairs fire hazard dishwashers

BSH Home Appliances has identified a number of its Bosch, Neff and Siemens dishwashers have an electrical component that may overheat and cause a potential fire hazard.
The threat is posed by selected models manufactured between 1999 and 2005 and to help customers identify whether they own an affected dishwasher, BSH has set up a contact site.
BSH is undertaking a free repair programmes of the affected dishwashers and consumers will be able to arrange a visit at home.
Additionally, a dedicated call centre has been set up on Freephone 0800 561 0082 to answer questions and help facilitiate the scheduling of repairs.

Latest News: Beko fridge freezers in fire risk claims

It is believed up to 500,000 Beko fridge freezers could be posing fire risks in homes and businesses, according to the London Fire Brigade (LFB), although this figure is unconfirmed by Beko.

The LFB reports that 20 fires in the capital, causing one death, have been attributed to a defrost timer on a specific production range of Beko frost-free refrigeration, which can fail and overheat.

The affected 36 frost-free refrigeration models were manufactured between January 2000 and October 2006.

These include: CAD543FX; CDA654FW; CDA647FS; CDA647FW; CDA648FS; CDA648FW; CDA653FS; CDA653FW; CDA653FX; CDA659FS; CDA751FS; CDA751FX; CA5411FFS; CA5411FFW; CA5411FFX; CA7014FFX; CA7015FFS; CA7015FFW; CA7015FFX; CDA539FS; CDA539FW; CDA539FX; CDA543FS; CDA543FW; CDA752FS; CDA752FW; CDA752FX; CS460FF; CS460FFS; CS460FFSD; CS461FFW; CS461FFS; CSA4706FFX; CSB4606FFS; CSB4606FFSD; CSB4606FFW.

The LFB alerted Beko to the problem in June 2010, however the appliance manufacturer states it was confirmed in December 2010.

Since becoming aware of the issue, Beko has worked with the LFB and trading Standard to identify the best method of reaching all affected consumers and arranging a modification.

A statement released to the press read: “We have contacted all retailers who sold these products to seek their help in identifying affected customers from their sales records. This has allowed us to mail these customers to make them aware of the issue and urge them to contact our Freephone number [0800 009 4837] to arrange the modification.”

It continued: “We are working with a major electronics retailer to contact owners of these products and carry out a free of charge modification to replace the defrost timer…As a result of this on-going activity, we have mailed over 200,000 owners and have successfully located and modified 11,000 units.”

But consumer champion Which? has said more can be done by the appliance manufacturer to ensure all buyers are protected, not just those who have the contact details for Beko.

Douglas Herbison, chief executive of the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Applicances (AMDEA) disagrees with Which? He said: "We understand that Beko has been following the agreed procedure for dealing with the issue that has arisen. We also understand that the product in question has not been manufactured since 2006. As usual, there will be an assessment of what exactly caused the problem in this product and whether or not this could be addressed by a change in the relevant standard."

Herbison continued: "It is important to remember that products are often recalled as a precautionary measure if a fault is identified and this process is intended to ensure that consumers are confident of their safety but the process of reviewing the safety of products is on-going and any potential risk is taken very seriously and addressed as soon as possible."

For its recent appliance launches Which? has awarded Beko Best Buys for selected models.

 A Which? spokesperson points out: "Beko has performed consistently well in Which? reliability surveys over the past few years, scoring an impressive 89% in the most recent one. We have also awarded Best Buys to two Beko fridge freezers - neither of which are affected by this problem with the defrost timer".

For more news, views, product trends and interviews, subscribe FREE to Kitchens & Bathrooms News.

Breaking News: Beko fridge freezers in fire risk claims

According to the London Fire Brigade, Beko fridge freezers have been the cause of 20 fires in the capital, which have caused injury and one death, since 2008.

The incidents have been attributed to the defrost timer on a specific production range of Beko frost-free refrigeration which can fail and overheat, which leads to plastic components and insulation catching fire.

Fire chiefs are urging people to check if they own the particular models of Beko fridge freezers, which were manufactured between January 2000 and October 2006. 

 According to the London Fire Brigade investigation team, it has been working with the manufacturer to establish the link between the faulty timer switch and a number of house fires.

The Brigade alerted Beko to the problem in June 2010 and the manufacturer is trying to locate the products, offering a free of charge service for the fault to be corrected.

London Fire Brigade's assistant commissioner for fire safety regulation, Steve Turek said: "Expert fire investigators have had to work for a long time to confidently establish these faulty fridge freezers as the cause of a number of serious fires. Having established this link, we have worked closely with Beko to ensure the public is kept safe."

A safety notice issued by Beko read: “Quality and customer safety and satisfaction is paramount to Beko; all it products are independently tested before being placed on the market and meet all UK and European safety standards. The number of incidents to which these products have been potentially linked is extremely small, nevertheless, as a responsible manufacturer we have decided to proactively contact the owners of these fridge freezers as we wish to make a free in-home modification to remove any potential risk with this component.”

LEC has also issued a Product Safety warning for a frost free refrigeration model, where the defrost timer can fail and overheat.

The model affected is the LEC TF2304W in white and was manufactured between January 2004 and October 2006.

Manufacturer of LEC appliances, GDHA is carrying out a free of charge modification to the defrost timer.