Rob Jull

Md, RAK Ceramics UK

How would you view the current kbb retail market?

I would say it's buoyant but edged with caution. The demand for upmarket kitchens and bathrooms is still strong and looks to be growing by the month. While talk of recession is in the air, many consumers have already earned their fortunes and, having capitalised on prudent property purchases and price hikes, are now in a position to afford to relocate and renovate without relying on mortgages and loans.

A rise in interest rates will undoubtedly reign in some people's spending habits but the reality is that they aren't really in a position to spend anyway, and have been living on false wealth for too long already.  

Which companies do you think are setting the pace in this industry?

The companies that are really setting the pace are the advertising and marketing agencies that are helping to create an audience of design hungry consumers.

Obviously their jobs would be impossible without the products to push so, in no particular order, I admire Franke, Poggenpohl, Sieger Design, Adamsez and Whirlpool. All very different companies but all pushing forward in terms of strong design and product innovation.  

Do you think this is a golden age for kbb design?

It is definitely a golden age in terms of people appreciating design in the KBB industry but the design itself is generally cyclical so I don't think it would be fair to claim that 2008 is responsible for design that's better than ever before.

So for example, our Empire range was inspired by 1930s architecture and the Art Deco movement. When researching this collection I had an amazing time checking out what was considered cutting-edge at that time and it made me appreciate that all design is 'of-the-moment' but really good design will prove popular again and again. Today's design is influenced by so many great eras - the Bauhaus movement of the 20s, the minimalism movement in the 60s onwards etc - that it's hard to say we're at a golden age, it's more the case that design is evolving and for RAK Ceramics, it will continue to do so. 

Which individual new products have stood out for you in the past 12 months?

I am personally interested in anything that is of benefit on an environmental scale, not because the government is pushing us to watch our carbon footprint and build carbon neutral homes but because I am genuinely concerned about our environment. I am rather afraid that the media hype about eco-living is going to turn people off the subject and result in cynicism.

Like many sanitaryware manufacturers I am constantly working on ideas for reducing the water consumption of WCs, but you have to make sure the product actually does it's job otherwise the home owner will just keep flushing, which of course defeats the object. In the meantime, Hansgrohe's Pontos rainwater recycler has attracted my attention as it claims to save up to 90,000 litres of water per year in your average household which is not an insignificant amount.  

What are your predictions for the industry in the coming year?

If house prices do drop, people will be looking to maximise the value of their homes by improving and renovating so the KBB industry may not suffer too badly. People are spending much more of their income on their homes now and are likely to cut their social spending before they cut their property spending.

On the design front, sanitaryware is always evolving and we have some exceptional new releases which should keep our retailers happy for the entire year, though of course we'll continue to introduce new and exciting ranges as the year progresses. It's an industry in which no-one can afford to sit still and that's what makes it one of the best.

Who is the most famous person to have blagged free product from you?

Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen was the last famous person to ask but sadly I had to decline. We did offer him a 'factory gate' discount price that was very generous but that apparently wasn't good enough.