Geoffrey Baker is the man that introduced Corian to the UK - 30 years on, it's a household name and Baker is already reproducing this formula for success with the next super materials, Parapan and Veritas, Jackie Daly went to meet him...
These days they're called 'entrepreneurs', the forward thinkers who seemingly have the foresight and nose for business to spot the next big thing. The contestants on the Apprentice delude themselves that they have this ability, but in truth it takes foresight, business sense, a lot of luck and being in the right place at the right time.
And that sums up Geoffrey Baker - his ability to recognise the next 'big thing' has taken him on a 30-year journey of product distribution and he is showing no sign of stopping as he launches new finds onto the market to this day.
It all began with a then little known solid surface material - namely Corian - and the launch of the company CDUK, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year.
"We started the business on March 1, 1979," he says. "And not one sheet of Corian had been brought into the country at that point," Baker explains. "I ordered a whole container for shipping, which mystified DuPont at the time, but I thought that if we we're going to present Corian to the UK we needed to offer something of everything - although there were only four colours at that time."
Baker discovered Corian when, as a plumbers' merchant, he visited Hong Kong and heard a whisper of a man making cultured marble. "I was interested in the idea of getting a one-piece basin as I thought that was the future for hotels. When I went to look I found that this chap was producing rubbish but he began to explain to me that he had got his PhD working for DuPont helping to create this wonderful material. As I listened to his story, I realised that was the material I was looking for."
Thus began the story of Corian in the UK. It was a slow but solid start directed at the kitchen market and the opportunities presented for worktops. "They didn't even have any adhesive then - I had to invent my own - but quite quickly DuPont developed its own adhesive and from that moment Corian was a big success." The company also had to set up its own fabrication division as no such facility existed then until the point came that Baker had to make a choice in being fabricator or distributor - distribution was his choice.
It was at this point that the man with the midas touch seized upon another gap in the market - the evolution of the bathroom from cold, functional space to haven, spurring a new penchant for glass bowls that transformed the basin into a statement piece. Avante Bathrooms was born. "We found the glass in Italy and also offered Corian bowls and for three years it was fantastic," Baker recalls.
Perfecting Parapan
As this trend was taken into the mainstream, the search for the next product was on and glass bowls were quickly succeeded by yet another then unknown super material - Parapan, which by strange coincidence also celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. And while, this highly durable, solid high-gloss material is fast becoming the choice for kitchen furniture in the slick designs of today, it was introduced under Baker's Springwell Doors banner in the era of cathedral arch door and country-style pilasters. "That's why we began in the dental market - they needed a material that was supremely hygienic," he explains. "And Parapan, of course, is 100% hygienic and non-porous. That's why we're still very strong in that market to date."
The transition from dental lab to kitchen hub followed Baker's nose for a vogue and having spotted the sleek, modern styling of kitchens emerging from Italy, the time was deemed right for Parapan to make its mark in the design of kitchen furniture. "It caught on quite quickly," Baker exclaims. "It's better than most high-gloss options as it's a highly durable, solid acrylic and you get a perfect mirror finish as well as the ability to create curves that retailers and consumers love. We've done some spectacular kitchens, even if I say so myself.
Indeed, we've helped that market as we offer a handleless look by integrating a recess into the design so manufacturers can produce the look easily at the same level, without having to build the furniture up. Poggenpohl for instance, offers Parapan." In fact, the stunning aesthetics produced by this material has lead to a thriving commercial division for Parapan dedicated to architects.
A New Wave
Despite the success of Parapan, new products continue to appear in Baker's ever-growing portfolio. His latest sweep from the shelves is something of a departure for the business - the brands Foster and Faber's Air Uno take the company into the realm of appliances.
"I travel a lot, especially in Italy, which is where I see the trends and that's where I discovered Air Uno who make extraction hoods that are just as special as Elica," he explains. "This led us to Faber, who are, of course, the original manufacturers of cooker hoods. The company was started in 1955 by two brothers, who went their separate ways as brothers do - one stayed with Faber, the other set up Elica."
The Foster line of stainless steel worktops, moreover, is seen as a useful addition to Baker's established lines of materials.
Material gains
The next chapter of the business is already being written with the entry of Veritas. "We discovered this in America and have a feeling that there's big potential for the material," Baker smiles. "It's a PEGT material, which is a bit of a mouthful when you have to explain what that means but, essentially, it can be formed into panels for internal decoration.
In a nutshell, Veritas can be produced to customers' own designs, which is what they want, and is more fire-resistant and much stronger than acrylic. We are looking at the hotel sector but I think it's great for every market." The next big thing?
