Domestic appliance giant BSH has officially opened its new multi-million pound retail training facility at its UK headquarters in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

The complex, which covers 1300 square metres in total, is divided up into three different areas according to brand - a Bosch product showroom, Neff Learning Centre and the Siemens iQ Training Academy.

Designed to offer retailers "premium training to sell premium brands," the facility will open its doors to 1,000 retail staff for interactive training sessions over the next three weeks.

In the Bosch showroom, there are 'hero' products on show and areas where trained staff can demonstrate technologies including induction hobs, washing machines and dishwashers. Visitors are encouraged to get 'hands on' with the products and there's also a Green Area, which highlights eco-friendly product features and benefits.

The central focus of the iQ Training Academy is the cooking demonstration area, where Siemens home economists can show how to make the most of steam cooking, as well as the company's flexInduction hobs and its Teppan Yaki cook top.

Opposite the demonstration area are fully-equipped cooking stations where, working in small teams, visitors can try cooking for themselves. There are also large wall-mounted flat screen TVs so attendees can easily follow the cooking demonstrations.

The new Neff Learning Centre has been split up into five different areas: Learning, Cooking, Working, Listening and Dining. Each workstation is fully equipped with working Neff products, showcasing ovens, hobs and compact appliances. With the look and feel of a real cookery school, dealers are invited to come and work in the dedicated cooking area.

"The Neff Learning Centre offers a unique environment for world-class training with our dedicated and knowledgeable training team. By delivering excellent training, we can help dealers to increase value added sales," said Kay Ainsworth, BSH Training Centre manager.

Said Austin Wood, Siemens iQ Training Academy Manager: "The opening of the Siemens iQ Training Academy reinforces the growing importance of training in the ever-competitive home appliances sector. We want to ensure that our retailers understand the Siemens's brand profile and can clearly articulate our competitive differentiation."