| PROFILE: Brookmans of Stafford Once a three-storey private house, Brookmans of Stafford has been transformed into an unusual but highly effective interior design showroom. Tim Wallace took a look around... | |
| ANALYSIS: The future of the bathroom market Writing exclusively for kbbreview, Keith Taylor, company director of AMA Research, gives us an insight into the future of the UK bathroom market and tells us why it's not all doom and gloom... | |
| ADVICE: Bigger and better? Independent retailers can learn a lot from big multiples - if they just take the time to go and have a look. So say kbbreview marketing expert Paul Clapham... | |
| PROFILE: Freestyle Kitchens in Warrington Former installation specialist Steve Brooks has gambled nearly £1m on an ambitious new venture into kitchen and bathroom retailing. Tim Wallace takes a tour of Freestyle Kitchens in Warrington, Cheshire... | |
| PROFILE: Showerlux Enclosure manufacturer Showerlux is fighting back following a period of upheaval and restructure. We went to see md Bob Bowler... | |
| PROFILE: F Jones Cleveland F. Jones Cleveland has been supplying granite and marble to the UK kitchen industry for 25 years. We went along to talk to the man with his name above the door, Fred Jones... | |
| PROFILE: Deva With acquisitions rife in the bathroom industry, Rebecca Nottingham met Rob Pryde, md of Deva, to find out how the process is affecting them... | |
| PROFILE: Mark II A self-confessed "sleeping giant", distributor Mark Two is refocusing its efforts on the independent sector. Andrew Davies went to meet the man charged with that tricky task - Paul Jenkinson... | |
| Cut the VAT? Cutting VAT on building repair work would spark new growth in the construction industry, encourage consumers to splash out on more energy efficient products and help eradicate cowboy tradesmen. So why are the government reluctant to accept the proposal? Tim Wallace examines the arguments... | |
| PROFILE: Customer Service Award winners Tim Wallace meets this year's kbbreview customer service award winners and compares their respective strategies... | |
| INTERVIEW: BSH ceo Kurt-Ludwig Gutberlet BSH, the global appliance giant behind Bosch, Siemens, Neff and Gaggenau, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007 but how is it faring in today's economic environment? Andrew Davies went over to Munich to meet ceo Dr Kurt-Ludwig Gutberlet... | |
| PROFILE: Roger Kyme and Ripples Ripples is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. So what's the story behind one of the few franchises in the bathroom industry? Rebecca Nottingham went to meet chief executive and founder Roger Kyme... | |
| ANALYSIS: Young people in the industry Just how do you get young people interested in the kbb market? Simple, just sit them down and let them try it for themselves. We take a look at a joint initiative between South Nottingham College and the NTG... | |
| ADVICE: Five minute marketing You don't always need to think about 25-mile catchment areas when it comes to drumming up new business, try applying the five minute rule to your showroom and you could be surprised by the opportunities, says kbbreview marketing expert Paul Clapham... | |
| ANALYSIS: Is there a credit crunch? Are we heading for a recession? Or is the slowdown in the market an inevitable correction after a period of unprecedented growth? Tim Wallace looks at the key indicators and gets the views of a range of the industry's major players... | |
| PROFILE: Boffi ilan-based kitchen and bathroom specialist Boffi is finally opening a directly-owned store here in the UK. Tim Wallace spoke to project manager Steven Salt. | |
| PROFILE: Andre le Gros Tim Wallace talks showroom strategy with kbb specialist Andre Le Gros, based in Eastbourne, East Sussex | |
| To sell or not to sell With so many kbb business being snapped up by larger companies, how do you now when it's the right time to sell? Jamie Hope, from Catalyst Corporate Finance says a strategic review could be the answer... | |
| The kitchen of tomorrow? The Greenkitchen concept from appliance giant Whirlpool is due to enter the market in 2010. But for all its eco-friendly credentials, is it commercially viable? Tim Wallace met the vice president of European brand marketing, Jean Pascal Rey | |
| PROFILE: East meets West There was a time when 'made in China' meant cheap and inferior products, but as the country's consumer revolution gains more momentum, has that opinion gone for good? Andrew Davies went to meet Impulse Bathrooms, a company from over there that's doing very well over here... | |
| PROFILE: Sound and vision Rather than focusing solely on kitchens, entrepreneur Trevor Rolls has chosen to combine his new Alno business in Newbury, Berkshire, with a home entertainment element. Tim Walce tok a look around... | |
| ADVICE: Speed data Having an effective database of your customers sounds like a tedious exercise but used effectively it could take your business to a new level, says marketing expert Paul Clapham... | |
| Showroom masterclass - Newark Interiors Tim Wallace travels to bespoke furniture specialist Newark Interiors to find out just what makes a successful showroom... | |
| PROFILE: The Green Team With landfill taxes on the rise, kbb manufacturers are being forced to take their environmental responsibilities more seriously. Tim Wallace talks to Gerald Jones, md of Welsh kitchen specialist Sigma 3... | |
| Getting your strategy right At a crossroads with your business and not sure where to go next? Jamie Hope, from Catalyst Corporate Finance says a strategic review could be the answer. | |
| PROFILE: The new owner of C.P. Hart talks to editor Andrew Davies With business partner Kevin Ohle, Richard Reynolds is the new owner of top end bathroom retailer C.P. Hart. While new to bathrooms, he's a kitchen industry veteran having formerly run both Gower and Smallbone with Ohle. So why switch sides and why C.P Hart? | |
| All together now With most kbb retailers unable or unwilling to join a trade association, is a buying group a more tempting alternative? Perhaps it's time for this industry to take a look at the way independents in similar sectors join together for the greater good. Simon King investigates... | |
