Dutch brassware brand Hotbath is launching in the UK market with its full portfolio of bathroom brassware and kitchen taps.
Scheduled to launch in the UK on April 1, Hotbath is part of the FM Mattsson Mora Group, which also owns Aqualla and Adamsez.
A luxury brassware brand, Hotbath products are manufactured in the Cusio-Valsesia region of Italy near Lake Orta, which is home to many of the country’s brassware producers. The company was founded in 2008 and launched its first product, a fountain cold water tap. It has now grown to be the number-one brassware supplier in the Netherlands and due to recent growth has moved to new, larger premises in Ablasserdam.
Hotbath offers 17 ranges, 14 of which are brassware taps for the kitchen and bathroom. The company prides itself on offering Italian design flair and high quality, using premium internals from Fluhs, one of the largest innovators in its field.
The Cobber range, launched in 2016, is a streamlined design available in 15 finishes.
Hotbath boasts some unique features for its products that are said to deliver savings for users and ease of installation.
The Flower Power system in its single-lever taps provides cold water from the neutral position to ensure hot water is not wasted. Its Shower Power system uses a patented cartridge to provide a great showering experience with minimum water usage, while its Eco Air system mixes air with the water in a design said to save on water consumption without compromising on performance.
The products will be on show at the Hotbath stand (4.1, H91) at the ISH show in Frankfurt on March 13-17, prior to the UK launch on April 1.
Kbbreview spoke exclusively to Stuart Telfer, who is heading up the UK operation for Hotbath.
On what the brand can bring to the UK market, he said: “I think bathrooms have become fashionable again and people are becoming more adventurous. What we provide is a good depth of range in 15 different colours. It is a luxury brand that offers true quality and craftsmanship, expertly manufactured in Italy, with commercially attractive pricing structures.”
Telfer said Hotbath will also be looking to work with the right retail partners in the UK: “We’re not trying to take on the world. We feel that the best way to develop our brand is with key UK partners who demand high-end luxury brassware. We aim for long-term partnerships that will be successful for all involved and start with a conversation. Initially, we are aiming for a limited number of quality retailers across the UK.”
He added that the Hotbath brand will be exclusive to showrooms and will not be sold online: “Our route to market will be bricks-and-mortar showrooms. We will protect customers who partner Hotbath with a strict ‘no-online’ policy. Giving the retailer confidence to retain the margin required to cover the cost of running a retail showroom.”
Telfer explained that initially support services will be provided from the Netherlands where there will be a dedicated English-speaking team. He is also planning to set up a UK depot in due course.
On stock availability, Telfer said: “We have high stock levels of colour finishes at HQ, just outside Rotterdam. We will be opening a UK depot late Spring 2023 to service the UK and Irish markets.
“Hotbath is a sister company of Aqualla and Adamsez, which are already established in the UK and Ireland. Positioned at the higher end of the market, Hotbath sits in a niche above the Aqualla brand, complementing each other perfectly – catering for a broad range of price points.”