In the final instalment of our ‘Good News’ series, we shine a light on the positive developments driving our sector forward. Here, we ask kbbreview readers to share their hopeful news stories…
Lorna Thompson, Plumb Wales
“My husband and I have just purchased Plumb Wales Ltd from Ray Williams and the other previous directors. I actually worked at Plumb Wales many years ago and set up the showroom originally – I left 13 years ago to be a rep so I have now come full circle.
“We are in the process of fully updating the showroom with lots of support from suppliers. All of the staff are staying with us and are very excited for the future. Ray is also staying with us for the foreseeable future to ensure a smooth handover etc. The vibe from customers and suppliers alike is very positive and exciting!”
Paul Johnson, Principal Kitchens & Bathrooms
“After celebrating 25 years in business last year we had been disappointed with sales in 2025 until August arrived with a bang! In the last six weeks we’ve seen a huge increase in footfall, order volumes and order value. This has allowed us to book our installation teams up to February 2026 as well as supply only orders increasing.”
Our design studio makeover, a significant investment by Steve Thomas, is nearing completion. We will officially launch our ‘Accessible by Thomas Vaughan’ brand and a new part of our business on November 5th.
Mark Cleghorn, Thomas VaughnPaula Nightingale, Nightingale Bathrooms
“We moved premises a few months ago, with our new premises being twice the size of our previous one. We are now in full showroom installation mode and it’s all going so well. We aim to open the showroom by the end of the year, and we are now featuring Kitchens as well as our usual accessible bathrooms. We have it all designed and I’m so excited to see the end result, it’s going to look amazing!”
Sharon Thurston-Woods, Beccles Tile and Bathroom Centre
“We celebrated our 40 year anniversary this year, which coincides with also moving into a brand new showroom. Our showroom is now larger and packed full of up to date tiles and bathrooms, as well as adding kitchens and flooring to our portfolio. This comes after massively expanding our trade counter in late 2023 so we’re now a one-stop shop for all retail and trade customers.
Craig Marron, Warrior Bathrooms, Shotton, County Durham
“Warrior Bathrooms is an independent, family-run bathroom business that my partner Sarah Pickard and I started several years ago completing installations across the North east.
“In May 2024 we took a leap of faith and started renovations on our first showroom. We opened the doors to our small, but practical showroom on November 9th 2024. As we near our first birthday in the showroom we are proud to say that the business has gone from strength to strength, building working relationships with local trades people and offering support and tailored advise to those who are looking to get their dream bathroom.
“Working with a number of trusted companies in the bathroom sector to offer everything under one roof. In an ever evolving and sometimes difficult industry, we carved out and continue to grow our small piece.”
I recently took over as managing director of Estu Ltd. Having worked for the company for 10 years, I took it on in 2024. Having a very tough first year we are starting to see a great improvement in sales
Rebecca Laffey, EstuAlex Zandona, Artizan Interiors:
“Two years ago I decided to employ the services of a marketing agency and really step up the way we market our business. We have gradually increased our spend and whilst that has now become a significant cost, we are seeing continued and resilient growth.
“We have also refurbished our studio and added meeting space upstairs to really improve and elevate the customer experience and employed a new designer to our team. All these changes have helped to increase our sales by more than 20% year on year.
“It is a very difficult market and the constant negative news can knock the confidence of business owners and their target market. However, we are now targeting our best year and feel very well placed to maximise a market recovery.”
News from your suppliers…
Armera plans growth spurt for 2026
Armera says its sales are up by 29% year on year, with October and November on track to be the company’s largest growth months. The company is also gearing up to expand its workforce by a further 20% in 2026.
Llandaff celebrates long-timers and fresh faces
Supplier Llandaff Laminates has recently celebrated two members of staff for their long service, with one one being with the company for 45 years and another for 30 years. The company is also clearly attracting new talent, with team also recently taking on a new area sales representative.
Space Plug smashes sales record
Fittings accessory brand Space Plug has reported that its year-to-date online sales are up by an astounding 50%. The company had reached last year’s sales figures with more than three months of trading left in the year.
Independent enquiries are up, says Global Doors
Dan Farmer, head of commercial & development at Global Doors & Interiors says the company’s sales this year have been strong across all sectors of the market. Meanwhile, the company’s noticed increased enquiries (particularly from independent retailers) since launching its new ranges this year, with the increased market confidence meaning the company can invest in new ranges for next year’s KBB Birmingham show.
Esquire Glass pleased about new opportunities
Specialist KBB glass processor Esquire Glass says it is pleased to see glass becoming “becoming an increasingly prominent feature within the kitchen”, opening up new opportunities for the company and its partners.
Round-the-clock production rolled out at Cabinets Direct
Cabinets Direct has seen impressive 40% year-on-year growth. The supplier has also introduced a new night shift rota meaning it can operate 24 hours a day, and also invested in a new AirForce edgebander.