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Listen to a full interview with Julie McLean on a special episode of The kbbreview Podcast. Listen NOW using the player below or go straight to this episode in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube. Alternatively, simple search ‘kbbreview’ wherever you get your podcasts.

125 years certainly is a milestone for the ages. It’s not a time to rest on our laurels, but it is a chance to recognise everything the business has achieved and the impact we’ve had on the industry. 

And although the market has been challenging for some time, there are some clear opportunities out there. One of the principles we talk about a lot internally is “controlling the controllables”. We don’t spend too long talking about the market itself because, ultimately, that’s not something we can influence.

That said, consumers are understandably taking longer to decide where to invest their money. And when they do, they’re looking for quality, and we think that creates real opportunities for complete bathroom renovations rather than simply short-term purchases.

Another area I’m particularly passionate about is water-saving technology and sustainability. It perhaps hasn’t moved at the pace many of us expected, but given the challenges around water scarcity, I believe it’s inevitable. The businesses that invest and educate consumers now will be well placed when that shift gathers pace.

Ironically, change is probably the only certainty we can all count on, and we’ve certainly learned a great deal over the past few years. We’re also a business that spends a lot of time looking much further ahead. 

In fact, a typical day for me involves talking about 2028, 2029 and 2030, rather than focusing solely on this year. We’re constantly thinking about where consumer expectations are heading and making strategic investments that will support our customers in the future.

If you go right back to our pioneer, Hans Grohe himself, he believed in continually improving products and staying ahead rather than waiting for change to happen, and I think that mindset has been a huge part of our longevity.

Heritage is a powerful asset, but really only if it’s used in the right way. Instead, it’s there to inspire us. All the innovation that’s come before us, all the people who’ve contributed to the business over the past 125 years – we’re simply the next chapter in that story.

During more challenging economic periods, that’s when resilience really matters. You have to resist being dragged entirely into today’s problems because if you stop planning for tomorrow, you’ll quickly fall behind. That discipline and long-term thinking are part of what gives the business its stability.

And of course, it’s impossible to deny how recent years have changed the way we think about resilience. Forecasting has become even more important, and we spend a great deal of time gathering insights from our sales team who are visiting retailers every day. That gives us valuable information about trends and customer behaviour which feeds back into the business.

The other lesson has been communication. Customers understand that challenges can happen. What matters is honest, timely communication. That’s become even more important over the past few years and it’s something we’re continually working to improve.

We spend a lot of time listening to retailers, and I think, above all else, what they want is consistency, quality and differentiation.

Retailers need confidence in the brands they choose to display, and our responsibility is to deliver quality products, communicate well and continue bringing innovation to market. The relationship works both ways, too. Retailers give us invaluable feedback, whether that’s on design, product performance or consumer trends. We genuinely see it as a partnership because if retailers succeed, we succeed.

And prioritising efficiency with resilience really is a balancing act. The goal is to build efficient manufacturing and logistics systems that can also respond quickly when demand changes. We benefit from global manufacturing expertise, but we’re also closely connected to the realities of the UK market through our local team.

Ultimately it’s all about listening, learning and adapting while maintaining the standards people expect from a brand that goes back a century and a quarter.

Listen to a full interview with Julie McLean on a special episode of The kbbreview Podcast. Listen NOW using the player below or go straight to this episode in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube. Alternatively, simple search ‘kbbreview’ wherever you get your podcasts.

This article is sponsored content