HSK UK joins Cyncly’s Virtual Worlds in response to customer demand

Cyncly is delighted to announce that HSK UK has become one of the latest brands to partner with Virtual Worlds, its industry-leading bathroom CAD software, following repeated requests from retailers.

Founded in 1993, HSK is an owner-managed family business operating in the sanitaryware sector. Based in the Hochsauerland district, where it has deep roots, HSK is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of shower-related products, specializing in thoughtfully designed shower enclosures, wall cladding, shower trays, bathroom radiators and fittings that demonstrate how modern bathroom design, sustainability and maximum comfort go hand in hand.

Designed to help bathroom retailers streamline the sales process and inspire clients with beautiful, 3D photorealistic renders, Cyncly’s Virtual Worlds brings spaces and products to life to boost customer satisfaction and sales. 

Now, for the first time, Virtual Worlds users can seamlessly incorporate HSK’s full portfolio of products into their bathroom designs. This includes shower enclosures such as VINYA, which is newly available with hardware in brushed copper and gunmetal finishes, and pictured here with RenoDeco wall cladding in the new Transformative Teal (92) decor. 

Scott Bower, HSK UK Business Manager, said: “Since taking this job three years ago, I have visited HSK customers, both old and new, across the length and breadth of the country. One of the main questions I have been asked is whether HSK products are available on Virtual Worlds. This was by far the driving force behind the decision to make our products available on the Virtual Worlds system.

“Having our products on Virtual Worlds will give customers the option to incorporate them at the design stage of any project. It will also provide end users with a realistic sense of the design, appearance, and functionality of our products.

“The release of HSK on Virtual Worlds also coincides with the release of two brand new HSK brochures: one for RenoDeco Shower Panels with over 35 new decors and our unique Renomag magnetic bathroom accessories, and a second called the Compact Price List showcasing all our new shower doors. This includes VINYA with its matching brassware and our new Favorit in-folding sliding door. All these items are included in the new Virtual Worlds catalogue.”

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Kinedo set to make a statement at HIX

After its inaugural year exhibiting at the HIX show in 2025, bathroom brand, Kinedo, has committed to taking a space again in 2026 at the exhibition’s new home at Excel in London. 

With a range of products that are highly suited to the hotel sector, the company will be displaying a selection of walk-in showers, contemporary, cuttable shower trays and Kinewall statement wall panels, including the new Signature range. 

For brave designers and hoteliers that are looking for bathroom with a difference, the new Kinedo Signature collection is a set of bold patterns that truly create a stand-out space. Imagine a Highland Cow in a Highland Hotel, a Peacock in a Manor House Hotel or a Lion in, well, any room that merits a bit of fun and adventure. These animal-inspired panels join the funky giraffe that debuted at HIX last year and extend a range of other show-stopping designs. 

Kinedo’s parent company is SFA Saniflo and the stand team will also be able to discuss how Saniflo’s world-renowned pumps and macerators can work in conjunction with Kinedo products for installations in awkward spaces.

Designed to facilitate the discharge of water waste from bathrooms where there is no existing pipe infrastructure or no gravity drainage, such as lofts and basements, Saniflo products are able to convert redundant space into revenue generating rooms. 

The team is looking forward to welcoming customers old and new onto stand J65.

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SONAS cuts UK delivery times to next day for bathroom retailers and merchants

Retailers and merchants can now carry less stock, keep jobs moving and buy more of the bathroom from one supplier, with SONAS and SONAS SELECT products delivered next day.

Leading bathroom manufacturer, SONAS Bathrooms, has officially commenced operations at its new UK warehouse in Redditch, offering bathroom retailers and merchants across more than 90% of the UK next day delivery on orders placed by 1pm. The service replaces the two to three day delivery UK customers had when orders were fulfilled from Ireland.

For SONAS’ network of over 500 UK Retail Partners, next day delivery means they no longer need to hold large volumes of stock ‘just in case’.

With 96% of UK order lines arriving on time and in full, they can free up space and cash, offer a far wider range than any showroom or branch could hold, and handle busy periods like the run-up to Christmas without overstocking. The installers they supply also spend less time waiting for products to arrive, helping to keep their bathroom projects moving.

Next day delivery covers more than 2,000 products across the SONAS range for bathroom retailers and SONAS SELECT for the trade, so customers can put more of their bathroom buying through a single supplier. From furniture, showers and sanitaryware to baths and brassware, SONAS designs and develops its own products, giving retailers and merchants a single source for a broad bathroom offer while helping to cut the number of suppliers, orders, deliveries and invoices they manage.

The service is underpinned by SONAS new 60,000+ sq. ft. Redditch distribution centre, which has capacity for 8,300 pallets and brings stock closer to customers across the UK. Located within the UK’s Golden Logistics Triangle, the facility provides SONAS with a strategically positioned stockholding and distribution base from which to support next day fulfilment.

Richard Sloan, chief executive officer of SONAS Bathrooms in Ireland and the UK, said: “Having our own stock on the ground in the UK means we can promise next day delivery and keep that promise. Opening the Redditch warehouse was a significant commitment to our UK customers, and we’ve built it with room to grow, so the service holds up as more retailers and merchants come on board.

“As we continue to grow in the UK, our focus remains on being a reliable, responsive partner that retailers can build their businesses with for the long term.”

Dean Stokes, UK sales director at SONAS Bathrooms, added: “With a wide product range, next day delivery and one team to call to, we take a lot of the hassle out of a retailer’s or merchant’s week. If you’re not yet working with SONAS, talk to us about what we could do for your business.”

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Bathroom Association prepares to bring the industry together at Connect Conference 2026

Speakers from across business, design, construction and manufacturing will explore how collaboration can help the bathroom sector respond to shared challenges

Preparations are gathering pace for the Bathroom Association’s Annual Connect Conference, which returns to The Grand Hotel, Birmingham, on Thursday 8 October 2026.

Bringing together the entire bathroom industry, the conference will provide a full day of insight, discussion and networking, followed by the Association’s Gala Dinner and the celebration of its Thirty-under-Thirty winners.

The theme for 2026 is ‘Stronger Together’, reflecting the importance of closer collaboration at a time when businesses across the sector are responding to economic uncertainty, changing consumer expectations, skills shortages, regulatory pressures and the need to improve environmental performance.

Rather than viewing these as separate challenges for different parts of the market, the conference will consider how knowledge and experience can be shared more effectively across the bathroom supply chain.

The daytime programme will open with award-winning author, broadcaster and keynote speaker Jez Rose. Drawing on research into nature, behaviour and wellbeing, Rose will examine how small changes can significantly affect performance, resilience and the way teams work together.

Rebecca Larkin, Head of Construction Research at the Construction Products Association, will assess the economic and construction outlook. Her session will help place current market conditions into context and consider the factors likely to shape business confidence and activity.

Dr Vanessa Brady OBE, founder and CEO of the Society of British and International Interior Design, will explore the changing relationship between design, product development and consumer expectations. With more than 30 years of experience across interior design, construction and procurement, Brady will consider the trends influencing bathroom specification and the opportunities created when designers, manufacturers and the wider supply chain work more closely together.

Skills and competence will form another important part of the programme. An industry panel featuring Steve Collinge, Managing Director of Insights Retail Group, will discuss the shortage of skilled installers and plumbers and its wider consequences for capacity, costs, quality, compliance and consumer confidence.

The final main session will come from entrepreneur Rob Law MBE, best known for creating the Trunki ride-on suitcase. Law will draw on his experience of turning an early setback on BBC’s Dragons’ Den into an international product success, sharing lessons around resilience, innovation, manufacturing and understanding the needs of the end user.

Daphne Doody-Green, CEO of the Bathroom Association, said: “The challenges and opportunities facing the bathroom sector are increasingly interconnected. Our annual conference gives us the chance to bring different parts of the industry together, hear perspectives we may not encounter in our everyday roles and have constructive conversations about where we go next.

“The speaker programme will provide plenty to think about, but the value of the day will also come from the conversations around it. Strong professional relationships help businesses share knowledge, find new opportunities and respond more effectively to common challenges.”

Dedicated networking time will allow delegates to continue the discussions prompted by the programme, reconnect with industry colleagues and establish new relationships across the wider sector.

Following the conference, the Bathroom Association’s Gala Dinner will provide a more informal conclusion to the day. The evening will include the Association’s charity raffle in aid of CRASH, and will also provide a platform to recognise its Thirty-under-Thirty winners of 2026.

The awards celebrate younger professionals who are already making a meaningful contribution to their organisations and the wider bathroom industry. Their recognition will place future talent at the heart of an evening celebrating the people, businesses and relationships that support the sector.

Comedian Alun Cochrane will host the evening, co-presenter of The Frank Skinner Show on Absolute Radio, winner of the Chortle Awards for Best Breakthrough Act and Best Compere, and nominee for the Perrier Best Newcomer Award. He has appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival multiple times and appears as a regular panellist on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You, and 8 Out of 10 Cats.

Amy Kirk, Marketing and Events Director at the Bathroom Association, added: “We want the Connect Conference to feel relevant, welcoming and genuinely useful. The programme moves across economic insight, design, people, skills and manufacturing, giving delegates a broad view of the issues shaping the industry.

“The Grand Hotel was extremely well received last year, and we are looking forward to returning. Availability for overnight accommodation at the hotel has now sold out, proving its popularity. However, as we’re in the city centre, there are plenty of alternative options available nearby.”

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