Jetstone plans to double UK turnover

Dutch stone distributor and fabricator Jetstone is planning to nearly double its UK turnover to £2.8million in the next two years.

The UK is the second largest market for Jetstone which supplies granite, quartz and most recently ceramic worktops to around 100-150 mid-upper market kitchen showrooms. In addition, it is also a distributor for Franke, Blanco and ABK sinks, Franke and KWC taps and the S-Box concealed worktop storage.

At the beginning of 2012, Jetstone doubled the number of sales agents in the UK – from two to seven - and it believes this will see the revenue boost from its current £1.5million turnover.

Jetstone used to supply the now defunct Moben kitchens, and alongside supplying independent retailers, the company is also seeking large volume accounts to drive sales. It already provides stone worktops to Tesco Kitchens, via Mark Two Distribution.

Marketing co-ordinator of Jetstone Remco Jaspers explains that large group accounts help to give the company kudos: “The fact that we had Moben and now Tesco does open the door to larger companies. As people will say, if they have worked with Moben and do work with Tesco, Jetstone is probably going to be a big company.”

Remco Jaspers also believes ceramic worktops will form part of the company’s success. Currently ceramic sales account for 15% of Jetstone’s turnover and he expects the material to account for 40% within two years.

The ceramic, which comes from Italy, is available in a satin texture in a variety of finishes from wood to metallic, through to Oxide finishes. It is not only used for worktops, with mitred edges allowing edge profiles from 10-100mm, but can also be used for flooring and wall cladding

The company is opening a second factory to help meet the expected volume for ceramic, which will boost the future capacity of the company by 36% to 750 orders per week.

Jetstone was founded in 1993 and operates across 7 countries, including a UK office in Hemel Hempstead. It has 120 employees, across the company, and supplies 400 orders per week. The company has 8,000 slabs in stock, with over 200 materials, including 26 ceramic colours as standard, but also has access to all supplier products.

Delivery is within 5-8 days, direct to retail customers, and all the worktops are fitted by Jetstone installers.

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Ceramic surfaces in kitchens

Philippa Turrell takes a look at ceramic to find out what this material may mean to kitchen showroom worktop sales

 

Luca Bottazzi of Laminam and Remco Jaspers
 of UK distributor Jetstone see production of the ceramic

Italy may not be the native home of Spaghetti Bolognese or garlic bread (who knew?) but it is where you will find porcelain ceramic, measuring just 3mm in depth. Made by Laminam, in Fiorano Modenese, this self-titled ceramic originated for building applications, (flooring and walls), and is still used for this purpose today, as well as exterior cladding, doors, shipbuilding and furniture. Following the influence of architects in domestic design, ceramic is now being used for kitchen furniture and worktops. In fact, kitchen tops now account for 60-70% of the manufacturer's sales. The ceramic is not only featured on Alno’s AlnoCera kitchen furniture range but is also available as a worktop, through distributor and fabricator Jetstone. This alternative to granite and top-end quartz worktops forms 5% up to 10% of Jetstone's worktop offer in Holland after 5 years. So, it is perhaps surprising that Jetstone's marketing co-ordinator Remco Jaspers says ceramic worktops already has a bigger share of its sales in this country. Currently 15% of its UK turnover is ceramic worktops and he believes in two years, this figure could reach around 40%. He explains why ceramics is so popular: "I think the UK [retailer] is open to something new. That’s my impression. At least in the market we’re in, the designer studios want something the guy down the road doesn’t have.”

At its UK launch at kbbBirmingham, managing director of Jetstone, John Van den Heuvel demonstrated one of its properties – fire resistance – with two blowtorches! But the ceramic also offers resistance against chemical, wear, frost, and UV light, as well as boasting hygienic benefits by inhibiting bacterial growth and it is recyclable. Now ceramic worktops are already featured as displays in 20-25 kitchen showrooms, across the country.

Arguably, the look of ceramic scores just as highly as its features. Luca Bottazzi, responsible for sales at Laminam, comments: “For architecture it is very difficult to match different materials [used for different applications]. Using ceramic you can be sure to have the same result, whether it’s used on the floor, walls or as furniture. There is no limitation; it can be used for every flat application. We follow the work of the architect or designer and not the opposite way around.”

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KBB: Show amazing!

A cursory glance at the floorplan of kbbBirmingham may have presented the story of a rather small and perhaps even dwindling trade event. The floorspace seemed to have dimished, even since its previous outing  of two year's ago, with hoardings brought forward and cutting off hall corners, that clearly didn't sell. But that would only be the story on paper. In reality, this was one of the most vibrant, enthusiastic and positive kitchen and bathroom shows to be held over the past few years – even if it wasn’t the biggest!

Visitors joined with exhibitors and exuded their admiration for the event, both in the show aisles and over social media. Aisles were flooded - with independent bathroom and kitchen retailers, as is the tradition on the opening day - but the four-day show continued to flourish, right up until the close of its doors. In fact, veteran exhibitor and managing director of HiB, Warren Ginsberg claimed that the opening day of the show was the best he had ever had in all his year’s of business.

Exhibitors had worked hard to attract and keep the interest of visitors from Caple’s and Hotpoint’s on-stand cookery demonstrations, through to Pegler’s waterfall feature, and even Jetstone’s MD John Van Den Heuvel wielding blowtorches.

The show may have been small but it was beautifully formed and seemed to capture visitor attention. But it wasn’t just the stands that appealed to visitors; the well-constructed seminar programme were also well-attended. The retail-specific seminars saw plenty of ‘bums on seats’, so much so that there weren’t any left for the discussion about design with Gerd Bulthaup. It was strictly standing room only. And retail visitor Russell Buckley of Stuart Henry Kitchens on the Wirral was enthused about the KBB Cookery Demonstration Area, which was offering advice about how to hold a similar event in their own showroom.

All in all, KbbBirmingham 2012 was the boost that the industry has long needed, perhaps even craved? It was a jolt in the arm for kitchen and bathroom exhibitors and visitors and even signalled a new start for the industry. This is the new ‘now’ and this is the environment the kitchen and bathroom industry has to trade in. And maybe it was the acceptance of this that saw such positive vibes throughout the exhibition halls. It certainly seemed to spark a step-change in attitude, which could more importantly be a leap forward for the kitchen and bathroom industry.

Lechner back in UK

Despite its decision to pull out of the UK earlier this year, Lechner has now returned with its worktops which are available through sole supplier and distributor Jetstone. Although, it was claimed at the time, by Lechner UK office staff, the decision to exit the UK was based on not achieving enough orders, managing director of Jetstone Verkoop John van den Heuvel slammed the allegation: “Lechner’s exit was not solely based on lack of order, the sales figures from the last two and a half years suggest that it was a steady growth, with a forecast to do somewhere in the region of £1.5million by the end of this year.”

He continued: “If after you have cut your overheads down and it’s still not adding up in a time of recession, and then another dip in the economy is predicted, it’s time to make decision and that is what they did.”

Although the UK climate is still troubled, Jetstone explains it has been able to reduce Lechner’s overhead costs, to be able to reintroduce the worktop brand. John van den Heuvel stated: “When we approached Lechner to look at bringing the products back over, it was, for them an ideal solution as they already operate in a very similar way in France, Spain and a few other countries. Jetstone for them is an ideal partner, we have reduced their overheads to transport into Holland, and we take care of the rest.”

Jetstone already supplies granite and quartz worktops to around 120 customers and used to supply the Moben business nationally. By adding the Lechner worktop offer of glass, solid surface and laminates, it is set bolster the offer and expand Jetstone’s retail base.

According to Van den Heuvel, there will be no difference in terms of delivery, lead time or after care service, and the company has even employed Gary Holt of Lechner UK in a similar position to the one he held as technical sales manager.

And he firmly believes the Lechner brand will now remain in the UK, stating that Jetstone does not need to achieve any sales targets to keep the business: “Sales figures aren’t important to us and have not been set by Jetstone or Lechner, at any level. Jetstone as a company are already successful in their own right in the UK. We do not need the Lechner products to survive or grow. We see the synergy as an extension of our portfolio and not a stand-alone.

“Jetstone are financially stable and a solid ‘Gentleman’s agreement’ between two of the largest worksurface manufacturers in Europe and Jetstone’s absolute commitment to the UK ensures that the products are here to stay.”

Jetstone's UK office is based in Hemel Hempstead.

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