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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