Kitchen apprenticeships closure is a ‘travesty’

Apprenticeships in Kitchen Installation are under threat at WEBS Training in Nottingham, seeing all future courses cancelled, in a move that the kbbNTG has labelled a ‘travesty’.

Changes in rules by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), which provides funding for the apprenticeships, mean the Kitchen Installation courses no longer meet its terms from August 1. It demands that 12 months study are required for the NVQ Level 2 and a further 12 months study for Level 3, doubling the length of the course and making it more expensive to run.

The full-time Kitchen Installation Courses currently run for 12 months and see candidates paid £90 per week, by WEBS, to gain an NVQ Level 2 or NVQ Level 3 in making and installing furniture (kitchens).

Training director of WEBS Training Peter Sisson commented: "Three years ago we started a scheme with full support of the SFA and approved by Ofsted, where we employed apprentices on a full time Kitchen Installation course. We were increasingly seeing the demand for Kitchen fitters and a desire by young people to gain entry into the industry but were unable due to lack of experience. Most kitchen fitters are either self-employed or part of a small team and were therefore unable to take the risk of employing an apprentice. WEBS are a none profit making business, working solely with the furniture and associated industries, and were therefore in a position to support these young people.

He continued: "After spending the first few months in house learning the basics of kitchen fitting, Apprentices are placed out with fitter having real experience in customers houses. WEBS continue to pay the Apprentice during this time so there is no risk to the fitter."

However, the new ruling will mean that it will be too prohibitive in cost for WEBS to now run. Peter Sisson added: "Our course will therefore have to change to 24 months. Every Apprentice of the scheme has at least two new kitchens as part of their course as well as numerous practice pieces entirely at Webs costs. Increasing the course to 24 months will obviously double the cost of running it with no increase in funding and therefore becomes unsustainable".

Around 40 apprentices have already been trained through the programme and 20 are currently on courses.

WEBS has worked with the kbbNTG since its inception, eight years ago. Renee Mascari commented that the KBB NTG was also working with WEBS Training on an apprenticeship framework for kitchen design, which is now unlikely to come to fruition.

The training provider had also recently opened a £2.5million training facility, part funded by the SFA, with a 'considerable area' dedicated to kitchen installation.

Chief executive of the kbb NTG Renee Mascari has provided letters of support for the courses from the kbbNTG and the Kitchen & Bathroom Forum, but to no avail.

Sisson added: "We are currently looking at all options and have had numerous discussions with the SFA and National Apprenticeship service who say they support our programme and value it highly but cannot allow us to break the new rules. We were hoping to take on a group of school leavers in the next few weeks but this has now been put on hold until a way forward can be found."

Renee Mascari is 'gutted' about the SFA decision, having declared: "It’s a travesty of the first order. How can we introduce any new people into our industry, if [Government] has tied our hands, feet and mouth together?”

She is now calling for the kitchen and bathroom industry to pull together and offer their support to petition over the withdrawal of funding for the WEBS Kitchen Installation apprenticeship. Email Renee Mascari, of the kbb NTG, for more information.

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Samsung opens pop-up showcase at Harrods

Appliance manufacturer Samsung has opened a pop-up branded home appliance showcase in luxury department store Harrods, in London, for nine weeks. It features a limited edition £3,000 refrigerator, available exclusively through Harrods, decorated with gem stones, ink stained glass and champagne handles.

The RS26 MBZBL refrigerator is A++ rated, boasts a 701 litre capacity with a mini drinks bar and features the CoolSelect Zone drawer which acts as a ‘mini fridge within a fridge’ with five settings.

Supported by Samsung-trained staff, the showcase will also feature appliances from across its premium cooking, laundry, floorcare and refrigeration, including the Dual Cook oven, ecobubble washing machine and G-Series refrigerator.

Robert King, vice president of consumer electronics at Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland said: “We are delighted to be working with Harrods to open our first home appliances showcase in one of Britain’s most iconic stores. This will be a stunning display of our cutting-edge, high-end products and an opportunity for our customers to experience the brand in a completely new environment.”

Samsung UK has also recently opened its first cookery school, in conjunction with kitchen appliance retailer Nailsea Electrical in Bristol. It will play host to courses for novice and experienced cooks, including ‘demonstration and dine’ days.

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Ex-Sanitec appointment ‘coincidence’ states Ideal Standard

Former Sanitec executive vice president
Anna Burns joins Ideal Standard

Ideal Standard has denied the recruitment of a former Sanitec executive vice president is linked to a potential acquisition of the Swedish bathroom giant, stating it is ‘coincidence’.

Anna Burns, formerly executive vice president of product line management and innovation at Sanitec, has been employed by Ideal Standard, in a project-based role, working on the trade side of the business.

At Sanitec, Burns was responsible for product design, development and portfolio management across the group and was in charge of an 18-strong team. Prior to her position at Sanitec, Burns has also held a number of senior marketing roles at Sanitec-owned Twyford Bathrooms.

Most recently, she was employed by radiator manufacturer Stelrad, where she held the position of marketing director. There she was charged with spearheading the introduction of brands and product ranges for merchants and specifiers.

According to the news agency Reuters, Sanitec has been put up for sale by its private equity group owner EQT, for an estimated 1Billion Euros.

Although it remains to be confirmed, Reuters claims Ideal Standard Bain Capital is through to the second round of the bidding process for Sanitec.

However Ideal Standard would not be drawn on any comment about the potential acquisition of Sanitec.

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Doca opens doors to London showroom

Spanish kitchen, bathroom and bedroom furniture manufacturer Doca has opened the doors of its 1,500sq ft showroom in West London. Architects, developers, interior designers, housebuilders and kitchen retailers visited the showroom, during the two-day opening event at the showroom, situated at Studio 20, Acklam Road, just off Portabello Road.

Doca has identified London and Russia as its first two 'strategically important' export markets, as it aims to broaden the base of its business outside its native Spanish market.

Its London trade showroom features three kitchen displays, two of which are working, as well as bedroom furniture. Taking centre stage of the showroom was the Milano kitchen with chamfered veneer doors and matching chamfered worktop edge, for a floating surface appearance. It is available in a choice of 30 veneers, eight carcasses and three internal drawer finishes.

This was joined by a kitchen display in white, with full ceiling-height top units with bi-folding electric opening doors. However the same display is available in 25 standard lacquers or any RAL colour providing over 250 finishes.

Completing the kitchen displays was a setting with a 7.5m walnut ‘dining’ table, which has a secondary use as a boardroom/training table for dealers. However, arguably of key interest in the same room setting was a ‘Gum’ lacquer that felt like soft rubber.

Completing the showroom, were wardrobe systems made from framed glass doors with an internal light which, when switched on, allows the opaque glass to become transparent.

Director of Doca UK, Steve Holgate was pleased with the response to the London showroom. He said after the first day of opening: “It was absolutely constant. We were open 12-8pm. The last person arrived at 7.20 and although we were open until 8pm, we were prepared to stay open longer.”

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Willbond welcomes Olympic Flame

Capitalising on the UK's interest in the Olympic torch relay, staff at bathroom and plumbing specialist Willbond joined in the celebrations to welcome the flame to Nottingham.

Eight members of Willbond staff sat on top of WCs, and wore printed t-shirts spelling out Willbond, as it passed by its plumbing centre and trade showroom in Radford on Day 42 of the tour.

Managing director of Willbond, Tony Hogg said: “Although the attendant road closures cost us some business, we were delighted to embrace the spirit of the torch relay and to be part of an historic event. Our staff certainly added great humour and fun to the occasion, which seemed to be much appreciated by the participants and spectators”.

What have you done to celebrate the Olympic torch’s arrival into your area? Has it been good for kitchen and bathroom businesses? Are you in the kbb industry and have carried the torch? Email the Editor of Kitchens & Bathrooms News with your story.

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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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Pedini back in the UK

Italian kitchen manufacturer Pedini officially opened its Battersea showroom in London last night, marking the return of the brand into the UK.

The 5,500sqft showroom combines Pedini kitchens alongside Domus tiles and is being run by Italian company Lida Cucina, trading under the name Pedini London.

Despite the Pedini brand having previously pulled out of the UK, Sandra Hendry, sales and marketing at Lida Cucina commented: “There was nothing wrong with the brand or the product. They sell all over the world. Business is flying and taking on Pedini has made a big difference.”

Further expansion seems to be in place for the Pedini brand, with six showrooms planned for the M25 area, as well as others around the country including suggestions of Cheltenham, Manchester and York.

Martin Hanna, UK agent for Pedini, commented: “What happened to Pedini in the UK before is history. We are not interested in the past. We are speaking about the future. It is probably still the plan that we have six stores within the M25, strategically placed away from each other to allow the growth of each business. We also have a store opening in Guernsey.”

The brand has dropped its prices, introduced a couple of new ranges and are taking a “slowly slowly” strategy according to Hanna.

Francesco Verdini, export manager for Pedini, added: “Maybe the reputation we had is not good, but once people remember the brand, they remember the quality so this is the important thing for people. In the past, maybe the mistake was made by Pedini UK that prices were too high and to deal with them was too difficult. So now we have changed. We want to be more flexible, we want to create a network. Whereas before, we just had one shop with exclusive dealership. It doesn’t work. Maybe they weren’t making the right steps. Like little by little, step by step and grow in a short time.”

Verdini concluded: “When you build a house, you need to start from the base and the base must be solid otherwise the house will fall down. A business is the same.”