What’s new and hot in bath and kitchen products/trends

BY PETER SCHOR

Showroom specialist

There is no doubt that 2008 is going to be a challenging year for all of us in the showroom industry.I know you are not thinking about how you can steal business from your competition, but rather how you can increase your value-added, create a better experience and add some profitable new product niches within the realms of your showroom. Got “green”? Got wall and floor fountains? Adagio (www.adagiocollection.com/Booth L-12219) and other non-plumbing/bath products to sell? Got an “Outcall Service” for your showroom resale home clients whom you charge hourly fees that are refundable against the purchase of the goods by the consumer at retail or thru the plumbing contractor or trades? A “must be creative” year for all!

According to statistics from the National Kitchen and Bath Association, there were 10.9 million bath remodeling jobs in 2007, which is up 5.3% from 2006. Spending on bath remodeling was up 5.9%, to $70.2 billion. In spite of the housing slump and talk of recession, homeowners are still investing in professional-grade luxury options for the bath such as shower power, steam baths, air massage tubs, decorative faucets, and tons more. Are you getting your share in the narrowly focused market?

As you know, I am the proverbal “optimist” and when it gets tough out there, I become very creative and work “smarter” with my clientele. As an industry consultant, my phones are ringing off the hook from many plumbing wholesalers -- many who I have never worked with before. This is a sign that help is needed in these tough times!

The key for you in these times is to:

• Re-think your current product mix to yield better gross profit margins
• Check on overhead and eliminate wasteful habits
• Create a better experience in a more personalized way for the clients visiting your showroom; therefore creating more “perceived value”
• Create better marketing and positioning of your showroom
• Implement better ways to create more qualified showroom traffic.

General overview

I believe in speaking the truth. This is one of the leanness new product years in a long time. Walk the New Product Pavilion and make your own judgment! You will have to stay focused on looking outside your normal vision to find new and exciting products. The show will have 900 exhibitors and I am predicting somewhere around 38,000 people, lower than predictions. The North and South Exhibit Halls are open on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Lakeside Center is open Friday and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You should walk the Lakeside Pavilion each day so you can pick up three additional hours to see the show.

The biggest informational value at K/BIS 2008 is the seminars!

The following seminars are highly recommended for plumbing wholesalers with showrooms, manufacturers and manufacturers’ representatives. Check your k/bis Show Directory or visit www.kbis.com and click on Conference for costs, detailed descriptions, costs and room numbers of the events.

Wednesday, April 9

• 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. -- Pre-Conference half-day session called “Experience Green”

Thursday, April 10

• 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. -- “Residential Green” with Mary Jo Peterson

Friday, April 11

• 12:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. -- Distributor Luncheon Event
• 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. -- NKBA-Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Evening Reception

Saturday, April 12

• 8:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. -- Manufacturer/Manufacturers’ Rep Breakfast Event. Manufacturers looking for reps and reps looking for manufacturers. Great event. Last year had 65 manufacturers participating.
• 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. -- “Baths for All Ages.”  This free event takes place Center Stage on the show floor.
• 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.  -- “Green Products: Just What Resources are Out There?” This free event will be held Center Stage on the show floor.

Sunday, April 13

• 8:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. -- Manufacturers/Suppliers Breakfast Event.

All Three Days

• New Product Pavilion -- Many new products showcases by many new/old manufacturers.
• New Pavilion -- HOT! The Multi-Family Pavilion focuses on the fastest growing industry building segment: Apartments. When the new home market is down, the apartment building industry is booming!
• Custom Build Pavilion, a very popular one for attendees.
• Saturday, April 12, 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., dpha, Hyatt Regency Hotel, McCormick Place. Great Keynote Speaker in Mike Rockstroh. Cost is $65 per dpha members. Non-member price is $165 per person. You can join the DPHA by calling executive director Tom Cohn at 301/657-4642 or coming by the booth, S-1062 on Friday, April 11 to join and save $100 on the breakfast. The DPGHA holds the “keys to success in education and information.” There are numerous successful plumbing wholesaler and DPH showroom members who are flourishing due to the DPHA. There are tons of luxury manufacturer and reps that are members too. I ask you to trust me on this!

China manufacturers -- update for 2008

There is smaller amount of manufacturers this year from China, along with fewer new American companies importing products from China under American type names. Look for manufacturers from China that have the “ISO Quality Certification”.

Huntington Brass (www.huntingtonbrass.com), Booth # S-1946, as a very hot American company with made in China products that is an exceptional good example for faucets, plumbing fixtures, and bath furniture. The company uses the iso quality certified process worldwide, so the quality control is exceptional. Their discount schedules, incentives and sales motivational are “immensely” deeper than most typical American manufacturers. This translates into much high gross profits and easier to do business with. This is a must see and examination at K/BIS 2008!

What’s new and hot in bath/kitchen products

Most of the products are being exhibited at K/BIS 2008, yet there are some goodies that are not that exhibiting that I included.

Showering

Showers continue to be the center of attention in the bath with multiple shower heads, body sprays, and many other devices leading the way. Chromeatherapy (light and color) is becoming the hot item in the shower as water pressure generates the power for the lighting. Shower “Panels/Columns,” which had some popularity in the 70s are back stronger than ever before! These units are excellent for remodeling and retrofitting bathrooms.

One innovative company that caught my eye is Smart Showers (www.smartshowers.net).

Steam bathing is taking on a whole new meaning with ThermaSol (www.thermasol.com , which I examined to be one of the most superior working units on the market. Thermasol has chromatherapy (light/color), aromatherapy, a great light and music system, all controlled by a remote control.

Tile Redi (www.tileredi.com , Booth N-8963 is a revolutionary one-piece shower pan that is leakproof, mold free, and allows for tile, stone, or marble directly onto the shower floor surface!

Mirage Tile (www.miragetile.com  is a magnificent tile product line that would go well with Tile Redi shower bases and a high profit center for your showroom.

Bathing

Palazzo Baths (www.palazzobaths.com), Booth S-3353, from South Africa, is the most exciting product line that has come along since Kallista Baths entered the U.S. in 1980. Palazzo Baths has operations in South Africa, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Dubai, Australia and now in the U.S. for two years. Palazzo Baths is found in award winning 5-star hotels and resorts in the U.S. and abroad and is becoming well branded as the most desirable bathtub in the luxury market.

Jason International (www.jasonint.com), the original Jacuzzi family, continued to produce the “best quality” air massage and whirlpool tubs products in 2008.

Rounding out the most important ingredient for showering and bathing -- plenty of hot water -- is Rinnai (www.foreverhotwater.com), Booth S-1343, 24/7 hot water on demand had a wide variety of “must see” new products which includes “high volume delivery” of hot water on demand.

Plumbing fixtures

One of the most spectacular lines of luxury plumbing fixtures that I have seen in a long time is called The Rivers Collection, which is exclusively made and distributed by The Stock Market (www.the-stockmarket.com, Booth L-10700). The Rivers Collection are magnificent and unique stone lavatories, vessels, pedestal lavatories, vanity systems, bathtubs, and kitchen and bar sinks. The collection has a wide variety of wrought iron vessel stands which allows your showroom to use the over 19 different types of other materials made in sinks and numerous other manufacturer brands. This combination leads to a “mix and match” to produce much higher gross profit margins and almost impossible to shop. This is a “must see.” The Stock Market is a division of Ferguson/Wolseley, and has impeccable integrity is selling the entire industry on a level playing field in relationship to selling the Ferguson locations. The product line is a big money maker.

Cantrio Koncepts (www.cantrio.ca), Booth N-9736, is a very innovative line of lavatories with a full range of glass, stainless steel, copper, nickel, ceramic, and wood vessels, appealing to both traditional elegance as well as contemporary style. I checked them out from head to toe and I recommend their knowledge of what the industry wants/needs.

Faucetry and bath accessories

Faucets are still the “jewelry” of the bath! Expanding from KWC’s chromeatherapy line of faucets, you will find many other companies with new designs. Huntington Brass (www.huntingtonbrass.com), Booth S-1946, came out with an upscale contemporary faucet series faucet line and has plumbing fixtures that includes a one-piece toilet, pedestals, countertop lavatories and bath furniture.

Towel warmers

My pick for the most exciting towel warmer company’s is called amba (www.ambatowelwarmers.com), Booth L-10504, which offers three brands of competitively priced towel warmers: Jeeves, Goldry and Elory.  They have exceptional quality, contemporary and traditional designs, and multiple metal finishes.

Toilets

Sloan Flushmate (www.flushmate.com), Booth S-4808, has come out with new pressure assisted flushing systems for toilets in slimmer vessels. The new “Intelli-Flush” automatic flush system is hot. Touchless flushing!

Aquacleana (www.aquacleana.com) has produced the world’s first all ceramic toilet and bidet combination and is in the midst of having the product IAPMO approved.

Kitchen

Everpure (www.everpure.com), Booth S-2121, drinking water systems have won numerous industry awards. The professional’s choice!

Water Inc. (www.waterinc.com). You must take a look at Everhot instant hot water dispensers (they work 100%!); Evercold water chillers; Everbrew built-in purified coffee maker; and, most of all, great-looking traditional and contemporary designed gooseneck faucets for hot and cold water -- lead free -- and in 20 finishes and colors. You must see the new combination instant hot/chilled water dispensers and instant chilled with carbonated water dispensers. What about Whole House Purification Systems?

Please check my website, www.drknowledge.net, at the end of April to see the latest compilation of newest products at K/BIS 2008. Then keep you eye on the June issue of The Wholesaler for a recap of the best products at the show.

Peter Schor, president, Dynamic Results, Inc., is an educator, motivational speaker, consultant, coach, and writer in our industry and many diverse others. For the past 17 years, he has conducted 100 educational programs yearly, including 34 industry conventions. Schor has great expertise in the field of showrooms and has won many industry awards. He also works with manufacturers in the field of sales, marketing, and public relations. Schor can be reached at 1491 Ivy Arbor, Lincoln, CA 95648, phone 916/408-5346, fax 916/408-5899, by e-mailing pschor@dynamicresultsinc.com or on his website at www.dynamicresultsonline.com.