What is new and hot in K&B products in 2009
BY PETER SCHOR
Showroom specialist
Many new and hot products were shown at KBIS 2009. Yes, I had to work harder, longer and smarter during these challenging economic times to find the gold! I want to apologize in advance and acknowledge that many great bath and kitchen manufacturers are not included this article, because it would be impossible to feature all the innovations in this limited space. I have tried to select the highlights in my view to share with readers.
The best of KBIS 2009 - KBB Awards
The 11 judges selected for the competition were kitchen and bath designers linked to the NKBA, KBB magazine (co-sponsor of the awards) or Nielsen Business Media, which owns the show. There was not one bathroom/plumbing showroom or distributor product guru chosen to be on the judging panel. It was also a shame for the good of the bath and kitchen industry that these awards were not published in many magazines except KBB. There were 93 applicants for the awards; the winners were as follows:
Best of Competition Awards
• Bath category — Quick Drain usa, www.quickdrainusa.com
• Kitchen category — Affluence Seamless Sink, www.seemlesssinks.com
Bath Category Awards
• Gold Award — Seura for One tv Mirror, www.seura.com
• Gold Award — Quick Drain for Channel Drain System, www.quickdrainusa.com
•Silver Award — Emetek-Stainless Steel Collections Bright Handle Product, www.emetekproducts.com
• Silver Award — El Dorado Stone for Gemstone Walls, www.eldoradostone.com
People’s Choice Awards
• Fleurco for Kinetik Slice Glass Shower Door Panel, www.fleurco.com
• Kitchen Category — Elica for Star, www.elica.com.
Must new toys for showrooms
For many years, I have been behind the scenes finding the most innovative products for our industry. Hey, while bain-ultra (previously ultrabaths) branded and rolled out to dealers the air massage tub system in 1995, I drove the air massage market after seeing it at ISH in Germany in 1993. At KBIS, I found many products that many industry people miss — or just don’t have the vision to see their possibilities.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Affluence SS Sinks Winner of the Best Kitchen Product Award at K/BIS 2009 |
Brondell Perfect Flush This dual flush can be easily retrofitted to |
Cascade Faucets Bi-Tech Collection of faucets |
Diamond Spas stainless steel shower pan and ceiling panel |
The first product in the raw was in the second hall all the way in “Western Siberia,” in the second to last aisle. The Kingston (www.kingstonproducts.com) Body Dryer —one of my best picks — offers a unique drying experience that is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. This product will eliminate or minimize the need for towels, resulting in lower energy and water consumption costs. It is mechanically sound but is not completely ready in “design” or a “price market matrix” for the K&B industry; however, the Body Dryer absolutely 100% works. We are in the process of negotiating whether they will hire me to consult with them to re-design the models for K&B and the hotel industry. When I talked to them, I was pre-qualifying them to see if they could hire me as the consultant so I asked them if they were fully funded to take their products to market. Keep in mind the importance of qualifying clients in your showroom! Kingston said, “I think so. We are owned by Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet’s Company).” It seems that Warren Buffet has moved into “manufacturing” of high profit margin product; many that are in the green area to support his own personal values. With stocks, bonds and real estate not doing well, Buffet is a thinking person’s thinker. Speaking openly, I envision the Body Dryer being one of the top picks for the hotel bath industry, which I serve nationally and globally. Can you imagine the savings in hotel rooms — energy, water and much more if it took only 25 to 30 seconds or so to dry the body with a soft blowing Caribbean wind!
Best bath product and category for showrooms
My second best pick was not shown at KBIS 2009, as many manufacturers did not attend. The new category is the Back-lit Bathroom Lighting System by Electric Mirror (www.electricmirror.com). They have been selling their exclusive, innovative, and extraordinary Back Lit Lighting System in the 5-star hotel bath industry (nationally and globally) for 12 years. Furthermore, they are one of “the brands” for best technology for LCD mirrored TVs both dry and wet applications. The best part is they are currently launching their K&B industry offering into the product selling high-end showroom.
Bathing experience
Diamond Spas (www.diamondspas.com) has a complete line of stainless steel, copper and patina copper bathtubs, countertop lavatories, pedestal lavatories, showers bases and walls, and outdoor spas. Jason International (www.jasoninternational.com) offers everything you wanted in a bathtub and more. Whirlpool AirMasseur, air-whirlpool, chromatherapy, aromatherapy, sound immersion speaker system, auto-matic ozone sanitation system, digital LCD controls, impeccably well engineered (quiet), “reduce, reuse and recycle (green)” in every area of operations, and comes in a variety of colors. Dimension One Spas (www.thespaberry.com) was hot at KBIS 2009. The Spa Berry offers bright hues and “plug in and play” portable ease makes it the home appliance for the 21st century. Called the I-max of hot tubs, this tub is extremely user friendly; a garden hose fills the spas while a regular 100 volt outlet powers it. It is portable and fits through residential doorways! Sold through showroom dealer distribution, it will have its challenges as it is being sold in an appliance product price matrix.
Showering and steam bathing - bringing the spa experience inside the shower
There is no doubt that Kohler, Jaclo, Hansgrohe and Smart Showers lead the industry in shower power and technology. Showering has just gotten a lot better with Mr.Steam (www.mrsteam.com) Spa Package that includes Steamtherapy™, AromaSteam™, ChromaSteam™ and in-shower Musictherapy™ speakers. The ChromaSteam System integrates light with steam selection of colors ranging from blue to red. Complete with electronic chromalogic for single or rotating color selection, it features multiple vapor-sealed, low voltage, high performance led light modules. The innovative AromaSteam system releases aromatherapy essences electronically into the steamroom. They also offer moisture-resistant Musictherapy
 |
 |
 |
 |
Electric Mirror “Impression Series” Back-Lit Lighting and Mirrored LCD at the Regent Bal Harbour Hotel, Fla. |
Jason International’s Whirlpool AirMasseur, air-whirlpool, chromatherapy, aromatherapy, and much more. |
Toastie Tush The name can’t get more descriptive than this! |
Mr. Steam towel warmer with aromatherapy oil well was a huge hit |
Toilets
Kohler (www.kohler.com) launched the Fountainhead toilet equipped with industry-leading functionality, from a heat-adjustable seat to an integrated led light. It is about time that we had a led light and heat adjustable seat! The tankless design of the Fountainhead toilet is achieved by utilizing Kohler’s exclusive Power Lite™ technology — a quiet electric pump fully enclosed within the toilet bowl that provides a strong, powerful flush utilizing just 1.28 gallons per flush. Biolet (www.biolet.com) had an innovative waterless toilet which combines nature’s sustainability with the convenience of technology. With 35 years of Swedish engineering, these products are excellent choices for cottages, basements, barns, pool house or any place where larger volumes are not needed. One of my favorites was Brondell’s (www.brondell.com), latest innovation called the Perfect Flush, which provides eco-conscious homeowners with the opportunity to decrease water usage each time they visit the throne. It is a retrofit to any existing toilet. With half flush or full flush fictionally, it saves 50% water usage by simply pressing the button that corresponds with the type of bathroom visit. The Caroma (www.caromausa.com) H2Zero Waterless Urinal for environments concerned with extreme water savings is a hot product. Broan (www.broan.com) came out with a SmartSense Ventilation System, so homeowners have an automatic, affordable, energy-efficient solution to improve the home’s indoor air quality and increase energy savings. Toastie Tush (www.toastietush.com) had an innovative toilet seat warmer that is simple to install, safe (UL and CSA listed), has an energy saving thermostat, multiple comfort settings, is wet-safe, and easy-to-clean, and is a fraction of the cost of any heated toilet seats on the market.
Sinks and lavatories
The Rivers Collection (www.the-stockmarket.com/Riversbrochure.pdf) of stone lavatories, vessels, pedestal lavatories, vanity systems, bathtubs, kitchen and bar sinks are available in a variety of colors. The collection has a wide variety of wrought iron vessel stands which allow 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 for showrooms The website link is the catalog and retail prices. Call them for your generous showroom discount. Great industry sleeper!
Faucets and accessories
Where were many of the faucet manufacturers this year at KBIS 2009? One company that made the biggest splash exhibiting was Cascade Faucets (www.cascadefaucets.com). Its LaTorre Brand, since 1960 is Italian designed, engineering and manufactured (nice and different from the so called norm) to all North America Standards and code approvals. All single control faucetry has the Eco Cartridge that holds in position when you lift the lever to the middle position allowing users to save 20% to 40% of the water flow/consumption. Cascade Faucets has been manufacturing and distributing through our industry channels in Canada since 1999. Mr.Steam’s (www.mrsteam.com) towel warmers comprised of four wall-mounted models featuring all welded steel construction and advanced heat technology. Each model is complete with a stainless steel heating element, ul listed temperature control and high limit control for precise heating and exemplary product performance. This collection is available in four designer finishes — polished chrome, satin nickel, oil rubbed bronze and white. They also offers towel warmer accessories including an aromatherapy oil well, robe hook, single bar towel rack and triple bar towel rack. Great Grabz (www.greatgrabz.com) has award-winning designs of Wave decorative ada-compliant safety grab bars with exceptional mounting kits. Healthcraft (www.healthhcraftproducts. com) has a whole new generation of bath products with solutions for those wanting assistance without compromising luxury. Kimball & Young (www.kimballyoung.com), magnification mirrors with lights, continues to lead the field with led lighting which last 50 thousand hours and only a fraction of the power. Lasertron (www.lasertron.com) offers new designer led stainless steel cabinets. Customizable to any size, with unlimited designer cut-outs available, the recessed stainless steel cabinet emits a rainbow of light, illuminating the contents and adding drama to any interior or exterior space.
Tile and marble
Hirsch (www.hirschglasscorp.com) is a one of the most comprehensive glass tile product lines. It consists of glass mosaics, braided glass mosaics, stained glass and much more. Isn’t it time that you add “tile” to your bath and plumbing showroom to make it a one-stop shop? It is a highly profitable line with a great display program. Mincey Marble (www.minceymarble.com) is a leader in the trend of offering a cast marble product that combines the design elements of tile and stone with the low maintenance of solid surface at a lower cost than either. Their products look like tile or stone but each wall is one sheet, eliminating the need for unsanitary grout. Available right now for larger hotel or multi-family housing.
Water treatment
Major Avignon of Water Inc. is a legendary industry distributor and water treatment expert. Avignon created the Body Glove (www.waterinc.com) line of filtration which is manufactured by 3M. This system offers 50% more flow and 1.2-micron water filtration through a patent-engineered carbon-block technology. Water Inc. also manufactures a instant hot and cold unit with a great design and has the ability to stay on in a locked position. It has a very graceful spout and comes in three finishes — chrome, satin nickel and oil rubbed bronze.
Other niceties
Gelpro (www.gelpro.com) offers a great product line of premium anti-fatigue gel floor mats. Scientifically engineered with patented gel comfort technology, these ergonometically floor mats reduce the discomfort of standing on hard flooring. Think of your “will call” counter people.
I am sure that I missed including many new products in this article. Please let me know what I missed or if there are any products that you think should be included in this article. I can be reached via e-mail at pschor@dynamicresultsinc.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope it was of great benefit.
Peter Schor, president of 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, e-mail pschor@dynamicresultsinc.com or website www.dynamicresultsonline.com.