Diane, Author at Bathroom Review

Hyatt announces Plans for Hyatt Centric Sapporo

June 30, 2022

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with NTT Urban Development Corporation for Hyatt Centric Sapporo.

Slated to open in 2024, the 216-room hotel will mark the third Hyatt Centric property in Japan, following Hyatt Centric Ginza Tokyo and Hyatt Centric Kanazawa. The hotel will be the first Hyatt Centric hotel in Hokkaido, northern Japan, and signifies Hyatt’s focus on growing its lifestyle brand portfolio in the Asia Pacific region.

The hotel will be adjacent to one of Hokkaido’s most famous landmarks, the historic Akarenga-chosha, formerly Hokkaido’s government office, and situated near Odori Park, the city’s famous green oasis that is popular with local residents and host to major events such as Sapporo Snow Festival. The hotel will be a few minutes’ walk from the Odori subway station through an underground walkway and a 10-minute walk from the centrally located JR Sapporo station.

Known for its many attractions, Sapporo is a popular destination for adventurous Japanese and international travelers alike. Each winter, the city hosts the famous Sapporo Snow Festival, attracting visitors from around the world with its fascinating transformation of snow sculptures and ice installations, skating rinks, snow hills, Hokkaido-specialty gourmet options, and much more. Sapporo is also the urban gateway to the island’s fantastic ski resorts, relaxing onsens (hot springs), as well as beautiful national parks and mountains.

The hotel will be part of a new 26-story building complex that is currently under construction. Hyatt Centric Sapporo will occupy the complex’s upper floors, offering modern accommodations with panoramic views, two dining outlets, and multi-functional spaces for banquets and events.

“We are honored to collaborate with NTT Urban Development Corporation on the first Hyatt Centric hotel in Hokkaido, one of Japan’s most fascinating destinations,” said Sam Sakamura, Hyatt’s vice president – Japan and Micronesia.

“As the third Hyatt Centric hotel in Japan, we continue to expand Hyatt’s lifestyle brand presence to better meet the diverse needs of the market and travelers, and we look forward to welcoming guests to discover Sapporo’s vibrant culture, thriving food scene and Hokkaido’s spectacular landscapes.”

Hiroshi Tsujigami, president and chief executive officer of NTT Urban Development Corporation said, “We are pleased to bring a Hyatt Centric hotel to Sapporo, especially in such a prime central location near the historical heart and key attractions of the city. Hokkaido is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan and Sapporo is the heart of Hokkaido, so we are delighted to work with Hyatt to bring Hyatt Centric Sapporo to life, and expect it to bring new energy to the city, while being the preferred choice for today’s modern travelers.

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Faucets appointed as new retail distributor for Ideal Standard & first UK distributor for Atelier

June 29, 2022

Following the success and rapid expansion of Ideal Standard’s retail network, Ideal Standard and Faucets have entered into a distribution and service agreement.

From 1^st July 2022, the partnership sees Faucets become the first distributor of Ideal Standard’s premier Atelier Collections in Great Britain. First launched in 2021, the award-winning luxury collections were designed in combination with renowned Italian design company Palomba Serafini Associati. Faucets will also be a key distributor for Ideal Standard’s Bathroom Collections range.

Both Atelier and Bathroom Collections offer a comprehensive range of innovative products, with high-performance technologies. Importantly, the service agreement means retailers can take advantage of a large range of stocked products available on a next day basis for a faster, more consistent service.

Speaking on the agreement, Adam Evans, Retail Channel Director at Ideal Standard UK, said: “Maintaining the strength of our relationship with retailers is vital to us at Ideal Standard. Our partnership with Faucets supports our existing retail network, while providing an enhanced service and ensuring we can provide a wide range of stock, quickly.”

Darren Taylor, Managing Director at Faucets, added: “We’re delighted to announce this partnership, which helps further cement our position as a leading stockist and distributor of quality bathroom products. Working with Ideal Standard’s existing retail network helps bolster our offering and means we can provide an excellent service to all customers, every time.”

For more information on Faucets visit: https://www.faucets.co.uk/index.html To find out more about Ideal Standard visit: https://www.idealstandard.co.uk/

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LIXIL invests in distribution centre for GROHE in Portugal

June 28, 2022

LIXIL, maker of water and housing products, today opened its new distribution centre for GROHE brand products in Porta Westfalica, Germany. The new facility is equipped with state-of-the-art warehousing technology to further improve the efficiency and throughput capacity for the distribution of GROHE sanitary systems.

“We are delighted about the addition of the new distribution centre to our Porta Westfalica site. Complementing production with top-notch logistics operations we are now optimally equipped for the future,” said Jonas Brennwald, Leader LIXIL EMENA.

Shorter distances, modern warehousing facilities

The new building is located next to the existing logistics centre that was built in 1994 but is almost four times larger with around 29,500 square meters of floor space. The former distribution centre will be used as additional production space in the future.

“One of the main advantages of the new distribution centre is its proximity to the production plant. Our extremely high throughput volume meant that we had to use several external warehouses in the region. Now the new building is finished the transfer between sites is no longer necessary. At the same time, we can convert the old building into an additional production area,” explained Jörg Vogeley, Plant Manager at the LIXIL Competence Centre for GROHE sanitary technology in Porta Westfalica.

The modern distribution centre has three hall sections and was specifically designed to handle GROHE products. Further expansion phases are planned. The new racking systems and conveyor technology, including a fully automated pallet transportation system and state-of-the-art software, ensure better efficiency.

“Thanks to the new warehouse technology we can respond to customer needs even more flexibly, for example by making smaller batch sizes and short-notice shipments possible,” said Sebastian Weber, Leader Supply Chain, LIXIL EMENA.

“The new distribution centre also provides our employees with a modern work environment. Our team of logistics specialists benefits from optimised workflows that allow them to apply their know-how to the full.”

GROHE logistics operations are all managed in-house. The new facility will create around 40 new full-time jobs.

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Pinnacle8 from Kudos – now available in Matt Black

June 27, 2022

Pinnacle8 from British manufacturer, Kudos, is now available with a Matt Black profile and is a perfect pairing to complement their new slate grey tray collection.

The semi-frameless Pinnacle8 collection is characterised by a minimalist cut-out finger pull and easy-fit slimline wall profiles with concealed fixings. The matt black profiled range incorporates hinged and sliding door options to suit a wide range of recess and corner installations. All options feature toughened glass treated with Lifeshield.

The Kudos portfolio includes shower enclosures, shower trays, over-bath screens and wet-room solutions. To learn more, visit kudosshowers.co.uk, or contact them directly on 01539 564040 or info@kudosshowers.co.uk.

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Saneux launches latest Summer catalogue

June 27, 2022

Saneux has launched a new product catalogue, Edition 26, for summer 2022.

Featuring useful information to help specifiers select the right products to create that perfect bathroom, it includes a section detailing what products, sizes, and types of furniture and accessories are available in their furniture ranges.

It also features brand-new products, including the Hyde Lite basin, unit & handle, Cos knurled brassware, and Sienna semi-recessed basins.

To see the online version of the summer catalogue, you can download it from https://saneux.com/brochures/ or if you want to order a physical copy then please email orders@saneux.com with your name and delivery address and one will be posted to you.

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Soleil by Starck: A bathroom range with an air of a day at the beach

June 23, 2022

Inspired by the carefree and relaxed feeling you get from a short break by the sea: Duravit’s new Soleil
by Starck bathroom series generates a natural and comforting atmosphere with its subtle, elegant
lines.

The compact product range includes washbasin, toilets, and bathtubs, providing a new option in bathroom design that is suffused with natural softness. The design of Soleil by Starck is an elegant flexible fit with a wide range of furnishing. This continues Duravit’s approach, already proven with Starck 3 and ME by Starck, offering a
first-rate choice for bathroom projects at an attractive price point.

For the washbasins, the balanced proportions of the basin size, tap platform, and storage areas make the Soleil by Starck washbasins perfect for the everyday with the delicate external edge, serving as an overflow protection.

The range includes three sizes of washbasin, a matching semi-pedestal along with furniture washbasins, above-counter basins and built-in undercounter washbasins. A handrinse basin for guest toilets and small rooms completes the program.

The washbasins work with other Duravit bathroom furniture series form various price segments such as
D-Neo or XSquare

The refined toilet design has a soft closure lid feature, so it closes slowly without noise and can be gripped easily
without the user having to touch the seat or ceramic – a key factor in enhancing hygiene. All wall-mounted toilets are fitted with the HygieneFlush technology that cleans the entire inner surface of the toilet optimally. The perfectly attuned water flow creates a vortex that always guarantees an ideal flushing action using 4.5 litres of water.

Several options for a cost-effective Starck bathtub is included within the product range – offering both built-in acrylic bathtubs and a free-standing bathtub made from DuraSolid®. The smooth design of the bathtub edges means they are very easy to clean.

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Luxury Hospitality Conference to take place in September 2022

June 23, 2022

The Luxury Hospitality Conference is to take place on September 15 2022 – a full day will be dedicated to the experience, value, knowledge and evolution of the luxury sector.

The event is organized by TEAMWORK Hospitality in collaboration with HOTELMYPASSION.

Research shows 70% of investors are strongly interested in the luxury market, despite the turbulence of recent years. The luxury hotel sector has been the main driver of M&A activities until 2019, recording a total of 115 deals globally. In 2019, 3.3 billion euros were invested in hotel assets in Italy, with a marked preference for luxury assets, representing 42% of the total, meaning a value of 1.25 billion euros. The Luxury Hospitality Conference was created with the aim to better understand what lies behind these data and in which directions the sector is evolving.

Never as in recent years the concept of luxury changed in the wishes, expectations and choices of guests and never as in the last two years there has been the need to analyze the market to highlight its dynamics, identify the needs of the new generations of travellers and study the trends, new sentiments and perspectives of the world of luxury.

45 keynote speakers will present topics including technology, the guest experience, the web,quality of service, and marketing and management. New interpretations of the luxury concept, case histories, strategies, distinctive factors, segmentation and a psychological approach to the world of luxury in hospitality will be discussed.

Internationally renowned architects will illustrate their most recent creations and offer food for thought on challenging issues related to the design and use of spaces for

The 8 panels scheduled will make a valuable contribution to understanding the market. The panel “Luxury: The flywheel for the recovery of tourism made in Italy” is linked to the close relevance and context that most directly affects Italy and will open the conference program, following the welcome address by Teamwork President Mauro Santinato.

For more information on the Luxury Hospitality Conference: www.luxuryhospitalityconference.it and www.teamworkhospitality.com Participate in the event by registering here: REGISTER HERE

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Bristan Group brings virtual customer experience technology to the market

June 23, 2022

Bristan Group, parent company of the Bristan and Heritage Bathrooms brands, is transforming its customer service experience with the rollout of new Visual Remote Assistant (VRA) technology.

Bristan say VRA will revolutionise the Group’s service capabilities. It operates by creating a secure link for the customer to download onto their phone while on a live call with the company’s contact centre. The technology allows the operator to access a live stream or live images of the customer’s bathroom, enabling them to provide instant product identification and service advice. The operator can then annotate the live stream or image to facilitate rapid in-call problem resolution, uploading web links for further advice if required.

Bristan Group believes it will be the first in the industry to introduce VRA in this way. The rollout is part of a wider drive to continue to lead the way in its customer service offer and follows investment in the last 12 months into expanding and developing the contact centre and field service teams.

Steve Forbes, Chief HR and Customer Service Officer, said: “The introduction of VRA is a brilliantly simple way to further support our customers and demonstrate our commitment to our Customer First promise.

“We are continuously seeking to enhance the way we interact with our customers throughout their purchase journey. Over the last year we have seen a substantial reduction in our call waiting times and a significant increase in our Net Promoter Score.

VRA is a huge step forward in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of query resolution and we’re delighted to be leading the industry in doing so.”

Visual Remote Assistant works without the need to download an app. Contact centre teams send an SMS link to the customer and, by clicking on the link, the customer’s camera is enabled. The technology is based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer Vision technologies.

For further information about Bristan Group, visit www.thebristangroup.com

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Bonn climate talks reinforce the need for governments to act says UWLA

June 22, 2022

The Unified Water Label Association, (UWLA) has urged governments in Europe to implement widespread incentive programmes to promote water efficiency via the use of the Unified Water Label, following disappointing talks on climate change in Bonn last week.

Widely reported as “disappointing” the U.N. talks in Bonn followed on from COP26 in Glasgow last November, and the feeling is that there much work to be done before the next crucial climate summit, COP27 conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt in November.

UWLA MD Yvonne Orgill says, “It is incredibly disappointing that these negotiations failed to make concrete advances on efforts to tackle global warming.

“We must find a way of working together and healing divisions between nations if we are to avoid the climate emergency becoming a catastrophe.

“The UWLA is working with governments as they can influence upgrades to existing buildings by introducing incentive programmes to promote water efficiency via the use of the Unified Water Label.

We are also promoting the message of unity, calling on members and organisations across Europe to drive home our message and focus on improving consumer knowledge on water efficiency to make an informed choice. When consumers are able to select products that display the label they can make choices that will reduce energy and save money.

“We have a fantastic range of products available that carry the Unified Water Label. It is used extensively by over 10,500 architects on new building projects and supported by a database of products across 14 categories – over 13,500 individual products at this time.

“The time for talking is over, we have to work together to take action and facilitate change.”

You can find out more about the Unified Water Label here

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Sustainability is just the minimum: Professor Dr. Michael Braungart highlights the power of design

June 22, 2022

“Sustainability is just the minimum.” It’s time to talk about innovation, quality, and beauty – and how the future is going to happen, said Cradle-to-Cradle Certified® co-founder Professor Dr. Michael Braungart during a recent event at Clerkenwell Design Week hosted by leading global bathroom and kitchen manufacturer, GROHE, and Dutch ceramic tile specialist Mosa.

During the event to celebrate the Cradle-to-Cradle Certified® GOLD achievements of both brands, Braungart called attention to the need to use human innovation as an opportunity for good – highlighting the fact that using less materials or fewer resources is not sustainable.

“True innovation isn’t circular or sustainable – otherwise it’s stuck. We have an abundance of energy on this planet. Rather than diminishing it, we should use it for good and leave a positive footprint rather than simply reducing our footprint.”

Braungart recognised GROHE and Mosa for their pioneering design leadership in the generation of products that aim to have a positive impact on people and planet. Both brands were recently awarded Cradle to Cradle certified® at the Gold level for some of their products. According to GROHE, based upon Cradle-to-Cradle principles, Cradle-to-Cradle Certified® is an ambitious science-based standard for products that are safe, circular, and responsibly made.

Patrick Speck, Leader LIXIL Global Design EMENA, said GROHE’s Cradle to Cradle Certified® achievements send a message about sustainability and how the company is tackling it as a business:

“Sustainability has become embedded in our DNA. The big challenge for us is bringing meaningful products to market while ensuring we leave behind a healthy planet for future generations and make a positive change along the way. We continue to embark on initiatives that support our environment and local communities, from working to rid European waterways of plastic waste to finding alternative solutions to our plastic packaging.”

“Our dream is to lead the way towards healthy living environments that have a positive impact on people and planet,” said Mosa CEO Frank Spikker.

“It goes beyond just trying to be CO2 neutral, but it is really about positive impact. This is a continuous journey, and it is not easy. The hurdles and barriers get harder every time we ask what’s next, and we can only sustain progress because we intrinsically believe that what we are doing is right. Taking care of people and our planet for the future is an obligation, and there are a lot of positives if we do that in the right way.”

In 2010, Mosa say it became the first ceramic tile company in the world to achieve Cradle-to-Cradle Certified®. And this past year, both Mosa and GROHE achieved Cradle-to-Cradle Certified® at the GOLD level for their ceramic tile and kitchen and bathroom products, respectively.

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