Shaun Smith was previously Group Finance Director at Aga Rangemaster Group plc (formerly Glynwed International Plc) from 2001, up until its recent takeover. He began his career in retail management and corporate treasury at Marks and Spencer plc before joining Glynwed International Plc in 1989, becoming Group Treasurer in 1999.

Commenting on Shaun’s appointment, Nick Kelsall, Group Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted to welcome Shaun to Norcros and look forward to the contribution of someone of his high calibre and deep experience as we continue to drive the business forward. I would also like to thank Martin for his valued contribution over the last five years and wish him success in his new role.”

There are no disclosures to be made under Listing Rule 9.6.13 other than Shaun Smith’s previous directorship referred to in this announcement.

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Designed to bring a breath of fresh air to modern kitchens, the new GROHE Eurocube kitchen faucet with professional spray offers the very best in terms of both form and function. Here is a one-of-a-kind combination of minimalist cubic aesthetics and user-friendly technologies – just what passionate amateur chefs around the globe want for their kitchens.

The faucet plays a pivotal role in day-to-day life in the kitchen where it is arguably the most heavily used working tool. Standing centre-stage puts a premium on stylish looks, and the new Eurocube with professional spray will clearly draw applause for its eye-catching appearance. The linear silhouette of its perfectly cubic and solid body emphasises its architectural character. Smart details such as the design element integrated into the operating lever results in a refreshing lightness of form. The square and cubic theme is retained even in the face of the highly functional spray, thereby ensuring a fully cohesive look. Finished in either dazzling chrome or sophisticated matte SuperSteel, Eurocube always cuts a sharp figure.

A professional choice for ambitious amateur chefs

From cleaning fruit and vegetables to rinsing dishes, from filling large pots to washing your hands, the new Eurocube faucet is designed with the flexibility to meet all the requirements of today’s ambitious amateur chefs. The 360 degree rotating spring neck maximises the range of the professional spray which features convenient one-hand operation, simplifying numerous chores and actions when whipping up culinary delights. Two spray modes can be selected – a conventional flow of water from the mousseur and a powerful spray for efficient cleaning. Switching between the two modes is as easy as moving a finger – the toggle switch is conveniently located on the sturdy metal spray. Its slightly rounded edges make for a comfortable grip.

State-of-the-art look and feel

GROHE engineers have packed a lot of functionality into the new Eurocube faucet and its professional spray. While the 28 mm cartridge with integrated temperature limiter provides reliable protection against scalding, GROHE SilkMove^® cartridge technology gives smooth control of the water flow and temperature. The position of the cartridge within the faucet body is slightly rotated in order to prevent the lever from colliding with the kitchen wall or the tiles behind it.

A memorable look combined with unbeatable professional functions – introducing the GROHE Eurocube kitchen faucet with professional spray.

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Form and function with a natural appeal

The lever, spout and body all blend into a softly formed and naturally inspired unit, resulting in a sensually curved silhouette, which instantly catches the eye. Inclined at a 7-degree angle, the lever is the focus of attention, with its oval cut-out transforming the faucet into an aesthetic sculpture while at the same time adding a touch of dynamic lightness. Its ergonomic shape makes the lever very comfortable to operate. The new 35-millimetre cartridge with integrated temperature limiter uses GROHE SilkMove^® technology to ensure silky smooth lever action and precise fine-tuning of both the flow and the temperature.

Eurostyle is the right choice for a sustainable lifestyle. Its reduced water consumption of only 5.7 litres per minute helps save the precious resources and protect the environment. The faucet line is also available with the new GROHE Zero technology for all those who only want the best for their health and well-being. Like no other technology, GROHE Zero’s advanced water conduit technology prevents lead and nickel from being released by the faucet body into the drinking water – maximum quality that lasts a faucet’s lifetime.

Diversity for modern bathrooms

Eurostyle is available in brilliant scratch-resistant GROHE StarLight^® Chrome and in shining MoonWhite with chrome details for washbasins, bathtubs, showers and bidets. The spout heights of the washbasin faucets range from S to XL to match a large number of different washbasin types. Thanks to these flexible options, their unobtrusive design blends in stylishly with any environment.

Sensual lines and a touch of luxury meet endless functionality and innovative technologies – the new Eurostyle faucet line from GROHE brings an air of effortless elegance to today’s bathroom.

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Knowledge is key in selling digital sanitary technology

Digital sanitary products offer numerous benefits in daily use, but not all consumers may recognise these advantages immediately. Many customers remain unaware of the digital revolution taking place in kitchens and bathrooms in the form of faucets and showers that are operated via mobile and easily programmed digital controllers.

As a general rule, digital products are an excellent choice for customers looking for greater convenience, flexibility and ergonomics as well as tailor-made features. For instance, the main sales points for the GROHE F-digital lines for the kitchen and bathroom include:

Digital sanitary technology is particularly user-friendly and convenient. Its intuitive operation via digital controllers allows users to store the preferred settings for their personal showering experience. While one button of the digital controller starts and stops the water flow, the plus and minus buttons increase and decrease the temperature. The water flow is adjusted by turning the outer ring of the controller and a coloured LED ring indicates the current water temperature. Moreover, there is a digital diverter for the bath. Its buttons permit to switch between the head shower and the hand shower as well as the side shower and the bath spout. Here, too, LEDs indicate which water outlet is currently being used.

Another important aspect that can be addressed in the sales pitch is sustainability. In this area, the GROHE F-digital lines excel as well. The Pause function can be used to pause the water flow and restart it at the same temperature and flow. This smart feature is, for example, ideal for shampooing in the shower or washing dishes in the kitchen. It helps users manage their water consumption and utility bills while helping to conserve natural resources at the same time. Moreover, the products permit to adjust the flow limit to save even more water.

Elderly people as well as people with special needs also benefit from having GROHE F-digital installed in their bathroom. The system’s digital controllers can be placed wherever they are most convenient to reach, allowing users to fill the bath without having to bend over the tub. When it comes to showering, a nurse can control the shower from outside, leaving the hands of the person in the shower free to hold on to the rails.

However, wireless technology is not only very easy to operate, but also offers maximum freedom in planning and designing bathrooms. Not being hard-wired to the faucets, digital controllers can be placed and used anywhere in the room. As a result, they can be positioned for ease of use and optimum visual impact at the same time. In addition, the digital thermostatic mixers may be located up to nine metres away from the bath or shower fittings, for even more flexible bathroom design and simplified maintenance.

· GROHE F-digital offers a modular concept for all water outlets. The range of coordinated fittings for the basin, bathtub and shower can be combined with mechanical fittings of the same line without compromising the coordinated look throughout the bathroom. Customers can choose from several aesthetic product lines, which perfectly complement their interior design style. The matching minimalist design of the round controller completes the overall picture.

And last but not least, both consumers and plumbers benefit from the easy installation and maintenance of the GROHE F-digital lines.

Innovative additional functions at each water outlet

GROHE F-digital adds unique features to every water outlet – be sure to use them to impress and convince your customers.

Shower: Every customer secretly dreams of the warm-up mode. The light on the digital controller tells them when the pre-selected temperature is reached and it is time to enter the shower.

Bathtub: The automatic bath filling feature fills the bathtub to the desired water temperature and level – no need to constantly peek in the bathroom to check whether the bath is ready.

Basin: The memory function saves the preferred water temperature and flow settings, so they can be repeated at any time.

Sink: The presettable safety stop allows to fill the kitchen sink automatically for washing up.

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Electronically controlled faucets and fittings have become the standard in most sanitary facilities at airports, arenas or motorway service stations. But what about washrooms in cafes, doctor’s surgeries or offices? Even though such locations are less heavily frequented, no compromise should be made with regard to hygiene, comfort and sustainability. GROHE offers operators of semi-public sanitary facilities a wide range of products that contribute to users’ well-being while at the same time helping save water and energy – a win-win solution for the modern washroom.

While semi-public washrooms, e.g. in offices or libraries, are not that heavily and regularly frequented, the constant change of users requires the sanitary facility to perform certain functions to ensure that it stays clean at all times and does not become a haven for potential pathogens. Capable of recognising hand movements or the presence of bodies, infrared electronic sanitary products are the most hygienic solutions thanks to their touch-free operation.

Intelligent product solutions

Installing an electronically controlled GROHE faucet makes sense also in a washroom with only one or two wash basins. It is quick and easy to install, has a brilliant, long-life surface and blends in with virtually any environment thanks to its modern design. Most importantly, however, it is full of innovative technologies. The latest exciting additions to the GROHE range include the touch-free Europlus E, Eurosmart CE and Euroeco CE faucet lines with efficient low-energy electronics. They draw their energy from the mains supply, the GROHE LongLife battery or the GROHE PowerBox, which converts the energy of the flowing water into electric energy.

The touch-free faucets, just like the latest electronic Tectron flushing technology, feature a single infrared window. The electronics behind this window facilitates a bidirectional data transfer – these sanitary fittings not only receive commands for individual programmes and settings but also deliver consumption data. This way the faucets and the flushing system provide a transparent overview of the frequency, duration and times of use. Setting the automatic cleaning mode and thermal disinfection cycles in accordance with actual requirements has never been easier and any necessary maintenance can be planned in good time. This greatly facilitates both operation and maintenance while reducing water and energy costs at the same time.

Comfortable control

GROHE infrared products are controlled and their data are transferred to the remote control. This allows many of the previously manual settings such as flushing duration, automatic flushing, thermal disinfection and other functions to be set even more flexibly and precisely. By defining the flushing processes in detail, operators prevent stagnation and the formation of hazardous germs and unpleasant odours.

Hygienic, intelligent, sustainable and comfortable – four strong arguments to install GROHE infrared electronics also in semi-public sanitary facilities.

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The sanitary industry is populated by technological pioneers and brims with creative ideas. There is hardly a faucet, shower or WC which has not been optimised and refined time and again over the years. More often than not, it is the small elements and technologies, hidden deep inside the products that make the big difference. Take the cartridge for example. It is at the heart of every faucet and a masterpiece of modern engineering. GROHE is one of only a few manufacturers worldwide to produce all the cartridges for its faucets internally, which has earned the company its reputation as an international innovation leader. But what is the secret behind GROHE cartridges and what are their most important features?

Aerospace-proven materials

GROHE high-tech cartridges have a special feature that is shared by no other cartridge: they offer the unparalleled GROHE SilkMove^® experience of silky lever action and precise fine-tuning of the water flow and temperature. This unique user comfort is the result of the interaction between more than ten different high-grade components in each cartridge. The most important element are two discs, made from an aerospace-proven ceramic alloy, that glide across each other with great precision. A special lubricant with Teflon technology is applied to their mirror-smooth surfaces during production. Micro pores in the ceramic alloy serve as a lubricant reservoir to ensure that the discs retain their smoothness throughout the life of the faucet.

So how does the cartridge work inside the faucet? The operating lever is connected to the ceramic discs via a solid connecting element, which transmits its movement to the control element. Lifting the lever clears the way for the water, while the swivelling movement changes the relative amounts of hot and cold water. Even after many years of use, the low amount of force required to operate the lever remains the same – a great advantage that makes GROHE faucets stand out from the rest.

Unique comparative test of international manufacturers

This long-lasting functionality has also been confirmed by Germany’s TÜV SÜD, whose experts have tested the mechanical resilience of the faucets from nine renowned international manufacturers in a large-scale comparative test. This endurance test simulated 20 years of use and maximum strain. Among the aspects tested were the operating forces in the movement of the lever, the breakaway torque after an extended rest period, the operating precision and the tightness. Thanks to the excellent GROHE SilkMove^® technology, GROHE came out as the clear winner.

The cartridge competence centre

Hemer is the home of the GROHE cartridges. This is where the company produces different cartridge variants in sizes of 28, 35, 46 and 56 millimetres for its global faucet production. Different sizes are used depending on the faucet diameter and the draw-off point, as well as the required flow properties. The new 28 millimetre cartridge, for instance, can be found inside the S-size Essence faucet launched this year, which is the most slender faucet introduced by GROHE to date. Featuring a spout height of 111 millimetres and a very small operating lever, it offers great operating comfort and perfect proportions.

The GROHE plant in Hemer can produce up to 5.4 million 46 millimetre cartridges and 4.8 million 35 millimetre cartridges per year. All cartridges manufactured in Hemer are made from high-quality precision components. The individual components are assembled on two production lines operated by three workers per shift. All parts must pass a 100 percent pressure test of 16 bar and are precisely calibrated. Even the smallest deviations would affect the world-class performance of the cartridges.

For over 140 years, GROHE has been influenced by their “Masters of Technology” – the inventors, developers and manufacturers whose creative DNA has been instilled in the company. The great enthusiasm for innovative technologies, which is also shared by today’s GROHE employees, is felt by customers day in and day out, year in and year out, whenever they control the water flow of their faucet with the same unfailingly high comfort and precision. This unique experience comes courtesy of GROHE cartridges and GROHE SilkMove^® technology.

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No two GROHE Essence bathrooms look the same, since Essence adapts so easily to different bathroom styles and configurations. Its cylindrical shapes make Essence a classic of design culture – wherever it is installed. Its extensive choice in sizes and types allows personalising a bathroom from the washbasin to the shower to the bathtub.

GROHE has just opened a new chapter in this enduring success story by launching a new S-size version. In the modern, slimmer reinterpretation of the classic Essence faucet, the differently sized cylinders flow into each other organically. The result is a clear and stylish design that is as perfect for a minimalist decor as it is for a sophisticated interior design style or a nostalgic ambiance.

The spout of the new Essence bends down towards the washbasin, making it reminiscent of the three larger product variants. Other strong points of this innovative spout include a 150 degree swivel range and an adjustable GROHE AquaGuide mousseur to deliver water exactly where it is needed. Whatever the shape of the washbasin, the Essence line offers the right faucet to match it perfectly.

A wide range of variants

The Essence universe offers the right faucet to fit any specific requirement. The products are suitable for combination with Grohtherm 3000 Cosmopolitan thermostats as well as showers and shower systems from the GROHE Rainshower^® Cosmopolitan and Euphoria Cosmopolitan series. To add even more style to the bathroom, GROHE additionally offers the Essential range of accessories comprising everything from soap dispensers and mouthwash glasses to towel holders, bathrobe hooks and bathtub handles.

Essence from GROHE – bathroom design for any taste.

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Exploring the amenities of a hotel or B&B is one of the greatest pleasures when you have booked a room. Premium television channels, extra comfy beds and pillows, or a luxurious bathrobe can make a stay that much more delightful. One thing these establishments focus hard on, are their toiletry supplies.

As everyone knows the most crucial feature of a hotel room is the toiletry selection in the bathroom.When you are forbidden from traveling with shampoo or liquid soap, you can get some at your accommodation. Some tiny bottles of shampoo, body wash or conditioner are better than others. Finding the one that will work for just about everyone is pretty hard. This is because none of us have the same preferences in scent and so on. So how do these businesses decide which products to stock in their bathrooms?

The decision is based on a consideration of function and brand identity, and it is often helped along by lobbying from different manufacturers. The hospitality experts who run hotels and B&Bs put a lot of though into providing their guests with just the right toiletries. Not right as in expensive but right as in works well enough so that a person feels clean after using them and it is consistent with the image the business want to convey.

Boutique hotels that employ their own specialists, decorate their own rooms and so on, would most likely be more focused on what is going on in their bathrooms. This is integral to the atmosphere they want to keep and the experience they want their guests to have.

Partnerships between hotels, B&Bs and other accommodation may take place with companies personally visiting the establishment and then making a proposal. Some establishments would settle for local manufactured goods or an exclusive supplier so that they have never run out. The establishment could initiate the partnership by looking for companies themselves by means of sampling their goods and proposing a deal.

These partnerships between the establishment and manufacturers are often forged more systematically. It’s standard for brands to actively approach their clients about their offerings, often with tailor-made brochures in hand, and some feature entire catalogs for people in the hygiene industry from which a manager can order amenities. Some companies are specifically focused on the accommodation industry while some see it as an opportunity to get their products in front of guests who might consider buying the products independently.

You will not be surprised to find the most research-intensive approach to choosing amenities than at large hotel chains, for which the toiletry collection can become a multi-million dollar investments. According to Forbes, the design and development team at Marriot International tested “52 brands of shampoo, conditioner, body gel, lotion and soap before choosing the perfect one for its Marriot Hotels around the world.”

One of the main ways to get guests to know whether they have done a good job in making their choices is whether guests take the samples home with them. Wouldn’t you take a sample if you liked it?

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