Is social media becoming a top tool for plumbers?

Posted on by Posted in Plumbing Industry News

plumbfixThough traditionally a ‘hands on’ sector, Plumbfix is predicting a ‘social revolution’ within the trade as almost half (48%) of tradesmen reveal they are winning new business through social media channels.

Tradesmen, including plumbers and heating engineers, are increasingly turning to social media sites to reach more customers and increase their brand awareness. Eight out of ten tradesmen use social media as a free way to reach more customers and two fifths (43%) believe having a page on a social media site makes their business look more established. With a quarter of tradesmen now using sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to promote their business, the channel is set to become even more popular. Sixty-three per cent of tradesmen say their social media use is more than last year and a third (33%) believe they will use it more next year.

This upward trend supports a recent study from the internet Advertising Bureau UK, which found that nearly 80% of consumers would be more inclined to buy because of a brand’s presence on social media. And for small firms, knowing how to capitalise on this is crucial.

Sandra Everett, senior marketing manager at Plumbfix, said:

 “Technology is empowering consumers. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are today’s equivalent of the telephone directory – members of the public are now more likely than ever to go online to find and research local tradesmen in their area.

“As plumbers increase the amount of business tasks and transactions they undertake online, social media should be seriously considered as a cost-effective way to market themselves to more and more customers.”

Interestingly, a third of tradesmen (32%) also use social media to check on their competitors and what services and prices they are offering.

Sandra added:

“We know plumbers are increasingly using smart phones and laptops during the working day to communicate with colleagues and clients as well as speeding-up the purchasing of essential products and tools. We have no doubt that the use of social media for business will continue to grow.”

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‘Hygena’ returns to the UK market

Posted on by Posted in Bathrooms and Kitchens

HombaseLogo (1)One of the UK’s original kitchen brands, Hygena, is set to return to the UK market via Homebase.

One of Nobia Group’s brands that also includes Gower, Magnet and Poggenpohl, Hygena is a well-known brand in France where it is sold to consumers via 120 wholly-owned stores. Production of Hygena was recently switched back to Britain.

In the UK, 26 ranges with over 100 storage, handle and lighting accessories are now available to help the nation “rekindle their love for stylish, affordable kitchens”, according to Homebase.

Commenting on the introduction of Hygena, Homebase category manager Clare Bate said: “Increasing amounts of people are viewing the kitchen as not only a place to cook, but also an alternative space to eat, work and relax.

“Our Hygena kitchen ranges bring together the important elements of modern living. So whether it’s a cooking haven for food lovers, a smart storage solution for smaller homes, or a work or hang-out space you’re looking for, there is something for everyone.

“Our aim is to help everyone live in a home they love, and we feel our stylish and practical Hygena range showcases to the nation of how they can update their kitchen, regardless of the space they have.”

Prices start from £1450 for an eight unit kitchen and all kitchens come with a 10 year manufacturing guarantee.

Jo Public has a long memory when it comes to kitchen brands, just look at how often names such as ‘Wrighton’ and ‘Schreiber’ are recalled in consumer tests for example, but how success these brand names are when push comes to payment is another matter.

As for Hygena? The kitchen market has moved on since that ‘little girl’ (actually the wife of Hygena’s then sales director), built her kitchen in a TV ad, so it will be interesting to see how this brand copes in today’s market.

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Scotland: Renewable energy usage at record high

Posted on by Posted in Renewable Energy

scottish_wind_power.JPG.492x0_q85_crop-smartOfficial figures have revealed a record two fifths of electricity used in Scotland came from renewables last year, the BBC has reported.

UK government figures showed 40.3 per cent of energy consumption in 2012 was met by the sector – up from 36.3 per cent the previous year and 24.1 per cent in 2010.

Energy minister Fergus Ewing said the figures showed renewables were “going from strength to strength”.

Environmental campaigners welcomed the figures but said more needed to be done to meet targets.

The Scottish government said it was on course for half of electricity use to come from renewable sources by 2015, an interim target ahead of the goal of having the sector generate 100 per cent of the country’s electricity by 2020.

Scotland continues to produce more energy than it uses, with more than 26 per cent of electricity generated here last year being exported, figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change showed.

Nuclear power provided 34.4 per cent of electricity generated in Scotland in 2012, while 29.8 per cent came from renewables, 24.9 per cent came from coal, 8 per cent from gas and 2.8 per cent from oil and other sources.

The proportion of power in Scotland generated from renewable sources was significantly higher than the rest of the UK.

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Kesseler at kbb Birmingham

Posted on by Posted in Home improvement 
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Kesseler will display new Satin Bronze and Satin Silver pearlescent finishes at kbb Birmingham on Stand N123 where it will be exhibiting for the first time.

With these new options, Kesseler has made a move beyond the familiar territory of black and white for satin glass-faced kitchens with a pearlescent finish.

The Derbyshire-based manufacturer aims these new finishes at the higher end of the market, where Kesseler says glass is set to become the reflective gloss finish of choice. The new finishes can be specified with Kesseler’s flat-front designs that includes the handle-less Vanquish, with a wide choice of grip rail colours to provide the exact match or contrast required.

The Vanquish system will be a highlight on the Kesseler stand, offering a handle match for 96 matt decors and 11 in high gloss.

“Glass with a satin finish has so far made its mark in black or white,” said Kesseler’s commercial director Scott Slater, “but we see it going much further than that, which is why we have introduced these two new pearlescent choices.”

Kesseler manufactures modern and traditional kitchens in-house at all price levels.

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Positive figures starting to show for the Green Deal

Posted on by Posted in Renewable Energy

deccThe research showed reaction to Green Deal ‘Wave Three’, highlighting that 65% have had work carried out, with six per cent in the process of installing improvements and a further ten per cent intending to install at least one recommended measure. 

When asked, 78% found the assessment useful and another 78% had confidence in recommendations by the assessor. A further 76% said they would recommend a Green Deal Assessment to a friend.When households were asked how they paid for measures, Energy Company Obligation was mentioned in 22% of cases, with local authority funding (16%), provider/installer finance (13%) and savings and regular income (11%) being the other most common means of payment.

Speaking about the new research, Energy and Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker, said: “The research undertaken in November shows that Green Deal assessments are highly valued by consumers. Crucially, they are helping people to control their energy costs this winter.

“Over 100,000 assessments have been carried out so it’s particularly encouraging that over 80% of people have, are, or intending to install, at least one measure in homes and that well over a third of recommended measures have now been installed. This is a powerful endorsement of the Green Deal.”

Of the £540 million the government recently announced would be made available over the next three years to boost energy efficiency, £450 million will be aimed at households and private landlords. New schemes will be designed to complement the Green Deal and stimulate the flow of more private finance into energy efficiency.

The scheme has now seen over 100,000 assessments completed.

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