get connected: july 2012

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VitamixCoverFV.indd 1 27/06/2012 13:32

THE GREEN ROOMCan domestic appliances and consumer electronics really make a diff erence to climate change? And do your customers care that much, anyway? Get Connected takes a hard look at the realities – and opportunities - behind the environmental issues

PORTABLE CE DEVICESYou can take it with you. And as more consumers want to stay “connected” at all times, portable devices are part of their lives – and part of the CE retail opportunity

GEORGE COLE GETS CONNECTEDBye bye Blu-ray?

FROM THE BENCHWhen lightning strikes

BACKCHATPortway’s John Bainbridge gives a 2-minute interview

w w w. g c m a g a z i n e . c o . u kJ U LY 2 0 1 2

3GET CONNECTED

4 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Editorial Comment

6 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / The Word In and around the industry

16 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / The Product Gallery

20 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / The Green Room Degrees of environmental concern

29 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Portable CE Devices You can take it with you…

32 / / / / / / / / / / George Cole Gets Connected Goodbye Blu-ray?

33 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / From the Bench Alan Bennett on the power of lightning

34 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Backchat 2-minute interview with Portway commercial

director John Bainbridge

p17 AMICA BUILTUNDER LARDER FRIDGE & FREEZERwww.amica-international.co.uk

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the publisher. Get Connected is published by Mud Hut Publishing Ltd., Alresford House, 60 West Street, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7EH.

Copyright © 2012 Mud Hut Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Editor in Chief: Marlinda Conway Telephone: 01420 886 33 [email protected]

Magazine Advertising Sales:Brian ShillingTelephone: 01892 677741 [email protected]

Sharon MaslenTelephone: 01892 677742 [email protected]

Editorial & Publishing Director: Terry HeathTelephone: 01420 886 33» [email protected]

Creative Director: Will Dobson [email protected]

Advertisement Production Administration: Will Dobson Telephone: 01342 850 456 [email protected]

Production and Print: Blackmore Press, Shaftesbury, Dorsetwww.blackmore.co.uk

Subscriptions & Circulation: GCCDTelephone: 01420 88633 [email protected]

Annual subscription rate (inc. postage): UK £88; Overseas £108.

Get ConnectedGreyfriar CottageWinchester RoadChawtonAltonHampshireGU34 1SB

www.gcmagazine.co.uk

JULY 2012

CONTENTS

3GET CONNECTED

4 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Editorial Comment

6 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / The Word In and around the industry

16 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / The Product Gallery

20 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / The Green Room Degrees of environmental concern

29 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Portable CE Devices You can take it with you…

32 / / / / / / / / / / George Cole Gets Connected Goodbye Blu-ray?

33 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / From the Bench Alan Bennett on the power of lightning

34 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Backchat 2-minute interview with Portway commercial

director John Bainbridge

p17 AMICA BUILTUNDER LARDER FRIDGE & FREEZERwww.amica-international.co.uk

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the publisher. Get Connected is published by Mud Hut Publishing Ltd., Alresford House, 60 West Street, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7EH.

Copyright © 2012 Mud Hut Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Editor in Chief: Marlinda Conway Telephone: 01420 886 33 [email protected]

Magazine Advertising Sales:Brian ShillingTelephone: 01892 677741 [email protected]

Sharon MaslenTelephone: 01892 677742 [email protected]

Editorial & Publishing Director: Terry HeathTelephone: 01420 886 33» [email protected]

Creative Director: Will Dobson [email protected]

Advertisement Production Administration: Will Dobson Telephone: 01342 850 456 [email protected]

Production and Print: Blackmore Press, Shaftesbury, Dorsetwww.blackmore.co.uk

Subscriptions & Circulation: GCCDTelephone: 01420 88633 [email protected]

Annual subscription rate (inc. postage): UK £88; Overseas £108.

Get ConnectedGreyfriar CottageWinchester RoadChawtonAltonHampshireGU34 1SB


JULY 2012

JUNE 2012 JUBILEE ISSUEJULY 2012 GET CONNECTED4

And why not? We do have a great deal to be proud of.

But as 2012 progresses, the upbeat mood and collective pride is constantly undermined by reminders that, as well as still being stuck in a “double-dip” recession, the UK is also suff ering from a number of persistent – not to say “institutional” – problems that are defi nitely counter to our British sense of fair play, and make us less proud to wave the red, white and blue.

Our banks have been caught bang to rights with their fi ngers in the till, blatantly “fi xing” the important libor interest rate for their own profi t, costing us millions. Bob Diamond, boss of Barclays Bank, was in charge of the Barclays department responsible when the fi xing was happening, but could see no immediate reason why he should lose his job over it, because he didn’t know what was going on. Shades of Murdoch, father and son, also in charge when widespread phone hacking was taking place at News International. Likewise, they didn’t know what was going on.

In both cases, people drawing big, big salaries for being “in charge.” So, in both cases, it’s either incompetence or telling porkies. Either way, the British sense of fair play has to dictate: “You’re fi red!”

Recalling News International brings up another embarrassing state of aff airs. It’s not easy for us to stomach the revelations of just

how much abject fawning and clandestine cosying up our senior politicians – of all parties – were prepared to do to keep on the right side of the media moguls.

That brings us to David Cameron’s moral censure of Jimmy Carr, who used a scheme to minimise his liability to tax. It’s never been wise for any politician to use the word “moral” in a personal criticism of anyone, and in this case, look around you, Mr Cameron. How many of your friends, family, cabinet colleagues and fellow parliamentarians take steps to ensure they and their businesses pay no more tax than necessary under the law? Accept this: if it’s legal but we don’t like it, change the law. The “moral” card doesn’t work any more in an environment where legally avoiding tax is a prudent business measure, and also a “moral” obligation to prevent our money from funding some MP’s extensive home improvements (remember the MPs expenses “scandal”? Remember their defence of “we didn’t break the rules”?) If it’s legal, what’s “moral” got to do with it?

We need to draw the line. We are the banks’ and the newspapers’ customers, and the masters of our politicians. It could still be that “remarkable” year for Britain if it’s remembered as the year when the UK’s businesses decided they didn’t want to be ripped off any more. If it isn’t, we, as Britons, have only ourselves to blame.

REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.GCMAGAZINE.CO.UK FOR YOUR FREE COPY OF GET CONNECTED MAGAZINE

Average net circulation for the 12 issues distributed between Jan-Dec 2008 is 6,228

Marlinda Conway Editor in Chief

Terry HeathEditorial & Publishing

Director

George ColeConsumer Electronics

Consultant

James McIntoshConsumer Consultant

Will DobsonCreative Director

Last month, we commented that 2012 was shaping up to be “one of the most

remarkable years of the century”. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, added to the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, was beginning

to have a salutary eff ect on the mood of the nation. Waving Union Flags, getting fi red up about being the centre of world attention, and uniting

in a general sense of being proud to be British, are genuinely admirable national traits.

EDITORIAL COMMENT

JUNE 2012 JUBILEE ISSUEJULY 2012 GET CONNECTED4

And why not? We do have a great deal to be proud of.

But as 2012 progresses, the upbeat mood and collective pride is constantly undermined by reminders that, as well as still being stuck in a “double-dip” recession, the UK is also suff ering from a number of persistent – not to say “institutional” – problems that are defi nitely counter to our British sense of fair play, and make us less proud to wave the red, white and blue.

Our banks have been caught bang to rights with their fi ngers in the till, blatantly “fi xing” the important libor interest rate for their own profi t, costing us millions. Bob Diamond, boss of Barclays Bank, was in charge of the Barclays department responsible when the fi xing was happening, but could see no immediate reason why he should lose his job over it, because he didn’t know what was going on. Shades of Murdoch, father and son, also in charge when widespread phone hacking was taking place at News International. Likewise, they didn’t know what was going on.

In both cases, people drawing big, big salaries for being “in charge.” So, in both cases, it’s either incompetence or telling porkies. Either way, the British sense of fair play has to dictate: “You’re fi red!”

Recalling News International brings up another embarrassing state of aff airs. It’s not easy for us to stomach the revelations of just

how much abject fawning and clandestine cosying up our senior politicians – of all parties – were prepared to do to keep on the right side of the media moguls.

That brings us to David Cameron’s moral censure of Jimmy Carr, who used a scheme to minimise his liability to tax. It’s never been wise for any politician to use the word “moral” in a personal criticism of anyone, and in this case, look around you, Mr Cameron. How many of your friends, family, cabinet colleagues and fellow parliamentarians take steps to ensure they and their businesses pay no more tax than necessary under the law? Accept this: if it’s legal but we don’t like it, change the law. The “moral” card doesn’t work any more in an environment where legally avoiding tax is a prudent business measure, and also a “moral” obligation to prevent our money from funding some MP’s extensive home improvements (remember the MPs expenses “scandal”? Remember their defence of “we didn’t break the rules”?) If it’s legal, what’s “moral” got to do with it?

We need to draw the line. We are the banks’ and the newspapers’ customers, and the masters of our politicians. It could still be that “remarkable” year for Britain if it’s remembered as the year when the UK’s businesses decided they didn’t want to be ripped off any more. If it isn’t, we, as Britons, have only ourselves to blame.

REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.GCMAGAZINE.CO.UK FOR YOUR FREE COPY OF GET CONNECTED MAGAZINE

Average net circulation for the 12 issues distributed between Jan-Dec 2008 is 6,228

Marlinda Conway Editor in Chief

Terry HeathEditorial & Publishing

Director

George ColeConsumer Electronics

Consultant

James McIntoshConsumer Consultant

Will DobsonCreative Director

Last month, we commented that 2012 was shaping up to be “one of the most

remarkable years of the century”. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, added to the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, was beginning

to have a salutary eff ect on the mood of the nation. Waving Union Flags, getting fi red up about being the centre of world attention, and uniting

in a general sense of being proud to be British, are genuinely admirable national traits.

JULY 2012GET CONNECTED6

REGISTER ONLINE FOR YOUR PERSONAL COPY OF GET CONNECTED MAGAZINE NOW!

JULY 2012GET CONNECTED


GC: Still recognised as the most commercially relevant trade monthly in the electrical industry.

I’ve read the mag from cover to cover, as have all of my staff. Twice over! It’s a real breath of fresh air.

Relevant, balanced, readable features on the most important products and services, with outstanding quality of writing and design.

I always look forward to receiving my copy of Get Connected. It combines all

the latest industry news in bite-sized chunks with in-depth features on different product categories and market trends. The editorial is always relevant, well informed and thought provoking.

The editorial tackles key issues with a depth that invites the reader to think more widely around the subject, rather than just in straight lines.

7JULY 2012 GET CONNECTED

H opes for a revival in consumer confi dence as the UK entered the summer of celebrations were

scotched by a GfK NOP survey showing that consumer sentiment remained the same in June as in May 2012, at -29 points. Three of the fi ve measures used in the analyst’s Index showed no movement, but while the climate for major purchases increased by four points to -28, this was offset by expectations for the general economic situation over the next twelve months, which showed a decrease of fi ve points to -31, thirteen points lower than June 2011.

Nick Moon, Managing Director of Social Research at GfK, said there has never been a year where the fi gures have remained so fl at. “Any suggestions that consumer confi dence would receive a ‘Royal bounce’ from the Jubilee, as it did from William and Kate’s wedding last year, have been proven wrong. The Index remains the same this month, with the poor weather possibly offsetting any positives from the long Bank Holiday.

“The stagnant level of consumer confi dence suggests that the public is stuck

in a period of constant depression, which it is fi nding very hard to snap out of. While the current position is better than it was at the depths of the fi nancial crisis in 2008, the fi gures do mark a dispiriting new type of low. Consumer confi dence has been at -29 or worse for an entire 12-month spell – the worst run in its 40-year history.”

Slightly brighter news was delivered by the CBI, which reported that high street sales received the hoped-for gain from the early June celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee, although the organisation conceded that weak consumer confi dence is still denting growth and the level of sales remained below those expected for the time of year.

The report, which covers the fi rst two weeks in June, showed that 58% of retailers recorded sales volumes up on a year ago, against the 17% which stated that they

had fallen. The resulting rounded balance of +42% was stronger than retailers had predicted and represented the fastest growth reported since December 2010.

Judith McKenna, Chair of the CBI Distributive Trades Panel and Asda Chief Operating Offi cer, said: “The Jubilee provided a much needed boost to our high streets with many families and communities making the most of the Bank Holiday and coming together to celebrate. However, it is notable that sales were still considered to be below par for the time of year. Weak consumer confi dence and uncertainty over the economic outlook are still putting a brake on consumer spending across the whole retail sector.”

The full effect of the Jubilee celebrations on the UK economy has yet to be collated and analysed, but sales in the run up to the event during May were reported to be mostly positive. As sunshine lifted the mood on the high street, non-food sales rose 1.3% with, according to the BDO High Street Sales Tracker, retailers reporting growth in all areas.

Don Williams, National Head of Retail and Wholesale at BDO LLP, remarked that retailers have had to learn to draw in shoppers through a constant drip of carefully planned promotions. “Clearly it will eat into margins,” he added, “but retailers know promotions now tend to lead demand as much as seasonal buying patterns.”

The Offi ce for National Statistics (ONS) also recorded retail sales rallying in May. A report issued 21 June by the institute

showed that volumes had risen 1.4% during the month, exceeding the predicted rise of 1.2% and gaining 2.4% year-on-year compared to May 2011. In value terms, the rise was 1% on the month and 3.3% year-on-year.

And the BRC added yet another glimmer of hope for the high street as it, too, reported that the May sunshine had been good for retail sales. Figures showed value up 1.3% on a like-for-like basis, and on a total basis, which includes new store openings, a rise of 3.4% was recorded.

Stephen Robertson, BRC Director General, said much of the month’s positive performance could be attributed to spending in the fi nal week when consumers responded enthusiastically to the sunshine.

Helen Dickinson, Head of Retail at KPMG, added that many retailers will be “breathing a small sigh of relief.”

…the BRC added yet another glimmer of hope for the high street as it, too, reported that the May sunshine had been good for retail sales.”


REGISTER ONLINE FOR YOUR PERSONAL COPY OF GET CONNECTED MAGAZINE NOW!


GC: Still recognised as the most commercially relevant trade monthly in the electrical industry.

I’ve read the mag from cover to cover, as have all of my staff. Twice over! It’s a real breath of fresh air.

Relevant, balanced, readable features on the most important products and services, with outstanding quality of writing and design.

I always look forward to receiving my copy of Get Connected. It combines all

the latest industry news in bite-sized chunks with in-depth features on different product categories and market trends. The editorial is always relevant, well informed and thought provoking.

The editorial tackles key issues with a depth that invites the reader to think more widely around the subject, rather than just in straight lines.


H opes for a revival in consumer confi dence as the UK entered the summer of celebrations were

scotched by a GfK NOP survey showing that consumer sentiment remained the same in June as in May 2012, at -29 points. Three of the fi ve measures used in the analyst’s Index showed no movement, but while the climate for major purchases increased by four points to -28, this was offset by expectations for the general economic situation over the next twelve months, which showed a decrease of fi ve points to -31, thirteen points lower than June 2011.

Nick Moon, Managing Director of Social Research at GfK, said there has never been a year where the fi gures have remained so fl at. “Any suggestions that consumer confi dence would receive a ‘Royal bounce’ from the Jubilee, as it did from William and Kate’s wedding last year, have been proven wrong. The Index remains the same this month, with the poor weather possibly offsetting any positives from the long Bank Holiday.

“The stagnant level of consumer confi dence suggests that the public is stuck

in a period of constant depression, which it is fi nding very hard to snap out of. While the current position is better than it was at the depths of the fi nancial crisis in 2008, the fi gures do mark a dispiriting new type of low. Consumer confi dence has been at -29 or worse for an entire 12-month spell – the worst run in its 40-year history.”

Slightly brighter news was delivered by the CBI, which reported that high street sales received the hoped-for gain from the early June celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee, although the organisation conceded that weak consumer confi dence is still denting growth and the level of sales remained below those expected for the time of year.

The report, which covers the fi rst two weeks in June, showed that 58% of retailers recorded sales volumes up on a year ago, against the 17% which stated that they

had fallen. The resulting rounded balance of +42% was stronger than retailers had predicted and represented the fastest growth reported since December 2010.

Judith McKenna, Chair of the CBI Distributive Trades Panel and Asda Chief Operating Offi cer, said: “The Jubilee provided a much needed boost to our high streets with many families and communities making the most of the Bank Holiday and coming together to celebrate. However, it is notable that sales were still considered to be below par for the time of year. Weak consumer confi dence and uncertainty over the economic outlook are still putting a brake on consumer spending across the whole retail sector.”

The full effect of the Jubilee celebrations on the UK economy has yet to be collated and analysed, but sales in the run up to the event during May were reported to be mostly positive. As sunshine lifted the mood on the high street, non-food sales rose 1.3% with, according to the BDO High Street Sales Tracker, retailers reporting growth in all areas.

Don Williams, National Head of Retail and Wholesale at BDO LLP, remarked that retailers have had to learn to draw in shoppers through a constant drip of carefully planned promotions. “Clearly it will eat into margins,” he added, “but retailers know promotions now tend to lead demand as much as seasonal buying patterns.”

The Offi ce for National Statistics (ONS) also recorded retail sales rallying in May. A report issued 21 June by the institute

showed that volumes had risen 1.4% during the month, exceeding the predicted rise of 1.2% and gaining 2.4% year-on-year compared to May 2011. In value terms, the rise was 1% on the month and 3.3% year-on-year.

And the BRC added yet another glimmer of hope for the high street as it, too, reported that the May sunshine had been good for retail sales. Figures showed value up 1.3% on a like-for-like basis, and on a total basis, which includes new store openings, a rise of 3.4% was recorded.

Stephen Robertson, BRC Director General, said much of the month’s positive performance could be attributed to spending in the fi nal week when consumers responded enthusiastically to the sunshine.

Helen Dickinson, Head of Retail at KPMG, added that many retailers will be “breathing a small sigh of relief.”

THE WORD | INDUSTRY NEWS

…the BRC added yet another glimmer of hope for the high street as it, too, reported that the May sunshine had been good for retail sales.”


Full-year sales fl at but Dixons delivers ahead of expectationsDixons Retail reported a relatively fl at year for the 52 weeks ended 28 April 2012, with like-for-like Group sales down 3% after a strong boost of 5% in the fi nal quarter and an underlying pre-tax profi t of £70.8 million, against £85.3 million in 2010/11. Good progress was made in UK & Ireland and Northern Europe with profi ts up 15% and 12% respectively but the lift was off set by weaker performances in Southern Europe and by online store PIXmania.

Total sales in the UK & Ireland division fell 2% to £3,833.9 million and like-for-likes dropped 4%, with a fl at second half showing an improving trend of +8% in the fi nal quarter. Underlying operating profi ts increased to £78.8 million from £68.7 million in the prior year.

The retailer said that the UK & Ireland performed strongly against a “tough market” and the eff ects of work carried out under its Renewal & Transformation plan benefi tted the business through the year, enabling it to grow operating profi ts by 15% and “putting it on track towards a sustainable return.”

269 stores have been refurbished and continue to deliver average gross profi t uplifts of over 20%, and a further 63 stores are expected to be reformatted in the year ahead, resulting in three quarters of sales going

through new format stores by Christmas Peak this year.

Following an analysis of its store estate, the retailer said “we currently believe that in the UK we need 400 to 420 stores to provide the right level of service and convenience for customers. This includes approximately 40 high street stores similar to our CurrysPCWorld Black store in the Westfi eld centre with the remainder large out-of-town stores, predominantly in the 2-in-1 format.”

Dixons later confi rmed that it plans to close or consolidate around 100 of its 557 UK stores as part of the ongoing Renewal & Transformation plan. The programme of closures and consolidations would take place as leases come up for renewal.

At product level, the launch of the new iPad helped grow the overall computing market. White goods showed modest growth, and although predominantly driven by the housing cycle, Dixons said that technical innovation and energy effi ciency is increasingly giving customers reasons to replace or upgrade.

The consumer electronics market remained weak throughout the year, but the retailer said it believed it traded ahead of the market for televisions, particularly in the fourth quarter with sales of large fl at TVs up 25% in value.

No respite for KesaKesa, which owns the Darty brand in continental Europe and pulled out of the UK electrical retail market last year when it sold the Comet operation for £2, has reported profi ts down by nearly half, from €102 million to €59 million, in the fi nancial year 2011-12.

Kesa’s exit from the UK electrical retail market cost the French company some £100 million in investment commitments and taking on responsibility for Comet’s pension scheme defi cit. Kesa is continuing to regroup under what the company called “exceptionally diffi cult” conditions in Europe. Following the sale of the UK Comet chain, Kesa is selling its Darty Telecom operation and is continuing to close stores in Spain and Italy.

Kesa also announced that it is to rename the group, which will be called Darty from the beginning of August 2012. Chairman David Newlands said: “It is clear that market conditions have become more challenging across Europe and the macro-economic outlook remains uncertain.”

Shareholder dividend is to be cut by half. The retailer also said that Mr Newlands

would step down as chairman after nine years in the post, to be replaced by Alan Parker, a senior independent Kesa director and the former chief executive of Whitbread.

Steadier quarter for Argos chainHomebase and Argos parent Home Retail Group reported “a particularly volatile trading period” for the 13 weeks from 4 March to 2 June 2012, but stated that it was “comfortable” with current market expectations for full-year benchmark profi t.

Sales at Argos rose 0.2% as the closure of two stores during the quarter reduced the retailer’s portfolio to 746, but like-for-likes dipped 0.2%, with total sales registering £849 million. Gross margin declined by 25 basis points.

Consumer electronics sales were level with the previous year, driven by continued strong growth in laptops and tablets, which offset declines in the TV, audio and video gaming categories for which the markets remained “challenging”.

Terry Duddy, Chief Executive of Home Retail Group, said Argos had a “solid start” to the year supported by its multi-channel performance. Sales represented 51% of the merchandiser’s turnover, up from 46% a year earlier, while Online Check & Reserve grew 24% to 29% of total sales.



Full-year sales fl at but Dixons delivers ahead of expectationsDixons Retail reported a relatively fl at year for the 52 weeks ended 28 April 2012, with like-for-like Group sales down 3% after a strong boost of 5% in the fi nal quarter and an underlying pre-tax profi t of £70.8 million, against £85.3 million in 2010/11. Good progress was made in UK & Ireland and Northern Europe with profi ts up 15% and 12% respectively but the lift was off set by weaker performances in Southern Europe and by online store PIXmania.

Total sales in the UK & Ireland division fell 2% to £3,833.9 million and like-for-likes dropped 4%, with a fl at second half showing an improving trend of +8% in the fi nal quarter. Underlying operating profi ts increased to £78.8 million from £68.7 million in the prior year.

The retailer said that the UK & Ireland performed strongly against a “tough market” and the eff ects of work carried out under its Renewal & Transformation plan benefi tted the business through the year, enabling it to grow operating profi ts by 15% and “putting it on track towards a sustainable return.”

269 stores have been refurbished and continue to deliver average gross profi t uplifts of over 20%, and a further 63 stores are expected to be reformatted in the year ahead, resulting in three quarters of sales going

through new format stores by Christmas Peak this year.

Following an analysis of its store estate, the retailer said “we currently believe that in the UK we need 400 to 420 stores to provide the right level of service and convenience for customers. This includes approximately 40 high street stores similar to our CurrysPCWorld Black store in the Westfi eld centre with the remainder large out-of-town stores, predominantly in the 2-in-1 format.”

Dixons later confi rmed that it plans to close or consolidate around 100 of its 557 UK stores as part of the ongoing Renewal & Transformation plan. The programme of closures and consolidations would take place as leases come up for renewal.

At product level, the launch of the new iPad helped grow the overall computing market. White goods showed modest growth, and although predominantly driven by the housing cycle, Dixons said that technical innovation and energy effi ciency is increasingly giving customers reasons to replace or upgrade.

The consumer electronics market remained weak throughout the year, but the retailer said it believed it traded ahead of the market for televisions, particularly in the fourth quarter with sales of large fl at TVs up 25% in value.

No respite for KesaKesa, which owns the Darty brand in continental Europe and pulled out of the UK electrical retail market last year when it sold the Comet operation for £2, has reported profi ts down by nearly half, from €102 million to €59 million, in the fi nancial year 2011-12.

Kesa’s exit from the UK electrical retail market cost the French company some £100 million in investment commitments and taking on responsibility for Comet’s pension scheme defi cit. Kesa is continuing to regroup under what the company called “exceptionally diffi cult” conditions in Europe. Following the sale of the UK Comet chain, Kesa is selling its Darty Telecom operation and is continuing to close stores in Spain and Italy.

Kesa also announced that it is to rename the group, which will be called Darty from the beginning of August 2012. Chairman David Newlands said: “It is clear that market conditions have become more challenging across Europe and the macro-economic outlook remains uncertain.”

Shareholder dividend is to be cut by half. The retailer also said that Mr Newlands

would step down as chairman after nine years in the post, to be replaced by Alan Parker, a senior independent Kesa director and the former chief executive of Whitbread.

Steadier quarter for Argos chainHomebase and Argos parent Home Retail Group reported “a particularly volatile trading period” for the 13 weeks from 4 March to 2 June 2012, but stated that it was “comfortable” with current market expectations for full-year benchmark profi t.

Sales at Argos rose 0.2% as the closure of two stores during the quarter reduced the retailer’s portfolio to 746, but like-for-likes dipped 0.2%, with total sales registering £849 million. Gross margin declined by 25 basis points.

Consumer electronics sales were level with the previous year, driven by continued strong growth in laptops and tablets, which offset declines in the TV, audio and video gaming categories for which the markets remained “challenging”.

Terry Duddy, Chief Executive of Home Retail Group, said Argos had a “solid start” to the year supported by its multi-channel performance. Sales represented 51% of the merchandiser’s turnover, up from 46% a year earlier, while Online Check & Reserve grew 24% to 29% of total sales.


The “Portas Pilots” high street re-generation scheme, which recently announced the fi rst 12 towns to win

retail guru Mary Portas’ advice plus a share of £1.2 million in Government funding, ran into some turbulence in the Kent seaside town of Margate, when the demands of reality TV ap-peared to come into confl ict with real life.

Ms Portas, as part of her involvement in the Government’s initiative to help UK towns revitalize their high streets, has plans to front a Channel 4 TV series documenting her work with some of the Portas Pilots winning towns. But in Margate, one of the locations scheduled for fi lming, the Town Team that put in the winning bid expressed some concerns about the restrictions that TV production company Optomen wanted to place on participants in the programme.

In particular, a contract banning traders and participants in Margate from talking about the show on social media upset the Margate Team, which said it was concerned that production company Optomen’s requirements were “being placed above the needs of a community in transition,” and that “overly-restrictive contracts seem to want to quash and silence the public involvement and discourse which has been so eff ective and essential (and encouraged!) to date.”

Ms Portas was quick to reassure the Margate Team that she would make it her business to ensure the off ending restrictions were taken out of the contracts. A move endorsed by

the Department of Communities and Local Government, which confi rmed Ms Portas had “asked for any restrictive elements of the contract in question to be changed.”

And at a public meeting in Margate earlier in the same week, Ms Portas and Optomen TV turned up to generate support for the project and the making of the reality show. “This is not about me, this is about Margate,” she said (the working title for the TV series is, incidentally, “Mary Queen of the High Street”).

While warning that “this ain’t going to be smooth,” and would show a “warts and all” TV

depiction, Ms Portas was also keen to set out the benefi ts that TV celebrity could bring to the town and its high street revitalization eff orts: “If we put this on prime TV, people will come. That’s the decision you’ve got to take.”

Somewhat confusingly, in an address caught on camera by a local blogger, she concluded: “We either let the cameras in with me, or I go back on the train and some other town gets it.”

What “it” consists of was not, at the time, made clear, and some could be forgiven for believing that the £100,000 of Government funding that goes with Ms Portas’ mentoring could be withdrawn if Margate did not participate in the TV show. Again, Ms Portas was quick to correct any misapprehension about what was at stake

for Margate, and that it did not include the Government money, or her personal mentoring input. The Department for Communities and Local Government also issued a statement: “We are clear that it is up to Portas Pilots themselves whether to take part in any programmes following their progress and that their status as Portas Pilots is absolutely not dependent on their participation in any show.”

Confusion cleared up. But this is a salutary lesson that, once reality TV comes into the picture, reality can be the fi rst casualty. Ms Portas cannot be blamed for looking to further her own

career as a TV celebrity, and there is no doubt that celebrity can be a powerful weapon in securing interest and publicity. There is always, however, a potential downside, and Margate is

right to try to ensure that its primary purpose of revitalizing its high street is not subverted in any way by the quite diff erent purposes of a TV reality show.

As Robin Vaughan-Lyons, chairman of the Margate Town Team, put it in an interview with Kent Today: “What we did was forward the bid for the good of Margate and Margate High Street so, of course, we are very protective and passionate about our town. We want to make sure that it is portrayed well. You could say the eyes of the world are on Margate, so obviously we do not want to be let down.” Mr Vaughan-Lyons is absolutely right to have registered that being “portrayed well” doesn’t always suit the demands of TV light entertainment.

The Only Way Is Mary’s?Portas Pilots reality TV show: “We either let the cameras in with me, or I go back on the train and some other town gets it.”


This is not about me, this is about Margate,” she said (the working title for the TV series is,

incidentally, “Mary Queen of the High Street”).


Blomberg van competition winner announced Independent retailer Adams & Jarrett of St Leonards-on-Sea has been announced as the winner of the Blomberg-branded van competition which was a feature of this year’s CI(H) show in April.

Owner of Adams & Jarrett, Nick Bridger, said he was “delighted” to have won the prize. “Our built-in fi tter was in need of a new van so this has come at just the right time. I visited the Blomberg stand at CI(H) because I was keen to see the new models. I have been stocking Blomberg for two years now and it has proved very successful for us in that time.”

Nick Bridger is pictured (left) with John Hawley, channel director of Independents at Beko.

George BartlettGeorge Bartlett, Director of Bartletts Hi-Fi in Holloway Road, North London and a well-respected member of the electrical retail community, died on 1 June 2012 after a brief illness.

Bartletts Hi-Fi was established in 1958 and the family business has become well known for its service and values. David Jefferys, a family friend and member of the team at supplier Armour Home, said: “George was a wonderful person who made everyone he met feel as if he’d known them for years, even at the fi rst meeting. He was devoted to his family, an excellent retailer, a well-known and respected personality in the hi-fi industry and an active BADA member.

“He will be sadly missed by all those who came into contact with him.”

British-based maker of Pure digital radios hits £36.8 million pre-taxImagination Technologies, the British company that licenses its technologies for use in smartphones, tablets, digital radios and other electronics devices, and which launched the Pure DAB radio brand ten years ago, initially as a showcase for its patented digital radio chips, has reported revenues up 30% to £127.5 million and adjusted pre-tax profi ts up 53% to £36.8 million in the year to 30 April 2012.

The company, based in Hertfordshire, generates the bulk of its global revenues from royalties on its Intellectual Property licensed to technology partners around the world for use in digital radios, TV set-top boxes, mobile phones, tablet computers, games consoles and cameras.

Microsoft looking at bricks-and-mortar in the UKMicrosoft, which recently registered a plc in the UK, is reported to be planning to open a retail store, probably in London, in March 2013. There is also speculation that further Microsoft retail outlets will follow in the Capital and around the UK. The launch of the company’s online store here is scheduled to take place this summer.

Microsoft would not give any further information about likely sites for the bricks-and-mortar store, but it is clear that one objective must be to start catching up with major competitor Apple, which has already demonstrated the benefi ts of establishing a distinctively branded retail store presence.

Microsoft COO Kevin Turner said last year that the company had a target of opening 75 new retail outlets over the next two years, but gave no indication of where these might be. There are currently 19 Microsoft stores in the US.

The news followed the unveiling of Microsoft’s “Surface”, an own-brand tablet, powered by Windows 8 and with choice of ARM-based or Intel processor. The device is a touchscreen unit that will put Microsoft in the market with its own hardware that can run standard applications such as Windows Photoshop and Offi ce, placing the brand in competition with tablet market leaders Apple, and also, later, with manufacturers who are looking to release Windows 8-powered tablets in the future.

Smeg adds Eire to Bodel’s distribution portfolioSmeg has appointed Bodel Distributors as its exclusive supplier for Ireland, following 13 years of successful distribution of the brand in Northern Ireland. The agreement to cover the Republic commences 1st August this year.



Energy Saving Trust accused of “scaremongering”Industry association retra has accused the Energy Saving Trust (EST) of “scaremongering”, after it released the fi ndings of a ‘Powering the nation’ study claiming that computers, televisions and other electrical products left plugged in, but not in use or on standby, costs the UK up to £1.3 billion a year in electricity bills.

retra chief executive Bryan Lovewell (pictured) said the EST had taken a “worst

case scenario” to generate headlines, and “at a time when the consumer electronics market is turbulent, to say the least, these negative headlines are tantamount to

scaremongering. I’ve seen fi gures from manufacturers that suggest that a great amount of work has gone into reducing both standby and off mode power consumptions to negligible rates.”

The ‘Powering the nation’ study is the fi rst of its type in the UK and was undertaken by the EST and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The government is hoping to use the survey to better understand energy usage and how households can become more effi cient without lowering their quality of living, thereby saving money and helping the UK towards its carbon cutting, climate change targets.

Mr Lovewell said the Government “should engage in dialogue with retra and its members as well as manufacturers as this study does not tell the whole story.”

An icon of British hi-fi returns…Britain’s most famous loudspeaker brand Wharfedale celebrates its 80th Anniversary this year with the return of the Denton, one of its “best loved” speakers of old, which was fi rst introduced in 1967.

The Denton claimed the balancing of craftsmanship, natural sound quality and aff ordability in a compact unit and was bought in its millions worldwide. Successive Denton designs ran until the late 1970s, at which point the famous name was confi ned to history. But, legendary loudspeaker designer Peter Comeau, Director of Acoustic Design at Wharfedale parent company IAG, has now re-imagined the Denton design to mark the company’s 80th Anniversary, with an updated edition using modern materials and manufacturing techniques to deliver a speaker that is fully equipped for the 21st Century. The process, he said, gave him “enormous pleasure.”

The product, fi nished in a deep, rich mahogany wood veneer with a recommended retail price of £499.95 per pair, will be available from July 2012 in a strictly limited quantity.

TRIC announces new PresidentImpressionist Jon Culshaw (pictured left) has been appointed President of the Television and Radio Industries Club (TRIC). He received his badge of offi ce from outgoing president, broadcaster Eamonn Holmes (right), at the recent TRIC luncheon held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

Cheques for money raised at recent TRIC events were presented to three charities: Kids for Kids, SOS Children and the Dogs Trust.

The annual TRIC Christmas Charity lunch will be held on Tuesday 11 December at the Grosvenor House Hotel. Bookings can be made via George Stone on 01277 624448 ([email protected])

Beko develops new ‘white’ range for CurrysBeko has launched a high-gloss white built-in double oven and hob which will be sold exclusively through Currys. The products are classifi ed by Beko as “premium, style-led” appliances and are designed to appeal to style-conscious consumers.

Sony brings Google TV to UK

Sony has announced that its NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV, originally introduced at CES in Las Vegas in January, will be available at retail in the UK in July. Sony claims to be the fi rst manufacturer to launch Google TV products outside the US, and the UK is the fi rst territory where it will be available,

followed later this year by Canada, Australia, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Gildas Pelliet, Sony’s European Head of Marketing, said: “We are proud to continue our relationship with Google through the introduction of the new Google TV Internet Player. Entertainment content is available through so many channels and sites, and Google TV helps consumers easily fi nd what they want to watch, listen or play with the freedom of the internet and using the familiar Chrome browser.”

Sony has also announced that, in addition to the NSZ-GS7 Internet Player, its newest Internet Blu-ray Disc™ player with Google TV, the NSZ-GP9, will be available from October initially in the US, followed by Canada, Australia, the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.


Blomberg van competition winner announced Independent retailer Adams & Jarrett of St Leonards-on-Sea has been announced as the winner of the Blomberg-branded van competition which was a feature of this year’s CI(H) show in April.

Owner of Adams & Jarrett, Nick Bridger, said he was “delighted” to have won the prize. “Our built-in fi tter was in need of a new van so this has come at just the right time. I visited the Blomberg stand at CI(H) because I was keen to see the new models. I have been stocking Blomberg for two years now and it has proved very successful for us in that time.”

Nick Bridger is pictured (left) with John Hawley, channel director of Independents at Beko.

George BartlettGeorge Bartlett, Director of Bartletts Hi-Fi in Holloway Road, North London and a well-respected member of the electrical retail community, died on 1 June 2012 after a brief illness.

Bartletts Hi-Fi was established in 1958 and the family business has become well known for its service and values. David Jefferys, a family friend and member of the team at supplier Armour Home, said: “George was a wonderful person who made everyone he met feel as if he’d known them for years, even at the fi rst meeting. He was devoted to his family, an excellent retailer, a well-known and respected personality in the hi-fi industry and an active BADA member.

“He will be sadly missed by all those who came into contact with him.”

British-based maker of Pure digital radios hits £36.8 million pre-taxImagination Technologies, the British company that licenses its technologies for use in smartphones, tablets, digital radios and other electronics devices, and which launched the Pure DAB radio brand ten years ago, initially as a showcase for its patented digital radio chips, has reported revenues up 30% to £127.5 million and adjusted pre-tax profi ts up 53% to £36.8 million in the year to 30 April 2012.

The company, based in Hertfordshire, generates the bulk of its global revenues from royalties on its Intellectual Property licensed to technology partners around the world for use in digital radios, TV set-top boxes, mobile phones, tablet computers, games consoles and cameras.

Microsoft looking at bricks-and-mortar in the UKMicrosoft, which recently registered a plc in the UK, is reported to be planning to open a retail store, probably in London, in March 2013. There is also speculation that further Microsoft retail outlets will follow in the Capital and around the UK. The launch of the company’s online store here is scheduled to take place this summer.

Microsoft would not give any further information about likely sites for the bricks-and-mortar store, but it is clear that one objective must be to start catching up with major competitor Apple, which has already demonstrated the benefi ts of establishing a distinctively branded retail store presence.

Microsoft COO Kevin Turner said last year that the company had a target of opening 75 new retail outlets over the next two years, but gave no indication of where these might be. There are currently 19 Microsoft stores in the US.

The news followed the unveiling of Microsoft’s “Surface”, an own-brand tablet, powered by Windows 8 and with choice of ARM-based or Intel processor. The device is a touchscreen unit that will put Microsoft in the market with its own hardware that can run standard applications such as Windows Photoshop and Offi ce, placing the brand in competition with tablet market leaders Apple, and also, later, with manufacturers who are looking to release Windows 8-powered tablets in the future.

Smeg adds Eire to Bodel’s distribution portfolioSmeg has appointed Bodel Distributors as its exclusive supplier for Ireland, following 13 years of successful distribution of the brand in Northern Ireland. The agreement to cover the Republic commences 1st August this year.


Energy Saving Trust accused of “scaremongering”Industry association retra has accused the Energy Saving Trust (EST) of “scaremongering”, after it released the fi ndings of a ‘Powering the nation’ study claiming that computers, televisions and other electrical products left plugged in, but not in use or on standby, costs the UK up to £1.3 billion a year in electricity bills.

retra chief executive Bryan Lovewell (pictured) said the EST had taken a “worst

case scenario” to generate headlines, and “at a time when the consumer electronics market is turbulent, to say the least, these negative headlines are tantamount to

scaremongering. I’ve seen fi gures from manufacturers that suggest that a great amount of work has gone into reducing both standby and off mode power consumptions to negligible rates.”

The ‘Powering the nation’ study is the fi rst of its type in the UK and was undertaken by the EST and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The government is hoping to use the survey to better understand energy usage and how households can become more effi cient without lowering their quality of living, thereby saving money and helping the UK towards its carbon cutting, climate change targets.

Mr Lovewell said the Government “should engage in dialogue with retra and its members as well as manufacturers as this study does not tell the whole story.”

An icon of British hi-fi returns…Britain’s most famous loudspeaker brand Wharfedale celebrates its 80th Anniversary this year with the return of the Denton, one of its “best loved” speakers of old, which was fi rst introduced in 1967.

The Denton claimed the balancing of craftsmanship, natural sound quality and aff ordability in a compact unit and was bought in its millions worldwide. Successive Denton designs ran until the late 1970s, at which point the famous name was confi ned to history. But, legendary loudspeaker designer Peter Comeau, Director of Acoustic Design at Wharfedale parent company IAG, has now re-imagined the Denton design to mark the company’s 80th Anniversary, with an updated edition using modern materials and manufacturing techniques to deliver a speaker that is fully equipped for the 21st Century. The process, he said, gave him “enormous pleasure.”

The product, fi nished in a deep, rich mahogany wood veneer with a recommended retail price of £499.95 per pair, will be available from July 2012 in a strictly limited quantity.

TRIC announces new PresidentImpressionist Jon Culshaw (pictured left) has been appointed President of the Television and Radio Industries Club (TRIC). He received his badge of offi ce from outgoing president, broadcaster Eamonn Holmes (right), at the recent TRIC luncheon held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

Cheques for money raised at recent TRIC events were presented to three charities: Kids for Kids, SOS Children and the Dogs Trust.

The annual TRIC Christmas Charity lunch will be held on Tuesday 11 December at the Grosvenor House Hotel. Bookings can be made via George Stone on 01277 624448 ([email protected])

Beko develops new ‘white’ range for CurrysBeko has launched a high-gloss white built-in double oven and hob which will be sold exclusively through Currys. The products are classifi ed by Beko as “premium, style-led” appliances and are designed to appeal to style-conscious consumers.

Sony brings Google TV to UK

Sony has announced that its NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV, originally introduced at CES in Las Vegas in January, will be available at retail in the UK in July. Sony claims to be the fi rst manufacturer to launch Google TV products outside the US, and the UK is the fi rst territory where it will be available,

followed later this year by Canada, Australia, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Gildas Pelliet, Sony’s European Head of Marketing, said: “We are proud to continue our relationship with Google through the introduction of the new Google TV Internet Player. Entertainment content is available through so many channels and sites, and Google TV helps consumers easily fi nd what they want to watch, listen or play with the freedom of the internet and using the familiar Chrome browser.”

Sony has also announced that, in addition to the NSZ-GS7 Internet Player, its newest Internet Blu-ray Disc™ player with Google TV, the NSZ-GP9, will be available from October initially in the US, followed by Canada, Australia, the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.



‘Creative Living’ with MieleMiele has embarked upon a ‘Creative Living’ programme of events, demonstrations and courses to provide “inspiration and expert advice” for a wide range of culinary topics. The programme comprises Let’s do…, Appliance Masterclass, Simply Cooking and Kitchen Secrets events, each presented by an expert chef, a trained specialist or a Miele partner.

Dominic Worsley, marketing director for Miele, said the programme has been designed to help support independents and to double the number of consumers that attend nationwide Miele events from 6,000 to 12,000. It also aims to engage consumers earlier in the purchase process and to give added value to existing Miele customers.

The events will be held at various locations around the UK throughout the year.

Linn partners with Universal MusicLinn Records and Universal Music Group have announced a “landmark partnership” to sell Universal’s catalogue as 24-bit Studio Master downloads. Albums from classic artists including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Diana Krall and John Coltrane can now be enjoyed as the artists originally heard them in the recording studio for the fi rst time.

Over 400 Studio Master albums are already available on linnrecords.com.

GDHA has received two Which? Best Buys for its Belling and Stoves range cookers. Both the Belling Classic 100GT and the Stoves Richmond 100GT were awarded Best Buy status after scoring a total of 73% each.

Smeg’s recently introduced 90cm range cooker, the Symphony SY92IPX8, and 110cm Symphony SY4110 have been awarded Which? Best Buys. Which? praised both cookers for their even browning, consistency of temperature and ease of maintenance.

Whirlpool has received Which? Best Buy awards for its MAX 109 microwave, the new WWDC 7410 washing machine and its AKR 503 IX decorative curved-glass

canopy hood.

Gorenje has received Red Dot

Design Awards for its SensoCARE freestanding washing machine and IQcook induction hob, two concept products launched by the manufacturer at last year’s IFA fair in Berlin.

Colin Hoad has joined LGL Distribution to manage the Southeast and London territories. His appointment is integral to the distributor’s 3-year growth plan.

Former Samsung National Accounts Manager Stephen Stroud has joined Portway Domestic Appliances to head up a new national sales strategy. Neil Bradford has become purchasing director, working alongside commercial director John Bainbridge.

A new promotion through Smeg’s network of built-in display stockists offers consumers purchasing the brand’s 60cm SIM62B Multizone induction hob the opportunity to claim a free 3-piece saucepan set made by premium homeware brand Zwilling J A Henckels. The offer runs until 31 December 2012.

Audio manufacturer Klipsch has announced a 12-month partnership with Jazz FM to sponsor the station’s Peppermint Candy swing show. The initiative will be supported online and give listeners the chance to win Klipsch’s latest headphones.

Indesit has teamed up with footballer Robbie Savage and self proclaimed ‘queen of vajazzle’ reality TV star Amy Childs to create a range of custom-designed appliance accessories. The accessory packs contain stickers for the purpose of decorating appliances and are on sale for £8 per pack through Indesit’s Facebook page. All proceeds will go to Sportsaid.

Monster has announced that Olympian athlete and record-holding sprinter Carol Rodriguez has been

become a “Monster Athlete for iSport™ Headphones.” Rodriguez will join other top athletes, including mixed martial art star Clifford Starks and world-renowned snowmobile, sled and dirt-bike freestyle specialist Justin Hoyer, as part of Monster’s GET FIT NOW campaign.

Smeg UK is investing strongly in magazine advertising from July through to October to support the launch of the 110cm dual fuel “Victoria” Traditional Range Cooker. This is a major launch for the brand, and the print media campaign will cover key consumer titles such as Good Housekeeping, Ideal Home, and BBC Good Food, reaching a targeted circulation of more than 2.2 million consumers.

Tefal has launched Facebook and Twitter communities to create consumer engagement with the brand, and is offering competitions to win various Tefal products along with hints and tips from a variety of professional sources. The brand has also partnered with 2010 Masterchef winner Dhruv Baker to launch a new selection of cooking products for 2012.



Electrolux brings professional Inspiration to new rangeThe Electrolux Inspiration range of cooking, refrigeration, dishwashing and laundry appliances draws strongly on the company’s experience as Europe’s leading supplier to professional kitchens and laundries. Features and functions originally created for professionals have been adapted for the benefi t of consumers to use at home.

As Electrolux’s Graham Bremer explains: “The Electrolux Professional Division is the number one supplier to professional kitchens and laundries in Europe. Professionals demand appliances that deliver outstanding results reliably and effi ciently and make it easier for them to do their jobs. In that sense, they don’t diff er from domestic customers, so it’s only natural we adapt the same principles in product development.”

It’s a powerful message at a time when consumers, exposed to more and more fi ne cuisine by top chefs in the media, are keen to reproduce the fi ne dining experience at home. It is perhaps not widely known that Electrolux is the chosen supplier of professional equipment to more than 50% of Europe’s Michelin-starred restaurants, and to reinforce the connection between its relationship with some of the world’s great chefs, and its domestic appliance expertise, Electrolux has brought “The Cube by Electrolux”, a unique touring gastronomic concept, to London, where it opened on June 1st and will stay through to September 30th.

Sited on top of the Royal Festival Hall and commanding unique aerial views of a broad sweep of the Thames, Westminster and the wider London skyline, “The Cube” is an intimate, 18-seat dining space and open-plan kitchen where diners can observe great chefs at work, see them using Electrolux professional equipment, and learn skills, techniques and shortcuts that are now available on Electrolux’s Inspiration range of home appliances.

A brigade of top chefs from around Britain, boasting some nine Michelin stars between them and all supported by Electrolux in their own restaurants, will provide the dining experience, plus the opportunity to see them at work, for the entire time that “The Cube” is in London.

The Inspiration range includes: the Electrolux CombiSteam EOB8851AAX oven, a full 72 litre model featuring a combination of steam-plus-hot-air cooking invented by Electrolux for professionals, fi ve shelf positions making it easier to employ the professionals’ trick of cooking more

dishes at the same time, and a convenient front-mounted temperature probe; the new Inspiro oven (available in the UK in September) featuring self-adjusting cooking sequences designed by professional chefs, plus automatic volume sensing; the Infi nitePure induction hob EHD8740FOK with touch-screen controls and professional standard high-precision backlit, intuitive rotary sliders; gas hobs (available in the UK from September) with

the Electrolux vertical fl ame burner adapted from professional equipment; new fridge/freezers designed to maintain optimal humidity and temperature, keeping ingredients fresher and more fl avoursome for longer; and hoods, dishwashers washing machines and dryers powered by high-effi ciency, reliable, quiet brushless inverters.

New Inspiration laundry and dishwashers are due for launch in September.

THE INSPIRATION INFINITEPURE INDUCTION HOB

UNIQUE VIEWS AND A UNIQUE MICHELIN STAR EXPERIENCE AT “THE CUBE” IN LONDON

Samsung Electronics appoints new CEO in surprise reshuffl eSamsung Electronics has announced that Mr Kwon Oh-hyun, formerly head of the company’s component business, is to be appointed Chief Executive Offi cer. Current CEO Mr Choi Gee-sung, who led Samsung Electronics to global No.1 position in television and smartphone manufacture, is to move to parent company Samsung Group to take over as head of corporate strategy, with a brief to develop new business across the Group.

The reshuffl e, which according to some industry watchers is part of the Group’s preparation to face further global fi nancial disruption and fi ercer competition from

China, will not impact noticeably on day-to-day operations, said Samsung in a statement. “As before, vice-chairman Kwon will oversee the company’s component business but, as chief executive, he will also handle corporate-wide affairs.”

The moves, which make changes to the leadership of a very successful worldwide electronics group, have caused some surprise, and rivals such as Apple – with whom Samsung is contesting the No1 spot in smartphones – will be watching closely, not least because Samsung supplies smartphone components to other manufacturers.

Armour Home appoints Big Red Sales Armour Home has reached an agreement with Big Red Sales Ltd to strengthen the presence of selected Armour products within the independent retail sector.

Chris Emerson, Armour sales and marketing director, said the partnership will complement the business’s own direct sales team and he is “confi dent” that the move will broaden sales penetration of the Armour product.


‘Creative Living’ with MieleMiele has embarked upon a ‘Creative Living’ programme of events, demonstrations and courses to provide “inspiration and expert advice” for a wide range of culinary topics. The programme comprises Let’s do…, Appliance Masterclass, Simply Cooking and Kitchen Secrets events, each presented by an expert chef, a trained specialist or a Miele partner.

Dominic Worsley, marketing director for Miele, said the programme has been designed to help support independents and to double the number of consumers that attend nationwide Miele events from 6,000 to 12,000. It also aims to engage consumers earlier in the purchase process and to give added value to existing Miele customers.

The events will be held at various locations around the UK throughout the year.

Linn partners with Universal MusicLinn Records and Universal Music Group have announced a “landmark partnership” to sell Universal’s catalogue as 24-bit Studio Master downloads. Albums from classic artists including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Diana Krall and John Coltrane can now be enjoyed as the artists originally heard them in the recording studio for the fi rst time.

Over 400 Studio Master albums are already available on linnrecords.com.

GDHA has received two Which? Best Buys for its Belling and Stoves range cookers. Both the Belling Classic 100GT and the Stoves Richmond 100GT were awarded Best Buy status after scoring a total of 73% each.

Smeg’s recently introduced 90cm range cooker, the Symphony SY92IPX8, and 110cm Symphony SY4110 have been awarded Which? Best Buys. Which? praised both cookers for their even browning, consistency of temperature and ease of maintenance.

Whirlpool has received Which? Best Buy awards for its MAX 109 microwave, the new WWDC 7410 washing machine and its AKR 503 IX decorative curved-glass

canopy hood.

Gorenje has received Red Dot

Design Awards for its SensoCARE freestanding washing machine and IQcook induction hob, two concept products launched by the manufacturer at last year’s IFA fair in Berlin.

Colin Hoad has joined LGL Distribution to manage the Southeast and London territories. His appointment is integral to the distributor’s 3-year growth plan.

Former Samsung National Accounts Manager Stephen Stroud has joined Portway Domestic Appliances to head up a new national sales strategy. Neil Bradford has become purchasing director, working alongside commercial director John Bainbridge.

A new promotion through Smeg’s network of built-in display stockists offers consumers purchasing the brand’s 60cm SIM62B Multizone induction hob the opportunity to claim a free 3-piece saucepan set made by premium homeware brand Zwilling J A Henckels. The offer runs until 31 December 2012.

Audio manufacturer Klipsch has announced a 12-month partnership with Jazz FM to sponsor the station’s Peppermint Candy swing show. The initiative will be supported online and give listeners the chance to win Klipsch’s latest headphones.

Indesit has teamed up with footballer Robbie Savage and self proclaimed ‘queen of vajazzle’ reality TV star Amy Childs to create a range of custom-designed appliance accessories. The accessory packs contain stickers for the purpose of decorating appliances and are on sale for £8 per pack through Indesit’s Facebook page. All proceeds will go to Sportsaid.

Monster has announced that Olympian athlete and record-holding sprinter Carol Rodriguez has been

become a “Monster Athlete for iSport™ Headphones.” Rodriguez will join other top athletes, including mixed martial art star Clifford Starks and world-renowned snowmobile, sled and dirt-bike freestyle specialist Justin Hoyer, as part of Monster’s GET FIT NOW campaign.

Smeg UK is investing strongly in magazine advertising from July through to October to support the launch of the 110cm dual fuel “Victoria” Traditional Range Cooker. This is a major launch for the brand, and the print media campaign will cover key consumer titles such as Good Housekeeping, Ideal Home, and BBC Good Food, reaching a targeted circulation of more than 2.2 million consumers.

Tefal has launched Facebook and Twitter communities to create consumer engagement with the brand, and is offering competitions to win various Tefal products along with hints and tips from a variety of professional sources. The brand has also partnered with 2010 Masterchef winner Dhruv Baker to launch a new selection of cooking products for 2012.


Electrolux brings professional Inspiration to new rangeThe Electrolux Inspiration range of cooking, refrigeration, dishwashing and laundry appliances draws strongly on the company’s experience as Europe’s leading supplier to professional kitchens and laundries. Features and functions originally created for professionals have been adapted for the benefi t of consumers to use at home.

As Electrolux’s Graham Bremer explains: “The Electrolux Professional Division is the number one supplier to professional kitchens and laundries in Europe. Professionals demand appliances that deliver outstanding results reliably and effi ciently and make it easier for them to do their jobs. In that sense, they don’t diff er from domestic customers, so it’s only natural we adapt the same principles in product development.”

It’s a powerful message at a time when consumers, exposed to more and more fi ne cuisine by top chefs in the media, are keen to reproduce the fi ne dining experience at home. It is perhaps not widely known that Electrolux is the chosen supplier of professional equipment to more than 50% of Europe’s Michelin-starred restaurants, and to reinforce the connection between its relationship with some of the world’s great chefs, and its domestic appliance expertise, Electrolux has brought “The Cube by Electrolux”, a unique touring gastronomic concept, to London, where it opened on June 1st and will stay through to September 30th.

Sited on top of the Royal Festival Hall and commanding unique aerial views of a broad sweep of the Thames, Westminster and the wider London skyline, “The Cube” is an intimate, 18-seat dining space and open-plan kitchen where diners can observe great chefs at work, see them using Electrolux professional equipment, and learn skills, techniques and shortcuts that are now available on Electrolux’s Inspiration range of home appliances.

A brigade of top chefs from around Britain, boasting some nine Michelin stars between them and all supported by Electrolux in their own restaurants, will provide the dining experience, plus the opportunity to see them at work, for the entire time that “The Cube” is in London.

The Inspiration range includes: the Electrolux CombiSteam EOB8851AAX oven, a full 72 litre model featuring a combination of steam-plus-hot-air cooking invented by Electrolux for professionals, fi ve shelf positions making it easier to employ the professionals’ trick of cooking more

dishes at the same time, and a convenient front-mounted temperature probe; the new Inspiro oven (available in the UK in September) featuring self-adjusting cooking sequences designed by professional chefs, plus automatic volume sensing; the Infi nitePure induction hob EHD8740FOK with touch-screen controls and professional standard high-precision backlit, intuitive rotary sliders; gas hobs (available in the UK from September) with

the Electrolux vertical fl ame burner adapted from professional equipment; new fridge/freezers designed to maintain optimal humidity and temperature, keeping ingredients fresher and more fl avoursome for longer; and hoods, dishwashers washing machines and dryers powered by high-effi ciency, reliable, quiet brushless inverters.

New Inspiration laundry and dishwashers are due for launch in September.

THE INSPIRATION INFINITEPURE INDUCTION HOB

UNIQUE VIEWS AND A UNIQUE MICHELIN STAR EXPERIENCE AT “THE CUBE” IN LONDON

Samsung Electronics appoints new CEO in surprise reshuffl eSamsung Electronics has announced that Mr Kwon Oh-hyun, formerly head of the company’s component business, is to be appointed Chief Executive Offi cer. Current CEO Mr Choi Gee-sung, who led Samsung Electronics to global No.1 position in television and smartphone manufacture, is to move to parent company Samsung Group to take over as head of corporate strategy, with a brief to develop new business across the Group.

The reshuffl e, which according to some industry watchers is part of the Group’s preparation to face further global fi nancial disruption and fi ercer competition from

China, will not impact noticeably on day-to-day operations, said Samsung in a statement. “As before, vice-chairman Kwon will oversee the company’s component business but, as chief executive, he will also handle corporate-wide affairs.”

The moves, which make changes to the leadership of a very successful worldwide electronics group, have caused some surprise, and rivals such as Apple – with whom Samsung is contesting the No1 spot in smartphones – will be watching closely, not least because Samsung supplies smartphone components to other manufacturers.

Armour Home appoints Big Red Sales Armour Home has reached an agreement with Big Red Sales Ltd to strengthen the presence of selected Armour products within the independent retail sector.

Chris Emerson, Armour sales and marketing director, said the partnership will complement the business’s own direct sales team and he is “confi dent” that the move will broaden sales penetration of the Armour product.

THE WORD | THE WORD | THE WORD | INDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWS


Sony and Panasonic to Collaborate on OLED Sony and Panasonic have signed an agreement to jointly develop next-generation OLED panels and modules for TVs and large-sized displays, with the aim of establishing mass-production technology during 2013.

The news follows the unveiling of the world’s largest and slimmest OLED TV by LG Electronics in May this year. The 55-inch unit will be brought to the European market in the second half of 2012.

Smart TV Alliance offi cially launchedLG Electronics and TP Vision (for Philips TVs) have announced the offi cial establishment of the Smart TV Alliance, a co-operation that aims to enhance the Smart TV experience by developing a non-proprietary ecosystem for application developers to create platform-independent services.

The establishment of the Alliance comes after the collaboration of the aforementioned TV makers announced at IFA 2011 in Berlin. The Alliance said that Japanese TV manufacturers are in the process of joining and other names will be announced in due course.

Liebherr has the X FactorRefrigeration specialist Liebherr has won Plus X awards for three of its latest appliances along with the award for ‘Specialist Trade Brand of the Year 2012’.

‘Best Product of the Year’ was awarded to the new A+++ rated TP 1760 table-height fridge, the A+++ rated GP 1486 table-height freezer and the B-rated WTes 5872 Vinidor wine cabinet, which is due to launch this summer in the UK. The wine cabinet also gained an award for outstanding achievements within a product category, and all appliances received Plus X Awards for ‘High quality, design and ease of use’.

The Specialist Trade Brand of the Year in the ‘Large Home Appliances’ product group was presented to Liebherr based on the “special partner-like quality of its sales structure, fair distribution and commercially attractive product portfolio.”

Indesit’s Walker swims for SportsaidIndesit is sponsoring its National Account Manager Adam Walker to complete a 26-mile swim down Hawaii’s Molokai Straits to raise money for Sportsaid. The activity will take Walker a step closer to completing the Ocean 7 Challenge to conquer the world’s seven most diffi cult swimming feats.

Walker, who has already swum the English Channel and the Gibraltar Straits, said this will be the hardest achievement yet. “I will be up against huge swells and aggressive marine life like whales, jelly fi sh and, of course, tiger sharks. This swim should take around 13 to 14 hours and will be the hardest challenge of my life.” To sponsor Walker, visit www.justgiving.com/molokaistraitswim

WALKER RIGHT WITH WORLD RECORD HOLDING SWIMMER MARK FOSTER

Off The Wall ready with next stage of growth strategyBradford-based TV furniture company Off The Wall is spearheading its growth strategy this summer with the launch of three new product ranges over the next month, off ering “stylish designs, TV and Soundbar integration and space-saving consumer benefi ts together with highly competitive price points and retail margins.”

The company foresees that the wider product portfolio will demand “increased focus” on its independent and department store retail channels, and will be investing in key areas such as sales, marketing, merchandising and training.

The current expansion phase has prompted the fi rm to employ its own dedicated fi eld sales force, and a spokesperson called upon “industry sales agent professionals who are interested in being part of this British success story” to get in touch. Initial enquiries to Neil Truckel at [email protected]

Sky remains the home of Premier League Football Sky has successfully secured 116 Premier League live matches per year for the 2013/14 and 2015/16 seasons. The broadcaster will pay £760 million per annum for the 5 packages of live rights for each of the three years of the new agreement.

The deal complements a series of recent rights acquisitions and renewals including the Football League, UEFA Champions League, Formula One and England’s domestic and international cricket.

Sony to become Offi cial Screen Partner of The O2Sony Consumer Electronics and sister companies Sony Professional and Sony Computer Entertainment have joined forces to bring “the best” in products and content together to deliver an entertainment experience at music and entertainment venue The O2.

Sony said it will place over 280 new BRAVIA displays throughout the venue over

the coming months to enhance the overall experiences of the eight million annual visitors. The Japanese CE company has also appointed agency Iris Worldwide to install a 120m2 experiential space that will be open all year to showcase the connected world of its latest products, services, content and entertainment platforms.



The small appliance market has ridden the wave of economic turbulence remarkably well over the past few years while many other electrical sectors have struggled to keep their heads above water throughout an extraordinarily rough tide of depression. In particular, we’ve witnessed a move towards high-end products – those that deliver style, performance and longevity, and which make life easier for overstretched consumers whose lifestyles have altered in these “challenging” times.

important to mention because of the high use of Vitamix blenders by professional chefs who have come to rely on the machines and appreciate just how much they to have to off er.” On the retail side, the brand off ers “a standout piece of merchandise that brings in customers and provides both a good margin and high turnover.”

Product assetsWring believes that the UK retailer is now starting to understand the potential of the Vitamix brand just as traders in its home territory do. He points out that, “in the US, Vitamix is the number-one selling

item in the largest American retail kitchen chain, and three diff erent Vitamix blenders are amongst the top 10 selling products.”

It is a success story that Vitamix would like to replicate in the UK.

“The UK is a very important market for us, and one that the company is investing heavily in,” asserts Wring. “We need all good

retailers to understand the benefi ts of stocking Vitamix for their customers and good distribution is vital for the brand.”

In Britain, the Vitamix® Professional Series 500 is promoted as “the ultimate kitchen appliance.” The product blends, mixes, kneads, chops and cooks, so delivers a range of culinary delicacies, from chilled cocktails and fruit sorbets to fl avoursome hot soups. The Vitamix® Total Nutrition Centre, meanwhile, is aimed at the health-conscious consumer and is capable of performing up to 50 tasks “quickly and easily.” Both appliances hold a 7-year guarantee.

In a nutshell, Wring maintains that Vitamix off ers the highest quality blender in the world, and the brand’s “fi rst-class” customer service and substantial UK marketing spend will ensure that all retailers benefi t from the Vitamix experience.

E ntertaining at home has become a popular and pleasurable pastime, stimulated both by an enthusiastic media and fi nancial circumstance, and since it is an activity that

demands time and profi ciency, the right tools for the job are a must; hence, the food prep sector has benefi tted signifi cantly, with sales of up-market and professional products that off er good margins for retailers continuing to fl ourish. And the demographic for such product is “broader than people think,” according to Nick Wring, UK/Ireland National Sales Manager for Vitamix, manufacturer of the high-quality, multifunctional blender which carries its name and a premium price tag.

“Vitamix appeals to people who are either very passionate about their cooking or simply want the best blender on the market,” Wring tells GC. “In our experience, whether consumers have to save for a Vitamix or they simply buy on impulse, the product sells. No other blender has the credentials or the performance.”

Strong pedigreeVitamix entered the UK market in 2005 and it could be classed as ‘one of the best kept secrets’ in the food prep sector here as the name is not widely known throughout the industry. Yet the US company, which is privately owned and operated by the Barnard family, has been making blenders since 1921.

Wring says that the brand’s single greatest source of new customers is those that own one of these high-performing kitchen essentials and who recommend the product to friends.... and so the grapevine blossoms and grows. “Word of mouth is vital to Vitamix,” he adds, “and the demographic for products is broader than people think. Because Vitamix blenders are built to last a lifetime, the cost of ownership can be justifi ed by buying the best. So while in the UK the consumer is mainly in the ABC1 category, the geographic spread is everywhere.”

Vitamix’s route to market is two-fold: the commercial sector and the retail sector, which in turn is represented by three channels – the independent, the multiples and the web. “The commercial side is

NICK WRING, NATIONAL SALES MANAGER, VITAMIX

“A standout piece of merchandise that brings in customers and provides both a good margin and high turnover.”

GC turns the spotlight on:

Because Vitamix blenders are built to last a lifetime,

the cost of ownership can be justifi ed by buying the best.”


Sony and Panasonic to Collaborate on OLED Sony and Panasonic have signed an agreement to jointly develop next-generation OLED panels and modules for TVs and large-sized displays, with the aim of establishing mass-production technology during 2013.

The news follows the unveiling of the world’s largest and slimmest OLED TV by LG Electronics in May this year. The 55-inch unit will be brought to the European market in the second half of 2012.

Smart TV Alliance offi cially launchedLG Electronics and TP Vision (for Philips TVs) have announced the offi cial establishment of the Smart TV Alliance, a co-operation that aims to enhance the Smart TV experience by developing a non-proprietary ecosystem for application developers to create platform-independent services.

The establishment of the Alliance comes after the collaboration of the aforementioned TV makers announced at IFA 2011 in Berlin. The Alliance said that Japanese TV manufacturers are in the process of joining and other names will be announced in due course.

Liebherr has the X FactorRefrigeration specialist Liebherr has won Plus X awards for three of its latest appliances along with the award for ‘Specialist Trade Brand of the Year 2012’.

‘Best Product of the Year’ was awarded to the new A+++ rated TP 1760 table-height fridge, the A+++ rated GP 1486 table-height freezer and the B-rated WTes 5872 Vinidor wine cabinet, which is due to launch this summer in the UK. The wine cabinet also gained an award for outstanding achievements within a product category, and all appliances received Plus X Awards for ‘High quality, design and ease of use’.

The Specialist Trade Brand of the Year in the ‘Large Home Appliances’ product group was presented to Liebherr based on the “special partner-like quality of its sales structure, fair distribution and commercially attractive product portfolio.”

Indesit’s Walker swims for SportsaidIndesit is sponsoring its National Account Manager Adam Walker to complete a 26-mile swim down Hawaii’s Molokai Straits to raise money for Sportsaid. The activity will take Walker a step closer to completing the Ocean 7 Challenge to conquer the world’s seven most diffi cult swimming feats.

Walker, who has already swum the English Channel and the Gibraltar Straits, said this will be the hardest achievement yet. “I will be up against huge swells and aggressive marine life like whales, jelly fi sh and, of course, tiger sharks. This swim should take around 13 to 14 hours and will be the hardest challenge of my life.” To sponsor Walker, visit www.justgiving.com/molokaistraitswim

WALKER RIGHT WITH WORLD RECORD HOLDING SWIMMER MARK FOSTER

Off The Wall ready with next stage of growth strategyBradford-based TV furniture company Off The Wall is spearheading its growth strategy this summer with the launch of three new product ranges over the next month, off ering “stylish designs, TV and Soundbar integration and space-saving consumer benefi ts together with highly competitive price points and retail margins.”

The company foresees that the wider product portfolio will demand “increased focus” on its independent and department store retail channels, and will be investing in key areas such as sales, marketing, merchandising and training.

The current expansion phase has prompted the fi rm to employ its own dedicated fi eld sales force, and a spokesperson called upon “industry sales agent professionals who are interested in being part of this British success story” to get in touch. Initial enquiries to Neil Truckel at [email protected]

Sky remains the home of Premier League Football Sky has successfully secured 116 Premier League live matches per year for the 2013/14 and 2015/16 seasons. The broadcaster will pay £760 million per annum for the 5 packages of live rights for each of the three years of the new agreement.

The deal complements a series of recent rights acquisitions and renewals including the Football League, UEFA Champions League, Formula One and England’s domestic and international cricket.

Sony to become Offi cial Screen Partner of The O2Sony Consumer Electronics and sister companies Sony Professional and Sony Computer Entertainment have joined forces to bring “the best” in products and content together to deliver an entertainment experience at music and entertainment venue The O2.

Sony said it will place over 280 new BRAVIA displays throughout the venue over

the coming months to enhance the overall experiences of the eight million annual visitors. The Japanese CE company has also appointed agency Iris Worldwide to install a 120m2 experiential space that will be open all year to showcase the connected world of its latest products, services, content and entertainment platforms.


SPOTLIGHT ON VITAMIX

The small appliance market has ridden the wave of economic turbulence remarkably well over the past few years while many other electrical sectors have struggled to keep their heads above water throughout an extraordinarily rough tide of depression. In particular, we’ve witnessed a move towards high-end products – those that deliver style, performance and longevity, and which make life easier for overstretched consumers whose lifestyles have altered in these “challenging” times.

important to mention because of the high use of Vitamix blenders by professional chefs who have come to rely on the machines and appreciate just how much they to have to off er.” On the retail side, the brand off ers “a standout piece of merchandise that brings in customers and provides both a good margin and high turnover.”

Product assetsWring believes that the UK retailer is now starting to understand the potential of the Vitamix brand just as traders in its home territory do. He points out that, “in the US, Vitamix is the number-one selling

item in the largest American retail kitchen chain, and three diff erent Vitamix blenders are amongst the top 10 selling products.”

It is a success story that Vitamix would like to replicate in the UK.

“The UK is a very important market for us, and one that the company is investing heavily in,” asserts Wring. “We need all good

retailers to understand the benefi ts of stocking Vitamix for their customers and good distribution is vital for the brand.”

In Britain, the Vitamix® Professional Series 500 is promoted as “the ultimate kitchen appliance.” The product blends, mixes, kneads, chops and cooks, so delivers a range of culinary delicacies, from chilled cocktails and fruit sorbets to fl avoursome hot soups. The Vitamix® Total Nutrition Centre, meanwhile, is aimed at the health-conscious consumer and is capable of performing up to 50 tasks “quickly and easily.” Both appliances hold a 7-year guarantee.

In a nutshell, Wring maintains that Vitamix off ers the highest quality blender in the world, and the brand’s “fi rst-class” customer service and substantial UK marketing spend will ensure that all retailers benefi t from the Vitamix experience.

E ntertaining at home has become a popular and pleasurable pastime, stimulated both by an enthusiastic media and fi nancial circumstance, and since it is an activity that

demands time and profi ciency, the right tools for the job are a must; hence, the food prep sector has benefi tted signifi cantly, with sales of up-market and professional products that off er good margins for retailers continuing to fl ourish. And the demographic for such product is “broader than people think,” according to Nick Wring, UK/Ireland National Sales Manager for Vitamix, manufacturer of the high-quality, multifunctional blender which carries its name and a premium price tag.

“Vitamix appeals to people who are either very passionate about their cooking or simply want the best blender on the market,” Wring tells GC. “In our experience, whether consumers have to save for a Vitamix or they simply buy on impulse, the product sells. No other blender has the credentials or the performance.”

Strong pedigreeVitamix entered the UK market in 2005 and it could be classed as ‘one of the best kept secrets’ in the food prep sector here as the name is not widely known throughout the industry. Yet the US company, which is privately owned and operated by the Barnard family, has been making blenders since 1921.

Wring says that the brand’s single greatest source of new customers is those that own one of these high-performing kitchen essentials and who recommend the product to friends.... and so the grapevine blossoms and grows. “Word of mouth is vital to Vitamix,” he adds, “and the demographic for products is broader than people think. Because Vitamix blenders are built to last a lifetime, the cost of ownership can be justifi ed by buying the best. So while in the UK the consumer is mainly in the ABC1 category, the geographic spread is everywhere.”

Vitamix’s route to market is two-fold: the commercial sector and the retail sector, which in turn is represented by three channels – the independent, the multiples and the web. “The commercial side is

NICK WRING, NATIONAL SALES MANAGER, VITAMIX

“A standout piece of merchandise that brings in customers and provides both a good margin and high turnover.”

GC turns the spotlight on:

Because Vitamix blenders are built to last a lifetime,

the cost of ownership can be justifi ed by buying the best.”


Smeg TR4110P 110cm range cooker This traditional-style range cooker from Smeg incorporates a main oven, auxiliary oven, grill compartment and storage compartment with ‘press and release’ doors. The 110cm appliance is available in cream with other fi nishes due at a later date.

❯ Flexible hob with high-powered wok burner and 4 variable powered burners

❯ Teppanyaki plate above two additional burners

❯ Choice of cooking functions includes Smeg’s Circulaire

❯ Black up-stand branded with the retro Smeg logo

0844 557 0070 www.smeguk.com

Philips Fidelio Primo DS9100WPhilips has added Apple™ Airplay wireless audio streaming and extended audio performance to its Fidelio Primo DS9000W. The upgraded model, DS91000W, has redesigned bass ports, digital active crossover and bi-amped drivers.

❯ iPod/iPhone dock connector / iPad compatible dock

❯ Clock / Alarm

❯ 2 x bass speakers / 2 x tweeters

❯ Black / silver fi nish

01293 773128 www.philips.co.uk

OmniMount WORK rangeOmniMount’s new range of sit-to-stand workstation mounts is now available in the UK. The WORK15 and WORK20 are part of the brand’s ActionMount series and off er fl exibility for users in multi-purpose workspaces.

❯ Full motion functionality

❯ Easy installation via desk clamp or grommet mounting

❯ WORK15 (SRP £285.00) supports single monitor up to 15 pounds

❯ WORK20 (£300.00) supports two side-by-side monitors up to 20 pounds

www.omnimount.com

Dimplex Optisuite2go®Dimplex has introduced the Optisuite2go®, a self-assembly fi replace range in a choice of two fi nishes incorporating the brand’s award-winning Optifl ame. Dimplex claims that the units are faster to assemble than those of leading competitors.

❯ Solus model (pictured): brushed stainless steel inset fi re with a pebble eff ect fuel bed / Cream surround with reversible back panel: cream stone or slate grey eff ect

❯ Caleta model: brass eff ect inset fi re with real coals / White surround with black/white reversible back panel

❯ 2kW / 1kW concealed fan heater

❯ Overheat cut-out / CE and BEAB approved

0845 601 5111 www.dimplex.co.uk

EchoStar Ultra Slim Box HDT-610R digital TV recorderEchoStar has launched what it claims is “the world’s slimmest digital TV recorder” (DTR) for Freeview, off ering a number of smart features within a 14mm aluminium chasis, including the ability to pause or rewind live TV and record a complete series at the touch of a button using ‘Series Link’.

❯ 500GB hard disk drive / Up to 300 hours of recording space

❯ Twin tuner / Internet connectivity

❯ Award-winning user interface / Setup wizard for ease of installation

❯ Dolby® Digital Plus audio support

01535 659000 www.myechostar.com


Pure Mini & Mi Union Jack digital radiosPure has added to its collection of patriotic-styled radios with the ‘One Mini Union Jack’ and the ‘One Mi Union Jack’, both of which are promoted as “ideal travelling companions” off ering “surprisingly punchy audio”. One Mini Union Jack features:

❯ Digital and FM radio

❯ 20 hours of portable listening when fi tted with optional ChargePAK B1

❯ 16 presets / textSCAN to pause and control scrolling text

❯ Auxiliary input / Headphone socket / USB socket

0845 1489001 www.pure.com

Fagor IF-ZONE90HBS 93cm 4/5 zone induction hob Fagor’s latest collection of induction hobs incorporates Freezone technology and is available in 63cm and 93cm widths. This 93cm touch-control model is fi nished in silver glass and features a central digital display.

❯ Zone sizes: 16cm, 21cm and 28cm / 23cm x 40cm Freezone

❯ 12 power levels / Booster function and timer on all zones

❯ Special ‘pasta’ function

❯ 7 safety features

01256 308 067 www.fagor.co.uk Rowenta DW6010 Eco Focus Iron

The new Rowenta DW6010 Eco Focus iron claims to use 30% less energy than a standard iron due to its Microsteam 400 3De Soleplate which, according to the brand, increases effi ciency.

❯ 300ml capacity tank

❯ Auto steam regulates output dependent upon fabric type

❯ 0-40g/min variable steam / 180g/min shot of steam

❯ Anti-scale / Anti-drip

01753 834900 www.rowenta.co.uk

EchoStar Ultra Slim Box HDT-610R digital TV recorderEchoStar has launched what it claims is “the world’s slimmest digital TV recorder” (DTR) for Freeview, off ering a number of smart features within a 14mm aluminium chasis, including the ability to pause or rewind live TV and record a complete series at the touch of a button using ‘Series Link’.

❯ 500GB hard disk drive / Up to 300 hours of recording space

❯ Twin tuner / Internet connectivity

❯ Award-winning user interface / Setup wizard for ease of installation

❯ Dolby® Digital Plus audio support

01535 659000 www.myechostar.com

Amica built-under larder fridge & freezerA 60cm built-under larder fridge and built-under freezer are now available in the Amica appliance collection. The A+ rated products are designed to be specifi ed in pairs and are supported by a 2-year parts and labour guarantee. UC150.3 Built-Under Larder Fridge (pictured) features:

❯ Capacity 142 litres /5.0cu ft gross

❯ Glass shelves x 2 / Crisper Drawers x 2 / Door storage shelves x 2

❯ Reversible door with fi xed hinge system

❯ Operates at 41 dB(A)

01425 461600 www.amica-international.co.uk


THE GREEN ROOM

“Global warming? Great! We’ll all have warmer weather in the future.”

“Yeah, I’ve always wanted to grow pineapples and bananas on the patio.”

“The sea level is rising. That’s good, isn’t it?” “Yep. No more water shortages.”

“But the polar bears are drowning.” “Nah, that’s media hype…”

forests that naturally absorb CO2 from the air and

breeding great numbers of methane-producing livestock; hence, extra carbon in the atmosphere has been raising global temperatures.

According to NASA, as the world consumes more and more fossil fuels, greenhouse gas concentrations will continue to rise and the earth’s average surface temperature will rise with them, possibly by an average of between 2°C and 6°C by the end of the 21st century.

Paradise postponedBut global warming does not mean we’ll all enjoy basking in warmer, sunnier climes in the future. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature,, as climate patterns change, more extreme and

We know that many people fi nd the issue of global warming confusing and

some remain skeptical of the existence of such a phenomenon at all, arguing that climate change and its eff ect(s) has been a characteristic of the earth’s transition since the beginning of time. Yet, slowly but surely, evidence mounts that the planet is under threat as adverse weather conditions and resource and commodity shortages become notable features of our everyday existence.

Industrialised nations have throughout the past century and a half inadvertently upset the delicate balance of the carbon cycle by burning vast amounts of fossil fuels, cutting down the

THE GREEN ROOM

unpredicted weather will be experienced around the world. Some places will be hotter, some colder, some wetter and others drier. “We know the planet has warmed by an average of nearly 1ºC in the past century. That might not sound much, but small rises can create big problems for people and wildlife.”

A rise of just 2ºC means severe storms and fl oods in some countries and droughts in many more; seas become more acidic, coral and krill die and food chains are destroyed. And the lack of Arctic ice in summer is “not just bad news for polar bears,” says the WWF, “it also means that the global climate warms faster, as polar ice defl ects sunlight.”

But what does this mean for the electrical industry and for consumers? Do we see global ‘greening’ as a passing fad, or are we seeing a cycle of change in attitudes towards the environment and sustainability?

Burning issueMany things contribute to global warming and environmental imbalances, and one which is high on the list of off enders is

Star quality, large capacity, great design. The coolest choice for your customers.

Beko — the best-selling cooling brand in the UK*

See our TV ad at www.beko.co.uk

Beko Four Door Fridge Freezer

Large multizone compartment forfridge and freezer storage

Bluelight technology prolongs fruitand vegetable storage life

Interactive LCD display with energysaving eco and holiday settings

Fingerprint free stainless steel doors

*GFK panelmarket Apr 2011-Mar 2012 in vol, 18.1%

Fridge Freezers December 2010

BEK0175_AdTemplates_Fridge_A4_AW3.indd 1 14/05/2012 10:06


“Global warming? Great! We’ll all have warmer weather in the future.”

“Yeah, I’ve always wanted to grow pineapples and bananas on the patio.”

“The sea level is rising. That’s good, isn’t it?” “Yep. No more water shortages.”

“But the polar bears are drowning.” “Nah, that’s media hype…”

forests that naturally absorb CO2 from the air and

breeding great numbers of methane-producing livestock; hence, extra carbon in the atmosphere has been raising global temperatures.

According to NASA, as the world consumes more and more fossil fuels, greenhouse gas concentrations will continue to rise and the earth’s average surface temperature will rise with them, possibly by an average of between 2°C and 6°C by the end of the 21st century.

Paradise postponedBut global warming does not mean we’ll all enjoy basking in warmer, sunnier climes in the future. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature,, as climate patterns change, more extreme and

We know that many people fi nd the issue of global warming confusing and

some remain skeptical of the existence of such a phenomenon at all, arguing that climate change and its eff ect(s) has been a characteristic of the earth’s transition since the beginning of time. Yet, slowly but surely, evidence mounts that the planet is under threat as adverse weather conditions and resource and commodity shortages become notable features of our everyday existence.

Industrialised nations have throughout the past century and a half inadvertently upset the delicate balance of the carbon cycle by burning vast amounts of fossil fuels, cutting down the

THE GREEN ROOM

unpredicted weather will be experienced around the world. Some places will be hotter, some colder, some wetter and others drier. “We know the planet has warmed by an average of nearly 1ºC in the past century. That might not sound much, but small rises can create big problems for people and wildlife.”

A rise of just 2ºC means severe storms and fl oods in some countries and droughts in many more; seas become more acidic, coral and krill die and food chains are destroyed. And the lack of Arctic ice in summer is “not just bad news for polar bears,” says the WWF, “it also means that the global climate warms faster, as polar ice defl ects sunlight.”

But what does this mean for the electrical industry and for consumers? Do we see global ‘greening’ as a passing fad, or are we seeing a cycle of change in attitudes towards the environment and sustainability?

Burning issueMany things contribute to global warming and environmental imbalances, and one which is high on the list of off enders is

Star quality, large capacity, great design. The coolest choice for your customers.

Beko — the best-selling cooling brand in the UK*

See our TV ad at www.beko.co.uk

Beko Four Door Fridge Freezer

Large multizone compartment forfridge and freezer storage

Bluelight technology prolongs fruitand vegetable storage life

Interactive LCD display with energysaving eco and holiday settings

Fingerprint free stainless steel doors

*GFK panelmarket Apr 2011-Mar 2012 in vol, 18.1%

Fridge Freezers December 2010

BEK0175_AdTemplates_Fridge_A4_AW3.indd 1 14/05/2012 10:06


domestic electrical goods. Rita Balestrazzi, Marketing Manager for Baumatic, highlights “staggering statistics” which reveal that white goods alone consume around 60% of the world’s electrical energy and around 70% of the energy used in the average-sized family home. “In the UK,” she says, “it is estimated that between 30% and 50% of energy could be saved on white goods – a shocking statistic that shows the kind of money the nation is collectively wasting.”

But she believes that such fi gures are now creating the impetus needed for consumers to go green. “Until recently, greening has been seen as a somewhat contentious issue, with many doubting the merit and legitimacy of energy-effi cient technology. However, attitudes are changing.”

Balestrazzi’s view is that EU regulations for appliances have played a part in the “green turnaround”, ensuring that fridge/freezers, for example, must carry an A+ (or above) energy rating: “An important development, given the fact that refrigeration is the second biggest consumer of energy in the home,” she remarks. “And with an increase in the number of government-backed green campaigns, manufacturers and

retailers alike are now in a position to build upon consumer awareness.

“If consumers invested in more energy-effi cient appliances, it is estimated that they could cut their CO

2 emissions by 2,656kg and

save up to £705 per year. The average UK consumer would also pay less for the damage caused by chemical leakages and water contamination, as well as for the sourcing of precious metals which we currently waste. Understanding how everyday living costs can be signifi cantly cut is paramount in encouraging consumers to go green,“ she adds.

Smeg UK Product Development and Training Manager Joan Fraser also believes that attitudes to the environment are changing, albeit “in diff ering degrees.” Her opinion is that the speed and adoption of practices depends upon timing and the presence of the right set of circumstances. “For example,” she asserts, “the recycling of plastic supermarket carrier bags succeeded because of a swift change in attitudes. Yet owners of old, water and energy-hungry washing machines will only consider purchasing newer, more economical models when the need arises and they simply have no choice.”

But the state of the environment is a “key moral, economic and conservation issue that can no longer be ignored,” adds Gorenje Sales and Marketing Director Bill Miller. “It has a huge impact on every person and every country.”

Apart from the costs incurred through the need to repair the damage done to the environment by the use of ineffi cient appliances, Miller rightly points out the negative eff ect that such products can have on consumer fi nances and believes that

the diffi cult economic climate has, without doubt, had a huge impact on the demand for resource-effi cient goods. “It has taken time,” he says, “but awareness of environmental issues and the benefi ts of green appliances are certainly increasing. Thanks in no small part to the eff orts of retailers and manufacturers we are fi nding that many consumers now see energy-effi cient appliances as a necessity.”

Juliana Sado, Brand Marketing Manager for Whirlpool UK, is in agreement. “The world has truly changed,” she says. “It has taken a long time to get the consumer to understand the benefi ts of eco-appliances, but now they are a ‘must’, with the hike in energy and utility prices being the catalyst and the wakeup call for most households.”

Sado also touches on “the lack” of government initiatives and praises manufacturers for “leading the march on green without any real support whatsoever.”

Hot air?While there is plenty of media attention and debate surrounding the subject of the environment, Sado’s concern is that the focus is on the world at large and what countries are

THE GREEN ROOM

Eco-products: looking ahead…

“There will be a continued focus on environmental aspects – not just energy and water, but on reducing food wastage and noise pollution too”Iain Starkey, Hotpoint Marketing Manager

WHIRLPOOL’S RESOURCEEFFICIENT GREEN GENERATION RANGE OF APPLIANCES WITH PATENTED 6TH SENSE® TECHNOLOGY

GORENJE’S FIERY RED RB60299 RETRO FRIDGE FREEZER DELIVERS AN A++ ENERGY RATING

To celebrate our birthday, Belling has created the 100 Collection, an iconic range which combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical innovation. The 100 Collection features clean lines, a brilliant white and chrome-look fi nish to create a range of eye-catching and effortlessly stylish cooking appliances. The collection offers a choice of four freestanding ovens, four range cookers, four built-in ovens and a new-look for the legendary Baby Belling.

In this landmark year we have partnered with the Anthony Nolan Trust and will be donating a percentage of all 100 Collection sales to help the fi ght against blood cancer.

For more information go to www.belling.co.uk/centenary/anthonynolan

combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical To celebrate our birthday, Belling has created the 100 Collection, an iconic range which combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical

PROUD WINNERS

17664 Belling Centenary GCC 230x160.indd 1 21/05/2012 11:59


domestic electrical goods. Rita Balestrazzi, Marketing Manager for Baumatic, highlights “staggering statistics” which reveal that white goods alone consume around 60% of the world’s electrical energy and around 70% of the energy used in the average-sized family home. “In the UK,” she says, “it is estimated that between 30% and 50% of energy could be saved on white goods – a shocking statistic that shows the kind of money the nation is collectively wasting.”

But she believes that such fi gures are now creating the impetus needed for consumers to go green. “Until recently, greening has been seen as a somewhat contentious issue, with many doubting the merit and legitimacy of energy-effi cient technology. However, attitudes are changing.”

Balestrazzi’s view is that EU regulations for appliances have played a part in the “green turnaround”, ensuring that fridge/freezers, for example, must carry an A+ (or above) energy rating: “An important development, given the fact that refrigeration is the second biggest consumer of energy in the home,” she remarks. “And with an increase in the number of government-backed green campaigns, manufacturers and

retailers alike are now in a position to build upon consumer awareness.

“If consumers invested in more energy-effi cient appliances, it is estimated that they could cut their CO

2 emissions by 2,656kg and

save up to £705 per year. The average UK consumer would also pay less for the damage caused by chemical leakages and water contamination, as well as for the sourcing of precious metals which we currently waste. Understanding how everyday living costs can be signifi cantly cut is paramount in encouraging consumers to go green,“ she adds.

Smeg UK Product Development and Training Manager Joan Fraser also believes that attitudes to the environment are changing, albeit “in diff ering degrees.” Her opinion is that the speed and adoption of practices depends upon timing and the presence of the right set of circumstances. “For example,” she asserts, “the recycling of plastic supermarket carrier bags succeeded because of a swift change in attitudes. Yet owners of old, water and energy-hungry washing machines will only consider purchasing newer, more economical models when the need arises and they simply have no choice.”

But the state of the environment is a “key moral, economic and conservation issue that can no longer be ignored,” adds Gorenje Sales and Marketing Director Bill Miller. “It has a huge impact on every person and every country.”

Apart from the costs incurred through the need to repair the damage done to the environment by the use of ineffi cient appliances, Miller rightly points out the negative eff ect that such products can have on consumer fi nances and believes that

the diffi cult economic climate has, without doubt, had a huge impact on the demand for resource-effi cient goods. “It has taken time,” he says, “but awareness of environmental issues and the benefi ts of green appliances are certainly increasing. Thanks in no small part to the eff orts of retailers and manufacturers we are fi nding that many consumers now see energy-effi cient appliances as a necessity.”

Juliana Sado, Brand Marketing Manager for Whirlpool UK, is in agreement. “The world has truly changed,” she says. “It has taken a long time to get the consumer to understand the benefi ts of eco-appliances, but now they are a ‘must’, with the hike in energy and utility prices being the catalyst and the wakeup call for most households.”

Sado also touches on “the lack” of government initiatives and praises manufacturers for “leading the march on green without any real support whatsoever.”

Hot air?While there is plenty of media attention and debate surrounding the subject of the environment, Sado’s concern is that the focus is on the world at large and what countries are


“There will be a continued focus on environmental aspects – not just energy and water, but on reducing food wastage and noise pollution too”Iain Starkey, Hotpoint Marketing Manager

WHIRLPOOL’S RESOURCEEFFICIENT GREEN GENERATION RANGE OF APPLIANCES WITH PATENTED 6TH SENSE® TECHNOLOGY

GORENJE’S FIERY RED RB60299 RETRO FRIDGE FREEZER DELIVERS AN A++ ENERGY RATING

To celebrate our birthday, Belling has created the 100 Collection, an iconic range which combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical innovation. The 100 Collection features clean lines, a brilliant white and chrome-look fi nish to create a range of eye-catching and effortlessly stylish cooking appliances. The collection offers a choice of four freestanding ovens, four range cookers, four built-in ovens and a new-look for the legendary Baby Belling.

In this landmark year we have partnered with the Anthony Nolan Trust and will be donating a percentage of all 100 Collection sales to help the fi ght against blood cancer.

For more information go to www.belling.co.uk/centenary/anthonynolan

combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical To celebrate our birthday, Belling has created the 100 Collection, an iconic range which combines our rich heritage as a great British brand with modern good looks and technical

PROUD WINNERS

17664 Belling Centenary GCC 230x160.indd 1 21/05/2012 11:59


doing collectively to tackle climate change, rather than at a consumer or personal level. “Very few are talking about how a modern appliance can help reduce the fi nancial outgoings in the home in the long term, and it’s amazing that the national press hasn’t got the message and even seems to pass up the opportunity to infl uence consumers.”

Her opinion is seconded by Gorenje’s Bill Miller: “The media is certainly focused on the environment and the dangers facing it; however, the coverage tends to be fi xated at a macro rather than micro level. Most stories seem to look at events in the world at large, rather than what the individual consumer can do to help.” He maintains that if consumers were educated by

the press on what they can do to change their attitudes and actions for the better, they would pay more attention to the environment and make more positive decisions that will impact it in a helpful way.

The use of electrical products and their accompanying resources does tend to be a very individual issue, varying greatly from person to person and household to household. Below, GC provides an idea of how our lives revolve around the appliances and gadgets our industry produces, and just how much we have come to rely upon – and sometimes take for granted – the developed technologies that provide convenience, comfort, security and pleasure in the home.

Back to basicsIt is clear that reducing the consumption of resources used by household appliances is an important part of moderating the impact of climate change – a foremost issue costing countries, i.e. tax payers, a great deal of money and which, if not addressed, will eventually lead to degeneration of the delicate eco-systems required to sustain a healthy and pleasurable quality of life. Henrik Sundström, Vice President Group Sustainability Aff airs for Electrolux, discusses some of the diffi culties facing the collective group of EU nations, and appliance manufacturers, in convincing consumers of the need to upgrade to resource-effi cient products.

“The EU has defi ned a forward-thinking plan to achieve a 20% increase in energy effi ciency and a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, compared with 1990 levels, and it intends to reach this by 2020. But to make this a reality, we must create the right market frameworks backed up with strong signals to producers and consumers. It is a fact that if every household replaced its 10-year old appliances with today’s energy-effi cient models, Europe would cut its carbon emissions by 18 million tons. A fi gure that corresponds to 6% of the EU’s objectives as defi ned in the Kyoto Protocol.

“But while every new-generation Electrolux appliance put on the market is more energy effi cient than the previous one, this is where it becomes more complex: Electrolux has developed state-of-the-art appliances which are widely available, but not yet widely adopted. At the same time, governments have a method of reducing CO

2 and energy use that is not being

eff ectively tapped into. At the current rate of replacing old products with new ones, it is estimated that it will take between 10 and 20 years to achieve the full environmental return on energy-effi cient appliances.

RISE AND SHINE Digital radio alarm clock signals time to get up

Central heating on, hot water on, lights on, radio on

Kettle on, juicer on, toaster on, hob on

Bath/shower

Him: electric shaver / Her: hair dryer followed by straighteners

Kids: watching TV(!)

Him/Her: Laptops on and charging

Kettle on for last cuppas before leaving home

Dishwasher on rinse, prewash or quick wash

Washing machine set on delay time

Security alarm set

HOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOON Security alarm disabled

Central heating on, hot water on, radio on

Kettle/coffee machine on

Her: tumble dryer on, vacuum cleaner on, digital radio on

Kids: games station on, TV on, computers on, charge mobile phones

LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING Lights on

Her: kitchen machine/blender on, hob on, oven on

Warming drawer on, microwave on


Dishwasher on

Main TV on, kids TVs and computers on

Kids: bath/shower, bedside lights on

Him: music system and laptop on / Her: iron/steam generator on

Kettle on (tea), microwave on (milk)

Recharge electric toothbrushes, laptops, mobile phones

Digital radio alarm clock on, bedside reading lights on

LIGHTS OUT 24/7: Fridge freezer, wine chiller, chest freezer ON

Consumption!

THE GREEN ROOM


“Manufacturers will continue to seek reductions in water and energy usage, as well as improving insulation, particularly in ovens”Joan Fraser, Product Development and Training Manager Smeg UK

HOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOONHOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOONHOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOONHOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOON

Him: music system and laptop on / Her: iron/steam generator on Him: music system and laptop on / Her: iron/steam generator on Him: music system and laptop on / Her: iron/steam generator on Him: music system and laptop on / Her: iron/steam generator on

HOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOON


HOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOONHOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOONHOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOON

Kids: games station on, TV on, computers on, charge mobile phonesKids: games station on, TV on, computers on, charge mobile phonesKids: games station on, TV on, computers on, charge mobile phonesKids: games station on, TV on, computers on, charge mobile phonesKids: games station on, TV on, computers on, charge mobile phonesKids: games station on, TV on, computers on, charge mobile phonesKids: games station on, TV on, computers on, charge mobile phonesKids: games station on, TV on, computers on, charge mobile phones

Him: music system and laptop on / Her: iron/steam generator on Him: music system and laptop on / Her: iron/steam generator on Him: music system and laptop on / Her: iron/steam generator on


www.lec.co.ukwww.lec.co.ukwww.lec.co.uk

70 years of good, honest refrigeration

Now A+ Energy RatedSo you can be sure that your Lec is doing its job in the most effi cient way possible.

1 7 8 7 8 G e t C o n n e c t e d L E . p d f P a g e 1 2 3 / 0 5 / 2 0 1 2 , 1 4 : 1 7 : 2 4 B S T


doing collectively to tackle climate change, rather than at a consumer or personal level. “Very few are talking about how a modern appliance can help reduce the fi nancial outgoings in the home in the long term, and it’s amazing that the national press hasn’t got the message and even seems to pass up the opportunity to infl uence consumers.”

Her opinion is seconded by Gorenje’s Bill Miller: “The media is certainly focused on the environment and the dangers facing it; however, the coverage tends to be fi xated at a macro rather than micro level. Most stories seem to look at events in the world at large, rather than what the individual consumer can do to help.” He maintains that if consumers were educated by

the press on what they can do to change their attitudes and actions for the better, they would pay more attention to the environment and make more positive decisions that will impact it in a helpful way.

The use of electrical products and their accompanying resources does tend to be a very individual issue, varying greatly from person to person and household to household. Below, GC provides an idea of how our lives revolve around the appliances and gadgets our industry produces, and just how much we have come to rely upon – and sometimes take for granted – the developed technologies that provide convenience, comfort, security and pleasure in the home.

Back to basicsIt is clear that reducing the consumption of resources used by household appliances is an important part of moderating the impact of climate change – a foremost issue costing countries, i.e. tax payers, a great deal of money and which, if not addressed, will eventually lead to degeneration of the delicate eco-systems required to sustain a healthy and pleasurable quality of life. Henrik Sundström, Vice President Group Sustainability Aff airs for Electrolux, discusses some of the diffi culties facing the collective group of EU nations, and appliance manufacturers, in convincing consumers of the need to upgrade to resource-effi cient products.

“The EU has defi ned a forward-thinking plan to achieve a 20% increase in energy effi ciency and a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, compared with 1990 levels, and it intends to reach this by 2020. But to make this a reality, we must create the right market frameworks backed up with strong signals to producers and consumers. It is a fact that if every household replaced its 10-year old appliances with today’s energy-effi cient models, Europe would cut its carbon emissions by 18 million tons. A fi gure that corresponds to 6% of the EU’s objectives as defi ned in the Kyoto Protocol.

“But while every new-generation Electrolux appliance put on the market is more energy effi cient than the previous one, this is where it becomes more complex: Electrolux has developed state-of-the-art appliances which are widely available, but not yet widely adopted. At the same time, governments have a method of reducing CO

2 and energy use that is not being

eff ectively tapped into. At the current rate of replacing old products with new ones, it is estimated that it will take between 10 and 20 years to achieve the full environmental return on energy-effi cient appliances.

RISE AND SHINE Digital radio alarm clock signals time to get up

Central heating on, hot water on, lights on, radio on

Kettle on, juicer on, toaster on, hob on

Bath/shower


Kids: watching TV(!)

Him/Her: Laptops on and charging

Kettle on for last cuppas before leaving home

Dishwasher on rinse, prewash or quick wash

Washing machine set on delay time

Security alarm set

HOUSEHOLD QUIET/EMPTY UNTIL MID AFTERNOON Security alarm disabled

Central heating on, hot water on, radio on


Her: tumble dryer on, vacuum cleaner on, digital radio on


LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING Lights on

Her: kitchen machine/blender on, hob on, oven on

Warming drawer on, microwave on


Dishwasher on

Main TV on, kids TVs and computers on

Kids: bath/shower, bedside lights on

Him: music system and laptop on / Her: iron/steam generator on

Kettle on (tea), microwave on (milk)

Recharge electric toothbrushes, laptops, mobile phones

Digital radio alarm clock on, bedside reading lights on

LIGHTS OUT 24/7: Fridge freezer, wine chiller, chest freezer ON

Consumption!


“Manufacturers will continue to seek reductions in water and energy usage, as well as improving insulation, particularly in ovens”Joan Fraser, Product Development and Training Manager Smeg UK

www.lec.co.ukwww.lec.co.ukwww.lec.co.uk

70 years of good, honest refrigeration

Now A+ Energy RatedSo you can be sure that your Lec is doing its job in the most effi cient way possible.

1 7 8 7 8 G e t C o n n e c t e d L E . p d f P a g e 1 2 3 / 0 5 / 2 0 1 2 , 1 4 : 1 7 : 2 4 B S T


“To get these energy-effi cient products into people’s homes, what we need is eff ective market incentives – initiated by national governments – that support green consumer choices. In theory, if all consumers in the UK switched from ineffi cient 10-year old appliances to the most effi cient models, the nation could reduce CO

2 emissions by more than 2.6 million

metric tons.”

Broader thinkingSundström believes that, at present, consumers are simply not suffi ciently motivated to make the change. “Given the relatively long fi nancial payback time –replacing a 20-year old refrigerator with a state-of-the-art model, for example, is between 8 and 10 years – consumers only replace old appliances with new ones when they either break down or when homes are being renovated. But since the overall social, environmental and economic cost of energy is much greater than that which appears on consumers’ utility bills, the value of accelerating the rate of replacement extends beyond individual benefi t to add to wider savings for society as a whole.”

Although Sundström makes an important point that the use of energy-effi cient appliances contributes to wider benefi ts for society, he concedes that consumers connect to environmentalism and sustainability in diff erent ways. “For some, it’s clearly about doing the right thing and thinking about the next generation, and these consumers will engage immediately. But for others you need a diff erent angle.”

Clearly, more specifi c knowledge needs to be communicated and more enthusiasm generated on the benefi ts of replacing ineffi cient appliances, and Baumatic’s Balestrazzi is of the opinion that those who sell and manufacture MDA goods must “shoulder the responsibility” of converting consumers to greener technology. “Marketing eco-technology to the consumer has not only become the socially responsible

THE GREEN ROOM


“Money has been invested in good R&D for further advances in areas such as static freezing technology, Smartfrost and SmartGrid technology, and perhaps one day, further developments could see the introduction of solar powered domestic appliances” Mark Bristow, Managing Director, Liebherr

CLEAN, ENERGYEFFICIENT INDUCTION COOKING FROM THE ZANUSSI QUADRO® BUILTIN RANGE

MAYTAG’S MDW 606 AWG 13PLACE SETTING DISHWASHER WITH INTELLISENSE® TECHNOLOGY CLAIMS SAVINGS OF UP TO 50% ON ENERGY AND WATER COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL MODELS

HOTPOINT AQUALTIS WASHING MACHINE AND TUMBLE DRYER

The Winning Line range. First for energy effi ciency. First for sustainability. First for innovation. For the fi rst time, we have integrated key user friendly features with environmentally friendly technology in one enticing package. Find out more about The Winning Line range at boschwinningline.co.uk

It’s win, win.With our support and the launch of our newWinning Line range, your customers save energy, water and time so everyone’s a winner.

Awards 2012

BSH_5120_TWL_Trade_297x210_GCMag_AW.indd 1 28/06/2012 11:44


“To get these energy-effi cient products into people’s homes, what we need is eff ective market incentives – initiated by national governments – that support green consumer choices. In theory, if all consumers in the UK switched from ineffi cient 10-year old appliances to the most effi cient models, the nation could reduce CO

2 emissions by more than 2.6 million

metric tons.”

Broader thinkingSundström believes that, at present, consumers are simply not suffi ciently motivated to make the change. “Given the relatively long fi nancial payback time –replacing a 20-year old refrigerator with a state-of-the-art model, for example, is between 8 and 10 years – consumers only replace old appliances with new ones when they either break down or when homes are being renovated. But since the overall social, environmental and economic cost of energy is much greater than that which appears on consumers’ utility bills, the value of accelerating the rate of replacement extends beyond individual benefi t to add to wider savings for society as a whole.”

Although Sundström makes an important point that the use of energy-effi cient appliances contributes to wider benefi ts for society, he concedes that consumers connect to environmentalism and sustainability in diff erent ways. “For some, it’s clearly about doing the right thing and thinking about the next generation, and these consumers will engage immediately. But for others you need a diff erent angle.”

Clearly, more specifi c knowledge needs to be communicated and more enthusiasm generated on the benefi ts of replacing ineffi cient appliances, and Baumatic’s Balestrazzi is of the opinion that those who sell and manufacture MDA goods must “shoulder the responsibility” of converting consumers to greener technology. “Marketing eco-technology to the consumer has not only become the socially responsible


“Money has been invested in good R&D for further advances in areas such as static freezing technology, Smartfrost and SmartGrid technology, and perhaps one day, further developments could see the introduction of solar powered domestic appliances” Mark Bristow, Managing Director, Liebherr

CLEAN, ENERGYEFFICIENT INDUCTION COOKING FROM THE ZANUSSI QUADRO® BUILTIN RANGE

MAYTAG’S MDW 606 AWG 13PLACE SETTING DISHWASHER WITH INTELLISENSE® TECHNOLOGY CLAIMS SAVINGS OF UP TO 50% ON ENERGY AND WATER COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL MODELS

HOTPOINT AQUALTIS WASHING MACHINE AND TUMBLE DRYER

The Winning Line range. First for energy effi ciency. First for sustainability. First for innovation. For the fi rst time, we have integrated key user friendly features with environmentally friendly technology in one enticing package. Find out more about The Winning Line range at boschwinningline.co.uk

It’s win, win.With our support and the launch of our newWinning Line range, your customers save energy, water and time so everyone’s a winner.

Awards 2012

BSH_5120_TWL_Trade_297x210_GCMag_AW.indd 1 28/06/2012 11:44


thing for retailers and manufacturers to do, it is also an act that serves to ensure the success of the electrical goods market in a more environmentally friendly era.” A positive appetite for green technology is there, she believes: “It is just a case of ensuring that consumers recognise which products are genuinely energy effi cient.”

At the coalface… The majority of commentators agree that the greening of Britain poses a great business opportunity and retailers have a valuable role to play in the transition from carbon overkill to that of more moderate carbon generation.

“Green is the future, without a doubt, and the huge impact it can have on many aspects of our daily lives means that there are excellent opportunities available to diff erent companies and market sectors,” says Gorenje’s Bill Miller. “However, whatever the item, the retailer truly plays a vital role. The retailer is the bridge between the manufacturer and the consumer and will be the one to help explain the benefi ts and advantages of eco-friendly products to customers on a face-to-face basis.

“It is the retailer who must prove, too, that an eco-appliance also off ers value for money, as this is a key requirement in the current economic climate,” adds Miller. “Presenting the product as a whole package, with eco-effi ciency as just one feature and highlighting other

important aspects such as design, technology and ease of use, will encourage customers to see the appliance as more than just a ‘green’ purchase but as a product that will benefi t them in many other ways too.”

“Retailers play a vital role in convincing the consumer to go green,” agrees Whirlpool’s Sado. “Environment-friendly appliances are an investment for people and may involve trading up to a better brand. This presents a good

business opportunity for the enterprising retailer who can off er a wide range of such products.

“Furthermore, it is the retailer’s knowledge and expertise that is invaluable in convincing the consumer to make their next appliance purchase an eco-friendly one.”

THE NEW AMICA WASHING MACHINE RANGE IS A+ RATED AND OFFERS A CHOICE OF 8KG CAPACITIES

THE GREEN ROOM

AEG PROTEX PLUS WASHING MACHINE The AEG ProTex PLUS washing machine L98699FL ensures precise and gentle washing for exceptional care of clothes.

Our research shows that AEG ProTex PLUS protects clothes 30% better than previous models, and our Optisense also uses just the right amount of water, detergent and time for outstanding care that will keep clothes looking like new for longer.

This super-effi cient washing machine has an outstanding A+++-20% Energy rating and has been awarded the Quiet Mark.

AEG:www.aeg.co.ukTrade Sales Number: 08445 610561


“With continuous ecological education in schools, children who grow up taking care of the environment mark the creation of a new set of generations with an unwavering and purposeful enthusiasm and drive to protect our natural resources, and messages used in advertising, packaging and labelling will simply reinforce this mindset” Simon Freear, country manager, Amica UK


Digital radio celebrates a landmark achievement”

As home entertainment and IT functions converge into an integrated, connected world of fi xed and portable access, the area of portable CE devices continues to undergo explosive development and change. GC provides a fl eeting reminder of how the category has evolved throughout the noughties and a view of its performance into 2012

S haring images and music, streaming and social networking are all now part of a lifestyle that can be accessed at home or on the move, and “transportable” entertainment devices,

from digital radios and MP3/4 players to e-Readers, smartphones, tablets and digital imaging products, play an integral part in the lives of consumers who demand personalisation and portability of their content.

But while integration and convergence are factors driving development of new products in portable consumer electronics, it is the manner in which this market has evolved that is the most notable feature. As one category is born, another takes a nose dive or fades into oblivion, and some, like the proverbial phoenix, rise from the ashes to become matrix stars as opposed to matrix dogs, mobile phones being a prime example – the sector having been reborn after text messaging reinvigorated a stagnant marketplace and CE companies scrambled to gain a share of what was later to become a multi-billion-pound category

Music and memories… …the times they are a-changin’

off ering slim and fast, multifunctional devices, with extraordinarily short replacement cycles boosted both by style & technology-led products and fi erce competition between mobile operators.

Bring in the newThe past decade has brought about some dramatic changes in the portable device sectors. One in particular being the birth of digital radio, a category which celebrates a “landmark” achievement this year with 15 million radios sold and the prospect of signifi cant fi nancial returns as the nation enjoys the aptly named “summer of sport”, commencing with the (just passed) UEFA Euro 2012 competition before moving onto the sporting spectacular which is the Olympic Games from 27 July to 12 August and the Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September. It’s a hefty schedule which the CE industry on the whole hopes will bring with it a revival in fortunes.

For digital radio company Pure, 2012 marks another achievement: the 10th

anniversary of the launch of the brand and the 10th birthday of its iconic Evoke radio. And it is worthy that we should note this celebration.

As Marketing Director Colin Crawford asserts: “Pure kick-started the digital radio

market 10 years ago, and when we launched PHILIPS GOGEAR MUSE 3: “PERFECT FOR SHARING MUSIC OR MOVIE TRACKS”

THE DESIGNLED PURE EVOKE MIO BY ORLA KIELY


thing for retailers and manufacturers to do, it is also an act that serves to ensure the success of the electrical goods market in a more environmentally friendly era.” A positive appetite for green technology is there, she believes: “It is just a case of ensuring that consumers recognise which products are genuinely energy effi cient.”

At the coalface… The majority of commentators agree that the greening of Britain poses a great business opportunity and retailers have a valuable role to play in the transition from carbon overkill to that of more moderate carbon generation.

“Green is the future, without a doubt, and the huge impact it can have on many aspects of our daily lives means that there are excellent opportunities available to diff erent companies and market sectors,” says Gorenje’s Bill Miller. “However, whatever the item, the retailer truly plays a vital role. The retailer is the bridge between the manufacturer and the consumer and will be the one to help explain the benefi ts and advantages of eco-friendly products to customers on a face-to-face basis.

“It is the retailer who must prove, too, that an eco-appliance also off ers value for money, as this is a key requirement in the current economic climate,” adds Miller. “Presenting the product as a whole package, with eco-effi ciency as just one feature and highlighting other

important aspects such as design, technology and ease of use, will encourage customers to see the appliance as more than just a ‘green’ purchase but as a product that will benefi t them in many other ways too.”

“Retailers play a vital role in convincing the consumer to go green,” agrees Whirlpool’s Sado. “Environment-friendly appliances are an investment for people and may involve trading up to a better brand. This presents a good

business opportunity for the enterprising retailer who can off er a wide range of such products.

“Furthermore, it is the retailer’s knowledge and expertise that is invaluable in convincing the consumer to make their next appliance purchase an eco-friendly one.”

THE NEW AMICA WASHING MACHINE RANGE IS A+ RATED AND OFFERS A CHOICE OF 8KG CAPACITIES

AEG PROTEX PLUS WASHING MACHINE The AEG ProTex PLUS washing machine L98699FL ensures precise and gentle washing for exceptional care of clothes.

Our research shows that AEG ProTex PLUS protects clothes 30% better than previous models, and our Optisense also uses just the right amount of water, detergent and time for outstanding care that will keep clothes looking like new for longer.

This super-effi cient washing machine has an outstanding A+++-20% Energy rating and has been awarded the Quiet Mark.

AEG:www.aeg.co.ukTrade Sales Number: 08445 610561


“With continuous ecological education in schools, children who grow up taking care of the environment mark the creation of a new set of generations with an unwavering and purposeful enthusiasm and drive to protect our natural resources, and messages used in advertising, packaging and labelling will simply reinforce this mindset” Simon Freear, country manager, Amica UK


Digital radio celebrates a landmark achievement”

PORTABLE CE DEVICES

As home entertainment and IT functions converge into an integrated, connected world of fi xed and portable access, the area of portable CE devices continues to undergo explosive development and change. GC provides a fl eeting reminder of how the category has evolved throughout the noughties and a view of its performance into 2012

S haring images and music, streaming and social networking are all now part of a lifestyle that can be accessed at home or on the move, and “transportable” entertainment devices,

from digital radios and MP3/4 players to e-Readers, smartphones, tablets and digital imaging products, play an integral part in the lives of consumers who demand personalisation and portability of their content.

But while integration and convergence are factors driving development of new products in portable consumer electronics, it is the manner in which this market has evolved that is the most notable feature. As one category is born, another takes a nose dive or fades into oblivion, and some, like the proverbial phoenix, rise from the ashes to become matrix stars as opposed to matrix dogs, mobile phones being a prime example – the sector having been reborn after text messaging reinvigorated a stagnant marketplace and CE companies scrambled to gain a share of what was later to become a multi-billion-pound category

Music and memories… …the times they are a-changin’

off ering slim and fast, multifunctional devices, with extraordinarily short replacement cycles boosted both by style & technology-led products and fi erce competition between mobile operators.

Bring in the newThe past decade has brought about some dramatic changes in the portable device sectors. One in particular being the birth of digital radio, a category which celebrates a “landmark” achievement this year with 15 million radios sold and the prospect of signifi cant fi nancial returns as the nation enjoys the aptly named “summer of sport”, commencing with the (just passed) UEFA Euro 2012 competition before moving onto the sporting spectacular which is the Olympic Games from 27 July to 12 August and the Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September. It’s a hefty schedule which the CE industry on the whole hopes will bring with it a revival in fortunes.

For digital radio company Pure, 2012 marks another achievement: the 10th

anniversary of the launch of the brand and the 10th birthday of its iconic Evoke radio. And it is worthy that we should note this celebration.

As Marketing Director Colin Crawford asserts: “Pure kick-started the digital radio

market 10 years ago, and when we launched PHILIPS GOGEAR MUSE 3: “PERFECT FOR SHARING MUSIC OR MOVIE TRACKS”

THE DESIGNLED PURE EVOKE MIO BY ORLA KIELY

COMPUTING ON THE MOVE: THE APPLE IPAD


the original Evoke in 2002 we never imagined that we would see crowds queuing down Oxford Street to get their hands on one, but that’s what happened, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

The Pure Evoke-1 was the fi rst high-volume sub-£100 digital radio on the market.

Digital radio has now established itself as a mainstream product with listening rising 11% to a new record of 310 million hours during the fi rst quarter of 2012 (Source: RAJAR). And as the, somewhat controversial, targeted switchover date of 2015 draws nearer, the category, which is well supported by the independent channel, is expected to continue to reap the benefi ts of greater volumes. As Ford Ennals, CEO of Digital Radio UK, commented: “With all the exclusive music and sporting events this summer available on digital radio including the launch of BBC Radio 5 Live Olympics Extra, and the accelerating momentum of digital radio in cars, we expect 2012 to be the year that many more people choose to go digital.”

Dance on the grave?As the market for portable CE devices has continued to evolve, another standout feature from the turn of the millennium through to recent years has been the development of the MP3 player which began its life in the very late 1990s when the MP3 compression format was monetized via the pocket-sized music player. It is a category that was to largely bypass the independent channel and which provides a perfect example of how quickly the market for high-tech products can change.

By 2009, headlines such as “MP3 players have played their last tune” and “All played out?” began to appear, and although such billings somewhat overdramatized the then forthcoming market trend, it was predicted by the EITO (European Information Technology Observatory) that the volume and value of products would experience a double-digit fall during 2010, dropping by 14% throughout Europe, and in the UK – the biggest individual MP3 market – a fall of 22% in value to €630 million and 20% in volume to 5.5 million units was forecast. The decline was widely attributed to convergence and the increasing number of alternative devices such as mobile phones and radios, for example, that could, and would be able to, play back MP3 fi les.

Sales of MP3 players are, of course, in decline, but the category is far from dead. Indeed, Apple alone reported

global volumes of 7.7 million units during the fi rst quarter of 2012, and although the fi gure was 15% below that of the same period last year, the company is still profi ting nicely from sales of the iPod and the great feat of marketing that created the magic of all things “i”….

Just the medicine…All things “i” extended even further into the portable device market in 2010, in this instance helping to lift the IT category, with the launch of the iPad and a plethora of competitive Tablets pushing the sector into stronger value growth. According to industry analyst GfK, IT values in April this year rose 14% above those of the year prior, and if Tablets were stripped out of the equation the overall market would have fallen by 1% over the period.

Capitalising on the growth of Tablets will be “key” for the retail environment, believes GfK. The category grew by an impressive 214% in volume during April 2012, to reach the same market share as that of Notebooks, and 206% during March this year. “With fi gures set to rise as we progress further into 2012, this is a prime example of innovation driving growth,” says Account Manager Manish Goenka.

Capitalising on the growth of Tablets will be key for the retail environment…”

Shutter stutterChange, for good or for bad, is an aspect of the CE industry that retailers have learned to quickly recognise and work with – the digital imaging sector proving no exception in delivering its own set of challenges.

The photo market continues to show further decline, and value and volume

in the standard compact camera category have fallen signifi cantly as smartphones progressively cannibalise the sector.

Overall year-on-year value growth in digital imaging fell 7%; year-to-date dropped 7.7%; and month-on-month (March to April 2012) declined 12.8%. Even online sales dipped considerably, at 15.2% down.

But it’s not all bad news for the camera market, “super zoom” and bridge models grew in value by 8% and 26% respectively in the fi rst 4 months of this year, compact system cameras by 15% in value, and, as GfK points out, new products seem to be driving growth both in terms of volume and value.

Lost in transit?While photographs will always provide one

of the most emotive means of connecting to the past, present and with others, it seems our willingness to share our memories via social media has overcome our enthusiasm

to keep them. According to new research carried out by The Photo Imaging Council and The Photo Marketing Association, we now take more photographs than ever before via our mobile phones, but 64% of us don’t bother to store hard copies of them. The concept of the “family album” is under threat and 37% of us have lost important images that are special to us – a fi gure which rises to 70% amongst the 16

to 24 age group. Image fatigue is clearly a

symptom of today’s fast-paced society and retailers could well benefi t by encouraging consumers to preserve their personal and family histories by engaging in promoting the sale of accessories such as photo-printers, digital photo-frames – which, according to GfK, fell 61% in volume in the year to April 2012 – and the simple, but eff ective, photo album.

Precious momentsKeeping those treasured images may not be of great importance to the snap-happy camera user, but Panasonic maintains that the key driver in the camcorders market is

PORTABLE CE DEVICES

FUJI FINEPIX F600 EXR: “THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL COMPANION”

Call Sales on 01494471100 Visit: www.direktek.co.uk Email: [email protected] Fax: 01494 768668

Images are not representative of the actual product - Trade Only - While Stocks Last - All prices exclude VAT and delivery

Sony NEX-7

SON1709

£794.77EOS 650D

£585.35 So£585.35

CAN1850

Be ready for the Olympic Games...New cameras available at Direktek Distribution

Features- 18 Megapixels- APS- C CMOS Sensor - Low light performance with ISO 100-12800 sensitivity-AF with 9 cross-type focuspoints- Clear view LCD II Touch Screen- DIGIC 5 Processor- Full HD movies

Features- 24 Megapixels- APS-C CMOS Sensor- World’s �rst OLED electronic view�nder; 2359K dots- 7.5cm LCD Display-10 fps high-speed shooting- Full HD- Built in Flash

New New

the capturing of special occasions and everyday moments to be preserved for the future. Hence, the market for such products is growing year-on-year by 27%, according to the manufacturer.

In a survey commissioned by Panasonic, 47% of participants cited holidays as a key reason to purchase a camcorder; 23% cited the arrival of a new baby, with expectant parents and prospective grandparents purchasing for this reason, and 19% of people purchasing devices for wedding occasions. Long recording times in particular are a key benefi t of camcorders, according to a Panasonic, as “digital still cameras only allow a maximum recording time of 20 minutes and 59 seconds.”

In the three months to 31st August, Panasonic has engaged in a cashback promotion on selected HD camcorders in its range to help retailers boost sales.

Holding powerAs consumers become more and more reliant upon portable technology for entertainment and their day-to-day communications, it falls upon battery manufacturers to support the ever growing demand to keep devices operating and up to speed. Anthony Sewart, sales director at VARTA UK, comments that “ever busier lifestyles mean people want to communicate, update and be entertained on the move, and with this there has been a huge shift in the technology we use to power our everyday gadgets and accessories, with more powerful battery chargers and rechargeable solutions all coming to the fore.”

Innovation in battery technology is driven by the development of new devices and as a technology evolves, so too does the drive to make products as small and as portable as possible. The result of this shift being that C,

D and 9V cells are not as prevalent as AA and AAA, says Sewart. “In fact, these now account for less than 20% of the market volume. Battery manufacturers are investing huge amounts of time and money into research and development of more powerful batteries to support this miniaturisation trend.”

Rechargeable technology has also developed considerably in recent years, off ering cells ready to use straight from the pack with increased power and shorter charging times. Sewart points out that while this market is still evolving, consumers are becoming more familiar with the concept of rechargeable batteries and the long-term benefi ts they can bring.

The commonplace nature of power-hungry, portable gadgets means it has been necessary for manufacturers to develop portable charging solutions which come with a range of adaptors to enable devices such as MP3/4 players, digital radios, e-readers, smartphones, tablets and digital imaging devices to be charged simultaneously.

“This innovation in power technology has opened up a new sales opportunity for manufacturers and retailers and has led to the introduction of

‘on the go’ and ‘in the home’ battery chargers,” comments Sewart, highlighting in particular VARTA’s recently introduced V-Man Zero, a portable charging device with adapters for Micro USB, mini USB and selected Apple® products. When charged via USB cable or mobile phone, the V-Man Zero can be taken on the road and used to charge mobile devices in any location.

“It is an ideal travel companion for those who spend a lot of time on the move,” Sewart concludes.

JVC EVERIO™ GSTD1 FULL HD 3D CAMCORDER

THE CYBERSHOT™ RX100 FROM SONY

EREADERS QUICKLY ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS “MUST HAVE” PRODUCTS FOR CONSUMERS ON THE MOVE

VARTA’S VMAN ZERO PORTABLE

CHARGER: LITHIUMION TECHNOLOGY

ENSURES DEVICES ARE CHARGED QUICKLY

AND SAFELY

COMPUTING ON THE MOVE: THE APPLE IPAD


the original Evoke in 2002 we never imagined that we would see crowds queuing down Oxford Street to get their hands on one, but that’s what happened, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

The Pure Evoke-1 was the fi rst high-volume sub-£100 digital radio on the market.

Digital radio has now established itself as a mainstream product with listening rising 11% to a new record of 310 million hours during the fi rst quarter of 2012 (Source: RAJAR). And as the, somewhat controversial, targeted switchover date of 2015 draws nearer, the category, which is well supported by the independent channel, is expected to continue to reap the benefi ts of greater volumes. As Ford Ennals, CEO of Digital Radio UK, commented: “With all the exclusive music and sporting events this summer available on digital radio including the launch of BBC Radio 5 Live Olympics Extra, and the accelerating momentum of digital radio in cars, we expect 2012 to be the year that many more people choose to go digital.”

Dance on the grave?As the market for portable CE devices has continued to evolve, another standout feature from the turn of the millennium through to recent years has been the development of the MP3 player which began its life in the very late 1990s when the MP3 compression format was monetized via the pocket-sized music player. It is a category that was to largely bypass the independent channel and which provides a perfect example of how quickly the market for high-tech products can change.

By 2009, headlines such as “MP3 players have played their last tune” and “All played out?” began to appear, and although such billings somewhat overdramatized the then forthcoming market trend, it was predicted by the EITO (European Information Technology Observatory) that the volume and value of products would experience a double-digit fall during 2010, dropping by 14% throughout Europe, and in the UK – the biggest individual MP3 market – a fall of 22% in value to €630 million and 20% in volume to 5.5 million units was forecast. The decline was widely attributed to convergence and the increasing number of alternative devices such as mobile phones and radios, for example, that could, and would be able to, play back MP3 fi les.

Sales of MP3 players are, of course, in decline, but the category is far from dead. Indeed, Apple alone reported

global volumes of 7.7 million units during the fi rst quarter of 2012, and although the fi gure was 15% below that of the same period last year, the company is still profi ting nicely from sales of the iPod and the great feat of marketing that created the magic of all things “i”….

Just the medicine…All things “i” extended even further into the portable device market in 2010, in this instance helping to lift the IT category, with the launch of the iPad and a plethora of competitive Tablets pushing the sector into stronger value growth. According to industry analyst GfK, IT values in April this year rose 14% above those of the year prior, and if Tablets were stripped out of the equation the overall market would have fallen by 1% over the period.

Capitalising on the growth of Tablets will be “key” for the retail environment, believes GfK. The category grew by an impressive 214% in volume during April 2012, to reach the same market share as that of Notebooks, and 206% during March this year. “With fi gures set to rise as we progress further into 2012, this is a prime example of innovation driving growth,” says Account Manager Manish Goenka.

Capitalising on the growth of Tablets will be key for the retail environment…”

Shutter stutterChange, for good or for bad, is an aspect of the CE industry that retailers have learned to quickly recognise and work with – the digital imaging sector proving no exception in delivering its own set of challenges.

The photo market continues to show further decline, and value and volume

in the standard compact camera category have fallen signifi cantly as smartphones progressively cannibalise the sector.

Overall year-on-year value growth in digital imaging fell 7%; year-to-date dropped 7.7%; and month-on-month (March to April 2012) declined 12.8%. Even online sales dipped considerably, at 15.2% down.

But it’s not all bad news for the camera market, “super zoom” and bridge models grew in value by 8% and 26% respectively in the fi rst 4 months of this year, compact system cameras by 15% in value, and, as GfK points out, new products seem to be driving growth both in terms of volume and value.

Lost in transit?While photographs will always provide one

of the most emotive means of connecting to the past, present and with others, it seems our willingness to share our memories via social media has overcome our enthusiasm

to keep them. According to new research carried out by The Photo Imaging Council and The Photo Marketing Association, we now take more photographs than ever before via our mobile phones, but 64% of us don’t bother to store hard copies of them. The concept of the “family album” is under threat and 37% of us have lost important images that are special to us – a fi gure which rises to 70% amongst the 16

to 24 age group. Image fatigue is clearly a

symptom of today’s fast-paced society and retailers could well benefi t by encouraging consumers to preserve their personal and family histories by engaging in promoting the sale of accessories such as photo-printers, digital photo-frames – which, according to GfK, fell 61% in volume in the year to April 2012 – and the simple, but eff ective, photo album.

Precious momentsKeeping those treasured images may not be of great importance to the snap-happy camera user, but Panasonic maintains that the key driver in the camcorders market is

FUJI FINEPIX F600 EXR: “THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL COMPANION”

Call Sales on 01494471100 Visit: www.direktek.co.uk Email: [email protected] Fax: 01494 768668

Images are not representative of the actual product - Trade Only - While Stocks Last - All prices exclude VAT and delivery

Sony NEX-7

SON1709

£794.77EOS 650D

£585.35 So£585.35

CAN1850

Be ready for the Olympic Games...New cameras available at Direktek Distribution

Features- 18 Megapixels- APS- C CMOS Sensor - Low light performance with ISO 100-12800 sensitivity-AF with 9 cross-type focuspoints- Clear view LCD II Touch Screen- DIGIC 5 Processor- Full HD movies

Features- 24 Megapixels- APS-C CMOS Sensor- World’s �rst OLED electronic view�nder; 2359K dots- 7.5cm LCD Display-10 fps high-speed shooting- Full HD- Built in Flash

New New

the capturing of special occasions and everyday moments to be preserved for the future. Hence, the market for such products is growing year-on-year by 27%, according to the manufacturer.

In a survey commissioned by Panasonic, 47% of participants cited holidays as a key reason to purchase a camcorder; 23% cited the arrival of a new baby, with expectant parents and prospective grandparents purchasing for this reason, and 19% of people purchasing devices for wedding occasions. Long recording times in particular are a key benefi t of camcorders, according to a Panasonic, as “digital still cameras only allow a maximum recording time of 20 minutes and 59 seconds.”

In the three months to 31st August, Panasonic has engaged in a cashback promotion on selected HD camcorders in its range to help retailers boost sales.

Holding powerAs consumers become more and more reliant upon portable technology for entertainment and their day-to-day communications, it falls upon battery manufacturers to support the ever growing demand to keep devices operating and up to speed. Anthony Sewart, sales director at VARTA UK, comments that “ever busier lifestyles mean people want to communicate, update and be entertained on the move, and with this there has been a huge shift in the technology we use to power our everyday gadgets and accessories, with more powerful battery chargers and rechargeable solutions all coming to the fore.”

Innovation in battery technology is driven by the development of new devices and as a technology evolves, so too does the drive to make products as small and as portable as possible. The result of this shift being that C,

D and 9V cells are not as prevalent as AA and AAA, says Sewart. “In fact, these now account for less than 20% of the market volume. Battery manufacturers are investing huge amounts of time and money into research and development of more powerful batteries to support this miniaturisation trend.”

Rechargeable technology has also developed considerably in recent years, off ering cells ready to use straight from the pack with increased power and shorter charging times. Sewart points out that while this market is still evolving, consumers are becoming more familiar with the concept of rechargeable batteries and the long-term benefi ts they can bring.

The commonplace nature of power-hungry, portable gadgets means it has been necessary for manufacturers to develop portable charging solutions which come with a range of adaptors to enable devices such as MP3/4 players, digital radios, e-readers, smartphones, tablets and digital imaging devices to be charged simultaneously.

“This innovation in power technology has opened up a new sales opportunity for manufacturers and retailers and has led to the introduction of

‘on the go’ and ‘in the home’ battery chargers,” comments Sewart, highlighting in particular VARTA’s recently introduced V-Man Zero, a portable charging device with adapters for Micro USB, mini USB and selected Apple® products. When charged via USB cable or mobile phone, the V-Man Zero can be taken on the road and used to charge mobile devices in any location.

“It is an ideal travel companion for those who spend a lot of time on the move,” Sewart concludes.

JVC EVERIO™ GSTD1 FULL HD 3D CAMCORDER

THE CYBERSHOT™ RX100 FROM SONY

EREADERS QUICKLY ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS “MUST HAVE” PRODUCTS FOR CONSUMERS ON THE MOVE

PORTABLE CE DEVICES

VARTA’S VMAN ZERO PORTABLE

CHARGER: LITHIUMION TECHNOLOGY

ENSURES DEVICES ARE CHARGED QUICKLY

AND SAFELY


GOODBYE BLU-RAY?

A ndy Wood, CEO of the media

streaming company Roku, cre-

ated quite a stir by declaring at

a conference on the future of television

that the Blu-ray format was on its way

out – and soon.

“Will people use Blu-ray in four years?”

asked Wood (somewhat rhetorically), “I

don’t think so.” Now, Wood is not exactly

a disinterested party in the debate, as his

company sells two streaming media prod-

ucts (costing £50 and £100 each) in the UK.

The Roku box plugs into a TV, connects to a

home broadband service and streams con-

tent from the internet. The devices join the

media streamers already on the market,

along with Smart TVs and games consoles

that stream online content. There’s no

doubt that many more of us are watching

TV programmes and services from the in-

ternet (the latest statistics for BBC iPlayer,

for example, reveal that, on average, view-

ers made 190 million programme requests

per month in the fi rst quarter of 2012 - up

24% year-on-year). This year also sees the

launch of the YouView service that will of-

fer a range of catch-up TV services.

So yes, there’s a big appetite for

streaming video content, but can we infer

from this that Blu-ray is almost on its last

legs? I don’t think so, and neither does

Wood, because he also said that a box

that combined Roku with a Blu-ray player

was not out of the question. It seems odd

that anyone would want to hitch their new

product to a format with a short shelf life.

There’s no doubt that physical disc sales

are falling – the British Video Association

(BVA) reported that sales of Blu-ray and

DVD discs in the UK fell by 4.7% in value

and 7.2% in volume in 2011 to £1.75 billion

and some 207 million units respectively.

But while digital sales are growing, they

still only accounted for 13% of the total

market by value, and many consumers are

embracing both forms of media by pur-

chasing triple play packs that include both

physical media and a digital copy that can

be watched on a Tablet or laptop. Blu-ray

sales haven’t reached the dizzy heights

of DVD, but that’s for a variety of reasons

– such as the economic climate, price dif-

ferences (although this is narrowing) and

upscaling DVD players – but anyone who

thinks the format will be on its way out by

2014 is way out of line.

HELLO DIGITAL?Let’s be honest – the music industry has

always loved the compact disc, but often

viewed digital music (like downloads and

streaming) with suspicion. It’s easy to see

why. Before the arrival of low-cost CD burn-

ers and copiers, it was diffi cult and expensive

to copy CDs, while it’s always been easy to

copy a digital music fi le and share it with oth-

ers, without any change in audio quality. The

CD was a cash cow for the music industry

in the 1980s and 90s, with many consumers

buying their record collections a second time.

CDs cost pennies to make and typically sold

for £12-15 each. No wonder record executives

were crying into their champagne glasses.

The problem is that the record industry didn’t

learn from history – music formats don’t live

forever, and so it wasn’t prepared for digital.

We all know what happened next – the inter-

net became a wild west with loads of illegal

fi le sharing sites springing up. The CD went

from being a cash cow to a high quality digital

master that could be ripped in seconds and

posted online soon after.

But now, the music industry is having a

change of heart over digital, because in the

fi rst quarter of this year, digital music sales

overtook physical sales (CDs and music vid-

eos) for the fi rst time. The music industry trade

body, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI),

reports that digital accounted for 55.5% of the

£155.8m UK consumers spent on music in the

fi rst quarter of 2012. The BPI adds the growth

in digital boosted the record industry’s total

market value by 2.7% , helping to offset the

decline in CD sales. Impressive stuff, but even

the BPI says that the CD is far from fi nished

and still remains the dominant music format.

George Cole pinpoints hotspots in the world of consumer electronics.

E-mail: [email protected]

GEORGE COLE GETS CONNECTED

…there’s a big appetite for streaming video content, but can we infer from this that

Blu-ray is almost on its last legs?”

33GET CONNECTED

FROM THE BENCH

As we enter the main season for electrical storms in the UK Alan Bennett looks at their effect on home entertainment equipment, and at repairs and precautions

Zapped by lightning

At any one time over 2000 thunderstorms are

going on in the world. Between them they

produce about 100 lightning fl ashes a

second, whose potential ranges up to 100 million volts,

and whose current can be as much as 120,000 amps.

Lightning travels at 90,000 miles a second and the

stroke, typically just 50mm in diameter, can vary

in length from 70 yards to 20 miles. About 90% of

lightning strikes are over land.

VulnerableIn the face of this power and energy, what chance

has the delicate electronic equipment in our houses?

In a strong direct strike, very little. Most damage

arises, however, from indirect hits, static, induction

and secondary conduction, where a good fi rst line of

defence is the grounding of the TV aerial or satellite

dish by a thick wire direct to an earthing plate in the

ground or a conductive water pipe at the point where it

enters the house.

TV, audio and computer gear is delicate electrically,

and easily wrecked by voltage spikes and surges caused

by lightning. Tuners, once separate modules, are now more

integrated; because of the non-availability of many parts and

assemblies these days, front-end damage may well result in the write-

off of the whole caboosh. While some set-top boxes are relatively cheap,

sophisticated ones incorporating recorders are less so, and top-end TVs

very expensive; they can be wrecked – or at least damaged – in less than a

millisecond by a lightning strike. One of my customers, hit more than once, now

uses an old receiver box (in RF-through mode) as a kind of sacrifi cial buffer, as well as

having his dish and aerial grounded via a house-external strap and buried copper plate.

ConduitsThere are three possible inward routes for damaging lightning surges. Roof- and wall-

mounted receiving dishes and aerials, especially on high and exposed dwellings, are

perhaps the most obvious ones. Mains supply cables are another, especially (but not

exclusively) where they are routed overhead on poles or masts, generally in rural

districts. A big surge on the mains can cripple electronic equipment connected to it,

but here again precautions can be taken – see below. A third potential(!) conductor

of electrical thunderbolts is the telephone wire, and again it’s more likely to do

so if it’s an overhead one. As with the mains, however, underground cables are

certainly not immune from induced spikes and surges. The telephone line has

become a vital link in home TV and computer systems, but fortunately it usually

couples up via a relatively inexpensive (and hence dispensable) distribution box

and modem, whose front-line position may well save the TV, PC or whatever

from serious damage. Don’t handle landline phones or electrical

appliances at the height of a local electrical storm!

RepairAny equipment which has been taken out by lightning is certainly worth

investigation because the damage is utterly unpredictable, and may be quite

superfi cial. On the other hand it can be completely – often invisibly – wrecked!

The fi rst step is a thorough internal examination, looking for scorches and

burn marks, particularly near the point of entry of the spike if known. Scrutinise

both sides of the PC boards and adjacent plastic and metal surfaces, which

may have got spattered. If there has been burning, sparking or arcs in the low-

level (processes, memory, signal) circuits it’s likely that the damage is severe and

widespread, and not viable for repair.

If the gear is not completely dead, just stunned as it were, try resetting the

main control/processor chip by interrupting the mains supply for a few minutes,

then if necessary check for an internal IC-reset pulse and then for loss of data/

derangement in the operational memory chip/s. Where there is no operation

at all check the fuses and semiconductors in the power supply; sometimes

the plastic top of a transistor or IC may have been literally blown off by a

mini-explosion inside. If semiconductors and/or fuses on the secondary

side of the switch-mode transformer have failed it bodes ill for the

rest of the set because a large spike on a power rail, data, clock

or reset line will have reached many devices throughout. In

this situation much fruitless time can be spent investigating,

perhaps only to fi nd that replacement parts or panels are

not available anyway – the replacement cost of the

set or box must be set against the time involved in

diagnosis. Insurance companies seldom quibble,

I’ve found, in these circumstances.

PrecautionsPrevention is better than cure, at least with

hindsight, and several kinds of protective

device are available from trade component

suppliers like Charles Hyde & Son and

CPC. The most common, and cheapest, are

mains plugs and socket strips incorporating

surge- and spike-suppressors and absorbers.

Also available are devices to fi t into aerial and

dish downloads, sometimes combined with a

mains suppressor; and telephone line protectors,

some at quite high cost. Specialist companies

like Bowthorpe EMP offer a wide range of surge

and lightning protection devices. Fuses and circuit

breakers offer no protection against lightning...


GOODBYE BLU-RAY?

A ndy Wood, CEO of the media

streaming company Roku, cre-

ated quite a stir by declaring at

a conference on the future of television

that the Blu-ray format was on its way

out – and soon.

“Will people use Blu-ray in four years?”

asked Wood (somewhat rhetorically), “I

don’t think so.” Now, Wood is not exactly

a disinterested party in the debate, as his

company sells two streaming media prod-

ucts (costing £50 and £100 each) in the UK.

The Roku box plugs into a TV, connects to a

home broadband service and streams con-

tent from the internet. The devices join the

media streamers already on the market,

along with Smart TVs and games consoles

that stream online content. There’s no

doubt that many more of us are watching

TV programmes and services from the in-

ternet (the latest statistics for BBC iPlayer,

for example, reveal that, on average, view-

ers made 190 million programme requests

per month in the fi rst quarter of 2012 - up

24% year-on-year). This year also sees the

launch of the YouView service that will of-

fer a range of catch-up TV services.

So yes, there’s a big appetite for

streaming video content, but can we infer

from this that Blu-ray is almost on its last

legs? I don’t think so, and neither does

Wood, because he also said that a box

that combined Roku with a Blu-ray player

was not out of the question. It seems odd

that anyone would want to hitch their new

product to a format with a short shelf life.

There’s no doubt that physical disc sales

are falling – the British Video Association

(BVA) reported that sales of Blu-ray and

DVD discs in the UK fell by 4.7% in value

and 7.2% in volume in 2011 to £1.75 billion

and some 207 million units respectively.

But while digital sales are growing, they

still only accounted for 13% of the total

market by value, and many consumers are

embracing both forms of media by pur-

chasing triple play packs that include both

physical media and a digital copy that can

be watched on a Tablet or laptop. Blu-ray

sales haven’t reached the dizzy heights

of DVD, but that’s for a variety of reasons

– such as the economic climate, price dif-

ferences (although this is narrowing) and

upscaling DVD players – but anyone who

thinks the format will be on its way out by

2014 is way out of line.

HELLO DIGITAL?Let’s be honest – the music industry has

always loved the compact disc, but often

viewed digital music (like downloads and

streaming) with suspicion. It’s easy to see

why. Before the arrival of low-cost CD burn-

ers and copiers, it was diffi cult and expensive

to copy CDs, while it’s always been easy to

copy a digital music fi le and share it with oth-

ers, without any change in audio quality. The

CD was a cash cow for the music industry

in the 1980s and 90s, with many consumers

buying their record collections a second time.

CDs cost pennies to make and typically sold

for £12-15 each. No wonder record executives

were crying into their champagne glasses.

The problem is that the record industry didn’t

learn from history – music formats don’t live

forever, and so it wasn’t prepared for digital.

We all know what happened next – the inter-

net became a wild west with loads of illegal

fi le sharing sites springing up. The CD went

from being a cash cow to a high quality digital

master that could be ripped in seconds and

posted online soon after.

But now, the music industry is having a

change of heart over digital, because in the

fi rst quarter of this year, digital music sales

overtook physical sales (CDs and music vid-

eos) for the fi rst time. The music industry trade

body, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI),

reports that digital accounted for 55.5% of the

£155.8m UK consumers spent on music in the

fi rst quarter of 2012. The BPI adds the growth

in digital boosted the record industry’s total

market value by 2.7% , helping to offset the

decline in CD sales. Impressive stuff, but even

the BPI says that the CD is far from fi nished

and still remains the dominant music format.

George Cole pinpoints hotspots in the world of consumer electronics.


GEORGE COLE GETS CONNECTED

…there’s a big appetite for streaming video content, but can we infer from this that

Blu-ray is almost on its last legs?”

33GET CONNECTED

FROM THE BENCH


As we enter the main season for electrical storms in the UK Alan Bennett looks at their effect on home entertainment equipment, and at repairs and precautions

Zapped by lightning

At any one time over 2000 thunderstorms are

going on in the world. Between them they

produce about 100 lightning fl ashes a

second, whose potential ranges up to 100 million volts,

and whose current can be as much as 120,000 amps.

Lightning travels at 90,000 miles a second and the

stroke, typically just 50mm in diameter, can vary

in length from 70 yards to 20 miles. About 90% of

lightning strikes are over land.

VulnerableIn the face of this power and energy, what chance

has the delicate electronic equipment in our houses?

In a strong direct strike, very little. Most damage

arises, however, from indirect hits, static, induction

and secondary conduction, where a good fi rst line of

defence is the grounding of the TV aerial or satellite

dish by a thick wire direct to an earthing plate in the

ground or a conductive water pipe at the point where it

enters the house.

TV, audio and computer gear is delicate electrically,

and easily wrecked by voltage spikes and surges caused

by lightning. Tuners, once separate modules, are now more









ConduitsThere are three possible inward routes for damaging lightning surges. Roof- and wall-





















There are three possible inward routes for damaging lightning surges. Roof- and wall-












from serious damage. Don’t handle landline phones or electrical

appliances at the height of a local electrical storm!

RepairAny equipment which has been taken out by lightning is certainly worth

investigation because the damage is utterly unpredictable, and may be quite

superfi cial. On the other hand it can be completely – often invisibly – wrecked!

The fi rst step is a thorough internal examination, looking for scorches and

burn marks, particularly near the point of entry of the spike if known. Scrutinise

both sides of the PC boards and adjacent plastic and metal surfaces, which

may have got spattered. If there has been burning, sparking or arcs in the low-

level (processes, memory, signal) circuits it’s likely that the damage is severe and

widespread, and not viable for repair.

If the gear is not completely dead, just stunned as it were, try resetting the

main control/processor chip by interrupting the mains supply for a few minutes,

then if necessary check for an internal IC-reset pulse and then for loss of data/

derangement in the operational memory chip/s. Where there is no operation

at all check the fuses and semiconductors in the power supply; sometimes

the plastic top of a transistor or IC may have been literally blown off by a

mini-explosion inside. If semiconductors and/or fuses on the secondary

side of the switch-mode transformer have failed it bodes ill for the

rest of the set because a large spike on a power rail, data, clock

or reset line will have reached many devices throughout. In

this situation much fruitless time can be spent investigating,

perhaps only to fi nd that replacement parts or panels are

not available anyway – the replacement cost of the

set or box must be set against the time involved in

diagnosis. Insurance companies seldom quibble,

I’ve found, in these circumstances.

PrecautionsPrevention is better than cure, at least with

hindsight, and several kinds of protective

device are available from trade component

suppliers like Charles Hyde & Son and

CPC. The most common, and cheapest, are

mains plugs and socket strips incorporating

surge- and spike-suppressors and absorbers.

Also available are devices to fi t into aerial and

dish downloads, sometimes combined with a

mains suppressor; and telephone line protectors,

some at quite high cost. Specialist companies

like Bowthorpe EMP offer a wide range of surge

and lightning protection devices. Fuses and circuit

breakers offer no protection against lightning...

GET CONNECTED34

BACKCHAT

JULY 2012

· He could see himself as a wild west frontiersman, or master of an ocean-going vessel, as long as he had adequate supplies of his special gum. He’d like to lose a stone or two, but a taste for Cabernet Sauvignon and curry may be getting in the way. Meet the “caring, thoughtful, attentive” John Bainbridge, commercial director at Portway Domestic Appliances

Why did you choose to work in the electrical industry?Just sort of happened. It chose me

Who in the industry would you like to spend time with?Simon Freear from Amica. He makes me laugh and his honesty is refreshing

What makes you laugh?Paul (full name suppressed to protect the innocent), for his comments to customers who visit his shop. Has me crying with laughter!

What was the greatest turning point in your life?Joining Portway and meeting my lovely wife Jane

Hobbies? Boating and shooting

What’s the worst lie you’ve ever told?“Yes, it suits you”

Greatest regret?Not spending enough time with my father

How would you describe yourself?Caring, thoughtful, attentive

How do you think others see you?None of the above

What’s your pet hate?Unsolicited calls and emails

Any bad habits?Nicorette chewing gum: ten years on and still using it. And my wife tells me I snore (not that I had noticed)

If you weren’t in your present position, what job would you choose to do?Ship’s captain

Favourite TV programme?“Not Going Out”, and “Mrs Brown’s Boys”

What surprises you?The incredible low margins we seem now to accept

Favourite cuisine?Indian

You have been off ered a leading role in a fi lm of your choice. What character would you like to play?John Dunbar in “Dances With Wolves”

You have been off ered the opportunity to rule the world for a day. What would be the fi rst change you would make?Make unlimited funds available for cancer research

Is there anything about yourself that you would like to change?Lose two stone

Do you have any hidden talents?Still working on this one

Any particular fetishes?Not that I am prepared to share

What would you put into Room 101?All forms of cancer

What’s your greatest achievement?Bringing up two beautiful, well-rounded daughters

Electrical Retailer:

“A customer told me the other day that, like horses being replaced as the principal means of transport, independent retailers have to accept that they’ll be replaced by other, more effi cient means of shopping. It’s just progress, he said. I won’t tell you what I replied.”

What sort of music do you like?Wide choice from classical to Pink Floyd

Favorite quote?“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt”

Who has been the greatest infl uence in your life? My father

Name your poisonCabernet sauvignon

What do you daydream about? Boating

Favorite holiday destination? Scotland

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?Still working with the great team at Portway

What’s your favourite piece of kit?My boat – albeit very small

What motto do you live by?Treat others as you would wish to be treated

Eavesdroppings

2-minute interview

WEATHER AND IMPACT RESISTANT

Sealed unit engineered from high durability outdoor plastics, designed with optically clear and shatter resistant polycarbonate screen

SECURE AND VANDAL PROOF

Includes two keylocks and a high strength aluminium hinge

FITS ALL SCREEN SIZES

Two sizes available which suit:19” – 26” LCD, LED and Plasma TV’s30 – 42 “LCD, LED and Plasma TV’s

FITS ANY VESA MOUNT BRACKET

CAPABLE OF BEING RECESSSED

Trade Enquiries Welcome

Tel: 01298 [email protected] www.ce-tek.co.uk

The revolutionary way to protect your TV screens

RRP

ONLY£599

GET CONNECTED34 JULY 2012

· He could see himself as a wild west frontiersman, or master of an ocean-going vessel, as long as he had adequate supplies of his special gum. He’d like to lose a stone or two, but a taste for Cabernet Sauvignon and curry may be getting in the way. Meet the “caring, thoughtful, attentive” John Bainbridge, commercial director at Portway Domestic Appliances

Why did you choose to work in the electrical industry?Just sort of happened. It chose me

Who in the industry would you like to spend time with?Simon Freear from Amica. He makes me laugh and his honesty is refreshing

What makes you laugh?Paul (full name suppressed to protect the innocent), for his comments to customers who visit his shop. Has me crying with laughter!

What was the greatest turning point in your life?Joining Portway and meeting my lovely wife Jane

Hobbies? Boating and shooting

What’s the worst lie you’ve ever told?“Yes, it suits you”

Greatest regret?Not spending enough time with my father

How would you describe yourself?Caring, thoughtful, attentive

How do you think others see you?None of the above

What’s your pet hate?Unsolicited calls and emails

Any bad habits?Nicorette chewing gum: ten years on and still using it. And my wife tells me I snore (not that I had noticed)

If you weren’t in your present position, what job would you choose to do?Ship’s captain

Favourite TV programme?“Not Going Out”, and “Mrs Brown’s Boys”

What surprises you?The incredible low margins we seem now to accept

Favourite cuisine?Indian

You have been off ered a leading role in a fi lm of your choice. What character would you like to play?John Dunbar in “Dances With Wolves”

You have been off ered the opportunity to rule the world for a day. What would be the fi rst change you would make?Make unlimited funds available for cancer research

Is there anything about yourself that you would like to change?Lose two stone

Do you have any hidden talents?Still working on this one

Any particular fetishes?Not that I am prepared to share

What would you put into Room 101?All forms of cancer

What’s your greatest achievement?Bringing up two beautiful, well-rounded daughters

Electrical Retailer:

“A customer told me the other day that, like horses being replaced as the principal means of transport, independent retailers have to accept that they’ll be replaced by other, more effi cient means of shopping. It’s just progress, he said. I won’t tell you what I replied.”

What sort of music do you like?Wide choice from classical to Pink Floyd

Favorite quote?“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt”

Who has been the greatest infl uence in your life? My father

Name your poisonCabernet sauvignon

What do you daydream about? Boating

Favorite holiday destination? Scotland

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?Still working with the great team at Portway

What’s your favourite piece of kit?My boat – albeit very small

What motto do you live by?Treat others as you would wish to be treated

Eavesdroppings

2-minute interview

WEATHER AND IMPACT RESISTANT

Sealed unit engineered from high durability outdoor plastics, designed with optically clear and shatter resistant polycarbonate screen

SECURE AND VANDAL PROOF

Includes two keylocks and a high strength aluminium hinge

FITS ALL SCREEN SIZES

Two sizes available which suit:19” – 26” LCD, LED and Plasma TV’s30 – 42 “LCD, LED and Plasma TV’s

FITS ANY VESA MOUNT BRACKET

CAPABLE OF BEING RECESSSED

Trade Enquiries Welcome

Tel: 01298 [email protected] www.ce-tek.co.uk

The revolutionary way to protect your TV screens

RRP

ONLY£599

Warming to warranty As the industry’s leading warranty specialist we know that the key ingredients for success

are in the planning and preparation. With dedicated UK contact centres, an unrivalled repair

network and impressive customer service ratings, there has never been a better time to

turn up the heat on warranty sales with Domestic & General.

www.domesticandgeneral.com

THE VITAMIX® TOTAL NUTRITION CENTRE: THE PERFECT BLEND OF TASTE & NUTRITION

Add variety to your kitchen with the new Vitamix® Total Nutrition Centre. Whether you fancy a fresh smoothie, a refreshing frozen desert or delicious hot soup, this kitchen essential lets you perform more than 50 tasks, quicker, easier and faster with only one product, and without the washing up.

This easy-to-use, multi-functional kitchen essential is more than just a blender. The variable speed control allows you to make the dish of your choice, whether it’s a steaming hot soup, a chilled cocktail or flavoursome fruit sorbet - you can create something to suit every palate all in one place.

What’s more, the Vitamix® Total Nutrition Centre comes with a 7 year guarantee, making sure you enjoy this one-of-a-kind kitchen essential for years to come.

Get the most out of your produce with the Vitamix® Total NutritionCentre.To find out more, please visit www.vitamix.co.uk

VitamixCoverFV.indd 1 27/06/2012 13:32

THE GREEN ROOMCan domestic appliances and consumer electronics really make a diff erence to climate change? And do your customers care that much, anyway? Get Connected takes a hard look at the realities – and opportunities - behind the environmental issues

PORTABLE CE DEVICESYou can take it with you. And as more consumers want to stay “connected” at all times, portable devices are part of their lives – and part of the CE retail opportunity

GEORGE COLE GETS CONNECTEDBye bye Blu-ray?

FROM THE BENCHWhen lightning strikes

BACKCHATPortway’s John Bainbridge gives a 2-minute interview

w w w. g c m a g a z i n e . c o . u kJ U LY 2 0 1 2

get connected: july 2012

Documents

publishing director

vitamix total nutritioncentre

mud hut publishing

connected goodbye bluray

creative director

portable devices

dobson telephone

delicious hot soup