Big names impress at the ideal home show: Retailers’ new launches to entice home improvers

Industry names, well and not so well known, figured at last month’s Ideal Home Show, which ran from March 2 to 28 at London’s Earls Court. As usual, a mixed bag of exhibitors helped fill up the first floor of the exhibition. Clothing, manicures, and makeovers were some of the unusual items for sale on the balcony. But downstairs in the main exhibition, those in the market for windows, doors or a conservatory were not disappointed.

Three Everest stands

Whichever route visitors took down the aisles, it was hard to miss one of the three Everest stands. One was a dedicated display for the newly launched driveways range of block paving options. GRP flat roofs was another new launch from the retailer, while the debut of the idigbo hardwood conservatory provided another head-turner.

These new products are clever extensions to the Everest brand, staying true to the company’s up-market pitch and bringing consumer confidence to new areas, thanks to the guarantees and price promise attached.

Driveways are offered with a ‘commercial level of dig’ – 260mm rather than the usual 200mm, says the company. The GRP flat roofs feature BBA approved 18mm decking and are guaranteed for 25 years. Those buying at the show were offered up to 40 per cent off various products.

Centralock distributor

While Everest’s home security options include CCTV and perimeter systems, fellow Latium company Supreme O Glaze has become the exclusive national distributor for Centralock, Mila’s wireless central locking for homes. This wonderfully simple system was offered free on conservatories sold at the show, which incidentally feature the roof of another Latium company, Wendland, with Duraflex system windows. ‘We like to think we’re the most entrepreneurial in the Group’, said Steve Wilson, Marketing Director of Supreme O Glaze parent Weatherseal, about the new initiative.

After trialling the system extensively, Supreme O Glaze is now rolling out the system, which is backed by 1,000 trained personnel nationwide and a 24 hour customer care line. Centralock is retro-fittable and is apparently unencumbered by the new Document P electrical requirements.

Wickes impresses

With posh purple signage, the plush Wickes stand was given over to a range of show kitchens, bathrooms and conservatories. These included a Wickes’ designed timber conservatory, and a PVC-U design supplied by Laird, now owner of BHD of course.

Arguably the biggest conservatory retailer, Wickes began offering low-emmissivity glazed windows in its conservatories last year and is now seeing about a fifth of customers picking this option. Wickes currently only recommends installers, and won’t be offering glass roofs until it has an installation service in place. www.idealhomeshow.co.uk