Archive for September, 2008

There’s fresh life pulsing through the veins of Blanco. New ideas, new designs, new ways to do business… a revitalized vision of how we can all work together to lift this brand to the next level, while creating great opportunities for each of us individually.

THE BEAT at www.blancobeat.com will give voice to that journey, providing an internal forum for Blanco, Blanco representatives and showroom sales associates to exchange information. Here you’ll discover the latest product news, program introductions, support tools, sources of inspiration and more.

THE BEAT will also create a channel to lend your voice to the Blanco community. Just hit the Comments link to share success stories, presentation techniques, new ideas, or anything that’s on your mind. Your contributions are the key to making this forum successful for all.

Look for new posts every Friday, or add www.blancobeat.com to your RSS feed list for notices, as new information is added.

Pump up… Get ready… Stay tuned…

No doubt, we’re all facing a difficult marketplace, but somehow the positive stories seem to get lost in today’s 24/7, gotcha headline, tabloid news cycle.
Here at THE BEAT, we’re committed to reporting the positive side of the news. Hit the Comments button below to share your own stories.

Eliot Sefrin, publisher of Kitchen & Bath Design News, shares the following results of a survey of the magazine’s readers:

• While dealers generally acknowledge a rocky economic climate, only
  a minority say they’re contemplating cuts in staff, showroom size or costs.
• Nearly two-thirds of surveyed dealers report that they plan to add or
  change an average of seven separate product lines in 2008.
• More than 30% plan to expand their showroom space in 2008.
• Even those who aren’t planning a showroom expansion note that they’re
  likely to expand the number of displays in their space.

“It’s encouraging, indeed, to discover that kitchen and bath dealers are willing to invest in their showrooms, try new products and implement well-conceived business strategies rather than merely whine about business conditions,” says Sefrin. “It’s reassuring to hear that they’re apparently not panicking from everything they read about housing, and that they have faith in the continued strength and long-term resiliency of the kitchen and bath sector.”

Click here for Eliot’s complete editorial.