INSIDE n Sudbury’s new formula n Victorian rooflight revival n Helping needy children

n A two-day Farrow & Ball display inthe Art Gallery at Snape Maltings

attracted a steady flow of enthusiasticviewers in early February.Organised by Suzanne Digby, it featured

mood boards displaying nine recentlylaunched new Farrow & Ball colours. Alsoon show was a wallpaper display and LittleGreene’s new Blue Collection featuring 20new shades of blue.Farrow & Ball’s new collection is being

promoted by ‘escaped’ farmyard animals, oneof which – Percy the Pig – was outside thegallery behind a picket fence.

“We were particularly busy on theSaturday with a lot of interest, and a lot ofpeople seeking colour advice as well,” saidSuzanne.“The Melton branch has significant

demand from up towards Southwold,particularly for decorating holiday homes, sowe wanted to tap into that demand,” sheadded. Those that attended were given

vouchers for sample paint pots from KBbranches or 10% off wallpaper. The eventwas also supported by Ipswich and Bury StEdmunds staff.

n A stylish new KBColchester builders’

merchant shop has openedas part of a majorreorganisation andsimplification of the largeLayer Road site.Customers can now buy both

their lightside and heavysidebuilders’ merchant products inthe same shop.To launch the store, a trade

week of breakfast mornings withsupplier demonstrations, freebacon rolls and special collectdeals was planned for the weekstarting March 7.Additionally, there will be

regular Monday morning ‘BM repsurgeries’ for customers to talkto the sales team about their

building requirements.The change follows last year’s

customer survey whichhighlighted the need for areorganisation in order to make

KB easier to do business with.“It is all about customer

service – making us easier andfaster to use,” said Carl Jenner,Colchester operations manager.

“Products such as nails, fixingsand hinges that were previouslyin the lightside shop are nownext to timber and doors in thebuilders’ merchant store wherethe customer wants them.“We have also completely

refurbished what was the oldheavyside shop to give it asharper modern feel, with£50,000 spent on new rackingalone and a stylish redecoration.We wanted to create theexperience of a contemporarystore in contrast to thetraditional builders’ merchantwarehouse.” In addition, walls have been

removed between the store andthe sales team area enablingcustomers to speak directly tomembers of the specialist salesteam. There is also additional carparking next to the BM shop.l The changes will see tool hirereturning to its old location atthe entrance to the front shop,due to popular demand.

A one-stop builders’ shop

Built On Trust Since 1838

TRADELINESTHE NEWS AND VIEWS AT KENT BLAXILL SPRING 2016 ISSUE: No 74

All KB builders’ merchantproducts have beenconsolidated in onemodern store followingcustomer survey findings

F&B fans flock to Snape display

Suzanne Digby , left, and LyndseyOdowd, with F&B escapee Percy

TRADELINES

New dec store makes a splash

n The Sudbury store has undergonea £75,000 makeover to give it the

smart new KB decorative appearanceand layout that has proved highlypopular in other branches. “We have used the highly successful

Melton branch blueprint to create a storethat contractors can feel comfortable aboutsending clients along to,” said James Park,

KB decorative manager. “It is a customer-friendly layout with paints arranged bybrand, and with colour and wallpaper selec-tion bars. There is also more space fortrade paint ranges and improved stocklevels.”The mezzanine floor has been removed

to create an attractive branch with naturallight and area colour selection areas.

Specialist paints include Farrow & Ball,Little Greene, Paint Library, Zoffany,Sandersons and Earthborn, with expertadvice available from colour consultantDawn Harrington.There are new colour glass displays of

splashbacks and screens. The landscapingarea continues unchanged after last year’ssuccessful overhaul.

n A £30,000 investment in a new BandSaw has boosted timber-cutting

capacity in the KB Colchester branch.“The Stenner ST100R – the latest model from the

renowned Stenner range of Classical Resaws – willfurther increase our productivity with its ability to cutup to 60metres of timber per minute,” said KevinCurtis, timber, heavyside and landscape manager.“It will ensure we will continue to offer

customers the top quality service they haveexperienced from our timber operation for manymore years to come.”The saw’s capabilities include cutting all

special-size timber orders, firring pieces, arris rails andfeather-edge timber, with orders completed in 24 to48 hours.

n The Colchesterdecorative store has

had a brisk start to the yearafter its internal refresh anda sales drive to attract newdecorators.The refurbished shop, which

is now headed up by MartinSimpson, has been repainted andhas dozens of new lines on theshelves. A new mixing machine has

been installed for Rustoleum,Zinsser and Blackfriar paints,while stocks have beensupplemented by productsincluding Wooster brushes.“We have had a fantastic

response to the revamp withlots of new and existingcustomers calling in during apromotional week which had areally good atmosphere,” saidAndy Whitney, decorative salesmanager. The event was so successful

that Janine Scarff, Colchester Decrep, will now be holding a regular‘Monday surgery’ to meet and talk

to customers about theirdecorative materials requirements.

A towering brick featn Internal Brick Specialist

Chris Hobrough (above)has passed a three-daycourse at the Ibstock BrickUniversity with flying colours. Chris achieved an excellent

score in the test after the coursewhich covered clay sourcing,extrusion, manufacturing,packaging, brick types andspecials.“The course has enabled me

to advise on specialistrequirements such as choosingdarker bricks, how many to usefor a plinth, particular brickshapes, and on what bricks touse for window reveals or baywindows,” said Chris. “I cannow advise on what specials touse and how many would beappropriate, for example off ofarchitects’ drawings.”

Sudbury store fitted out with winning formula

Multiple lines:Martin Simpsonin the revamped

Dec shop

Band Saw sharpens cutting edge

Tradelines Spring 2016 kentblaxill.co.uk

TRADELINES

n KB glaziers havecompleted a

range of challengingglass installations on aluxury property inCamden thatunderwent a totalrefurbishment afterbeing gutted by fire.Kent Blaxill was

initially contracted toreplace the 12 m smoke-damaged glass roof onthe building, which wasbuilt originally as a tramshed. Bespoke powdercoated LonsdaleThermgard glazing barswere fitted to exactlymatch the previousinstallation. They

included eight electricopening vents with auto-matic rain sensors.The success of the

initial project led to rollon work fitting a 12mmtoughened safety glassshower screen in one ofthe bathrooms.“This was so large

that the only way we

could install it was tocrane the glass from theroadside onto the client’ssecond floor balconyusing a KB lorry with aHiab and lifting attach-ments,” said Paul Meek,contracts manager.In addition, 17.5 mm

toughened laminated lowiron safety glass wasfitted to a balustradestaircase. Low iron glasswas used to increaselight transmission. “Theglass was measured,templated and thenordered as each panelwas bespoke and alldifferent sizes andshapes,” said Paul.

n An eye-catchingnew structured KB

landscaping area istaking shape atColchester – featuringdozens of new products.A complete overhaul

will result in a pathwayround the site takingcustomers past new linesthat have been updatedand upgraded according tothe latest trends.“Our aim is to get

customers’ attention whenthey leave kitchenshowrooms or the frontshop and entice them overto a well laid outlandscaping area thatincludes new display boardsshowing Global Stone,Bradstone and Tobermoreproducts,” said KevinCurtis, timber, heavyside

and landscaping manager.New products on

display include a range ofForest Garden sheds,summer houses and aworkshop, Trex decking,Namgrass artificial grass,and a new range ofBramblecrest gardenfurniture.There is also an

improved range ofsoftwood and oak sleepers,including shorter sleepersthat can be put in the backof a van or car. Other newproducts includeCharltons’ gates, whichhave a Royal warrant,while the patio display isalso being extended.The site is being run by

a new landscaping team ofDave Hobrough andAndrew Tanner.

Digital templating in glass

Camden tram shed challenge

n KB glaziers have signed off acomplex reglazing contract

that involved reconditioning andreinstalling 10 large Victorianrooflights on the grade II listedSudbury Library.Neil Currell, KB installations

manager, said: “It was a unique andchallenging project with each piece ofglass having to be individually cut andfitted, and with every detail having tobe approved by English Heritage.”The 9 sq m metal rooflight frames,

each containing 108 pieces of individu-ally shaped and sized glass, had to bedismantled into 12 separate segmentsand tagged accordingly as each lanternlight is a unique size. The frames werethen sent away for shot-blasting and

repainting with seven coats of EnglishHeritage-approved paint. Once the rooflights had been rein-

stalled, a total of 1,080 individually cutreplacement panes of 6mm toughenedGrey Anti-Sun Solar Control glasswere glazed into the frames. The Anti-Sun glass is tinted with a pigment tocontrol heat and glare in the librarybelow. In all, it took four glaziers seven

weeks to complete the specialistproject on what was once the town’sCorn Exchange, built in 1841.Kent Blaxill won the glazing element

of the refurbishment from contractorsBrooks & Wood, who in turn had wonthe contract from Babergh DistrictCouncil contractor Concertus.

n Turnround times for complex and bespokeshapes of glass will be cut significantly by a

new Kent Blaxill state-of-the-art portablemeasuring device.The £15,000 Proliner, which was purchased in

Holland, can create instant measurements for shapesranging from glass splashbacks to balustrades, as well asbeing able to generate measurements from templates.“The Proliner will reduce the amount of office time

and paperwork. Our installation and lead-in times willbe significantly reduced and accuracy increasedfurther,” said Paul Meek, glazing contracts manager.“The Proliner can measure straights, curves, contin-

uous scribing and very complex shapes in an instant. Iteliminates the need for onsite levelling and the need fortwo-man surveys as it is fully one-person operational.“We will be able to efficiently order glass straight

away via a digital file,” said Paul.

Landscaping takespictureboard path

Victorian rooflights revival

Finishing touches:The new naturalstone paving display

kentblaxill.co.uk Spring 2016 Tradelines

Tradelines Spring 2016

TRADELINES

kentblaxill.co.uk

COLCHESTERCO2 9JY

%: 01206 216000sales@kentblaxill.co.uk

BRAINTREECM7 3GZ

%: 01376 335999Braintree@kentblaxill.co.uk

BURY ST EDMUNDSIP33 3TX

%: 01284 762401bury@kentblaxill.co.uk

FAKENHAMNR21 8SX

%: 01328 864713Fakenham@kentblaxill.co.uk

HUNTINGDONPE29 6EB

%: 01480 435731Huntingdon@kentblaxill.co.uk

IPSWICHIP3 0AB

%: 01473 341330 Ipswich@kentblaxill.co.uk

KIRBY CROSSCO13 0LY

%: 01255 679161 Kirby@kentblaxill.co.uk

NORWICHNR2 4UX

%: 01603 628973Norwich@kentblaxill.co.uk

SUDBURY CO10 2FT

%: 01787 372241 Sudbury@kentblaxill.co.uk

WOODBRIDGE IP12 1RB

%: 01394 384255 melton@kentblaxill.co.uk

Kent BlaxillCompanyLimited

@KentBlaxill and @KBDecorating

n KB’s six-a-side football teamhas finished second in the

Colchester Leisure World PremierLeague.The team battled through the

elements every Wednesday evening tofinish 12 points clear of third place in atournament that featured 40 teams.Player Brett Sims commented: “The

whole team did so well this season. Allthe players have been so committed tobeing there every week, not only to havefun but to also represent a company thatwe all love working for.”The players were: Brett Sims,

Darrell Wood, Wayne Gardiner, KieranYoung, Michael Francis, Luke Jones,Andrew Tanner and Harry Mitchell.

nCaring KB staff at Colchester havefilled 30 backpacks with shoes and

school equipment for a charity that helpsneedy children.Mary’s Meals provides a daily meal in school to

meet the immediate needs of hungry children andencourage them to gain an education that canhelp them out of poverty. The charity is currentlyfeeding over 1 million children.

Monica Hartley, the collection organiser atKent Blaxill, said: “There is a real sense ofachievement at being able to arrange somethingrelatively simply that will make such a massivedifference to children living in poverty. So manycolleagues helped by finding the right items.”The backpacks left the Layer Road site

destined for one of the 12 countries whereMary’s Meals operates.

Suzanne gears upfor Fakenham

n SuzanneMcCarter is to

take over as branchmanager at the highlysuccessful new KBFakenham branch.Suzanne, who has

spent the last five yearsworking for DuluxDecorator Centre, willteam up with the branch-launch team of SamPitcher and Katie Wright.Hailing from Norwich,

Suzanne was once a rally-cross driver and is also abeauty therapist.

County shows

n There will be KBstands at shows

around East Anglia inthe coming months. These include at South

Suffolk on May 8, TheSuffok Show on June 1-2,and the Norfolk Show onJune 29-30.

Timber training

n Colchester staffKarl Pannell

(sales) and Cory Woby(timber) have bothbeen awardedcertificates from theTimber Academy withMetsa Wood.The workshop aims to

develop timber knowledgein the industry.“The knowledge gained

has given an increasedconfidence and under-standing in the selling oftimber products to ourcustomers” said Karl.Other KB staff to have

completed the courseinclude Jonathan Hill, KellyWilliams and Karl Upsher.

Footballers shoot to second place

Backpackers help needy children