BLANCO Events | Kitchen and Bath Industry Show 2009 Highlights

I'm Janice Costa, editor of Kitchen and Bath Design news.
We're here at the 2009 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Atlanta, and I'm standing in
front of the BLANCO exhibit.
In the next few minutes, we'll take a tour of the latest sink and faucet innovations.
Exploring the hottest kitchen and bath design trends today,
and it has to be one of the star attractions of KBIS this year.
Right now I'm joining Marc Nover, president of BLANCO.
Marc, it's good to see you again. Thank you, Janice. It's good to see you.
So for all those people who couldn't be at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, tell us about Steelart. BLACNO's Steelart is a
brand that stands for the pinnacle of quality, hand craftsmanship,
and exclusive design.
No other manufacturer in the world can take a single piece of steel
and turn it into a sculpture. These really are like works of art. I can't believe these were once flat. There are no seems. Janice this is our new Flow
Sink, and it's really a masterpiece. It takes 48 steps
and 30 artisans to create this one sink.
Every detail, every curve is engineered to perfection.
All the water flows right to the drain- it's beautiful and functional.
Just stunning.
The installation appears flush mounted.
That is another BLANCO first. Our MicroEdge technology- it's a
1.25 millimeter rim
that actually installs
with the ease of a drop-in,
but gives the appearance of a flush mount.
These really give designers lots of flexibility for an instant makeover.
You can just drop in the sink and you don't even have to change the countertop. That's right, and the edge is so tight
to the counter it makes it easy to clean and maintain. Plus it
just looks great!
MicroEdge is really the first innovation stainless steel sinks in over a decade.
It's the combination of the impossibly narrow rim
and the innovative clip system that gives it such uniqueness.
And we actually initially launched it in our Steelart brand, but we're branching
out and adding to our most popular BLANCO families: Wave, Supreme, and Performer. So what else is new in
Steelart?
The Arcon Sink has a beautiful flowing art design
that gives a real touch of sophistication. I love how it goes from the zero-radius edge
to this really sleek curve. It's a very
attractive look. Arcon will certainly be a popular new design, and the shape is very
designer friendly.
It really adds a sense of elegance and sophistication to the kitchen.
This is beautiful.
Here's our Precision 16". It's 16 inches front to back
so it allows for an easy installation of a standard 25 inch countertop.
We hear from fabricators that it's very difficult
to install larger sinks because of the integrity of the stone, so this allows them
to install the sink
with a smaller cut. And yet, the sink is very big.
Yes, It's 10 inches deep, and really maximizes the bowl space,
and allows for the faucet in the back.
It's a style that gives designers a lot of flexibility. And yet these rare stones are becoming more and more
popular.
So what else makes Steelart really popular besides these wonderful products? It's
really about Steelart becoming a brand on its own. It
has a portfolio of designs that are very attractive as a designer resource.
Our story is unique in this world of imports.
Steelart is everything that embodies luxury from the exclusive designs, to the german
craftsmanship, and the idea of individuality that comes from the
designer's vision.
Steelart is clearly special in a lot of ways.
Thank you very much, Marc. You have a lot of reasons to be proud of these wonderful products. Thank you, Janice.
I'm here at the Silgranit II challenge area with Tim Maicher, director of marketing for BLANCO.

Great to see you, Janice.
Great to see you too.
i'm so impressed by the range and diversity of products you have here.
Well BLANCO's actually introducing over fifty new models, which is really unprecedented in the industry.
So what's driving all this growth and activity?
BLANCO has always been known as an innovator in the industry.
Our products are engineered and manufactured in Germany according to really European
heritage and quality standards, and that's how we lead in the industry. Silgranit II is
actually a product we're seeing right now, which is an example for leadership.
All day long I've been hearing about these sinks that won't stain, and why
are designers walking around with forks? Well Silgranit II is a sink that is made of 80% granite,
it has seven patents on it.
That makes it the toughest easiest to clean, natural surface in the market.
Our new patented material formulation is easy to clean, but it's also very
strong. It won't stain, or chip, or scratch. It's acid resistant, it's heat resistant,
and it can handle up to five hundred degrees of temperature. And it's
also impact resistant.
So I can drop a heavy pot of spaghetti sauce on this, and it won't chip or break? Or fade.
You can even cut on it.
It's 100% hygienic for food use. And actually feel how smooth and silky
Silgranit II is. It's like a polished stone. As a
Kitchen and Bath editor, I've heard a lot about this growing product category.
What's driving the trend to the use of SIlgranit II?
Of course it's the ease of use.
You simply easily wipe it clean.
You can't damage it, and that's another key point. It's a really great investment,
but it's really the colors that drive the look, and that's really driving the trend.
How many colors? There are five fashion forward colors, 22 classic shapes, in the
Silgranit II material.

Right now we actually have two additions to the line, which is the Precise line.
The look of the Precise was inspired by the professional kitchen, and now
we've expanded that to include our new equal double and one and three quarter,
which provide really a great balance of utility and function.
And that finish is a really nice contrast to stainless.
i guess designers really can have it all.
Thanks for your time, Tim. This is great stuff. Thank you.
We're here with Christy Emens, BLANCO marketing communications manager.
Christy, I am just amazed by all the wonderful products and innovative designs here
at the BLANCO booth.
This is a really big KBIS for BLANCO, with so many new products.
It's really a reaffirmation of the BLANCO brand, that we're continually
improving and leading the industry. Even in this economy.
Especially now, it's even more important than ever to give consumers quality products
and timeless designs that last.
Clean European lines like BLANCO are always fresh.
Here's a good example:
This is Performa. Performa is a great example of a classic
BLANCO original style.
There are 37 models in this line, and we actually just added two more this year.
Other one and three quarter bowl designs that fit standard 36 inch cabinets.
I've noticed the finish is different from other sinks.
Yes, our satin
polish finish improves the clean-ability of the sink, and it has a very subtle
smooth look and feel.
It takes several skilled technicians to polish these sinks to achieve that result.
What about consumers or designers
that want a BLANCO product and the quality, but they're on a budget. of us
We've just introduced a new line of sinks called Stellar,
and they start at about $290. Wow, that's a really great value.
I'm seeing now a different finish?
Yes, Stellar features a refined brushed finish,
and there are 6 new models in the Stellar line.
Something to fit every size and budget.
Well Christy, we've talked so much about sinks, we've almost forgot the jewel of the kitchen,
the faucet.
We have so many unique faucet designs,
but there are two in particular that designers are really excited about here at KBIS.
I can't wait to see.
The Quadris is our first Steelart branded faucet.
It features a strong, cubic design that makes a really great statement.
It's a pull out, it
doesn't look like a traditional pull out, and that's really nice. And the Meridian Semi-Pro
is an iconic, Pro-style faucet
that's always in high demand.
The Pro look is something consumers are always looking for, and it really helps with resale value.
Well thank you very much for showing us what's new and innovative at BLANCO.
You're welcome, Janice.
BLANCO has it all. From the award-winning Steelart sink that's just like a work of art, to their
technical advances like MicroEdge and
Silgranit II. 80 years of quality design, innovation, and
performance. Thank you for joining us, and we'll see you next year at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.