As part of its expanded North American presence, Duravit has restructured its sales management team.

The recent Forte 2013 Conference at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas brought together more than 150 principals operating in excess of 250 showrooms across North America, as well as 65 preferred vendors.

In a moment it became personal for Peter Ollestad. Ollestad, the national sales manager for Seattle-based bathroom vanity manufacturer Strasser Woodenworks, was at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show a few years back when he was approached at his company’s booth by a Chinese manufacturer.

TOTO introduces 1G, which is a 1.0-gpf ultra-high-efficiency toilet that offers the company’s state-of-the-art Double Cyclone flushing system.

The Cadence One toilet from ICERA features sleek lines and smooth contours, and comes in both a 1.28-gpf version and an ultra-high efficiency 1.0-gpf model.

This high-efficiency toilet (operating at 1.28 gpf) from Danze features the graceful use of oval shapes, perfect for bathrooms with a more traditional decor.

The ROHL Perrin & Rowe Jubilee collection includes faucets, shower kits, optional showerheads and accessories for the bath, which were inspired by classic English design.

The Galley sink also functions as a work station, which includes cutting boards, colanders, a drain rack and stainless bowls.

MotionSense from Moen provides an intuitive, hands-free kitchen faucet experience that responds to users’ hand movements to activate water flow.

I recently did a webinar for a group of kitchen and bath dealers on the subject of marketing. It prompted me to think about the wholesale showroom and independent decorative plumbing and hardware showroom businesses.