The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) released its annual Market Outlook report. Its goal is to provide a thorough assessment of how various economic and housing market trends are impacting the kitchen and bath industry. The report provides a gauge of the current market size and a forecast for the entire year. 

On Dec. 16, the U.S. Department of Energy officially reversed weakened showerhead standards adopted under the previous administration. Since 1994, showerheads have been limited to a 2.5-gallon-per-minute (gpm) standard, and in 2013 this requirement was amended to ensure the 2.5-gpm standard applies to fixtures with more than one showerhead. The rules adopted in 2020 allowed each individual showerhead to meet the 2.5-gpm standard (for example, a fixture with three showerheads could use 7.5 gpm), while also exempting body sprays from the standard.

The nasty secret that we decorative plumbing folks hold close to our vest is that only a handful of architects, designers, builders and maybe a homeowner or two have the ability to completely design, procure and build the bathroom that they envision. 

Water heater manufacturer Rinnai America Corp. has been working for the last three years with a state department of corrections to upgrade the water heating systems in five prison facilities. This initiative, Jason Tuttle, Rinnai America’s commercial business manager for the North Central region, notes, had a goal to increase the facility’s overall efficiencies.

While the overall kitchen and bath industry continues to show healthy growth for the year, the overall index is down 4% quarter over quarter as lingering issues caused by the pandemic seem to be catching up to consumer sentiment. Despite this, the industry is coming off of a record-breaking quarter of growth in Q2, which has fueled projections for the year at around 12% growth in sales year-over-year, with many members still encouraged about future growth in 2022.  

We’re almost through the second year of the pandemic and vendors and showrooms are boldly sharing what they think will be popular in 2022. A common thread in many of these predictions is that people are starting to work bold colors and patterns into rooms. This simple prediction tells me it is time for the decorative plumbing industry to move outside — way outside — the chrome and white box.

There’s a shift happening in showrooms, and experts say it’s not about competing with the internet, it’s about offering an experience that can’t be matched by online shopping.

Launched in 2018, Decorative Brands is a relatively new division to the AD community but has been among AD’s fastest growing. Director Linda Hoff shared that in just four years, the division grew from eight members to 50 and now includes 75 supplier partners. Earnings have risen significantly each year, with member rebates more than quadrupling since 2018. 

Net sales of $6,803 million were 26.6% ahead of last year, 24.5% higher on an organic basis with 1.8% from acquisitions and a further 0.3% from the impact of foreign exchange. Inflation in the first quarter was in the low teens.

Grundfos’ CR 255 features a new hydraulic design improves everything from impeller to guide vanes to inlet, discharge port, sleeve, and diffuser, taking current energy efficiency and performance standards for vertical multi-stage inline pumps to the next level, the company notes.