Plumbing Connection Autumn 2016

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PLUMBING CONNECTION AUTUMN 2016 21
T: 1300 493 359
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INDUSTRY
As our 2015 winter edition article detailed, it was obvious
a number of European manufactures may have launched
products without sufficient field testing. Like any market,
there are good and not-so-good manufacturers and some of
those products have made it to our shores, albeit primarily
in 6/3 litre forms.
The message out of Europe is that any sanitary range
must include rimless designs.
Meanwhile Caroma, Australia’s largest selling sanitary
brand with 75 years of industry leading experience, has
been quietly working away on its own version of rimless
technology.
Under the development leadership of Dr Steve Cummings,
head of research and development at GWA Bathrooms &
Kitchens’ Caroma provided Plumbing Connection with an
exclusive insight on its exciting market response.
Caroma’s Cleanflush range of rimless pan models
encompasses the basic fundamentals of flushing in a
modern design.
While the global production market in recent years
has required Caroma (GWA Bathrooms & Kitchens) to
manufacture chiefly offshore, the core of its design and
development work remains firmly based in Sydney at its
technical research and development centre.
That’s similar to what has happened to Australia’s car
industry, where Toyota, Ford and Holden have all retained
sizeable research and development facilities in Australia.
The reason being, Australians continually demonstrate
superior skills when it comes to product design and
technical development. Plus, they know, better than anyone,
what the Australian consumer wants.
CAROMA’S DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY
Back in 2004 when Caroma launched its Smartflush
solution which successfully reduced flush volumes from
6/3 litre down to 4.5/3 litre, the company identified the
critical areas of the pan where the design needed to perform
effectively with lower flush volumes.
As Steve Cummings says, “When we commenced
development of the rimless pan, the overriding aim was to
solve all of the performance issues evident in some of the
European products. We knew we needed to develop a design
that would cleanse as much of the bowl area as possible
through the controlled flushing of water effectively