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PLUMBING CONNECTION
WINTER 2015
ISH 2015 TRADE FAIR REPORT
I
SH was once again quite an event and attracted its usual
~200,000 visitors, with around a third of them coming
from outside of Germany. And the Australian’s and Kiwis
were there in ever increasing numbers.
Sustainability is a key issue for all of us but Europe has
been more driven when it comes to energy efficiency (due to
critical energy supply issues), which has for a long time been
strongly reflected in the energy and air-conditioning parts
of ISH. Australasia on the other hand has been ahead of
Europe over the past decade or two when it comes to water
efficiency, but the Europeans are now taking water efficiency
more seriously.
One of the most important bathrooms trends happening
globally is the move towards barrier-free or ‘access’
solutions; a direct result of the fast changing demographics
in most Western countries and the commitment to making
life easier for the disabled.
The German plumbing contractors association (ZVSHK)
claims that of the 495,000 bathrooms their members
have installed over the past 12-months, a third of them
were barrier-free. That’s not a trend but a giant movement
in product supply, installation expertise and business
opportunity. We’ve yet to fully embrace the barrier-free
movement to that degree in our local markets.
This product review focuses mostly on new products and
technologies for the bathroom sector, where there were
some significant ideas worthy of a second look. The degree
of change in the piping, valves and boiler/hot water sectors
was not quite as noticeable but no doubt there will be new
fine-tuned products from those sectors launched here over
the next year or so.
Following this ISH report I have a dedicated story on
rimless toilets which were being discussed in depth on most
of the sanitary-ware stands. Go to page 52 for that article.
JEFF PATCHELL
WALKED THE HARD YARDS FOR READERS ONCE AGAIN WITH A LOOK AROUND THIS YEAR’S ISH
EXHIBITION IN FRANKFURT. HE EVEN SCORED A SEAT ON THE MOST OUTLANDISH TOILET THRONE KNOWN TO MAN
– A LITTLE MORE ON THAT LATER…