Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Bathroom Brands® Group has announced the recruitment of Roger Cooper, former CEO of bathroom manufacturer Ideal Standard to the board of directors.
Cooper will bring over 40 years’ experience in the bathroom industry to the group, which he describes as the “biggest bathroom company that no-one’s heard of”. His role will be to focus on strategy for the company’s growth.
The company, formed last year when CEO Patrick Riley (founder of Bathstore, prior to selling it to Wolseley) brought together the European Bathroom business and the Crosswater Group®, has opened a new head office and conference facilities at the marina in St Helier, Jersey.
Cooper describes the opportunities for the Bathroom Brands® as “tremendous” and that “becoming involved as Bathroom Brands® comes of age and begins to build its consumer and trade awareness is exciting”, as the group plans to expand further before launching on the stock exchange within the next three years.
Riley says: “We have built a modern business capable of extraordinary growth. Bathroom Brands® is successful because of an instinctive empathy for all the social, political and commercial cultures. Roger’s appointment strengthens a compelling team as he brings with him over 40 years of the best of bathroom business.”
As well as Cooper as non-executive director, the Bathroom Brands group comprises chairman Clive Chaplin, Riley and Tim Powell as founding directors alongside financial director Dawn Crichard.
The Crosswater® Group, headed by Chairman David Hance, trades under three brands; Simpsons® Shower Enclosures and Bauhaus® Bathroom furniture as well as Crosswater®. Each brand directly supplies showrooms and merchants.
The European Bathroom Group comprises Britton® Bathrooms; a new brand offering a complete-bathroom concept of contemporary suites and furniture, Burlington® Bathroom a collection period-styled bathrooms that incorporate the best design with modern technology, the Clearwater® range of freestanding baths and the Zamori® range of shower trays.
New from the European Bathroom Group is ClearGreen™ a complete range of very rigid recyclable baths, with the AquaCabinet™ range to launch later this year.
