The March 2010 edition of IER will feature the first of what is anticipated to be a bi-monthly Employment Law Column from Stuart Lawrenson of Shoosmiths. Many of you will have　heard　of Stuart via　retra; he has spoken at retra conferences, run training sessions at their　summer　school and advised many retra members via their helpline. Stuart hopes that his column　will keep you up to date with　both changes to legislation and　key cases, whilst also providing you　with practical advice.

The process of selecting the nominations for the Independent Business Awards has just begun. The Awards, which recognise excellence of electrical retailing and manufacturing, conducted annually since 1993 by IER magazine, are acknowledged as the most prestigious awards event in our industry.

Ten British fledgling tech companies were invited to exhibit at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, after winning a competition run by the UK Trade & Investment – the government body promoting British business in international markets.

BDC has entered into a distribution partnership with Fratelli Onofri, the specialist Italian range cooker and built-in appliance manufacturer. Fratelli Onofri is known for kitchen appliances that combine technical innovation with traditional Italian style and elegance.

Although we all wish to hear that the end of the financial recovery is round the corner, economic gurus tell us that with unemployment between 2.3 and 2.5 million, the country is still in recession. Yet, there are encouraging signs on the horizon that 2010 is going to be a better year for the industry.

TV is set to enter the third dimension in 2010 with several brands, including LG, Samsung, Panasonic and Sony, unveiling 3D TVs at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The 3D panels will be hitting shops from April onwards, and will also be joined by an array of 3D-capable Blu-ray players.

Duracell’s latest range of torches, Duracell Daylite, incorporates the company’s patented TrueBeam Optic technology. It captures 100% of light produced by the LED bulb, creating a light that is twenty times brighter than a regular LED torch, says the manufacturer. Duracell Daylite also has a 3:1 focus ratio from spot to flood without the quality of light deteriorating or any black spots.

The Dyson City DC26 is a compact but powerful cylinder cleaner designed for smaller homes. With this product Dyson has responded to the societal trend showing that as homes get smaller, space becomes a premium. According to recent research,  2.3 million homes in England are smaller than 50m².

Polish white goods manufacturer Amica has signed a preliminary agreement to sell its laundry and refrigeration plants in Wronki to Samsung Electronics Manufacturing Poland.  Simultaneously, both companies agreed that the South Korean group will sell washing machines and refrigeration products to Amica. It will allow Amica to maintain the supply of the washing and cooling products popular with the UK’s independent retailers and concentrate on the research and development of cooking appliances.

The 601IE3Ta, a 60cm oven from Amica, combines the versatility of a freestanding appliance with the efficiency of induction. The multifunction oven provides eight heating functions including fan with ring heater for quicker, even baking and roasting along with a powerful grill, traditional convection heating, top heat, bottom heat and fan with ring heater and bottom heater – ideal for pizzas.

The 9kg drum on Whirlpool’s AWOE 9558 washing machine represents one of the largest drum sizes. The freestanding, 1200rpm AWOE 9558 is a powerful all-round performer driven by Whirlpool’s 6th Sense technology for better performance and economy of resources.

Fisher & Paykel has added two ceramic hobs to its portfolio with a stainless steel trim and easy to use dial controls to match the range of built-in ovens.

The new series of 7kg tumble dryers from Maytag is equipped with a range of auto dry programmes coupled with the company’s unique SensiDry programme for delicate fabrics which optimises the usage of energy and time. The dryers also feature a unique ‘butterfly’ drying action which reduces creasing and the need for ironing.

Siemens has launched a pair of compact stainless steel dishwashers – the 45cm tall SK75M530GB with 6 place settings and the 60cm tall SC76M530GB with 8 settings. Both models can be wall mounted and the larger model SC76M530GB can also be mounted under the counter. Both models are very quiet with noise levels of 45 dB and 47dB respectively.

Building on the success of the Minipod – the original curvy loudspeaker – Danish company Scandyna has developed a new floorstanding design Megapod. It takes a Minipod and adds the substantial Megapod bass unit, connecting the two via an aluminium arm.

The new @Espresso Suprema coffee maker from Polti features the patented Crema Express  system that forces the water to stay in the capsule for a few seconds, thoroughly impregnating the coffee. This ensures a natural pre-infusion allowing full use of all the coffee’s aroma.

The new BRAVIA range will change the way people view television by giving viewers a 3D experience in full HD with a built-in Freeview HD tuner. It will enable viewers to connect to the Internet wirelessly and explore a huge choice of content and services.

Held in Las Vegas, in the Nevada desert, the world’s largest consumer electronics show was as big as ever this year, with over 2,500 exhibitors and more than 20,000 new products on show. Remaining bullish in the face of the recession, the show attracted more than 120,000 attendees, according to early estimates, marking a substantial increase in visitor numbers from last year.

Regular readers of IER magazine may recall that in early 2007 I wrote a piece entitled “Grow the Market”. It referred to the need to look at the broad range of items which fall into the general category of domestic appliances. In some cases, the market penetration of these products in the UK was quite low. In other words there was tremendous potential to ‘grow the market’.

Consumers looking for HDTV products are spoilt for choice these days, whether it’s an HD Ready set, an HD set-top box or a Blu-ray Disc recorder.

A wide choice

Matt Evans, JVC’s assistant product manager, says: “The market trends show 1080p adoption is growing, which led to us to increase the number of 1080p models in our range – screen sizes range from 19 to 47 in.”

Barry Jenkins has transformed his business several times over the last thirty years.  A passionate surfer, who used to take part in international competitions, he started out manufacturing fibreglass surf boards and exporting them to France. In winter when the demand was slack he produced swimming pool furniture for hotels. His next business venture was souvenir retailing at the time when Jersey was a bucket and spade holiday destination. He had five shops at one stage. When tourism in Jersey started to decline he developed the photographic side of the business. “I expanded the range of cameras and started bringing in more audio products – radios and recorders – and eventually we ceased all other businesses and concentrated on what we do now.” The company was renamed Fotosound to reflect it. It is now linked to two associated businesses: a photographic shop – Digital Photo Centre – and Telefitters, specialising in installations of televisions and audiovisual equipment.

There will always be two types of consumers. “Firstly, there are dedicated green consumers, environmentally conscious shoppers, who have proven that they will remain green during hard times – even if it means paying a little bit more. Then there is the average cash-strapped consumer for whom saving cash is king. For these individuals going green is a bonus, but saving money and lowering their household running costs will always be the deal-breaker,” explains Jonathan Casley, sales and marketing director, Glen Dimplex Home Appliances.

Of all the consumer electronics products the one which consistently turns in the biggest business for the independent dealer is large-screen TV. It also offers the most and the best opportunities for trading up – in turns of product upgrade, service and accessories. And I’m not thinking only of stands and leads, important though they are...