Take the Shower Toilet, launched by Zurich company Geberit last year. Not only does the high-tech loo feature the cleansing powers of a bidet, it also boasts an in-built warm-air dryer and a strategically positioned air purifier. With this attention to detail, few would argue with Geberit's claim that its Shower Toilet offers the "ultimate toileting experience".
Geberit does not just make state-of-the-art WCs. It is one of Europe's biggest drainage and sanitary system makers, and commands more than half of the German-speaking market.
Geberit is keen to grow its market share in the UK. It has had a big presence in the UK for five years since it brought drainage firm Terrain. It has two manufacturing bases in the UK, in Aylesford, Kent, and in Portadown, Northern Ireland.
Its intentions in the UK are reflected in its growing portfolio of prestigious projects, which include The Tate Modern in London, Birmingham Bullring and the Baltic Mills Art Gallery in Gateshead. It is currently bidding to supply sanitary systems to Wembley Stadium, which would be the biggest toilet installation in Europe.
Geberit is keen to take a large slice of the PFI pie. It supplies vandalproof sanitary systems to public buildings such as prisons and hospitals and is hoping that its hands-free infrared technology will be attractive to clients keen to minimise lifecycle costs over the length of a PFI contract.
The Swiss are also keen to minimise the sound of sanitation 鈥� it is frowned on to flush the toilet in Z眉rich apartments between 10pm and 6am 鈥� and Geberit is at the forefront of new acoustic technology. It hopes its Mepla range of acoustic hot and cold pipework will lead to more UK contracts in light of recent improvements in the acoustic regulations.
Last year was a successful one for Geberit. It enjoyed 6% growth in the year ending December 2003 and now has a UK turnover of 拢39m. Its share price on the Z眉rich stock exchange doubled between March 2003 and March 2004. It recently acquired Mapress Holdings, a large provider of stainless steel pipe and drainage systems. The purchase means Geberit now has 5420 employees dedicated to toilets and drainage and 11 production sites worldwide.
Geberit鈥檚 company history
1874 Geberit鈥檚 founder Caspar Melchior Albert Gebert-Domeisen establishes first plumbing workshop in Switzerland1912 The company makes its first wooden cistern
1935 Company uses non-corroding plastic pipes for first time
1952 Makes first plastic cisterns
1955 Subsidiaries are established in Germany, Austria and France
1956 Expansion into drainage market
1977 Shower Toilet introduced to unsuspecting Swiss public
1997 Company sold to British venture capitalist Doughty Hanson
1999 Listed on Z眉rich stock exchange; purchased UK firm Terrain from Caradon
2004 Mapress Group purchased
Here's the pitch
Hi there, Profile Construction Consultants, 好色先生TV magazine here. As you know, this is the bit where small firms tell us who they are and what they are up to. So, first question:What do you specialise in?
>> Profile Construction Consultants provides planning support to contractors. We started life in 1994; at that time there was a shortage of good planning engineers. There are six fee earners and our projected turnover for this year will top 拢700,000. Although we are based in Kent, we are operating in several major European cities and have worked in the Far East.
Who are your major clients?
>> We have worked on almost 1000 different projects in the past 10 years and with most of the major contractors and project managers, on projects from 拢50,000 to 拢750m. Last year we started working as fashion designer Burberry鈥檚 project manager on its European roll-out, at first in Milan and now in Rome and Paris.
What makes you different?
>> We have always looked at providing all the members of the team with support; our wide range of work and clients means that we understand the needs of the contractor and the end user.
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