The next stage of our growth strategy for Sottini will see our design brand launching with Ideal Bathrooms over the coming weeks.
Benefitting from Ideal Bathroom’s network of area sales managers, the move means accelerating the increase in availability through showrooms and strengthening our service proposition to customers.
A core range of Sottini products, including Fusaro, Ippari, Mavone, Turano, Ellero and Isarca, will be stocked by Ideal Bathrooms at their warehouse in Milton Keynes.
The brand is now available on a three-tier basis – called Famiglia, Compagno and Amico – with greater levels of service and support available for those in the two first tiers, based on their level of spend and showroom displays.
Channel Director Adam Evans said: “This is an important partnership for Sottini that will accelerate our growth into retail.
“For Ideal Bathrooms, it enables them to bolster their design brand offering in retail and we will benefit from their extended sales team enabling more contact with a lot more of the Amico customers.
“We have seen good growth this year for Sottini in the residential channel and this is an opportunity to build on that, with Sottini being the business’ key retail brand.”
Sottini was introduced to key Ideal Bathrooms personnel at the London Design and Specification Centre last week.
The event was an opportunity to present the ranges of products, displays and point of sale materials, and to talk about the kind of retail customers who should be targeted.
It was attended by their Sales Director Gary Matthews, Commercial Director Danielle Lillis and teams from sales and marketing alike.
DAnielle said: “Ideal Bathrooms have a long established partnership with Ideal Standard that has spanned almost 40 years.
"With the brand firmly remaining our largest branded supplier, our dominance in ceramics mid-market remains steadfast; yet we have had limited penetration into the premium ceramics sector.
"Therefore, this opportunity to be the exclusive distribution partner of the premium positioned Sottini brand is a fantastic new partnership for us as a business and a significant growth platform for 2020.
"We have been working closely with the Sottini team to develop the communication and engagement plans ready for a full exciting January launch.”