Manufacturer and distributor of high-pressure laminate surfaces Wilsonart UK has appointed Chris Johnson to the role of product manager, as it looks to bolster its bathroom panels range.

With a career spanning 14 years in product and category management across the building products industry, Johnson will be responsible for the development of the business’s long-term product strategy.

He will be tasked with the aim of solidifying the Mermaid brand’s status “as the number one choice” among bathroom installers.

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Providing a vital link between sales and manufacturing, Johnson’s role will also see him manage product lifecycles and channel strategy, as the Mermaid brand looks to build on its flagship Elite range.

Since starting his career as assistant product manager at Howdens in 2006, Johnson has worked in similar roles at Travis Perkins, Saint-Gobain Weber UK and most recently Plumbase, where he was plumbing category manager for five years.

On joining Wilsonart, Chris Johnson said: “Having spent much of my career on the distribution side of the supply chain, I’m excited to bring an in-depth understanding of the installer market into my new role with one of the industry’s best manufacturers.

“I was already familiar with the Mermaid brand and its products having worked closely with the business during my time at Travis Perkins, so am looking forward to building on this by maximising the value we can offer to our customers.

“In our Elite range, we have a shower panel solution which has a legitimate USP in its 100% waterproof core, which gives us some really solid foundations from which we can build our product strategy.”

His appointment comes after Mermaid joined the Made in Britain membership campaign, with its growing range of products manufactured here in the UK.

Sales director at Wilsonart Neil Horton added: “Our decision to appoint Chris into the role of Product Manager puts us in a fantastic position to maximise our appear to bathroom installers with an unrivalled product range.

“Chris’s knowledge of the market and understanding of what installers need from their products will be a real asset to our business we push to grow our market share.”