Managing director of Daval Simon Bodsworth offers his advice to kbb retailers on trading in a challenging market and highlights the products they need to consider for projects

Creativity and customisation will be critical in every element of the customer journey, so a combination of solid experience with an eye for innovation will be key so that retailers can offer the best of both worlds.

We have moved into a post-industrial era in which ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ has become universally significant in the future of our plant and increased wellbeing at home and anticipate that this will continue in the years ahead.

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Using environmentally-friendly materials in interior design has seen huge growth of late and we are finding that the pure nature of 100% recycyled furniture continues to lend itself to urban-inspired kitchens.

Health and hygiene

It has been said that the future is already here, we just have to look for it, so I would point retailers towards products which will be top-of-mind to protect consumers’ health and wellbeing, such as antibacterial coatings.

I believe that removing any potential for germs and bacteria, helping to minimise the risk of cross-contamination when prepping food and prevent mould and mildew developing when working in such a humid environment will become an important USP going forwards.

We are still learning about COVID-19 and how best to shield vulnerable people from future pandemics, so I would like to think this option will have plenty of take-up as it will protect people with delicate immune systems, as well as those who are recovering from the effects of the virus.

Local provenance

I strongly believe that you make your own luck and that ethnical investment in your business and supporting your local community is very important, as the UK adjusts to changes following the pandemic and looks to support British manufacturing, as well as adopting more sustainable strategies.

I think that consumers will be even more concerned with the provenance and longevity of materials, especially when it comes to buying a replacement kitchen or kitchen for a new lifescycle stage so ‘Made in Britain’ should have a renewed cachet.

Based in Huddersfield since 1978, Daval won the Sustainable & Ethical Manufacturer Award category at the Made in Yorkshire Awards in 2020.