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AKW Launches Virtual Showroom to Support Accessible and Inclusive Specification.

Building Products Index Ltd Kitchen accessibility solutions Leave a Comment

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AKW has introduced a new virtual kitchen showroom designed to support architects, contractors and other specifiers working on accessible and inclusive residential projects.

Building on the success of its virtual bathroom platform, the new digital showroom provides a practical resource for reviewing accessible kitchen solutions in realistic settings. The online environment enables construction professionals to explore product functionality, finishes and layout options remotely – helping to streamline early-stage design decisions and reduce uncertainty during specification.

The virtual showroom features two fully realised accessible kitchen environments, demonstrating how key features can be integrated into everyday settings. Specifiers can explore practical solutions including rise-and-fall worktops, drop-down storage baskets, pull-out ironing boards and heat drawers – all designed to improve usability and independence within the home.

Integrated product display boards provide an overview of AKW’s wider kitchen offering, covering doors, worktops and handles. Direct access to brochures throughout the experience allows professionals to move quickly from concept review to detailed evaluation.

Finish coordination is also addressed within the platform. The second virtual kitchen space showcases 28 door colourways alongside four complementary worksurfaces, enabling specifiers to assess aesthetic combinations while maintaining compliance with accessible design principles. This is particularly relevant for projects where inclusive functionality must sit alongside contemporary interior design expectations.

The virtual kitchen showroom complements AKW’s physical showrooms in Droitwich Spa and Middlewich, offering flexible product selection options depending on project needs and location. Together, the digital and in-person environments provide practical support throughout the specification process.

Stuart Reynolds, UK Marketing & Product Management Director at AKW commented: “Our virtual bathroom showroom has been widely adopted by OTs, Installers and end users. Extending this experience to our accessible kitchen range ensures that specifiers can review products in a realistic setting from anywhere in the UK, helping to remove uncertainty and support confident specification”.

By combining functional insight, finish selection and direct access to technical documentation, AKW’s new virtual kitchen showroom offers a valuable resource for professionals delivering adaptable and accessible kitchen design.

AKW makes life better with launch of new virtual showroom

Building Products Index Ltd Bathroom Accessibility solutions, bathroom accessories, Bathrooms Leave a Comment

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AKW, one of the UK’s leading providers of accessible bathroom and kitchen solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of its easy-to-navigate and use virtual showroom. Freely accessible to all via https://www.akw-ltd.co.uk/virtualshowroom/, it features 8 different bathrooms that are fully fitted out with AKW products. Created with specifiers, installers and end users in mind, the virtual tool helps those who can’t visit the company’s two physical showrooms in Droitwich Spa and Middlewich explore AKW solutions in realistic room settings.

A virtual tour for all

The spaces in the virtual showroom include a dementia-friendly bathroom, options for retirement and care settings, and wet rooms and bathrooms suitable for social housing. Three display walls also feature shower seats, grab rails, and electric and mixer showers. The virtual showroom is also highly interactive, with many of the products in the bays offering quick links to specification sheets or videos for visitors to access more information. It is also possible to alter the colour of some of the bathroom wall panels and see AKW’s Bathroom for Life – a bath-to-wet room and wet room-to-bath solution – in action.

The virtual showroom allows visitors to see how AKW’s solutions would work in a real-life scenario, meaning that specifiers can easily show clients the products that they could have installed in their homes, whilst also providing inspiration to contractors and private-pay customers alike.

Although the virtual showroom offers a convenient way to explore AKW’s bathroom solutions remotely, it has been designed to complement and not replace AKW’s existing physical showrooms in Droitwich Spa and Middlewich. Both locations remain open for those who would prefer an in-person chance to learn about the AKW product range.

Stuart Reynolds, Product and Marketing Director at AKW, comments: “The virtual showroom adds another layer of flexibility for our customers, ensuring that AKW’s market-leading products and expertise can continue to be accessed in a way that suits them best. By combining physical showrooms with this easy-to-use digital experience, AKW continues to break down barriers, provide exceptional services and resources, and support customers, specifiers, and partners wherever they are based in the UK.”

To find out more about AKW’s Virtual showroom visit: https://www.akw-ltd.co.uk/virtualshowroom/

For more information contact AKW on 01905 823298, Email: sales@akw-ltd.co.uk or visit www.akw-ltd.co.uk

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AKW Launches Water Saving Mixer Shower Models

Building Products Index Ltd Bathroom Accessibility solutions, Bathrooms Leave a Comment

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AKW, one of the UK’s leading providers of accessibility solutions, has extended its range of electric mixer showers to include flow limited versions of its popular Arka Cool Touch, Arka Thermostatic and Vettora showers. These WRAS approved additions to the range now give specifiers, installers and end users the ability to achieve impressive water savings, as well as to continue to promote safe, reliable showering.

These AKW lower flow mixer showers use between 40% to 69% less water – depending on the unit chosen – than those without a flow limiter. The Vettora, Arka Cool Touch and Arka Thermostatic water saving models have a maximum flow rate of 6 lpm, 6 lpm and 8 lpm respectively, enabling significant water and subsequent cost efficiencies to be achieved.

Stylish, safe, durable and easy-to-use

AKW’s three mixer showers have been designed to be stylish, durable, safe and easy-to-use, and all feature a pre-set maximum temperature of 38°. The Arka Cool Touch TMV2 has two paddle leavers for those with limited dexterity, which independently control temperature and flow, and thanks to innovative technology the valve also remains cool-to-the-touch, while maintaining the required water temperature. The Arka Thermostatic TMV3 is approved for use in commercial care environments and has rounded paddle levers to control the temperature and flow, while the Vettora Thermostatic TMV2 features easy-to-use peg levers for simple operation.

Arka Cool Touch Mixer
Arka Thermostatic Mixer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stuart Reynolds, Head of Product and Marketing at AKW, comments: “We decided to extend our mixer shower range to include these flow limited models, as we have listened to our customers and know there is significant demand from them for products that can deliver water savings. All three flow limited showers are WRAS approved and are ideal for use by those looking for a durable showering solution that looks good but delivers in terms of its environmental credentials.”

To find out more about the AKW’s flow limited shower options visit www.akw-ltd.co.uk

For more information contact AKW on 01905 823298, Email: sales@akw-ltd.co.uk or visit www.akw-ltd.co.uk  

AKW Launches New Alveo PVC Wall Panels Range

Building Products Index Ltd Bathrooms, wall panels Leave a Comment

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AKW, one of the UK’s leading providers of accessibility solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of its new Alveo PVC bathroom wall panels range. This new collection of high-quality wall panels gives specifiers and installers even more reasons to replace costly tiles with these stunning, time and money saving alternatives.

The contemporary look that saves time and money

AKW’s stylish, long-lasting Alveo PVC bathroom wall panels are highly robust PVC panels that have been designed to be quick and easy to install, without any specialist equipment. With 600mm and 1000mm width, trimmable panels that can fit over any existing surface, including tiles, they provide a contemporary finish to any bathroom renovation or adaptation.

Thanks to their interlocking tongue and groove edge, the Alveo PVC panels provide a seamless finish when joining two panels along a flat wall. The lightweight panels are suitable for use in adaptations when installed onto a structural wall and the Alveo fixing kit allows for accessories, such as grab rails and shower seats, to be fixed in place without any indentations to the wall panels. A variety of satin anodised finish profiles are also available, including End Cap, H-section, Internal Corner, External/Internal Corner and Bottom/Top, as well as a matt white finish Safety Flooring-to-Wall profile.

Available in contemporary white gloss, white marble, concrete matt and dark graphite colour finishes, there is a colourway to suit any bathroom refurbishment. Designed to be low maintenance, the Alveo PVC wall panels are easy to clean using soapy water and with fewer joins and dirt traps and no need for grout, they are more hygienic than tiles.

New AKW Marlbrook wall panel colourways

AKW has also extended the colourways of the Marlbrook wall panels range to include a white marble and matt grey and the number of available widths. Specifiers now have six contemporary colour finishes to choose from and four easy to transport and manoeuvre sizes (ranging from 300mm to 1200mm in width). The Marlbrook range of high-pressure laminated, structural wall panels is ideal for covering uneven walls and can also be used to box around pipework if needed. Straightforward and fast to install, this structural-grade wall panel range enables fixtures such as shower seats and grab rails to be fitted securely, without impacting on weight loading.

Stuart Reynolds, Head of Product and Marketing at AKW, comments: “There are a range of demands to be met when doing a bathroom adaptation or refurbishment. Alongside the functionality and look of the space, there is always the question of cost-effectiveness and durability. Our Alveo PVC and Marlbrook wall panels deliver on all these demands and more; they achieve a high value appearance for considerably less than the cost of tiling. The range of colourways enables a non-clinical finish to be obtained and these easy to maintain wall panels can also be fitted quickly using a standard toolkit, reducing bathroom downtime, and saving on using a specialist tiler. All in all , Alveo PVC and Marlbrook offer installers long-lasting results for minimum time and effort.”

To find out more about the AKW’s wall panel ranges visit https://akw-ltd.co.uk/alveo-wall-panels/

For more information contact AKW on 01905 823298, Email: sales@akw-ltd.co.uk or visit www.akw-ltd.co.uk  

AKW Helps Make Kitchens Safer Thanks to New Grab-a-Rail

Building Products Index Ltd Bathroom Accessibility solutions, Kitchen accessibility solutions Leave a Comment

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AKW, a leading provider of bathroom accessibility solutions, has begun production of Grab-a-RailTM, an easy and quick to install solution that will help to make kitchens safer to move around and more accessible. The strong counter-level grab rail, developed by Steve Michael, Director of Senior Homes Solutions, has been designed to give users increased independence and reduce their risk of falls when navigating the kitchen space. It will be available for purchase for use in AKW kitchens or for any other retrofit counter installations from the second half of 2023.

Grab-a-Rail is initially available in white from AKW and is available in 1000mm and 600mm lengths. It has eight fixing points, ensuring that when it is installed under the countertop it is strong enough to support up to 15.5 stone (100 kg) of downward pressure, as validated by University of Birmingham tests[i]. Designed to be installed on cupboard and drawer units, Grab-a-Rail can be retrofitted to most kitchen countertops, however tests with granite surfaces are still ongoing.

Steve Michael, Director of Senior Homes Solutions, says: “As a home adaptation specialist my aim is to promote safe day-to-day living. The Grab-a-Rail design idea came to me following a training course I was attending at a Parkinson’s centre. I realised the gap in provision for helping those with mobility, ageing and health issues, to navigate around their kitchens more safely. I then undertook months of product development and testing to create the Grab-a-Rail design. The end result is a safety rail that can be fitted within an hour and works in most kitchens.”

Stuart Reynolds, UK Marketing & Product Management Director at AKW, comments: “Our company strapline is ‘Life Made Better’, so when Steve approached us with his design and test results from the University of Birmingham, we were very interested. The kitchen is a notoriously difficult space to move around for those with mobility or visual impairments and this simple, easy to install solution will make life better for many. Its price point has also been set to ensure it is viable for those applying for local council small works assistance grants.”

To find out more download Grab-a-Rail information from https://www.akw-ltd.co.uk/grab-a-rail/

 

For more information contact AKW on 01905 823298, Email: sales@akw-ltd.co.uk or visit www.akw-ltd.co.uk

[i] The University of Birmingham carried out tests under its AMCASH (Advanced Materials Characterisation And Simulation Hub) project.

Strong and mighty wet room formers from AKW

Building Products Index Ltd Bathrooms, Wet room Leave a Comment

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From high-end hotels to inclusive care bathrooms, level-access wet rooms are becoming increasingly popular. As well as helping those with mobility issues, wet rooms also enlarge the floor area in smaller bathrooms and depending on the chosen finish, can communicate a luxurious look and feel. For architects, project managers and installers, reliability is just as important as the visual appeal when specifying and installing a wet room and this begins with the choice of former.

Here are two strong and highly reliable wet room formers from AKW, that deliver in terms of functionality and versatility:

Tuff Form8

This strong, innovatively designed, wet room former includes an octagonal fitting plate, allowing for up to 15 different waste positions, ensuring easy installation every time.

Tuff Form8 offers specifiers and installers even greater flexibility:

  • Pre-formed fixing points and the innovative octagonal waste plate enable all obstructing joists to be quickly navigated, for trouble-free installation.
  • Available in ten sizes, the Tuff Form8 former can be tiled or covered with safety flooring and used to create complete level access solutions on both timber and concrete floors.

Tuff Form8 is ideal for wheelchair users and their carers:

  • Made from high strength Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC), it has superior strength (60 stone/381kg max. load)

Tuff Form8 ensures lifetime quality:

  • With a lifetime guarantee, it is ideal for any installer looking to fit the perfect base for a wet room.

ShowerDec

This super-strong wet room former is easy to install and supports up to 100 stone/635kg. It is ideal for heavier wheelchair users or for those requiring assistance whilst showering.

ShowerDec offers specifiers and installers strong performance:

  • Made from GRP using the Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) process, for superior strength while being lightweight.
  • 24mm thick for strength and rigidity.
  • Extra reinforcement around the waste, so additional noggins are not required.

ShowerDec design flexibility:

  • Available in 12 sizes, it is also suitable for use with underfloor heating, vinyl safety flooring, and ceramic floor tiles.
  • Its larger shower areamakes it ideal for wheelchairs.
  • The 40mm flat area around its perimeterenables easy door placement and water retention, alongside a best in class fall of approx 2.5°.

ShowerDec ensures lifetime quality:

  • With a lifetime guarantee, it is ideal for any installer looking to fit the perfect base for a wet room.

Looking to create a stylish wet room that delivers on functionality? Then look no further than AKW’s Tuff Form8 and ShowerDec formers.

For more information contact AKW on 01905 823298, Email: sales@akw-ltd.co.uk or visit www.akw-ltd.co.uk

AKW Launch Tiles & Accessories Range

Building Products Index Ltd Tiles Leave a Comment

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image003.png@01D4867A.8E9F3E80 copyWe are proud to announce our brand-new line of Tiles & Accessories to our products for you to implement into your care bathrooms, wet rooms, shower rooms and kitchens. Within our new range, you will find a fantastic variety of tiles, tile spacers and accessories, tile adhesive and grout which increases our already broad offering available to installers and OT’s alike for installation and specification.

 

image002.png@01D48679.E5E39890 copyTiles

Our bumpy white tiles are the perfect choice for any care bathroom or wet room installation, as they offer fantastic care benefits – particularly for those suffering from sight loss and/or dementia, due to the super white bumpy finish as it allows maximum colour contrast to be achieved whilst reducing glare from task lighting and windows.

Our tiles are available in three different sizes, and the ceramic material is easy to cut and install. They are also suitable for all indoor rooms, including kitchens and bathrooms. If that wasn’t enough, we also provide tile maintenance advice over on the Tiles page on our website.

Tile Spacers

AKW Tile Spacers offer installers an easy opportunity to improve the look of the finished surface by keeping tiles evenly spaced and parallel for the grout to then be applied. Selecting the size of the spacers required for your specific job is personal preference. Since the spacers dictate the width of the grout lines which are a strong feature of the overall design, the three common sizes we offer will provide you with much more choice.

Adhesive & Grout

image001.png@01D48679.E5E39890 copyWhen buying your tiles from AKW, make sure you pick up our fantastic Bond it Steri-Grout for Floor and Wall Tiles and Bond it Non-Slip Ceramic Wall Tile Adhesive (Supergrip) and save yourself some time and money in the process.

Bondit Steri-Grout is a specially formulated cement-based floor and wall tile grout which is recommended for bathrooms, kitchens and domestic applications. It features a versatile formulation, it’s anti-bacterial, has an impressive ease of use, a drying time of 12-24 hours, plus much more!

Bond it Non-slip Ceramic Wall Tile Adhesive (Supergrip) is a ready mixed polymer based, thin-bed tile adhesive which is suitable for use with all internal wall tiles. It has excellent grip properties and is easy to apply with spreading characteristics. This adhesive removed the need to add water and mix to achieve a slump-free mortar, plus much more. We like to make the installers life as easy as possible.

Tile Accessories

Within our Tile Accessory range, we now offer Tile Edge Plastic, and Tile to Vinyl Floor Transition Strips – installing a tile edge trim is an aesthetically pleasing method used to cover exposed tile edges and installing a transition strip offers a smooth transition between tiles and flooring.

So as you can see, when it comes to bathroom and kitchen adaptations, AKW really is a single stop solution for all of your products and materials. If you would like to find out more about AKW’s brand-new range of tiles and accessories, head on over to our website or get in touch with us for a chat.