Interview: New Roca UK MD Rashpal Sidhu on his technique for development

He might have large sneakers to fill, however new Roca MD Rashpal Sidhu is undaunted by the duty at hand. He tells Amelia Thorpe how Roca has been strengthening its place, and is now properly positioned to navigate provide chain points and rising power prices.

Ask the brand new MD of Roca UK, Rashpal Sidhu, for his technique in taking on from revered trade determine Alan Dodds – who ran the corporate right here for 22 years – and Sidhu is straight to the purpose. “I’ve been with Roca for 15 years and the technique is to maintain moving into a practical manner with wise, robust development, which has at all times been our plan,” he says.

Former Roca UK finance and repair director Sidhu says his focus is on 4 key areas. They embrace sustaining the energy of the model: the family-owned, Barcelona-headquartered Roca group, based in 1917, describes itself as a world chief in its enterprise. Right this moment, it operates in 170 nations, has 85 factories and employs 24,000 individuals, with round 130 within the UK. “We’re lucky as a result of one of many goals of the Group is to develop competence centres in numerous classes within the lavatory market,” says Sidhu. “Within the final 12 months or so, the Group has made a few fabulous acquisitions.” The primary is a 75% stake in main European lavatory furnishings firm Royo Group, the second is the acquisition of Germany firm Sanit, which makes sanitaryware set up techniques. “By these acquisitions, we’re strengthening the product portfolio that we will provide – when it comes to providing full lavatory options,” he says. 

Secondly, Sidhu emphasises the substantial dimension of Roca’s product providing and its new product improvement programme. Current launches embrace the Ona assortment. “It’s a nice instance of Roca providing up to date design, crisp aesthetics and a very luxurious look, accessible at a value level engaging to all,” he says. There are additionally new brassware ranges, together with Insignia, and “nice examples of Roca main the development for colored brassware” with its Rose Gold and Titanium Black finishes. “They reinforce the message that we’re a whole lavatory resolution supplier,’ he notes, one thing that additionally applies to Laufen – Roca’s greater finish model, which makes up some 15% of the UK turnover – pointing to the latest launch of the Lua assortment. 

The 2 different key areas are the deal with sustaining the energy of its “skilled, likeable” gross sales staff, in addition to the deal with the robustness of its provide chain and relationships with logistics companions. “That is actually essential given a number of the challenges on the earth in the meanwhile,” he says. The UK operation brough in an additional £3million price of inventory firstly of 2020, initially introduced in as safety in opposition to potential issues with Brexit. “We’ve saved that stage excessive, due to provide points, to ensure we’ve bought inventory accessible right here,” he says. “Secondly, as we’re rising, we’re going to want extra inventory to service the upper stage of gross sales.”

Within the UK, gross sales are break up roughly 50% retail, 25% developer (new builds), 25% resorts, places of work and non-housing. “Our technique is to develop all three sectors,” he says. With a reported document UK turnover of £66million in 2021, Sidhu says, “We’re going for robust development this 12 months and are assured we will take important market share.”

Are there stronger classes than others? “Even earlier than the acquisition of Royo, we’ve had actually robust development in furnishings,” he says. “Nevertheless it’s not simply furnishings, but additionally vitreous china as our historic base, in addition to brassware, good bogs, baths – we’ve had robust development in each class.”

Regardless of ongoing international provide chain disruptions and points resembling rising power prices, Sidhu sees elevated demand for Roca’s providing within the UK lavatory market. “We’ve bought to maintain doing what we’ve at all times finished very well,” he says.