Building News is an information portal for all professional building specifiers. Here you can find all of the latest construction news from around the UK and the rest of the world.

Lorient, leading door seal manufacturer celebrates its 40th anniversary

Devon based company Lorient, celebrated its 40th anniversary on 1st August 2019. Lorient is a market leading designer and manufacturer of high performance sealing systems for acoustic, smoke, fire and energy containment.

Founded in 1979, Lorient was responsible for introducing intumescent technology for fire doors to the UK; and the first combined fire and smoke seal was created in a small industrial unit in Surrey. Intumescent seals are a vital part of a fire door assembly, helping to defend buildings against the spread of fire. Smoke seals restrict smoke movement around a building – giving people time to escape, and reducing property damage.

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Lorient’s flagship acoustic, smoke and fire seal products now sit within a comprehensive range including fire resistant glazing systems for doors, screens and partitions; fire and smoke resistant damper/air transfer grilles for doors, walls and ducts; and a range of fire resistant door hardware. In 2013, Lorient launched a commercial testing and technical services division including acoustic testing, indicative fire testing as well as fire door inspection services – with 5 fully qualified fire door inspectors in 2019.

The Lorient Group has grown to encompass businesses around the world and has established presence in Australia, the Middle East, USA as well as the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong.

While the company’s services and operations have expanded, its underlying principles have remained the same. Proudly a Made in Britain company, Lorient designs and manufactures the highest quality sealing systems that protect people and property throughout commercial, public, residential and industrial buildings. Through constant development, evolution and refinement, Lorient has created many industry firsts; always underpinned by independent third-party accreditation, and extensively tested to relevant building codes and regulations.

Today, Lorient is recognised worldwide for quality, technical capability, and service; with over 100 employees and 100s of products in its range. In December 2018, Lorient was acquired by ASSA ABLOY – the global leader in opening solutions; which brings a wealth of technology, resource and capability to support customers.

Speaking of the anniversary Kerry Hicks, Managing Director said: “We are incredibly proud to celebrate 40 years in business. It provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our history, and look forward to an exciting future as part of ASSA ABLOY. We owe our successful 40 years to our great teams past and present; most importantly to our loyal customers – without them, we wouldn’t be Lorient. Here’s to the next 40 years!”

To honor the landmark 40th anniversary Lorient will be launching a number of marketing initiatives; which included a brand-new website earlier this year – www.lorientuk.com. A family fun day was held on 2nd August 2019 for staff and their families to celebrate this momentous occasion.

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RINNAI – ‘E’ BEFORE ‘I’ OR VICE VERSA?

Rinnai offers big performance, heavy duty, diminutive appliances that offer virtually limitless volumes of hot water at useable temperatures – all through engineering design and excellence. And both ‘E’ (external) – and ‘I’ (internal) versions are offered. Here Chris Goggin, Rinnai Operations Director, explains the why and the where of using either model to suit the application.

Gas fired appliances such as hot water heating units or domestic or light commercial boilers tend to be wall hung on the interior of a site. Having a unit sited internally on a kitchen wall or a plant room makes for convenience for the end-user and for the installer or contractor in terms of installation, maintenance or servicing.

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However, external models of hot water heating units have become increasingly popular. We are seeing more and more units sold as installers seem to be favouring external siting for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, having a gas fired unit internally has its own restrictions – lack of internal space, flueing restrictions and impediments, exact siting for installer convenience, inspections etc. On external units a whole stack of advantages come into play – starting with the fact that it is a gas fired appliance and it is outside habitable space; and with no need for a flue there’s greater flexibility on exactly where you place the unit; it is easier to service and maintain; all units have robust casings and comprehensive weather controls, for example a Rinnai external appliance is frost protected down to minus 25ºC.

All these factors add up to possible economies for the end user and ease of installation for the installer.

Rinnai offer several units in both external – ‘E’ – and internal – ‘I’ – models. They are in the more heavy-duty part of our product range – 1600, 1500, 55 but also at the smaller end – the 17e.

Rinnai’s HDC1600i/e low NOx, gas-fired continuous flow water heater, delivers commercial qualities of hot water, up to 37 litres per minute on demand – to any site and application. And they are ErP ‘A’ rated.

The Rinnai external version HDC1200e gives end users 105.5% net efficiency* because the condensing process delivers up to 95% thermal efficiency, translating to significant energy savings when compared to standard tankless water heaters.

All of which makes the HDC continuous flow hot water range by far the best option for all types of applications. With a continuous flow water heater you can never run out of hot water no matter how many individual baths or showers or delivery points are being used simultaneously.

The only time the unit is using energy is when there is a demand, in other words it is only burning gas when a tap or shower is being run and, design improvements by Rinnai have increased the lowered NOx levels and increased efficiencies to market ready levels.

The Rinnai 17e is designed for use directly off the mains, with no need for large, ungainly storage vessels. Weighing just 17kg and measuring 503mmH x 355.6mmW x 181mmD the Rinnai 17e has been developed to allow maximum flexibility as it can be easily mounted on an external wall thereby eliminating the need for flueing and freeing up valuable interior space. This feature gives greater flexibility at the design stage and can offer an alternative solution where flue runs are problematic or internal space is not available.

A range of external ancillary items including a pipe cover box and security cage are available where necessary. Capable of flow rates of up to 510 litres per hour at a 50°C rise, the 17e is suitable for multiple applications, such as cafés, small restaurants and kitchen facilities.

 For more information visit www.rinnaiuk.com

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Hold off reverse charge VAT until 2020, urges industry

A letter from 15 trade federations has been sent to Sajid Javid MP, the chancellor of the Exchequer, asking for the 1 October 2019 introduction of domestic reverse charge VAT to be delayed until April 2020.

Reverse charge VAT means that the customer receiving the service will have to pay the VAT to HMRC instead of paying the supplier. The reverse charge applies through the supply chain where payments are required to be reported through the Construction Industry Scheme. Making the payment of VAT the responsibility of the customer rather than the supplier, there is no opportunity for the supplier to avoid paying VAT.

The National Federation of Builders, together with the other trade federations, has highlighted the effect the change will have on cash flow and administration costs for an industry already facing increased material and labour costs.

The guidance issued by HMRC was delivered late, is not clear and leaves some questions unanswered. A delay before introducing the charge would give the industry and government time to properly prepare the industry to understand the changes and update systems.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders, said “For an industry facing lighter workloads, increasing pressure on cash flow and an already high rate of insolvency, reverse charge VAT could not have come at a worse time. By delaying the introduction of this measure, the industry will have more time to properly prepare and make their businesses more resilient, and more detailed guidance can be provided to ensure a smooth introduction.”

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RCM Launch Exciting New Partnership With Allface

RCM, the leading through wall supplier continue their successful growth by forming a strategic partnership with Allface Smart Fixing Systems.

As the newly appointed sole Allface Smart Fixing Systems partner for UK distribution, RCM have secured further success in delivering complete through wall solutions to the UK industry. This appointment allows RCM to offer indicative and fully designed façade framing solutions to its customer through the Allface partnership.

As part of the overall solution, RCM are also able to provide an extensive optimisation service forming part of the complete facade package.

The Allface Smart Fixing System is manufactured from structural grade extruded aluminium. It offers a comprehensive selection of solutions for all types of rainscreen cladding projects. The system is compatible with all façade types, including ACM, ceramics, fibre cement, laminates, stone, glass, terracotta, etc and is suitable for fixing to masonary, timber and steel primary structures.

An already successful business, RCM are continually investing within its product offering and fabrication services, keeping the company at the forefront of the industry requirements and keeping systems competitive.

This, together with other developments, make RCM one of the country’s leading experts in providing specialists cladding solutions, as well as offering innovative and advanced complete through wall solutions.

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Stock of the Allface Framing System will be available from RCM’s distribution centres for nationwide distribution

“We are delighted that we have found such a skilled, experienced sales partner as RCM. RCM’s powerful presence represents a major opportunity for us,” says Johannes Mitterbacher, Managing Director of Allface GmbH. “We expect this cooperation to improve our market penetration in this economically important region.”

 “RCM are very pleased to have been able to secure a strategic partnership with Allface Smart Fixing Systems. The systems that they offer will further enhance our product offering within the UK.

One of the biggest challenges over time is to stay creative, innovative and launching systems that meet the stringent requirements of the ever-changing UK construction industry.

Through our growth and continued investment, I see RCM further developing into a market leader in the supplying and fabrication of trusted products and through wall systems.” (Ian Quinton, Managing Director RCM)

 

RCM are exhibiting at UK Construction Week, 8-10 October, NEC Birmingham – stand B485. Allface Smart Fixing Systems will form part of the display.

 

Website

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RINNAI UK WINS TWO MAJOR GLOBAL AWARDS

Rinnai has won two global awards for an ‘Outstanding Performance’ in the UK hot water heating marketplace. Rinnai UK was judged to have made the REU Most Outstanding Performance and Best Business Performance in its category.

The awards acknowledge the strides that Rinnai UK has made during the last several years in converting the marketplace to continuous flow energy and fuel-efficient products in the commercial and domestic hot water heating arenas.

“We are delighted that a team effort has resulted in global acknowledgement by our peers. We are honoured. It is gratifying to be recognised for all the hard work that each member of staff has made throughout the year,” says Managing Director Tony Gittings.

This year sees Rinnai, global leaders in continuous flow hot water heating products and systems, introducing the Zen and Zen Plus home hot water & heating system which marries established and proven manufacture durability with new technologies to offer great energy efficiencies, user control and, importantly, unparalleled level of comfort.

Rinnai UK will be launching this innovation plus several other cutting-edge appliances during 2019. The company has already launched a service & maintenance scheme, tailored training courses for installers and will be introducing the next and most advanced generation of hot water heating units.

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The Rinnai Zen and Zen Plus system will increase comfort and reduce energy usage whilst also providing a highly economically solution for today’s changing marketplace.

‘Our core expertise is the mass production of long-term reliable combustion products with advanced technologies – we are a global leader and make over 2 million water heating units every year for domestic, residential and commercial applications.

“We have been researching and monitoring the UK domestic heating market for several years until we had a proven system. That time is now, and we are offering hot water heating units together with a superior performance combi boiler in 24, 29 and 35-kW outputs.” says Tony Gittings.

 

 www.rinnaiuk.com

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Community centre heralds a New Beginning, thanks to Armstrong Ceilings

The Space Field Lane refurbishment includes a brand-new, ultra-green ceiling from Armstrong.

A year after it won Armstrong Ceiling Solutions’ competition for an admirable cause to win a new ceiling, a community centre in West Yorkshire is heralding a New Beginning for local residents.

The Space Field Lane is a £480,000 renovation project using Armstrong’s ultra-green Dune eVo ceiling tiles. The community centre had lain empty for almost seven years, on the Field Lane estate in Rastrick near Halifax.

Dune eVo is the next evolution in ceiling tiles. Fully recyclable, it provides class-leading aesthetics and improved acoustic performance through a new surface which is both brighter and smoother. It is also the first ceiling system in the industry to gain Cradle To Cradle accreditation.

The project was entered for Armstrong’s eVoNewBeginnings competition by the project’s coordinator Neil Hardaker of Pickles Architecture in Brighouse.

The competition for up to 250m2 of Dune eVo tiles and grid plus up to three days of free installation by a member of Armstrong’s national network of approved Omega installers was promoted through Armstrong’s social media sites (LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest).

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Open to any non-commercial project in the UK and Ireland that serves a community, it was judged by two internal and one external judge, with the winner being the project they thought most deserved a charitable helping hand.

Neil said: “We heard about the eVoNewBeginnings competition through an email from Armstrong Ceilings and we passed it onto the client. We thought The Space would benefit from the help that Armstrong Ceilings and the competition offered. I think it’s given The Space the opportunity to save some capital costs and use that money for other areas which are more needed for the local community.”

He added: “We have worked for many years with the Armstrong name. We think they are a good brand and we do specify them on projects. I think the new Dune eVo tile has given The Space and the building a fantastic look and a very modern, sleek appearance which we all wanted to create. I think the end result is what we all wanted for the charity and we’re proud to have all been involved.”

Centre trustee Mary Green said: “It was a tremendous opportunity. We were very anxious we wouldn’t succeed because we had to value engineer our project so many times but here was an opportunity to add value to the project with such a super ceiling. The installation went really, really well and really quickly. All the Armstrong people we have been involved with have been super, very friendly very helpful and generally excellent to work with.

“This really is a new beginning for the community. Without Armstrong’s involvement we certainly wouldn’t have been able to have such a super new ceiling. We would have had to have had something much less specified and would have had to save money elsewhere in the building. The £16,000 value of this ceiling was really important to us. Using an ultra-green ceiling tile like Dune eVo was really important to us because we have tried, with everything we have done in the centre, to use materials which are environmentally friendly.”

In a letter to Armstrong, Mary added: “I wanted to write personally to thank you all so much for the New Beginning you gave to our building and our project and to our community. The contractors have now moved out and we have moved in and it is all so fabulous. To be quite honest I can’t quite believe that we, just a bunch of locals, have achieved all this and we wanted to stress the very significant contribution you have made to our project.

“I also wanted to thank you for your patience since our project took so much longer to reach ceiling installation stage than we could have imagined. A lot of that was due to our last-minute decision to add a Changing Places accessible toilet to the project – this is not just a ‘disabled loo’ but is one with an adult changing bed and hoist so that people with all levels of disability are not excluded from the building.”

Quality Ceilings of Elland, who are a member of Armstrong’s Omega network of approved installers, had two men on the project for a total of a working week. They installed a total of 350m2 of Dune eVo tiles in the main hall, offices, toilets and kitchen area.

Managing director Craig Sutcliffe said: “We were selected by Armstrong to carry out the installation because we were the most local Omega installer to the project which is just a mile down the road.

“We had not previously been aware of the campaign to renovate the community centre but were pleased to be asked to help. We work very closely with Armstrong. They give us a lot of support so we reckon it works both ways.

“It wasn’t a challenging project or anything like that as we have used the Dune eVo tiles for a couple of years now so the product is not new to us. We use Armstrong products on the vast majority of our contracts.”

The Space Field Lane was selected as the winner by judges Sara Rees, head of fundraising at the Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity (Armstrong’s chosen charity for 2018), Armstrong sales director Graham Taylor and Armstrong HR director Sara Carter.

 

More information is accessible via the Armstrong Ceilings website

 

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LANGLEY APPOINTED TO REFURBISH ACADEMY ROOFS

Following a detailed assessment of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust’s education facilities, Langley Waterproofing Systems Ltd identified a need to refurbish the roof at Sporle Primary Academy, King’s Lynn, urgently. The team replaced the facility’s existing roof with Langley’s TA-25 Reinforced Bituminous Membrane system, providing a robust, long-lasting solution.

 As an approved and trusted supplier under the LHC framework for Flat Roofing and Associated Works (FR2), Langley was appointed by the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust to conduct extensive and detailed condition surveys of the roofs at five of its premises.

This included a comprehensive strategy to prioritise facilities with the worst damage to their roofs and outline how to fix the failures that had been identified. This was key to ensure compliance to FR2, which looks to guarantee that work completed on public sector buildings, such as those owned by the Trust, is carefully considered and of a high standard.

“The works Langley has completed so far for the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust is testament to the company’s high standard of work. Under FR2, it is vital that companies take a considered approach to every project and strive to achieve the best for our customers – Langley was a clear frontrunner,” explained Ben Jones, Senior Client Support Manager at LHC. “The quality of Langley’s products and the service it offers is exceptional, and it is clear the company carefully evaluates the economic, social and environmental impact of the work that it recommends.

“This is key for public sector clients, as they don’t always have a large budget. That is why the FR2 framework is so valuable – as it sets rates for the design, supply and installation of flat roofs, to help customers achieve best value; and it provides an assurance of high quality work, which will minimise future problems and additional repair costs.”

On completion of the condition surveys, Langley prioritised work to Sporle Primary Academy, which was experiencing severe water ingress issues. Ponding water had also occurred on the roof, due to previously insufficient falls towards the roof outlets. The roof lights originally installed onto the roof had also failed, leading water to leak into the building.

Despite previous repair attempts, the severity of the water ingress, as well as the age of the original system, meant the roof needed to be completely replaced. Langley specified its TA-25 Reinforced Bituminous Membrane system – a high performance SBS elastomeric membrane warm roof system for flat or sloping roofs. Langley also added tapered insulation, which created greater falls towards the roof outlets to ensure that water would run off the roof more efficiently. The TA-25 comes with a comprehensive 25 year guarantee, providing assurance that the new roof will be a long lasting, durable solution.

Howard Nelson, Chief Operating Officer at the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust said: “We are incredibly pleased with the work that Langley has completed across five of our academies, including Sporle Primary Academy. Through the FR2 framework, we had the reassurance that Langley could not only repair the roofs, but also that the work would be of a high standard. Throughout each project, Langley kept us up-to-date with detailed reports and images of the work as it progressed.

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For the safety of students and staff, the Academy was required to be closed during the refurbishment work. As a result, the Langley team, along with Langley Approved Contractor Cambridge Flat Roofing, had to adhere to tight schedules and ensure that work was completed within the Academy’s six-week summer break. It was also vital that the work was sympathetically completed, avoiding any damage to the rest of the structure.

Howard concluded that “the team was very accommodating and made sure each project was completed quickly and to a high standard – I have no doubt that, if we were to ever experience roof failures again, we would call on Langley.”

Including Sporle Primary Academy, Langley has now been entrusted with five premises under the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust.

For more information about Langley Waterproofing Systems, please visit www.langley.co.uk

 

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SARNAFIL HD PROVES IT’S TOUGH ENOUGH

New Elgin primary school in Moray, Scotland, has had a Sarnafil HD system installed to meet their need for a new high-quality flat roof refurbishment.

With previous roof re-coverings not up to scratch, the school needed a system to improve the building’s thermal performance, save energy and improve robustness – providing a solution tough enough to mitigate damage caused by vandalism attacks experienced at the school.

By combining the thickest single ply membrane available – 2mm – and the most robust insulation board – SarnaTherm HD – the Sarnafil HD system offered a resilient and well-insulated solution. Plus, with the 2mm membrane outperforming all other membranes according to puncture test data, the system guarantees a long-lasting roof.

Moray Council specified Sarnafil HD for the 2500m2 roof after having previously used Sika Sarnafil products for numerous other school and council properties with great success.

The main challenge of the refurbishment was installing the roof during term time in an operational school. However, all required health and safety measures were executed by principal contractor, Morrison Construction, ensuring the safety of those working onsite as well as staff, pupils and visitors.

Roofing sub-contractor A & B Buchan Ltd, a Sika Sarnafil Registered Contractor, was tasked with the installation. Despite the thicker HD membrane specified, their thirty years of experience with Sarnafil products meant the system was installed seamlessly by their expertly trained team.

Senior Technical Advisor at Sika, John Love said: “Despite the challenges of the project, regular site visits carried out by Sika and the excellent communication maintained between Morrison Construction and A & B Buchan Ltd meant the installation ran smoothly and was completed to the client’s satisfaction. This project is also a prime example of the many benefits of Sarnafil HD and we are thrilled with the final result in terms of durability and longevity.”

Moray Council said: “The design had measures of complexity, however, our Environmental Services Property section worked with Sika throughout the process to combat any issues and were completely satisfied that the end result is an efficient, effective and long-term flat roof construction.”

With a combination of the hard-wearing Sarnafil HD and the use of SarnaLite roof lights and SikaLastic liquid polyurethane to finish the installation, the durable roof is now protected for years to come. And with a twenty-year Sarnafil Plus Extended Product and Installation Guarantee, the school has gained complete peace of mind.

 

Sika-Sarnafil

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RINNAI DELIVERS HOT WATER AT SCARBOROUGH CARE HOME

RINNAI HOT WATER – INSTANT, CONTINUOUS, LIMITLESS AND SENSIBLY ECONOMIC FOR EVERY TYPE OF COMMERCIAL SITE

Rinnai continuous flow hot water heating units have replaced a vastly oversized and close to redundant traditional style of system at the Coombe Hay Care Home in Scarborough.

Coombe Hay is situated in large, attractive and tranquil gardens on the outskirts of Scarborough, only minutes from the town centre and seafront. Coombe Hay offers accommodation which is fully en-suite and suitable for male and female residents with some larger apartments available for two people.

Coombe Hay began in 1958 when money bequeathed by George Edward Smart established the Charitable Trust which now owns and runs the Home. Nowadays the Board of Trustees ensure that the benefactor’s vision for a home providing excellent care for its residents continues to develop, incorporating all that anyone would want from their new home, and as a registered charity all money is reinvested into the home to deliver excellent services and to keep fees and costs affordable.

Comgas Heating advised on the replacement system and chose 2 x Rinnai HD55i units – heavy duty high efficiency gas fired continuous flow water heating units with optimal fuel consumption. In like-for-like comparison to more traditional methods, the continuous flow system is proven to be more cost effective over a lifetime. Rinnai is an acknowledged global leader in the manufacture of tankless hot water heating units with group sales approaching £2 Billion.

The Rinnai HD55i is an internal wall hung, gas fired, continuous flow water heater capable of producing hot water in excess of 820 litres per hour at a 50°C rise. The HD55i has a 125mm concentric flue which can be extended up to 15m, less 1m per 45° bend. As with the whole of the Rinnai range the HD55i is ErP A-rated.

The unit is compact, reliable and combines industry standards with innovation and quality. The HD55i operates between 1-10 bar pressure, which is suitable for mains cold water supply and systems with booster pumps and reaches water temperatures of up to 85°C, making the HD55i suitable for secondary return systems.

Rinnai Heavy Duty continuous flow gas fired water heaters feature outputs up to 58kW and water can be delivered at very precise, high volume temperature control. The smart digital controller regulates to within +/- 1ºC without any variation of temperature even with additional outlets. All models have full electronic ignition with no pilot light and operate on demand only, consuming no gas when not in use.

The Rinnai HD55i is a fully modulating 52.6kW unit that can also be installed in a manifold arrangement. This ensures that the system can and will meet any hot water demand at all peak times, no matter what the demand.
Typical applications include major restaurant chains, industry offices, hotels, sports centres, schools, sports clubs, shower blocks in holiday parks – anywhere with a need for extremely reliable supplies of hot water delivered economically and at energy efficiency levels surpassing all building regulations and European standards.

 

Rinnai

 

 

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LEISURE SINKS INTRODUCES NEW STAINLESS STEEL MODELS

Leisure Sinks has extended its offering of stainless steel sinks with the launch of seven new

models.

Albion is a new range manufactured from 0.7mm 18/10 stainless steel. Paying homage to its

UK manufacture in the heart of the midlands, the Albion range includes three models – a

single bowl, a double-bowl and a compact single-bowl – each featuring distinctive straight

lines, softly curved bowls and reversible drainers.

In response to an increase in demand for smaller, more compact kitchen sinks, Leisure Sinks

has launched Euroline, a 650mm 18/10 stainless steel single-bowl model with a reversible

drainer, available in a polished or satin finish.

To complement kitchen worktops with a shorter projection, Leisure Sinks has launched a new

version of its Linear sink. The compact 18/10 stainless steel inset model has a projection of

just 435mm. Its bowl is 135mm deep and it is available in a glossy satin finish.

Finally, to allow for additional storage space underneath the sink, Leisure Sinks has

introduced two shallow-bowl versions of its Seattle and Linear sinks, which have depths of

125mm and 120mm respectively. While both models feature reversible drainers, the shallow

Seattle features a single bowl and has a sleek polished finish, while Linear has double bowls

and boasts a bright satin finish.

All Leisure Sinks products are regularly tested by independent inspectors to guarantee that

they are manufactured to the highest standards.

The new sinks are available to UK retailers now. For more information about Leisure Sinks,

please visit www.leisuresinks.co.uk

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