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Traditionally manufactured from ceramic materials and stone resin, shower trays were often deemed by plumbers and installers as hassle as they were so heavy that they were cumbersome and often difficult to lift and fit. Nowadays, trays are lighter and much easier to handle, however, there are many consumers who have yet to be convinced that lighter does not necessarily mean inferior. So how do we collectively convince them that there is no compromise on strength and durability just because most modern day trays are made from acrylic based materials?
In recent years many new and unusual materials have been used to manufacture shower trays including, marble wood and even glass! However, feedback from installers registered to Manhattan Showers suggests that their customers are more conservative and that consumers within the UK are in reality less adventurous, preferring to select materials that they feel comfortable with.
Installers on the other hand, are seeing the demand for larger shower enclosures steadily increasing. With the European trend for larger, wet-room and walk-in style enclosures on the rise, it is perhaps a godsend for installers that trays are becoming lighter and much more manageable. Manhattan Showers are at the forefront of shower enclosure and tray design and are perhaps better placed than anybody to understand how to deliver to the consumer products that consumers will want and still understand. This certainly is not the case for Duralite Trays from Manhattan Showers.
Graham Starkey, Technical Director of Manhattan felt that the market offering of shower trays did not quite meet the exacting standards of enclosures available and some 5 years ago the team at Manhattan embarked upon creating an unrivalled range of trays to partner their popular range of shower enclosures; "When building a house you have to start with good solid foundations and the same theory applies when installing a shower enclosure, we wanted something different and commercial, hence the birth of Manhattan's Duralite range of shower trays."
And now for the science...! Graham explains; "After much deliberation we opted for an Arcylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) material for Duralite as it is extremely lightweight and can be easily moulded into complex shapes. This is then capped with pure acrylic to give a hard-wearing, durable coating to the finished product.
Design-wise Duralite trays are smooth and sleek to complement today's minimalist style enclosures - even the waste has been redesigned! The unique award-winning ‘concealed waste' is a stylish and practical feature to replace the standard ‘mushroom' waste. It ingeniously houses a removable hair trap to aid cleaning and the discreet cover adds a further touch of style.
The iconic range of Duralite trays consists of many different shapes and sizes which together can be partnered with over 200 Manhattan enclosure options! And, although Duralite trays can be installed with other brands of enclosures, Manhattan is so confident of the compatibility between their trays and enclosures that when fitted together - they offer an unbeatable lifetime guarantee! It's a win-win scenario for both the customer and the installer!
More recently, the movement towards wet room style showering areas has resulted in the need for manufacturers to adapt their product offering and Manhattan is no exception. Research has shown that although UK consumers may aspire to have a wetroom ‘look', many prefer the security of a wetroom panel and/or tray rather than going to the cost of tanking and putting their faith in the plumber to install correctly.
Trouble-free fitting for the installer and cheaper for the consumer, the Duralite range remains competitive by the introduction of a Hi/Lo fitment option with all trays which means that each is supplied with both Hi and Lo leg sets in one box, offering the consumer choice whilst providing a solution to a problematic area for installers.
With easi-fit panels allowing simple access to the underside of the tray and an optional self adhesive tiling upstand, Duralite has won the confidence of the installer - but what about the consumer?
"Without going into lengthy detail about the numerous strength and durability tests carried out by the quality control department here at Manhattan, we feel it' is better to challenge customers to try out the benefits of Duralite trays for themselves" says Graham Hackett, Marketing Manager, he adds; "We believe that many consumers trust their installer's judgement to install quality products and we know that our long-standing commitment to installers will help demonstrate our dedication to providing outstanding products at realistic prices!
01282 605000
http://www.manhattanshowers.co.uk/
Enquiry no: 401
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