By Claire Reilly
The new incarnation of Kleenmaid launched in Sydney last week, with the company’s Alexandria “Experience Centre” opening up for a launch event attended by industry and media guests.
The CEO of what is being billed as the “next generation” of the well-known (and recently embattled) brand was on hand at the event to spruik the new products and the company’s new direction.
“All our new appliances are manufactured to the highest international standards in Europe and bring not only the beauty of European styling but a quality that ensures that they will last a lifetime,” said Danny Hamilton, who is CEO of both Kleenmaid and Compass Capital Partners, the privity equity group that bought the Kleenmaid brand in 2010.
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Rather than distributing through traditional retail channels, the company will sell products through 21 kitchen manufacturers and cabinet makers in Queensland, NSW and Victoria – a business model that is based on the “European Kitchen Studio Model”.
“This model is where appliances and the kitchens are sold together ensuring that the new kitchen experience is not a nightmare with the appliances and kitchens not fitting together, but that the experience becomes the dream come true event we all hope it will be.
“With a once every 10 year cycle, the investment in a new kitchen is a major one, and unlike buying a new car, you can’t trade it in if you make a mistake,” said Hamilton.
“Customers today are time poor and we believe they appreciate, and need, sound advice from industry professionals when they are making a major investment such as a new kitchen and the associated appliances.”
Some of Kleenmaid's new cooking appliances.
Kleenmaid's domino cooktop.
The Elevator Oven, which rises out of the cooktop and can be lowered to be totally concealed.