BATHROOMS & KITCHENS
FLYING THE FLAG
Michael Marriott, CEO, of Waterline Distribution, shares the benefits of buying British and explains why more developers are sourcing kitchens from UK-based companies.
As trade wars took hold earlier this year, UK consumers became more committed to buying British. According to Barclays Consumer Spend Research, carried out by Opinium Research in March and April 2025 *, 71 % of consumers reported that they were keen to support UK businesses by buying products that have been made in Britain.
It’ s a trend that developers are increasingly embracing too, as the benefits of buying British become ever more apparent.
EASE OF DELIVERY
Developers, both large and small, want a streamlined way to source kitchen products efficiently, and buying from British companies can help to considerably speed up the delivery process. Waterline Distribution, which became part of the family-owned Crown Imperial Group in 2011, is the UK’ s largest kitchen furniture, appliances, sinks, taps and ancillary kitchen products supplier.
We have over £ 7m worth of stock spread across three warehouses in Bristol, Bolton and Milton Keynes and we have a team of specialist drivers that make over 5000 deliveries every single month. The peace of mind that comes from knowing that Waterline can supply what they need, when they need it is invaluable to developers who are working to tight schedules and need reliable deliveries.
Another thing that sets Waterline apart is our ability to supply specifiers with all the products they need to fit out the kitchens on their developments. Being able to order everything from the furniture, appliances, sinks and taps to the worktops, flooring and accessories from a single, British supplier, really simplifies the ordering process and means developers don’ t have to juggle multiple delivery schedules, which can often lead to lengthy delays.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Developers are all too aware that on any project at any time, accidents do happen, and products can get broken. When items are coming from abroad, there’ s a bigger risk that they might get damaged in transit and in some cases, remedials may take week to arrive, which can prove problematic.
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