British manufacturer Kanth breaks new ground with partnership

Shower manufacturer Kanth founder Karl Kanth © Kanth

Kanth, the British manufacturer of solid brass shower systems for architecture, interior design, specifier and installer markets, has formed an unlikely partnership with Smiths Metal Centres following a dissolved agreement with its previous distributor.

The partnership has seen the launch of a collaborative business venture, Kanth Manufacturing, and brings together Founder Karl Kanth’s ‘innovation, engineering prowess, and principles’, with the financial backing and support from Smiths Metal Centres.

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It has already seen the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, which comes in the form of a 10,000sq.ft Operations Hub in Shropshire. The facility contains complex CNC precision machines that are able to transform a solid piece of pure brass ingot into a finished shower product, and the brands have suggested that their partnership with ‘revolutionise the premium end of the shower industry, thanks to their shared vision for sustainable luxury shower systems.’

Karl Kanth, Founder of Kanth, said: “We’re delighted to form this new partnership with Smiths Metal Centres, a company with which I’ve had a long and positive relationship with over the last 15 years.

“My vision for the brand has been clear from the outset — to produce exceptional shower systems which are truly built to last, by using only the highest quality raw materials, precision machining, British resources, and timeless designs. Working with a distributor who didn’t share this vision has proved difficult over the last few years, so I made the decision to part ways.

“But Smiths Metal Centres perfectly understood the principle-led approach we were taking and the potential in the sustainable luxury market. They operate in a non-bathroom sector too, so they have a very fresh and non-traditional approach which wholeheartedly supports our continuous drive to innovate.”

He added: “Every single product we create has a firm place in our range,” he added. “And thanks to our partnership with Smiths Metal Centres — which shares every ounce of our ethical philosophy and principles — we’ve opened a British manufacturing site to support our mission for creating timeless, long-lasting, and quality brass products.”

Mark Winsper, General Manager at Kanth Manufacturing, said: “The opening of our new site has not only allowed us the opportunity to streamline and optimise communications across departments, but for everyone to see and feel what we’re creating is what it truly means to be a manufacturer.

“I strongly believe onshore manufacturing is fundamental to a sustainable manufacturing strategy, and by keeping our operations as close to the customer base we’re not only minimising the distance our products travel but are sustaining the local economy we supply to through job creation and taxes.

“We can create bespoke designs and have complete control over our stock levels. This is significant because we can still handle large contract orders, but we’re reducing any unnecessary waste as a result of over-production. What I love about this new approach is that we can grow quickly to meet the demand and utilise emerging advanced technology to boost productivity and minimise waste.”