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K i t ch e n w a r e N e w s & H o u s e w a r e s R e v i e w S h o w D a i l y 1 0 1 Tu e s d a y, M a r ch 8 , 2 0 1 6 we've noted a steady increase in number of entrances added to new construction, and ironically, a decrease in home square footage. Open spaces inside give way to outside. Most of the Housewares Show is all about the home interior, but we are the exterior dirt-guardians of these ever- increasing home entrances. We make the most extensive line of 'whole house' solutions of any doormat company. Trends are about this lifestyle shift from inside the home to out. We know the back patio has become the new kitchen, but more changes are taking place. In a recent Outdoor Retail Market Study by Casual Living Magazine, they have seen a continual upward trend in retail sales since 2012. Just like the fash- ion side of apparel, homeowners want to feel hip, and the latest trends in outdoor design help distinguish their home from another. KNSD: Why add to your line? CW: Interestingly enough, this same study mentioned the fastest growing seg- G rassW o rx (C o nt'd. fro m p. 1 ) ment is 'chat groups.' More and more entertaining. More people traffic, more dirt, more tracked into the home. We developed the line a dozen years ago for this very need. We just expanded what we see as a growth category, like those chat groups. We differentiated from our classic mat by using our commercial grade experience to design a home ver- sion mat with longer and thicker pile and heavier base. It's our premium construc- tion. KNSD: Can consumers only use this special mat at the back entrance? CW: Oh, no. Our customers have been using these all around their high traffic areas for years. Here is a typical cus- tomer comment: 'Best In Market. If you have high traffic and dirty feet use this one. The others are cheap and will wear out.' Our mats can go anywhere. We like to say it is 'commercial grade for the family parade!' Visit GrassWorx at booth #N6557 and ask for a copy of its WholeHouse Catalog. For more information, call 800.813.5221 or email info@ grassworxllc.com. reviewed by an external judging panel of industry experts. Nordic Ware's award recognizes 25 years of effort that the company has put into complying with American environmental standards as they have evolved over time, says David Dalquist, Nordic Ware's President and Chief Executive Officer. The U.S. passed the original Clear Air Act in 1970 and the Clean Water Act in 1972. Both laws are the framework that supports a regulatory structure that has changed the way American manufac- turers do their day-to-day business. That regulatory framework and the costs of compliance with the new rules have been part of the reason so many companies have taken their manufacturing offshore to countries where labor costs are cheap- er and the environmental regulations are less strict. In contrast, privately-owned Nordic Ware has made a point of keeping its manufacturing at home in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park, where the company currently employs about 350 people. "Twenty five years ago, manufacturers were seen as pol- luters," said Dalquist, the son of Co- Founders Henry David and Dorothy Dalquist. "A lot of new or pending legis- lation required manufacturers to invest in their businesses, and many manufactur- ers chose to leave the U.S. rather than make the upgrades. That's where our story takes a little different direction.... We said no, that's not the right thing to do. We're committed to manufacturing here in America. We've got people who are committed to us and our business, and we're committed to them." In the face of new environmental rules, the company took a look around the factory, identified some problem areas in its processes that it could clean up and upgraded equipment to comply with the new standards. "It was a com- mitment to remain compliant to ever more restrictive legislation that was com- ing along in the U.S.," Dalquist says. The result was a plant that operates in full view of a major metropolitan area and meets environmental standards that are among the toughest in the world. "We're very proud of that," Dalquist says. "It wasn't just one or two things we did. It's been a long-term commitment we made to remain in the U.S." One of the earliest changes in the plant was a switch to water-based paints rather than solvent-based paints that pol- luted the air with volatile organic com- pounds as they were sprayed onto the cookware. "That was a tough switch, No rdic W are (C o nt'd. fro m p. 1 ) because in the early days, those products were not well developed," Dalquist says. "In the end, we were able to reduce our air emissions significantly." That search for ways to reduce air pollutants contin- ues today. Just in the past three years, Nordic Ware has reduced emissions by another 24 percent, according to Dalquist. "keeping us well below the per- mitted thresholds," he said. Nordic Ware's sustainability efforts also include recycling the processing water used in the plant so that only min- imal amounts of it have to go into the local sanitary system, recycling solid waste so it doesn't end up in a landfill and conserving energy. "Energy has been a huge emphasis. We're on our fourth generation of lighting in this facility. You'd be amazed how much energy is used by lights," Dalquist says. "To me, the message there is that Nordic Ware lives in the U.S. We breathe the air and drink the water, and we're doing the right thing by doing things in as sustainable manner. When you're importing products from else- where, it's unlikely that they're manu- facturing as cleanly as we do here. The right thing to do is to buy American- made products, both for environmental reasons and just think of the jobs you're creating.... We take it very seriously. We have a person on staff who does nothing but manage this effort for us. It's not a part-time job; it's a full-time job, just making sure that we keep moving in that direction, remaining efficient, com- pliant and sustainable." Retailers as well as consumers ben- efit from Nordic Ware's choice to upgrade its pollution control efforts in order to stay in the U.S., since the prod- ucts' journey from factory to retailer and then home to the kitchen is much shorter than the journey taken by a product that's made in Asia and shipped to the U.S. That both shortens turn- around times on retailers' orders and uses less energy for transportation. "It is a fact of life that we're located in an ideal spot from a transportation stand- point," Dalquist says. "Source your kitchenware close to home, just like you do with your produce. Buy locally; it makes sense." "When you really get right down to it, the most environmentally friendly product is the one that lasts the longest. People really lose sight of that. We design products that last," he continues. "They're durable, and they last, and in the end, that's probably the single biggest thing you can do for sustainability. And at the end of their useful lives, they can be recycled too." ELEGANT PASTRY SERVICE FROM GLOBAL AMICI Amici Home's Pastry Shoppe Servers combine fashion and function in a truly unique vessel for cakes, pies and other confectionary goods. Standing 7.5 inches tall, each piece includes three latches to secure the plate to the dome. Great for stor- age and serving, these servers come packed in assorted case packs of four with customers receiving two of both the Pastry Shoppe and Premium Bakery style. The Amici Pastry Shoppe style includes an elegant design on a bright white cover that sits on top of a mint green platter. The Premium Bakery style show- cases a bakery-inspired artwork on a mint green cover, which sits on top of a bright white platter. This assorted set is guaran- teed to make a splash on store shelves and will be a great addition to your spring assortment. Great for easy and secure transportation to indoor, outdoor parties or even on the go. Other styles also available. For more information, call 858.547.6880, ext. 102 or email Remington.Sloan@globalamici.com. KENWOOD KITCHEN MACHINE DELIVERS UNSURPASSED PERFORMANCE Turbocharged, highly versatile and able to take a beating, the Kenwood Kitchen Machine makes chef-inspired cooking eas- ier than ever. Since 2013, American cooks have been able to experience what cooks around the world have known for decades: The unsurpassed quality, superior perform- ance and innovation, and meticulous and timeless design of Kenwood products. "As a global leader, innovator and expert in home kitchen food preparation, Kenwood understands the combination of innovation, design and convenience that is important to home chefs," said Mike Prager, De'Longhi Group NA's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Owners of Kenwood products are some of the most loyal in the world, and the Kenwood Kitchen Machine is an excel- lent example of why." In fact, every three seconds, a Kenwood kitchen appliance is sold around the world. It's an innovative, powerful and exceptionally designed tool that really is in a culinary class of its own. The "heart" of the Kitchen Machine is a European- designed turbocharged motor with up to 800 watts of power. With twice the force of ordinary stand mixers, it delivers the ideal amount of torque and can easily handle the heaviest dough loads. A dual motor ventilation feature also prevents overheating, extending the motor's life. Due to its strong motor and additional ventilation points, the kitchen machine can mix for longer periods of time with- out needing to cool down or stop in between mixing loads. Precision is anoth- er key element of the Kenwood Kitchen Machine. Its electronic variable speed control feature allows for the gradual incorporation of ingredients before mix- ing them at high speeds, thus reducing mess by keeping them in the bowl rather than splattering across the countertop. With three stainless steel bowl tools, a bowl capacity of up to seven quarts, dough capacity of up to 11 pounds, cake capacity of up to 10 pounds and egg white capacity of up to 16 pounds, the machine is ready to tackle the most complicated daily or holiday meal preparation. Four built-in speed hubs allow the user to add a variety of attachments including a pasta maker and cutter, meat grinder, blender, food processor and ice cream maker. The Kenwood Kitchen Machines come com- plete with a power whisk, dough hook and Kenwood's signature K-Beater – designed for enhanced mixing performance – pro- viding the tools needed for easy, efficient and delicious mixing and baking. The bowl's rugged, easy-to-grip handles make it easy to remove, and the bowl tools are solid stainless steel and dishwasher safe, making them durable and easy to clean. The Kenwood Kitchen Machine, available in Chef and Chef Major mod- els, is currently available; retail price: $499.95 and $649.95, repectively. For more information, visit www .kenwoodworld.com.