The 1,400 square feet Design Centre will be manned by a team of four in-house design specialists to produce future generations of Roman showering products. It will also have a dedicated designer working exclusively on the company’s expanding Bespoke service.
The Centre is equipped with the latest Computer Aided Design (CAD) technology, where initial ideas are developed, created and electronically tested for any potential flaws or manufacturing problems.
Once the computer tests have been carried out the team can then start to build a prototype which will be put through its paces in the state-of-the-art testing room.
When all tests have been completed and the product measures up to Roman’s high standards of design, the product will be passed across to the production team for manufacture.
The most recent products to go from drawing board to full production are Roman’s top-end Sculptures Range. All Roman Sculptures frameless products feature specially designed 10mm thick toughened glass and minimal framing.
Phase one of the collection includes a Sculptures Walk-in Enclosure, Hinged Doors and Corner and Wetroom Panels. The team are also working on existing ranges which will soon see new products for the Orbital Range with the addition of the Orbital Hinged Door and the Orbital Bi-Fold Door, as well as updating current products from the Wetroom range.
Roman has also invested in a state-of-the-art Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software package to power their CNC machine. This allows them the flexibility to direct cut moulds on site. This in turn significantly reduces the lead time on the introduction of new solid surface products, such as, their new range of luxury Sculptures bespoke low level trays.
The team’s dedicated bespoke designer, on the other hand, will work on day-to-day requests which come through for made to measure products, which are tailored to solve customers’ specific showering challenges. The majority of bespoke requests are for products that fit smaller spaces such as under a staircase or in an alcove, and to fit awkward spaces which call for the glass to be cut at a difficult angle.
Roman’s Design Manager, Chris Ward, said: “Having an in-house design facility helps maintain Roman’s position as the country’s leading manufacturer and enhances our services of being a one-stop showering solution for retailers and customers. When designing products, the team looks at all aspects of what influences the showering market, ensuring these are factored into design. Still at the forefront of this are the styling elements and consideration of the market position.”