DESIGN BY GROHE

When I first met with Heath Hyneman, one of the owners National Builder Supply, he quickly set out to show me the difference between low cost and premium faucets. He simply handed me a Grohe faucet and a low cost brand for my examination. The difference was immediately evident. The Grohe faucet was heavier, more well made and distinctly different from a design standpoint. I was SOLD and from then on wanted nothing else. The faucet market, today, is dominated by imports as is the rule in most things. The largest segment of the import products are from China. Grohe is an import brand but hails from Germany and this adds an even more evident quality. I attribute my support of the Grohe product line to a simple yet maybe shallow statement…”I have a Mercedes in the driveway and want Grohe in my house.” From a press release dated February 16, 2009, Grohe explains it’s design process and philosophy.

The GROHE Design Team

GROHE products are typified by aspirational designs which are created by an in-house team of international designers. Design is a key pillar of the GROHE product strategy under which the design team strives to strike the perfect balance of quality, technology and design. In doing so, the team stimulates creativity and open-minded thinking throughout the organisation at all levels, across all geographies and across disciplines from engineering to marketing, thereby laying the foundation for a “creative osmosis”. The head of the 14-strong international design team reports directly to the CEO. This unique position affords the design team an exemplary level of freedom to innovate. The international designers draw on their culturally diverse backgrounds when creating products for the global market. In April 2008, the team relocated to the new Design Studio at the company’s new head office designed by world renowned architect Richard Meier in Düsseldorf-Oberkassel, Germany. Designed by the in-house team, the studio mirrors the creative process. This inspiring environment is open and transparent to allow for cross-fertilisation of ideas and ensure all products radiate the core values of GROHE.

The Design Philosophy

The GROHE design team is committed to a straightforward consumer-centric design philosophy based on the belief that good design should surpass form and function in order to connect with users on an emotional level and surprise and delight the user throughout its entire life cycle. The GROHE products and even the newly designed website show that this philosophy is successful. They reflect the care and attention to every detail and resonate the passion and creativity from which they were created. The success of this philosophy is not least proven by the many design awards won by the design team both nationally and internationally. These awards underline the success of the world class GROHE design team. Apart from the "red dot: best of the best" and the "Good Design Award", the team was credited in the “Leading Designers of the World” directory. The European Centre of Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies has included Paul Flowers, Senior Vice President of Design at GROHE, in its prestigious "Europe 40 under 40" list which recognises the top 40 European creative talents under the age of 40.The

GROHE Design Studio – the creative heart of the company.

Visit the National Builder Supply website http://nationalbuildersupply.com to view an inventory of approximately 1000 Grohe faucets and fixtures and experience the Grohe design and quality for yourself at a guaranteed low price.