Steve’s car is a Citroen AXGT, which has been fully converted into a purpose built racecar. It hosts a 1600cc 16v Engine, heavily modified to make 173Bhp with 131Ft lb of torque. The full build is currently on a forum

See the build here – CAR REBUILD

Reva Industries Sales Director, Rob Hassell, said

We wish Steve all the best for the new season which starts in April. He has potential and I am looking forward to seeing him make some great progress.”

Well, my name is Gary Stevens and here are my thoughts…..as one of the few remaining acrylic bath manufacturers in the UK I get annoyed each time I read comments that state showering is so much more environmentally friendly than taking a bath. I was very interested to read the recent news report on the BBC website “Peoples Showering Habits revealed in a Unilever Survey”.

The research, which used water loggers (shower sensors) to monitor 2,600 showers in 100 families over a 10 day period, revealed that the average shower was 8 minutes long and used 62 litres compared to an average bath at 80 litres, a closer gap than was previously believed.

The survey also went onto reveal that if using a power shower, people could be using up to twice as much water and energy as a bath.  This challenges some long-standing assumptions and should make us question perhaps the regularity of sometimes twice daily showering compared to a traditional bathe!

Have your own views or opinions on this? We would love to hear them! Feel free to leave any comments below.

Check out the article on the BBC NEWS WEBSITE

Best Regards

Gary Stevens
Managing Director
Reva Industries Ltd

Reva Industries Ltd., UK manufacturers of acrylic baths and makers of the original Airbath® hydrotherapy range, ran a competition in the first issue of their newsletter ‘Bathing Matters’, designed to keep the trade up to date with news from the company.  The competition prize was for a Comfort Airbath, a model from the range that retails at £1985, to be given for display to a qualifying bathroom showroom.

Andrew Annandale said of his win, “I was delighted to have won this national competition from a supplier so local to myself in Hull.  I have sold many AIrbath products over the years and it’s great to see Reva Industries starting to promote this legendary brand once more.  I intend to have it as a working model installed into my bathroom showroom refurbishment for Autumn this year.  One of the benefits of Airbath product over other hydrotherapy systems is that we don’t need to have the water deep in the bath to demonstrate it to the customer as it works as a foot spa too.”

Airbath is the original British made spa bath launched over 40 years ago.  Today there are 24 models to choose from in various sizes.  The bathing system features warm air and warm water injection provided through over 100 micro jets lining the entire base of the bath.  Water up to 60°C and air combine from the base upwards, massaging and relaxing across the full length and width of the body.  A choice of different pulse settings, water temperature control settings and variable speeds allows the user to personalise the spa experience from an invigorating wave massage to a relaxing toning massage.

The mature consumer is the fastest growing, most affluent and highest spending sector in the UK today.  They have 80% of the nations wealth and 60% of all savings and by 2050 the number of over 60’s in the UK will have grown by over 50% an additional 6 million.

In the past this group have largely seen the bathroom from a purely functional perspective, but as the baby boomers hit this age group this attitude to bathroom design is changing and manufacturers and retailers that can cater for their needs will enjoy incremental sales.  Many of these mature consumers shop in local specialists, supporting their local businesses, which is why Appollo are targeting their assisted bathing brand Appollo, at the independent retailer.

Lots of these consumers still like to bathe, as oppose to shower, and they’ve simply made it easier for them.  Appollo products give them the security to keep bathing in their home without any compromise on design or style and a selection of their bath designs come complete with a hydrotherapy spa option.

Check out the Pisces, a 1700mmx800mm walk-in bath to enjoy easy access bathing or overbath showering and it comes complete with a water powered lift and lower seat with push button control and high flow waste outlet. The Elegance bath, also pictured, is a more compact size of 1685mmx745mm wide and comes complete with a hydraulic powered seat which lowers and raises the bather in and out of the water, ideal for those that need assistance at any age and its available with an air spa system which also warms the water as it is circulated.  So two months running we are seeing companies respond to the maturing consumer from quite different product categories!

As with all other baths within the Airbath® collection, but very unusual for a shower bath, the New Cordona model is available with four bathing options: (1) Original Airbath system, (2) with a Swirlpool option (3) as a combination Airbath and Swirlpool and (4) as a ‘still water’ soaking bath option.

The original patented Airbath system features warm air and warm water injection provided through over 100 micro-jets lining the base of the bath.  Water heated up to 60°C and air combines from the base upwards, massaging and relaxing across the full length and width of the body.  The bather can select different pulse settings, water temperature and speeds from an invigorating wave to a relaxing toning massage.   This is still the only hydro-massage bath that offers a continually warming bathe from start to finish.

The ‘Swirlpool’ option includes the addition of 10 whirlpool jets placed around the sides of the bath.  The system is great for massaging certain parts of the body and provides the bather with a more intense massage.  Customers can select from a Swirlpool only option or a combination of Swirlpool and Airbath.

All hydrotherapy options come complete with a touchtronic control pad allowing the user to personalise the massage as they bathe and can be operated at any depth making it safe and fun for all the family.  Each hydro-therapy bath includes a self draining and blow dry cleaning feature, ensuring each bath time is a fresh as the first.

To complement the New Cordona bathing experience Chromatherapy lights are available, each with an option of twelve colour settings plus a headrest and click clack waste, eliminating the need for cables under the bath.

For further details on the range of Airbath products please visit www.airbath.co.uk or call on 01482-327704.

The Libra bath, manufactured in the UK, covers a standard size footprint of 1700mm long x 750mm wide or is available slightly larger at 1800m x 800mm.  Both sizes come complete with a white seat with armrests taking up to 24 stones in weight, and with a hydraulic lifting mechanism with 90 degree rotation.  It sister bath, the Libra Hi-Lo, allows the bath to be raised at the touch of a button to the perfect working height for the carer, taking the bath to any height between 770mm and 1060mm when fully raised.

As with all Appollo baths, Reva offer a free commissioning service on receipt of the warranty card to confirm the product has been installed.  Reva send out a fully trained technician to ensure that the product has been fitted in accordance with the manufactures regulations.  A maintenance contract is also available to provide LOLER bi-annual inspections as required.

The Appollo range from Reva Industries, an acrylic bath manufacturer based in Hull, is a collection of baths specifically designed to assist bathers who have difficulty in using a standard bath.  A range of 15 different bath options are available with different assistance tools for those living in their own homes with or without assistance to those in sheltered accommodation, nursing and residential care homes.  The range is available from independent bathroom retailers nationwide.  Check out their website at www.appollobathing.co.uk.

In 2009 a major customer of the business went into liquidation leaving the moulds for the first UK spa brand Airbath® to the business.  This became a great opportunity but they needed investment to capitalise on manufacturing and marketing this bathing brand for Reva Industries.

In 2010 along came that investment in the form of Gary Hainsworth and Alison Payne.  They bought the company last September and with a successful track record in business growth to date, they have exciting plans for what to them is a brand new market place.

No strangers to new markets, Gary and Alison were two of the original founders of Premier Galvanizing Ltd., a company started in Hull in 2000.  Two years later they had built a second plant in Corby and they put their success down to some key business values, including, strong customer focus throughout the whole organisation, staff involvement in key decision making and prudent financial management enabling capital investment back into the business.

Being ardent supporters of British manufacturing was a main attraction for Alison and Gary to Reva Industries Ltd.  Gary said of the purchase “Reva is a British manufacturing company within a large marketplace.  It has a sizeable, skilled workforce and strong loyal suppliers.”

“We saw some strong opportunities to innovate at Reva, within many areas of the business and also to create a niche and brand identity by revisiting the Airbath® and Appollo® bathroom brands, which had been starved of investment.  We have some very experienced staff and we want to involve everyone in the process of improvement to build pride in the company’s culture and allow the business to grow with renewed passion and cohesion.”

All of these opportunities will require time to develop, but Gary and Alison are committed to long term investment and they believe in the mix of experience within the management team at Reva Industries, being joined by Rob Hassell and Gary Stevens, offering many years of bathroom experience.

In 1998 a fire tragically stopped production and in the aftermath customers were lost due to lack of continuity of supply.  As a result in 1999 there was a danger of the Hull production plant closing altogether and their parents taking production back to Belgium, when a large UK customer agreed a 3 year deal on the proviso that production continued in the UK.

In 2001, the Belgium parent was sold to the German ceramic business, Villeroy & Boch and own label baths not being core to the new parent in 2005, the current MD Gary Stevens, took Reva Industries through an MBO.  In 2009, it started to produce the Airbath and Appollo bath trade brands, which it subsequently inherited from their owners that went into liquidation.   Having weathered the start of the recession and at a trading at a turnover of £8m, the new investors pledged their commitment to Reva Industries in 2010.

On the sale of Reva, Domien acquired leading sign making company Neon Elite. Based in Pittem, Belgium, Neon Elite have established a flourishing and successful business, which has recently provided the sign for Reva’s new premises. The 4.5 by 2.4 metre sign is literally a glowing representation of all that Reva has to offer with its neon blue backlighting and commanding logo.

The sign has come at a seminal time in Reva’s company history with many new changes underway such as the move to new and improved business premises, the acquisition of the trade and assets of Orca Manufacturing Ltd, and the comfort range of baths which will be launched in the near future.

After an 18-month search, the new 3.7-acre site was located on the Suttonfields Industrial Estate just 1.2 miles from the existing business. The new site will create new employment and will allow further investment in new technology.

Amongst other valuable assets, the new site will include a show room in which best selling and new styles of product will be exhibited to demonstrate the high specification and quality finish of each Reva product. The show room will allow the company to invite customers onto the site and show them the wide range of products on offer.

Managing Director, Gary Stevens said, “ The move will be an exciting time for the company with lots of new possibilities. We are aiming to use this move as the catalyst, which will enable us to move forward in the bathroom market and develop Reva as a leading consumer brand.” Final completion on the site is expected during the second quarter of 2007.

With more potential for future expansion at the site, this relocation marks the start of a new era of success for Reva Industries Ltd.