Leaders at Mansfield Plumbing say there are three words that sum up the focus of the plumbing products industry for 2017: Cleanability, Performance and Environmental.
“The sanitaryware industry has seen a distinct escalation in the growing consumer demand for cleaner toilets this year,” says Gary Pember, vice president of marketing at Mansfield Plumbing. “People are tired of the almost daily chore of cleaning toilet bowls and rims … they’re looking for easy-care solutions combined with high performance toilets.”
Pember says that this push toward cleaner toilets is being addressed by unique changes in toilet products by many manufacturers. “From the development of easier to clean glazes on the toilet to advanced developments of waste removal to built in washing treatments, manufacturers are working hard to answer the demand from consumers for cleaner toilets,” says Pember.
“We’re closely following industry trends and have already introduced the PuraCleanTM bacteria-resistant glaze finish for toilets this year. We plan to develop even more ways to address this cleanliness issue in the future.”
Water-Saving High-Performance Toilets
According to Pember the desire for reliable, high-performing sanitaryware products is a recurring trend that ties in with the desire for low water usage of toilets.
“We said last year that water efficient toilets are here to stay and we stand behind that statement,” says Pember. “Homeowners want one-flush confidence while knowing they’re minimizing water usage.
“As manufacturers, we’re continually trying to ‘up our game’ by developing products that answer this demand. We did that this year by introducing the DenaliTM Power Flush toilet — which moves 1,200 grams of waste with just 1.6 Gpf.”
Pember points out that WaterSense® toilets, which generally use 1.28 Gpf or less water, remain top sellers in the industry. “In the drought-ridden areas of our country every drop of water counts,” says Pember. “Many builders, remodelers, plumbers and homeowners are reviewing their options for toilets using less water. This can include dual-flush toilets that use a lower quantity of water to remove liquid waste compared to using slightly more water to remove solid waste.”