GROHE Brings the Latest in Cutting-Edge Design for the Bathroom and Kitchen to the Heart of New York City, Opening the Grohe Live! Center

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill., Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- GROHE's new 15,000 square-foot Live! Center, located at 160 Fifth Avenue in New York's Flatiron district, is designed to provide support, training and inspiration for GROHE's professional partners.

Throughout the space, inspirational bathroom and kitchen settings illustrate the diversity of the award-winning GROHE portfolio, which features innovative products for all styles of interior, including the latest digital faucets and showers.

An impressive demonstration area gives visitors the opportunity to interact with GROHE faucets and showers and experience first hand GROHE's unique blend of quality, technology, design and sustainability.

The center is also a one-stop resource for industry professionals. Architects, designers, project specifiers and their clients are invited to view GROHE's extensive product portfolio in the relaxed environment of the new Fifth Avenue showroom. Meeting rooms, equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technologies, including video conferencing and wireless internet, are available to those wishing to discuss their projects in a convenient, central location. New York-based GROHE Project Consultants will also be on hand to share their extensive product knowledge and expertise.

"GROHE Live! is an educational design resource for architects and designers, providing them with the all the support they require to turn their visions into reality," said Franz Droege, President and CEO of GROHE America.

In addition to showcasing GROHE's award-winning bath and kitchen collections, the center also includes training facilities for designers, showroom staff and plumbers. An in-depth brand presentation, focusing on the company's European design excellence and German manufacturing expertise, provides the backbone for all courses.

Looking to the future, a full program of technical and installation seminars will be accompanied by training classes accredited by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA).

GROHE Live! is set to become the company's Manhattan base for events and product launches, the first of which took place on Sept. 7, 2011, when the center was opened by Paul Flowers, Senior Vice President of Design for GROHE AG.

During the opening day, guests were treated to a preview of two new collections: the GROHE Allure Brilliant faucet collection and GROHE Power&Soul showers.

The multi-million dollar investment in the New York center follows the opening of GROHE Live! Centers in Singapore and Bangalore, and showrooms in London, Paris and Milan.

GROHE Live! Center
160 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212-366-1972

The center is open Monday-Friday. Visitors should call to make an appointment.

For more information visit: www.groheamerica.com

About GROHE in North America

GROHE Americas, Bloomingdale, Ill, and New York City, is the 36-year-old, wholly-owned subsidiary of GROHE Water Technology AG & Co. KG, Germany. GROHE faucets and showers are distributed in more than 130 countries and represent nearly 80 years of excellence in European design, engineering and quality. GROHE ranks among the top three faucet manufacturers in the world and was the first international faucet manufacturer to be ISO 9001 Quality Assurance Certified. In 2011 the GROHE in-house design team was awarded with the prestigious red dot 'design team of the year' award.

About GROHE Worldwide

Grohe AG is Europe's largest and, with a market share of roughly eight percent, among the world's leading manufacturers of sanitary fittings. As a global brand for sanitary products and systems, GROHE sets standards in quality, design, technology and sustainability, providing water to perfection.

With its headquarters in Hemer and Corporate Center in Dusseldorf, the company currently employs some 5,400 people worldwide, including 2,400 in Germany. In 2010, the company's kitchen and bathroom fittings and showers, automatic fittings for the commercial and contract sectors, and installation and flushing systems generated sales of EUR 980 million

GROHE has six production plants, of which three are located outside Germany, namely in Portugal, Thailand and Canada. The company currently generates 80 percent of its sales outside Germany.

SOURCE GROHE