Launching new products and announcing a substantial manufacturing investment, Rangemaster plans to dominate the UK range cooking market, commercial director Iskender Diker tells Amelia Thorpe.
"We are changing so many things," says Iskender Diker, commercial director Middleby Residential (Rangemaster), fresh from unveiling new cookers at KBB in Birmingham. "We've made a multimillion-pound investment in new machinery and in the paint shop at our factory in Leamington Spa, to bring in a new Rangemaster platform [chassis] to make us way more flexible in the way we manufacture our cookers, the configurations we can offer and the ability to produce almost infinite colour options.
"We're one of the only companies investing in range cooker manufacturing in the UK, and what we showed at KBB is just the tip of the iceberg – the investment is ongoing," he continues.
Key launches at the show include the streamlined modern Edge Deluxe range cooker in frameless black glass and the Estel Deluxe, which has a more traditional look and is available in a choice of 8 colours. The new manufacturing combines what Diker describes as the "best of both worlds – hand-built expertise with modern precision engineering", resulting in upgraded features for these models, such as a smaller fascia that allows more cooking space, a larger grill with improved flexibility and a bigger slow cook cavity that can fit a large casserole pot.
As part of the overhaul, selected existing models will move to the new modular platform, including the popular Classic, now available in the new colour palette, as well as Professional and Nexus, and there will be another new model, Arina. "The current generation will be phased out, probably in the second half of the year, as the new ones come in," explains Diker. The Falcon brand will be discontinued, and Mercury will transfer to premium sister brand Aga, and be badged accordingly.
Speaking of the now 6 Rangemaster cooker families, he says: "We will have the opportunity to create variants of these range cookers, thanks to the advantages of the new platform, and we are going to have more, including exclusive families for different channels. We want to dominate the range cooking market."
The brand has also unveiled a new logo, launched 100 new models in its sister Rangemaster sink and tap portfolio, and announced a new sink and tap distribution collaboration with kitchen furniture brand Symphony. Since 2015, Rangemaster has been owned by Middleby, the US-based corporation which also owns Aga, Rayburn, La Cornue and Novy, as well as Viking, Marvel and U-Line, and outdoor cooking brands such as Kamado Joe. "It’s fair to say that Middleby is a highly acquisitive company which wants to grow in all three areas of operation: commercial food service, food processing and residential, which Aga Rangemaster is part of, and has a clear target for growth, both organically and through acquisition," explains Diker. "I can’t comment on specifics, but I can say that if there are more acquisitions, I won’t be surprised."
"Our ambition is to be a truly global player," he continues. "While we want to remain a dominant player in the UK, we also want to supply more products into export markets, particularly USA." Rangemaster currently sells around 50,000 range cookers per year. "I don’t see why we can’t get that number to 6 digits if we fully utilise the potential of export," he notes.
And for the UK kitchen retailer? "I want them to know that we are here to stay, that we invest in British manufacturing, we are their local partner and we offer lots of choice," says Diker. "I know they want peace of mind."
