NKBA MANHATTAN MTI BATHS VENDOR EXCURSION

Clockwise from left: Tom Handschuh, Dawn DeLuca, Kent Brasloff,
Toni Sabatino, Felicitas Oefelein

Intrepid travelers from the NKBA membership spent 3 days in Sugar Hill, Georgia as the guests of MTI Baths, an employee-owned and family operated custom, luxury mass manufacturer of acrylic bathtubs.  At a starting point of about $9,000 you can understand the luxury part. The "mass" part is a bit more complicated.  Dozens of tubs in a variety of styles are molded in high-heat infernos.  Every tub is really two tubs back-coated with fiberglass and assembled with an inch of airspace between them for better insulation.  Tubs are then hand-finished-by request-to a matte or high gloss sheen and may be further customized with individually selected drain placement, jets, faucet holes, heated rims, slip-resistant "pebble" textured floors, arm rests, a patented forced-air tube-cleaning system and a tub-floor-located aeration system that provides what MTI refers to as an "air bath."  Further, any tub may be sized up or down to accommodate the trickiest spaces.
    MTI combines wellness and luxury in a single product but also creates beautifully crafted wall-mounted and free-standing sinks, and a line of bath and outdoor furniture.  Touring the factory buildings and meeting with the artists and executive staff to learn more about the product, company history and core values as well as the training involved to create high-end bathing tubs were highlights of this excursion.

Guests stayed at the MTI Guest House, built as an "experience center" in lieu of trucking tubs to trade shows across the nation.  Our members were each billeted in private suites and allowed access to the 9...count 'em...NINE bathrooms featuring more than 12 tub styles-from soaking tubs (including a round Japanese-style tub) to spa experiences-with various water features.  All were encouraged to tub-hop and enjoy the unique amenities of each...not an option on the trade show floor!  Dry towels, turn-down service and gastronomic needs were mouth-wateringly met by chef and house-mother Mary Stanford.  CEO Kathy Adams, President Russell Adams and VP of Sales and Marketing Jeff Sherrill joined us for meals and the opportunity for feedback from our designers.  Finally, a special thanks goes to our "tour guide" and "cat-herder" Tom Handschuh from TCB Sales.

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SEPTEMBER TRIP HOSTED BY GE 

GE is inviting three of the chapter's designers to their new DTS Designer Training Session from September 19 to 21 in Chicago. Candidatres must 

have designed 12-plus luxury kitchens per year in order to qualify for this opportunity.   Entries must be received by July 28. 

Contact Susan Cozzi, [email protected] for details.