Kohler Company has acquired U.K.-based Kast Concrete Basins, a boutique designer and manufacturer of concrete basins and sinks.
Kast specializes in bathroom basins within the premium market and is a design-led brand known for its bold colors.
The 12-year-old company was founded by Tim Bayes, who will now serve as Kast’s managing director/head of creative.
“Kohler pioneered vibrant, colorful products to great acclaim as far back as 1927, and has progressively introduced innovative designs, materials, and finishes that help customers make a design statement in their spaces,” said Bonnie Choruby, president of Luxury Brands at Kohler. “Kast shares that same mindset and is a perfect fit for our Luxury Brands division. Not only does the brand bring a new material to our portfolio – concrete – but also the color and refinement expertise that is evident in the unique shapes and forms of its beautiful basins.”
Bayes fell in love with concrete while growing up in Switzerland. He saw concrete’s potential for contemporary product design and with an affinity for engineering and a degree in fine art, he began working with the liquid stone.
From designing furniture to creating contemporary interior surfaces, realizing his vision took years of development by researching and refining both the precise mix of concrete and complex casting processes. Over time, Bayes grew his team and continued to innovate, pushing the boundaries of how concrete can be used.
All Kast products are made from traditional, aggregate-based concrete. Real, authentic concrete using limestone from local suppliers, along with specially sourced sands and high-quality pigments, are carefully blended to produce the aesthetically refined concrete mixes.
Over the years, Kast pared back its product offering and now focuses on making concrete basins. The Kast design center and factory in Nottinghamshire produces more than 50 basin designs in 28 colors including wall-hung, freestanding, countertop, cloakroom, and double-basin models for residential and commercial markets, as well as custom projects. In 2022, Kast expanded its bathroom offering with the debut of a tapware collection called Alto.
