Five years of tinkering bear fruit as Monty’s foldaway toilet frame lands sales in 15 countries

Hidealoo, a Hampshire startup looking to aid the installation of toilets in small and hard-to-fit spaces, has now landed sales in 15 different countries.

The Hidealoo frame allows a toilet to be rotated through 90 degrees, allowing it to be tucked away in a cupboard or wall recess.

This can free up valuable counter and floor space or help homeowners add toilet facilities where a full bathroom may be too impractical or costly.

Hidealoo is the brainchild of Monty Ravenscroft, an architectural engineer from Selborne near Alton.

The idea came to Monty while working on a tiny property in southeast London, later featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs.

He also wanted a discreet bathroom solution for his father, who needed the convenience of bathroom facilities in his bedroom, but in a way that preserved his dignity.

Since its official launch last year, Hidealoo has seen a surge in orders from homeowners and property developers worldwide.

The business now has customers in the UK, Ireland, UAE, Romania, Singapore, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Belgium, USA, Hong Kong, Greece, Poland and Spain.

Hidealoo is also building relationships with key distributors and recently won its third industry award.

“It’s taken more than five years of development, engineering and testing to perfect the Hidealoo,” said Monty.

“There’s nothing else like it on the market, and it’s great to see its potential being recognised by homeowners across the world.

“What continues to amaze us is the infinite number of ways our customers are using the frame to solve their individual needs.

“While around 25 per cent of current installations are going in traditional bathrooms, the vast majority of the frames are being used to fit toilets in more unusual locations, particularly within utility rooms.”

Built in Britain, the Hidealoo frame works with any standard UK wall-hung ceramic pan and 110mm waste pipe.

It’s tested to hold 400kg in weight and has successfully operated through over 250,000 cycles.

Popular uses include fitting a toilet in a utility room cupboard, within a cabinet under loft eaves, in a home office area, and in compact ensuites and shower rooms.

• hidealoo.com

For more, check out our interview with Monty in the May issue of The Business Magazine, page 94.