The modern kitchen sink comes from very humble beginnings. There was once a time when, if you were lucky enough to have a kitchen sink, it was a huge sink tub, attached to a wall, with an adjacent wooden drainer. Now kitchen design has taken on great importance within the home improvement industry, with modern sinks being sleek and fashionable as well as functional. Sinks are now available in a large variety of materials, colours and styles, with a number of sink manufacturers taking the lead in research and development. One such company is Franke, a Swiss firm that operates in a number of different markets around the world. Franke was formed in 1911 and celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The first Franke sink was produced in 1925.