Victorian Sliders Continues To Invest 6
A Clear View Of Fenestration Supply Chain Challenges Sector In 2021 42
Kubu’s Selling Opportunities For Installers 61
Delivering Certainty Everything Aluminium Delivered Fast £1.5 Million Stockholding Direct to Site Right First Time
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TRADE NEWS
Business As
Usual After
Brexit Says Apeer Asa McGillian, Apeer’s managing director
Apeer, which manufacturers Apeer composite doors and Lumi windows and doors at its Ballymena, Northern Ireland factory, says that despite coverage in the national press advising that the suppliers of fresh goods, especially, are facing difficulties in delivering produce to Irish retailers and caterers, deliveries of the firm’s Apeer doors and lumi windows to the UK mainland, are unaffected by Britain’s final exit from the European Union. Asa McGillian, Apeer’s Managing Director, says that whilst there are minor changes to administrative details in transporting doors and windows to its customers in England, Scotland and Wales, they have had no effect on its UK customers: “We have had plenty of time to think about and prepare for any changes that Brexit might make,” says Asa, “and I have always maintained that whatever problems that were created would be dealt with as a matter of course. The changes, ultimately, are relatively small and have no effect on our customers whatsoever. So much of what appears in the press is exaggerated.” www.apeer.co.uk 4 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
Modular Group Investments Acquires
Euramax Solutions Limited Modular Group Investments has completed the acquisition of Euramax Solutions Limited, a manufacturer of fenestration products to the construction, modular and leisure markets. Michael Garratt, the founder and CEO of MGI said, “we invest in a range of sub-sectors across the MMC markets including component manufacturing and supply chain operators. MGI’s involvement with Euramax will allow it to expand and develop the product portfolio to better serve our customer needs. We are delighted to be working with the Euramax team, which will remain unchanged, and look forward to an exciting period of development together”. Chris Butters, MGI Chairman stated “as a British company we are strategically focused on UK construction markets and specifically on the changing needs required by the expansion of the MMC sector. We look forward to
working with our various stakeholders and our new colleagues in the large Barnsley facility. We are highly committed to quality, reliability and innovation which are attitudes already embedded in the ethos at Euramax so we are enthusiastic about future opportunities, despite the present Covid challenges”. Nick Cowley, Managing Director of Euramax said, “today’s announcement commences an exciting new chapter for Euramax. Together with MGI, we look forward to continuing our growth plans, developing new products and building strong partnerships with our customers”. The acquisition was supported by Hempsons providing legal advice, financing guidance by TML Finance and Advisory, Arc Pensions Law for specialist legal pensions advice and TC Group for tax and accounting advice. www.mginvestment.co.uk www.euramaxuk.co
TRADE NEWS
Global Shortage Of Shipping Containers To Compound Pressure
On Glass Supply
particularly those between Europe and China, weren’t in the right locations, creating immense demand – and prices have rocketed. “We have been talking to our suppliers and the price increases in only a few months have been staggering. That’s impacted the price of products coming from China and Japan – purely because of the cost of shipping”, Mark said. “What it’s also created is increased disruption at UK ports, something which make the plans by many of the big glass manufacturers to bring product in from Europe while carrying out cold maintenance programmes in the UK, more challenging.” Cold maintenance programmes scheduled for spring and summer this year, by Saint Gobain and Guardian are expected to run anywhere from 12-20 weeks, significantly reducing capacity.
Glass processors and IGU manufacturers should prepare now for increased prices and lower availability of product caused by the global shortage of shipping containers.
“Shipping containers aren’t in the right places at the right times, and that means the slots allocated to them at ports are being missed and the problem becomes worse”, he explained.
The warning from Mackenzie Glass is made amid reports of price increases of as much as 35% on some products in as little as 24hours.
“The implications for UK glass supply are massive at a time when scheduled maintenance is about to significantly reduce domestic capacity.”
This, according to the company’s joint Managing Director, Mark Herbert, is attributable to a massive jump in the price of shipping containers from the Far East, because of a 30% increase in demand and the significant disruption caused by COVID-19 to global shipping.
According to analysts in the first half of 2020 the slowdown in economic activity triggered by COVID-19 prompted container companies to switch to blank sailings, skipping certain ports off routes and cancelling shipments because there wasn’t sufficient trade to warrant dropping anchor there.
This has seen the price of a 40-ft container to the UK from China soar from $2,000, to between $8,000 and $10,000 – a price Mark warns will have to be passed on through the supply chain.
This meant that those ports had either more or fewer containers than they would have normally have so that when the market came back with a 30% jump in demand, shipping containers,
It is understood that this was going to be made up from shipments from Europe but with new disruption at ports, compounded with increased paperwork post-Brexit, Mark suggests the glass sector should ready itself for continuing and new pressures on supply. In order to mitigate the impact of shortages and price increases, particularly in the global supply chain, Mackenzie is carrying record levels of stock, with more than 80,000 m2 including 200 plus, glass types on the ground at its 37,000 sq ft purpose-built Bristol site. “We’d encourage glass processors to think as far ahead as they can and talk to us now about the projects that they have on the horizon, so that we can work with them so as far as possible, to manage out price increases and potential shortages in the months ahead.” www.mackenzieglass.co.uk WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 5
TRADE NEWS tible to the supply chain issues that plagued the industry throughout the second half of the year. In the last five years in particular, Victorian Sliders has ramped up that investment – spending in excess of £12m filling its Ammanford headquarters with state-of-the-art machinery, expanding its production capacity and taking strides towards greater sustainability with its own recycling plant.
Victorian Sliders
Continues To Invest Despite The Challenges Of Coronavirus Victorian Sliders Group Managing Director Andy Jones describes the long-term philosophy that’s seen it become One Of Europe’s biggest sash window manufacturers, and allowed it to come through one of the most challenging years UK fenestration has ever seen. Victorian Sliders defied the pandemic to achieve the most successful year in its history in 2020 – not a bad way to celebrate its 15th birthday. The fast-growing fabricator was obviously affected by the worst public health crisis in a generation – and will continue to be, as it adjusts to a third national lockdown.
Sliders set out to be as independent as it could possibly be. Founder Scot Starkey knew that the biggest source of delays and other manufacturing complications was often suppliers and other third parties he had no control over. To avoid those pitfalls, that meant Victorian Sliders had to do things differently – to bring most of the functions your typical window fabricator would source externally in-house.
Twelve new Mercedes vans and two large trucks now transport ECOSlide windows to its regional depots, then on to its more than 3,000 installer customers around the country. In hindsight, it was a very timely investment – because 2020 turned out to be the most successful year in its history. Such was the demand the firm found itself faced with after the end of the first lockdown and throughout the second half of 2020 that it’s now hired more than 20 new manufacturing staff.
That came with a hefty price-tag. But in the long-run, it’s an investment that’s paid off handsomely.
But a key reason it’s been able to weather an unpredictable twelve months better than many fenestration firms is its long-standing commitment to continuous investment – one that, over 15 years, has made it one of the most self-sufficient businesses in its sector, claims the company.
Unlike many of its competitors, Victorian Sliders doesn’t use external systems companies. It extrudes its own profile in Ammanford. It also makes its own glass units, colours its own frames, and has its own exclusive range of hardware, made in a factory it owns.
From the very beginning, Victorian
In 2020, that made it less suscep-
6 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
The company has always had a national reach – and in the last twelve months, has spent over half a million pounds to dramatically grow its delivery fleet.
Andy Jones
Freefoam “The Obvious Choice” TRADE NEWS
It’s an approach that, despite the uncertainties of the pandemic, the company has no intention of changing, as Group Managing Director Andy Jones explains. “Constant, far-sighted investment has been a central part of the Victorian Sliders philosophy since the very beginning – and it’ll take a lot more than a global pandemic to change that.
For The Plastik Place
“Over the last 15 years, we’ve worked extremely hard to foster independence and self-sufficiency as a business. “Every company relies on external suppliers to some extent, but our commitment to doing as much we can ourselves has paid dividends over the last twelve months. “In the challenging and unpredictable climate caused by COVID, it’s given us much more control over the situation than many other firms have had. “As far as investment is concerned, 2021 will be no different to any other year. We’ve got big ambitions for the year ahead, and after a hugely successful second half of 2020, we’re in an excellent position to achieve them. “We’re planning to invest a further £4.2m in the twelve months ahead, enhancing our recycling, mixing and glass toughening capabilities, as well as more new vehicles and large numbers of new staff – over twenty for our Ammanford manufacturing base, and nearly thirty for our regional hubs, which will each now have their own sales and order processing teams. “We know the road ahead won’t always be smooth. But thanks to all the hard work we’ve put in over the last few years, we’re in an excellent position to thrive and grow into 2021 and beyond.” www.victoriansliders.co.uk
Roofline, rainwater and cladding specialist the Plastik Place was set up in June 2020 with a trade counter in central Liverpool. Its founders, Phil Naylor and Kris Robinson had used Freefoam for over 20 years during their time at CFS Cladding & Fascias and SIG. When it came to setting up their own business, Freefoam was “the obvious choice”. Phil Naylor explains: “We didn’t hesitate in choosing Freefoam as a supplier for the Plastik Place, as we’d worked with them in previous companies and our customers love Freefoam products. Freefoam gives us everything we need: a full product range and the right support and service. The team is great and our area sales manager is always on hand to help. As a new business, Freefoam has given us the support to build our brand, including marketing materials, POS and even advertising boards for the main road
near our premises.” Sales are strong at the Plastik Place with growing demand for home improvements thanks to a shift in consumer spending habits. According to Phil: “Our customers are mostly builders and roofers, and they’ve seen a huge spike in extensions and home renovations. During the last nine months people haven’t been able to go on holiday so they’re spending money on updating their homes instead. There’s definitely a trend for improving rather than moving and colour is a big part of this. Grey is a top seller and Rosewood is very popular too. “What’s great about Freefoam is they are quick to react to emerging trends and have a leading colour range to help us capitalise on this growing market. We’re looking forward to a long and successful partnership with Freefoam.” www.freefoam.com WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 7
TRADE NEWS
GGF Issues Revised Guidance On In House Selling During Lockdown In England The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has issued revised guidance for Home Improvement companies and sub-contractors operating in England during the current National Lockdown, following confirmation from Government officials of a new interpretation of the guidance for in-house selling during the pandemic. The general Guidance on the subject of sales, published on the Government’s website, as detailed below remains the same and is unlikely to change for the next few weeks.
mindful of this possible sanction if they ignore the advice and continue to canvass.
John Agnew
and that advises companies, who cannot sell or survey remotely to ensure they do so, in a controlled and measured manner.
“Door-to-door sales should not take place, and sales activities should be conducted remotely (such as by phone, online, or mail).”
John Agnew added, “The GGF recommends that any in-house selling activity should start in February to ensure a responsible and gradual industry approach.”
The slightly more relaxed interpretation of the rules around the restrictions may allow for sales people to enter the home, if necessary but it is vital for all individuals who are entering a property to ensure they are following the Safe Guidance and social distancing guidelines.
The GGF also advises that all individuals entering a home to carry out work should use the NHS Test and Trace App which can be downloaded from the NHIS website https://covid19.nhs.uk/.
John Agnew, GGF Managing Director commented on the change, “Government officials have recently confirmed directly to the GGF that if selling and surveying in England cannot be done remotely, then companies and their sub-contractors can conduct pre-booked in-house sales and surveys, if carried out within the Safe Guidance.” The GGF recommends that consumers are offered a remote appointment in the first instance 8 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
On the subject of door to door canvassing, the Government is clear that this activity should not be undertaken at present and this has been underlined by the GGF. In a statement issued to its Membership, the GGF highlights that local authorities in England can issue a prohibition notice on businesses. The GGF’s Primary Authority Partnership confirmed “the (current) level of risk to public health met the requirements for local authorities to be able to issue prohibition notices to businesses as allowed by the regulations”. Companies should be
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for enforcing COVID secure guidance in terms of how you are working. The HSE has the power to issue an enforcement notice on any business that is not operating in accordance with COVID secure guidance creating a potential risk to public health and safety. With the restriction on in-house selling slightly relaxed, and if the pandemic health statistics show the situation is improving, the GGF expects the Government to ease the restrictions gradually over the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, the GGF has urged companies who can continue to operate, to do so responsibly and within the spirit of the guidance. John Agnew summarised, “The published GGF and Government Safe Guidance has not changed, all companies who can continue to operate should ensure they follow the safe guidance to safeguard their employees and customers, and to protect the NHS and save lives.” To access the very latest GGF and Government guidance please click on the links below: GGF COVID Latest News Page GGF COVID Guidance Table GGF COVID Guide for Manufacturers and the Supply Chain GGF COVID Guide for Installers GGF COVID Guide for Homeowners
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Builders’ Merchants’ Sales Grow 9% Despite
Second Lockdown
tial value sales growth at 16.3%. Sales of Heavy Building Materials (+8.7%) and Ironmongery (+2.4%) were also above last November’s level. The other eight categories sold less. While Workwear & Safetywear (-6.0%) and Plumbing Heating & Electrical (-5.8%) remained weak compared to last November, many other categories recovered with sales just below last year’s level. Month-on-month data shows that the strongest increases compared to October were in the Renewables & Water Saving (+4.6%) and Kitchens & Bathrooms (+2.9%) categories. Sales in the Landscaping category (-9.5%) fell as colder weather set in.
The latest Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) report shows that value sales to builders by Britain’s builders’ merchants in November saw their largest year-onyear increase since March 2019, despite stricter Covid-19 restrictions being in place for most of the month. With builders heeding the Government’s directive to keep 10 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
construction sites open, total sales were 9.0% higher than in November 2019. Year-on-year growth was driven primarily by four main product categories: Landscaping was up 29.3% compared to November 2019, while Timber & Joinery Products also reported substan-
Overall, Total Merchants’ Sales in November were 2.3% lower than in October 2020, on one less trading day. However, when adjusted for the trading day difference, sales increased 2.3% compared to last month, with almost all categories ahead. Since the start of the pandemic and through the recovery phase,
TRADE NEWS Timber & Joinery Products and Landscaping have consistently performed above the total index, somewhat buoyed by price increases, while the more competitive Decorating and Tools categories have been tracking well below. Mike Rigby, CEO of MRA Research, which produces the BMBI reports says:“Categorised by Government as essential to the economy, builders’ merchants, and the construction industry as a whole, remained fully open during the tighter Covid-19 restrictions imposed in November. “Although November’s surge included an element of pre-Brexit stockpiling and some sharp price increases on imported goods, the very positive sales figures demonstrate the resilience of the merchant sector. It also shows how well and quickly they’ve adapted to the circumstances by rolling out online ordering, click-and-collect or delivery to site options on a broader scale to avoid disruption the second time around. “It’s an excellent foundation for further growth in a post-Covid marketplace as we emerge from the pandemic.” Developed and run by MRA Research, the BMBI – a brand of the Builders Merchant Federation – is a monthly index of builders’ merchant sales, and the most reliable, up-to-date measure of Repair, Maintenance, and Improvement (RMI) activity in the UK. The data is not from a sample survey but is actual sales from GfK’s Builders’ Merchant Point of Sale Tracking Data, which captures value sales out to builders from generalist builders’ merchants, accounting for over 80% of total sales from builders’ merchants throughout Great Britain. An in-depth review, which includes commentary by sector experts, is provided each quarter. November’s BMBI report is available to download at www.bmbi.co.uk
Glassolutions Opens Glass Distribution Centre
The UK’s largest stock glass distribution centre has been opened by Glassolutions in Elland, West Yorkshire.
glass and self-cleaning glass in stock, cut sized and processed.
Lisa Dunn, Distribution Director at Glassolutions, which has invested over £1million in the new premises said: “The Northern Hub is an impressive facility that will lead to an even better service for our customers and is an exciting development for Glassolutions in the UK.
“Situated close to the M62 between Leeds and Manchester we are perfectly located to serve the North of England with fast, efficient deliveries of the widest range of glass and glazing products plus our enhance online ordering system means that our customers can even get their glass on the go. The Northern Hub puts us in a fantastic position for the future growth of the business.”
“All our customers from small traditional glaziers and joiners The Glassolutions Northern to large sealed unit manufacHub comprises a 30,000sq ft turers, window fabricators and warehouse and 10,000sq ft installers, fit out companies office space and will employ 35 and glass merchants will benpeople from its former premises efit from daily deliveries across in Bradford and Huddersfield, the North of England, as well as including the creation of 11 online ordering and a collection new jobs. service.
“This will be a complete one stop shop for all glass and glazing products including clear float, tinted float, low iron, soft and hard coat, laminated, patterned, wired, silvered, fire-
For more information visit https://bit.ly/3pSzNV1 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 11
TRADE NEWS
reer development. “The timing could not be better for our partners, the Building Our Skills – Making Fenestration a Career of Choice campaign. Building Our Skills has just announced the launch of a practical training programme. The programme includes an introduction to window and door installation, guidance on how to adhere to the Building Regulations plus the opportunity to gain a health and safety qualification and ultimately a CSCS card.
Surge In Job Opportunities
“For anyone considering entering the fenestration industry or wondering about whether they should seek out training to further enhance their skills I would say now is a great time to go for it. They are welcome to talk to the team here at GQA Qualifications who will be more than happy to provide advice and answer any questions on the best route forwards or directly to the team at Building Our Skills.” www.buildingourskills.co.uk www.gqaqualifications.com
Welcomed By GQA GQA welcomes news of a surge in job opportunities for glaziers, window fabricators and installers. Reported at www.fenews.co.uk, it is understood that total job posts in these categories were up by just over 111% between June and September. Commenting on the rise in opportunities in the fenestration sector, Shaun McAllister Director for GQA Qualifications, the industry’s awarding body said: “This independent report provides evidence to support the 12 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
impression of a resurgence in activity in the fenestration sector that we began to have once the restrictions of lock-down were lifted in June. There has been plenty of hearsay about the rise in work, and it is very encouraging that this report bears out what is being surmised generally. The growth in demand for glaziers, window fabricators and installers is great news. It also underlines the need we have to bring more people into the fenestration industry and to upskill existing industry employees in order to Shaun McAllister raise standards and support ca-
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TRADE NEWS
FENSA Survey Reveals Attitudes
Of UK’s Leading Installers A new survey undertaken by FENSA adds substance to anecdotal evidence regarding marketplace trends
As part of a commitment to measure business levels, opinions, and prospects from the front line, FENSA has completed a survey amongst more than 6200 Approved Installers, located throughout England and Wales. Carried out in November and December 2020, the exercise sought to take a snapshot of the market from the installers’ perspective following the end of the first lockdown in May, and to compare the results against anecdotal information carried in the press and online. Supporting the view that business has been very good in that period, 74.6% of companies responding said that work levels have been good or very good since returning to work. This rose to 81.7% when companies were questioned about demand from homeowners 14 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
throughout the second half of the year. And whilst a significant number appear to have not enjoyed the increase in business, the number of FENSA installations registered for the last 6 months of the year clearly supports the positive response reported by the majority.
The strong market performance was however mitigated by severe issues with the supply chain, with 94.4% of installers saying that they had experienced problems and delays with supplies. Despite this, 66.7% of respondents were optimistic that demand would continue for the foreseeable future. “The industry is incredibly busy and FENSA Approved Installers are winning a huge amount of work,” said Chris Beedel, FENSA Director of Membership, concluding that “seeing workloads higher than the same period for 2019 and with the majority of companies expecting current work levels to continue in 2021, is very encouraging for the
industry. Although this information is very encouraging and we remain cautiously optimistic, there are a number of factors outside of our control at the moment but FENSA is here to support our Approved Installers” Managing Director, GGF Commercial Group, Anda Gregory, believes that installers have shown remarkable resilience throughout the pandemic: “Installers have been severely tested. From having their businesses closed almost overnight, followed by welcome but unexpected strong demand, they have risen to the occasion,” she commented. “Lead levels being generated through the FENSA website remain strong and this, coupled with Approved Installers’ performance throughout last year, suggest that the buoyant market conditions will continue, despite the difficulties imposed by the pandemic.” www.fensa.org.uk
TRADE NEWS
Freefoam: Let’s Celebrate A Year Of Transformation
Fentrade Reports Double
Digit Growth In
Commercial
Curtain Walling Freefoam has announced the launch of a photographic competition. 2020 was a transformative year. When homeowners took stock of their surroundings and chose to use their time, and money, to make improvements to their home. And with many working at home, space has never been more important. Freefoam says it would like to celebrate and acknowledge the vision and ambition of its Installers and Homeowners. To do this the company has announced a photo competition, to find the best Transformations using Freefoam fascia, soffit or cladding. With a huge variety of projects happening across the UK, from using Fortex cladding to replace old tired wall coverings, installing smart new grey fascia to replace standard white PVC and refurbishing old summer houses to create warm and comfortable home offices – the list is endless! Freefoam want to see how homes have been transformed, with be-
fore and after photos to illustrate the dramatic changes. Freefoam says: “It’s a simple idea, and we just want to showcase people’s aspirations and ideas for their homes, and working with our installers together can create tremendous transformations. And it’s something they should be proud of. “We’ll be promoting details on social media, and be offering a prize each month ranging from vouchers for Screwfix and Tool Station, to money off Freefoam products.” To enter go to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FreefoamUK/ or email ukmarketing@ freefoam.com “We believe 2021 will be the year of the Transformation, and we want to share how vision, ambition and aspiration can come together.” To view the promotional video visit: https://bit.ly/36OF0p4
Aluminium trade fabricator Fentrade has reported double digit sales growth for its commercial curtain walling system. Chris Reeks, Director of Fentrade, said: “We’re delighted to being seeing double digit sales growth year on year for our commercial curtain walling. It’s a great sign of the underlying strength of the commercial sector and shows it’s ready to bounce back stronger than ever after the difficulties of the past year.” Fentrade’s aluminium curtain walling can be used in all building types, making it an ideal fabric of choice for commercial applications. It is available in a wide range of single, and anodised colour options and can accommodate double and triple glazing with unit sizes up to 46mm in depth. It is available in 50mm box & plate or solid box variations, there are transom/mullion options from 50mm to 220mm and internal reinforcing bars are available for larger spans. There are also window and door insets, faceted sections for angled screens and a choice of external caps. fentradealuminium.co.uk WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 15
TRADE NEWS ed to take the leap, I had to react quickly to market trends and invest properly. The banks were not interested at the time, so I raised the funds myself to get going and set up a small manufacturing facility in Norwich. We started with just three staff.” Norwich Aluminium manufactures glazing for domestic and commercial projects. It recently completed glazing for new wards at the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital, some of which are currently being used as emergency COVID-19 wards. The company has worked on hundreds of projects across the country, ranging from new and existing schools and shop fronts to home renovations and commercial offices.
Rapid Growth Sees Expansion At
Norwich-Based Glazing Firm
Rapid growth at Norwich-based glazing manufacturer, Norwich Aluminium Limited, has seen the company move to new 80% larger premises and employ five new staff as it continues to fly the flag for UK manufacturing in construction. Norwich Aluminium was established six years ago by local man Alex Warren. Alex, who was working in the glazing industry at the time, spotted an opportunity to move into aluminium, a material which was growing in popularity for commercial and architectural glazing. By re-mortgaging his house, Alex set up the company in a unit on White Lodge Trading
16 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
Alex Warren
Estate in Norwich, next to other established brands such as Screwfix and SIG. Alex explained: “Using my knowledge of the PVC-U market, I could see the growing opportunity in aluminium. I knew that if I want-
In December 2020, they set up subsidiary company Norwich Aluminium Trade Supply, with a focus on manufacturing a quality aluminium product for other glazing companies that are involved in installation-only projects and looking for a reliable local supplier. Today, Norwich Aluminium employs 30 full-time staff across the group. Having outgrown its premises, Alex has invested £340,000 to move to new 80% larger offices and a bespoke manufacturing facility on the same industrial estate. Alex Warren continued: “In 2020 alone we manufactured over £3 million of aluminium glazing products for customers across the country. We are targeting a 30% growth on that figure this year. While the UK construction and manufacturing industries continue to struggle, our future order book is looking very strong. We’re bucking the trend and still growing. We pride ourselves on quality and moving to these new premises will enable us to offer an even better service for our customers using the latest manufacturing facilities. We are looking forward to seeing what the future brings.” www.norwichaluminium.co.uk
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Garnalex Launches
Sheerline Prestige repeatable perfect corners, time and time again.
Garnalex has launched Sheerline Prestige, its most versatile and thermally efficient aluminium window and door system. Featuring a full depth Eurogroove, Prestige lets fabricators use their existing PVC-U hardware to streamline manufacturing, and is set to help redefine installer expectations in 2021. Garnalex says Prestige offers unrivalled choice and boasts one of the widest range of window styles and includes doors and French doors. The system is available in the same style options and 12 stocked colours as Classic, Sheerline’s ultra slim window system. Prestige also includes 28-44mm glazing options and a choice of small, intermediate and large outer frames to 18 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
accommodate different plaster lines and window reveals for a perfect finish for any size and style of home. Prestige was developed from Sheerline’s core principles of beautiful aesthetics, top performance and innovative, fabricator and installer-friendly design. Built around Sheerline’s innovative Thermavic® multi-chamber, thermal design, U-Values are as low as 0.9 W/ (m²K) for triple glazing and 1.3 U-value W/(m²K) double glazed. Sheerline’s cills feature this same technology coupled with innovative in-built weather sealing that keep draughts and rain safely outside. Prestige also incorporates Sheerline’s patented corner jointing method, making it easy and quick to fabricate beautiful, easily
Roger Hartshorn, Garnalex CEO, comments: “The launch of Sheerline Prestige is timely. The market remains strong and consumer demand for high performance, beautiful products is soaring. Sheerline is perfectly poised to help fabricators and installers benefit from this demand. Our first system, Sheerline Classic, is a super-slim specialist window, ideal for replacing traditional steel-framed windows or contemporary properties. Our second system, Sheerline Prestige is our most versatile system with beautiful looks, and doors and French doors, and a choice of sizes and designs to suit any type of property. The feedback from fabricators has been extremely positive and we’re excited about the year ahead.” Sheerline Prestige’s product innovation is matched with outstanding service. All profiles and components are available in 5 working days in 12 stocked colours, including 3 anodised finishes. Dual colour combinations from this stocked range are available on the same 5-day turnaround. While bespoke colours are available in just 10 working days, setting new customer-friendly agile standards for aluminium. Installers and fabricators who want to learn more should call Sheerline on 01332 883960 or visit www.sheerline.com
TRADE NEWS
15 Years Of Quality Leads From
Leads 2 Trade
VEKA Recycling Invests In
New Silos To Increase Capacity
At State-Of-The-Art Plant VEKA Recycling has invested £150k in six new silos to increase storage capacity at its state-of-the-art Wellingborough recycling plant, claimed to be the most advanced of its kind in Europe. The extra space created by the installation of the two 20m3 and four 10m3 silos, completed in January 2021, will increase efficiency by reducing the manual handling of product via forklift. This will greatly improve the flow of materials around the pioneering site, which is now fully operational following the completion of a phased, £15 million investment programme spanning three years. Simon Scholes, Managing Director at VEKA Recycling, said: “This latest investment in six new silos not only increases our storage capacity in order to streamline our own operations but further illustrates the commitment of our organisa-
tion to increase the capacity for PVC-U recycling in the UK. “We have obtained planning permission for additional 20m3 silos at the plant, if and when required and, although installation is not imminent, there is plenty of future capacity available should VEKA Recycling decide to construct these later down the line.” The six new silos join an existing 130-tonne capacity silo installed by VEKA Recycling, in late 2019, to hold a significant proportion of the old window frames delivered to site prior to processing. Ultimately, the new silos will enable the organisation to recycle even greater amounts of waste PVC-U product in order to achieve its objective to keep as many end-of-life PVC-U windows and doors out of landfill as possible. www.veka-recycling.co.uk
Leads 2 Trade, provider of double-qualified sales leads to installers operating in the home improvement sector is celebrating its 15-year anniversary. The Stockport-based company, which also operates in several other sectors, including heating and plumbing, renewable energy, and security, heads into 2021 with its sights firmly on continuing to support its members through continuing testing times. For Andy Royle, co-founder and Managing Director, the milestone is significant as the company’s longevity is what has left them well placed to supply the very best leads, claims the company. “The last 12 months have challenged us all in ways we never anticipated but we’ve never lost sight of our commitment to supporting our members with the leads they need to continue to grow their business,” said Andy. “Reaching our 15-year trading anniversary is testament to our dedication to continue trading and supporting our members through what has been and what still are challenging times. The Leads 2 Trade brand has been synonymous with quality leads since 2006 and that will always be the case.” https://bit.ly/36IazAY WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 19
TRADE NEWS
Record-Breaking £15m Sales Period For Clearview Home Improvements generating virtual sales appointments with customers from across the region. This really paid off.” Whilst many businesses adopted a more conservative approach and ground to a halt, Clearview was able to generate enquiries in excess of 75% higher than its year-on-year totals throughout the first lockdown, with its ‘Stay-at-Home Sale’ campaign delivering a ready-made order book ahead of its return once the restrictions were lifted. Riding the crest of the wave throughout the remainder of 2020, the firm maintained strong enquiry levels over the months that followed and were able to average over £2m in monthly sales up to the end of December. A Preston-based retail installation business has recorded its best ever seven-month period, with sales rocketing past £15m between June and December. Clearview Home Improvements tapped into major spikes in demand for contemporary extensions, conservatories, orangeries, windows and doors to hit a 67% increase over the same period in 2019 – success that was driven by a proactive sales and marketing campaign and virtual sales appointments. The company, which is part of the Conservatory Outlet Group, also saw two members of its sales team enjoy record-breaking figures in 2020, with both registering over £2m of annual sales. “It’s without a doubt the most successful period I’ve experi20 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
enced since joining Clearview in 2011,” explained Gary Oakes, Sales Director at Clearview Home Improvements. “Achieving such a sustained period of success, during a time of genuine uncertainty, is testament to the hard work and pragmatism of the entire team. Nobody knew how the market was going to react after the first lockdown was announced, but we were confident in our ability to provide our customers with a first-class service and deliver exceptional value, irrespective of the fact that we couldn’t carry out home visits. He continued: “Our team spotted the change in consumer attitudes to spending more on home improvements during lockdown and were quick to maintain a proactive, multi-channel marketing approach that focused on
Greg Kane, CEO of Conservatory Outlet Group, continued: “The last twelve months have certainly been challenging, but the hard work of everyone from across the business has ensured the Clearview brand has come out the other side stronger than ever! From lead generation, lead appointing and showroom demonstrations, to sales presentations, sales leadership and everything in-between, this has been a magnificent success and I’m incredibly proud of everyone involved. “We’ll now be working just as hard to deliver an exceptional service throughout our operations teams and continue to build on our successes. 2021 is showing no signs of slowing down from a sales perspective and we look forward to celebrating similar achievements this time next year.” www.clearviewhome.co.uk
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DEAR GERALD
Dear
Gerald Dear Gerald The fenestration industry has seen an enormous increase in sales over the last 9 months and I believe this places the industry in a strong position to welcome and embrace change as we continue into 2021. For that change to benefit the industry as a whole, we must widen our consideration to include the other businesses in the industry rather than focussing just on ourselves. The businesses that make up a supply chain are not singular entities, rather they are part of an ecosystem that supports and is supported by the other businesses above and below them. It makes sense that decisions are made that strengthens these connections rather than adding undue strain. Freighting components and raw materials into the UK from China and the Far East has gone up nearly 270%, and when sea freighting isn’t available, the price of air freighting is exorbitant. These panic-driven decisions are not sustainable. These supply issues are not permanent, and we will be able to go back to meeting our usual lead times at some point in the nottoo-distant future. In the meantime, there is a quick fix that will ease the pressure we are all under: lengthening lead times across the industry. Increasing lead times is a way that we as individual businesses can offer breathing space to both ourselves and the other businesses in the industry. If we extend delivery times, we would be avoiding the 22 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
current “feast or famine” situation that we’re all in now. When materials arrive, there is a glut of fulfilled orders but when supply slows, businesses are back to not being able to deliver. This yo-yoing is frustrating for everyone in the supply chain and is especially exasperating for our ultimate customers who have been assured of delivery times and are bored with hearing about COVID-related delays. The cost of buying raw materials from Asia is going to increase and it will inevitably be in a permanent way. We don’t need to hamstring the industry by overspending on the delivery of these goods at their current prices. Bring lead times up to two weeks (or longer) across the board and so that we all know where we stand without the stress of failing to meet deadlines. I know we can, and will all get through this by working collectively and collaboratively, and that ultimately by doing this, our industry will come out stronger and more resilient. Yours sincerely, Giovanni Laporta Inventor and Innovator at Smart Ready®
Dear Gerald
Open, but at what cost? In the simplest terms, our business is measuring an aperture, ordering a window or door and fitting it. Add on selling it and getting paid to the beginning and the end of that, and you’ve got most of the picture. Over more than a decade,
DEAR GERALD
we’ve honed every single one of those elements and become one of the most efficient commercial installation businesses in the industry. But Covid is currently putting paid to all of that. Like every business working at the sharp end of this industry, it is affecting every single stage of our operation and, despite sustained demand, our margins are under intense pressure. We’re determined to stay open, but at what cost? Surveys are often cancelled, fabricators are unable to offer timely supply, and illness, shielding and general anxiety amongst residents are drastically affecting the number of installations we can complete. We are constantly having to track changes in delivery dates, and cancel and reschedule installations, sometimes at the last minute when a resident or even one of our own fitters is ill or self-isolating – and it’s proving to be a costly and time-consuming business. And that’s before we even get to the right and wrong of it. Yes, we need to fit to survive and the government has clearly said that in England and Wales, tradespeople can still work in other people’s homes, but we also need to survive to fit. Since the start of the second wave, every business has surely had to question whether we are asking our staff to take an unacceptable risk with their health, while there is such an increased risk of infection? I know that the carefully written Covid-19 secure protocols penned by eminent people inside and outside the industry should, in theory, protect everyone, but the fact is that they can’t unless they are scrupulously followed – not just during the installation itself but on the journey there and back as well. And the reality is that it’s not always happening. There is a light at the end of our tunnel of course in the form of the mass vaccination programme but, for installers, it can’t come soon enough. I don’t think any of us wants to see the signs going up which say ‘Closed, but with fixed costs’.
David Thornton, Chair The Window Company (Contracts) Ltd Euroglaze
Dear Gerald Yesterday evening (Wednesday 20 January), following numerous discussions with Government departments, we had confirmation on an amendment to the position around selling in the home. This amendment confirms that sales appointments may take place in the home, as long as they are undertaken in a COVID-secure way. Sales appointments should still take place remotely if possible, but this is not mandatory. If an installer receives a request for a quote from a homeowner, which requires a visit to survey the property and explain the options available, this can be done by an appointment in the home. These appointments must be carried out in a way that is COVID-19 secure and installers should be vigilant with following social distancing, face covering and hand washing in order to protect themselves, their teams and customers. There are no changes to cold sales activity and doorto-door selling, as per the door-to-door sales regulations which were issued on Christmas Eve. This is positive news for installers, many of whom have found it difficult to follow up leads remotely, experiencing a lack of online engagement with homeowners. However, digital is still playing an important part in bringing in warm leads from homeowners so that these sales appointments can take place. Unfortunately, the information on the Government websites will not be altered but the interpretation by bodies such as Certass and the guidance we produce has already been amended and is available now for Certass members to download. Such a change in policy, at a time when the death rate from COVID-19 is at a record high point, I’m sure will lead to concern from many in our industry, but as the largest glazing trade association, it is our responsibility to make sure that glazing companies understand what options are available to them and how any change in regulation affects their working practices. I urge members to check in to the Certass TA Members Forum on Facebook for the very latest information. Best wishes, Jon Vanstone Chair, Certass Trade Association WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 23
DEAR GERALD
delivery safety. The result is greatly improved safety for drivers and customers peppered with some relief. All deliveries are lifted off our vehicles automatically with our custom designed hoist ensuring delivering the door safely to ground level. SAFETY in the industry I believe is taken very seriously but fully assembled Bi fold deliveries seem to have been forgotten about.
Dear Gerald SAFER Bi-Folding Door Deliveries Handling and moving big, heavy and cumbersome Aluminium Bi-folding doors is not a task you would expect just anyone to do, but this is something the Window & Door industry has turned a blind eye to for many years. In reality, handling a large door off a delivery vehicle is fraught with danger …an accident waiting to happen ….out of sight ..out of mind. The industry seems to just expect the driver to deal with offloading on site himself and this is a worry. This is a question we at Made for Trade have grappled with for years and although we have done everything possible to ensure our driver safety, accidents could happen. It only takes one serious accident for the Health & Safety Executive to be all over it and have ongoing consequences for the industry as a whole, and when our insurers get hold of it you can be sure they will demand stricter Risk Assessments and higher premiums.
Some companies deliver Bi fold doors as a kit , separate panels with the outer frame to assemble together on site, which entails a great deal of time and potential hassle on site for a skilled installer because all the parts have to be fitted together during the erection process. Made for Trade, like most in the industry, deliver completely assembled doors which are quicker and less dependent on skilled tradesmen to install, hence the importance of safe handling of a delivered door to site. Made for Trade now offer safer delivery options but the safe delivery of an assembled Bi fold door to site, I think, needs addressing by the industry as a whole. Richard Gaunt Made for Trade
Think about it…we always request that the customer has people in attendance to receive a Bi-fold door delivery but if that is a private residence then it might just be an old lady, so what does the driver do …he struggles…helps when he shouldn’t and a lost time accident beckons.
If you want to get involved in the discussion, or would like to air your views on a particular industry subject, then Email me at gerald@windownews.co.uk
With the ever increasing volumes of Aluminium Bi-folding door sales, the decision was taken to add 12 new delivery vehicles to our fleet and with it we set our engineering department the design task of improving
We cannot guarantee that we will publish everything, but we will do our utmost to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard. Your views and thoughts are imprortant to us.
24 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
PEOPLE
New Faces In The Ultraframe Marketing Team The Marketing Team at conservatory and extension specialist, Ultraframe, has been bolstered with the addition of three highly experienced new faces. Lucy Wall joins the team as Ultraframe Brand Manager, Dan Bradley is the new Digital Marketing Manager, and Liz Chapman completes the trio of new faces as Marketing Administrator.
Commenting about the newest appointments to her team, Ultraframe Marketing Director, Alex Hewitt, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Lucy, Dan and Liz to the team and they are already making a huge impact on our marketing and the support we offer to customers. All three come from jobs outside of the glass and glazing sector, and so they bring a fresh outlook to these roles, along with fantastic wide-ranging experience.” 26 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
Commenting about her appointment, Ultraframe Brand Manager, Lucy Wall, said: “Coming from a sales and marketing background I have spent the last few years working in Channel Marketing. I have also had significant experience working for manufacturers within the construction industry. Since joining Ultraframe I am enjoying learning about a different area of the construction industry and look forward to using my experience to develop the Ultraframe brand.” Digital Marketing Manager, Dan Bradley, comes from an agency background, and said: “I have spent the last ten years working in an agency on a variety of digital projects with well-known clients in the construction manufacturing industry. It’s an exciting time to join Ultraframe with consumer demand for more living space growing and
the increasing adoption of digital tools and technology in the industry. I look forward to working with our customers and the Ultraframe team to continue providing market leading support.” Liz Chapman is the new Marketing Administrator for the team and also brings with her a wealth of experience from previous roles. Liz said: ” My background is primarily sales and marketing working in manufacturing for the commercial vehicle and leisure industries. I have worked for well-known brands in roles such as Marketing Analyst and Sales Co-ordinator, where I learnt a vast amount of knowledge to bring to my position at Ultraframe.” Concluding, Alex said: “Lucy, Dan and Liz are great additions to our Marketing team. We have a number of exciting projects that we are working on to deliver to our customers across 2021 and it’s fantastic to be working on these with our newly structured team.”
PEOPLE
REHAU Mourns The Loss
Of Company Founder
Helmut Wagner. “Unwavering visionary and courageous creator”. REHAU is mourning the loss of company founder and honorary president Helmut Wagner. He sadly passed away last Sunday at the age of 95 in Switzerland surrounded by his family. The news of the death of the popular founding father, who was highly committed to the end, has moved REHAU employees around the globe. “The great sympathy for the passing of our father comes from many regions of the world. We are very touched by this as a family,” says Jobst Wagner, President of the Supervisory Board. It shows how great the legacy will be that Helmut Wagner has left behind “as one of the pioneers of modern industry, as a courageous creator and unwavering visionary”, says Wagner. “We will honour the memory of Helmut Wagner by resolutely continuing his impressive work. His entrepreneurial spirit will continue to guide us in the future,” says the President of the Supervisory Board. Helmut Wagner has been shaping the world of plastics since 1948 and has thus given important stimuli to an entire industry. The founding of the company in the city of Rehau, Upper Franconia, Germany, marked the beginning of the manufacture of products made of polymer materials and thus the success story of a family-owned company that is still strongly characterised by the pioneering spirit of the company founder. After five decades of successful development of the company,
Obituary –
Des Turnbull Helmut Wagner, REHAU company founder and honorary president, died last Sunday at the age of 95.
Hardware specialist VBH have announced the sad news that Des Turnbull, until recently the Area Sales Manager for the Northern Counties, passed away in hospital on the morning of Saturday 16th January.
“Des was an integral part of the VBH team for the best part Helmut Wagner handed over the of 2 decades before retiring management of the corporation to last February. He was very well his sons in 2000: Jobst Wagner be- respected and much liked by his came Chairman of the Supervisory customers, suppliers, and all at Board and Dr. Veit Wagner Vice VBH. Chairman. The third generation are already active in shaping the fam- “Des was very knowledgeable, ily business. In 2015, Rehau city and enjoyed passing on his council paid a special tribute to the expertise. He was particularly founder of REHAU: Helmut Wagner helpful to newcomers to our inwas appointed the first honorary dustry, helping them understand citizen since the end of the Second some of the vagaries of window World War. and door hardware. He was always quick with a joke and will Today, REHAU is an international- be well missed by his friends ly operating family business with across the whole of VBH. 20,000 employees at more than 170 locations worldwide. “We owe “Des and his wife, Cath, often this in particular to the vision and combined their holidays with courage of Helmut Wagner,” says charity work, frequently taking William Christensen, CEO of the much needed equipment to REHAU Group. “In deep mournunder-funded schools. ing and sincere gratitude for the achievements of the company’s “Our sympathies are with Cath founder, the REHAU family is espe- and their family and friends at cially united in these days,” Chris- this very sad time. We will miss tensen said. our friend Des dearly.” WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 27
PEOPLE
Apeer Announces New
Group Sales Director Alex Moore, long-standing member of the team at Apeer, has recently been promoted from Sales Manager to Group Sales Director. Alex is already a well-known face at Apeer. He brings with him to his new role a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm for the group’s products, across the Apeer door and Lumi frameless window brands. In his new position as Group Sales Director, Alex will be responsible for the direction of the company’s sales strategy and lead generation throughout the UK and Ireland. He will oversee the company’s
ambitious growth plans and the management of both the Lumi and Apeer sales teams. “It’s a great time to take up this opportunity and I can’t wait to get stuck in,” said Alex on his appoint-
ment. “Last year, we invested just under a million in machinery at our Ballymena facility in Northern Ireland, with even more planned this year. Which means we’re ready to offer more quality products to our customers than ever before, including for our increasingly popular Lumi frameless window range. So this is a hugely exciting time for Apeer, and I’m thrilled to be heading up the sales team for it.” “Alex’s product knowledge and enthusiasm, along with his positive and approachable manner, makes him the right fit for this role,” said Apeer’s Managing Director Asa McGillian. “We’re looking forward to what’s to come and we know Alex, with his extensive experience behind him, will take this new challenge in his stride.” www.apeer.co.uk
Double Decade Service Celebration At
Carl F Groupco
accolade and they join eighteen other Carl F Groupco employees who have passed the decade milestone. In 2010, Nathalie joined the company as Sales Co-ordinator and was subsequently promoted to Regional Sales Team Leader. Nathalie enjoys her busy role managing the sales office team in the Peterborough head office, keeping customers updated regarding products and services; developing the internal sales team; preparing sales reports; taking responsibility for large customer accounts and liaising with customers. Nathalie says Carl F Groupco is a great company to work for: she emphasises the close teamwork, particularly during the pandemic where the organisation has pulled together to continue supplying essential hardware products.
Nathalie McKee (left) and Lisa Davy have celebrated ten years working for hardware distributor, Carl F Groupco. Pictures show Nathalie and Lisa working from their home offices during the pandemic.
Carl F Groupco’s Regional Sales Team Leader Nathalie McKee and Purchasing Manager Lisa Davy have both celebrated ten years’ service for the hardware distributor. Nathalie and Lisa are the latest in a lengthy list of long servers for Carl F Groupco. During 2020, Credit Controller Edward Barnard also achieved the 28 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
Lisa Davy also joined the company a decade ago after previously working for the company in the sales department. As Purchasing Manager, she oversees ordering stock and ensuring product is available for On Time In Full delivery. Lisa also focuses on maintaining good relationships with suppliers. She is ably assisted by Bobbie-leigh Mckillop. Lisa observes that, over the last ten years, a major achievement for the company has been overcoming Brexit, twice – Lisa played a key role in ensuring stock levels were organised for the two major Brexit deadlines to safeguard supply of hardware throughout. Carl F Groupco: www.carlfgroupco.co.uk
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PEOPLE
Yale Appoints New Marketing Executive
ale has appointed Lucy Hume as Marketing Executive, assuming responsibilities for day-to-day communications as part of the brand’s marketing team. A recent first-class graduate in Business and Marketing from Birmingham City University, Lucy also brings previous marketing experience at a graphic and web design company to the role. Commenting on her appointment, Lucy, said: “I am honoured and excited to have been given the opportunity to start my career at such a globally recognised brand as Yale, which has amazing heritage and is still at the forefront of the lock industry today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for me, and I can’t wait to start applying everything I’ve learned, develop my skills and knowledge further, and see what I can bring to the team.” Gemma Diratzonian, Marketing Manager at Yale, comments: “We’re pleased to welcome Lucy to Yale DWS, and feel sure that she will prove to be an excellent asset to the business. We are always committed to strengthening and developing our team so we can continue offering our customers the outstanding service they expect from us.” www.yaledws.co.uk 30 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
Andrew Charlesworth (centre) with the expanded team
Kömmerling’s New Technical Director And Team Andrew Charlesworth has been promoted to technical director for profine UK and KÖMMERLING, having been with the business since July 2014. More recently, he has added to his department to further help support customers and to implement a new five-year product management plan for the business. Helping support customers across the UK for the Evolve, KÖMMERLING, Legend and WarmCore brands are John Berry, Steve Holloway, Tony Ward and Simon Coleman who combined, have over 166 years’ experience in the industry between them. Internally the R&D/Product Management function is also supported by Phil Brown, R&D and product management manager, along with Kevin Wain as lead designer, with
a further graduate vacancy in the department yet to be filled. One of the key objectives from a design perspective will be to develop WarmCore further, into a complete and fully integrated product platform for the profine Group as a whole, who are already looking at export opportunities in other key markets. Andrew Charlesworth, technical director of profine UK and KÖMMERLING enthused: ‘It’s a genuine privilege to be appointed technical director for a business that’s now one of the largest in the UK sector and a strong global brand in all markets. We’ve got a five-year product management plan in place now which I’m genuinely excited about as we look to build the business further in the UK and through export opportunities.’ www.profine-uk.com www.kommerling.co.uk
PRODUCT NEWS
Two-Decade Technical Partnership Delivers Long
Term Benefits For Senior
and has played a key part in the growth and success of the company. From our early systems to the latest aluminium curtain wall systems, Rapierstar has been with us each step of the way providing excellent technical support, often developing bespoke design solutions which give our products the high level of quality, reliability and performance our customers expect. “At Senior, our mantra is to ‘give customers what they want, when they want it’ but this is only possible when you have a reliable and trusted supplier like Rapierstar supporting you.”
A twenty year partnership between Senior Architectural Systems and Rapierstar is said to demonstrate how a continued focus on fastening systems is a key factor in achieving long term success for window, door and curtain walling systems. Senior Architectural Systems is approaching 30 years in the market and is renowned for the continuous innovation which has delivered a ‘technically superior’ range of UK designed and made aluminium systems. Amongst these is its SF52 system, which launched in 2015 and today is one of the most widely used systems of its kind for applications where the design seeks to minimise sightlines and maximise glazing. Rapierstar worked closely with Senior in the original development of the SF52 to ensure the suite of fasteners recommended for the assembly of the curtain wall provides a robust, reliable fix for the duration of the installation’s
A Rapierstar stainless steel self-tapping drill point screw which is typically used in curtain walling, windows and doors manufactured using Senior Architectural Systems’ aluminium profiles.
service life and beyond. This included developing a bespoke screw to fix a cleat that was key to the success of the system, and five years on Rapierstar is supplying an average of between 60,000-70,000 of these fasteners every month. Craig Turner, Purchasing Manager at Senior Architectural Systems says:“Rapierstar has provided support to us for over 20 years
Rapierstar fasteners have been tested with all Senior’s aluminium systems which gives any fabricator of SF52 and its other systems full confidence in the long-tern success of an installation. All fasteners are manufactured from austenitic stainless steel, the only material recommended for use with aluminium to eliminate the risk of galvanic corrosion, and every batch is subjected to seven different tests at Rapierstar’s UK technical centre before being supplied to Senior. Mark Calpin, Rapierstar’s Technical Consultant adds: “Fasteners play a crucial role in ensuring every window, door or curtain wall delivers on its promise and meets customer expectations, so it is important to ensure the right products are used consistently, an approach that Senior advocates and has benefited from. We look forward to working with the Senior team for the next 20 years and providing all the technical support they need to keep their systems at the forefront of the market.” www.rapierstar.com WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 31
PRODUCT NEWS are extremely thermally efficient. Lastly is the Liteleader range, which includes Ecolite+, a centre-pivot window with a ventilation valve, EcoWhite, also a modern and versatile centre-pivot, and EcoSolid, a PVC roof window perfect for high-humidity areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Novolux National Sales Manager Craig Weatherley comments: “Roof windows are a perfect way of letting natural light into any home and transforming dark and unused rooms into attractive, light and open spaces.
Novolux Partners With VKR Holding To Launch Rooflight Range Allowing natural light into homes has become an increasingly popular trend over the years, which is why Novolux, a new supplier of high-quality polycarbonate sheet, has partnered with roof window and skylight manufacturer VKR Holding to offer four rooflight ranges, giving installers the opportunity to tap into this growing market. The first selection is Velux – recognised as a market-leading brand in roof windows, Novolux can offer them at competitive trade prices and fast delivery. 32 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
Second is the Dakea range, a very popular choice in the trade market. This roof window combines high pivot with quality glazing, providing exceptional comfort and allowing homeowners to see more out of their window. Next, the Aurora range offers similar features and benefits as well-known brands, but is much more competitively priced – allowing Novolux customers to increase their margins. These roof windows are suitable for all applications with a pitch range of 15 to 90˚, and
“When it comes to roof windows, Velux, Dakea, Aurora and Liteleader are world leading brands, which is why we’ve expanded our range to include this quality selection of products.” As well as these roof window ranges, Novolux offers high-quality polycarbonate sheet products which are manufactured by multimillion pound Italian firm Dott.Gallina. These include the Policarb™ range of multiwall UV-protected polycarbonate sheets which are structured with air chambers to ensure excellent thermal insulation and impact resistance, and the Policomp™ range, which contains solid polycarbonate sheets that are UV protected on both sides. “At Novolux, we’re always looking to offer our customers the best quality products,” says Craig. “By coming to us, installers can rest assured that they will always be getting high-quality products at competitive prices, as well as excellent customer service.” www.novolux.co.uk
PRODUCT NEWS
insulbar RE-LI Scores Double Climate Points
With insulbar RE-LI, Ensinger optimises the insulating bar in two respects: It consists of 100 % unmixed recycled polyamide, which is foamed in a special manufacturing process and thereby significantly improves the lambda value.
With insulbar RE-LI, Ensinger is presenting its greenest insulating bar for thermal breaks in aluminium systems for windows, doors and façades. Thanks to the use of unmixed, recycled polyamide, 92 percent fewer fossil fuels are used during manufacture compared with a conventional bar, the CO2 emissions drop by 91 percent, and water consumption drops by 78 percent*. “In addition, foaming of the recycled polyamide improves the insulating effect of the glass fibre reinforced material. The lambda value is a mere 0.21 W/(m⋅K)**”, says Matthias Rink, Sales Director for insulbar at Ensinger. “So thanks to the low thermal conduction capacity, insulbar RE-LI also reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions during its entire service life.” Greener made easy Manufacturers can thereby enhance the ecological and climate-friendly properties of their aluminium systems by switching to insulbar RE-LI. The recycled polyamide, which is foamed uniformly during its extrusion, has high stability thanks to glass fibre reinforcement. The unbroken, smooth outer shell permits perfect anodizing and powder coating. Processing is similar to that for insulating profiles made from solid polyamide 66. For several decades now, the material polyamide has proven itself in sustainable thermal breaks in the metal frames of windows, doors and façades. insulbar RE-LI combines double the climate benefits with high cost-effectiveness. The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and the Cradle to Cradle Material Health Certificate facilitate building certification e.g. in accordance with BREEAM, LEED or DGNB. www.insulbar.com WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 33
PRODUCT NEWS
Design For The
New Normal With the new normal and remote selling, the industry and the way we do things has changed dramatically over the last twelve months. More and more services are moving online to keep up with the changes, and companies have to adapt to this new situation to survive. Force 8 has always had a strong digital presence and it has now been reinforced with the addition of an extensive range of glazing cassettes to their unique Door Designer. Launched in 2018, the company says the Force 8 Door Designer is the only online design 34 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
system that includes arched frames; ‘an important element missing from every other system’. Homeowners have the ability to design their own door from the comfort of their armchair and then view it digitally in their own home, whether it’s a standard or arched frame. The simple no-nonsense step-by-step design process means that both the public and trade can use it with ease. “We wanted to create something different that would set Force 8 apart, but at the same time make it simple to use”, comments Dennis Sumner, Managing Director of force 8.
“Including arched frames in the system was a major element for Force 8 and fills a large gap in the door market. Since it’s launch in 2018 we have continued adding to the system as we develop new designs, and acquire additional glazing cassettes. It’s now grown to be a major benefit, and almost a necessity with customers no longer able to visit showrooms during the present restrictions, it’s an ideal solution to these strange times”. If installers want to add the system to their website, Force 8 are offering the Door Designer free of charge, just register with the company to obtain a link to their trade website. Register here: https://bit.ly/3d5A0k4 For further information on all Force 8 products and service visit their website at www.force8.uk
PRODUCT NEWS
Vista Turns On The Style Composite door manufacturer Vista has added five new door styles to its XtremeDoor range.
A 5-point locking system provides the best in home security systems and the composite doors are said to be easy to fit thanks to the 3×3 way adjustable hinge, so installation time is shortened.
They include Napoli, Stuart, Farmhouse Square, Farmhouse 1, and Cottage ½ Glazed, and all five are showcased in Vista’s new XtremeDoor brochure, the fifth edition. Ian Smith, Vista’s Business Development and Marketing Manager, said: “All five new styles compliment the rest of our stunning range of styles perfectly and provide even more choice for today’s homeowner. “Whether it’s a bold and contemporary design, a modern look, or a classic cottage style, our cus-
on the market and provide installers nationwide with an incredibly valuable product to sell, combining first-class thermal and security performance with a wealth of premium designs, colours and hardware.
tomers will have an even better chance to win more business. The moment our new brochure lands on customers desks, we’re sure there will be an immediate demand for them.” The result of constant innovation, investment, and development, XtremeDoor claims to be one of the most high-spec composite doors
“The new brochure also features our full suite of contemporary and traditional hardware too and has been designed with our customers in mind,” added Ian. “And it complements our PVCu Panel Collection brochure, meaning that we can offer the complete door package to any fabricator.” www.vistapanels.co.uk
Distinction Doors Expands Its Infinity Collection as consumers spend more on home improvements during the pandemic. The buoyant market prompted the entrance door supplier to expand its Infinity Collection – a premium set of on-trend grooved door styles. The ten new designs all feature five grooved horizontal lines running the full width of the door. Building on the unswerving popularity of Distinction’s top 10 best-seller, the original grooved design – GD01, GD07 is available as a solid door. For those homeowners who wish to add natural light to their home, GD08, GD09 and GD10 all come with glazing apertures, each with three options for positioning – left, centre and right.
Distinction Doors popular Infinity Collection has been extended for 2021 with the addition of ten striking new designs – featuring distinctive groove detailing and a variety of glazing apertures that elevate the collection’s sales appeal. Distinction Doors has witnessed a huge increase in demand for its products over the past 12 months
Glazing to complete and complement the new door designs is available through Distinction Glass. All standard glass will fit into the GD08 and GD10 while contemporary glass designs are available for GD09, including Canvas, Radiant and obscure options. The new door styles are now available for Distinction Doors customers to order through the company’s online ordering portal; for design on the door-designer platform and to download from the Asset Library. www.distinctiondoors.co.uk WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 35
PRODUCT NEWS
Get Smart With Q-Smart
Hardware expert VBH has added the Q-Smart electronic smart handle to its range of premium quality window and door hardware and furniture. It’s a keyless product which gives the homeowner 3 methods of gaining access. The first is a proximity fob that communicates with a reader built into the handle unit; the second is via the Blusafe app that allows the user to use their mobile phone as a key, and the third is finger print recognition. The large reader pad is concealed under a hinged tab to keep it dry. The app enables the main user to send permanent or temporary timed keys to people’s phones, VBH say that this eliminates any need to lose control of physical
keys by leaving them with neighbours or in a ‘safe’ place’. The app has the added benefit of keeping a log of operations, thus providing visitor management records VBH Head of Sales, Dan Powell, advises “Everyone who has seen Q-Smart has been very positive and they all remark on the fact that, by having no less than 3 means of operation, every member of the family’s personal preference should be covered.” No mains wiring is required as
Q-Smart is battery powered. The handle warns when the batteries start to run low, but if the user does allow them to go flat, enough temporary power can be provided by plugging in a micro USB power source. VBH supply one with each unit. Dan concludes, “Q-Smart is a great way for fabricators and installers to get new business and more profit by offering a simple step onto the smart ladder. “From a fabrication and installation point of view Q-Smart is very simple to fit and from the salesperson’s perspective it’s easy to sell. This is due to its compact size, its choice of colours and the fact that it is feature-packed but simple for the end user to understand and use.” Q-Smart is fully tested at BSI and certified to ETSI TS103 645 (CYBER; Cyber Security for Consumer Internet of Things). www.vbhgb.com
AT Precision Stock Up On Bi-Fold Hardware
To Keep Lead Times To A Minimum Window and door hardware may be in short supply at the moment, but a leading manufacturer of bi-fold door hardware has neutralised any supply chain woes by having three months’ worth of stock sat in their warehouse, enabling them to offer fabricators an uninterrupted service during this unprecedented trading period. AT Precision, a supplier of cast aluminium bi-fold hardware, are not only well stocked, but they’re constantly replenishing their supplies – meaning their fabricator customers never fall short. “There’s been a general bi-fold hardware shortage across the board, but thanks to careful 36 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
caused disruption at UK ports and posing a further threat to the supply chain as a result, AT Precision is still fully stocked, meaning their customers don’t need to worry, claims the company.
pre-planning, we’re always overstocked, meaning our customers can rely on us to get what they need without delay,” comments AT Precision Sales Director, Michael Hewitt. Even now, with a new strain of Covid-19 and Brexit fears having
Not only are fabricators able to source their in-demand hardware from AT Precision, but by going directly to them, they can save money, too. “We manufacture all our hardware in-house, so while our products are of the same quality as those from systems suppliers, they’re a lot cheaper,” claims Michael. www.atprecision.co.uk
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PRODUCT NEWS
Classic Conservatory
Roof Case Study The Ultraframe Classic system has been around since 1983 and is the original conservatory roofing system. While there are millions of conservatories across the UK featuring Classic roofs, many installers, such as Vale Glazing, now also use Classic to create contemporary conservatory extensions, such as this one in South Wales. The client lives in a 1950’s detached house which had a gable style conservatory that was in need of updating. Their brief to Justin Maunder and the team at Vale Glazing was to use the existing footprint and create a new, energy efficient, contemporary living space which was open plan to the rest 38 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
of the home. Justin and his team set to work designing a new, contemporary living space to replace the old conservatory and designed a beautiful extension featuring a Classic roof. Inside, the extension features an insulated internal pelmet which adds a stunning feature to room while also enhancing the energy efficiency and ensuring a warm, cosy room that can be enjoyed all year round. From the outside, the old dwarf wall and French doors have made way for a huge picture window and contemporary sliding doors. Rendered in K-Rend with windows, doors and Clas-
sic Roof all finished in ever-popular anthracite grey and the result is a stunning, warm, modern new room. Explaining more about the project, Justin said: “We choose Ultraframe obviously because of the quality of the products. The clients gave me free reign with the design, and they are over the moon with the finished result.”
PRODUCT NEWS
Developed over the last 38 years and engineered to postcode for every installation, Ultraframe says the Classic Roof provides the ultimate in quality, reliability, configurability – making it the go-to solution for every conceivable glass conservatory roof design. Classic was the first conservatory roof system to be granted BBA approval over 25 years ago and still carries the accreditation today. The system features numerous patented features such as: • Trickle ventilation in the ridge to carry stale, moist air to the roof apex for venting outside • Chambered top caps which improve thermal performance, reduce the risk of condensation and resist bowing or twisting • Multi chamber ‘wine glass’ shape aluminium glazing bars offers more torsional rigidity and solid, secure jack rafter connections • Patented twinbolts to secure every bar in place • Patented adjustable Speedlock optimises glazing bar compression and make the roof simple to fit ensuring a fast fit, first time, every time • Triple layer Stormshield at radius end New and available now for 2021 are brand new enhancements to the Classic Roof, including a Bi-Fold Support Beam and Super Bolster, Thermally Broken Slimline Ridge, Chambered Box Gutter, Enhanced Structural Design Guide and lower prices on Classic Aluminium Roofs. To find out more about the Classic Roof visit www.ultraframetrade.co.uk
Lumi:
“What Aluminium Has
Been Waiting For”
Lumi, the award-winning window that is immediately recognisable by its unique and stylish edge-toedge ‘frameless’ glazing, is now available in aluminium. Having been described at its launch as ‘a product that truly reinvents the window’, Lumi has since gone on to be installed in 5000 homes in the UK and Ireland.
Continuously evolved since the launch of Lumi in 2015, parent company Apeer has now produced an aluminium version in a move that the firm says is ‘what aluminium has been waiting for’. Available with triple and double-glazed options, Lumi Aluminium offers the same all-glass design as established the composite-framed versions, but now offers homeowners and specifiers an option to answer the growing demand for aluminium windows and doors. Although presenting a ‘frameless’ appearance externally that especially suits contemporary building and refurbishment styling and design choices, internally Lumi Aluminium presents slimmer sightlines, aided by the use of bonded glazing. The bonded glazing ensures the greater structural rigidity and security of the window, with the additional benefit of being faster and simpler to install, as every window is pre-glazed. Profiles are constructed using
aluminium outer and inner profiles, bridged using hidden PVC-U sections that are rolled in to provide a clever and highly effective thermal break, says the company. Insulation and strength of the profiles are further enhanced by internal sections being foamed with PU during manufacture. Lumi aluminium is available from launch with black or anthracite external finishes, with a range of RAL colour options internally. A range of matching Lumi sliding and entrance doors are already available. “Lumi is the perfect window style to be presented in aluminium,” says Asa McGillian, Managing Director of Apeer and the driving force behind Lumi. “The aluminium version will provide our installer partners with a full suite of options for homeowners and professional specifiers, the latter of whom especially have shown a great deal of interest in the possibility of Lumi in aluminium,” added Asa. “We have designed Lumi Aluminium to be perfect for the home improvement market, being simple to handle and install and with no beading or gaskets to cut and fit on site. And the edge-to-edge glazing is immediately arresting and appealing for homeowners looking specifically for aluminium windows.” For further information go to: www.lumiwindows.com
WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 39
PRODUCT NEWS
Meanwhile, the barrier’s self-cleaning functionality and hurricane-rated lamination make it a low-maintenance solution for highways authorities. It can also be screen printed with a pattern visible to birds – preventing them from flying into the reflection they see in the barrier. While less common in the UK, highway barriers are often used across Europe to help protect against crosswinds. Pilkington Optiwhite™ glass manufactured at Pilkington Italia’s Venice plant was recently specified for barriers on Renzo Piano’s San Giorgio Bridge in Genoa – the replacement for the Morandi Bridge that collapsed two years ago.
Innovative Glass Roadside Barrier
Concept Recognised
Rory Back, R&D incubator technical manager at the NSG Group, said: “This recognition of our concept ultimately represents the increasingly expansive role that innovative flat glass can play in our built environment. “Billions are set to be injected into necessary UK infrastructure projects and much-needed housebuilding in the next few years – which is likely to put more of the population living within reach of busy roads.
By Highways UK
“Our roadside barrier concept will help infrastructure planners and developers in meeting their obligations to the environment and the wellbeing of the communities they build by.”
Highways UK has recognised an innovative roadside barrier concept developed by Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, part of the NSG Group, in its Civils and Materials Innovation Awards.
The Highways UK recognition marks the manufacturer’s third award in recent months. It scooped two awards at British Glass’ Glass Focus Awards, including Design of the Year for its new antimicrobial glass Pilkington SaniTise™; alongside the Health and Safety award for its wellbeing kiosks designed to protect workers against the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
The barrier concept designed by Pilkington UK features a special coating that’s able to break down gaseous nitric oxide emissions from road traffic, while its lamination also gives it sound-attenuating properties that help to reduce 40 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
noise pollution. The company, which hopes to arrange trials of the barrier, expects the combination of features to have a big impact on the health and wellbeing of communities that live near busy roads and motorways. The concept won the award scheme’s environment category against strong entries from infrastructure giant Balfour Beatty, and road marking specialists WJGroup.
www.pilkington.com/en-gb/uk
GRiPCORE technology is a hybrid of modern and traditional materials. DOORCO’s signature 4mm GRP skins are pressed on to a unique matrix of cross laminated engineered timber and hardwood stiles and rails. Safety and security have been built into GRiPCORE’s DNA, delivering a stronger, heavier and more robust door that will not crack, move or de-laminate. Available as a one size fits all 914mm (44mm) door.
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VIEWPOINT
A Clear View Of Fenestration Supply Chain
Challenges Sector In 2021 David Jennings from leading hardware specialist, UAP Limited, discusses the importance of resilience planning and ensuring an efficient supply chain for fabricators. Between the challenges of the pandemic and the unexpected boost to the market as homeowners repurposed their holiday funds for home improvements, 2020 was a year in which it was difficult to plan from one week to the next. 2021 is already shaping up to be just as unpredictable and, as we continue to cope with infection rates and lockdown conditions, it’s supply chain uncertainty that is 42 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
worrying many in the fenestration sector. Confusion over new import rules and paperwork requirements following Brexit, the ongoing effects of the pandemic and the hangover from last year have created a complex supply chain landscape with the potential to spell one word for the fenestration sector: delays. The Ripple Effect from China The Chinese manufacturing landscape is one we know very well at UAP Limited because our products are designed, developed and tested by us in the UK, but manufactured to our exacting
quality assurance standards by our Chinese partners. Chinese New Year is a time of celebration that has a major impact on manufacturing capacity in China every February. Each year, workers who have travelled to the cities to work go home for Chinese New Year, often spending a two-week break with their family, which is bookended on either side by a journey of at least a week. Every year, a proportion opts to stay in the provinces after the resulting in reduced capacity while factory owners replace them. That annual cycle has a significant effect on production schedules, for which UK companies importing goods from China need to prepare by ordering in advance and managing their UK stockholding. This year, the fall-out from Chinese New Year is likely to be worse than usual because lockdown restrictions prevented the 2020 celebrations so Chinese factories are anticipating a longer hiatus and an
VIEWPOINT
the pandemic in a position of strength with long-established manufacturing partnerships and a good understanding of how the Chinese market operates. Indeed, our relationships in China meant that we were faster than most in recognising how severely it was likely to affect the UK market. Because of those insights, we were able to plan and implement a strategy for maintaining stock levels and mitigating the risk of delays. Product development and investment continued, and we looked at where we needed to add more warehousing capacity in order to build resilience for the company and our customers. As a result, we started 2021 with an additional 25,000 sq ft of warehousing space, with a further 35,000 sq ft planned for this year, and our stockholding currently sits at £7 million, and will increase to £8m by the end of 2021.
Aerial view of UAP warehouses
Because we anticipated delays and production capacity issues in China during February and March 2021, we ordered our products months in advance and ensured that consignments for Q1-2 were either received or en route by the end of 2020. Products for Q2-3 are already on order and we will continue to build the likelihood of extended lead times and shipping delays into our production planning. Capitalising on Potential
David Jennings
even greater worker drop off. Changes in the Chinese manufacturing sector are also affecting capacity. For example, the drive to meet international environmental standards has reduced the number of metal plating operators, cutting capacity for plating of hardware products. As a result,
UK companies must have established relationships and diligent lead time planning in place if they are to meet demand and offer acceptable delivery terms to customers. All of these factors make manufacturing products overseas for the UK market more challenging for the fenestration supply chain; but none of them are insurmountable. At UAP Limited, we began
It’s been a tough year for the fenestration sector but, with a strong housebuilding sector and consumer focus on home improvements, there is potential for a strong recovery. But recovery can only happen if the products are available to meet demand, so UAP Limited is focused on planning ahead with high stock levels and advance orders, underpinning our own business continuity, and ensuring fabricators can rely on consistent service levels and short lead times. WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 43
MACHINERY
a part of. Jack Tait added: “Because the Quadra cuts, drills and machines in one, it mitigates the tolerances which are normally incurred at each separate stage, giving us the precision we need for the FK Group installations, as well as the large scale volumes.” The Quadra L3 features a CNC operated 600mm vertical cutting module with downward movement on 3 axes and a range from -45° to +245° and a 350mm horizontal cutting module mounted on the same support beam as the drill, with a range from -45° to +45° for large bars and special cuts.
Premo Fabrications
Is First In The UK With A Quadra L3
Premo Fabrications is the first façade manufacturer in the UK to take delivery of a new L3 version of Emmegi’s flagship, 20-axes Quadra aluminium machining centre.
The L0, L1 and L2 versions of the Quadra can all cut, drill and machine in one single operation, delivering huge advances in efficiency, but the L3 adds an extra dimension with a secondary module equipped with a dual drilling unit. This can mill, drill and tap at any angle on the ends of the profile as well as on the horizontal, allowing companies like Premo to broaden the options they can offer in unitised curtain walling. Jack Tait, the Facades Production Manager at Premo Fabrications, explained the benefits of the new machine: “This dual drilling unit 44 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
opens up additional new business streams for us and gives us capabilities which go beyond our immediate needs but which we know will be useful in the future.
“With this size of investment, it was crucial for us to choose a machine which was ‘futureproofed’ and would give us scope to go on adding to our product range in the coming months and years.” As well as the dual drilling, the Quadra L3 was specced by Premo with a double depth, dual-zone outfeed which works with an automatic push feed and ejector system to maximise the profile throughput. Premo fabricates almost exclusively in Kawneer profile to supply the ongoing façade requirements of the FK Group which it is now
Before choosing the Quadra L3, Jack and the team at Premo evaluated other models on the market and judged that the Emmegi machine was a more capable option. With several Emmegi machines already in their Newton Aycliffe factory, they liked the proven quality and performance and wanted to benefit from continuity in terms of shared software and programming. Because this was the first Quadra L3 to be supplied in the UK, Jack headed out to Italy before the pandemic to see the machine in action at Emmegi’s Modena headquarters. He was impressed with the level of support provided by Emmegi during the buying process and this has continued since the delivery. He added: “The ordering, delivery and installation process were all very efficient and we benefited from excellent training for our operators. What’s particularly good is that we get regular calls and checks to make sure that the machine is operating as we want it to, and we know the Emmegi (UK) team are always available for help and advice.” More information is at: www.emmegi.com and at www.fkgroup.co.uk
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MACHINERY
Sternfenster Invests
In Precision Aluminium
Crimping Technology
you simply cannot do manually – however, good the individual operative. “More importantly, it does it, over and over again, bringing a far higher degree of consistency to manufacture compared to manual processes. That means we can guarantee product quality from the first to the two-hundredth frame. It’s about repeatability.” The latest addition to Sternfenster’s state of the art £3.6m, aluminium manufacturing facility, the installation of its new Eva Theta Crimper, comes hot on the heels of the fabricator’s purchase of a new Schirmer ALU BAZ Composite Orbit-C machining and cutting centre. This in addition to its FOM LMT cutting and machining centre – and, highly unusually – its own powder coating line. Combined it means Sternfenster can offer highly competitive lead times across its range of Smarts Visoline, Visofold and Alitherm 300 product offers.
Sternfenster has invested in state-of-the-art aluminium crimping technology, bringing new levels precision to its aluminium product lines.
In addition to bringing new precision to manufacture, the Ever Theta also cuts full-cycle times to as little as 2 minutes and 31 seconds – roughly half the time it takes using a traditional single head crimper.
Its new 4-head Ever Theta frame crimping machine from FOM, brings exceptional accuracy to manufacture using profile scanning technology. This includes flagging out of tolerance profiles of as little as 0.4mm out in length or 0.9mm on the diagonal, bringing a very high degree of accuracy to 45° mitre and 90° joints.
consistency.
Mike Parczuk, Managing Director, Sternfenster, said the new platform supported Sternfenster in not only increasing quality of manufacture of aluminium products but delivered new levels of
“It allows us to deliver a step change in product quality”, he said, “the precision that the new crimper brings to manufacture is incredible. It picks up out of tolerance profiles in a way that
46 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
“We’re getting increased accuracy in manufacture but also alongside the other investments that we have made in our machining and cutting capabilities and our own powder coating lines, a far greater output”, Mike said. “That’s important in supporting us in meeting high levels of demand now – but also as part of our long-term growth strategy”, he concluded. www.sternfenster.com
MACHINERY
A four axis Emmegi Phantomatic X4 as installed at 3D Aluminium in Oxfordshire
3D Aluminium Chooses Emmegi
Machines Again For Oxfordshire based 3D Aluminium, investment in the latest, most advanced fabrication machinery is part of its commitment to providing an exceptional service to its commercial clients. 3D is involved in flagship fenestration projects across London and the Home Counties, with a real emphasis on education, healthcare and both the new build and refurbishment sectors. It prides itself on the quality and precision of its windows, doors and curtain walling in Comar, Aluprof, Technal and Wicona profiles and on the efficiency of its operation. 3D Aluminium has been an
Emmegi (UK) customer since the machinery supplier was established in the UK 10 years ago and has equipped its factory with a comprehensive mix of Emmegi saws and machining centres. Now, 3D has upgraded its original Emmegi Phantomatic T3A 3-axes machining centre to a brand new Phantomatic X4 4-axes model to add to the X4 it already owns, in order to expand capacity and increase its versatility. The fourth axis on the X4 model allows it to machine profile at any angle from 0 to 180°, in comparison with the T3A which
can machine from above and from 90º to right and left from the vertical. This gives 3D more flexibility for machining on profile edges and on more complex profile shapes. Alongside the new machining centre, 3D has also invested in a new Emmegi Precision TS2 twinhead electronic saw, complete with a patented profile clamping device which, as the name suggests, achieves extremely precise cuts. Paul Batts, 3D’s Production Manager, says Emmegi’s quality and service meant 3D didn’t need to go anywhere else when it was looking to invest in new machinery. He explained: “We’ve always been impressed with the machines and with the service from the whole team. What’s particularly useful for us is the fact that Emmegi’s range is so broad that we know they will always have a machine available which exactly suits our needs.” More details at: www.emmegi.com and www.3daluminium.co.uk WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 47
ON SITE
Tuffx Glass Used On Elegant
Roof Terrace A private residence in Cupar, Fife, in Scotland, completed a stunning roof terrace overlooking a park, with a simple yet elegant glass balustrade with toughened glass supplied by TuffX.
TuffX supplied 21.5mm toughened and laminated glass for the Easy Glass Prime frameless base railing. A combination of clear and opaque panels were used, for clear, unobstructed views over the green in front while ensuring privacy on either side. 48 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
Toughened glass specialists TuffX was chosen to ensure a smooth and trusted supply of quality glass for the project, cut to bespoke specifications including to accommodate where the balustrade met the angled roof.
The resulting near-invisible glass balcony is a simple, elegant, nofuss solution that took just two days to install around the slate roof terrace. “Our customers know they can trust us to deliver high-quality glass
made to their detailed specifications quickly and accurately,” said Graham Price, TuffX’s Managing Director. “Our toughened safety glass comes in options to suit all aspects of a project – whether it is clear glass for great views, opaque glass panels for privacy or, as in this case, a combination of the two. And of course we can advise on what might suit best, with our team that has over 20 years of experience in the trade.” www.tuffxglass.co.uk/
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ON SITE
UK Glass Manufacturer Helps Bring The Outdoors In At Canadian Lakeside Retreat Lake Huron House sees local “cabin country” architecture completely reimagined to create a modern family retreat on the banks of one of North America’s five Great Lakes. Taking a contemporary ar50 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
chitectural approach, the residence maximises its breath-taking lakeside views, while remaining sensitive to its surroundings and sustainability impact in the extremes of the Canadian climate.
To achieve its statement aesthetic and enhance the beautiful natural setting, one of the key components of the design is the use of glass. Glass not only provides distinct visual features throughout the home, functionally it serves as a robust exter-
ON SITE
ing solar heat gain. Having an eye on sustainability was key, and this specification delivers excellent thermal properties that can help reduce the homes energy consumption. By combining the Pilkington Suncool™ coating with extra clear true low iron Pilkington Optiwhite™, it ensures that the neutral appearance does not spoil the beautiful views of the landscape and creates a bright and airy internal living space. The glazing ensures that the occupants can enjoy the vistas and are comfortable all year round, while reducing the need for constant air conditioning, in turn cutting energy bills and making the home more environmentally friendly. Michael Carew, North American sales director at CareyGlass, said: “The architect took great care to keep the design unobtrusive and sensitive to its setting, while making an architectural statement. “It was important that the project played on the surrounding landscape by opening up the building to the outdoors at the same time as providing an excellent energy performance, and that’s exactly what this installation does.”
nal surface that plays a vital role in maintaining the building’s energy efficiency.
accentuate the distinct elements of the build.
With many demands on the crucial material, the architects turned to the Pilkington product portfolio, to ensure the perfect glass solution was delivered.
The lake-facing side of the house features a double-height glass wall that maximises natural light in the interior of the building and also offers expansive views towards the lakeside.
Lake Huron House uses a clean and simple material palette throughout. The ceramic façade tones are intentionally varied and, alongside the glass, they
Pilkington Suncool™ 70/35 OW T was specified for the project to help bring the outdoors in by creating the perfect balance of natural light, while minimis-
Jason Eggerton, specification sales manager Pilkington UK, said: “Lake Huron House successfully integrates a number of different glazing properties to ensure energy efficiency while providing endless views of Lake Huron, the second largest of the Great Lakes of North America. “The project is one-of-a-kind and we’re hugely proud that our glass helps to define the building’s appearance and create an outstanding home.” WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 51
ON SITE
Senior Architectural Systems has provided a high-performance fenestration package for a stunning new residential development in Nottingham. The Waterside Apartments scheme, aptly named owing to its prominent location on the banks of the River Trent, comprises a mix of luxury residential accommodation, with 121 individual apartments and duplex penthouse developed over 11 storeys, with office and leisure facilities to the ground floor. The project is a key part of the wider regeneration of the area and is located on the site of the former Rushcliffe Borough Council Civic Centre. Designed by Leonard Design Architects for clients Monk Estates and Harmony Bridge Limited, the Waterside Apartments enjoy expansive views of the city and the river and these have been enhanced through the specification of Senior’s aluminium windows, sliding doors and curtain walling. Senior’s products have been installed and fabricated by supply chain partner Duplus Architectural Systems Ltd and were powder-coated to provide added protection from the elements and offer even greater durability. The development maximises the 52 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
Senior Frames Nottingham’s
Waterside Views sense of light and space through the use of floor to ceiling glazing, with Senior’s slim profile SPW600 aluminium windows used throughout alongside Senior’s sleek SF52 aluminium curtain wall system. To provide natural ventilation and access to Juliet balconies, Senior’s patented low U-value PURe® SLIDE aluminium doors have also been installed. By offering exceptional thermal efficiency, when closed the PURe® SLIDE doors will also help to retain heat and create a more comfortable interior environment that is more cost-effective to maintain. The PURe® SLIDE range includes an inline sliding door, which is perfect for residential projects, and a lift and slide door, now in a choice of single, double and triple track configurations. The addition of the
triple-track option, which enables all three door panels to slide, offers even greater design flexibility by maximising the sense of light and space to achieve wider views, larger openings and beautiful full length sliding glass walls. Senior’s PURe® SLIDE aluminium doors also provide exceptional thermal performance thanks to the patented use of an enhanced thermal barrier manufactured from expanded polyurethane foam (PUR). By offering significantly lower U-values than other aluminium doors currently available, claims the company, PURe® doors are ideally suited to creating comfortable interiors which can lead to a reduction in energy bills and can have a positive effect on reducing a project’s overall carbon calculations. https://bit.ly/3q48s1Z
Slimline Aluminium Lantern
The Wendland Aluminium Lantern provides a stunning focal point for any kitchen, living room or dining room. Designed to draw plenty of daylight into your room with its 20° pitch.
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Clip fit features Fast to fit
RidgeLOCK Perfect fit every time
No visible fixings Simple neat design
High Thermal performance
Drainage system Prevents glass seal failure over time
Strong Ridge Less bars than other lanterns
ON SITE
A full range of MACO window and door hardware has been fitted to complete solutions on a simply stunning Passive house. The home and separate office block sit at the bottom of a small wooded valley nestled to the Mendip hills on one side and a stream on the other, the designer, Luca Biselli came up with concepts of Flower, Leaf, Water and Wood to interpret and compliment the surrounding area.
MACO Hardware
Part Of Passive Home Worthy Of Grand Design Status
Windows, doors, patio’s play a critical part within Passive House design, free warmth that comes into the property through solar gain is critical, and then how much of that heat is retained. The entire window should have a U-Value of 0.80W/(m2K) or less, with the installed product with no more that 0.85 W/(m2K). Windows and doors themselves need to be airtight, are normally triple glazed with low conductivity spacers. The house features some of MACO’s key products to suit the solu54 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
tions that were needed to create and give it passive house status. One of the MACO products that is part of a key feature of the house is the, Timber Aluminium Clad lift and slide patio doors.
Along with MACO hardware being part of the passive house solution the MACO Lift & Slide hardware offers a range of practical features such as being able to hold weights up to 400Kg, essential for these large format triple glazed products.
ON SITE The MACO A-TS was the lock of choice for the three entrance doors on the property. Multiple locking points ensure that the required airtightness is guaranteed automatically each and every time the door is closed and had a part in why this lock was chosen.
Spectus Flush Tilt & Turn Windows Specified For New Build Extra Care Development
Interestingly the windows for this project were all Tilt & Turn, combining two MACO Tilt & Turn solutions the MACO MUTLI MATIC MAMUT solutions for the larger sized windows along with the MULTI MATIC POWER Hinge for a concealed finish on the smaller windows. Today’s design trends are often characterised by concealed hardware and flush window profiles. So it’s easy to see why the MULTI POWER solution was chosen. It meets the aesthetic requirements without compromising functionality and performance. The system can support multi-sash elements and its flat surface makes the window very easy to clean and of course aesthetically pleasing. The fully concealed hinge-side represents the hinge technology for a high performance home such as this. Featuring burglar-resistance to PAS24-2016 and optimally sealed thermal insulation, the MULTI POWER can support sash weights of up to 130 kg on windows and up to 150 kg for doors. The Homeowner (Rob Franklin GBCT) comments, “Windows for a Passive House project are probably the most important decision of the build. Choosing a manufacturer with expertise, experience and proven track record are all considerations for triple glazed windows but the aesthetic is equally important. When the dust has settled and the builders are a fading memory it’s the look that will remain. We chose Pazen for those reasons”. For more information on this project alongside details on the products/solutions used please e-mail MACO at Enquriy@macouk.net
200 Spectus Flush Tilt & Turn Windows were specified for a 60-home extra care development in Grimsby. The three-storey building, Burchester Court, comprises of 60 one and two-bedroom apartments, all with accessible and open plan living space. Designed for people who are aged 55 and over, the development enables residents to live independently in their own contemporary apartments with the reassurance of onsite care and support facilities. With contemporary design a key feature of the new development, the window contractor choices were critical. The contract was awarded to experienced Spectus Approved Window Contractor, Jade Windows (Brighouse) Ltd. Spectus Flush Tilt & Turn Windows are an ideal solution for both medium- and high-rise buildings such as residential housing, offices, hospitals and universities. It has been specifically designed to prevent the framework from overlapping to give a more ‘flush’ appearance. A high-performance centre seal system with optional third weather seal means the window can achieve a Window Energy Rating of A++ with double glazing and a U Value of 0.8
W/(m2K) with triple glazing. The Spectus Flush Tilt & Turn is suitable for large window apertures and can accommodate opening sizes of 1464mm x 2314mm with a sash weight load of 150kg. A triple seal is also available for improved weather and thermal performance. In this project, the sleek look of the windows, combined with a grey on white colour, created the contemporary look required. The safety specifications for the contract were particularly demanding, as befits a project of this nature. Jade Windows worked closely with the in-house Spectus Commercial Team to conduct load bearing tests on the specified window restrictors to BS EN 14351-1, load-bearing capacity of safety devices (350N), to ensure they delivered the level of safety required. Burchester Court was constructed in 2020 during the Coronavirus pandemic, which meant site safety protocols were more stringent than ever. Jade Windows worked closely with project contractors and all trades on site to protect the health and safety of all personnel involved as well as delivering the project on time. www.spectus.co.uk WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 55
MARKETING
Sheerline Launches New Website The innovative Sheerline Classic aluminium window and door system has launched, and Garnalex has created a new Sheerline website to showcase it. With striking design and beautiful images, it provides customers with everything they need to know about this revolutionary system. Visitors can see what makes Sheerline so groundbreaking by viewing at the website’s comprehensive video content which covers practical guidance on fabrication, installation, and window maintenance as well as specific features such as Sheerline’s patented corner construction method. The upscale videos demonstrate Sheerline’s innova56 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
tions and key benefits, so they are also handy sales aids for fabricators and installers. Garnalex has designed Sheerline’s website with fabricators, installers, specifiers, and homeowners in mind, with dedicated content tailored to each audience. For example, the homeowner section gives consumers an easy to navigate journey to learn more about Sheerline and generate leads for trade customers. Fabricators and installers can log in to the website and access a comprehensive library of brochures, price matrixes and technical guides to help them get started with Sheerline.
“We’ve designed the new Sheerline website as a handy resource for homeowners, fabricators, installers and specifiers”, explains Garnalex CEO Roger Hartshorn. “Visitors can learn more about our first innovative window system, Sheerline Classic, and get a sneak peek at Sheerline Prestige, which is launching this month. “We’ve created a series of videos covering everything from installation and maintenance to homeowner benefits plus a tour of our state-of-the-art factory. We developed the videos in response to social distancing restrictions, to give trade customers all the tools and guidance they need to get up and running with Sheerline without having to visit our new training centre showroom and factory.” Discover Sheerline at the stunning new website www.sheerline.com Contact 01332 883 960
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MARKETING
Window Ware Launches New Commercial Door
Hardware ebrochure
Window Ware has launched its new commercial door hardware ebrochure. Featuring 20 pages packed with top-selling closing solutions for all kinds of commercial aluminium doors developed by industry-leaders Axim Architectural Hardware, the ebrochure is the final piece of a launch campaign which started back in March 2020 but got interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new range has proven extremely popular with commercial door specialists looking for the kind of tried, tested, and trusted hardware that will guarantee their customers the quality, longevity, and reliability they want for their office entrances and shop fronts. The ebrochure showcases Axim’s collection of durable, easy-fitting EN 1154-complaint concealed overhead transom closers, including the TC8800 transom closer and its longer spindle variant, the TC9600 – both top choices for commercial door fabricators – as well as the fully adjustable TC9900, the go-to replacement closer for many a door repair. The Axim commercial door hardware ebrochure is available to read now in the download section at www.windowware.co.uk 58 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
Mila’s Website
Updated For Lockdown 3 Mila has redesigned its website to help all those customers who are now working remotely again as a result of the latest government restrictions. The main changes are to the navigation of the site, which now uses the same drop-down menus as the High Street’s leading retailers, to make it even easier for customers to find exactly the products they need within just a couple of clicks. Marketing Director Sarah Gyde explained: “The Mila website is a fantastic resource for customers, packed with technical and sales information, fabrication advice, downloadable test certificates, news and blogs.
“We had record numbers of hits during the last lockdown, so we know how much customers value it. This time around, we’ve made it even more user friendly, with simpler menus, new EDIT focuses so that they can see the newest product launches, and easy literature downloads. “The website is also the place to read all our latest news updates on product launches and legislative changes and Managing Director Richard Gyde’s popular blog. It also, of course, has all the contact details that customers need to stay in touch with our own sales and technical teams who are also working remotely.” www.mila.co.uk
MARKETING
Style Over
Substance?
By Richie Thornton, The Consultancy Now that we have WordPress, Joomla, Ghost and all the other flexible, open-source content management web systems, it’s easier than it’s ever been for relative novices to develop great looking websites. But, as we’re seeing all the time when we’re asked to provide hosting services for some of those sites here at The Consultancy, there’s more to developing a good website than just how they look. We regularly see problems with things like load speed, security, accessibility for ongoing updates and unsafe plug-ins, which ultimately come down to lack of knowledge and experience on the part of the
developer who created the site. Sometimes, that’s just someone’s next door neighbour’s son who’s got a side hustle developing websites, and sometimes it’s actually a junior person working in-house at one of the big-name marketing companies. Obviously, we’re all in favour of businesses upping their online presence, but it’s a mistake to think that just because someone can make the front end of a website look good, that they can manage the all-important back end as well. Just in recent weeks, we’ve had to put right plug-ins inserted for SEO which have created a security breach on one website and recode pages on another which have slowed the load
speed up so much that bounce rates are sky high. These are potentially costly errors which just show up a lack of basic knowledge and experience. As a specialist web development business, we would obviously argue that it’s either better to work with us direct, or at least choose a marketing company which outsources its web development to us. That way you will actually end up getting better long-term value than you would from either a oneman band or a company which bundles in-house web development in with a bigger marketing package, and leaves you paying for elements of the package you don’t really need, while compromising on the bits that actually matter the most. We’ve been developing websites in this industry for more than 30 years and we’re right at the top of our game, with the likes of Brisant, Central, DoorStop, Epwin, ODL, Selecta and Window Widgets all choosing to work with us. Most of our team have been here for 10+ years and those that are newer have amassed huge amounts of experience elsewhere before they joined us. We don’t pretend to be experts in advertising, e-marketing, PR or even SEO, but we know lots of people who are. Our advice is always for clients to work with us on their website and choose other genuine experts in each of the other individual fields, who together can deliver a service which is less jack of all trades and more master of one. In reality, the upfront costs are likely to be very similar and clients will have the reassurance that their website will perform just as well as it looks. More details at: www.theconsultancy.co.uk WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 59
MARKETING
Mercury Glazing Supplies Introduces Their New Retail Brochure Mercury Glazing Supplies has just published a new retail brochure to help promote their sash windows into the consumer. Steve Cross, Director at Mercury, said “Our latest high-end consumer brochure showcases our range of quality sash windows to help inspire homeowners. This new brochure helps our customers sell to end users and provides all the information they require to make an informed choice and help them close the sale.” The Sash Window Collection, as it’s known, has a lifestyle feel, with high quality images throughout that show exactly why the Mercury sash window is a popular choice. The photography is 60 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
supported with information to help homeowners choose the windows that are right for them, including a choice of standard or mechanical jointed options, colours, security and energy efficiency. Steve said: “The demand for sash windows has grown dramatically over the last few years as the windows are suitable for all housing styles. The focus on images in our new brochure reinforces the importance of the lifestyle element in choosing our sash windows.” The 16-page brochure was commissioned by Spectus Systems, Mercury’s system provider. Carmen Velilla, Brand Manager at Spectus Systems, said:
“The brochure showcases our market-leading sash windows perfectly. It covers all aspects of the window’s unique styling and product options and has already proved to be a valuable marketing asset for Mercury’s trade customers. Part of our tailored support to our customers is creating bespoke marketing solutions and this brochure is the latest example of the high-end design work we continue to deliver.” Following the 2020 lockdown, there has been a considerable upturn in demand for sash windows. Consumers have had time to research their replacement windows and are looking for feature-rich products more than ever. Steve said: “What was once considered the default product for heritage style projects only, has now become the product of choice for high-end properties and modern homes alike.” www.mercuryglazing.co.uk
MARKETING
Endurance
Publish New
Customer Charter And
Welcome Pack
Kubu’s Selling Opportunities For Installers With Kubu, there’s a full range of promotional materials and a free showroom set up programme for installers eager to start up-selling doors to smart-sensor technology today. There’s also the backing and expertise of Avantis Hardware behind this revolutionary and proven technology, says the company. Thousands of doors are manufactured every week with a Kubu multi-point lock, and it’s been designed with an integrated slot for a Kubu smart-sensor too. Installers can now upsell doors to ones that are Kubu equipped as part of a smart package for no additional cost and it’s a means to close more sales to tech savvy consumers. Activating the Kubu hub couldn’t be easier for consumers, download the Kubu app, plug in the Kubu hub, insert the sensor, much in the same way as inserting a SIM card into a mobile phone, and then follow the activation process through the app. There’s no requirement from
installers at the point of installation, just point the consumer to the website to buy the Kubu Kit and then all queries are handled directly by Kubu. First-time activations for Kubu are already impressively high and with more consumers than ever before getting smart, it’s an opportunity for installers to get ahead as the industry is already becoming increasingly smartled, claims the company. Kubu is also perfect for any showroom environment and makes for a real focal point, helping installers to stand out from the competition. Lauren Bromley, head of brand for Kubu commented: ‘There’s never been a better time to start selling smart-sensor technology with Kubu. The product is now proven in the field with an ongoing development programme and it’s backed with considerable marketing resource, so it provides trouble-free upselling opportunities. www.kubu-home.com
With customer care at the top end of the agenda for Endurance Doors, the pioneering solid and secure composite door manufacturer has just published a new Customer Charter and Welcome Pack. With some of the UK’s most trusted brands such as John Lewis adopting a culture of delivering a truly wonderful customer experience, Endurance Doors have not only adopted this approach for the last few years, but have backed up their claims in print. Scott Foster, Head of Group Sales and Marketing commented: ‘These publications are a reflection of the way in which we engage with both existing and new customers. It’s ultimately our commitment to the very highest level of customer care. He continued: ‘Both the calibre and volume of customers coming on board recently perfectly demonstrates the way in which Endurance is becoming the most trusted name in solid and secure composite doors. It also reflects the confidence we have in our product which boasts many unique technical features including the Moisture Barrier System and the fact that we wet glaze our doors with a unique three-step process.’ www.endurancedoors.co.uk WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 61
CHARITY by the pandemic, but they found other ways of continuing to support the same important causes. Edgetech would normally support the coffee morning held by Macmillan Cancer Research each year, but in order to encourage social distancing the company encouraged individuals to take on sponsored challenges during the month instead.
Edgetech Continues
To Support Worthy Causes Despite The Challenges Of 2020 Coronavirus has affected every part of society in one way or another – but the charity sector has been especially hard hit. With charity shops around the country ordered to close, and hundreds of critical fundraising events forced to cancel, groups offering vital support to millions of vulnerable people are struggling to survive. But one of the most heartening things to come out of the long and difficult pandemic is the spirit of generosity that’s seen thousands of businesses and members of the public step up and help charities in need. At warm-edge experts Edgetech, and parent company Quanex, this is seen as so important that they’ve identified the community as one of four key stakeholders they place special emphasis on caring for, along with their customers, employees and shareholders. Mindful of this, during this difficult period the employees of the Coventry-based firm have donated hundreds of urgently needed food and cleaning products to their local 62 WINDOW NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
With staff members giving up alcohol, losing weight, or in the case of Head of Technical Development Gary Shoesmith, walking the equivalent of the distance from his house to the Coventry office, the company managed to raise £410 for Macmillan during the month. In previous years, Edgetech has also purchased holiday cards from respected glazing sector charity GM Fundraising. This year, since so many people are working from home, the company opted to send digital messages instead – but made a financial donation and purchased a special rainbow print to make sure GM, and Hope House Children’s Hospice, didn’t lose out on their usual support. “At Edgetech, we’re all very aware that we’re in a relatively fortunate position,” comments Managing Director Chris Alderson.
Edgetech Managing Director, Chris Alderson
foodbank, whose services have been more in demand than ever in recent months. Quanex matched the physical donation with an £800 financial contribution. Edgetech have also raised money for Myton Hospice, a local charity supporting people with terminal illnesses. Among other fundraising activities, staff took part in a ‘Wear it festive’ day, dressing up in garish Christmas clothing in return for donations. Some of the company’s usual charitable activities were disrupted
“Many sectors of the economy have been devastated by the pandemic, with thousands of businesses in leisure, travel, tourism, hospitality and retail forced to close entirely. “That meant that this year, we felt it was more important than ever to support the vital causes and organisations who do so much to help millions of vulnerable people throughout the UK. “We want to thank all the local charities who’ve continued to do fantastic work in extremely difficult circumstances this year, and we look forward to continuing to support them in 2021”.
Modern and on-trend with Rio flush fit Your home is at the heart of your family, creating moments you will treasure forever. Our Rio flush fit offers inspiration and creativity using a beautiful array of on-trend colours that add a quality finish to your home. Windows. Reinvented for modern life. www.rehau.uk/rio
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