Making The COVID-19 Return To Work Sustainable 8
Add Value To The Sale In A Blink! 42
REHAU’S Fensterbau Insights Go Virtual For Wider Industry 52
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Cover picture: Mila Expands Deliveries In Line With Demand, read more on page 4
WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 3
TRADE NEWS
Profine Acquires Mila Expands
Deliveries In Line With
Demand
With an increasing number of fabricators announcing their intentions to restart limited operations from 11 May, Mila is expanding the delivery service it has been offering from its Daventry warehouse. As of 4 May, any hardware orders received before 3pm every day will be delivered within 48 hours – so orders placed on Monday will be delivered on Wednesday etc. Orders can be placed anytime via the dedicated email address: sales@ mila.co.uk. Mila has a skeleton warehouse team working in line with the new ERIC (Eliminate, Reduce, Isolate, Control) safe working protocols and is gradually increasing the numbers who are picking, packing and despatching orders, as it looks to match its capacity with demand from the market. Richard Gyde, Mila’s Managing Director, said: “We’ve already been offering a once a week delivery service for customers working on essential contracts, and have refined our protocols so that we know we can operate safely and efficiently. “We’ve been talking to customers throughout the shutdown to make sure we are geared to what they will need from us and we’ll certainly be looking to increase the numbers of staff and the delivery times as volumes increase.” www.mila.co.uk 4 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
Assets From
Aperture profine Group, has acquired essential assets from Aperture Group, formerly Synseal, one of the leading manufacturers of window and door systems in the UK. The Aperture Group, based in Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire, was known for its brands such as Legend, Synerjy, Evolve, Calibre Doors, Norvik New Build and WarmCore. The deal was for the purchase of both the extrusion and finished products assets from the administrators of Aperture Trading Ltd, for an undisclosed sum. The KÖMMERLING brand in the UK has been increasing market share, most notably in the last 18 months and profine Group has been continually looking at various options in terms of opening a dedicated manufacturing facility. This has now been realised through a dedicated business as profine UK Extrusions Ltd (www.profine-uk.com), boasting more than 20 extrusion lines, a mixing plant and several foiling and injection moulding systems. The expansion of the workforce is planned to include over 100 people.
The newly acquired brands and products from the Aperture business will also be considered for other export markets, given the fact that the profine Group supplies products to more than 100 countries, with over 3,500 employees operating from offices across the globe. This acquisition will further strengthen this position and importantly, will provide a strong platform for continued growth in the UK. Gareth Jones, managing director of profine UK commented: ‘This is wonderful news for all parties concerned and provides us with an integrated mixing, extrusion and lamination facility in the UK. It’s been something we’ve been looking at for several years and now we can continue to build market share for the KÖMMERLING brand and support it with others such as WarmCore and Evolve, which will also benefit from investment.’ Dr. Peter Mrosik, CEO and owner of profine Group added: ‘With this acquisition, we are strengthening our strong international market position and continuing our success story in the UK market. We are thus underlining our goal of being the leading company in our industry for each of our markets. I am genuinely pleased to have the new colleagues from the UK on board and warmly welcome them to the profine family.’ www.profine-uk.com
TRADE NEWS
GGF Launches Safe Guide For Installers The new Guide has integrated the most recent and relevant Government Guidance and includes direct links to the Government Risk Assessment Toolkit.
Following the GGF’s launch of the Safe Guide for Homeowners during the Covid-19 Crisis, the GGF has now launched a complementary Safe Guide for Home Improvement Companies.
Though several parts of the most recent Government Guidance issued were queried by GGF Members, the GGF, on behalf of its Members, sought and gained clarification from the Department of Business & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) before publishing this new Guide. The GGF says the new publication has been produced in collaboration with a diverse cross-section of Members, GGF Staff and Govern-
ment officials, to ensure this Safe Guide is the most comprehensive and authoritative in the industry. James Lee, Director of External Affairs commented on the new guide, “The GGF focus has always been on delivering high quality information that can be trusted by the industry and consumers alike. Both Safe Guides reflect the expected GGF high standards.” The new GGF Safe Guide for Home Improvement Companies during the COVID-19 Crisis is available to all companies in the industry, for free download and viewing from the GGF website www.ggf.org.uk
Extension To Furlough Scheme Could Cost The Government £70 Billion In an unexpected move the Chancellor has extended the current Furlough scheme until the end of October but he now has a huge challenge to get this right, say leading tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg. Heather Self a partner at the firm said: “He needs to achieve a “Goldilocks” effect – not too hot, and not too cold. If he provides too much it will be very expensive and may discourage firms from reopening. If he provides too little thousands of people could lose their jobs. She added: “It is going to be a turbulent time for the labour market in the Autumn. Some sectors, such as the hospitality and tourism sector, are likely to see significant redundancies, while others such as construction and financial services will be relieved to see a gradual
winding-down of support.
From the announcement today, we now know that: – Support will be continued to the end of July in full, with employers required to contribute after that date.
about how business can keep going and retain staff.”
She added: “The Chancellor could not go on paying out billions of pounds indefinitely, and everyone understands that, but there
Continued on page 6
– Part time working will be permitted, but only for some employees – The same level of overall support – 80% of wages up to a maximum of £2500 a month – will be maintained Heather said: ” As the furlough scheme is reduced the Government needs to incentivise business and come up with creative ideas
WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 5
TRADE NEWS
needs to be much more joined up thinking between Government and business.” So far, some 7.5m employees have been furloughed, at a cost approaching £10bn. The expected costs to the end of July are likely to be around £50bn, with the extension at a reduced level to the end of October perhaps costing a further £20bn. These are very significant sums, amounting to around 10% of total Government receipts. As Britain seeks to get back to work, the pressures on different sectors will be very uneven. While some sectors, such as construction and financial services, are getting back to work, others such as leisure and hospitality will be much slower to recover. And the position in the tourism and heritage sectors is likely to become critical if they lose the whole of the Summer season. Heather Self said: “Enabling part time work is welcome, as it will permit a gradual return to work. But the Chancellor said this would only be available to businesses “currently using” the scheme – it is not clear what the cut-off date will be for businesses still considering whether they need to furlough employees” “The Chancellor needs to pay attention to the needs of different sectors, difficult though this may be. Leisure and hospitality businesses are unlikely to be able to cope with reopening fully by the end of July, and may need to contemplate redundancies” “Additional support beyond the furlough scheme will be needed for a long time – whether loans such as the CBILS scheme, or grants, or incentives such as an increase in the Employment Allowance to encourage employers to maintain their staff levels, or even take on new employees.” www.blickrothenberg.com 6 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
Certass Trade Association
Launches COVID Secure Procedures for Installers Certass Trade Association has launched the COVID Secure Procedures Pack for installers. Endorsed by the Trade Association Forum (TAF), which is supported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the pack has been developed with Government to give installers the confidence to install safely in occupied homes as lockdown is lifted. Jon Vanstone, Chair at Certass Trade Association, says: “We are going to be living and working with this virus in the UK for at least the next 12 months. Through my participation in Government steering groups, it was clear that the delivery of advice for installers needed to be driven by industry. As the only glazing representative in these discussions, responsibility fell to Certass Trade Association.” Available to all Certass members, the document outlines the best practice procedures for how installers can keep their teams and customers safe as the industry returns to installing non-essential windows and doors in occupied homes.
The Certass TA COVID Secure Procedures Pack includes a full method statement for working safely in the home, with specific advice for surveyors and installers, remote selling and showroom guidance, self-assessment declaration forms for both installation teams and homeowners to complete before work commences and final inspection guidance. There is also a quick reference guide for installers and an information leaflet to give to homeowners. A complete homeowner guide for members to use in their marketing will follow next week. Jon adds: “The pack is designed to help installers maintain social distancing, keep contact with homeowners to a minimum and prove that they have taken necessary steps to reduce risk for all parties. “We have stayed in close contact with installers and trade fabricators during the lockdown period and the overriding request was for clear, practical help and information that will help them get their business back to work. This is what we have delivered.” www.certassta.co.uk
TRADE NEWS
Administrators Agree
Sale Of Certain Assets Of Aperture Trading Limited
Statement from the administrators
4th May 2020: Following their appointment on 16 March 2020 as joint administrators of Aperture Trading Limited, Chris Pole and Will Wright from KPMG’s Restructuring practice have confirmed that they have sold certain assets of the company to Altrincham Doors Limited and Altrincham Roofs Limited. The assets included in the sale related to the Global, Celsius and Stratus roofing products. Whilst these businesses had ceased trading prior to the acquisition, the purchasers have indicated an intention to launch the Stratus product in the near future as well as exploring the reintroduction of the other roofing systems at a later date. Tim Bateson, restructuring director at KPMG, said: “Whilst we are continuing to market the remaining businesses and assets of the Company, we’re delighted to have completed this sale, which will recover value for the company’s creditors.” Statement from the Buyers 4th May 2020: Ultraframe has acquired from the administrators of Aperture Trading Limited, certain of the assets relating to the Global, Celsius and Stratus roofing products, including the tools and equipment but excluding others, such as the customer or supply arrangements. By way of background, the Synseal business failed in March 2019, with its business being bought out of administration by Aperture Trading Ltd. A year later, despite this fresh start, the business failed a second time going into adminis-
tration again in March 2020. This time no buyer was found for the whole business nor was a buyer found for any of the roof businesses as continuing enterprises. The businesses were wound down and ceased trading some time prior to the sale. We note that the sales of Global roofs had fallen dramatically from annual sales of c.£30m around 5 years ago to a run rate of under £5m this winter, pre Covid-19. In recent years, there has been a shift away from glass roofs to solid pitched roofs and to flat roof extensions within the home extension market. This market trend accounts for some of the decline of the Global roof although the scale of its decline is symptomatic of more fundamental issues within the wider Global product offer.
The Celsius and Global roofs are complex systems with the Global roof having around 2,000 parts. A large amount of Global parts were extruded or sourced from the Huthwaite extrusion plant, which has also been mothballed by the Administrator. While we will talk to all industry stakeholders to understand the future potential of reintroducing elements of these roofing systems at a later date, relaunching them in the current economic climate is not feasible. The Stratus lantern is different, being a much simpler product with just over 100 parts and therefore it is more feasible for Ultraframe to manufacture Stratus from its existing facilities. We hope that with our track record of improving roofing products, and the fact Stratus is a much simpler product, we can restart production of the Stratus lantern soon.
Haffner Murat Begins A Phased
Reopening Haffner Murat will begin a phased and controlled reopening of their business from Monday 18th May, 2020. Their full team of service engineers will be fully operational from that date as they commence the first phase of reopening.
Dave Thomas, Managing Director at Haffner Murat, said: “Our initial priority is to support our customers who are waiting for their new machinery to be installed. The backlog of installations includes nine machining centres, welders, corner cleaners and several computerised saws.” The Haffner Murat sales team will start back on the 1st June and will work from home at this time. The Staffordshire headquarters will also open from 1st June, 2020 with limited personnel working at the site at any one time. Like all responsible businesses, Haffner Murat are observing all Government guidelines and protocol as the wellbeing of their staff, suppliers and customers remains an absolute priority. Dave said: “We have reviewed and implemented new procedures throughout all business areas to ensure we can operate safely within the correct social distancing parameters and compliance with all Health and Safety procedures. We also have PPE equipment available for use by the team, both internally and externally, to ensure maximum protection at all times.” www.haffnermurat.com WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 7
TRADE NEWS
Making The COVID-19 Return To Work Sustainable gramme, Cornwall Glass team members go through an awareness programme to build understanding of what is required to support the return to work, including ‘wellness’/fitness for work, distancing and hygiene, as well as requirements for PPE. “Cultural change is much more important than PPE”, says Mark.
Mark Knight
With the Government setting out its proposals for the return to work Cornwall Glass Manufacturing’s joint MD and former Director of HR, Mark Knight reflects on what this means for employers. “Companies and employers need to be focussed on balancing the books and getting back to work”, he said, “but they also need to give time and thought to how they can and will need to support their teams as they come back.” With the continuing ‘fluidity’ and changing nature of the situation and government advice, he argues this includes putting in new controls to support safe working but also support for those employees still on furlough: Risk assess the return to work “We’ve had teams reviewing our processes to understand how close they get to each other and to establish the controls that we need to put in place. We’re adapting our layouts, marking floors and identifying requirements for PPE”, says Mark Cultural change As part of its return to work pro8 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) “There’s a lot of confusion about PPE and the situation is an evolving one”, says Mark. “At the time of writing there is no specific requirement for facemasks, although there is a suggestion that this may change. Given the changing situation, it’s very important to check ‘current’ government advice (https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19) Support for employees coming out of furlough Cornwall Glass has maintained an open and transparent dialogue with employees throughout the crisis. Mark says this has been important in supporting its team as it returns for work. “It doesn’t need to be complicated, we’re simply making sure that as a leadership and management team, we’re available for our colleagues, to answer and address their concerns. It’s open conversation and discussion.” Support for colleagues coming back to work in later phases “We don’t want our colleagues to think that just because the site they work at hasn’t reopened yet or they haven’t been called back in, that it’s not going to happen. So, we’re maintaining communication with those still in furlough, doing
everything we can to make sure that they understand what we’re doing and why.” Watch the interview with Mark here Cornwall Glass Manufacturing’s return to work has been focussed so far on its Plymouth operation, returning with a skeleton staff at the end of April. This was expanded on 11th May, building capacity in-line with growing demand. At the cutting edge of glass manufacturing technology, it’s fully geared to high volume IGU fabrication, including manufacture of super-sized units. This includes automated concertina racks and gantry crane and Intermac cutting tables, process cutting laminated jumbos in as little as 15-minutes. The site also features a Northglass Gapless Series toughening furnace capable of handling sheets of 2,850mm x 4,200mm. Its Bystronic IGU line is meanwhile capable of handling units of up to 2.7m X 5m. “We’ve seen the greatest demand from commercial customers. A lot of sites didn’t close down, others are being reopened, and that’s creating a higher level of demand, including for larger units. “We can meet that demand most effectively through Plymouth. “We will, however, be opening other sites and bringing more colleagues back as we move forward. It’s about timing and ensuring that we manage our return exceptionally carefully so that it is sustainable, for our customers, for us and our colleagues.” www.cornwallglass.co.uk
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TRADE NEWS
Industry Faces Bad Debt Crisis Insight Data’s latest analysis of the fenestration industry highlights thousands of companies posing a high credit risk. Insight analysed the credit rating of 9,075 fabricators and installers and found that 353 fabricators and 685 installers had a high or very high credit risk. Jade Greenhow, Operations Director of Insight Data said; “We reviewed the financials of over 9,000 companies and 12% were rated as high-risk companies. If we used the same measurement across the entire industry that means 1,688 fabricators and installers could be in financial trouble. 10 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
“The major concern is this data precedes the coronavirus pandemic, so the financial position will have worsened significantly, and this could lead to a serious bad debt situation for suppliers.” However, Insight Data’s analysis also pointed to 59% of fabricators and 53% of installers as healthy with a low credit risk. Jade added; “It is clear there will be a period of instability and some companies will disappear while others become stronger. As we move towards a recovery, suppliers will want to assess their customers and potential customers to minimise bad debt risk.”
Insight Data tracks the business and financial activity of the window, door and conservatory industry, providing business intelligence to help suppliers identify and target their ideal customers. As well as detailed contact information, Insight records the products that companies manufacture or install, product volumes, profile brands, sectors and more. The information is continuously updated and users access the information via Salestracker, an online database that is ideal for marketing, sales and customer services teams. Salestracker also provides key financial information, including credit rating, net worth and details of any County Court Judgements. Users can even set up alerts, to advise them if any customers or prospects have a change in credit status. For more information please visit www.insightdata.co.uk
TRADE NEWS
Mila Stepping Up
Support For Customers
Returning To Work
centre stage on the website now to show all the expertise and resources we have available to support them as they return to work and so that customers know exactly who to contact here to get any advice or information they need.
With the government announcing that it is encouraging the manufacturing and construction sector back to work in line with safe social distancing guidelines, Mila has stepped up its response to support customers who are reopening their factories from this week. The Mila telephone ordering line has reopened on 01327 312400 so that customers can phone through orders, as well as getting help and advice from the internal sales team, and orders can still be placed any time via the sales@mila. co.uk address. The company has also added a new Covid-19 FAQs section to its website which answers all the questions customers might have about how the Mila service is now operating and check everything from order cut off times to how to access technical support. Sarah Gyde, Mila’s Marketing Director, said: “Most of us are still working from home but Team Mila is very much coming together to help our customers. That’s why our team are
“As well as the FAQs, we’ve also got a regular blog from MD Richard Gyde which sets out Mila’s strategy to cope with the virus, all of our recent news releases, and even thoughts from our Finance Team on how customers can cope with the financial implications for their businesses. “There’s a particularly useful section with advice from our operations team on implementing safe social distancing in the workplace based on proven ERIC (Eliminate, Reduce, Isolate, Control) protocols. Even before the government announcements on 10 May, we’d had feedback from customers that they had found this valuable as they take their own cautious steps towards reopening, so I’m sure we’ll see plenty more people accessing that over the coming days. “We’re obviously active across our social platforms as well, and customers can stay up to date with us on @milahardware_uk on Twitter and Instagram and via Mila Hardware on LinkedIn and give us feedback on anything further we can do to help.” www.mila.co.uk
Window Ware
Begins Safe Phased Return To Work
Window Ware has begun a safe phased reopening of its’ operations following a temporary closure in response to COVID-19. The nationwide distributor will begin the first step of reinstating its’ next day customer promise which will be back in action from Monday 18th May, meaning customers can once again place orders by 3:30pm Monday to Friday for next working day delivery. This is an increase to the weekly despatches that have been in place since 20th April. With more of its’ staff members coming back to work to support this first step, this will come as welcome news as parts of the fenestration industry also begin their return to work. Strict social distancing measures and hygiene guidelines have now been implemented at Window Ware’s HQ in Bedford to protect those employees who’ll be on site. Those who can work from home will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. For more information visit www.windowware.co.uk WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 11
TRADE NEWS Louise Sanderson, Marketing Manager explained “We know that safety is critically important at the moment, but at the same time installers want to get their businesses up and running again. We want to support installers. We have kept the message simple and straight-forward so that installers can easily follow the guidance and homeowners can feel secure in having work carried out on their homes.” Support package
Freefoam Support Installers
Getting Back To Work As part of a comprehensive installer support package Freefoam Building Products have released an informative, simple video to illustrate how roofline fitters can carry out work while keeping themselves, colleagues and homeowners safe. Colin St John, Commercial Director explained “Freefoam Registered Installers are an important part of our business. We commissioned this video to support them, so that they can feel confident in working safety whilst continuing to sell and
fit Freefoam products.”
The video features NG Roofline Windows and Conservatories and shows a series of easy measures that installers can take to ensure a safe working environment when installing fascia, soffit and gutter. Freefoam will be using the video across all social media channels and sharing it with their installer and customer network to maximise exposure of this important message.
Morley Glass & Glazing
Restarts Operations Integral blinds manufacturer Morley Glass & Glazing has re-opened its doors as part of a safe and structured return to work, after pausing operations at the end of March. A skeleton admin team returned last week to process orders, provide quotes and respond to customer enquiries. Limited manufacturing with a reduced workforce resumed this week, and will be increased steadily during the coming weeks, ensuring the safety and well-being of all staff. Customer and staff safety measures include the provision of full 12 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
PPE equipment and hand sanitiser cleaning stations, regular temperature checks, deep cleaning of all work areas and strict social distancing regulations, which will be carefully monitored.
This video is part of a wider support package that Freefoam are providing to help installers. Being able to promote, explain and sell products whilst staying social distanced is also essential. Freefoam provide a comprehensive range of sales and marketing brochures as pdf files at Freefoam.com for installers to download. Ideal to attach to an emailed quote. Likewise roofline and cladding visualiser tools are available online to illustrate how colour fascia and soffit might look, or how colour cladding can change the look of a façade. For more information about becoming a Freefoam Registered Installer go to www.myfreefoam.com Ian Short, managing director at Morley Glass & Glazing, said: “Our staff and customers have been so supportive during this difficult time. We were conscious that some of our commercial sector customers have been working throughout the lockdown and that we were seeing an increasing demand from our retail customers too, so a return to work at reduced capacity was a feasible option. “Despite one of our major suppliers being in Italy, we have a secure supply chain, good stock levels and can maintain our 10 day delivery schedule for all orders placed by 11am Friday of every week, subject to ongoing restrictions that may remain in place. For more information visit www.morleyglass.co.uk
TRADE NEWS
Corgi Fenestration
Launches Its Covid-19
Operating Code by operatives that are currently undertaking essential work in homes – which we believe only includes emergency repairs of windows and doors.”
Steve Jones
Kenrick
Supports Customers
During Coronavirus
With many fabricators planning to re-open for business on 11 May, hardware supplier Kenrick is geared up and ready to supply customers after the shutdown. Having implemented a number of safety measures to avoid the spread of Covid-19, the West-Bromwich firm remained partially operational during the lockdown with a team taking orders and disptaching products from Kenrick’s extensive stock of hardware. Now, it plans to gradually increase staff numbers and delivery schedules to match volumes as more fabricators re-start. Steve Jones, managing director at Kenrick, says: “We continued to supply the industry during the crisis and we’re now planning to scale up the business over the coming weeks as more fabricators open their doors. The health and welfare of our employees and customers is paramount and we’ve introduced strict protocols to allow for a safe return for everyone. We will be following all government advice and we will, of course, only continue to do this if it is safe and sensible to do so”. www.kenricks.co.uk 14 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
CORGI Fenestration has produced a Covid-19 Operating Code for Installers of replacement windows and doors in domestic properties and a corresponding Consumer Guide for homeowners. They are free and available to all as downloadable documents on the CORGI Fenestration website – www. corgifenestration.co.uk/trade/ installer-service-2/ They cover the measures that should to be taken by installers to protect themselves and their customers whilst working and the responsibilities that homeowners have to minimise any risks to workers that operate in their properties. “We have written our Covid-19 Operating Code and Consumer Guide in preparation for the relaxing of lockdown restrictions by the Government and after consultation with the industry. Hopefully these will allow operatives to work in homes on non-essential installations using common sense measures to social distance wherever possible and use practical hygiene procedures to minimise risks of cross contamination,” commented Jacqui Crawford, CORGI Fenestration Chief Operating Officer, and the author of the documents. “They can also be used
The Code and Guide have taken current Government approved methodologies from other sectors and inserted them into real installer work practices, procedures and situations. The CORGI Fenestration Covid-19 Operating Code covers everything from the quotation and sales process (no face-toface interaction) to safe surveying and installation, to job sign off. The Consumer Guide tells the homeowner what they can expect from an installer following the Code and what their responsibilities are too (ranging from advising the installation company if they or any of the household have Covid-19 symptoms to wiping down frames and work areas). “Information already provided about working practices has been limited to generic construction sector guidelines. We don’t think they go far enough and have therefore created our own very specific Code for installers entering inhabited domestic properties,” added Crawford. “As this crisis and resultant restrictions look as if they will be with us for some time our industry needs to face up to the new realities and operate accordingly.” For further information on CORGI Fenestration go to: www.corgifenestration.co.uk
TRADE NEWS
Apeer/Lumi/ Isolate Plans
Phased
Return Apeer MD, Asa McGillian
Following careful review of the ongoing Covid-19 situation New World Developments Ltd, which includes Apeer Doors, Lumi Windows and Isolate Fire Doors, announced its decision to reopen on Monday 4th May with a small skeleton staff. This is the first step in a comprehensive strategy devised to create a phased return that ensures the protection, safety and well-being of all of the company’s staff and customers, says the firm. This includes
and wellbeing of the company’s staff, says the company. However, new orders for each of its brands will be taken as usual and delivery will be advised by the company’s staff, subject to ongoing restrictions that may remain in place.
“We have spent the past few weeks developing plans in preparation for when the Government and its advisors advise on a safe return to work,” said Managing Director Asa McGillian. “As there are early indications that this may be happening in the coming weeks, we have begun to re-start our busithe provision of full PPE equipment ness. However, we will only conand hand sanitizer cleaning statinue in line with the Government’s tions, regular temperature checks, advice and if we are confident that deep cleaning of all work areas and our staff and customers’ welfare is strict social distancing regulations, secure. which will be carefully monitored and enforced by the company’s “None of us knows what the near management. or long-term future holds but we believe that we are now in a posiOrders in hand will be managed tion to respond appropriately and first with production increased positively to the advice received steadily during the next few weeks, and across the next few weeks and whilst all processes are monitored months, to our customers’ needs,” to ensure that new working pracadded Asa. tices maintain the effective safety www.apeer.co.uk
To Work
Emplas Resumes UK Deliveries Emplas has said that it has reinstated its UK delivery service with effect from 11th May, as part of its strategy for a safe and phased return to work post-COVID19 lockdown. This includes the introduction of a specially developed COVID-19 driver training and awareness programme and issue of dedicated PPE, to minimise and manage risk to its logistics team and customers, plus the launch of a new ‘safe digital signature’. Ryan Johnson, Managing Director, Emplas, said that having built capacity and established new process within its operations in the last few weeks, including within its IGU business, Padiham Glass, the fabricator was ready
delivery programme, as part of our phased and safe return to work. It’s key that we now move forward together to get the economy back on track – the sooner we start that journey, the sooner we get there.” to restart deliveries nationwide this week. “Our strategy has been about putting the right processes in place and giving our team the time to adjust to those new controls, so that we are confident in our ability to work safely – and to deliver to our customers”, he said. “We now have that confidence and are ready to restart our UK
The trade specialist has been amongst a vanguard of window industry companies to restart its operations following temporary closure in response to COVID-19, at the end of March. This included the restart of limited production on April 20th, driven by demand from the commercial sector here in the UK and its Australian retail business, Ecostar, which has remained open throughout the global pandemic. www.emplas.co.uk WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 15
TRADE NEWS
Customade Group
Begins Phased Return To Work Customade Group has announced a phased re-opening of the business following the temporary closure of sites in response to Covid-19.
The group opened most of its sites on 4 May for order intakes and will phase in manufacturing over the next few weeks. It is the first step in a stringent strategy, which has been developed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all the group’s staff and customers during the pandemic. The initial re-opening will operate with a selected workforce to support customers’ immediate requirements and the group will steadily increase capacity in line with order volume. The business will begin manufacturing existing orders for Duraflex, 16 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
REAL Aluminium, Virtuoso Doors, and Atlas Roofs from 11 May and will commence manufacturing new orders from 18 May. It will manufacture existing orders for Rehau products from 18 May and new orders from 25 May. Existing orders for Eurocell, Halo and Veka products will be manufactured from 25 May and new orders will be manufactured from 1 June.
The group has implemented strict safety and social distancing measures throughout all sites to ensure the health and welfare of employees and customers. All employees who can work effectively from home will continue to do so. David Leng, Customade Group’s chief executive officer, said: “We’ve spent the last few weeks developing robust plans to re-start the business in line with government
guidelines. The health and wellbeing of our employees, customers and suppliers is our priority and we have implemented a series of strict safety protocols throughout the business to enable a safe and phased return to work. Existing orders will be managed first with production increasing steadily over the coming weeks to satisfy demand. “There is no doubt that this pandemic has affected lives and businesses in a way we’ve never seen before and we will be doing everything we can to support our valued staff, customers and suppliers during this challenging time. I’d like to thank everyone at Customade for making our re-start possible and all of our customers and suppliers for their patience and understanding.” The group has also developed a fully managed business support package that enables customers to promote their business, generate and nurture leads and even price and measure windows remotely during the Covid-19 outbreak. For more information visit www.customade.co.uk
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James Kiernan (far right on back row) pictured with the rest of Mila’s finance team
Mila Offers A Financial Perspective On The Restart Mila’s core operations have been largely closed during the lockdown, with only a limited weekly delivery service which started on 20 April. However, during that time, a ‘heartbeat’ team has been busy making sure that the business is alive and well and ready to reopen in stages as soon as it is safe and sensible to do so. Alongside MD Richard Gyde, Mila has kept key people in place in its supply chain, technical, sales, marketing, product development, operations and finance departments. Their focus has been on ensuring that the company is prepared for life after the restrictions are eased and, most importantly, that it is in a position to help its customers as well. 18 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
Regular communication with customers and colleagues across the industry throughout the lockdown has meant that Mila has been able to respond to their most pressing concerns. That was evident when the company announced it would partially reopen with a skeleton team to meet demand from companies still working on public sector and other commercial contracts. Then, it issued guidance to companies who were looking at their own partial restarts on how to implement a new gold standard safe working protocol under the acronym ERIC. Now, Mila’s Finance Director James Kiernan is offering some guidance to customers on the other key issue which is causing
them the greatest concern – finances. He says: “The main thing for customers at this stage is to make sure that they have accessed all of the government support available – from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to business interruption loans and business rate relief grants. These can preserve much needed working capital to help them get through the lockdown and eventually ease their way back into production. Anyone who is struggling with that can contact the finance team at Mila and we can signpost them to the most useful sources of funding. “Companies that have already furloughed their staff under the government’s scheme have been able to cut costs and retain capacity and skills of course, but the challenge for them now is how and when to bring those people back into the business and balance safety, resources and demand.
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“With furloughing only possible in three week blocks, businesses have to be able to accurately predict demand, which will mean talking to customers well in advance to understand the scale of that. They also need to consider un-furloughing non-production staff in areas such as sales, marketing and finance who can make an immediate impact on the bottom line.
CMS Helps Distribute Hand Sanitiser To Local Care Providers
“In fact, the most important thing that all businesses can do is open a dialogue with staff, customers and suppliers at an early stage in exactly the way that Mila has done. Businesses need to understand what the demand will be, but also whether they will be able to get the components they need to be able to meet that. “And of course, they need to talk to both customers and suppliers about payment terms. The industry will only be able to get back on its feet if cash keeps flowing and, agreeing in advance when you will get paid and when you will make payment will be crucial. “There are currently only small pockets of the industry operating and Mila only has a skeleton team in our warehouse. However, with the latest lockdown restrictions set to be reviewed shortly and the government’s Job Retention Scheme only running until the end of June, planning and decisions have to be made now about how the wider industry will eventually get back to work. “The emphasis of course will be on reducing costs, maximising margins and building up reserves, and Mila will be standing alongside our customers to help them to achieve that.” Mila’s Customer Accounts team is headed up by Lorraine Spokes. The team are currently working remotely but customers can talk to them directly on: 07801 456677. More at: www.mila.co.uk
Staff from CMS Window Systems have helped in the effort to ensure carers and key workers can provide their services in a safe environment during the coronavirus crisis by organising the delivery of hand sanitiser, produced by a wellknown spirits manufacturer, to organisations in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire. Working with the global drinks brand, who are manufacturing the anti-bacterial gel and supplying it via their distribution centre in Glasgow, CMS used one of its electric vans to deliver the in-demand products to their final destinations in emissions-free fashion.
children and families living or working in their local area. It will need hand sanitiser to be able to reopen its much-needed and popular facilities. Two other organisations to benefit – Northgate House care home in Balornock and Skye View Care Centre in Airdrie – provide healthcare and personal support to those living with dementia. And the final drop off was at St. Andrews Hospice, which is a registered charity providing specialist palliative care to people living with life-limiting illnesses across Lanarkshire.
CMS Operations Director Andrew Doris said: “We’re deCMS operations director Anlighted to be able to help disdrew Doris made the deliveries tribute this important product of hand sanitiser bottles and to those social and healthcare drums to four organisations, organisations, in our communiall of which play a vital role in ty, that need it most. It is also supporting local communities. fantastic to see businesses who usually produce spirits First up in Glasgow was adapting to help in this crisis Royston Youth Action. This by using their manufacturing organisation provides facilities facilities and expertise to make for recreation, education or products that will keep us leisure time for young people, safe.” WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 19
Window News TV has been designed to showcase supplier’s videos in an engaging way, with maximum coverage of the UK glass and glazing industry at a cost effective price. Window News TV has its own homepage with the videos categorised under three main headings: Instructional, Products and Corporate. There is a prominent link from the main Window News homepage to Window News TV and our twice-weekly Newscasts also highlight the latest videos contained within this important area of the website. All videos are tweeted out to Window News’ industry leading twitter following once going live on the website
Should you choose, you can also include your video within a half or full page advertising space within the monthly online Window News magazine, which will contain a live link direct to the video. Having invested the time and money into producing a polished video, let Window News take it to the audience it deserves! For more information please contact us in one of the following ways: Call Gerald Batt on 01255 850245, email gerald@ windownews.co.uk or complete the enquiry form on the Window News TV homepage www.windownewstv.co.uk
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Five Ways To Stay Relevant During
The Corona-Era manufacturer, it’s a great opportunity to remain relevant.
If you’ve got an in-practice CPD programme, now’s the time to re-work it for remote delivery. If you haven’t, now’s the time to develop one.
By Lee Jones, Head of Manufacturer Solutions, NBS The corona crisis has caused many firms to shut down production and furlough staff. Many architects and engineers are on leave too. Yet construction sites are opening up again and the shutdown won’t last forever. There’s are practical ways to ensure you can maintain market share, even in these uncertain times. Support specifiers. If many of the designers you know have been furloughed, you may think what’s the point? 22 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
Most specifiers are members of professional bodies such as RIBA and their membership won’t lapse just because they’re not at work. They’re required to continue to keep their skills up-to-date through continuing professional development (CPD). That said there are many professionals still working, yet with a bit more time to focus on themselves. We’ve seen webinar attendance soar as people focus on learning and sharpening their skills. Specifiers are still hungry to hear about the latest innovations, see inspirational projects and understand the technical detail. As a
Not only will presenting remotely be a healthier option, but there are also a lot of benefits to having an e-CPD programme that will remain when the world opens up again. They include being able to reach architects across the UK and beyond, greater efficiencies as travel time is removed and practices can schedule sessions to suit them. You can keep pre-recorded content fresh by bringing in live Q&A sessions. For specific guidance, there’s this webinar from Joni Tyler, Head of CPD at RIBA. Beyond CPD make sure you and your team are in contact with specifiers you know personally to find out how they’re finding things. It’s a worrying time so a human touch is welcomed, especially one that’s without an overt sales message. If you normally share project inspiration on social, keep on doing this, making sure you’re tagging the relevant designers.
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Again, people are spending more time online so keep front-ofmind. Digital-first. Its spring and now’s the time for a digital clean. As customer orders may have slowed, use the downtime to audit your specifier-facing assets. Are they up-to-date and consistent? Last year NBS did a joint study with the Construction Product Association (CPA). This confirmed that, like everyone else, specifiers start their product research by looking online. If you google your products what happens? Can this be improved? Specifiers also want to get information in digital formats, including as BIM objects. If you don’t have your complete range in this format, now is the time to get any gaps plugged. Get ready for new regulation This will impact on construction product manufacturers, and now is the time to prepare for it. The government published the outline reform for the building regulations on 02nd April and you can read a summary from NBS here. This will have a direct impact on window manufacturers, especially around product information. The requirements will be for standardised formats, with detailed performance data as well as providing third-party accredited performance data. This is so that it is easier for specifiers to make an informed choice and compare similar products with ease. Tools such as NBS Source, are available to support manufacturers in getting their product information in shape. Supply-chain disruption If your supply chain has been impacted by the corona shut
down, your organisation has probably been focused on the operational challenges. Once these have been sorted, it’s time to think about your product information. How have your products changed? Will any component swap impact on performance? Do you need to get testing re-done so it’s accurate? Remember there is new regulation coming and it will have real teeth. Pricing and promotional strategy – With the possibility that we are heading into a recession and the uncertainty of knowinghow long or how deep that may be. In times of uncertainty it’s easy to cut marketing spend and resort to bargain-basement pricing. Yet, this may not be the best approach. Mark Ritson, the marketing professor, stated in his recent speech on marketing in the COVID-19 era that looking back over recessions in the past century, brands that maintained or increased their advertising spend, increased their market share. If you’ve invested in creating a quality brand, then don’t rush to deep discounting. Think about other ways that you can demonstrate value or run promotions. Remember in the last recession where people would only eat at Pizza Express with a voucher. The promotional price became normalised. Yet, there are always opportunities. How can you pivot? This may mean innovation around your product. Perhaps you make doors for high-end residential properties. What adjustments would you need to do to create suitable options for hospitals or social housing? While it’s an unsettling time there are ways that you can keep ahead of the game. www.thenbs.com
Epwin Window Systems
Begins Phased
Reopening
Clare O’Hara, Managing Director, Epwin Window Systems
Epwin Window Systems has announced a phased and controlled reopening of their Telford operation from Monday 4th May, 2020. The phased reopening will commence with a small team of Customer Service personnel who will be available to discuss customers’ order requirements from 4th May. During that week, the production plant will fire up with a view to reopening the manufacturing facilities from Monday 11th May, 2020. All safety protocols have been meticulously implemented throughout the business to avoid the spread of Covid-19. Clare O’Hara, Managing Director of Epwin Window Systems, said: “The safety and welfare of our employees, customers and suppliers remains paramount and we have conducted extensive risk assessments throughout the business to allow this safe and phased return to work.” The initial reopening will operate with a limited workforce in place to support the immediate needs of the business. This will be closely monitored on a week-by-week basis and scaled up as and when business levels dictate. www.epwinwindowsystems.co.uk WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 23
TRADE NEWS
Government Should Stop Grandstanding Over Brexit Extending the Brexit transition period would provide much needed reassurance to the economy, say leading tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg.
David Hough, a business advisory partner at the firm said: “It is disappointing that the Government are refusing to countenance extending the deadline for a trade deal beyond the current deadline of 31 December. He added: Both the UK and the EU have more pressing concerns at this time and extending the Transition period, ideally for at least a year, would provide some much-needed reassurance to the economy, and just as importantly allow Government to focus on matters currently at hand. 24 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
“The Government may well ultimately secure a good trade deal but now is not the time for grandstanding. Business needs reassurance now as it contemplates how to come out of the lock down.”
Hough said: “For the last few weeks business owners have been working out how to address the immediate challenges they were facing of generating short term cash flow and finding the best way to look after as many employees as they can. He added: The risk of a second peak later in the year should not be discounted and the ability, and means, to negotiate a trade deal would be significantly impacted by this if the UK has allowed 1 July 2020,
the date an extension has to be legislated, to pass. Allowing for the time required for approvals by the UK and EU States that means that an extension needs to be agreed in principle by probably no later than the end of May.” Hough said: “The reassurance that an extension would bring is important because certainty improves the quality of forecasting which makes lenders and investors more willing to part with their money, giving businesses the platform to trade with confidence rather than simply trading to survive. This will be crucial in re-igniting the economy and to reduce the reliance on Government grants.” www.blickrothenberg.com
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Freefoam Announce 30 Year Anniversary
Tony Walsh & Aidan Harte
2020 is a significant year for Freefoam Building Products, with the company marking 30 years of trading. In 1990 founding Managing Director Tony Walsh set up an extrusion plant in Cork, Ireland, with one co-extrusion line. With a vision to provide the growing home improvement market with high quality, long lasting, low maintenance PVC fascia and soffit, to replace traditional timber products, the business grew into a leading manufacturer in Ireland. Since those humble beginnings Freefoam has become a broad pan-European business, with manufacturing operations in Ireland and the UK together with distribution in continental Europe. Tony Walsh, now Chairman, remarked: “This is an incredible milestone for any company. Freefoam has achieved this 26 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
success through a combination of factors. First and foremost the hard work, passion, and exemplary commitment by our team members whose cooperative spirit throughout the company is at the heart of our business. The development and continued improvements to our product range and our innovation to create best in class building products that are guaranteed to provide value and longevity to homeowners has also proved to be a winning formula. We have dedicated ourselves to 30 years of product innovation, manufacturing and business process improvements and efficiencies to provide our customers with the highest quality building product solutions and services. Throughout 2020, we will be looking back at where we started, what we have achieved, and what our plans are for the future”
Today Freefoam Building Products employs over 300 team members across three locations. Manufacturing facilities consist of 30 extrusion lines in Ireland and the UK, producing PVC-U and PVC-UE fascia, soffit, gutter and cladding. Aidan Harte, Managing Director, explained “Our strategy of continued investment into plant and facilities has created robust and sustainable processing and manufacturing operations that are equipped to produce volume and quality on a consistent basis. We are looking forward to the future, with further expansion planned for our site in Northampton this year, ongoing investment in training and development for our team members and growth strategies in place for our European markets” www.freefoam.com
TRADE NEWS “In addition, transportation of products was also increased as there were multiple stillages of glass and frames that were sent to the production line. Instead, Euramax has provided Ilke Homes with the glass and window frames in one stillage, ensuring they have everything they need for each module.
Euramax Makes
Steps Into Modular Market UK manufacturer of PVCu windows, doors and composite doors, Euramax, has announced that it is supplying modular home manufacturer Ilke Homes with windows and doors for 2,000 modular homes. This collaboration marks a significant step for Euramax, as the business continues to progress in an increasingly valuable construction market.
The housing crisis, skills shortage and lack of affordable homes are issues that continue to plague the UK’s housing market. Modular construction, which involves constructing elements of a building offsite in a factory-controlled setting, before transporting them to site for assembly, offers a quicker and often less expensive solution to construction. The builds can be constructed 30-50 per cent quicker than traditional constructions, with quality-controlled assembly sites and less material waste helping to provide more sus-
tainable results.
Based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Euramax has collaborated with modular expert Ilke Homes to supply windows and doors for 2,000 of its homes. Ilke Homes, also based in Yorkshire, manufactures and supplies customisable modular homes, with a completion time of seven days, as well as offering turnkey development contracts and strategic partnerships with housing associations, private developers and local authorities. “Euramax is delighted to work with Ilke Homes and partake in the development of its homes”, said Richard Banks, commercial director at Euramax. “Previously, Ilke Homes had been receiving separate deliveries for glass and window frames, which would then be sorted into specific module requirements. This meant that there was double the handling of products, increasing the risk of damage”, explained Banks.
Speed is not the only key advantage of modular construction. With skilled workers producing modules at dedicated assembly sites, the construction method reduces the amount of noise and dust onsite to create a more environmentally friendly building process. “Not only did Euramax provide Ilke Homes with quality products, but it also provided us with a solution that streamlines our processes”, said Racheal Kaye, procurement manager at Ilke Homes. “Receiving the glass and frames for each module in specific stillages means that we can save time and costs as handling, transport and damage is reduced. This not only optimises our own process, but greatly reduces our impact on the environment, helping us to maintain modular’s greener construction status. Euramax even provided module identification numbers to help us to identify the correct stillage for the required module, making the process even simpler”, added Kaye. “We understand how important modular construction has become to help deliver the thousands more houses needed to alleviate the UK housing crisis — and we’re dedicated to supporting this in any way we can”, continued Banks. For more information on Euramax, its products and the sectors its supplies, go to www.euramaxuk.com WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 27
DEAR GERALD
Dear
Gerald Dear Gerald
After 35 hectic, busy and extremely successful years in the Window Industry, I felt that it was time to retire. After 9 great years in the building trade, I started in the window industry when I joined Everest in 1985 and then moved on to Solaglas CDW, Edinburgh, in 1986 and after two enjoyable years I joined pvcu systems company, The VEKA group, where I stayed for just short of 28 years. I joined VEKA in 1988, which was only two years after they set up in the UK. Initially joining in a sales position for Scotland and Ireland, I went on to become Product and Customer service manager and then became sales and Marketing Director in 2005 until I left the company in 2016. I really loved my time with VEKA, but never moved the family from Scotland so it meant a lot of travelling and staying away from home. It was a fantastic experience working with VEKA and extremely enjoyable as I had the best support team anybody could ever have asked for. The highlight for me was being part of the team that turned VEKA into the no 1 systems company in the UK. If so enjoyable, why leave? I missed a lot of my 3 kids growing up and when my grandson was born in Sept 2015, I felt it was time for a change and reluctantly, but through choice, It was time to move on, closer to home. On leaving VEKA I took on the Interim role as Managing Director with Andrew Wright Windows in Irvine and would loved to have stayed on longer, but it could only ever be short term with a round trip of 180 miles each day. I then went on partner Alex Gray for over 2 years to bring together 4 manufacturing companies and turn them into the extremely successful Saveheat Group. In March 2019 I joined the largest window manufacturer in Scotland, CMS Windows in Castlecary, as Market Development Director. A fantastic company with a great future, but being based in Cumbernauld and East 28 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
Kilbride and me being based in East Lothian, the 3 to 4 hours travelling each day became a huge burden. I have loved my time in the Industry and would like to take the opportunity to wish all the people I have worked with all the best. Colin Torley
Dear Gerald
Having recently informed customers and suppliers, I’m writing to you to update you on DOORCO’s return to work strategy. My hope is that you will share this with the wider market in the spirit of industry-wide collaboration. Providing a safe working environment for the DOORCO team is our main focus at this time and we’ve been implementing changes that will be in place for the foreseeable future. From this Monday (4th May), DOORCO opened for business, running with a skeleton team that provides cover across all areas of the business while actioning the necessary “Safe Working Practices” which enables us to function in a way that is safe for our team and our customers and suppliers. We have taken information from Government guidance, industry practices and shared advice between customers and suppliers which has been a great assistance in shaping DOORCO’s new working practices. Some of the new Safe Working Practices include social distancing measures from entrance and throughout the premises, reduced head count in the office, daily temperature checks for all staff, daily health check questionnaire, increased levels of PPE issued including gloves/visors, and hourly work station clean down, to mention just a few. We are distributing door blanks and prepped doors along with the supply of the accessories, glazing cassettes and glass. As the demand increases, we will increase the team numbers in line with customer requirements. DOORCO has continued to receive container deliveries during the lockdown period, so needless to say DOORCO’s stock position is extremely strong across door blanks, cassettes and glass. We will be continually reviewing our working practices as we move forward. We will be taking into consideration any updated guidance given by the government and keeping open lines of communication with our customers and suppliers as everyone adapts to the New Normal. Stay safe and let’s hope a return to normal business volumes for us all can be achieved soonest. Regards Dan Sullivan, MD DOORCO
Co So min on g one cassette, six door styles
0345 2000 816 distinctiondoors.co.uk
VIEWPOINT
Window And Facade Acoustics by Wojciech Brozyna – MD of Aluprof UK
Most of us will be working from home at this time and communicating through meeting apps in order to progress what business we can. It is at these times we notice the sensitivities of the microphones on our devises and hear the sounds that we filter out during our normal home life. When specifiers design facades for new or refurbished properties in our towns and cities, there are a number of factors to put into the design mix and acoustics are becoming crucial both in workplace and residential properties. Different types of noise can raise stress levels in the body, releasing a number of different stress hormones and, as the amount of stress hormones in the body increases, the heart rate, blood 30 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
pressure and blood sugar levels increase. Excessive levels of these stress hormones in the body are harmful, and should the noise be sustained, or repeated day after day, this exposure will be seriously affecting health and wellbeing of building occupants. Cities are becoming noisier with increasing traffic and in many building locations close to railway lines, noisy pubs, clubs, noisy neighbours and/or flight paths. There are street designs which include special street furniture and planting to help reduce airborne noise but eventually, the noise will try to penetrate the building structure through the building facade. Windows or areas of glazing are the most susceptible parts of the facade as they are generally the ‘lightest’ of materials used. Sound attenuation is best achieved by
Premier Inn, Gatwick Airport
utilising unbroken ‘mass’ of material, such as a brick wall. The greater the mass, the greater the sound attenuation. Depending on the time of day, noise levels of road traffic can vary between 45-70+ decibels and this is just over the sound level that is seen to be ‘healthy’. Old, draughty single glazed windows with poor or non-existent weather seals are the poorest performing windows when it comes to sound attenuation. Even the smallest of gaps which allows a flow of air through the window will allow noise to penetrate the facade. So, the more airtight the window, the greater the sound reduction. Typically a well sealed single glazed window will offer a -30dB reduction in sound transmission, or what is known as ‘attenuation’. In busy built up areas single glazing is now
VIEWPOINT seen as inadequate. For every 10dB reduction in the noise level achieved, the human ear perceives this as halving the volume. Glazing plays the biggest part in sound attenuation, double glazing helps, especially if the glass used is of differing thickness. Most materials at a given thickness will ‘resonate’ at certain frequencies and allow some of those frequencies through, using a different thickness ensures what passes through one will not pass through the other. A well designed triple glazed unit with differing air spaces and glass thickness, will perform even better. Acoustic laminates used in laminated glass are specially designed to minimise sound transmission and a well designed unit can achieve up to -45dB sound attenuation.
frequency, in a given window specification, sound is well attenuated whilst at another frequency, sound attenuation will be less. Knowing what frequencies to specify too is crucial in getting the installation best specified for the client. Whilst ensuring airtight window systems to increase sound attenuation, these can be provided with ‘glazed-in’ or ‘in-frame’ acoustic ventilators which consist of baffles and acoustic absorbing materials to allow ventilation but with attenuated noise transmission. Acoustic ventilators may not offer the level of attenuation required and this is where an alternative mechanical
The use of triple seals further improve sound reduction and high thermal performance systems with wide high performance centre seals with further attenuate sound around a high performance glazed unit.
tic absorbing material will offer very high levels of sound attenuation. Flanking sound transmission is quite a talking point at the moment in the industry. On almost every acoustic assessment when there is a continuous curtain wall, sound can travel through the facade to other floors, the reason for this is that the box will allow sound to travel unless it is broken per floor. Provisions can be incorporated such as an acoustic insert, multiple transoms can also be used to allow the sound to dissipate. Careful design is required to allow movement of the curtain wall system whilst ensuring that sound does not travel between compartments or floors of the building. Curtain wall also has the ability to transmit impact sound across compartments as well as airborne sound and selecting suitable methods of construction will improve attenuation. Whilst there is no one fix for all conditions, our design team in London and at our head office here in Altrincham can offer advice on how to tackle sound attenuation in both new and existing buildings. With one of the widest ranges of aluminium systems available in the UK we can offer you a bespoke design to meet both thermal and sound attenuation requirements.
Regarding specification, Building Regulations, Part E, ‘Resistance to the passage of sound’ should be consulted as well as a number of standards that are currently in place. Depending on the building there are also specific and differing requirements laid down for the likes schools, hospitals and offices, to name a few. Some company chains, such as Premier Inn, have their own acoustic requirements. When specifying BREEAM rated projects, there are points than can also be awarded for compliance in certain circumstances.
ventilation provision should be considered. Depending of the configuration and specification of the design of windows or curtain wall required, our Aluprof design team can assist in the best options to be specified.
Sound attenuation is also a little more complex in application and specifiers need to be aware that a change in window size can have an impact on ‘expected’ attenuation levels. Furthermore, attenuation is not linear, transmission of frequencies may mean that at one level of
Where prime windows need to remain in place, for example in listed facades, then the option to install a secondary window system will offer a good solution. Using spacings of 100mm to 150mm between these windows including the inside reveal lined with acous-
Premier Inn, Gatwick Airport
Since setting up the Aluprof Project Office at the Business Design Centre in London, the company has rapidly grown their specification influence in the UK with their high performance architectural aluminium systems. Further expansion of the companies headquarters in Altrincham now provides specifiers with meeting facilities and an extensive showroom of commercial systems to view. With overseas growth across Europe spreading into the Middle East and firm roots already in the East of the USA, the company is becoming a global player in facade supply. Further information is available on the companies website at www.aluprof.co.uk WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 31
PEOPLE transform the UK business into a truly world class operation. “AluK’s ethos is built around encouraging and promoting entrepreneurship. Each country’s MD is appointed to run the business as if it were their own, with the full support of myself and the other shareholders. It was clear when I appointed Russell as MD in 2012 that, despite his young age, he had the necessary capability, determination and more importantly the passion for the business. His results and track record since then demonstrate both his expertise and his flair.”
AluK Announces
Departure Of Russell Yates After 17 years with AluK and 8 years as Managing Director, Russell Yates has announced his decision to step down, in order to pursue his long-term ambition of business ownership.
Since becoming Managing Director in 2012, Russell has helped to grow the business six-fold and has spearheaded an investment programme, which has seen AluK create a market-leading 350,000 sq ft production facility in Chepstow and establish a brand which is trusted and respected throughout the industry. Russell commented: “I have enjoyed every moment of my time with AluK and feel incredibly privileged to have worked with such a supportive and talented team. The 32 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
company means a huge amount to me personally. I joined my father’s small family business and discovered my passion for the business and love of this industry. As we all know, this industry has a way of getting hold of you and making you feel part of the fenestration family. It goes without saying then that I am sad to leave, but I know I am leaving the business in a very strong position and a major brand leader. Even given the current situation, I am sure it will continue to realise its potential with such an outstanding team in place.” AluK’s Group CEO, Hélène Roux said: “Russell’s contribution at AluK has been immense and I would like to place on record our thanks to him for all that he has done, especially in the last few years, to
Russell’s replacement at AluK will be Justin Hunter, who has extensive experience in the fenestration industry, including as Managing Director of another aluminium systems house. In the short term, Russell and Justin will be working alongside one another to make sure that AluK emerges from the current lockdown in the best possible shape. Russell will be remaining in the industry however and is joining Blackburn-based aluminium fabricator AluFoldDirect as a key shareholder and Managing Director. Hélène added: “We are understandably sorry to see Russell leave, but we recognise his desire to fulfil his personal career ambitions of business ownership. We all wish him every success in his new challenge and, as AluFoldDirect’s key supplier, I know that AluK will very much be a part of that.” Russell said: “I believe Justin’s appointment is a strong one. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience within the aluminium and fenestration industry, in both trade and commercial markets. He has a strong leadership team in place at AluK who I know will be supporting him to take AluK forward into the next phase of its growth plans and I certainly look forward to working with him in the future.” www.aluk.co.uk
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CMY
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WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 33
PEOPLE
SMART Balustrades Expands Team With Production Manager
great benefits to our clients; as we can be more competitive on price and can control quality and lead times. “Tom has the ideal expertise for this position having previously worked within manufacturing for our sister company Unitech Engineering for nine years, before working for another balustrade company. He came highly recommended and many have spoken of the quality of his workmanship. On his new role as production manager, Lichfield-based Tom, said: “SMART Balustrades is operating in a large and competitive market and has proven to be a highly professional company with great potential for further expansion, so I’m delighted to have joined the team.
Tom Dopierala
Staffordshire-based SMART Balustrades has recruited a new production manager to drive and coordinate growth of the manufacturing side of the business. Tom Dopierala has joined the company, which is part of the Unitech Group, with a wealth of experience in manufacturing and a background as an experienced welder and fabricator. SMART Balustrades provides a range of bespoke glass and stainless-steel balustrades and glass Juliet balconies, which are manufactured at its Burntwood production facility. The firm has extensive experience in the fit-out sector and works heavily in the hotel and leisure 34 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
markets. Due to a continued demand for its specialist products and having previously outsourced a lot of the manufacturing processes, SMART Balustrades now does much of this in-house, and as production manager, Tom will be responsible for leading the manufacturing processes onsite. David Hough, managing director of SMART Balustrades, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Tom to the SMART Balustrades team. His newly created role as production manager will allow us to bring more manufacturing processes in-house. Being able to take on more of these processes has
“With over 16 years of experience in engineering, fabrication, welding and machining, the role is ideal for me. My main responsibility is to organise the manufacturing process, whilst ensuring the company provides its customers with the best service, precision and high-quality standards, always on time. I’m relishing this new challenge and the opportunity to make a difference.” With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the construction industry and some developments currently on pause, much of the SMART Balustrades team are working remotely, with manufacturing staff safely distanced according to government guidelines in the factory. SMART Balustrades was set up by brothers David and Jonathan Hough and its current commercial portfolio includes luxury hotels, universities, retail and leisure facilities. www.smartbalustrades.co.uk
PEOPLE
AluK Looks Ahead With Two New Starters Already looking ahead to a time when the lockdown restrictions are eased, AluK has appointed two new representatives to join its trade sales team. Harriet Adams is looking after customers in London and the South East corner and Scott Yates is supporting customers in the East of England from Northamptonshire to East Anglia. Both have valuable experience in the industry. Before taking time out to work for the police service, Scott had worked for an aluminium fabricator in production and sales estimating, while Harriet has joined AluK direct from hardware supplier
VBH.
They were welcomed on board by AluK’s National Sales Manager Neil Smith. He said: “Harriet and Scott are the first new recruits to have a virtual induction and to meet the rest of the team via video call. However, they have coped brilliantly with that and are already showing exactly the kind of drive and energy which will help us and our customers once we see more of the industry returning to work. “AluK has put together a special free package of sales and marketing support to help our customers through the lockdown and return to work.
Harriet and Scott will be encouraging customers to make the most of that; and are both planning on seeing customers remotely to begin with and then getting out to meet them from a socially distant 2m as soon as they can.” Harriet said: “I’ve had plenty of experience supplying hardware to companies fabricating AluK bi-folds in particular so I’m really excited about getting involved with those products, as well as the other doors and windows in the range. Scott added: “This feels like the perfect role for me because I’ve fabricated and estimated in AluK products before, so I know exactly how good they are.” Harriet and Scott can be contacted via: info.uk@aluk.com or on: 01291 639739. WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 35
CONSTRUCTION
Going Back To
School The consequences of the recent COVID-19 outbreak have been far-reaching for the construction industry, with many companies and sites being forced to close. As we look ahead to what the future may hold, Senior Architectural Systems’ sales director James Keeling-Heane draws on the manufacturer’s expertise in delivering education contracts to help fabricators prepare themselves to be able to make the 36 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
most of the emerging opportunities in this key market.
There’s no denying the fact that the world, and the construction industry, has changed as a result of the disruption and devastation caused by the coronavirus. For the fenestration sector, this means that work that was all but guaranteed may now be in serious question and many fabricators may find themselves having
to compete for contracts that are outside of their usual area of experience. One market where construction has been able to continue, albeit under heavy restrictions, is education. Although work to build and refurbish schools, colleges and universities has understandably slowed down considerably, contracts are still there for the taking and fabricators need to
Energy Window Company Logo Ltd PVC-U Casement Window A Rated Windows
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A ++
Energy Door
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Company Logo Ltd
B
PVC-U Casement Window A Rated Windows
C D
A ++
E
A +
Energy Index (kWh/m²/year)
20
(BFRC Energy Index certificate for standard UK and Ireland windows and doors). Actual energy consumption for specific application depends on; building type, local climate and indoor temperature.
For climate zones in
UK & Ireland
Thermal Transmittance (U window) Solar Factor (g window) Effective Air Leakage (L factor)
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Licence No. 123456
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This label is not a statutory requirement. It is a voluntary label provided as a customer service to allow consumers to make informed decisions on the energy performance of competing products. © Only to be reproduced by permission of British Fenestration Rating Council Ltd
To verify this licence please visit bfrc.org This label is not a statutory requirement. It is a voluntary label provided as a customer service to allow consumers to make informed decisions on the energy performance of competing products. © Only to be reproduced by permission of British Fenestration Rating Council Ltd
CONSTRUCTION
be ready to able to hit the ground brushing up on their knowledge running to secure these opportu- of some of key requirements of nities. this complex sector, fabricators and installers can further imTeaming up with a supply chain prove their chances of winning partner like Senior that has prov- work. en track record of successfully delivering education contracts A study in fenestration solutions is a good place to start but by 38 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
When it comes to specifying windows, doors and curtain wall systems for education facilities, the learning curve can be steep. Architects and contractors working in this sector face the challenge of creating educational facilities that move away from a traditional reliance on mechanical heating, ventilation and cooling systems to reduce carbon emissions and lower energy bill costs. As a key aspect of the external envelope, fenestration systems, and windows in particular, have a huge impact on determining the overall energy efficiency of a building as well as helping to influence the internal environment. With multiple boxes to tick, finding a system that can provide the required U-values, acoustic performance, aesthetics, safety, security, durability and cost can be a challenge and this has greatly influenced the way that window systems are both manufactured and specified.
CONSTRUCTION to provide adequate daylight penetration to reduce lighting costs but also need to be easily operated and controlled by occupants, either via automatic or manual controls, to avoid excessive solar gain.
Natural learning environments To help reduce the use of central heating systems and air conditioning within schools, specifiers must look at alternative solutions to control the internal temperature of a room and create a pleasant environment for both the students and teachers to work. Thermal mass, which refers to a building’s ability to absorb and store heat, is now a key part of school building design and is most effective when combined with appropriate ventilation and shading. Windows are an obvious way to maximise the flow of natural light and fresh air and as summer overheating is a common problem within schools, night time ventilation and the use of trickle vents can help remove any excess heat and carbon dioxide. Cutting the carbon The need to reduce the carbon footprint of a building is a challenge that has long faced specifiers working in the education sector. Cost constraints inevitably mean that this reduction needs to be made, at least in part, before renewable energy solutions are considered. As a result, specifiers are increasingly looking at ways that more traditional products can
provide better results. The development of aluminium window systems such as Senior’s own patented PURe® range, which offer low U-values but are competitively priced, are providing the ideal solution by enabling carbon savings to be made across the whole life cycle of the building. Robust enough to stand the test of time and the daily wear and tear of being in a busy school environment, aluminium windows offer cradle-to-cradle recyclability so can be removed, recycled and reused if and when the building is demolished. By cutting back on CO2 emissions through the specification of low U-value windows, the project team also has the flexibility of looking at making monetary savings in the overall build cost by reducing the need for other, often more expensive, sustainable features such as photovoltaic roof panels or under floor insulation. Design flexibility The unique requirements of a school environment also influence the size, shape and positioning of windows. For example, it is vital that all window openings are both safe and secure, particularly at low levels to prevent falls or trapped fingers. Windows must also be of a significant size
The development of thermally-efficient aluminium window systems has provided specifiers with the additional advantage of having greater flexibility in terms of the positioning of radiators. Traditionally radiators would be installed in the coldest part of the room which would usually be along an exterior wall where cold air would enter via the windows. The use of more thermally-efficient windows removes these limitations, allowing greater freedom when planning interior layouts. In the frame The characteristics of aluminium frame window systems also make them ideally suited for use in school environments. Robust and durable, aluminium frames are easy to maintain and are fully recyclable. High performance frames that provide exceptional thermal performance and require minimal maintenance can also be a cost-effective alternative to using energy efficient triple-glazing which, when used in a high-traffic environment such as school, has a higher risk of breaking and would be more expensive to replace. With the urgent and ongoing need to create more effective educational establishments and provide additional school places, designing and building schools that are built to last has never been more important. Fortunately, the new generation of aluminium windows systems provide a host of flexible solutions to meet the sector’s often inflexible design challenges. www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 39
PRODUCT NEWS projects. The test rig enables indicative testing on project specific opening vents, with the ability to tip the rig into any inclined position between vertical and +/- 20 degrees, and tailor the test to represent a particular building or project, no matter how obscure. Enquiries are already coming in from Europe, China and the Americas, as Yale invite its worldwide customer base to test the performance of their windows and hardware. Testing for almost all international certifications and standards, the rig ensures products are compliant to British Standard BS6375, America’s AAMA and China’s JG/T 433 certifications.
Yale Puts Its Capabilities To The Test With A New Large Scale Testing Rig Bigger and better than ever before, Yale’s all new commercial test rig opens the way for superior capabilities, smarter testing and greater opportunities. In an age of increasing fenestration scale, where glazing products are becoming bigger and developments and renovations are getting larger and more unique with architect flare, the industry must keep up with the ever changing demands of window and door hardware. Using its new super scale test40 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
ing rig, Yale is able to ensure customers of the durability, capability and compliance of its products. When used in endurance testing, Yale can now monitor the load with each and every cycle – allowing the team to measure the operating force of products during testing. With improved testing capabilities, comes better opportunities – and now with the ability to conduct mockup tests with an adjustable vent and frame mechanism for unique window designs, Yale is undertaking a higher volume of larger-scale
Grant Stratford, Technical Director at Yale, comments: “We are so pleased to be able to expand our testing facilities to meet the ever-growing needs of our customers. The capabilities of the new rig mean we can test all sorts of weird and wonderful window designs. For example, we are endurance testing a triangular mock-up vent at the moment, which is being carried out to the customer’s unique requirements. “Here at Yale, we aim to provide the best possible product and service for our customers. The capabilities of our new commercial test rig allow us to become more flexible and provide even better customer service than before, therefore giving customers peace of mind that products have been tried and tested with the upmost accuracy and credibility – specific to a certain project or application.” To find out more about Yale’s testing capabilities, please visit www.yaledws.co.uk
PRODUCT NEWS
A Sweet Weather Test – One Year, 28 Days On… In 2018, Brisant-Secure announced that one of their Sweet door handles had managed to survive in a salt spray chamber for 8,056 hours. Twelve months on, Brisant put a Sweet letterplate into the same accredited test chamber and waited. And waited. Even though the letterbox had not failed it was taken out of the salt spray chamber as it has been there for one year and 28 days. A standard requirement is for only 10 days and enhanced is twice that at 20 days. Nick Dutton, CEO of Brisant-Secure commented: ‘We kept the test quiet because there wasn’t anything to really talk about until we passed the previous benchmark. When
Nick Dutton, CEO of Brisant-Secure
we passed our previous of 8,000 hours, we felt we may as well see if it manages a whole year before announcing it. Even though it was still going strong at this point, we thought it timely to bring something
DOORCOLOUR_GlassTimes_Ad Feb2020 20/02/2020 15:31 Page 1
out of isolation! Underneath the salt it still looks amazing.’ Sweet achieves this unprecedented performance in two ways. Firstly, its shape is completely rounded and without edges and so water runs off it quickly. Secondly, there is the bathroom grade coating and the same six coat plating process is used on Sweet as you will find on bathroom products. These are designed from the outset to be submerged in water yet never pit or corrode. This improved performance is what drove Brisant to double the direct-to-homeowner corrosion guarantee to 20 years, on all of the colours including the latest Rose Gold offering. It’s also a guarantee that’s fully reflected on the product testing programme. For all enquiries on the Brisant-Secure product range visit www.brisant-secure.com
DOORCO can supply colour, whatever your customers want it to be, in lead times that won’t slow you down.
T 01625 428 955
E info@door-co.com W www.door-co.com
WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 41
PRODUCT NEWS
Add Value To The Sale In A Blink! Suitable for windows and doors, Blink Blinds are the modern alternative to traditional corded or cordless door and window blinds and consist of an insulated glass panel with blinds between the glass.
ODL Europe began a phased and controlled reopening of their business on 4th May, 2020 and whilst still in the early stages of business recovery, the Bootle-based business has already noticed that adding value to the sale is something that is becoming even more essential to fabricators and installers. Andy Meakin, Business Development Manager of ODL Europe, explains: “Throughout the lockdown we have continued to develop a pipeline of strong enquiries from our online portal for Blink Integral Blinds along with a steady flow of immediate orders upon our return. At consumer level, Blink Blinds answer consumers’ need for convenience, contemporary style, safety and low maintenance. And for fabricators and installers, they offer a real opportunity to increase your product offer, add value and increase revenue which is very important at this time.”
As a company who continues to invest in all areas, the business recently undertook a series of product updates that have been well received by their growing Blink Integral Blind customer base. Updates included improved aesthetics of the blinds with double valances to hide unwanted joints, an improved raise, lower and tilt operation with the operator switch to control the facilities being redesigned to make it more ergonomic and the aluminium guiderail is now on the internal side of the operating channel, a move that makes inserting the wedge gasket and beading easier. Blink Integral Blinds are available in a selection of colours, each with matching surround and slats. And ordering is straightforward by using the online Blink Blind design and ordering portal. Andy concludes: “In today’s changed business landscape, fabricators and installers will need to look at additional upsell opportunities to extend their portfolio, increase customers satisfaction levels and grow their margins. And with over five million units sold worldwide Blink Blinds are the perfect products to help fabricators and installers achieve just that.” www.aperturesolutions.co.uk
More Influential Colours Of Corse As one of the most influential PVCu systems company in the UK, The Residence Collection continue to innovate when it comes to foiled finishes, being on trend and the increased adoption of the Corse Lawn finish further supports this claim. Corse Lawn is available for R9 with a Grained White internal finish, that’s also carried through with a foiled rebate, while R7 is presented with a Chalk White internal finish and through the rebate. Corse 42 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
Lawn was inspired by a Gloucestershire village of the same name and with undertones of green, brown and grey, it offers true, classic heritage appeal. True to form, the colours and finishes of R9 have all been carefully assessed so that they fully reflect heritage and 19th Century appeal, while R7 as its younger sibling is a boutique window for the middle market. Not only have the dimensions of each of these windows been carefully designed,
but colour, hardware and the use of dedicated ancillaries make each a standout choice. In a market where consumers no longer want the ‘me too’ approach, The Residence Collection are satisfying thousands of homeowners every month with carefully crafted windows and doors. www.residencecollection.co.uk
PRODUCT NEWS He added: “ISO Chemie is strongly committed to providing customers with high quality innovative products, so BBA certification is another significant achievement for us.” ISO BLOCO ONE offers a single product ‘fit and forget’ solution for fast and effective sealing based around the European RAL principles of three level sealing – the inside seal area is more airtight than the external one, allowing any trapped moisture inside the joint, or within the wall, to escape outwards rather than into the building.
ISO Chemie’s ISO-BLOCO ONE Sealant Tape Gains BBA Foam sealants specialist ISO Chemie’s ISO-BLOCO ONE self-adhesiveweather tight tape for window frames has gained British Board of Agrement (BBA) product approval certification. The news confirms that the tape, which offers rapid sealing of windows from inside the building during the construction phase, is able to resist the passage of wind-driven rain, snow, run-off water and dust into the interior of a property. It also confirms the product’s 10-year service life. ISO BLOCO ONE provides a
longer lasting seal for window and door joints up to 30mm wide and installation compliance to BS8213-4:2016. It is impermeable to driving rain at a minimum of 1,000 Pa – 66% higher reliability than most conventional joint sealing tapes. Andy Swift, ISO Chemie’s sales and operations manager – UK and ROI, said BBA certification, which is recognised throughout the construction industry as a symbol of quality and reassurance, reinforced the product’s outstanding weather protection performance, ensuring its ideal for use in passive energy installations.
The external seal area provides weather resistance and breathability, while the intermediate seal area provides extra thermal and acoustic properties and the internal one air tightness and humidity regulation. The internal air tight seal has been tested at 1000 Pa pressure difference (20 times more than UK Building Regulations) and was found to give less than 0.1 m³ of air loss. At the same time, depending on tape width, it will also supply a U-Value of 0.55 and reduce sound by 63 dB, straight from the box. Once installed, the tape ensures structures are better protected from elemental factors like wind, dust and moisture ingress by accommodating the changes in structural movement caused by environmental, cyclical and settlement factors. Product complies with energy saving regulations (EnEV) on windows and doors as well as the RAL quality assurance association and can accommodate extremes of temperature changes, from -30°C to + 80°C. Product comes with a 10-year guarantee and is available from stock on next day delivery service. More at www.iso-chemie.co.uk WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 43
SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY business remotely more efficient and successful. “We’ve recognised that installers need solutions driven by real time data, which allows them to get accurate product and pricing information and which can talk directly to fabricators. In turn, fabricators need solutions which can talk directly to their ordering and production software. Without that data which is integral to TOUCH, stand-alone design, quoting and ordering systems are actually all style and no real substance.”
Touch Software Set To Transform Remote Selling The Business Micros Group is set to launch its new TOUCH software platform at the end of lockdown. As the whole industry urgently looks for ways to generate business remotely, it has developed a new generation of TOUCH based products which will use this powerful new software engine to transform what is possible in terms of remote selling, pricing and ordering. What will set the TOUCH products apart from the other remote quoting solutions already available is what the Group are calling ‘the perfect partnership between data and design’. The data, of course, is provided by Business Micros, who, after 40 years as the industry’s number one software provider, hold the industry’s most comprehen44 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
sive list of datasets from every systems house, hardware and glass supplier in the UK, claims the company, while the design is provided by the digital design experts at The Consultancy, which is now part of the BM Group. Jim Cronie, Technical Director at Business Micros, says: “The Coronavirus crisis has made every fabricator and installer review how they do business. Everyone is looking for software solutions which will enable them to design, quote, price and order online, and it’s true that there are already plenty of options out there. However, up until our launch of TOUCH, none of these has really been data driven, and that is actually what is needed to make doing
Paul Callaghan, Managing Director at The Consultancy, agrees, saying: “What installers in particular need to realise is that enabling a homeowner to design their own window online and submit an enquiry is the relatively easy bit. Yes, the design needs to be engaging and intuitive and the results need to make them want to submit an enquiry; but the really complex part is partnering that design with the relevant data so that the amount of additional work required to turn that enquiry into an order is as minimal as possible. “I can promise the market that our TOUCH products will combine both style and substance. They will all work from end to end starting at the dataset and ending with the design configurator making it possible to design, price, order and manufacture using one seamless solution.” The Business Micros Group will be rolling out the first of its new TOUCH products over the coming weeks and months. A new TOUCH website will be going live very soon so that fabricators and installers can preview the products for themselves. www.theconsultancy.co.uk www.businessmicros.co.uk
SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY
Unique Opportunity To Restructure Your
Retail Business Business Pilot, the cloud-based business management tool for installers, has launched a new business ‘first-aid kit’ which allows installers to restructure their operations remotely and get ready for what it describes as a ‘radically changed commercial landscape’. Business Pilot is designed to give installers beginning-to-end visibility of each and every aspect of their operation from wherever they, or their teams are, through cloud-based technology. With ‘lockdown’ impacting retail since the end of last month 46 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
[March], Elton Boocok, Managing Director, Business Pilot, said many installers had struggled to manage key elements of their businesses remotely. In response, he said that Business Pilot was offering dedicated grant support to installers to implement remote working schemes, as well as support to do so. He said: “There are installers who had systems in place and were able to reduce the impact of March’s lockdown on their businesses – and others who were completely caught off guard.
“If you are one of that group (and there are lots, so don’t think you’re alone) there is a real opportunity to address gaps in your business infrastructure and to put in the ‘fixes’ now, to immediately reduce that exposure, ensuring that you’re set up to adapt to a radically changed commercial landscape.” The impact COVID-19 and the ensuing ‘lockdown’ has had on window and door retail sales was also tracked by Business Pilot. Its’ industry barometer charted a positive start to the year with a post-election return of consumer confidence. It was clear, however, that COVID-19 was hanging menacingly over the industry by the end of February. This led to a drop in leads of 39% month-onmonth by March. “We need to be positive. We are going to come through this. We simply need to recognise that things will be different – and not
SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY to assume that that is necessarily a negative”, said Elton. “We’re in a period where you have a unique opportunity to drive change throughout your business. You can do it now, remotely and come back to a better business.”
Morley Glass & Glazing Gives Away Five Free Virtual
Showrooms To Installers
Designed for installers by installers and a FENSA partner, Business Pilot is a Cloud native solution. This means that it has been designed to be accessed from anywhere anytime. This means that your teams can access fully synced systems from the office, onsite or at home with features including drag-and-drop capability, links to drawings, specifications and images, and site video. It also allows you to manage supplier orders, gives you the cost of each installation, helicopter and detailed analysis of your profitability. Every change is tracked and duplicated throughout the system making day to day management of your operation simpler but also delivering new insight. “We’re offering a grant and support to get installers live on Business Pilot now. We’ve brought a number of customers on board since the lockdown and they’re set up and fully operational. You drive change now”, said Elton. “It’s also about helping installers to understand the other platforms available to them and how they can be used together to make their businesses more effective. “It may feel like an exercise in business continuity right now – but actually it’s not. It’s about making your business more adaptable, more efficient, and ultimately, more profitable. It’s not about surviving today. It’s about building for tomorrow.” www.businesspilot.co.uk
Integral blinds manufacturer Morley Glass & Glazing is set to give away five free virtual showrooms to help installers provide an improved digital service to customers. Ian Short, managing director at Morley Glass & Glazing said: “In an age where social distancing is going to change how we all do business, the virtual and digital worlds are going to play an important part of winning future business for installers. We’ve created our own interactive online showroom and seen the benefits that brings to our own business, so we wanted to help installers to achieve the same benefits. “Virtual showrooms are a great way to provide product information, videos and presentations to homeowners who for a variety of reasons may not be able to visit in person. Right now, COVID-19 is the focus, but for those who have
a disability or are unable to get to the showroom for other reasons, this is the next best thing.” Morley Glass has teamed up with the National Fenestration Awards, Fenestration Digital and VideoProduction4 to give away five free virtual showrooms, which will also include interactive hotspots to help demonstrate products. This service is now live for all installers and to fabricators who wish to roll this out to their installer network. Installers are able to apply for one of the five free showrooms here: www.videoproduction4.co.uk/virtual-tours/ Follow this link to explore the Morley Glass & Glazing showroom and see all the features that are available: https://bit.ly/2WHw1BA WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 47
SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY affecting their cashflow. “This is great news for installers as it should give any consumer the best option to price and buy double glazing without a home visit. “We believe this is the final piece of the jigsaw for the Double Glazing App and we are delighted to be working with a respected firm like Shermin to help provide this. “When we finally come out of lockdown we believe finance will be very important to consumers who understandably are wary of spending their savings. Designed with sister company Leads 2 Trade to help installers get more enquiries and better conversion rates from their existing web visitors, the launch was brought forward to assist during the COVID-19 outbreak.
New Double Glazing App
Now Provides Finance Option
A new double-glazing smartphone pricing app has just got even more attractive for installers – by now being able to offer a finance option.
Double Glazing App by Virtape allows the consumer to measure and price windows and doors remotely in under 90 seconds meaning there is no reason for a home visit. And thanks to an agreement the company has secured with 48 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
specialist home improvement finance provider Shermin Finance, a monthly finance cost can now also be displayed by the approved installer within the app.
Virtape Managing Director John Cohen said: “A monthly finance package will allow installers to not only stand out from their competition but provide a payment solution that suits today’s homeowner so they can opt for new windows and doors without
Double Glazing App is licensed by the installer and potential customers download it from the installer’s website, measure the windows/doors with the app or a tape measure, then select the style, colour and handles and receive an accurate quote from the app instantly, alongside a monthly finance price. They can then confirm the price by booking a survey and sign up in the normal way. “Offering a monthly finance price will provide another attractive option for customers and make it easier for installers to sell their products and grow their business,” added John. Virtape is waiving the monthly licence fee for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak and installers will run on a month to month agreement so there are no long-term commitments. Register at https://bit.ly/3cRs9Uo
MARKETING
The Consultancy Delivers Fast Payback For Hurst Doors Hurst Doors’ new ‘Your Hurst’ online customer support package, created in partnership with The Consultancy, is on track to achieve meaningful payback in just a few months. Together with the existing Hurst Live Trade Portal, Your Hurst is helping to deliver increases in both customer numbers and weekly door volumes. The Consultancy, now part of the Business Micros Group, began working with Hurst in 2019 to deliver the impressive trade-only portal which encompasses everything from a lead generating door designer to an online ordering solution. Now, it has completed the next phase of the project, adding online payments, live order tracking, access to a complete suite of marketing support materials, and a useful live chat function. Richie Thornton, Director at The Consultancy, explained: “Hurst are deriving real commercial benefits from what we have delivered so far, so it makes perfect sense for us to
continue developing and enhancing that digital offering for them. The new Your Hurst package gives them a new way of getting closer to their customers and strengthening those relationships, without a huge investment in manpower. “The focus on what we have done for Hurst has been on creating a stylish and user-friendly interface, underpinned by a robust and secure platform. In terms of customer engagement, we have used all our market knowledge and experience to deliver something which works for their trade installer base, but we have also used our technical skills to integrate that successfully with their existing pricing model and migrate the whole portal to a brand new server.” From Hurst’s perspective, one of the key benefits of the new portal is the way it has given the sales team more time to invest in building better partnerships with existing customers, rather than having to concentrate on processing their
orders, and in freeing up time to win valuable new business accounts. The portal is improving the efficiency of Hurst’s own sales and order processing and is also giving its trade customers the opportunity to become more efficient as well. They can work on pricing and quoting at any time that suits them and the new ‘Your Hurst’ function allows them to access useful brochures, technical documentation, ‘how-to’ videos and live chat to get even more value from Hurst as their door supplier. As well as Hurst Live and Your Hurst, The Consultancy has also delivered a Hurst Door Store via its sister company The Glazing Vault, which enables trade customers to host the Hurst Door Designer on their own websites, fully tailored to their own brand and linked directly to Hurst for online ordering. Richie Thornton said: “Our partnership with Hurst is going from strength to strength as they make the most of our skills and experience and we help them to strengthen their position in the marketplace.” www.theconsultancy.co.uk WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 49
MARKETING
Work Safety Posters Available From Epwin Window Systems With many businesses beginning a staged return to work across the industry, Epwin Window Systems has produced a series of work safety posters to help support their customers and the wider industry with both social distancing and health and safety reminders. The series of thirteen posters are available from Epwin Window Systems’ marketing team and are suitable for use throughout manufacturing and business premises. Gerald Allen, Marketing Manager at Epwin Window Systems said:
“With more of the industry reopening their businesses and faced with working in the ‘new normal’, the work safety posters offer a constant reminder to all personnel on the procedures they need to follow to keep themselves and others safe at this time. These messages include social distancing reminders, washing your hands and additional health and safety protocols.” The posters are available by emailing Gerald Allen, Epwin Window Systems’ Marketing Manager, at gallen@epwin.co.uk Gerald con-
cludes: “We launched the posters initially to support our customers but take up has been very strong across the wider industry and we are happy to support anyone who needs them at this time.” www.epwinwindowsystems.co.uk
Glazing Industry Webinar
Video Now Available
The ‘Marketing in Uncertain Times’ webinar presented by Andrew Scott, founder of Purplex Marketing and Insight Data, has now been published online for the industry.
we will be back to work and the industry will face some very tough challenges for the foreseeable future. The webinar provides some of the key strategies companies should adopt in order to rebuild and move forward.”
300 business owners, directors and marketing professionals registered for the live webinar, which was followed by a short Questions and Answers session. Andrew commented; “The pandemic has thrown the world into disarray and many business leaders have been left with conflicting thoughts; on one hand doing the right thing to protect employees, customers and the community while on the other hand the need to have a viable business going forward to serve customers and provide a livelihood for those same employees.” “The Webinar provides the indus50 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
The webinar encourages business leaders to use this time during lock-down to review their business and assess marketing plans and strategy. Purplex Marketing and Insight Data founder, Andrew Scott
try with some guidance; both during the lock-down and presenting a strategy for the ‘recovery’ period as we get back to work.” “Our top priority right now is for our family and communities to be safe and well, but in a few weeks,
Over the last 30 years, Andrew Scott has worked with and advised hundreds of companies in the building products and home improvement industries, during both good times and bad times, from small local installers to international manufacturers. He has also acquired, built and sold several companies in the industry. To catch-up on the webinar, visit https://bit.ly/3e1ICFG
MARKETING
Amy Jansen Joins Brouha Marketing
Brouha Marketing is thrilled to announce Amy Jansen’s arrival as Creative Director. Amy’s background working in the Performance Arts as performer, promoter, producer, and manager brings a completely unique and highly creative approach to marketing within the housing and building products industry. Fiona Lund, Brouha’s MD comments, “We worked with Amy for a number of months on a freelance basis and were blown away by the fresh and innovative approach she has to marketing and PR. Having seen her incredible live performance at the FiT gala dinner in 2019, this shouldn’t have come as a surprise! We are absolutely delighted to welcome Amy into to Brouha. She has brought a real shift in the dynamics of the team, and this change has allowed us to
traverse the challenges of operating within the COVID-imposed landscape with renewed energy.” Amy adds, “It’s exciting that Brouha has been so open to bringing in fresh marketing ideas, and I am looking forward to exploring how creative we can be. I am a firm believer that diverse approaches to marketing are impactful and equally relevant regardless of the
industry. Promoting within the Creative Arts is about connecting with an audience in a way that speaks to who they are and what their fears and aspirations are, with the hopes that they will leave with something of value to them and their lives. The housing and building products industry is no different, it’s just that the boards we’re treading have buildings above them rather than lighting rigs.” Amy’s first project with the Brouha team was to launch their fortnightly marketing podcast, BrouHappy, intended to spark conversation about a broader view of marketing, and how innovation and creativity are just as relevant to our messaging as they are to the products and services we’re talking about. May 29th will see the start of a seven-part series on Social and Council Housing, asking the question, “What role does marketing play in the success of a service so many rely on?” For anyone who missed the first podcast on marketing’s ‘New Norm’, you can listen and subscribe here. https://bit.ly/2LK54qH
Inspitational Marketing From
The Residence Collection Following last week’s announcement from The Residence Collection of several educational e-mail bulletins, the influential consumer brand has now developed a number of product system overviews for R2, R7, R9 and RD. These overviews are being sent out several days apart to a wide number of e-mail addresses across the industry, as The Residence Collection looks to fully support installation partners as they start to look at getting back to installation projects. Inspirational photography appears in each overview, which includes links to all relevant brochures and the key features and benefits of each
respective system, including the latest engineered doors platform of RD. There’s also a heavy social media influence across the mailings, with a list of hashtags and a few suggestions for local activity and each one can be saved as a PDF for future reference. Being highly visible is a strategy that The Residence Collection says as a must as Sarah Hitchings, sales and marketing director explains: ‘With downtime we all find ourselves with opportunities to assess what we do in our business lives, what we sell and how we do it. Gentle reminders from us is our way to help inspire our business partners, as we look
to go back to manufacturing and installation. She continued: ‘People remember those business that continue to invest and inspire, not those that bury their heads during periods of conflict, or what has faced us as an unprecedented global pandemic. While we do cautiously welcome the opportunity to return to work, our thoughts still go out to those that have been affected.’ www.residencecollection.co.uk WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 51
EVENTS
REHAU’S Fensterbau Insights Go Virtual For Wider Industry Installers and fabricators from across the UK will soon be able to access a virtual series of content initially created for the world’s leading trade fair for windows, doors and facades, Fensterbau Frontale 2020. With the show now being postponed to 2022 due to the global COVID-19 situation, REHAU is working hard to turn this setback into an opportunity for tradespeople. Its investment into digital technologies will allow those who were unable to make the trip to Germany access to all its exhibition insights online, in various formats. REHAU was due to showcase its commitment to smart technology, and the highest standards of design security and stability when exhibiting its latest product innovations and services. 52 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
Instead, virtual visitors will now be free to explore the content themselves, but can also receive exclusive insights by arranging a personal ‘tour’ with a member of the REHAU team, allowing them to receive in-depth information and ask any questions. The core themes will include: Innovation
There will be a wealth of material to explore, including new innovations that go beyond profile systems. This includes the new SYNEGO SLIDE system, an innovative sliding door solution, which now offers additional security features thanks to the next generation of REHAU Smart Guard. It will also cover a new array of bespoke system accessories added to its product range, such as the SKYFORCE safety barrier, the new LINEA handle range and
a smart fittings solution for folding and sliding doors. Smart technology When it comes to intelligent solutions, virtual visitors will be able to find out more about the further development of REHAU Smart Guard, which also encompasses intelligent ventilation and privacy solutions such as REHAU Privacy and REHAU Shading. Digitalisation and skills In addition, REHAU is tapping into the topic of digitalisation, providing its customers with new services that can help optimise their processes and address issues such as the specialist skills shortage. This starts with acquiring new customers and extends to after-sales service, as well as planning and fitting. REHAU
EVENTS Connect, Just Smart and Window ID are three stand-out products in this domain. Sustainability Within its Window Solutions division, REHAU has set up all its production and procurement processes along sustainable lines and is a pioneer of this approach in the sector. It has been collecting profile offcuts since 1988, ensuring that they are returned to production. In recent years, the amount of profiles containing recycled material has gradually increased from 25% to 40% since 2014, with this figure anticipated to rise to 50% next year. The sustainable window profiles marketed under REHAU’s new EcoPuls label save large quantities of CO2 during production compared to traditional versions, as creating recycled material generates 88% fewer emissions. All in all, this enables 97,000 tonnes of CO2 to be saved annually. This corresponds to savings that could be achieved by a forest of around 7,800,000 trees.
New Dates In October Announced For VinylPlus
Sustainability Forum 2020
Due to the growing concerns around the coronavirus (COVID19) and worldwide travel restrictions, VinylPlus® has made a strategic decision to change the dates of the 2020 edition of the VinylPlus Sustainability Forum: #CIRCULARVINYL.
Martin Hitchin, CEO at REHAU said: “While it’s certainly not ideal that most of the fenestration industry is grounded at this time, we are hearing more and more from customers that they are using this time to plan ahead and increase knowledge share so that they can come back stronger. As the event takes many months of planning and significant investment, we didn’t see any value in holding this content back for a new date. So, instead, we are turning the challenge on its head and broadening the audience, circumventing any travel limitations which probably held many UK tradespeople back from attending. We’d encourage anyone to take advantage of anything they think could be useful.”
The VSF2020 will be held on October 14th and 15th at the same venue and city – Hilton Florence Metropole Hotel in Florence, Italy.
To register your interest and get priority access to REHAU’s Fensterbau Virtual Stand, visit: https://bit.ly/2zOIuKI
and 7th with a focus on the key sustainability challenges and future transformation for the vinyl industry, both in Europe and globally. VinylPlus assured that those who have already paid their registration fee and are not able to attend will receive full reimbursement. Online registration for the event in October will open as soon as possible.
Brigitte Dero, Managing Director, VinylPlus, says: “We are sure you will acknowledge that this has not been an easy decision, but due to the widespread nature of the virus, a necessary one.
Brigitte Dero adds: “We apologise for any inconvenience this change may cause and we thank you for your understanding. We look forward to presenting our exciting programme in Florence this October.”
“We are fully committed to taking appropriate precautions to provide a healthy environment for our attendees. We hope this change of date will not affect your decision to participate in the event in October and we are available to answer any questions you may have.”
VinylPlus® is the Voluntary Commitment of the European PVC industry. The programme establishes a long-term framework for the sustainable development of the PVC industry by tackling a number of critical challenges in the EU-27, UK, Norway and Switzerland.
Marking two decades of leading on PVC sustainable development and innovation, the Forum was originally scheduled for May 6th
For the full programme and online registration go to https://bit.ly/2WLn2zb WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020 53
CHARITY
Glass Hearts And Rainbows
Raise £3,045 In Just 2 Weeks
rainbow design was downloaded from the Support the NHS website and Glen created the popular heart design himself. The final batch of Rainbow Hearts were made on Friday 1 May. Glen made a phenomenal effort to complete every order received. To date he has made 164 Rainbow Hearts & 7 Full NHS Rainbows in 11 days. As Glen and Sharon prepare to reopen their business they closed the Just Giving Page with final donations totalling £3,550 exceeding their £2,500 goal.
While their double glazing manufacturing business, based in Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, is closed during lockdown, Glen and Sharon Bogie have been busy creating these wonderful hearts and rainbows to support the NHS. Both their daughters are keywork-
ers in the NHS – one as a Community Pharmacist and the other a Registered Mental Health Nurse. They wanted to do something meaningful while they are at home, so the kitchen table has become a temporary workbench for these stunning pieces of glass art. The
Business Micros’ Business Development Manager Nick Bailey is running 5K a day for the whole of May to raise money for the Hope House Children’s Hospices.
cise to do something positive and hopefully keep my fitness levels up doing lockdown.”
5K A Day In May
The hospices, which are supported by the industry’s own GM Fundraising charity, are losing out because so many of their fundraising events have been cancelled or postponed due to the Coronavirus lockdown, so Nick is doing his bit to try to help. He says: “I’m using my daily exer54 WINDOW NEWS MAY 2020
Nick has set himself a target of raising £500, but is hoping that many of those who would have supported the GM Fundraising’s postponed Peak, Paddle, Pedal event and 25th anniversary ball will help him raise even more. The link to donate and see Nick’s daily running updates is: https://bit.ly/36eXX2S
Sharon says: “We would like to thank Regalead and Guy Hubble for his encouragement and donated material as without such kindness we would not have been able to raise such a huge amount of money for well deserving charities.” Guy Hubble, Joint Managing Director at RegaLead adds: “This was an incredible act of kindness from Glen and Sharon, and we were very happy to support them.”
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