FILON ROOFSCAPE ISSUE 19

ISSUE ISSUE 19 18

PROFILED

ROOF REFURBISHMENT

-the easy way

PLUS • Latest news p4 • Meet us at Contractors Day and the RCI Show p5 • Filon over-roofing in Ireland p6 • Solatube puts safety first with Filon Fixsafe p10 • Filon’s comprehensive new website p13 • Filon product range overview p14

Innovative upgrade & refurbishment solutions for profiled fibre cement or metal roofs & cladding

Upgrade your rooflights and reduce your operating costs by up to

33%

Filon FAIR Factory Assembled Insulating Rooflight

Recent independent research by Elmhust Energy*, demonstrates that improvements to rooflights and lighting controls can bring huge savings in energy and emissions.

In one typical example, a large retail DIY store, total carbon emissions could be reduced by 29% and total operating costs could be reduced by 33%.

These savings equate to a reduction in total operating costs of £5.20/m2 per year, giving a total saving of £20,435 per year.

As one of the UK’s leading providers of profiled rooflights and roofing sheets, with huge experience across all kinds of public and private sector buildings, Filon Products is your ideal partner in roof and rooflight upgrades and refurbishment.

We also offer: • Fixsafe for safe replacement of rooflights and roof sheets • Lightweight over-roofing for cost-effective roof refurb with minimal disruption.

For details, please call us on 01543 687300 or visit www.filon.co.uk

*See the report at http://www.narm.org.uk/ uploads/pdfs/NARM_NTD10.pdf

Filon Products Ltd, Unit 3 Ring Road, Zone 2, Burntwood Business Park, Burntwood, Staffs WS7 3JQ

CONTENTS

In this issue: 4 News Roundup

• Filon supports 999 first responders • Community education gets Filon backing • Filon sponsors Burntwood RFC • Filon to attend upcoming trade events

6 Over-roofing

• A cost-effective refurb solution for Ireland’s leading self-storage company

10 Health & Safety

• Solatube puts safety first with Filon Fixsafe

13 Customer Support

• Filon’s new website brings specification information ‘a click closer’

14 Product range overview

Welcome to Issue 19 of Roofscape – the news magazine of Filon Products, now in its 10th year and going from strength to strength.

In this issue we’ll again be showcasing some recent projects utilsing Filon innovations, plus bringing you up to speed with the latest company news.

Over the coming months, we will be exhibiting at the new Contractors Day event in Twickenham, as well as making another return visit as an exhibitor at the RCI show in March. Hope to see you there!

In the meantime, I hope you’ll find this issue of Roofscape both interesting and informative.

• There’s more to Filon Products than meets the eye..

Mark Wilcox Sales Director

Published by Filon Products Limited Unit 3 Ring Road, Zone 2, Burntwood Business Park, Burntwood, Staffordshire WS7 3QJ, England Telephone: 01543 687300 Fax: 01543 687303 Editor: Mark Wilcox Designed and produced by Bennett & Partners www.bennettandpartners.co.uk

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NEWS ROUNDUP

Roof safety pioneer Filon supports First Responder Ambulance Service Reflecting the company’s commitment to Health & Safety, Filon Products has made a donation of £5000 to the Burntwood & Cannock Chase Community First Responders organisation.

The donation will make a significant contribution to the replacement of the charity’s current ambulance vehicle.

Burntwood & Cannock CFR responds to 999 calls on behalf of West Midlands Ambulance Service, providing a vital first response to emergency 999 calls which have been prioritised as life threatening.

The organisation’s volunteer members come from all walks of life and for the most part hold down full time jobs, as well as responding, assisting in running the group and fundraising.

The responders are trained to a

nationally recognised standard to give lifesaving medical aid to those in need of it.

Julie Cox, Filon Company Secretary said: “Community First Responders provide vital early assistance, help promote recovery and can make the difference between life and death. We’re proud to support this worthy cause.”

Filon supports community education project Part of the Incredible Edibles charity group, Incredible Education CIC is an organisation that provides nature based services for local communities through Horticulture and Forest School activities.

Filon has donated translucent roof sheets for a canopy which allows the project to continue its workshop activities through the 4

winter. The idea is to help people who may be lonely and would like a bit of company while doing something worthwhile.

The gardening implements that they make, range from park benches to planters for raised beds and from bird houses to bug hotels. These are used by local school children on the allotment on which the project is based in Manchester

NEWS ROUNDUP

Meet the Filon team at the Roofing & Cladding Uncovered Contractors Day 2018 Visitors to the Roofing and Cladding Uncovered Contractors Day at Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby, on 30th November 2018 will be able to see Filon’s patented Fixsafe system system in action, plus a wide range of other innovative roofing and rooflighting products from Filon.

Also on show will be a wide range of other innovative products from the Filon range, including rooflights and sheet products for roofing, roof refurbishment and cladding.

The event will also provide an opportunity for contractors to meet members of the Filon team to discuss their projects and requirements.

Filon & Burntwood Rugby Club: another great year ahead

Sales Director Mark Wilcox, said: “We’re looking forward to the show and applaud the NFRC and Total Contractor Magazine, the organisers, for creating this new showcase for the industry.”

Click on the link below for free tickets to the event.

Left to right: Filon Managing Director Steve Vickers, Burntwood Captain Luke Rookyard, Filon Sales Director, Mark Wilcox

Filon is sponsoring Burntwood Rugby club again for a second year following a successful campaign in 2017/18.

REGISTER FOR FREE TICKETS

The company is proud to be associated with this fantastic Grass Roots Rugby Club which was formed in 1972.

Filon returns to the RCI Show in 2019 Filon will return again to the RCI Show at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on 27th and 28th of March 2019.

provide a new waterproofing for failing asbestos roofs, without the expense of stripping off the old system.

The company will be featuring its patented Fixsafe system and demostrating how to change an industrial roofight without going onto the roof: a major advance in roof safety, pioneered

by Filon.

Filon will also be showcasing its comprehensive rooflight range.

A complete range of other Filon products will be on display including the lightweight over-roofing system, designed to

Filon Managing Director Steve Vickers, said: “As a supporter of the RCI Show from it’s inception, we are proud to be associated with this event and look forward to seeing old friends and making some new ones.”

Register for free tickets using the link opposite.

REGISTER FOR FREE TICKETS 5

ROOFWORK REFURBISHMENT HEALTH & SAFETY

Filon Over-roofing creates a costeffective refurb solution for Ireland’s leading self storage company Nearly 3,000m2 of Filon GRP Over-roofing was installed to put an end to regular roof repairs at Belfast Self Storage’s huge facility in Belfast – quickly and cost-effectively.

Filon’s lightweight GRP Overroofing system has been used to refurbish an existing fibre cement roof on a large selfstorage building in Belfast.

Belfast Self Storage is part of the U Store It Group, Ireland’s largest provider of self-storage solutions, with six branches across the country.

The Belfast business occupies a building with a roof area approaching 3,000m2.

The fibre cement roof on this facility comprised three different profiles: Big 6; Cape Monad and Major Tile. The condition of the profiles was deteriorating and required frequent repairs to tackle water ingress. This in turn led to major disruption as storage units were having to be moved to avoid the areas where water was penetrating the roof.

The cost of removing all the fibre cement profiles would have been extremely high due to additional disposal costs resulting from the asbestos content in the profiles.

This is a common problem with

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old fibre cement roofs - and one which roofing contractor Professional Roofing Services of Newtownstewart in County Tyrone, had encountered on many occasions.

Ray McNulty of Professional Roofing Services takes up the story: “For this type of project, we had previously used metal cladding systems for overroofing. However, having researched the Filon GRP system, we were impressed and decided to use it as the basis for our tender for the project.

Having successfully secured the job, the Filon sheets were supplied by Dublin-based roofing supplies distributor, RILCO Roofing & Cladding.”

Filon Over-roofing is available to match most existing roofing profiles and as it is fixed from the outside, roofs can be overlaid with no disruption to building occupants below.

Ray McNulty continued: “The client required that the roof work was completed as quickly as possible and thanks to the

“Having researched the Filon GRP system, we were impressed and decided to use it as the basis for our tender for the project.”

Ray McNulty, Professional Roofing Services

GRP ROOFLIGHTS

REFURBISHMENT

The existing roof (left) was starting to fail and needed regular costly repairs.

Following over-roofing (below) the unit has a new lease of life.

The whole project took only around two weeks.

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ROOFWORK OVER-ROOFING HEALTH & SAFETY

simplicity and ease-of-handling of the system, we were able to complete this large project within a couple of weeks.”

Another key advantage of Filon Over-roofing results from its extremely light weight.

This allows existing roofs to be overlaid without any additional strengthening of the supporting structure. In fact, the completed roof often has a lower total weight than before over-roofing, as when the fibre cement dries out, its weight reduces.

Furthermore, by matching existing roofing profiles, no planning permission is needed – further reducing time and costs.

supply the system with deeper patented Profix spacers, which are designed to provide a larger cavity into which a proprietary insulation material can be laid.

Christos Michaelides, of RILCO Roofing & Cladding who supplied the Filon sheets, fixings, and arranged site inspections, said: “Filon Overroofing is a well proven system, that’s been used on hundreds of buildings around the UK and also in Ireland. As a company, Filon have always provided excellent technical & logistical support to ourselves and our customers”

Christos Michaelides, RILCO Roofing & Cladding

Ray McNulty of Professional Roofing Services concluded: “It’s an easy system to use. We like its simplicity and the result speaks for itself. We’ll be using Filon Over-roofing again for future projects – for sure”.

In the case of the Belfast Self Storage building, there was no requirement to upgrade the insulation, due to the nature of the building. However, in cases where an insulation upgrade may READ MORE ABOUT FILON be beneficial or required to meet OVER-ROOFING Building Regulations, Filon can 8

As a company, Filon have always provided excellent support to ourselves and our customers”.

VIEW VIDEO DRONE FOOTAGE OF THIS APPLICATION

Innovative upgrade & refurbishment solutions for profiled fibre cement or metal roofs & cladding

Lightweight GRP Over-roofing was the ideal solution for refurbishment of this fibre cement roof in Salisbury.

also replaced during the project.

Failing roof?

Here’s the lightweight, cost-effective and disruption-free solution.

The roof at the Harnham Trading Estate was starting to fail, causing water ingress. The rooflights were also becoming discoloured, reducing light transmission into the building.

Industrial Building Solutions of Wimborne, Dorset, installed approximately 500m2 of OP24E over-roofing in asbestos grey to suit the existing Cape Monad asbestos fibre cement roofing sheets, with 25mm thick Profix spacers. These allow a cavity into which insulation material was laid to upgrade the thermal specification of the roof.

The old rooflights covering an area of approximately 50m2 were

This created a big impact on light levels within the building, bringing an improved working environment and reduced energy consumption for the building occupant, New Garage (Harnham) Limited.

Andy Green, Director of Industrial Building Solutions, said: “We have used Filon’s overroofing system for many projects over the years. It’s simple to install, with minimal disruption, because the old roof doesn’t need to be removed – and because it’s so light, no additional reinforcement is needed. As the existing roof dries out the result is an overall reduction in weight - so it’s a win-win situation” Read more about Filon over-

FILON GRP over-roofing profiles are the durable, lightweight solution for roof refurbishment.They are extremely quick and easy to install, with minimal disruption to building occupants.

Manufactured from strong but lightweight GRP, the over-roofing sheets simply overlay the failing roof and are separated from the existing sheets by the Profix spacer. This locates over the original fasteners which remain in place.

In the case of fibre cement roofs, the resulting refurbished roof is often lighter than before the over-roofing, because the GRP sheets are lighter than the accumulated water in the fibre cement, so as the roof dries, the weight reduces. This removes the requirement for costly structural strengthening. Also, the sheets can be supplied in the same profile as the existing roof – so no planning permission is required.

We also offer: • Fixsafe for safe replacement of rooflights and roof sheets • Insulated rooflights for energy-saving upgrades and refurbishment.

Filon over-roofing has been proven in hundreds of applications around the UK

For details, please call us on 01543 687300 or visit www.filon.co.uk

Filon Products Ltd, Unit 3 Ring Road, Zone 2, Burntwood Business Park, Burntwood, Staffs WS7 3JQ

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ROOFWORK HEALTH & SAFETY HEALTH & SAFETY

Solatube puts installer safety first with Filon Fixsafe

Fixsafe is the unique fixing system developed by Filon, which allows roof sheet replacement without access onto fragile roof areas.

Daylight Delivery Systems Limited, exclusive UK supplier of the world renowned Solatube tubular daylighting system, has adopted the Filon Fixsafe system as its preferred installation solution for buildings with profiled roofs.

For these applications, a Filon GRP profiled roof sheet matching the roof profile, is cut to accept the Solatube dome roof glazing element. This is then installed onto the sheet with an insulated roof flashing, to create a weatherproof sub assembly.

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Improved safety, plus other important benefits Using Filon’s Fixsafe system, the sheet can then be installed into the roof from below, so there is no requirement for operatives to risk their safety by gaining access onto the roof. The whole operation can be carried out from inside the building, using a cherry picker or platform lift.

In addition to increased safety, there is an additional benefit of potential reductions in installation time and cost - with no need for external scaffolding, roof staging or safety netting.

“...there is an additional benefit of potential reductions in installation time and cost - with no need for external scaffolding, roof staging or safety netting.”

GRP ROOFLIGHTS

Solatube tubular daylight systems provide the perfect solution for introducing daylight into buildings where there are suspended ceilings beneath a profiled roof. 99.7% reflective tubes attached to the external dome elements deliver daylight extremely extremely efficiently over long distances, often to locations which may have been deemed impossible to light using natural daylight.

With this solution, building occupants can enjoy a better internal environment as well as health & wellbeing benefits of natural light – and of course

HEALTH & SAFETY

daylighting means big energy savings over artificially lit buildings.

delivers daylight to the offices – all with the very important added benefit of installer safety.”

Two innovators – one brilliant solution

Ian Bell, Managing Director of Daylight Delivery Systems, summed up: “‘Innovation in Filon Sales Director Mark daylighting’ is our company Wilcox said: “We are delighted to mission statement, so it’s be working with Solatube in this entirely appropriate to be way. Most large industrial working with Filon – another buildings and ‘sheds’ well-established innovator in this incorporate some offices or field.” other areas where there may be suspended ceilings. This partnership allows an integrated WATCH THE VIDEO TO SEE approach to daylighting, where FIXSAFE AND SOLATUBE IN our Filon GRP rooflights serve ACTION the open areas and Solatube

Top left: Installing the flashing onto the Filon sheet Top right: Reflective tubes can deliver daylight to inaccessible areas Below: Before and after - what a difference! Solatubes are the ideal way to deliver daylight to offices with suspended ceilings 11

Innovative upgrade & refurbishment solutions for profiled fibre cement or metal roofs & cladding

ROOFWORK HEALTH & SAFETY

Fragile roofs are only unsafe if you walk on them.

Replace rooflights and sheets from below with Fixsafe.

Figures published by the Health & Safety Executive show that falls through fragile roof materials caused over one quarter of fatal accidents in the construction industry.

Fixsafe addresses the problem and is playing a major role in reducing this statistic.

Fixsafe allows sheets to be replaced from below, eliminating the need to access fragile roofs and thereby greatly increasing site safety. By removing the requirement for costly safety netting, roof staging or external scaffolding, on-site time is reduced and access equipment costs are minimised.

Replacing rooflights from below is an HSE recommended method and complies with Regulation 9 of the Work At Height Regulations 2005. Protect your roofers and yourself and your team by repairing or replacing rooflights and roof sheets with Fixsafe.

We also offer: • Insulated rooflights for energy-saving upgrades and refurbishment • Lightweight over-roofing for cost-effective roof refurb with minimal disruption.

For details, please call us on 01543 687300 or visit www.filon.co.uk

Filon Fixsafe allows replacement rooflights or roof sheets to be installed from below, avoiding the need to access fragile roofs

Filon Products Ltd, Unit 3 Ring Road, Zone 2, Burntwood Business Park, Burntwood, Staffs WS7 3JQ

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GRP ROOFLIGHTS

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Filon’s new website brings specification information ‘a click closer’.

Visit the website

Filon Products has launched a new website, designed to provide an enhanced user experience with faster, easier access to specification information – as well as improved presentation across a wide range of devices.

Filon Sales Director, Mark Wilcox, said: “The website is at the centre of our communications strategy and forms a hub for all our marketing activities, so we have worked hard to provide a resource that customers and other visitors will find useful, informative and engaging.”

The new site provides detailed product information covering

the company’s entire range, plus case studies, latest company news, up-to-date documents and certification and more.

Mark Wilcox continued: “We have built the website on a platform that allows us to make best use of the latest - and forthcoming on-line technologies, to ensure we stay ahead of the game.

The new website also allows us to add and edit content more easily so we can ensure that information is always up-to-date.”

You can visit the new website at: www.filon.co.uk, where you can also register to receive further copies of Roofscape and other information from the company.

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ROOFWORK FILON 60TH ANNIVERSARY HEALTH & SAFETY

Filon: the complete range of innovative GRP bulding products Filon Products has led the development of GRP profiled sheets since the late 1950s taking full advantage of the light weight and extreme durability of GRP to make it the obvious material choice for many building products.

Today’s Filon range includes:

Rooflights & roof sheets • Standard, double reinforced and triple reinforced GRP in-plane rooflights and roof sheets

pickling factories; salt stores; coastal & marine buildings.

Other profiled GRP sheet products

• Specialist products including • Factory assembled insulating high light transmitting profiled sheets for horticultural rooflights (FAIRs) applications; internal box • Fixsafe system - allows profiled rooflights for suspended rooflights and GRP roof sheets ceilings; DIY translucent sheets to be replaced from below, for domestic applications eliminating the need to access Valley gutters dangerous fragile roofs • GRP barrel vault rooflights GRP refurbishment sheets • Opaque sheets for replacing or overlaying old or damaged fibre cement

• GRP valley troughs for use with natural or man-made slates and clay or concrete tiles – a low cost alternative to traditional lead valleys Diffused signage panels

• Can be manufactured to match • Flat opal tinted GRP sheets most current and obsolete developed for use in back lit steel roof sheet profiles illuminated signs GRP over-roofing Sheets for water treatment plants • Slimline and very lightweight system designed to simply • Specially formulated sheets fit onto existing asbestos for use in water treatment cement roofs providing a quick plants and other associated refurbishment solution processes including oil/water separators and biological GRP sheets for harsh waste processing environments • For complete roof and wall cladding in aggressive and corrosive environments including chemical plants; galvanising plants; composting facilities; fertilizer plants;

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Cladding and wall linings • Specialist white GRP sheets specially developed for hygiene applications

GRP ROOFLIGHTS

FILON 60TH ANNIVERSARY

www.filon.co.uk

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Innovative daylighting solutions for profiled fibre cement or metal roofs &CANOPY claddingSYSTEMS POLYCARBONATE

TRIPLE SKIN: U-VALUES AS LOW AS 1.0/m2K GRP: EXCELLENT LIGHT DIFFUSION PROPERTIES

FIRE PERFORMANCE: FULLY COMPLIANT WITH PART B OUT-OF-PLANE DESIGN: MINIMISES ACCIDENTS

Low pitch or curved roof?

Think Monarch F rooflights.

Filon Monarch F factory-assembled GRP barrel vault rooflights provide the perfect solution for delivering high levels of diffused natural daylight to metal shed type buildings like factories, warehouses and large retail stores These tough and durable rooflights are fabricated from high quality Filon GRP sheets which are robust, shatter resistant and unaffected by extremes of temperature. Long-term surface protection is provided by a UV absorbing film that is applied to the weather surface during manufacture.

Monarch F rooflights are manufactured using Filon’s DR24 lightweight, double reinforced sheet, offering high impact resistance with Class B non-fragility expected for 25 years.

Designed to project above the plane of the roof, Monarch F rooflights also meet one of the primary recommendations of the HSE, to reduce the risk of persons falling through the rooflight.

For details, please call us on 01543 687300 or visit www.filon.co.uk

This LIDL Distribution Centre in Belvedere, Kent, features Filon Monarch F rooflights.

Filon Products Ltd, Unit 3 Ring Road, Zone 2, Burntwood Business Park, Burntwood, Staffs WS7 3JQ