DGB Magazine Edition 9

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ALUMINIUM ALUMINIUM

It is not very often that a company comes along and has a product offer that ‘ticks all the boxes’, but when it does, customers are usually savvy enough to take advantage. What is it that makes such an offer irresistible? Customers, in this instance are facade fabricators and installers, who seek a value proposition. To some ‘value’ may be seen as competitive prices for aluminium systems, but this is not the case for any serious facade company. As a supplier, ‘credibility’ and ‘partnering’ are two key elements high on the ‘tick list’ for a facade company. Credibility is the depth of aluminium system options and profiles which are only attainable from large systems companies. Typically, these systems companies have already designed and supplied a wide range of profiles to cater

for many complex installations. Partnership comes in the form of systems company support, working side by side with a facade company. Pioneering throughout the construction cycle with the systems company recognising ‘value management’ which ensures both client quality and cost management for the facade company. These are just two of the pillars that Aluprof have built its business upon over the last sixteen years of systems supply in the UK and Ireland.

Aluprof’s logistics provides weekly deliveries to Ireland from an extensive stock of aluminium systems and hardware located at their head office in Poland. Powder coating to a Qualicoat specification, including thermal break facilities, are all housed under the same roof in Poland allowing products to be finished

to meet any specification. Aluprof also offers a fabrication service to support its network of fabricator installers across the region when required to meet programme expectations. Coupled with a physical ‘on the ground ’presence from Aluprof UK & Ireland’s team of support technicians, has quickly placed Aluprof UK in Ireland as a major systems supplier. Facade fabricators and installers nationwide quickly appreciated the benefits of well designed, robust Aluprof systems and dedicated technical and customer backup. This co-operation grew into many strong, long-term relationships, carried out through difficult times during the 2008 economic downturn and more recently Covid.

Of many projects located in

ALUPROF SUPPORTS IRELANDS FACADE MARKET

in September 2017 and is one of the largest purpose built student halls in Dublin. The development provides accommodation for 491 students with bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and living rooms that all sit within 88 selfcontained ‘house units ’of varying sizes. Designed by John Fleming Architects the project was built by Bennett Construction.

Ireland, here are a selection of several projects that have recently been completed in Dublin:

Home to a wide range of global businesses Dublin Landings offers 100,000 sq.m of office, residential and retail accommodation set in over 5.8 acres on the banks of the River Liffey. E1 Dublin Landings is one of several buildings in the development overlooking the river where Aluprof systems have been specified. Designed jointly by RKD Architects and Arrow

Architects the projects utilises both curtain wall and window systems from Aluprof’s extensive catalogue.

To the North West of Dublin Landings and just a 15 minute walk away from Trinity College, Kavanagh Court offers student accommodation in modern high quality rooms in the city centre. The development boasts a rooftop terrace, a modern gym, cinema room, laundry room, secure cycle storage and fast 100Mb WiFi. Owned and maintained by Yugo, the development opened to students

To the south of the River Liffey, Dublin’s Molesworth Street and Dawson Street have been the focal point of the city’s elegant quarter. The project ‘One Molesworth Street’ epitomises this status and can be viewed as one of the capital’s most distinguished addresses. The project was designed by leading architects, Henry J Lyons, offering sheer quality to maximise the occupier experience. The Dawson Street facade uses vertical glass fins together with bronze anodised brise soleil. The Aluprof systems facade finishes and proportions have been designed to complement the neighbouring buildings.

Back on the south bank of the River Liffey, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay was one of the first projects to be supplied by Aluprof in Ireland. It is a six storey office building complete with basement which offers modern office accommodation. Adjoining the Ferryman and Tropical Fruit Store the glass facade of the building is designed to maximise the spectacular views from the development. Designed by HKR Architects, the completed development now offers 6,500 square metres of office space. Having a strong presence in the Irish construction scene, Aluprof UK is supporting the Irish Construction Excellence Awards 2023 for the second time. Located at the Convention Centre, Dublin, the 27th April event, organised by the Irish Building Magazine, is always a construction highlight of the year for the Green Isle. As

Gold Sponsor at the Gala Event, Aluprof will offer awards in the best ‘Education Project’ and the best ’Healthcare Project‘ categories.

The awards, founded by the Irish Building Magazine in 1993, are generally known as the ICE Awards and are the original and premier recognition of performance excellence for the contracting sector in Ireland. The Gala Night is always attended by Ireland’s elite construction professionals, where construction leaders, design and supply chain partners, and clients meet and celebrate construction excellence.

Currently with overseas growth further extending across Europe, into the Middle East and with firm roots already in the East of the USA, Aluprof continues to grow into a global player in facade supply. Further information about systems and specification support is available through the company’s website at aluprof.co.uk or direct from their UK head office in Altrincham by phoning +44 (0) 161 941 4005.

BERT GEERINCKX IS APPOINTED NEW CEO OF REYNAERS GROUP

he was general manager of Reynaers Aluminium Belux, Reynaers Group’s home market, for eight years. Bert graduated with a Master of Science in Building Engineering and obtained an executive MBA from the Antwerp Management School. Before his career at Reynaers Group, he gained extensive experience in various sectors of the construction industry, including at Gyproc, Strabag and Rockwool, in marketing, business development and general management.

Thanks to this extensive experience, Bert has an excellent knowledge of the various parts of the company. He knows the ins and outs and is respected by Reynaers Group employees. He combines this with good relationships with customers and other business partners. Because of his broad knowledge and alignment with family values, Bert holds the full confidence of the family shareholders.

Chairman of the Board, Jean-Luc Deleersnyder explains: “Bert’s long track record guarantees continuity and stability, while as the new man at the helm he will undoubtedly also bring new dynamism. His good relations with our customers are an additional asset. The Board of Directors is therefore convinced that this change at the top will support the further successful growth and performance of the company.”

From 1 March 2023, Bert Geerinckx will be appointed as the new CEO of Reynaers Group. He succeeds Dirk Bontridder who has announced his intention to leave the company.

The Board of Directors is grateful to Dirk for his contribution in steering the company through the challenging times following Covid and setting out a number of strategic outlines, including in the area of sustainability. Dirk will continue his career in the international healthtech context.

With Bert Geerinckx as its leader, Reynaers Group chooses a familiar face. Bert has been with the company for over 13 years, of which the last 5 years as Chief Sales Officer with responsibility over key international sales markets. Before that,

Bert Geerinckx says he is grateful for the confidence the Board of Directors places in him: “I take over the leadership of the company with enthusiasm, knowing that I can count on a strong organisation with motivated and competent colleagues. I am also happy to continue building sustainable growth in these challenging times by focusing together on our customers and partners. Together for better!”, adds Bert.

Richard Hall, Managing Director of Reynaers Aluminium UK, adds: “On behalf of the Reynaers UK team and myself, a big congratulations to Bert on his new position as CEO. Having worked closely with Bert in his role as Chief Sales Officer, we look forward to continuing to do this in his new role as CEO. I’d also like to extend thanks to Dirk Bontridder for his time as CEO and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SELLING PIVOT DOORS

For those of you who follow me on social media, you’ll know that at the end of last year, we installed our first pivot door from Spitfire Doors. It was an exciting and slightly nervous process for us, given the cost of the door and the risks of getting it wrong. I had a lot of questions on social media about the door, the installation process and other factors, so I thought it might be a good idea to explain the whole thing from start to finish so people have a greater sense of what is required to sell these immense doors.

Pivot doors are not regular doors

This seems fairly obvious, but if you are thinking of getting into pivot doors, then you have to change your mindset from start to finish.

There are many factors to consider when you start selling pivot doors. First is logistics. Pivot doors are generally always going to be larger than normal doors. The first one we installed was nearly 1800mm wide and 2100mm high. The weight of pivot doors can comfortably reach hundreds of kilograms, although this will depend on the design. The glass-covered doors are extremely heavy. We installed one in our showroom that was solid but came with a glass front and it took four of us and a fair bit of time and effort just to lift it into the showroom.

You will have to think about what transport you have available. Will your vans be big enough? Will they be able to take the load of these doors without breaking any limits? We often get our pivot doors delivered to site. The other two ranges from Spitfire, the S200 and S500 we have delivered to our offices for our installers to take to site as they normally would.

Think about the offload on-site as well. You won’t be able to send a two-person team to take the product off the delivery van. Pivot doors can weigh 150-300kg even if they are what you would call “regular” sized. It is

going to take four people to offload a pivot door from the delivery van. It’s worth noting that a single pivot door can measure up to 2m wide and up to 4m high. The chances you’ll sell a door of that size are rather slim, but if you do, you’re going to need either 8 people or special lifting equipment.

Finally, make sure you have enough installers on-site to lift the door into the opening. Two people won’t always do it if it’s a large pivot. All of this should be factored into your pricing before you sign the client up.

A different kind of client

Speaking of clients, the type of people that are going to buy these doors are going to be from a very different wealth bracket.

The types of people that buy these doors are likely to be business owners, footballers, and generally wealthy people. Not exclusively of course, but in my experience so far pivot doors do attract a certain type of person.

These clients require a different level of attention and service. If you’re going to be selling a single door for £20,000 then there is going to be a much higher level of expectation from your client. It’s a process that runs from start to finish. From the bespoke design of the door to the experience your customer has with you in your showroom, all the way through to the final installation. Even though I am only technically in sales, I involve myself in the final survey and installation part of the project as well, even if I offer no practical help. When you sell one of these products you become more of a project manager than a sales rep and you become your client’s point of call for anything to do with your pivot door.

Be prepared to be patient. High-value clients tend to be more demanding and exacting. They are prone to change their mind, often resulting in more work for you. However, the profit margins and commission on

these products make the effort very much worth it.

Know your detail

Each pivot door is made from scratch. Every detail can be customised, including colour, glass, CNC patterns, hardware, biometrics, LEDs and a whole lot more. Your clients are going to be exacting on these details and to be able to demonstrate confidence that you know what you’re doing, you’re going to need to fully understand the product and all its variabilities.

This is easier said than done. Only experience really brings you that kind of knowledge. But there are things you can do to help speed that process along. You can download the technical manuals and sit and read them. You can visit the factory and showroom and get hands-on with the product. You can have prep meetings with reps and technical staff so you can ask questions.

Ultimately, it is selling experience that will help you solidify your knowledge of pivot doors. There’s a lot to know, and there is a lot more responsibility with a product like this than others. But they are very much worth the effort.

Higher profit margins

What you decide to charge for a pivot is subjective. For example, the ones we have quoted to clients have been between £15,000-£20,000 including VAT. But I am based in Yorkshire. Further south where there are more affluent areas you can add another £5000-£10,000 on top, depending on the specification.

Pivot doors are where your business will start to bring in better margins. The one thing to remember is that you’re likely to only sell a handful every year. At our place,

we are aiming to get to a point where we sell one a month. We have been told that even that is a high number. But we’re excited about the product and hope to be able to get there.

For some perspective, the first pivot door we installed produced the same profit margin as 14 windows. Think about that for a moment. The same profit margin as a decent house full of windows and doors but in a single item. We have sold more since and have been able to command better than that.

This is what the extra work is for. The planning that is required. The foresight to make sure pivot projects go well. The extra hand-holding with your clients. The learning of the additional product knowledge. All of that is worth it if you can begin to sell pivot doors on a regular basis. Over the course of a year, a handful of these doors can boost revenue and margins by a significant amount. This type of work also opens up new avenues. Wealthier people tend to know other wealthier people. For this demographic, pivot doors are lifestyle products, not just doors. If you find yourself dealing with this type of client bracket more often, you really will begin to transform your business.

There is a lot more I can say about these products. They really are the coolest way you can enter and leave a home. Pivot doors capture the imagination of clients and can bring fantastic new opportunities to installers who are prepared to put in the work.

RELATIONSHIPS

Dekko turned to Deceuninck Aluminium to manufacture products that will sit alongside its high-end Räum range of windows and doors when the fabricator reviewed its options in 2022.

“There are many things to consider when you choose a supplier for your flagship brand,” explained Dekko’s Sales Director Kurt Greatrex. “Yes, you want a flexible partnership, and you want quality products, but you also want that something extra – and the Decalu88 Bi-folding Door gives us tangible selling points that we can pass on to our consumers.”

Kurt explained that the product’s energy efficiency credentials – U-values as low as 0.68W/ m2k triple-glazed or 1.4W/m2k double-glazed making it Part L and Future Homes ready – are vital for any business looking to future-proof themselves against the introduction of the Future Homes Standard in 2025.

But the fact that the Decalu88 Bifolding Door is available in any single or dual RAL colour option – textured and metallic finishes –and is Marine Grade as standard, helps Dekko position itself as a modern forward-thinking company as homeowners and specifiers choose coloured products in greater numbers than ever before.

Already a fabricator of Deceuninck PVC-U profile, Dekko was familiar with the brand and recognised the benefits offering Deceuninck across the board would bring. Despite this, Kurt explained that the Lancashire-based fabricator was only going to introduce the Decalu88 B-Folding Door and Entrance Door to its range.

“That was until we got a request

from a customer to fabricate the Decalu163 Lift-and-Slide Door to a £1.1m 12-month project in London,” Kurt said. “It was one of those rare occasions where the project had been up-specced to aluminium from PVC-U, and it would have been too good an opportunity to miss.”

Also, ultra-energy-efficient with U-values of as low as 0.8W/ m2k triple-glazed or 1.3W/m2k double-glazed, making it Part L and Future Homes ready, the Decalu163 Lift-and-Slide Door combines minimalist sightlines with effortless operation despite accommodating individual sash weights of up to 400kg.

“But the request came in at the same time we were setting up to start manufacturing the Decalu88 Bi-Fold Door and the Decalu88 Entrance Door, so we had to work out if we could take on the Lift-and-Slide Door as well,” Kurt continued.

“As it turned out, thanks to the modular Decalu system, we only needed one extra punch tool to expand our production capability – everything else remained the same.”

Kurt explained that Dekko also has its eyes on the new Decalu88 Flush Casement Window from Deceuninck Aluminium because it will be attractive to both domestic and commercial customers – especially if they were buying other products from the range.

“People will want the same flush sightlines across all elements of their project,” he said. “But our customers will benefit in other ways – beyond winning more work.

“The feedback we have received from fitters is that the Decalu products are easy to install and

easy to glaze. The system is much more straightforward when compared to other aluminium systems.

“Take the bead for example – it is the same across the range. This not only means that you have a uniform appearance across all glazing elements, but you don’t have multiple beads on site. This means lower stockholding for fitters, but they don’t run the risk of having the wrong bead on site, which means having to return at a later date with the right bead, saving time and money.

“And there are significant benefits for us as a fabricator, especially when it comes to stockholding. On a Decalu system, I only need to stock four separate products. For a similar style aluminium system, that number is ten. That complexity takes up more space, requires more detailed logistics, and ties up my money in stock – up to 200% more.”

Kurt said the immediate benefit for Dekko was improved cash flow, which is a key strength to have as the market starts to cool.

“This attention to detail –the modular system and pre-gasketed beads – also improves my relationship with my customers,” he said. “They are much quicker on site, they are less likely to leave a job unfinished while they wait for the right parts to turn up, and they get paid quicker. Which is what we all want!”

www.dekkowindows.com

For more information call 01249 816 969, email deceuninck.ltd@deceuninck.com or visit www.deceuninck.co.uk

RISE OF THE PASSIVE HOUSE

We are seeing, on a more regular basis, buildings being constructed to meet ‘Passivhaus’ design, but what is it and how does it affect the new build and home improvement markets? Whilst it may be considered by some that this is just a concept for expensive new build, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The principles of the voluntary ‘Passive House’ designs are equally relevant to commercial construction and property refurbishment. Many architectural practices now have dedicated architects who are trained in the design philosophy by the UK’s Passivhaus Trust.

So what is Passivhaus and importantly, how is it going to affect our fenestration industry?

A staggering 35% of our total global energy consumption is used in buildings, significantly cutting this will drastically reduce our carbon emissions. A Passivhaus certified building is optimised for a decarbonised grid and offers living and working spaces for health and wellbeing. This high level of occupant comfort uses very little energy for heating and cooling. Insulation plays a major role but this is only one of the five principles of Passivhaus design.

Whilst ‘Passivhaus ’is commonly

considered as a German innovation, in fact, it was an American physicist, William Shurcliff who in 1982 published a book “The SaundersShrewsbury House,” in which he describes the concepts of “super-insulation” and passive solar as “passive house.” In the late 1980s a passive house movement had emerged in North America, but, shortly after America lost its appetite for energy conservation, Germany picked up the reins. A German physicist Wolfgang Feist refined the passive house concept to further improve efficiency and proposed a passive house concept with an annual energy demand of just fifteen kilowatthours per square metre of floor area.

Window insulation and airtightness is a major requirement in Passivhaus design needing a minimum of requirement of triple glazing for doors, windows and curtain wall. Aluminium, you may be surprised to know can perform exceptionally well at high insulation levels using wide thermal breaks, inserted

insulation and wide window seals. Some aluminium window systems can get down to a Uw of 0.55 W/(m2K) and door systems down to a Uw of 0.65 W/(m2K). Whilst these high performance systems come at a premium, the principles of

design are now well known and aluminium plus polyamide thermal breaks are relatively quick to design and cost effective to produce, unlike window systems in alternative materials. With today’s advanced powder coatings these systems can perform well over several decades.

Passivhaus principles and lowcarbon construction take a ‘fabric first’ approach, basically there is no point in using alternative heating systems until the whole building fabric is designed for minimal heat losses. There are five principles that need to be introduced into the building before minimal heat sources can be considered. We must also remember that at certain times of the year, even in the UK, we also need to ensure we can keep the heat out in the extremes of weather.

Air tightness to reduce draughts through building structure interfaces and fenestration helps isolate the living/working space from the exterior. Good quality and effective insulation of walls, ceilings and floors, will also ensure that the interior space remains isolated in extremes of temperature. Often between building interfaces, thermal bridging can occur where insulation areas are interrupted, these areas need very careful design. Designs of window reveals is particularly relevant here, including the window cill and head to ensure that the window frames high thermal perimeter performance is not reduced by poor installation and reveal design. Then to the window systems themselves, high thermal performance systems that are located to take advantage of solar gain but not to extremes.

Once we have the building airtight and thermally efficient, air changes are crucial and these can be achieved by using MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) which provides fresh filtered air into a building whilst retaining most of the heating energy that has already been used in the building. These systems currently can be up to 85% efficient.

So for new build and home improvement, where does that place our current supply chain for homeowners?

As we rapidly move towards Passivhaus, or very low energy homes, window installers will need to consider window reveal designs to ensure ‘cold bridging’ does not occur, whilst also maintaining the thermal performance of the window frame. This will increase costs

of installations as changes to the reveals may be necessary. The opportunity for the home improvement supply chain is quite considerable when you consider the opportunities of upgrading the building insulation and installing MVHR systems alongside replacement doors and windows. The landscape is changing rapidly and there are opportunities for businesses to range build and meet the market demand for the new era ahead. Here at CAB we will be keeping our membership informed of developments and pending changes in legislation. Why not consider joining the Association and be recognised as being involved in and helping too shape the future of our industry. More information on our website at c-a-b.org.uk

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COULD THE FUTURE BUILDING STANDARD BE WATERED DOWN?

Whilst the arguments over trickle vents continue to rage on, eight months after their implementation, attention has rightly turned to the next major set of revisions due to come into effect in 2025.

The Future Building Standards, the new regulations aimed at vastly improving the energy efficiency of new-build properties, are set to see far more stringent minimum U-Values enforced. Or at least that was the thinking up until recently.

U-Values in focus

One of the major pillars of the Future Building Standard that involved fenestration is an expected new minimum U-Value of 0.8W/m²K. This would mark a dramatic reduction from the 1.4 level we are at now.

As a result of these expected revisions, we are starting to see new product launches from the like of Liniar and one or two others which already meet these new criteria. It’s a bonus for those suppliers who are able to produce such low U-Values now, as they are able to go to market with a product that will allow installers to tell their clients that they are going be futureproofed wildly in advance.

However, I have had one or two conversations with certain suppliers who have indicated to me that the direction of travel towards 0.8 may be moving. They have intimated that the Government may be

reconsidering such a steep reduction and opting to go in at the 1.0 or 1.2 levels. This is apparently after feedback from the sector that a lot of products won’t be able to meet the 0.8 level.

If this indeed becomes the case, then this would be a watering down of the FBS and a step backwards in the Government’s commitment to reducing the UK’s carbon footprint. Moreover, with recent product launches by some systems companies, it has been proven that 0.8W/m²K can actually be achieved. Two years in advance.

At the moment, nothing is decided, and I believe the Government is still listening to feedback from all sectors before making final decisions on what the parameters of the FBS will be.

Lack of ambition?

Between now and 2025 we are going to see more and more products come to market which can achieve lower U-Values. Indeed, some will meet the 0.8 mark or below. That process has already begun.

So whether the Government decides to roll over under lobbying and water down the new minimum requirements for windows and doors remains to be seen.

On the one hand, you have a part of the sector which appears to have already vocally pushed back on 0.8 and seems to have

been given an ear. On the other hand, we already have some companies demonstrating that they can indeed get to that lower level well in advance of the 2025 start date.

So what will the Government think? We already know they have a low opinion of us, which was further reinforced after the woeful handling of the last set of Building Regulations revisions. Will they simply continue to think of us as a sector that lacks ambition and would rather resist changes? Or will they look to the other companies to show what can be achieved and decide that they will stick to their guns as they have with trickle vents?

For what it is worth, I would argue that if products can achieve 0.8 already, and more can come to the market before 2025, then that is the road we should travel down, and take advantage of the USPs that these ultraefficient products will bring. The cost-of-living crisis and heating bills remain a major concern for many. It appears simple to me that our sector should be able to offer products with as low a U-Value as possible to reinforce the argument that people must continue to invest in their homes for the longer-term benefits.

THE SOLUTION TO UNATTRACTIVE TRICKLE VENTS: LINIAR’S SEAMLESS VENTED HEAD DRIP

Liniar, the UK’s leading PVCu systems company and a subsidiary of Quanex, is pleased to launch another UK-first – the patent pending vented head drip. Available in white and foiled finishes, the new component offers a seamless colour finish which maintains the stylish appearance of windows and doors – and unlike other solutions, Liniar’s vent replaces the exterior trickle vent, rather than just covering it up. A recent update to Part F building regulations requires the introduction of further ventilation to new and existing homes where upgrades and building works are being completed, which is being mostly achieved through the introduction of trickle vents. This has however caused issues for the industry, with their appearance being disliked by consumers as well as the availability of trickle vents themselves being a challenge. Introducing an alternative that complies with current and future building regulations and also ensures a seamless finish, Liniar’s Design and Development Director Chris Armes comments, “As an industry, we spend a lot of time and effort creating products that are going to enhance the look of properties. Homeowners and installers alike aren’t keen on traditional trickle vents, as they can spoil the appearance of the finished products.” Chris continues, “My team and I felt there had to be a more attractive alternative to the standard exterior trickle vent. We went to work designing a product that complies with the legislation, gives a seamless finish and can be foiled for a perfect match. Using our in-house 3D printer combined with flow analysis software and physical product testing, we developed Liniar’s vented head drip, an innovative way to eliminate the need for exterior trickle vents.” Liniar’s vented head drip is manufactured in the UK and is fully tested to BS EN 13141-1, with a patent pending. The vented head drip can either be installed across the full length of the compatible windows and doors for enhanced weather performance or alternatively trimmed with end caps. Chris concludes, “This latest product innovation is testament to Liniar’s commitment in helping our industry ensure compliance without compromise. The vented head drip is a fantastic new addition to our portfolio of components that will help fabricators and fitters solve complaints about the look of exterior trickle vents.”

MODULAR GROUP INVESTMENTS ACQUISITION OF OAKLAND

Modular Group Investments Ltd (MGI) is delighted to announce the acquisition of Oakland Glass Ltd. This is a key strategic addition to the Group, which adds significant capacity and capability in insulated double-glazed unit production, and provides established routes to market for Oakland Glass through MGI’s existing and future channels.

Oakland Glass was established in 1986, providing high-quality IGUs to the market, and has steadily grown into a market leader in its field. It combines traditional values and expertise to provide ‘A Service That’s First Class’, and has established strong and long-standing relationships with customers, suppliers and employees.

MGI purchased the entire share capital of Oakland Glass Ltd, with the transaction closing on 8th February 2023.

Michael Garratt, founder at MGI said: “I am very excited to add Oakland Glass Ltd to our Group and to have the opportunity to build upon what the team has created. We look forward to a promising future together – MGI plans to acquire more componentry manufacturing business this year in order to continue to diversify our product portfolio, but also to strengthen our customer relationships by offering more products and services.”

Giles Richell, Group CEO at MGI said: “This is a great addition to the MGI Group and provides a depth and scale of vertical integration that we believe is unmatched by our

INVESTMENTS (MGI) COMPLETES OAKLAND GLASS LTD

competition. This will allow us to supply our multiple construction markets with the best service and most competitive solutions in the industry.”

Amanda Falsey will be continuing in her role as Managing Director and Tina Moorhouse will stay on in her capacity as Oakland Sales Director. MGI very much welcomes Amanda and her team to the Group and looks forward to working with them and growing the business further with our help and support.

About Modular Group Investments Limited

MGI is a fast-growing and innovative group of businesses with the goal of making a positive contribution with the UK offsite and modular manufacturing sectors and across the diverse SME supply chain of missioncritical components in synergistic markets. MGI continues to develop a buy-and-build strategy, which will focus on the offsite/MMC sectors and components but recognises the scale and opportunities to also supply the traditional construction sectors.

For more information, please contact MGI at www. modulargroupinvestments.co.uk / michael@ modulargroupinvestments.co.uk +44 07570 077700

NOMINAL UPLIFT IN Q4 2022 STILL DRIVES

Total value sales data from Britain’s Builders’ Merchants shows Q4 2022 recorded +2.9% year-on-year growth, with +16.4% price inflation compensating for volumes which fell -11.6%. With one less trading day this year, likefor-like value sales were +4.6% higher.

Ten of the 12 categories sold more in Q4 2022 compared to the previous year with Renewables & Water Saving again growing the most (+48.6%). Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (+18.6%) and Workwear & Safetywear (+14.8%) both recorded their highest quarterly revenues and were among the nine categories growing faster than Merchants overall. Only Landscaping (-5.9%) and Timber & Joinery Products (-11.5%) sold less.

Comparing Q4 2022 with Q4 2019, a more normal pre-Covid trading year, sales for October to December 2022 were +24.4% higher than the same months three years ago. Volume sales were -7.6% down and prices were up +34.7%. All categories sold more including significant increases for Renewables & Water Saving (+59.3%), Landscaping (+32.2%), Timber & Joinery Products (+27.9%), and Heavy Building Materials (+25.9%) which all grew faster than total Merchants.

Quarter-on-quarter, total value sales were -13.9% down in Q4 compared to Q3. Volume sales were -18.3% down while

prices were up +5.4%. With five less trading days in the most recent period, overall like-forlike sales were -6.6% lower than Q3. Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (+13.2%) grew the most, followed by Workwear & Safetywear and Renewables & Water Saving (both +7.1%). Seasonal category Landscaping (-33.6%) was the weakest.

Lacklustre December sales didn’t help Q4, as total value sales dipped -1.7% compared to December 2021. Volume sales in December 2022 were down -17.9% and prices were up +19.7%.

Taking trading days into account, like-for-like sales were +4.5% higher in December 2022, with one less trading day. Nine of the twelve categories sold more with Renewables & Water Saving (+42.3%) the strongest performing category. Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (+19.1%), Decorating (+12.1%) and Kitchens & Bathrooms (+10.0%) also did better, while Timber & Joinery Products (-15.4%) and Landscaping (-17.4%) both sold less.

Total value sales in December 2022 were +24.4% higher than the same month three years ago, with one more trading day this year. Like-for-like sales were +16.6% up. Volume sales were -10.9% lower and prices climbed +39.6%. All categories sold more, again led by Renewables & Water Saving (+60.5%).

Compared to the previous month, December 2022 total

merchant sales were down -35.1% on November 2022. Volume sales were -38.3% lower and prices rose +5.3%. All categories sold less, which is in line with the seasonal trading patterns we would expect in December.

Mike Rigby, CEO of MRA Research who produce this report, said: “Renewables & Water Saving products – one of the smaller categories tracked by BMBI – took off in Q3 2022, and has pretty much stayed in front as products which save energy or water are in high demand by trades and homeowners. With no end in sight to the astronomical energy bills which marred 2022 and a further review of the Energy Price Guarantee (which expires in April) due soon, there is a lot of uncertainty over what households will be paying for gas and electricity in 2023. Those with money in the bank are purchasing energy savings products to ease their utility bill woes.

“So far the economy has hovered on the brink of recession, and if the recession isn’t as deep as expected and inflation continues to fall, we may see a gradual return in consumer confidence. And perhaps an end to the permacrisis mindset that we’ve been locked in since 2020, which will be positive news for new building and RMI markets. But it has some way to go! Consumer spending is an important driver of the economy, so consumer confidence matters and GfK’s Consumer Confidence

2022 SALES, BUT INFLATION

DRIVES GROWTH

Barometer shows how far it has to recover. Confidence fell 3 points in January to -45, a near-historic low. That’s not surprising given how battered and bruised is a large section of the population. Interestingly perhaps as an indicator of how the Haves, older homeowners who’ve paid off or nearly paid off their mortgages, are feeling, the Savings Index (which is not a component of the confidence index) is still positive at +14, just one point down on January last year. That’s some contrast with the

precipitous drop in overall consumer confidence from -19 in January 2022 to -45 in January 2023. Whichever way you cut it, it’ll be a difficult year ahead.”

Developed and run by MRA Research, the BMBI – a brand of the Builders Merchant Federation – is a monthly index of builders’ merchant sales, and the most reliable, up-to-date measure of Repair, Maintenance, and Improvement (RMI) activity in the UK. The index is based on actual sales from GfK’s Builders’ Merchant Point of Sale Tracking Data, which captures value sales out to builders from generalist builders’ merchants, accounting for over 80% of total sales from builders’ merchants throughout Great Britain. An in-depth review, which includes commentary by sector experts, is provided each quarter.

The Q4 2022 BMBI report is available to download at www.bmbi.co.uk.

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM BMBI/MRA RESEARCH

SAFESTYLE UK ANNOUNCE YEAREND TRADING UPDATE

Earnings season in the fenestration sector continues, with some of the largest publicly traded companies in the industry continuing to report on 2022 performance. Today it is the turn of Safestyle UK. Although they report a solid year, there are hints in the statement below that there are more challenging times ahead for the company and the market in general:

Safestyle UK plc (AIM: SFE), the leading UK focused retailer and manufacturer of PVCu replacement windows and doors for the homeowner market, today issues a trading update for the year ended 1 January 2023 (“FY22”) ahead of announcing its Final Results on 23 March 2023.

The Group expects to report revenues of c.£154.3m, c.7.7% higher than the prior year, and an underlying loss before tax in line with market expectations*.

Further, the Group is pleased to report it completed the transition to its new supplier of PVCu profile on time and on budget over the Christmas period and is now manufacturing products using the Liniar system.

The cash position has reduced in line with the trading performance by c.£4.1m to £8.0m compared to the prior year’s net cash balance of £12.1m at 2 Jan 2022. The decrease from the balance of £9.0m expected at the time of the Group’s trading update in November 2022, is predominantly due to the timing of working capital unwinds and non-recurring items.

Separately, the replacement of the Group’s existing facility with a new £7.5m RCF to the end of 2026 has been completed. As reported previously, the Group’s borrowing facilities will continue to be provided by Aurelius, albeit terms and pricing now represent a reduced cost commensurate with the improved health of the balance sheet.

Current Trading and Outlook

Whilst the Board expects that trading conditions will remain reasonably challenging in the shortterm given the wider consumer environment,

the Group’s order book at 31 January 2023 was marginally higher than at the same time last year. The Board is also confident that the Group’s proposition will combine well with what has historically proven to be a resilient sector supported by an ongoing focus on energysaving products by consumers.

Rob Neale, CEO of Safestyle, commented:

“Despite a number of unforeseen challenges in 2022, I am pleased with the significant progress we delivered on our strategic priorities and whilst we remain mindful of the difficulties facing UK consumers, we are confident that our business will continue to trade resiliently and return to profitability in 2023. Since taking on the CEO role in December, I am excited about the medium term opportunities for the Group and look forward to updating shareholders on progress at our Final Results in March.”

*current analyst consensus for the year ended 1 January 2023 is revenue of £154m and an underlying loss before tax of £(4.5)m.

View statement on Safestyle UK Plc website: https://otp.investis.com/clients/uk/safestyle/rns/ regulatory-story.aspx?newsid=1665738&cid=656

REMEMBERING OTTO AND RAISING AWARENESS FOR MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE

We have recently heard the extremely sad news that one of our very close and loyal customers Wonderful Windows has lost their grandchild Otto to a very rare condition known as mitochondrial disease.

Their daughter Millie has set up a just giving page in his honour and we are very proud to support this cause. If you are able please donate whatever you can, it will make such a difference to the families also suffering and help those fighting to find a cure.

To donate please visit the Just Giving page.

To find out more about mitochondrial disease, visit the NHS page.

Thank You

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TO HELP CHILDREN DREAM

Financial support from Morley Glass has now enabled more than 100 young people to develop their dancing abilities with professional training through scholarships provided by a West Yorkshire dance school.

The company has funded the scholarships since 2018 at Castleford-based Freedom 2 Dance, a thriving community-focused dance school which is dedicated to increasing accessibility to dancing. One of the ways they do this is to ‘level the playing field’ by offering scholarships to children, which means they can benefit from professional dance tuition regardless of background or personal circumstances.

Freedom 2 Dance was first introduced to Morley Glass managing director Ian Short after he took the plunge into dancing himself by signing up to a Strictly Come Dancing style challenge to raise money for charity. Ever since, Ian has remained passionate about dancing and the power it has to be able to build the confidence of young people, improve their well-being and even transform lives.

In addition to the 100+ scholarships funded to date by Morley Glass, the company has confirmed its backing for a further 24 students this year. This will enable Freedom 2 Dance to reach out to children who may otherwise be unable to access additional dance training to support their development, according to director, Michelle Dickinson.

“We’ve seen the far-reaching benefits that the scholarships bring to children so it’s fantastic to be able to continue them in 2023,” said Michelle.

EXTENDS SUPPORT

FOLLOW DANCING

DREAM

“The children benefit in particular by developing new friendships and confidence, which boosts their social skills and can transform their wellbeing. In addition, our teachers have clearly seen the development of interpersonal skills such as teamwork, communication and improved self-esteem, which will go on to serve them throughout their personal and working lives.”

Freedom 2 Dance scholarships are provided in two categories depending on the stage that budding dancers are at – level 1 is ‘Gifted & Talented’ and level

2 is for children seeking to try something new. The scholarships are open to any child who is already a part of Freedom 2 Dance community and those selected for a scholarship benefit from either one private lesson per month or a 40-minute class every week.

Ian Short, MD of Morley Glass added: “We are delighted to be able to support Freedom 2 Dance and look forward to seeing this year’s students build their ability and flourish. Over the past four years, we’ve seen the value of Freedom 2 Dance’s work in breaking down the barriers that often prevent children from taking up dancing and the value of this cannot be understated given how beneficial dance can be to our physical and mental health overall.”

More information on Freedom 2 Dance can be found at: www.freedom2dance.co.uk

To find out more about Morley Glass: www.morleyglass.co.uk

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM MORLEY GLASS

EXCITING NEW INTEGRAL BLIND SYSTEMS LINED UP FOR DEBUT AT 2023 FIT SHOW

Several new additions to the Uni-Blinds® integral blinds range will make their public debut at this year’s FIT Show in May, according to manufacturer Morley Glass.

The company is currently finalising its plans for the industry’s most important annual event, which it regarded as a huge success in 2022 given the footfall to its stand and enquiries received. Last year, the Morley Glass stand attracted hundreds of fabricators and installers over three days, many of whom were keen to discover more about the sales opportunities unlocked by adding Uni-Blinds® integral blinds to their product portfolio.

FIT Show 2023 visitors will once again be able to explore the full Uni-Blinds® integral blinds range, this time on its 140 sq. m stand L41. The Morley Glass team will be on hand to provide tutorials on the various control systems available, including the popular magnetic slider of the SV and SV+ sliding Venetian, and visitors will be able to see the latest black colour option for Venetian integral blinds up close.

The show will also offer an opportunity for fabricators and installers to discuss any technical queries face-to-face and find out about the unique way in which Morley Glass operates with sustainability at its core.

The soon-to-be-launched new products are set to take centre stage. Morley Glass has been working closely with its exclusive integral blind systems partner, Pellini S.p.A., to ensure FIT Show visitors will be first to see a number of new developments. Further information will be announced in the coming weeks, but the companies have been able to confirm that a new pleated blackout roof blind will make its debut at the show.

This new modern pleated blackout blind

will be compatible with any flat rooflight and give total blackout inside the room if required. In addition, all the flat rooflight integral blind units will be made with solar control glasses and heat soaked.

Ian Short, MD of Morley Glass, said: “We’ve been looking forward to FIT Show 2023 from the minute the doors closed last time round, and we are pulling out all the stops to give visitors the very best experience when they stop by. That’s why we’ve been working hard with Pellini to make sure we will have our latest exciting new innovations ready to launch – full details on these will be available soon.

“If you’re planning a visit to the show, come and see us. Integral blinds continue to offer huge sales potential for installers as awareness amongst homeowners is still relatively low. They are easy to fit and we will provide all the support you will need to market and sell them effectively.” Anyone wishing to register for a FIT Show 2023 VIP ticket can already do so via the exclusive Morley Glass link here.

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM MORLEY GLASS

HWL has added the ultrahigh security Brisant Sweet door handle to its furniture offering, creating additional opportunities for its customers to up-sell on hardware.

The Sweet Collection is pitched by Brisant as a highsecurity premium door handle.

“It features a unique curved almost edgeless design”, explained Graham Howatson, Director, HWL.

“That gives it a really stunning appearance but also enhances security by making it much harder to grip with pliers or mole grips, so it’s much more difficult to force entry.”

The Sweet Handle range has been put through its paces in rigorous testing including over 8,000 hours of salt spray testing – that’s 30 times more than the requirement under EN1906:2012.

The door handle has also had its build quality checked during a cycle test. A typical door handle would be expected to achieve the accreditation standard of 100,000 cycles, the Sweet door handle was still in working order after 360,000.

“There’s been a shift in the market, with a now higher demand for ultra-secure hardware, and premium styling in new doors”, Graham continued. “With the introduction to Sweet door handles, we can now offer customers who are selling into that premium market, a premium hardware solution.

The Sweet handle has been designed and engineered by Brisant to move door furniture forward with a more contemporary design but also to underpin it with better performance.”

HWL has also taken the decision to offer the Sweet handle across its complete range of entrance doors, including composites, French

MAXIMISE MARGINS WITH NEW PREMIUM HARDWARE OPTIONS FROM HWL

and bi-fold doors.

The specialist fabricator took the decision at the end of last year to drop the manufacture of ‘standard’ products, focussing instead on the fabrication of specialist products, including the non-glass bonded, Timberweld Residence Collection.

As part of this strategy, it also added a new range of monkey-tail and pear-drop heritage handles from Regal Hardware at the end of last year.

Graham added that the other big advantage of the Sweet door handles is that they have marketing resources readily available to installers, so customers have access to all of the sales literature they may need when selling the new Sweet handles.

“Ultion is also an established brand, and installers can rest assured knowing that homeowners are willing to pay extra when safety and security is a priority”, he concluded.

For more information email sales@hwlwindows.co.uk call 0113 2449006 or log on at www.hwlwindows.co.uk

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM BRISANT SECURE

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RESI-DOORS HINGE ON SIGMA

Hardware manufacturer, VBH, is reporting a surge in the popularity of its greenteQ Sigma Flag Hinge, thanks to new colours and its 10year surface guarantee.

VBH describe the product as a premium quality adjustable hinge for rebated PVCu doors weighing up to 100KG.

Its 3D adjustment is carried out with a standard 5mm hex key, to make setting up the door on site extremely easy for installers.

Gary Gleeson of VBH says, “Thanks to its design, Sigma remains a stylish product and looks great even on older and newer profile designs. It is the standard door hinge for many fabricators of all sizes not only for its appearance, but also because it is easy to fit and is installer-friendly.

“We are always talking to customers about the benefits of our greenteQ range of suited residoor, patio door and window furniture, of which Sigma is a major component. The introduction of new colours, coupled with the other benefits of Sigma has led many fabricators to choose Sigma Flag as their hinge option.”

VBH point out that, as with all greenteQ Suite products, even the plated finishes of the Sigma hinge are supplied with a full 10-year function and finish guarantee.

Gary adds, “It often comes as a surprise to potential customers that our 10-year guarantee also covers the finish on plated greenteQ furniture, as that doesn’t seem to be the norm in the industry. However, our furniture’s six layers of copper, chrome and nickel give it excellent protection against the elements so we are happy to back that up with the same guarantee as the painted versions.

“This is often the tipping point that makes fabricators choose Sigma and the greenteQ Suite in general, as pitted furniture can easily damage a hard earned reputation for quality. A lot can hinge on a hinge!”

To find out more about greenteQ Sigma Flag Hinges or any other hardware in the VBH range, contact VBH on 01634 263263, email at sales@vbhgb.com, or send them a Tweet @vbhgb.

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DEAN BRADLEY JOINS GLAZPART BOARD

Glazpart is pleased to announce that Dean Bradley has joined the Board of Glazpart Group of Companies as Sales Director.

Dean joined Glazpart in 2012 as Sales and Marketing Manager and has been instrumental in developing the business over the last decade, with continuous unprecedented sales growth.

In addition to growing sales, Dean has worked closely with Glazpart’s Technical and Design Team implementing a strong product development strategy that has introduced many new products to the glass, glazing, construction, industrial and automotive sectors.

On his appointment, Dean commented, “Being part of Glazpart’s successful journey for over ten years has been a joy. With continuous investment in innovation and state-of-the-art machinery to meet the increasing demand for our products, it’s an exciting time for Glazpart. I look forward to being part of a strong and talented Board, to help steer the company to even greater success in the future.”

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM GLAZPART

GLAZPART JOINS BPF

As part of its external affairs strategy, Glazpart has joined the British Plastics Federation (BPF).

With the trading environment adapting to legislative and policy changes made earlier this year, Glazpart felt it essential to have a voice in discussions with the BPF and its member companies in the plastics manufacturing and supply chain to the construction sector.

BPF is the world’s longest-established plastics trade association and has more than 450 member companies, representing over 80% of the UK plastics industry by turnover.

On joining the BPF Moulders Group, Dean Bradley, Glazpart Sales Director commented,

“Whilst the Moulders Group offers to opportunity to network and understand wider industrial markets, whilst being part of the wider industry discussions impacting the plastics markets.”

In addition, to being part of the Moulders Group, Glazpart also intends to have an input to the BPF Windows Group. Dean

Bradley explains,

“As the regulatory landscape has changed and continues to evolve, we see a clear need to present our concerns to key influencers in the plastics sector. We look forward to taking part in future meetings to discuss the impact of the changes to the Building Regulations, “Approved Document F” regarding ventilation in homes.”

The revised “Approved Document F” aims to improve the standards concerning energy efficiency and air quality of a building. The amendments have also been designed to ensure that ventilation is not compromised in the drive to the Government’s net zero targets, which aim to prevent energy loss from residential properties and minimise potential overheating risks.

This uplift in standards is expected to be followed by the planned introduction of the Future Homes Standard in 2025. The standard is set to be the subject of a government consultation in 2023.

NEW MACHINING CENTRES TO MARKET

Haffner

Ltd, the multi-awardwinning machinery specialists, has just unveiled two new PVC-U automated machining centres, which are due for market release over the next few months. Dave Thomas, Chief Executive Officer at Haffner, said: “As a business committed to delivering the machines our customers need, we have extended our SBA machining centre portfolio with the addition of two new machining centres. Like all our machines, they have been designed to deliver high levels of automation throughout the fabrication process, speeding up production, improving product accuracy and turbo-charging efficiency.”

The new SBA-1 Machining Centre has been designed and built by Haffner to assist the smaller fabricator who wants to compete in a market where labour prices are high and skilled workers are also hard to find. This sensibly priced machining centre will allow fabricators to cut and route between 300400 windows per week with just one operator.

Similarly, the new SBA-5 Machining Centre is a machine powerhouse. It has all the attributes of the highly popular SBA-4 including additional servos to further increase routing times on both door profiles

and night vents.

Dave commented: “The benefits of automating window and door fabrication have always been clear when boosting efficiency and productivity on the factory floor. The two new machines are suitable for fabricators at all levels looking to scale production output as fluctuating demand dictates with minimal resources.”

As you would expect from a Haffner machine, innovation and technical excellence is evident at every level. The machines are easy to programme, control and adjust which gives them maximum flexibility and useability. And with minimal operational manpower needed, they also help lessen the impact of the current workforce shortage too.

Dave said: “Automated machines speed up the manufacturing process and can amplify the workforce by achieving more output with less skilled manpower. This allows fabricators to adapt to the current workforce shortage, help create more efficient processes and relieve existing workforce pressures too.”

The new machines look set to be popular with the company already receiving its first pre-launch order for the new SBA-5 Machining Centre from a largescale fabricator. Proof, if any were needed, that the combination of innovative machine technology, high-quality engineering and proactive Haffner support, is extremely attractive.

SPONSORED BY HAFFNER

TRADEGLAZE INVESTS IN MACHINERY TO BOOST ALUMINIUM PRODUCTION CAPACITY

Lincoln fabricator of PVCu and aluminium premium glazing products Tradeglaze has taken delivery of a new CNC machining centre for its aluminium factory, investing yet another six-figure sum to boost the fabricator’s capacity. The upgrade is part of an ambitious growth programme that the company, which specialises in the supply and install to trade and commercial customers, accelerated last year to respond to unprecedented demand in the construction and home improvement markets. The new Emmegi Phantomatic X4’ CNC machining centre is the fourth addition to the fabricator’s portfolio in the past 12 months. The award-winning manufacturer recently received a new glass table, a spacer bar cutting machine and a double mitre saw for their uPVC and glass factories on Bishop’s Road, Lincoln.

Tradeglaze group managing director Jeremy Wetherall explains: “We are acutely aware that our customers’ expectations are higher now than ever. Our customers are asking for more foil, more flush, more aluminium and lower U-values. To answer that demand we have upgraded several of our machines. The market is challenging for businesses and research shows that construction is one of the hardest hit. We however feel that it’s important that we plan for the long term and that our colleagues are equipped with modern technology that helps with their workload, is faster and more accurate. The next step is a new CNC machine for our uPVC factory. We aim to be able to produce windows and doors for buildings that are ‘zero carbon ready’ well ahead of the building regs changes expected in 2025.”

Demand for aluminium is gaining momentum, with many developers and commercial clients choosing the material due to its durability, the flexibility of design and outstanding energy efficiency qualities. The ‘Emmegi Phantomatic X4’ is a machining centre with 4 controlled axes, used for the handling of aluminium pieces up to 2mm. A big upgrade allowing for our aluminium team to work more effectively and efficiently, increasing precision and decreasing fabrication time. The machine comes with updated software which includes ‘CAMPLUS’ for designing, ‘Job’ for order processing and ‘Drill’ for instructing the CNC machine. The Emmegi Phantomatic X4 holds an impressive tool magazine on board allowing it to easily change tools depending on need. Its electro spindle rotates from 0° to 180° continuously to operate on the whole contour of the workpiece, guaranteeing the possibility of working at all intermediate degrees including tenths of a degree changeovers.

“Our company has been making significant investments across all departments in recent months. Demand has now returned to pre-pandemic levels but we continue boosting our capacity across all three factories. We have traded resiliently during previous difficult economic periods and with our growth plan well underway we will remain in a strong position and continue providing our trade, commercial as well as domestic customers with exceptional quality double glazing and a five-star service our group of companies are well known and recommended for” concluded Jeremy Wetherall.

BACKING THE FUTURE

It’s a failure to invest that will cause you serious problems, not market pressures, argues Cornwall Group’s Chairman Mark Mitchell.

Current market conditions are creating a real headache for business owners, who are seeing costs increase as demand starts to stagnate, Cornwall Group’s Chair Mark Mitchell believes.

“We are feeling all the pain of a recession, even if it isn’t labelled a recession,” Mark says. “I am very concerned and anxious about 2023, especially the start of Q2 where we have five specific concerns: the energy price cap mechanism unravelling; minimum wage pressures; a 20% increase in industrial business rates; rising interest rates; and corporation tax going back to 25%.

“Just one of those on its own would be a challenge, but together they could cause considerable distress for some companies.”

Cornwall Group was formed in 2019 when Cornwall Glass was split into three business units: retail-focused Cornwall Glass & Glazing, Cornwall Manufacturing and merchanting business Mackenzie Glass. Since then, the group successfully weathered the pandemic and grew as increased demand followed.

“We have come out of two very successful, strong, trading years which has given us muchneeded reserves,” Mark says. “Every penny that we made in profit over the last three years has gone back into the business.”

This, Mark says, is vital for not

only business survival, but also for prosperity.

“In recent years, the Cornwall Group has streamlined its shareholding structure, which has made us quite nimble,” he says. “We don’t have too many paymasters. We don’t have to answer to private investors. And we don’t have a load of shareholders who are expecting a dividend. Every penny of profit has gone back into the business and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.”

Despite the pressures outlined by Mark, this approach to investment and growth is key to building and maintaining its customer base.

“Where some of our competitors may struggle, we are looking to grow, both organically and through acquisition. So, it’s important that we make a profit, because that profit will go back into the business through plant and machinery, through our colleagues, through training initiatives, and through investment in IT.”

Cornwall Group’s St Austell site has got a £4m investment programme lined up for the next three years, with a specific focus on upgrading the existing machinery. Top of that list is a £1.5m Bystronic Sealed Unit Line, which was ordered at the start of 2023, and is due to be delivered by the end of Q3 this year to replace an existing line.

“I remember very fondly buying our first piece of equipment – a Bystronic Sealed Unit Line – 20 years ago for £half-

a-million,” Mark says. “And it’s a credit to our operators and our engineers that we’ve maintained that equipment, and similar equipment of a similar age.

“But it is vital that St Austell and the other larger sites that are reliant on automation, plants and machinery are updated on a regular basis.

“It is essential that we continue to invest in new technology, new robotic sealed unit lines, and furnaces that are more environmentally friendly. We have to plan ahead because the order you place may not be commissioned for 12 months –so you cannot afford to leave it until the last minute.

“By continuing to plough our profits back into the business, we can continue to give our customers good quality products backed by good service. That means looking beyond the current gloomy forecast, and always with an eye on the fiveyear horizon.”

For more information, please call 01726 66325 email info@cornwallglass.co.uk or log on at www.cornwallglass.co.uk

EDGETECH CUSTOMER IMC ACHIEVES IRELAND’S FIRST SUPER SPACER HERITAGE PART 3 PASS

An Edgetech customer has started to manufacture the only Super Spacer Heritage double-glazed units in Ireland which have passed BS EN 1279 Part 3.

Based in Banbridge, County Down, IMC Glass is a leading specialist in heritage glazing, supplying customers throughout Ireland and the UK, and its Slim-Glaze units are particularly renowned throughout the market.

The company’s high-performance Krypton-filled double-glazing units start at just 11mm thick (about the diameter of a biro) and can fit into frames that were only designed for single glazing. They also meet the glazing requirements of properties which have listed status.

Passing the Part 3 standard, notoriously difficult for slimline units, is the latest example of the company’s commitment to excellence, as Director Aaron McCreanor explains:

“Of the two parts of BS EN 1279, Part 2, which governs moisture penetration, is relatively straightforward to pass. Most manufacturers don’t have a problem with it.

“Part 3, which governs gas leakage, is much harder. It’s extremely difficult to produce a unit that’s slim enough for heritage use, yet manages the required standard.

“At IMC, we’ve got an extremely talented technical team, and after a lot of hard work, they managed to produce units that consistently pass the test.

“We’re really proud to be the only company in Ireland to achieve this feat.”

Edgetech Head of Sales Tony Palmer comments: “We’re delighted with IMC’s Part 3 success using Super Spacer Heritage.

“Their technical expertise and commitment to excellence mean they’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and seeking to improve the products they provide.

“We look forward to working with them for many years to come.”

More information on IMC Glass can be found at their website www.imcglass.com

For more information, please call 02476 639931 or visit www.edgetechig.co.uk SPONSORED

EXPERIENCED NEW ADDITION FURTHER STRENGTHENS EDGETECH’S MARKETING TEAM

joined a successful full-service marketing agency, working with major national and international brands.

At Edgetech, Dhilip will help coordinate its marketing teams across Britain and Germany, and work on its PR, social media and digital marketing.

Charlotte Hawkes, Edgetech’s Head of Marketing comments: “We’re extremely pleased to be welcoming Dhilip to the team.

“That’s why it’s so important that we continue to attract talented, passionate people like Dhilip, who can help us maintain those standards for many years to come.”

Dhilip comments: “Edgetech is a globally respected brand, and it’s hugely exciting to be able to help it continue to thrive and grow.

World-leading spacer bar specialist Edgetech, a Quanex company, welcomes a new member of its marketing team.

Dhilip Bains joins the company’s growing marketing department in the role of Marketing Executive.

After studying Economics and History, Dhilip achieved an MBA from Cardiff University. He then

“His experience, professionalism and enthusiasm have already had an impact, and I’m looking forward to working with him in the year ahead.

“Marketing has always been a vital part of Edgetech’s overall strategy. For us, it’s not just about promoting our own products, but a way of contributing to crucial industry conversations around sustainability, skills, automation, changing government legislation, and the future of the sector in general.

“The Edgetech team has been extremely welcoming, and it’s a great place to work.” For more information, please call 02476 639931 or visit www.edgetechig.co.uk

INTEGRAL BLIND COLOURMATCHING DELIVERS AN ON-TREND LOOK

The launch of a new black Venetian option for Uni-Blinds® integral blinds gives installers the greatest ever scope to provide homeowners with a colourcoordinated window and door package that is in line with the latest décor trends, according to Morley Glass MD, Ian Short.

The industry’s leading UK manufacturer of integral blinds using ScreenLine® systems recently added black to its colours for Venetian integral blinds in response to the growth in its popularity throughout home décor.

Ian Short says, “Anyone involved in the home improvement market will know that consumer tastes are constantly changing. Innovative brands offering everything from paint and landscaping products to kitchens and bathrooms work hard to ensure they can satisfy a relentless consumer appetite for that next ‘must have’ or different look.”

Ian believes that in recent years the door and window industry has evolved to better meet the demands of consumers from a styling perspective, with a shift away from a fairly limited range of styles for windows and doors to a plethora of choices.

He continues, “When you look at recent industry data, there is no doubt that routine white PVCu frames continue to dominate sales, but the increased range of frame colours we now have available, along with different frame designs such as flush-fit

and the growth in the domestic aluminium market, means the market is much more responsive to changing consumer tastes.

“As an industry, we are in a more positive position than ever given that we have moved from responding to change to actually driving it. Nowhere is this more apparent than with integral blinds, which have gone from being a relatively niche product at the beginning of the century to one that is inspiring consumers with new creative potential for their windows and doors.”

Black décor features have been growing in popularity in the last couple of years and are very much on-trend today. Responding to this, Morley Glass has been working closely with ScreenLine® integral blind systems manufacturer Pellini to be the first company to bring this high-quality Venetian blind to the UK market in this colour.

Ian adds, “We’ve seen the demand for black frames growing, while the appetite for anthracite grey and agate grey remains strong. All three of these colours are ideal for black Venetian Uni-Blinds® as many of our early customers are discovering.

“But it is not simply a case of applying a new colour to the slats. The black blind units optimise visual appeal because all the components are consistent. The finish of the slats ensures the colour will not fade over time, retaining its bold appearance,

with perfectly matched colours for the cords, header and footer rails and sideguides used across the different Uni-Blinds® control systems.

“Adding black Uni-Blinds® integral blinds to a range which already includes the exclusive anthracite grey, silver, beige, yellow and green means giving homeowners even wider scope to express their personality. We think it will rapidly grow to become one of our top-selling blind colours in the coming years as homeowners go back to black.” Find out more about the colour options for Uni-Blinds® at www.morleyglass.co.uk/ available-colours/.

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM MORLEY GLASS

RECYCLING ANNOUNCES NEW PLANT IN £2 MILLION INVESTMENT

closed loop. One of the big hurdles in reuse is processing UPVC so that it can be used effectively in the extrusion of new products. Therefore we have installed a plant that can clean and refine to the highest possible standards. We are very proud of the innovative and technological system installed.”

This latest development represents the next stage across the whole facility as CNC Recycling investments over the last 12 months into additional shredding/ granulation/washing and separation steps to recover ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless steel from the UPVC waste streams as well as stones, glass and other impurities.

UPVC Window Recycling specialist CNC Recycling are delighted to announce that they have completed the installation of their brand new state-of-the-art recycling facility with sorting and separating equipment for the recovery of clean white and jazz (coloured) of both post-industrial and post-consumer UPVC streams using the latest technology and specialist expertise.

Installation of the Delta Cleaner, Hamos EKS electrostatic separator, CIMBRIA colour sorting equipment completes the first phase of the installation with the integration of the HAMOS KWS Unit to follow in April.

This long-term commitment to creating sustainable products into the future of UPVC recycling represents an overall investment by CNC Recycling in the region of £2,000,000 over the course of the last twelve months into their infrastructure of recycling old windows and doors back into the fenestration Industry.

The installation of the new plant and equipment will allow for the final processing of UPVC ready for extrusion.

The introduction of the new Hamos separators will achieve UPVC purities of 99.5% in one pass. The CIMBRIA colour sorting system which is equipped with high-resolution trichromatic cameras separates colour impurities still remaining in the material, so that the UPVC is refined to the highest possible quality ready for extrusion.

Managing Director Melanie Coates said of the new plant “The investment was the next natural step in our UPVC recycling process to create a

To complement the processing/recovery arm of the company CNC has added three new tractor units and trailers to their fleet complete with Terberg truck-mounted forklift trucks and over ten new smaller collection vehicles to support and ensure a first-class service to all our customers nationally this brings their total fleet count to (40) vehicles.

These are all covered with a new digital paperless waste transfer note system designed specifically for CNC by My Data Crate ensuring all their suppliers are compliant with the necessary legislation.

Investment has continued into our staff which has grown to (55) with the main area of growth being collection drivers, but also in our sales team based at the new Sales office based in Goole. More customer service staff have been added to the team to ensure our customers always have a direct contact should they have a problem, need a collection or have a question they need answering.

CNC Recycling has always promoted the message that PVC-U windows are truly sustainable. Our recycling schemes and partnerships together with our nationwide network of recycling centres (14) and extensive fleet of collection vehicles, mean we offer every window fabricator and installer in the UK the ability to recycle all of their old window frames to ensure this primary resource of raw material is captured and never lost to landfill.

CNC Recycling continues to be heavily committed to recycling every piece of UPVC waste created as we look to be THE trusted and reliable partner to the fenestration industry.

ENDURANCE DOORS® INVESTS INTO INCREASED SUSTAINABILITY

Endurance Doors® – the designer and manufacturer of solid, secure, and stylish composite doors – has invested over £300,000 into 500 solar panels which have been installed on the roof of its main production facility in Brigg, North Lincolnshire.

The new panels build on an existing focus at Endurance Doors of only using electricity generated from renewable sources, rather than fossil fuels, throughout its manufacturing processes. They will also significantly reduce the company’s energy spend.

Stephen Nadin, managing director at Endurance Doors, said: “As a business, Endurance Doors is proud to be a leading advocate and adopter of more sustainable manufacturing practices for the fenestration and construction sectors.

“To date, we have made enormous strides in our drive to minimise our environmental impact but there is no room for complacency. We continue to look for new opportunities to increase our levels of sustainability and the installation of the solar panels at our Brigg factory reflects this relentless focus.”

The use of self-generated electricity from solar energy is just the latest in a long line of steps taken by Endurance Doors as part of its commitment to the environment.

The business already plants two trees for every door it produces, sends zero waste to landfill, employs recycled material where possible, and aims to use virgin material from renewable, sustainably managed sources such as PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) and FSC (Forest

Stewardship Council) certified forests. Endurance Doors® has also become a corporate supporter of the World Land Trust (WLT) – an international conservation charity whose patrons include Sir David Attenborough, Chris Packham, and Steve Backshall.

“At Endurance Doors, we recognise our responsibility and the need for action rather than words. Anyone who buys our products can be confident they’ve been designed and manufactured with the future of the planet, as well as security and style, uppermost in mind.”

Stephen Nadin, Managing Director, Endurance Doors

By partnering with the WLT, Endurance Doors has become carbon neutral with any unavoidable emissions from its operations being offset by investment into forests, biomass plantations and other sustainable means of carbon sequestration.

Concluding, Stephen adds: “The next decade is make or break when it comes to the environmental issues facing the Earth. In the last 12 months alone, we’ve seen stark evidence of the effects of climate change – from record-breaking unseasonal heatwaves to devasting floods.

“At Endurance Doors, we recognise our responsibility and the need for action rather than words. Anyone who buys our products can be confident they’ve been designed and manufactured with the future of the planet, as well as security and style, uppermost in mind.”

EUROCELL’S FUTURE HOMES READY MODUS SYSTEM CONTINUES TO LEAD THE MARKET

With the introduction of the Future Homes Standard (FHS) just two years away, national housebuilders have been working closely with Eurocell to enable them to achieve energy efficiency and carbon reduction targets.

The development work has been designed to successfully integrate Eurocell’s Future Homes ready Modus as a fully integrated window and door system. Modus continues to

lead the market as the ‘go to’ solution for energy-efficient performance with U-values as low as 0.7, aesthetics, value, and sustainability.

The proven and commonly specified Modus system has been the new build preferred choice for some time. Modus’ compelling attributes of unrivalled contemporary style, exceptional thermal performance, and cost-effectiveness, are being utilised in conjunction with the

housebuilding sector as the regulatory landscape changes.

An outcome of the joint development programme is a boost in the range of features, energy-saving efficiencies and sustainability credentials that Modus currently offers to maximise housebuilders’ efforts to meet the low carbon commitments enshrined in the Future Homes Standard from 2025.

Martin Benn, Head of New Build at Eurocell commented: “Working collaboratively with housebuilders is something we really value at Eurocell, and this initiative is another example of the committed and longstanding relationships we hold. We look forward to further strengthening Modus’ offering as the introduction of the Future Homes Standard approaches.”

Energy-efficient and sustainable

The innovative technical design of Modus has a tripleseal option to achieve superb thermal, air tightness and noise reduction performance. The unique 75mm six-chamber profile system delivers optimum energy efficiency performance and can achieve a U-value as low as 0.7 with triple-glazed units.

Removing the need for complex and expensive glazing specifications, Modus is helping to lower the cost of driving the net zero carbon agenda for specifiers, housebuilders, and homeowners.

To further support sustainability objectives, all Modus main profiles feature a minimum of 36%* post-consumer recycled PVC-U as standard which helps to achieve a lower carbon footprint than products made or containing recycled material sourced from outside of the UK. The system deploys cuttingedge dual material extrusion technology (DMET) which layers post-consumer recycled and ‘virgin’ material simultaneously with high precision.

The recycled material is concentrated in the central core of the profiles, where it is completely invisible in an installed window or door.

Value-added options

The standard rebate, slim rebate and fully flush sash styles offered by Modus mean a wide range of contemporary design aesthetics and colour options are available to architects and main contractors to satisfy both progressive and traditional design styles.

In combination with slimmer

sight lines, the aesthetics of Modus provide specifiers with an alternative to aluminium and timber products.

Ian Kernaghan, Head of Products, Design & Development at Eurocell, added: “Modus is already a proven, highly effective, and popular integrated window and door solution. It combines fantastic thermal performance, a broad spectrum of design options, full Part Q compliance, and builtin sustainability through the inclusion of recycled material as part of its manufacture.

“The collaboration with national housebuilders will enable us to build on these features and benefits to maintain the position of Modus as the cost-effective and go-to system answer and provide further confidence for the industry as the focus on net zero intensifies in the months and years to come.”

*Average % recycled material of main profiles content varies by component from 36% to 72%

GRANADA SET TO CREATE REINFORCES THE NEED FOR REDUCE ENERGY

A Dinnington manufacturer of glazing products is on course for its best-ever year and will shortly be creating 17 new jobs to keep up with customer demand.

Granada Secondary Glazing, which has seen sales soar by 40% over the last twelve months, believes the growth is down to an increasing number of people switching on to the energy and cost saving benefits of secondary glazing in homes.

However, the company still believes Government can do more to incentivise homeowners to invest and invited local MP Alexander Stafford to tour its facility on Campbell Way, meet staff and explore ways where legislation could be changed.

He also heard how the firm had invested £1.8m into new production equipment and IT systems since 2020 and how £1m has been channelled into its new world leading secondary glazing solution.

“There’s so much talk about escalating energy prices, yet many households don’t even realise that they are missing out on a simple and costeffective way of insulating their homes,” explained Craig Robertson, who joined Granada Secondary Glazing as Managing Director in February last year.

“We’ve had some outstanding results in the installations we’ve completed recently and wanted to get the ear of Government to see if there was a way that secondary glazing could enjoy similar incentives and grants that other home

improvement products receive.”

He continued: “With this in mind, we invited Alexander Stafford MP to have the conversation, so that he fully understood the thermal benefits of our products and what this translates to in pound notes.

“A conservative estimate indicates that up to 3 million homes across the country remain single glazed because of either cost or heritage restrictions. This is of course in addition to the countless number of commercial buildings within the UK that are facing the same issue.

“We were delighted when Mr Stafford agreed to put his name to a letter that we’ll be sending to Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. This is a big moment for our sector.”

Granada Secondary Glazing produces around 25,000 secondary glazing frames every single year, making it the largest manufacturer of its type in the UK.

This product is proven to reduce noise by up to 80% and improve thermal insulation of existing single glazed windows by around 65%, approximately 10% more than double glazing achieves.

The company invests more than £500,000 every year into new product development and its 30-strong range caters for vertical sliding sash windows and bespoke glazing for custom window shapes - all designed and manufactured in Sheffield.

Craig went on to add: “In line with business growth, we’ve been on a recruitment drive for much of the last year.

“We currently employ 68 full-time members of staff, with the intention to expand this to 85 over the coming financial year. The expansion of our sales team is going to be crucial in maintaining success, which is why we’re currently in the process of filling three high-level sales positions throughout the UK.

17 JOBS AS LOCAL MP FOR SECONDARY GLAZING TO ENERGY BILLS

“Everyone is focused on an incredibly ambitious growth target of £15m by March 2026, which would see us double turnover in just four years –boosting Yorkshire’s manufacturing scene and helping hundreds of homeowners to save on their energy bills in the process.”

Alexander Stafford, MP For Rother Valley, concluded: “It was fantastic to visit Granada Secondary Glazing, an innovative and fastgrowing business right in the heart of my constituency of Rother Valley.

“The company is manufacturing a product that could potentially drive down everyone’s energy bills, and I hope that my visit can generate some interest in secondary glazing amongst local residents.

“I’m extremely grateful to the team for organising this visit and for the opportunity to see the factory in action.”

For further information, please visit www.gsecg.com

SURGING DEMAND FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR SOLUTIONS LIKE TRUFIT®

interest in TruFit: “The biggest factor driving the surge of interest in TruFit is clearly energy efficiency.

“Installers have always been very impressed with TruFit when they’ve seen it but, in the past, they have often chosen to stick with what they know.

Edgetech may be best known for its internationally recognised warm-edge spacer technology, but the Quanex company is experiencing rapidly rising demand for another cutting-edge product it offers.

TruFit is a state-of-the-art window installation tape. Made of open-cell polyurethane foam and filled with a flame-retardant synthetic resin, it provides a much quicker, cleaner and more thermally efficient alternative to traditional silicone.

Once the tape’s backing paper is removed, it gradually expands to seal the window fully, ensuring it offers exceptional all-round performance –protecting against mould, and providing firstclass thermal and acoustic insulation.

In addition to this, it’s much easier to apply than silicone and can be used in all weathers.

Edgetech Head of Marketing Charlotte Hawkes suggests these reasons are behind the growth of

“For many of those installers, the last year has been a tipping point. The huge rises in household energy prices, combined with continuing pressure to help the country reach net zero, has led to a surge in the numbers of customers enquiring about TruFit.

“It’s an incredibly effective tool for helping installers fit windows and offers outstanding thermal performance – in addition to being quicker, cleaner and easier to use than silicone.

According to market forecasts we’re also heading for a tougher time ahead for the industry, those that do well in times like these innovate to differentiate themselves. We believe that right now TruFit offers a unique opportunity for installers to stand out, before products like these become the norm and we have a full marketing package to support this”.

If you’re interested in learning more about TruFit, don’t hesitate to contact Edgetech.

For more information, please call 02476 639931 or visit www.edgetechig.co.uk

D Y N A M I C , S H A R P , A N D E N G A G I N G

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Double and triple-glazed windows featuring high-performance glass from Saint-Gobain Glass will be put to the test in a unique £16m research facility designed to help create the energyefficient homes of the future.

Two full-size three-bedroom detached houses have been built inside the climate-controlled chamber of Energy House 2.0 at the University of Salford, using the latest sustainable building materials and technologies. Over a period of nine months, the houses built by Saint-Gobain, Barratt Developments and Bellway Homes will undergo rigorous whole-building testing including thermal performance, energy efficiency, running costs and comfort, as well as their ability to cope with extreme climates, such as wind, rain and snow, and temperatures ranging from -20 to +40 degrees Celsius.

windows have been fitted into ehome2 by Barratt Homes. These will then be converted to 0.8 Uw triple-glazed casement windows by replacing the insulated glass units. The double and tripleglazed windows feature Planitherm One T low-e coated glass from Saint-Gobain Glass and have been manufactured by Regency Glass, using the Eurocell Modus Window System fabricated by Nova Group and installed by New View.

Mike Butterick, marketing director at SaintGobain Glass said: “This is a collaborative project involving the entire supply chain and demonstrates that the existing UK window industry is ready and able to deliver the highperformance casement windows demanded by the Future Homes Standard 2025.

“Saint-Gobain Glass is at the forefront of innovation in the UK glass and window industry. High-performance glass has a critical role to play in delivering the fabric-first solutions that other technologies rely on for the creation of lowcarbon, energy-efficient homes.

“This ground-breaking laboratory will play a key role in accelerating progress towards large volume, low carbon and net zero houses that are sustainable, comfortable and will cost homeowners far less to heat and run at a time when we’re in the midst of an energy crisis.

“Saint-Gobain is leading the way by making a significant investment in this partnership with Barratt Homes to deliver this project, which also includes products from other Saint-Gobain group companies. This cutting-edge research will make a real difference to people’s lives and will result in a step-change in the way homes are built and used in the future.”

Mike Butterick

Usually, it would take months or years to collect the data needed to evaluate the performance of a new design or technology, but because researchers can precisely control the environment to within half a degree, they can gather that data in a few weeks. That means that accurate results can be achieved quickly and accelerates the innovation process. In addition, the research will understand the impact of multiple technologies in the homes giving a better understanding of how the homes will perform in the real world.

Initially, 1.2 Uw double-glazed, casement

Oliver Novakovic, technical & innovation director at Barratt Developments, said: “With the energy efficiency of the external façades becoming ever more important, as we move to the 2025 Future Homes Standard, windows will play a critical role in meeting the regulations and delivering comfortable environments for our customers. EHome2 allows us to really understand the relationship between the façade, windows and heating solutions, which has not been considered to this level before.”

The built environment accounts for around 40% of the UK’s carbon footprint. The Future Homes Standard will require CO2 emissions produced by new homes to be 75-80% lower than those built to current standards. Homes will also need to be ‘zero carbon ready’, with no retrofit work required to benefit from the decarbonisation of the electricity grid and the electrification of heating. Energy House 2.0 is a £16 million project part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

THE PERFORMANCE OF GLASS TO BE PUT TO THE TEST IN NET ZERO ENERGY HOUSE 2.0

ZERO|90 LAUNCH EVENTS AT LINIAR CREATE INDUSTRY-WIDE BUZZ

Liniar, the UK’s leading PVCu systems company and a subsidiary of Quanex, launched its new Zero|90 and Zero|90R window and door system at the end of January to huge industry acclaim.

Attended by more than 200 delegates over two days, the Zero|90 launch has caused a considerable stir in both the fenestration and construction industries.

The new window and door system can easily reach U-Values of 0.66 W/m²K, meaning that Zero|90 Liniar fabricators are more than ready for the widely anticipated changes to Part L Building Regulations and the Future Homes Standard – two years early!

The feedback from both days has been tremendously positive with comments such as “Informative, well presented and professional” and “Superb, the most impressive launch I’ve attended for some time.”

Nigel Bishop, Group Sales Director comments, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the feedback from our events. The buzz in the room was fantastic on both days and the whole of the Liniar team is still on a high. We are a progressive, innovative company and it was a privilege to host the launch of such a ground-breaking window and door system. Zero|90 will continue to position Liniar at the forefront of the fenestration industry in creating the most energy-efficient products.”

Nigel was joined by Chris Armes, Design & Development Director and Paul Garforth, Technical Services Director, who described the evolution of PVCu windows and explained why the industry should be pushing the boundaries to stay ahead of legislation.

Their presentation also conveyed the combined benefits that Zero|90 (and its rebated sister, Zero|90R) will bring to the new build, social housing and replacement markets – namely superb

energy efficiency to Passive House standards, noise reductions of twice that of standard double glazing and sustainability, with calculations for a full house installation showing carbon reductions equivalent to planting 700 trees.

Nigel continues, “We know we all need to do whatever we can to reduce carbon emissions. As well as being on our own Net Zero journey from a manufacturing perspective, Liniar is helping its fabricators and installers embrace the future Part L Building Regulations and Future Homes Standard now. Our philosophy is: Why wait? We’ve invested £millions into the development of the Zero|90 window and door system and are already seeing an unprecedented wave of enquiries for this unique 90mm system. Best of all, it’s available right now – we already have a network of enthusiastic fabricators ready to supply super energy-efficient windows and doors.”

Sue Davenport, Group Marketing Director, concludes: “We’re delighted with the reception of the whole Zero|90 launch. The events themselves were a great opportunity to get customers, the press and the wider industry together and were the end result of months of fantastic teamwork. The engagement in the room was incredible, the feedback afterwards was brilliant and we’re still seeing positive comments across our social media channels.

“We’ve already had a huge number of enquiries from our fabricator network wanting to manufacture Zero|90 and also from house builders and architects who are enthusiastic about being able to offer a genuinely game-changing window and door system. Zero|90 will help give them all a competitive edge in an increasingly environmentally conscious market.”

Visit www.liniar.co.uk/zero90 for more information on the Zero|90 window and door system.

BUILDERS’ MERCHANTS MONTHLY OMNIBUS SURVEY: WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE GRENFELL?

New questions in December’s Builders’ Merchants Monthly Omnibus Survey reveal how builders’ merchants and their trade customers have changed the products they buy, and the advice they give or seek since the Grenfell fire.

MRA Research’s new Builders’ Merchants Monthly Omnibus Survey offers companies marketing to builders’ merchants and their customers a costeffective, fast-turnaround insight tool. Suppliers and others can buy as few or as many questions as required with a perfectly weighted national sample, and get results in as little as two weeks, to improve their marketing. We added three questions in December’s Omnibus on Grenfell and the responses from the industry as a taster to show what an Omnibus can do.

In the past five and a half years, the Inquiry into the devasting Grenfell fire exposed much that needs to change at every level across construction. A Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) followed, and more changes are expected. Nevertheless, major housebuilders and Government are still at loggerheads over the costs and responsibility for cladding removal.

The Omnibus survey revealed that one in four merchants think Grenfell has changed attitudes in construction to fire safety and the way we build. However, 74% of builders’ merchants believe that little to nothing has changed practically since Grenfell shocked the nation.

Twenty-two per cent of merchants say they have changed the products they sell or the information and advice they give customers to help them build more safely following Grenfell.

But just 15% of merchants say their trade customers have changed the products they buy, the advice they seek or the way they build following Grenfell and the new CCPI.

Mike Rigby, CEO of MRA Research, says: “The Grenfell fire has barely been out of the news since June 2017, but while there has been much talk of change, there’s been little practical action. Peter Apps’ recently-published book Show Me the Bodies: How We Let Grenfell Happen is a really important contribution from someone who knows the industry from the inside and it’s a sobering, powerful and informative read into the tragedy and an indication of what must change.

“The questions we added to the Builders’ Merchants Monthly Omnibus Survey revealed what has changed in the industry since the fire almost six years ago.” Visit www.mra-research.co.uk/thepulse/ to see the findings.

For information about the Builders Merchants’ Monthly Omnibus Survey, adding your own questions, sample sizes, quotas, timing and costs per question, call MRA Research’s Project Director Yvette Kirk on 07918 272936 now or email yvette@mra-research.co.uk

CHOICE OF EIGHT STOCKED PROFILES MAKES PREMIER ARCHES THE ARCHED FRAME SUPPLIER OF CHOICE

As part of a wider commitment to make their customer’s lives as easy as possible, leading arched frame manufacturer Premier Arches now stocks eight leading profile systems at its premises.

installers and local builders up and down the country and serve them with our products and services. No matter which profile you’re after, you’ll most likely find it at Premier Arches.”

Using this wide range of profiles, Premier Arches manufactures arched, angled, gable, circular and entirely bespoke windows and doors, transforming the often daunting concept of profile bending into a simple and pain-free process, saving fabricators time and money, and helping them win more lucrative projects which would otherwise be turned down.

Working from a 12,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in St Helens, the company now stocks PVC profile from Profile 22, Rehau, Eurocell, Liniar, Veka, Halo, Duraflex, and the Residence Collection, all of which can be expertly crafted into quality arched and angled frames.

The company is also able to provide frames in Kommerling and Aluplast profiles.

Managing Director Sean Greenall comments:

In addition to arched frames, customers are also able to order fully fabricated frames, including sashes, accessories, glass and composite door slabs, meaning they don’t need to mess around with glass templates or finishing arched frames in their own streamlined factories that are set up for speed.

Sean continues: “At Premier Arches, we operate on three core principles – excellent manufacturing, clear and honest customer service, and a ‘make life easier’ offering for our customers. By investing in a wide range of profiles, we’re able to succeed on all three, deliver a consistent and reliable service to our customers, and maintain our reputation as the arched frame supplier of choice.” Visit

“Having such a wide range of profiles available to hand has enabled us to reach PVC fabricators,

GAME CHANGERS FOR THE CLADDING MARKET

Freefoam Building Products are proud to announce the launch of two fantastic new digital tools aimed at the growing cladding market –a new cladding visualiser that will enable the simulation of Freefoam cladding products onto a project, and a clever new cladding calculator that generates accurate product quantities of boards, trims, fitting battens and screws to help with accurate costings.

The new Cladding Calculator takes all the guesswork out of calculating products for a project. Choose a house shape, fill in measurements, and choose trims and the

calculator will work out exactly how many cladding boards and fitting trims are needed. Freefoam has also taken this one step further and included specification quantities of wooden battens, membrane and fixing screws too – to ensure your estimates are as accurate as can be by providing you with a complete and accurate ‘shopping list’ for each project.

Colin St John, Commercial Director explained “We wanted to give all our customers the opportunity to see the actual transformation our cladding can bring to their project, allowing them to take more control of the decision-making process. We wanted to embrace the needs of the more discerning customer and provide tools that will help and support them in their decision-making.

Cladding Visualiser and Calculator

Being able to model home improvements has become commonplace. Kitchen and bathroom showrooms design and reconfigure new projects at the touch of a button for clients to visualise in their own home. And window fitters are now using online design and quote generators more and more – with recent research showing that over half of all quotes prepared for homeowners are accompanied by a visualisation.

Taking cladding visualisation to the next level

The new Freefoam visualiser takes researching and choosing exterior cladding to the next level, giving Specifiers, Installers and homeowners the power to superimpose high-quality representations of any cladding product or colour onto a photo of the project premises. With the built-in capability to change the type of cladding product, ‘cut out’ areas for windows and doors and choose different colour options, the tool gives the opportunity to truly experiment and takes the ‘try before you buy’ capability a step closer to reality.

How to use the Cladding Visualiser: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=zR5j9yJZhAo

Taking the guesswork out of cladding calculation

How to use the Cladding Calculator: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I0kzKSsl18

Both of these tools are game changers for the cladding market. It puts the decision maker firmly in the driving seat, makes our products accessible and attractive to the home improvement market and puts us at the heart of the buying decision.”

Developed in conjunction with innovative startup Augmented Reality Creations, the tools are aimed at both homeowners, and cladding installers to enable the right choices to be made. They give peace of mind to the homeowner and provide trade professionals the capability to impress clients with an impressive visual representation of the proposed project and takes any apprehension out of the decision process.

Aidan Harte, CEO, concluded “Cladding is a growing market and we want to be at the forefront of this opportunity. We have developed an impressive, market-leading range of cladding products and these new tools are part of our ongoing strategy to make our products easily accessible to consumers. We have put significant investment into these tools, to give our customers high-quality, responsive online applications that offer them both inspiration and choice and accurate specification details to support and encourage them to make the decision that is right for them.”

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GROW WITH US: EUROCELL’S SUPPORT FOR FABRICATORS

Whether you are a small, family business servicing mainly local domestic customers, or a larger fabricator dealing with both residential and commercial contracts, the need to set yourself apart from the crowd is critical to winning and retaining business in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

As we move into 2023, market conditions continue to prove challenging – but the opportunities for new business and sustained growth are clearly there for fabricators who are ready and able to provide the right offer to customers.

New build programmes continue to spring up around the country, providing the opportunity to win significant and sustained work by building partnerships with larger contractors and their subcontractors.

On a smaller scale, many homeowners are looking to add garden rooms to their properties to create extra space and allow them to better enjoy the British summer.

To harness these opportunities, however, it is vital fabricators select the best and most appropriate partners to enable them to deliver the best possible overall service to their customers.

That makes the choice of supplier partner an absolutely critical one. While high-quality products are of course a prerequisite, product quality on its own will not cut the mustard for fabricators seeking – as they should – to offer premium added value to their customers. Fabricators should always examine carefully what other services and support a supplier partner is prepared to offer, and how much that partner is prepared to invest in a longterm partnership.

Product availability is of course critical, so check whether your supplier can get items to you rapidly. Our world-class supply chain service will bring items to fabricators at agreed days and times using its own vehicles, ensuring uninterrupted operations. In fact, our customer order delivery performance, measured as On Time in Full (OTIF), is consistently exceeding 98%.

Meanwhile, any product made by a fabricator will only ever be as good as the equipment in which it is made. The leading suppliers will invest not just in top-quality equipment for their fabricators,

but in the expertise to ensure they can get the best out of it. All Eurocell registered fabricators have access to a dedicated engineer who will ensure their changeover is completed rapidly and efficiently, through a comprehensive change-over programme incorporating a full tooling audit and machine programming. Moreover, the same machinery software used by a fabricator will be supplied to run Eurocell profiles, maintaining the efficiency of the production process by allowing precision planning and optimum material usage.

Furthermore, machinery is regularly upgraded to enable fabricators to maximise their productivity, diversify their offerings and provide an optimised service to customers. For example, several Eurocell fabricators have received new saw centres recently, allowing them to cut profiles to size and increase capacity and facilitate growth.

The engineering support does not begin and end there either: each fabricator receives ongoing access to an account engineer providing training and practical support throughout their partnership with Eurocell.

The assistance available extends into the provision of ongoing technical and specification support for fabricators, as well as any contractors and installers working on their behalf. This covers product testing for BSI / CEN solutions; complete product

specification support including calculation of wind loads and U-values and the provision of sample specifications for bespoke project designs.

Eurocell’s dedicated new build team can even help train installers to maximise efficiency on-site. On-site toolbox talks are also provided to help ensure both builders and installers deliver the best possible installation.

The support available from Eurocell extends well beyond purely engineering and technical aspects, however. At Eurocell, we want fabricators to ‘grow with us’ – expanding their business and securing their long-term futures. And we recognise that can only be achieved through a holistic approach to supporting their businesses.

Each fabricator, therefore, has access to a dedicated account manager to work with them to develop their business, from support with daily requirements to overarching strategic planning. The account manager will even liaise with Eurocell customer service and senior management on behalf of their fabricator, enabling them to get on with what they do best. Our philosophy is ‘our team is your team’ and this is a testament to this approach.

Central to business growth is, of course, lead generation – and that is an area where Eurocell is uniquely placed to deliver for its fabricators.

As a market leader for PVC-U solutions, Eurocell has forged strong relationships with many premier housebuilders who have first-hand experience of Eurocell systems and are keen to specify them on their new developments – enabling Eurocell to provide leads in line with the growth aspirations of individual fabricators.

Eurocell also develops a continuous flow of specialist CPD modules for specifiers, which has itself become a constant source of new commercial opportunities. As a business, Eurocell also identifies installer prospects in your local area, then canvasses and converts them into leads on behalf of our fabricators, while also promoting conservatory roof systems (CRS) which are another area where we can provide leads. Here, quotes can be provided in less than one hour, with flexible delivery options to suit individual fabricator needs, with technical support whenever and wherever needed. Finally, as a business, we continue to invest to drive awareness of our brand and demand, resulting in a consistent flow of leads from homeowners seeking new and replacement windows, doors, conservatory roofs, and garden rooms.

The ‘Grow with us’ ethos extends to other aspects of our operations too. We recognise that for us and our fabricators to continue to thrive in the long term, the need to innovate is critical. As a business, Eurocell

invests some £5 million each year in new products, but equally, we invest in researching and understanding new markets –where our agile culture means we can move quickly to create the best products and solutions to meet market needs. This itself provides opportunities for fabricators to expand the range of products they manufacture and enables them to regularly offer new, high-quality, and supremely efficient systems to their customers.

Finally, it’s important to reference the benefits fabricators can gain from our sustainability focus, which includes Eurocell Recycle, which not only takes the hassle out of removing your waste but also means you receive payment for the waste. Eurocell Recycle enables us to recycle old products at the end of their life into new PVC-U profiles and we process approximately 44,000 tonnes of PVC-U waste annually, equivalent to around 3.4m window frames.

At Eurocell, our UK-wide network of fabricators is integral to our success and every action we take is geared toward driving their expansion and competitiveness through a mutually rewarding, long-term collaboration.

To learn more about the range of products and support available for fabricators from Eurocell, visit www.eurocell.co.uk/growwithus

Andy McDonnell, Managing Director, Eurocell plc

MEET THE STANDARDS YOU EXPECT YOURSELF

through the frames that we sell – it was actually being selfgenerated by our own retail market to push the brand out as a national brand.

“We also come away from this exercise with additional retail knowledge that we can share with our trade customers.”

Underpinning this successful national brand is aluplast, which has supplied Rapid Frame since 2005. This makes the Walsallbased fabricator one of the longest established aluplast fabricators in the UK.

Managing Director of Walsallbased Rapid Frame Martin Corcoran says choosing your suppliers carefully will help you meet market demands.

Established in 1998, Rapid Frame began life supplying trade customers nationwide with market-leading products, but quickly developed a retail arm which brought significant benefits across the board, according to owner and Managing Director of Rapid Frame Martin Corcoran.

“We noticed a lot of people sold on profile brands back in 2002,” Martin said. “So, we decided to offer something new and different by setting up the Formula One Range in 2003 and registering it as a trademark.”

Originally pushed out to trade customers, Rapid Frame opened its first retail outlet in Telford 2009, and a second one more recently in Cheslyn Hay, Walsall, in 2022.

“Our aim is to operate from five retail sites altogether,” Martin

said. “And far from conflicting with them, our trade customers are directly benefiting from the investment we are putting into our retail operations.”

Unique offering Martin’s view of a window is that its ‘value’ can be split 50/50 between the components on one hand, and the brand on the other.

“While the Formula One range was designed originally for our trade customers to sell something different and unique to their customers, we’ve leveraged that same brand for homeowners in the regions we operate in,” he said.

“Our trade customers don’t conflict with other Formula One retailers in their area – we control the brand very carefully in that sense.

“The whole idea of our retail operation was to create margin that could be put back into marketing and infrastructure. So, this wasn’t being charged

“aluplast are very good at supplying us,” Martin said. “And we need that consistency. We don’t like disappointing customers, which can lead to unnecessary conflict – something that is best avoided if you want a successful partnership.

“Thankfully, aluplast deliver us the product when we need it, especially the foiled products – the quality is very good with those.

“Colour has been interesting for the last 20 years probably. Originally it was Golden Oak and Rosewood and Whites, and then colour became a massive mover generally. We’re aiming for 40% in colours in the next year, which will probably increase to 60% over the course of the next three to five years.

Flush push

“We’ve also noticed the massive influx in the flush sash, even in the newbuild market,” Martin continued. “So, we’re now manufacturing flush windows for our trade and retail customers.”

With a range of 40 different

finishes, including the next generation woodec and aludec foils, aluplast has invested significantly in its foil offer. This has allowed it to maintain a strong supply of its most popular stock colours.

Thanks to a flush casement window, which suites with both the Ideal 70 and Ideal 4000 systems, and a dedicated flush door, which is available as a French door, or as a single outward-opening door, customers can now offer a uniform flush appearance in both the heritage and contemporary sectors by providing a uniform flush appearance across both windows and doors.

“The Formula One Range will remain the same as a brand, but the technology behind it is constantly being updated,” Martin said. “The same goes for the security, as does the appearance, and our customers directly benefit from the fact that all aluplast’s flush products are PAS24 accredited, and meet all the standards for weather tightness.”

Rapid Frame’s 12,000ft2 site is regularly being updated with the new machinery, with recent investments including a fivehead welder from Haffner, a three-axis machining centre from FOM, and two CNC cutting stations from Pertici.

The company has also added two new Mercedes 7.5-tonne trucks to the three it already owns to continue to meet its promise of ‘timed slot deliveries’.

Despite the improved levels of automation, Martin said there is no substitute to employing the right people with the right skills.

“The key to any successful business is looking after your people,” he said. “And our philosophy has always been it’s a business about people – we employ a lot of families, and we pay a lot of mortgages.

“It’s our intention to continue that while making the products the standards that we would

expect, and therefore our customers expect.”

www.formulaonerange.co.uk For more information about aluplast, call 01684 273401 email info@aluplast.co.uk or visit www.aluplast.co.uk

NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSAL ARCHES

We are thrilled to announce that Phil Warren has been appointed Managing Director of Universal Arches Limited based in St. Helens, part of the Kaliber Group.

Phil has 30 years of direct industry experience supplying developers, builders, trade manufacturers and retail installers. He has a deep understanding of the needs of B2B customers and is well-versed in the latest industry trends and technologies. Phil is a long-term business builder and a proven team player.

Since 2020, Phil has been leading another Kaliber business KAT UK, as Managing Director. KAT is a trade manufacturer of Veka Halo PVCu and Aluminium Windows, Doors, Sliders and Bifolds, based in Macclesfield. Phil has overseen KAT’s rapid growth and increased profitability through good communication, employee buy-in and customer loyalty.

Universal Arches has led the industry since 1994, as a specialist manufacturer of bespoke PVCu windows and doors, creating made-to-measure arches, shapes, curves, and circles. In fact, many of the products that other manufacturers have difficulties in producing.

Phil’s appointment to this supplementary position in the group is a testament to the organisation’s ongoing commitment to growth and excellence. Phil’s knowledge and experience will be invaluable in ensuring customers receive the highest quality products and service.

Kaliber Group Chairman, David Richards states

“Phil was the obvious candidate for the role of Managing Director at Universal Arches. He is a true people person who leads from the front, is highly organized, and consistently works to provide customers with what they need. Phil will optimise returns on recent investment in Universal Arches by improving overall quality and producing exciting new products. Under Phil’s leadership, Universal Arches and KAT UK will continue to thrive and will benefit from the obvious synergies between the two businesses. Phil and his team are helping to shape a successful future for our customers and our group.”

PYRAMID PROFILES AND PYRAMID ALUMINIUM REBRAND AS PYRAMID GROUP

To make life easier for customers buying both aluminium and PVCu, Pyramid Aluminium and Pyramid Profiles have joined their brands together as Pyramid Group

Formed in response to the fast commercial growth of 2022, the re-brand has come off the back of the development and launch of a number of new products over the last 12 months.

“We want to bring together both sides of the business under one name in response to the significant growth in the number of customers buying both PVCu and aluminium from us last year, merging both brands under one name that installers can trust for all their glazing needs,” says Paul Bailey, Managing Director at Pyramid Group.

“Integrating both customer bases has been a big focus over the past year, and the Pyramid Group brand provides the perfect platform for an exciting year ahead, which includes new literature and product launches.”

The news comes at the same time as the Pyramid Group’s new website is launched, showcasing all the benefits of both their aluminium and PVCu products in one place.

Paul adds: “Following the launch of our Purelight aluminium marketing support and securing membership to VEKA’s Independent Network last year, our new website is the latest investment we’ve taken to improve our level of service and support to help our customers make the most of opportunities and grow their businesses.” To see the new website, visit www.pyramid-profiles.co.uk

When Nolan UPVC went through an MBO at the start of 2020, they weren’t expecting the world to be turned upside down with the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, especially as demand for windows and doors rocketed following the lifting of restrictions.

But thanks to the support of its key suppliers, Nolan UPVC not only met that demand but grew as a result of its new strategy.

“We’ve really developed and grown since the MBO with the support of our suppliers like Deceuninck, especially because their OTIF [on time in full] was 90%+ as other suppliers struggled to meet demand,” Nolan UPVC’s Managing Director Jason James said. “This helped us take on numerous new trade accounts that helped us double the size of the business from when we bought it.

“And over the last four or five years we’ve gone out there to target more trade work because we see there’s a benefit to shrinking the retail side and

NOLAN UPVC’S FOLLOWING

“We’re a Pilkington-approved partner, and having the IGU manufacturing capability allows us to offer both glazed and unglazed products,” Jason said. “This gives us greater control over lead times.

“It also offers another benefit to our trade customers. For example, if they crack a unit onsite, they can have a replacement unit ready for them to collect within 30 minutes to an hour of them phoning the order through.”

growing the trade side.”

Greater control

Nolan UPVC supplies most of Wales and the Southwest corner of England, offering a complete range of products in PVC-U and aluminium to the trade.

Employing 84 members of staff, the company is one of the largest employees in Carmarthenshire. It manufactures up to 600 frames a week, and 1,000 sealed units from its own glass shop.

Nolan understands the critical importance of supplying customers with complete orders when they say they are going to be delivered. This promise is more important than turning round orders quickly, Jason said, which led to the company developing a three-week order turnaround strategy.

“Our customers are happy with a three-week turnaround because of the high OTIF – they would prefer to have everything in full on time when they expect it, rather than having, say, 75% of the orders a week earlier,” he said.

Higher value

UPVC’S SUCCESS FOLLOWING MBO

And customers need that certainty as they navigate the changing consumer demands post-Covid, especially as homeowners turn away from standard white products and towards higher value products, including foils.

“One trend we’ve significantly noticed over the last two to three years is colour,” Jason said. “Being able to supply a wide range of colours on the same lead times as the rest of our products is absolutely fundamental to the good relationships we have with our customers.

“That’s why partnering with Deceuninck is the best decision we’ve ever made because the 30+ colours they offer from stock are second to none. As a result, we can supply our trade customers with a 100% OTIF order in the three weeks that we promise them – because we have a secure supply of component parts.

“When you hear of some of the supply issues in the industry, this is a great claim to make.”

Like Deceuninck, Nolan UPVC is investing in the sustainability of its operations, primarily because

the company recognises the importance of making products that don’t negatively impact the environment.

“We currently recycle 94.5% of all our waste material,” Jason said, “with only 5.5% of our waste going to landfill. We also offer recycling services to our customers, so when they come in to pick up their windows, they can drop off their old windows. We make sure everything gets segregated properly before it gets taken away to be recycled.

“Offering this service increases our customers’ environmental credentials at no extra cost to them. And this is a great message that our customers can take back to homeowners, especially as more and more people are showing an interest in the sustainability of their products.”

For further details about Nolan UPVC, please email sales@nolanupvc.co.uk, visit www.nolanupvc.co.uk, or call 0345 600 9080.

For more information about Deceuninck, call 01249 816 969, email deceuninck.ltd@deceuninck. com or visit www.deceuninck.co.uk

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM DECEUNINCK

PAS24 SUCCESS FOR ALUPLAST’S FLUSH DOOR

aluplast launched the Flush Door in 2022 to suite perfectly with its Flush Casement Window, allowing fabricators and installers to target higher value projects where a uniform appearance is desired.

Like aluplast’s Flush Casement, the new dedicated Flush Door suites perfectly with the systems company’s Ideal 70 and Ideal 4000 profiles. This opensup opportunities in both the heritage and contemporary sectors by providing a uniform flush appearance across both windows and doors, while minimising stockholding for fabricators.

aluplast’s Flush Door has a five-chamber design that can achieve U-values as low as 1.2W/ m2K, and is manufactured using ecotech, which uses recycled content in a profile’s design, enhancing performance.

“Talk to any window company in the UK, and they will tell you that the demand for flush has gone through the roof,” Ian Cocken, aluplast’s Director of Sales and Marketing said. “Sourcing products that not only provide a suited flush appearance, but can also demonstrate high performance credentials is key to winning and maintaining business.

“Since the doors are a focal point for would-be intruders, it is vital that you can prove that your products meet the strictest security requirements in the industry, especially since there is increased demand from higher value properties.”

Cocken continued: “Having the credentials to prove the

high performance of your products could be a key point of differentiation when you are in front of the customer.”

Aluplast’s Flush Casement Window also meets the PAS24:2016 requirements, and was tested using a dummy sash to demonstrate the security credentials of the systems company’s purpose-designed dummy sash retention clips.

“It is unusual for a window to be security tested with a dummy sash, because this is often seen as a weak point in the window design,” Cocken said. “Yet, dummy sashes are often required because they help maintain the sightlines that homeowners prefer.

“Our flush dummy sash retention clips are specially designed for the aluplast system, to make glazing and deglazing much easier in controlled conditions, while improving the window’s security credentials – now supported by a positive PAS24 test result.”

aluplast’s Flush Door is available to all aluplast fabricators, as well as fabricators of other systems where a flush door isn’t available.

“We have also been talking to fabricators where suppliers have a flush door option, but are restricting supply to only a handful of customers,” Cocken said. “This makes no sense to us. The market for flush windows and doors is growing, and is making up a greater proportion of window and door sales as the overall market slows. Being able to meet this demand is critical to maintaining a healthy workflow.”

The vast majority of aluplast’s flush orders include colour, and with a range of 40 different finishes, including the next generation woodec and aludec foils, aluplast has invested significantly in its foil offer. This has allowed it to maintain a strong supply of its most popular stock colours, with foiled product accounting for as much as 50% of total order volume.

“aluplast has always focused on capacity,” Cocken said. “And we have invested in a new site in Poland which will help guarantee supply for our customers.”

aluplast is in the process of moving into the new £26 million state-of-the-art extrusion facility on a 15-hectare site, which includes a production hall, a raw material mixing plant, alongside state-of-the-art R&D facilities.

This can house up to 50 hightech, high-speed twin extrusion lines – each able to extrude 6m of profile every minute –alongside foiling lines, which will double the profile giant’s already extensive manufacturing capacity.

“We are also doubling in size our facility in Tewkesbury, and together these investments will help guarantee the supply of high-value, robust and secure products into the UK,” Cocken said.

For more information about aluplast, call 01684 273401 email info@aluplast.co.uk or visit www.aluplast.co.uk

SIMON HOLT APPOINTED AS MANAGING DIRECTOR AT CONSORT

Simon Holt is appointed as Managing Director at Consort. With ambitious plans to see further success for the future business.

Simon has a wealth of experience within the Fenestration Industry. Having spent over 15 years with Consort, he has exceptional technical knowledge of all aspects of the field, making him the obvious choice to take the business forward.

“2023 promises to be an exciting year for Consort. With plans already, well underway to develop the product offering and other key areas of the business. Improvements to the internal operations have started, with new machinery now in place, and further upgrades to follow. Consort are committed to improving and evolving to see a successful future for our business, staff, and our valued customers”, Simon commented.

D Y N A M I C , S H A R P , A N D

N G A G I N G

TACKLING SKILLS SHORTAGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Guest post from Van Ninja:

Recent statistics show that three-quarters of UK businesses are impacted by skills shortages. The effects of this have been decimating for the UK economy, costing businesses a reported £6.3 billion per year in temporary staff and training.

Construction is one of the most heavily impacted sectors with a hefty 85% of managers saying that they’re struggling to find suitable candidates to fill roles.

The reasons for this are manifold and are particularly problematic during the current housebuilding demand. Some researchers cite an ageing workforce, tighter Brexit immigration laws, and even prevailing cultural stereotypes of the industry.

What’s clear is that the technology-led construction industry today is very different to that of yesteryear. We explore the reasons for these gaping skills shortages and explore what businesses can do to tackle this.

Why is There a Skills Shortage?

A skills shortage can have repercussions for businesses, meaning that companies don’t complete work on time or within budget. Unfortunately, this can result in lower productivity and widespread delays around the country. Skills shortages would appear to be due to a combination of factors:

An Ageing Workforce

One common explanation is that the industry grapples with an ageing workforce. According to the CIPD, there are more than

1.2 million workers over the age of 65. This figure is growing and will continue to do so as UK people of pension age outweigh those under 16 for the first time.

As workers age, they’ll likely become more susceptible to health conditions and physical injury and may not be able to perform tasks as efficiently as their younger selves which increase the likelihood of absenteeism which is often associated with the industry.

This is increasingly apposite in a country with an ageing population and ever-increasing state pension age.

Despite the proliferation of apprenticeships, young people today aren’t drawn to the same manual trades as their forebearers with many choosing degree or college courses ahead of traditional tradesperson roles. Presently, 22% of the construction workforce is over 50 with 15% of workers in their sixties.

Such a schism leaves essential skills gaps in the workforce as crucial knowledge will be lost when older employees retire and the volume of younger workers needed to replace is not readily available.

Rejuvenating the Public Image

Perceived cultural stereotypes may play a part in the slow uptake amongst young people. For instance, the idea that construction is a typically maledominated ‘bloke’s bloke’ arena is out of touch with modern sensibilities. For instance, a survey from 2019 found that 72% of female construction workers had been subject to some form of gender discrimination

while 41% reported receiving inappropriate comments from male colleagues.

Construction bosses can make sites more female-friendly by taking tangible steps to promote fair representation of women in construction by championing successful women role models, tackling gender discrimination through stricter harassment policies, and updating hygiene and toilet facilities to accommodate women.

As well as this problematic public image, construction also has a reputation for technological Luddism which is again out of sync with those who are introduced to technology pretty much from birth.

Rejuvenating this wider reputation could be key to addressing this. Savvy, forwardthinking businesses will have digitised their processes from advanced job reporting to van leasing. This creates a web of design and technology roles which may appeal more to younger, tech-literate professionals than images of cold construction sites and muddy boots.

Closing this perception gap could ultimately help to close the skills gap in turn.

Does Brexit Have an Effect?

In short, yes. The cessation of EU freedom-of-movement laws has made it increasingly difficult for foreign workers to attain visas. Prior to Brexit, around 40% of all construction workers in the UK came from other EU countries, now a total of 70 points is required under the current points-based system.

Bureaucracy has also become complicated for employers as they may have to provide proof of a genuine vacancy.

How Can Businesses Tackle This?

The future of the construction industry is hotly debated but one thing for certain is that businesses and government need to act fast – the sector is worth £61 billion to the UK economy.

One solution could be to make the industry more desirable to younger candidates. Businesses should take the chance to educate potential employees about the wealth of opportunities available through modernising construction techniques.

Apprenticeships are also a great way to deliver this, providing reliable employment into trades from school.

Post Brexit, a revision of the points-based immigration system should take into account the particular needs of key sectors such as construction and housebuilding. Currently, the rights of skilled workers are prioritised, however, this could be relaxed to include other

essential unskilled workers such as drivers.

Finally, businesses should advertise the fiscal benefits of working within such a sector. Construction remains one of the highest-paying industries in the UK with an average salary of £36,977 and enormous opportunities for progression. This should be a chief concern for young people amidst current cost-of-living anxieties.

Sources

UK construction will grow to £61bn by 2023 reports Glenigan | Construction Digital Van Leasing UK Deals | Van Ninja

Latest research reveals how the skills shortage · Search Consultancy

The Impact of Brexit on the Construction Industry (buildsafe. co.uk)

Check Average Annual Salaries For Construction In The UK –Check-a-Salary (checkasalary. co.uk)

UK state pension age may rise to 68 in 2030s, reports say – what is going on? | State pensions | The Guardian

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