Dapa Products Cofounder Gene Morton Passes Away

Pet-Tek, manufacturer of high quality pet doors is investing further resource into the UK glass and glazing industry following increased success with new product lines. Since 1999 Pet-Tek has put problem solving and product development at the heart of its business. In 2017 Pet-Tek will be developing new and innovative pet door products, specifically designed for glass door applications. Pet-Tek has a large variety of pet doors to suit a range of applications, door styles and sizes, whether it is to be installed on a door, a wall or glass. All pet sizes are catered for, from small to large. Pet-Tek cat and dog doors are extremely simple to install, they look attractive and provide added value on project installations for glass door installing businesses. Homeowners appreciate the products because of the sleek ‘minimal design’ that eliminates messy-looking doors and the functional and security benefits of the pet doors.

The Pet-Tek range of resilient polycarbonate construction cat doors and dog doors help eliminate problems commonly associated with pet doors, such as broken flaps and locking dials, rusting screws, too small a flap for the average cat, whilst maintaining focus of product appeal and reliability. All Pet-Tek products feature weather seals to eliminate draughts and quiet closing with a smooth quiet open/close action. The pet flaps also feature a four-way locking system (in, out, in/out, and locked) to control pet access. All Pet-Tek products have a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Unwanted pets are a common concern amongst pet owners, to alleviate the risk of animals intruding into homes, Pet-Tek developed the multi-magnetic pet door. The multi-magnetic doors have an opening system that helps to keep stray cats from entering the home. A small magnet is attached to the cat’s collar, which activates the multi-magnets that operate the opening latch to allow pet entry.

Once the pet has entered, the system will automatically close the latch, helping to prevent entry by stray cats. The multi-magnetic doors have a similar action to that of the electromagnetic doors. However, the Pet-Tek multi-magnetic cat door does not require batteries, meaning the pet will not be locked out due to battery failure. Purchasing a Pet-Tek pet door is as easy, contact us via email so we can put you on to the right people. We have suppliers and installers throughout the UK who can provide a quote for the cat door or dog door and the installation, including your glass requirements.

E: info@superiorpetdoors.co.uk

The post Increasing range of pet doors for glass applications from Pet-Tek appeared first on Windows Active Magazine.

Crittall Holdings Group, parent company of Crittall Windows, has announced the launch of a new fabrications division that will create and supply an impressive range of specialist steel and stainless steel glazing systems, screens and doorsets for both external and internal use. This will provide architects and designers with bespoke, factory-finished solutions to meet the most exacting client requirements.

Crittall Fabrications will typically be dealing with customers in the UK and abroad on a supply-only basis, direct to trade, but a full design and installation service can be provided via Crittall Windows, or one of the company’s registered partners. From its Witham, Essex, factory the company supplies its extensive customer base with specialist steel products such as steel entrance doors, steel glazed screens, internal steel partitions, steel screen dividers and doors and associated pressed metal for a wide range of commercial and residential applications.

Crittall bespoke glazed steel windows and doors are extensively specified in both the UK and the US, as well as mainland Europe, for corporate refurbishments, the education sector, residential developments and retail fit-outs. Excellent examples of the type of project which the new fabrications division will handle are the Ham Yard Hotel in London’s Soho and Addison Crescent high-end residential development, also in the capital. All Crittall steel fenestration and doorsets are known for their combination of slim profile elegance and strength. To this is added the factory-applied powder coating that provides an extremely hard-wearing, highly durable, maintenance-free finish.

www.crittall-fabrications.co.uk

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CRL will be showcasing its wide range of architectural glass fixings and shower door hardware at FIT Show 2017, with many new innovations on display designed to make life easier for installers and fabricators.

During FIT Show, CRL will be adding to its very successful range of TAPER-LOC® frameless glass balustrade systems, with the new TAPER-LOC® ‘Adjustable’ System. Advantages of the new system include adjustable taper sets, which allow installers to adjust the angle of the glass forward/backwards, so they can be aligned with adjacent panels of glass, especially useful when cap and hand rails are not being used.

Available in a wide choice finishing including satin adonised and brushed nickel, the system makes it easy to replace broken and scratched panels. The quickest and safest way to install glass balustrades (with no scaffold required), the new system also enables installation to be completed from the safe side of the balustrade from start to finish.

Installers can also learn more about that CRL COMPACT-X, a compact sliding solution for frameless glass panels. Quick and easy to install, the system combines latest softbrake technology with minimalist design concealed within an upper track and can be used to create a seamless design on domestic and commercial applications.

Throughout the show, the CRL team will also be giving live demonstrations of the company’s Glass Detectors, the simple way to distinguish low emissivity coated glass from ordinary float glass. Fast and simple to use the Glass Detectors are an essential piece of kit for installers to ensure that the coated piece of glass is fitted on the inside of the unit, on the inner piece of glass.

Installers working on bathroom projects can also learn more about the large range of products for creating bespoke shower areas. From minimalistic hardware such as hinges, clamps, handles, door knobs and u-channels, to complete sliding shower door kits, available in a wide range of finishes including matt black, CRL has a full package of hardware and accessories for any space.

See CRL on Stand K60 at FIT Show 2017.

Tel: 00 800 0421 6144 Email: crl@crlaurence.co.uk Website: www.crlaurence.co.uk

Demand for Bowater by Birtley, the culmination of Bowater and Birtley Group doors, is already gathering pace after its recent market launch. The company is now pleased to announce a new website, detailing the full range, is now online at www.bowaterbybirtley.co.uk 

Zoe Watson, Marketing Manager of Birtley Group explains: “We’ve had a lot of work to do to bring the two brands as well as the two ranges of doors together, but the full suite is now available to view on our newly launched website. Our three collections make up a range of doors from commodity to high end – all of which are demonstrated on the site, along with more information about the over and above service we offer.

“Hopefully the site captures the essence of Bowater by Birtley which is quality and choice with the best of both Bowater and Birtley Group. Bowater has been a long standing and well respected name in the window and door industry with a lot of loyal customers, while Birtley Group has the resources to produce technologically advanced doorsets. The culmination of the brands in the new range is truly a force to be reckoned with.

“Bowater by Birtley will be flying the flag for quality composite doors at the bigger and better FIT Show (stand F20) at the NEC in May for anyone that wants to see the doors first hand, but in the meantime www.bowaterbybirtley.co.uk is the place to go if you can’t wait to find out more!”

Brian Berry

Small construction firms enjoyed rising workloads in the first quarter of 2017, despite growing concerns over the cost of labour and materials, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Key results from the FMB’s State of Trade Survey for Q1 2017, which is the largest quarterly assessment of the UK-wide SME construction sector, include:

• UK construction SME workloads increased more significantly than at any time since Q2 2016, ie the quarter immediately prior to last June’s EU referendum
• One in two construction SMEs predict rising workloads in the coming months, with just 5% predicting a decrease in activity
• 85% of builders believe that material prices will rise in the next three months
• 58% of firms are struggling to hire carpenters, a post financial crisis high.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: “The first three months of 2017 proved to be very positive for construction SMEs, which reported strong growth, underpinned by continuing resilience in the home improvement sector. Workloads rose in every part of the UK, with particularly positive results in the devolved nations. Given the concerns that wider consumer confidence might be weakening, it’s encouraging that smaller construction firms aren’t sensing any drop-off in demand for their services. Indeed, despite Article 50 being triggered and the growing likelihood of a hard Brexit, these latest results demonstrate that builders are increasingly confident about the immediate future, with one in two forecasting higher workloads during the next quarter.”

Berry continued: “The survey covers the period before the announcement of a snap general election, which may well cool consumer demand in the coming months. The results are also tempered by a clear rise in output costs for construction companies. Material prices and wages rose markedly in the first three months of this year, with larger numbers of construction SMEs believing that all three will rise further during the next quarter. Indeed, although only 20% of construction products and materials used in the UK are imported, the depreciation of sterling since the referendum last June has seen material prices shoot up – with 85% of builders predicting further rises – this pressure on margins looks set to continue. Such cost inflation presents clear challenges to the profitability of smaller building firms and in many cases, builders will be forced to pass these price increases onto their customers.”

Berry concluded: “The combined effects of rising material costs and the ever-worsening construction skills crisis will therefore be reason enough for SME construction firms to be cautious in their optimism. If growth in real household income remains flat, and if consumer confidence is shaken by the impending snap general election and the triggering of Article 50, there are plenty of potential pitfalls for builders to navigate. Nevertheless, as of yet, the much anticipated ‘Brexit effect’ has yet to hit what is considered to be the bellwether sector of consumer confidence and wider economic health.”

The post Builders bullish despite rising costs, says FMB appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

3D Laminates have extended the warranty on their unique CoolSkin^® technology for panel and composite doors to 12 years, following further extended product testing with long-term product partners Hornschuch and VEKA.

CoolSkin^® technology has quite simply revolutionised the composite door sector through innovative manufacturers such as Endurance Doors^® and Solidor, two of the fastest growing and most trusted brands in the sector. The extension of the product warranty to 12 years, reflects the unrivalled performance of these door skins, which offer a life expectancy in excess of 25 years, as there’s no risk of delamination, cracking, bowing or warping unlike other inferior door skins.

The composite door market remains hugely buoyant, with design and security top of the agenda for consumers, closely followed by lasting product performance. Entrance doors with CoolSkin^® technology are designed to last and the fact that it’s based on a PVCu foiled, grained finish that is a perfect match to the PVCu door frames, is also a major product benefit.

There are currently eight life like woodgrain finishes and nine solid colours within the CoolSkin^® range and 3D Laminates is also able to product bespoke finishes and colours in relatively small quantities, to support the demands of the fast-moving composite door market.

Mark Lofthouse, managing director of 3D Laminates commented: ‘The 12 year warranty on our unique CoolSkin^® gives great confidence for our trade partners and consumers. It’s a product with unique technical capabilities thanks to tight trading agreements with Hornschuch and VEKA.

He continues: ‘We’ve already seen a number of major product failures with other inferior door skins and the ramifications for installation companies and door manufacturers are considerable, as product liabilities could have the potential to escalate considerably. CoolSkin^® is ultimately a guarantee of lasting, failure free performance for panel and composite door skins.’

For further information and a free sample pack on CoolSkin^® call 3D Laminates on 0113 273 6281, e-mail info@3d-laminates.com or visit their website at www.3d-laminates.com.

The TruEnergy Aluminium Window delivers true energy efficiency and impressive performance with fewer components, says  Jack Aluminium Systems, who developed the PAS 24 window system and claim it is also easy to fabricate and install.

The thermal breaks are positioned in the most efficient way possible, with thermal infills that slide within the section chambers, to achieve a U-value of 1.4 W/m2 or lower with a double glazed unit, and 1.2 when triple glazed.  This is backed by PAS 24 testing, dual cleat options and compatibility with PVCu hardware.

“Too often, thermally enhanced means that the system only works if lots of fiddly bits are inserted, or stuck on,” says Jeff Pearson, Sales Director at Jack Aluminium, “which not only add unwanted time during fabrication but can come loose if the installer needs to remove the glass during fitting.

“Customers told us they want something simpler, so we developed the TruEnergy window with their needs in mind.  From the moment fabricators get the profile, to the installation of the final product, the TruEnergy Window makes it really easy to produce an efficient and high performance window.

“The slimline aluminium profile can be fabricated using either crimped or mechanical Monticelli cleats.  That gives an element of design flexibility, so fabricators can choose their preferred method of assembly.

“Another way in which the TruEnergy Window makes life easy is that it can use PVCu hardware.  Lots of fabricators and installers supply aluminium windows alongside PVCu, but they would prefer not to double-stock on hardware.

“We also help fabricators by holding plenty of stock for fast turnaround of orders, with 5-7 day delivery on standard RAL colours.

“Energy efficiency shouldn’t be at the expense of manufacturing efficiently.  Simplifying the design to create better aluminium systems is at the heart of what Jack Aluminium does.  We’ve listened to the market and developed a window system that meets the needs of fabricators and installers.”

www.jackaluminium.co.uk