READY, SET, PADDLE!

Training is well underway for the all-female team taking part in this year’s Paddle2Pedal challenge – the first ever ‘Ladies Only’ event organised by GM Fundraising. With the first weekend of training under their belt, the team of twelve are will meet again in May to test their fitness and skills on the River Avon and surrounding Warwickshire countryside.

Gary Morton, founder of GM Fundraising and challenge veteran, is supporting the team for the challenge. Gary comments: “The first weekend was an astounding success. I was particularly impressed with how seriously the team are taking this challenge, the amount of work they’ve put in over the winter months and how the team comradery is already coming through.

“We met in April in Loughborough for our first ever team canoeing experience. Thankfully the weather was glorious and the ladies paired up to complete 4 miles on the River Soar, after a very comprehensive briefing session from Mark Bache of Epwin Group – our canoeing expert and coach. Day two saw the team take to their bikes for their inaugural ‘team’ bike ride lead by fellow challenge stalwart Alan Sadler, who is also supporting the team throughout the challenge in August. It was amazing how quickly everyone pulled together and cycled as a team.

“Onwards and upwards to more of the same in Stratford-upon-Avon. We have a couple of tough days planned for the ladies, but I have no doubt they will rise to the challenge! Of course, they are also working hard to raise much needed funds for the children and families of Hope House Children’s Hospice – the inspiration behind everything we do.

Follow the team’s progress on social media using #GMFP2P or #paddle2pedal, and for full team profiles and more information on the challenge, the charity and for support links, please visit the website www.gmfundraising.co.uk/paddle2pedal

We’re also going to be at the FIT Show – visit us on Stand B16 to find out about our other exciting projects.

Qualplas, the St Helens-based PVC-U window fabricator and long-standing customer of The VEKA UK Group celebrates three decades of business this year. The milestone will be marked with a wide range of activities and customer giveaways throughout the year.

Since the very beginning, Qualplas has been dedicated to providing top quality products and unbeatable customer service to all of its trade, retail and commercial clients. This commitment was cemented when the young company chose The VEKA UK Group as its number one supplier of PVC-U profile just one year into trading, before later also joining Network VEKA, which has quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction at its core.

In January 2016, ST Group Ltd – the parent company of Qualplas – was taken over by Huws Gray, the largest independent builders merchants in Wales and the North West of England. Largely the company has continued as previously, albeit with a slight change in the management team. One major change however, is the amount of miles the Qualplas delivery vehicles are now covering, particular within North Wales, resulting in an ever-widening customer base.

Aron McMahon, Manager at Qualplas said: “There have been many highlights for Qualplas since 1987, mainly growing from small premises in Peasley Cross to a 10,000 sq ft site in Knowsley Road.  There have also been some tough times along the way, in particular with recessions in the early 1990s and late 2000s. However, our commitment to quality and service has never changed and we continue to thrive and offer a premium service to new and existing customers alike.

“A huge thank you has to be said to every member of staff – past and present – who have worked tirelessly each day in order to deliver the quality products and service that Qualplas has become renowned for. Also, a massive thank you to all of our customers over the past 30 years; a number of whom have been with us since day one!

“Last but certainly not least, everyone at Qualplas – from the board of Directors, the management team, and all employees – would like to say a massive thank you to The VEKA UK Group. A large part of our success is down to the suppliers we choose. Qualplas’s long-standing relationship with The VEKA UK Group has ensured only the best quality raw material to fabricate with plus additional support in terms of technical expertise. Qualplas’s partnership with the Network VEKA brand has also enabled the company to be where it is today. Qualplas aims to work closely with both for many more years to come.

”The VEKA UK Group’s Sales Director Neil Evans added: “Congratulations to everyone at Qualplas on 30 years of trading. To stand the test of time over all these years is a wonderful achievement and as one of The VEKA UK Group’s first ever customers, Qualplas is a shining example to many more companies in the industry. On behalf of everyone at The VEKA UK Group I would like to wish Qualplas and all of its employees a very happy birthday and we look forward to many more years of working with them in the future.”

www.vekauk.com

Scottish construction supplies specialist Rembrand Timber Ltd has become a distributor for Composite Wood Company™, with big plans to bring the benefits of the fast-growing Composite Wood range to landscapers and home improvement installers.

Sales of Composite Wood decking, fencing, balustrades and garden rooms have exploded during the past year.  With over 13,000 likes on its Facebook page, Composite Wood Company has proven the huge market potential and is building a national distribution network to cater to this rapid growth.

With 21 branches across Scotland, Rembrand is open to trade and public so it is well placed to deliver Composite Wood to its customers.  With a strong track record in fencing and landscaping, Rembrand was quick to recognise the potential – especially after Composite Wood Company passed on 100 sales leads in just 3 weeks.

“Our customers are always looking for new ideas that will add value to their business and Composite Wood does exactly that,” says George Low, Managing Director of Rembrand.

“This is a superb product.  It is strong and hard-wearing to suit all weather.  Its concealed fixing system makes it easy to install.  And it looks great.

“It’s backed by consistent supply and great service from Composite Wood Company.  We’ve been blown away by how well they get this market.”

Composite Wood Company is equally excited about the partnership.

“Rembrand thinks very much like us in terms of their ambitions for growing the market and we’ve clicked straight away,” says Tony Pratt, Sales Director at Composite Wood Company.

“Scotland is a major area for us.  Having a company with the reputation of Rembrand on board will definitely help us to bring Composite Wood to landscapers, home improvement installers and homeowners.”

Composite Wood is available now from all Rembrand branches.  Rembrand is placing standard displays in most branches and, in certain areas, larger bespoke displays will be supplied by Composite Wood Company, including a garden room for one of the branches.

www.compositewoodcompany.co.uk

Image Above: Philip Collard 

Research conducted by MarketingWorks and Reading University uncovered the real cost of the bidding process in the construction industry as almost £3 billion.

myConsole, recently announced as the procurement partner for Digital Construction Week, will be holding a webinar to show the industry how they can use digitalisation to dramatically reduce these costs.

The research discovered that the bid cost works out to 0.57% of the project value (Appendix A). When you add together the amount spent on winning and losing bids in the £110 billion construction industry, the total hits almost £3 billion.

“The bidding process often escapes serious scrutiny and analysis. Our research highlights that this needs to change. The potential for efficiencies and savings in time and money are massive,” said Philip Collard, Chief Executive of myConsole.

Most tellingly, there are a range of work winning behaviours that mark out winning bidders (Appendix B). In their webinar, myConsole will highlight the areas ripe for change in the bid process.

Key takeaways from the session will include insights into:

• Relationship building
• Bid selectivity
• Process management

The traditional approach to winning work is for teams to spread their resources over a large number of bids. The research shows the average number of bidders per tender is five, which aligns with the typical length of a tender list – between four and six.

Philip Collard explained how this impacts on the cost of bidding. “We discovered the true cost for a winning bid is the cost of four losing bids, plus the cost of the winning bid. This brings the cost of the bid process up to a staggering 2% to 3% of total revenue.”

“We have valuable insights into the behaviour and processes that win work, and can help procurement teams create massive efficiencies,” said Philip.

Tune into the myConsole webinar on 1^st June at 2pm. Register here to find out more.

That’s all folks! Monthly entries for the FIT Show’s popular Installation of the Year competition have now closed. Highlighting some of the best commercial and domestic door, window, orangery and conservatory installation projects in the business, the final winner of the competition, taking home the title for April, is Üni_Slide Panoramic Sliding Doors.

Winning the IOTY accolade for its White Oaks contemporary family home installation in Plymouth, Üni_Slide partnered with Barc Architects who designed the crisp, light filled building featuring Üni_Slide’s sophisticated minimal sliding door with 20mm sight lines.

“So many glazing products are just functional – they do the job well enough, but rarely excel at what they do,” commented Tony Drake of fabricator Fenster Ltd, the man responsible for bringing Üni_Slide to the market. “With Üni_Slide, we want to bring great design back into focus. And just like with the White Oaks project, from the outside, it’s blissfully simple – incredibly slim sightlines, elegant, minimalistic design. But behind that, we’ve put a huge amount of effort into making the best looking, best performing product in its class.”

A professional couple with a passion for architecture and interior design, the owners of the White Oaks property wanted a simple and bold contemporary family home that would encourage outdoor living and maximise views of their spacious garden.

CAB’s Adrian Toon, the competition’s judge, said of Üni_Slide’s entry: “It’s one of the best composed shots I’ve seen for a long time. The ’S’ shape of the main part of the building is central within the image, plus it’s well balanced and perfectly exposed. Timing is often everything. This shot was taken on a great day at the right time for the sun to be in the right place.”

Earning themselves bragging rights for the month, Üni_Slide Panoramic Sliding Doors have won themselves a FIT Show goodie bag and a pair of tickets to the show’s popular gala dinner. Shortlisted as one of the monthly winners in with a chance at being crowned overall Installation of the Year winner, Üni_Slide will find out if they’ve won when the winner is announced at the FIT Show gala dinner on May 24th. This means entries for the competition are now closed but keep checking back to find out who will walk away victorious.

To see the shortlist of winning installations and vote on who should be crowned the overall Installation of the Year winner please visit: fitiotyvote.typeform.com/to/VrqZay and let your voice be heard.

Taking place 23-25th May 2017, to register as a visitor for FIT Show 2017 visit: www.livebuzzreg.co.uk/2017/fit17

XtremeDoor, the composite door by Merseyside fabricator Vista, has successfully thwarted two separate break-in attempts in the space of a few weeks.

XtremeDoors installed at a new-build property in Southampton and a Eurocell depot in Camberley, fought off burglars with crowbars, wheelie bins used as battering rams and even a car.

“It’s never good to hear about incidents like these, and our sympathies are with the property owners for any damage that the would-be burglars might have caused,” commented Vista Managing Director Keith Sadler, “but it’s fantastic to hear that in both cases the XtremeDoor stood up to everything the criminals could throw at it.

“We specifically designed the XtremeDoor to rank among the most secure doors on the market. It’s PAS 24 approved and fully compliant with Document Q, passing the stringent cut-through test. It’s also achieved the Secured By Design accreditation – and now, on top of these rigorous quality and security checks, we have two real-world examples of the XtremeDoor providing the most robust resistance to attempted break-in.”

Vista has recently enhanced the XtremeDoor’s security performance even further. The latest version of the product comes with a 100% thicker 4mm GRP skin. “The GRP constructed composite door has come in for some criticism in the past, and has been dismissed by some as a ‘foam filled’ door set,” Keith continued. “But there’s a huge amount more to it than that. GRP was designed to be able to resist heavy impacts. In World War 2, the Royal Navy even used it as a counter-measure against magnetic mines. Document Q told us it can withstand knives – now we know it can withstand wheelie bins, crowbars and cars, too. If the assailants weren’t aware of its security credentials before, they certainly are now.

“Along with an enhanced slab and thicker GRP skin, the XtremeDoor now also features an upgraded five-hook locking system which pulls tighter to the frame, and an anti-snap, bump, pick and drill cylinder. Every element of the XtremeDoor has been pain-stakingly developed to offer the best performance. When you add one of the most extensive choices of colours and designs in the industry and exceptional thermal efficiency, you’ve got a best-in-class composite door perfect for any property or purpose.”

For more information call 01516081423 or visit www.vistapanels.co.uk

Rugby Double Glazing recently marked the opening of its revamped showroom with an invite-only open day for friends and customers, and a notable star guest…

The Midlands-based company is a member of pioneering installer support organisation, Network VEKA; members of which are committed to using  PVC-U systems from The VEKA UK Group, and are continually assessed for the highest standards of work.

Visitors to the company’s fully updated showroom saw first-hand an extensive selection of doors and windows from The VEKA UK Group.

Invited guests visited one of Rugby Double Glazing’s most recent jobs in nearby West Haddon; a garden room, officially opened on the day by six-times World Snooker Champion and Network VEKA Brand Ambassador Steve Davis.

Rugby Double Glazing MD Simon Wade commented: “Steve’s presence has certainly helped to put the spotlight on our work, and we’re already receiving follow-up enquiries from local people interested in conservatories, orangeries and other outdoor living solutions for the summer.

“We’ve extended our selection of external doors to showcase VEKA’s latest Imagine suite of French, Patio and Bi-Fold Doors, alongside the Leka Warm Roof system from our trade fabricator and VEKA customer Modplan. There’s everything a homeowner could need to create an added sense of connection between their indoor and outdoor living spaces, and it’s been truly exciting to see the reactions of visitors to the open day.”

Besides entertaining guests with trick shots, Steve Davis also welcomed challenges from all-comers at the pool table, accepting donations towards Hope 4 – a local charity that supports homeless people in and around Rugby.

“Steve helped us raise funding towards Hope 4’s night shelter facilities,” Simon explained, “and we will also be installing three brand new VEKA windows that have kindly been donated by Modplan.

“We’re grateful to Steve, Modplan, and especially Network VEKA for their support with the open day. It was a great success, and – as ever with Network VEKA’s support – we have come away having generated a wealth of leads for the months to come.”

Contact Rugby Double Glazing on 01788 572685 or visit: www.rugby-doubleglazing.co.uk

To find out more about Network VEKA, call 01282 473170 or visit: www.networkveka.co.uk

Solidor is taking big steps to become the best UK factory under the guidance of internationally recognised ‘World Class’ lean manufacturing expert, Operations Director Mike Price. The maker of the most secure timber-core composite door has invested significantly over the last two years to transform its operations, and invested heavily in its people and philosophy of continuous improvement so it keeps on getting better.

Solidor has made fundamental changes to systems and procedures, invested in people, in additional machinery, factory and warehouse space, and streamlined workflow so the space in the factory is maximised for efficient, high quality production.

Operations Director Mike Price says: “In manufacturing and operations, Solidor is completely different to how it was a couple of years ago. We’ve improved the flow of the process to optimise space and time, and invested in more space so we can keep growing.”

Solidor measures its Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) at every stage of the manufacturing process, and puts them up in the factory so everyone can see how they’re doing at any time.

“The KPIs mean that everyone can see that they’re an important member of the team,” continues Mike. “Every person can see how their work affects the KPIs of their team, and of the factory as a whole. It’s a real motivator, and encourages a happy workforce.

“We’ve grown incredibly fast in the last few years, and we’re still growing fast, which is why we’ve invested in making our manufacturing facility world-class. That means eliminating waste and maximising productivity, which is as much about the people as it is about the equipment they use. We’re currently achieving 99.8% of orders delivered on time and in full. We’ll keep improving so we, and our customers, can keep growing. We want to make Solidor’s factory the best ever!”

To find out more about the most beautiful and most secure composite door in the market visit www.solidor.co.uk, call 01782 950 941, or follow @SolidorLtd on Twitter.