THE SWISH IMPRESSIONS COLOUR RANGE NOW INCLUDES 10 STOCK COLOURS

Homeowner favourite Swish has just announced that 10 of the most popular colours in its Impressions range will now be available from stock. Gerald Allen, Swish’s Brand Manager, said: “Coloured profiles are becoming an increasing popular choice for homeowners. The colours now available from stock covers 88% of our total colour sales and feedback from Swish installers is that it will open up new opportunities for their businesses.”

At the same time as making 10 colours available from stock, Swish has also announced that there will be no minimum order quantity on its non-stock colours. Gerald commented: “By removing the minimum order requirement, colour immediately becomes more accessible and appealing to consumers and installers alike.”

The 10 stock colours include two foiled options that are proving particularly popular with style conscious consumers: Black Brown and Anthracite Grey. The other colours include Cream (on a cream base), White, Black Brown / White (on a white base), Rosewood (on a brown base), Rosewood / White (on a white base), Light Oak (on a tan base), Light Oak / White (on a white base) and Anthracite Grey / White (on a white base).

By removing the barriers to colour by introducing stock colours and removing minimum order requirements, Swish is demonstrating its policy of continuous development in response to wider consumer and industry trends. It’s one of the reasons it has earned its place as the go-to brand for so many.

www.swishwindows.co.uk

The Ultraframe Ultra Installer scheme has become the first scheme in the glass and glazing industry to meet the Which? Trusted Traders high standards for an approved service endorsement.  Which?, the largest consumer body in the UK has been testing products and services for nearly 60 years and now all Ultra Installers will undertake a double assessment process from both Ultraframe and Which? Trusted Traders to become part of the Which? Trusted Trader Approved Ultra Installer Service. The Ultraframe part of the assessment concentrates on the onsite abilities of the installers, while the Which? Trusted Traders assessment concentrates on the consumer focused parts of the service such as; customer care, insurances, consumer protection and professional conduct. The Ultra Installer scheme is the first Which? Trusted Trader Approved Service installation scheme in the glass and glazing industry and sends a strong and clear message to homeowners and consumers about the quality and integrity of Ultraframe’s Ultra Installer Scheme.

Julian Slade, Ultraframe CEO comments: “by working with Which? Trusted Traders we are making a powerful statement to home improvers about the quality of service and installation they can expect from an Ultra Installer. This service promise is of course backed up by our market-leading roof systems, which combined deliver an unmatchable level of reassurance and quality for consumers.  Installers that grasp the potency of the Which? Trusted Traders brand when it comes to consumer confidence will see the clear benefits of this partnership. It will enable Ultra Installers to differentiate themselves locally and win a lot more business.”

Tim Wade, from Which? Trusted Traders explains the value of the scheme: “Which? Trusted Traders is an endorsement scheme that recognises reputable traders who successfully pass an assessment process carried out by trading standards professionals. The Which? Trusted trader logo is a sign of reputation and trust, helping consumers choose the right trader for them and giving good traders the recognition they deserve. The Ultra Installer Scheme has achieved the Which? Trusted Traders approved service endorsement, and can provide consumers with the additional confidence the scheme provides when choosing an installer.”

The post Ultra Installer scheme is first Which? Trusted Traders scheme in industry appeared first on Windows Active Magazine.

A company that provides installers with finance solutions that they can offer to homeowners is on-course for a record year of trading.

Improveasy Finance Solutions, which is based in Manchester, looks set to end 2017 with the highest number of installers using its service.

Directors at the company say that they have seen a spike in enquiries from installers, as more and more consumers use finance options to fund home improvements such as double-glazed windows and conservatories.

Improveasy works across several different markets providing finance, including glass and glazing, which the company says is one of its fastest growing sectors.

Austin Barcley, Managing Director at the company, comments: “We’ve identified an upward trend over the last eighteen months of more people using finance options to upgrade their homes, creating a golden opportunity for installers of windows and conservatories.

“This has resulted in an increase in installers benefiting from our service and using our finance solutions to win more business.”

Austin and his team recently exhibited at the FIT Show, where they said they received a high number of enquiries.

He also says that Improveasy doesn’t just offer finance solutions and companies that partner with them can also access sales training seminars, alongside a host of innovative finance options.

Companies that become Appointed Representatives (AR) will appear on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) register; and can then begin offering finance options, under the Improveasy brand.

Installers also have the opportunity to offer the finance options under their own company brand.

Austin concludes: “The appeal of our service is that in addition to the finance options, we also provide our customers with lots of added value such as training on how best to use finance in a sales context.

“Using our service is allowing SME installers to compete against the more established national brands, as they can now offer finance to the homeowner who nine times out of ten would rather choose a local installer local to them, to carry out their home improvements.”

For more information call 0800 024 8505 or visit www.improveasy.com

Innovative roof designers LEKA systems first entered the market with their new LEKA Warm roof system back in 2015. Since the introduction of the LEKA Warm roof the team at LEKA have trained over 300 people to date through their LEKA training programme designed for fabricators and installers who wish to become official LEKA partners.

Rhys Hoddinott, Director at LEKA Systems, said: “The LEKA Warm roof and the newly launched LEKA Orangery roof are real game changers in conservatory roof design and the impact on the industry is reflected in the number of new sign ups and training programmes we have commissioned.”

The comprehensive LEKA Approved training programme is held over one day where all aspects of the product, installation, lead generation, software, sales training and marketing support are discussed in detail before membership status is granted.

Rhys explains, “If you have been put off from entering the solid roof market due to not having the correct products then LEKA has the solution for you. The take up to date has been excellent and we are delighted to welcome over 60 LEKA approved company representatives since the 2017 FIT Show.”

The newly launched LEKA Orangery Roof uses the same technological innovation as the market-leading Warm Roof. It is manufactured from a structurally tested, high grade GRP profile system, which means no cold bridging or condensation risks that aluminium produces. It all adds up to a genuinely lightweight orangery roof that has a U value of just 0.15 W/m²K, something that will be very appealing to homeowners looking to create year-round rooms to house kitchen, dining and living areas.

The roof is supplied in kit form and delivered in four simple lightweight pre-assembled ladder sections. All materials from the external board to the internal board are pre-cut/fabricated to exact specifications. It means installation is a two man one day job (excluding the lantern and roof membrane). It’s also jhai-approved, helping to cut down on paperwork.

So if you’re looking for value-added roofing systems and want to stay ahead of the competition, LEKA might just have the answer you’ve been looking for.

www.lekasystems.co.uk

A completely new breed of composite door has been unveiled by Virtuoso. Virtu-AL – the UK’s first aluminium textured, smooth non-woodgrain finish composite door – has been created to help installers make the most of the surging popularity of contemporary aluminium products.

Tony Craggs, managing director of Virtuoso, previously known as WB Group, says: “We are tremendously excited to launch this unique ultra-modern new door, which is a step change for the industry. The Virtu-AL door is like nothing else out there and it’s certain to open up some fantastic new opportunities for installers who want to broaden their scope beyond standard composite doors and take advantage of the growing consumer appetite for modern, aluminium style products.

“Previously, homeowners had to choose between a pricier aluminium door or a woodgrained composite door but not now. Our high performance Virtu-AL door looks and feels just like a premium aluminium door and it has all the thermal and performance characteristics of a composite door. So now, if a homeowner wants to achieve the high-end contemporary look of an aluminium door but without the price tag of aluminium, they can with this aluminium alternative door.”

“The Virtu-AL door is set to revolutionise the industry and this launch means that composite doors can compete in the same field as aluminium doors for the first time ever. This door combines the best features of an aluminium door with those of a composite door and it brings much greater variety for homeowners who are no longer restricted in their choice of entrance door.”

Described as the ‘ultimate aluminium companion’, the aluminium alternative door has been developed to complement the crisp, clean features of other aluminium fenestration products to enable end users to create a cohesive look for their home.

Virtually indistinguishable from a smooth, powder coated aluminium door, the Virtu-AL door is available in four sleek and modern styles which are totally exclusive to Virtuoso. The designs are complemented by a range of traditional or contemporary hardware, which includes a new inline flat pull bar.

Incorporating realistic detailing and a smooth finish to replicate the appearance of an aluminium door, the Virtu-AL door consists of a 4mm GRP skin on a robust 44mm composite slab. Like all Virtuoso doors, it is available in a number of standard colours and it can also be sprayed to match any RAL colour in Virtuoso’s in-house spray booth. And, just like a composite door, it will not warp, twist or flake. Engineered with security in mind, the door is PAS 24 and Document Q compliant. The door also comes with a comprehensive guarantee to cover its structure and finish.

The Virtu-AL door can be sourced through Virtuoso’s door designer software – Gateway. Gateway is a bespoke door designer package which has been enhanced to bring even greater functionality to customers and help them to design, order and price standard and bespoke composite doors. With the recently launched Gateway 2 package, homeowners can now design their own Virtu-AL door on-line.

The Customade group now operates nationwide and employs 900 people in multiple manufacturing sites across the UK. The Group includes Polyframe (PVC-u), REAL Aluminium (aluminium), Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions (glazed roofs), Virtuoso (composite and paneled doors), Hourglass Seal (sealed glass units), and Fineline Aluminium (specialist glazing).

www.customade.co.uk

150 installers have now experienced first-hand the secrets of how REAL Aluminium can accelerate their businesses after attending a tailored one day REAL customer workshop. The workshops have been successful with many delegates reporting that their aluminium sales have trebled since they became a REAL Aluminium installer.

The REAL Customer Day has been a popular element of REAL Aluminium since the brand was launched last year and Customade is well on course to attract 100 more installers to one of its sessions by the end of 2017.

Held at Customade Group’s headquarters in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, the workshops provide installers with a thorough understanding of the tools available to help them leap successfully in to aluminium and begin selling the most extensive range aluminium windows, doors and lantern roofs available from a single supplier.

The workshops appeal to both experienced aluminium installers and PVC-u installers who are new to aluminium and demonstrate the simplicity of promoting, quoting, selling and ordering aluminium through REAL Aluminium.

Claire Miller, Customade Group’s marketing director, explains: “REAL Aluminium is one of the industry’s fastest growing brands with hundreds of installers coming on board to take advantage of the sales and marketing support on offer. The REAL team has a genuine passion and a desire to help installers grow and these customer days are fundamental to them achieving success in aluminium. We’re well on course to engage with as many as 250 people through these sessions by the end of this year.

“The message resonating at a REAL Customer Day is that aluminium doesn’t have to be arduous and it really is as easy as child’s play to make the move towards aluminium. The response, both from aluminium veterans and newbies, has been terrific and installers unanimously agree that REAL Aluminium has delivered a fantastic boost for their businesses.

“With the promise of excellent service, short lead times, quality products, comprehensive marketing and showroom support and these customer training days, REAL Aluminium delivers everything installers need to advance to aluminium. We’re really proud to have helped so many installers fly with aluminium and treble their aluminium sales with this incredible package – their well-earned success demonstrates just how easy REAL Aluminium can be.”

As part of their customer experience, installers visit REAL Aluminium’s purpose built 72,000 square foot factory which exclusively manufactures the REAL range. Customers are also guided through all the traditional and digital marketing resources available to help them increase their number of sales leads.

REAL Aluminium is designed to eliminate the common pitfalls associated with the supply of aluminium and to make sourcing aluminium as easy as buying PVC-u. The REAL range of aluminium windows, bi-folding doors, sliding doors, French doors, residential doors, composite doors and lantern roofs is manufactured in a dedicated factory, which holds more than 100 miles of aluminium extrusions in stock in the four most popular colours Lead times for REAL are much shorter than other aluminium fabricators at just two weeks.

Customade will be running one REAL Customer Day a month for the rest of the year. To find out more about them, please call 01453 826884 or visit www.real-aluminium.co.uk.

The Customade group now operates nationwide and employs 900 people in multiple manufacturing sites across the UK. The Group includes Polyframe (PVC-u), REAL Aluminium (aluminium), Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions (glazed roofs), Virtuoso (composite and paneled doors), Hourglass Seal (sealed glass units), and Fineline Aluminium (specialist glazing).

The CPA’s State of Trade Survey for 2017 Q2 reveals that UK construction product manufacturers experienced growth in sales and activity for the 17th consecutive quarter, but higher input costs and rising uncertainty has dampened manufacturers’ views for the near-term future.

Results of the survey showed that among heavy side manufacturers, only 7% anticipated a rise in sales in the next quarter, a decline from the 68% who anticipated a rise when asked in 2017 Q1. A sharp rise in input costs was also reported in Q2, with 93% of heavy side manufacturers and all of those on the light side reporting an increase in costs compared with a year earlier.

Rebecca Larkin

The strongest inflationary pressures came from raw materials, fuel and energy, owing to depreciation in Sterling during 2016, alongside skills shortages pushing up wage bills.

The construction products manufacturing industry has an annual turnover of £55 billion, directly providing jobs for 300,000 people across 22,000 companies. Products range from ‘heavy side’ materials such as steel, bricks, timber and concrete to ‘light side’ products such as insulation, boilers, glass and lighting. On an annual basis, 47% of heavy side firms reported that sales had increased in Q2, whilst on the light side, 45% of firms reported that sales were higher than a year earlier.

Rebecca Larkin, CPA senior economist said: “It was an eventful quarter on the political front, with the announcement of a snap general election and the resulting hung parliament adding to existing uncertainty over the path for Brexit negotiations. Despite healthy growth in the second quarter, construction product manufacturers have turned more pessimistic over performance for the rest of the year, reigniting concern that the triple hit of imported inflation in raw materials, higher fuel and energy prices and the persistent pressure on labour costs will have a negative impact on demand and construction activity over the next 12 months.

“An increase in overall costs was reported by 93% of heavy side manufacturers and all of those on the light side. Inflation is expected to endure as similar proportions anticipate that costs will continue to climb over the next year. Government’s ability to progress the pipeline for large public sector and infrastructure projects is now more important than ever as a means of sustaining activity when private sector decision-making may be stalling.”

The post Construction product manufacturers ‘pessimistic of growth’ appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

I was told this earlier on Monday by a potential new customer: “we were going to move, but we’ve decided to stay where we are and extend”. I reckon I’ve heard that, or something similar to that at least once a week every week this year. Not since the Great Recession have I seen or heard this strength in the staying put trend.

There’s nothing scientific I have to hand, but on an anecdotal basis, I am pretty sure that the “improve, don’t move” trend is growing live and well this year so far. For the glazing industry, this should be a very good thing indeed.

Improving the homestead

The last time I heard from this many home owners that they were staying put and improving where they already were was during the Great Recession nearly ten years ago. Back then, the financial crisis hit everyone and everything in the world almost. Back home, the mortgage market ground to a halt, credit facilities dried up, the recession nearly turned into depression. It was a bit of a hairy moment.

It resulted in people staying put. No moving house. No new mortgages. What we then saw, as the dust began to settle, was a high number of home owners deciding to use the money they were saving for moving house used on home improvement products instead, including windows and doors. A useful micro-trend that no doubt kept a few installers and indeed fabricators afloat where a great many went to the wall.

The circumstances this time round however are a little less dicey, despite Brexit. There is no recession, there has been a bit of a cooling, but we are many moons away from the conditions of the Great Recession. The mortgage market remains active, although cooling in London and the South East a bit. Credit markets remain fluid. The business conditions are much more positive than around ten years ago. So what is the reason behind the rise in the staying put trend?

Well, house price growth is slowing, the mortgage market is OK, not great but OK, and loans are still readily available at very low interest rates. I would put it down to a lack of supply. There is a whole generation of young people stuck at home unable to buy their first home either because of a lack of supply in their area, or prices being too high. That alone can slow a housing market right down, which is what I believe we are seeing.

If you work in the mortgage or finance market, it might not be brisk business at the moment. If you’re in the window industry however, I think this presents us with a golden opportunity.

Golden opportunity

If you read the business news you will know that even though there is a wage squeeze going on right now, people are still spending in decent amounts, on day to day goods and big ticket items. There remains good underlying confidence despite some bumps in the road.

As I mentioned above, more people appear to be deciding to stay where they are and spending on their current home instead. For the home improvement market, including UK fenestration, this presents us with a golden opportunity to exploit these current conditions.

It is fair to say it is likely there is are a large number of home owners sitting on piles of cash earmarked for new house purchases but are still sitting on that money. Or are living in homes that are paid for, without debt, with those home owners having much more spending power. It is this demographic that the window industry should be marketing very strongly to.

We should be looking at this as a great chance amid a backdrop of growing risks both at home and abroad. Right now the conditions for buying windows and doors are pretty good for home owners the way I see it, even if we have had a raft of price increases in the past 12 months. There is a glut of people deciding to stay at home and plunder their cash on improving it. How much of an open goal for us as an industry could this be?

It may not last all that long however. Maybe 12 months, 18 months max. At the moment inflation continues to rise faster than wages, which means less and less disposable income for people as the months go by. Brexit is only just getting under way, and the global outlook is still shaky in places. I think that this is more a window (sorry) than a long term trend. We don’t really know what the next couple of years will bring, so it is important to make the most of what opportunities come our way.

As an industry we should be taking to all media platforms and juicing this particular opportunity for what it is worth. Time to make hay while the sun shines, even if it the height of British summer time.

A record number of Atlas Flat Rooflight displays have been popping up all over the UK as a growing number of installers have been catching on to their impressive selling potential.

Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions has reported one of its busiest quarters for the Flat Rooflight since it was launched at the FIT Show last year. Demand for the Flat Rooflight has risen sharply and Atlas is now fabricating at least 50 rooflights a week. 60 Atlas customers currently have an Atlas Flat Rooflight display in their showroom and latest Atlas figures show that these installers are selling a third more rooflights because of it.

Gareth Thomas, Sales and Marketing Director at Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions, explains: “It’s been an incredible first half of the year for the Flat Rooflight with sales rising sharply, particularly for those installers who have a Flat Rooflight display in their showrooms. We do encourage our customers to invest in their showrooms because we know it pays off. There really is no better way to show off the contemporary look and minimalistic design of the rooflight. When homeowners see how good the display looks, it makes an easy sale for the installer.

“It’s not just the look of the product that makes the Flat Rooflight popular among installers though. They’re also attracted by its competitive price, our fast five-day lead time on stock sizes and the comprehensive marketing support we provide. The main draw for them however is just how quick and easy this product is to fit. Time is money and this product really does help installers to boost their output and enhance their profits.”

The Flat Rooflight is a quick and simple way to bring more light into a room. It is competitively priced to help installers maximise its selling power and increase their profits margins.

The Flat Rooflight displays are just one element of the comprehensive Atlas marketing support package, which has been developed to give installers the resources they need to create a professional appearance and successfully promote and sell to customers. It includes brochures, which can be personalised with the installer’s logo and company details, digital marketing support, direct mail and advertising templates, retail leaflets and showroom display graphics. The experienced marketing team at Customade Group is also on hand to guide installers through their marketing and to develop a tailored programme to help them sell the range of Atlas products.

Created to deliver ‘ALL SKY AND NO ROOF’, the Flat Rooflight is claimed to bring ultimate performance and maximum light in a sleek, minimalistic design. It features a 27% slimmer overall frame height to achieve a flush glazed look with minimal internal and external sightlines. It also delivers an industry-leading complete roof (glass and frame) U-value of 1.3 W/m2k, without the need for triple glazing, says the company.

For further information, please contact Atlas on 02838 327741 or visit www.atlasroofsolutions.co.uk.