Get Ready for GlassBuild America 2017

It was positive news for housebuilding across July, as construction contract values for the sector reached £2.5 billion.  However the same could not be said for the infrastructure sector as figures reached the lowest total for more than six years. 

The latest edition of the Economic & Construction Market Review from construction industry analysts Barbour ABI, highlights the levels of construction contract values awarded in July across all regions of Great Britain, which totalled £5.4 billion based on a three-month rolling average, still well below this year’s peak of £6.5 billion from March. 

Looking across all the construction sectors in July, it was infrastructure that provided the biggest surprise, producing just £784 million worth of construction contract value, a 97 per cent annual decrease and its worst performing month for more than six years. Typically one big value infrastructure project is commissioned each month, which was absent in July. 

Outside of January and February this year, housebuilding figures reached £2.5 billion for July – the highest value for any month since Barbour ABI began tracking the series six years ago.  Furthermore, four of the top ten biggest construction contracts agreed this month came from housebuilding – including the Charter Square development in Staines, valued at £120 million. 

It was a mixed July across other construction sectors, with industrial, hotel leisure & sport and medical & health all increasing contract value on June figures, whereas education and commercial & retail dipped, with the latter producing its lowest figures since the beginning of 2013.  

Regionally, London and the South East led all regions, both with 14 per cent of the total construction contract value. Some of the larger projects in these areas includes the Oxford Technology Park worth £90 million and the Wandle Terrace redevelopment valued at £70 million. 

Commenting on the figures, Michael Dall, Lead Economist at Barbour ABI, said: “Overall construction figures remained steady in July, thanks to the robustness of the housebuilding sector, producing another strong month.  In reality, this picked up the slack for waning sectors such as infrastructure and commercial & retail that fail to make up lost ground.”

“Across July there were 925 construction projects commissioned but these did not fall consistently across the sectors, putting an ever increasing emphasis on housebuilding’s robust figures to make up for the lack of investment in other parts of construction.” 

www.barbour-abi.com

Eurocell has launched a pioneering industry initiative in Select – the sector’s first comprehensive solid conservatory roof approved installer scheme. Designed to give scheme members a competitive edge and boost business, Eurocell Select will seek to address homeowners’ fears about product and workmanship quality, encouraging them to engage approved companies to carry out work.

Built upon the company’s leading Equinox solid conservatory roof range, Eurocell Select is being operated in partnership with certification body, CERTASS, and is the first independently audited and accredited scheme for solid roof installations.

The scheme features a two-year workmanship (installation) warranty, an alternative dispute resolution service (ADR) with no annual fees and low per case fee (from £35 per party) and a comprehensive marketing support package.

Membership will be limited to 150 companies during the introductory period, so it will be a race against time for professional installers seeking to grow sales and profit to sign up on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Those ‘early adopters’ will get free entry to the scheme, discounted CERTASS accreditation and a significant Eurocell contribution to the first year’s subscriptions.

Entrance to the scheme includes typical ‘professionalism criteria’, such as meeting the terms set out in competent persons and quality assured installer schemes; and installing Equinox, in compliance with Eurocell specifications.

Head of Marketing, Chris Coxon, believes Eurocell Select will prove attractive for both the trade and the consumer: “Traditionally finding suppliers for home improvements has always been a headache for homeowners. Concerns over reliability, quality of work and cowboys all add to the stress.  Eurocell Select will give them greater confidence in their choice. For the participating installer, the scheme provides a competitive edge over rivals and, crucially, more sales and profit opportunities. For example, last year we referred over 2000 leads to our Equinox installers and for Eurocell Select we are targeting a £100,000 investment in lead generation”.

He continues, “The conservatory market has changed. Once homeowners were prepared to invest five figure sums in a garden room for occasional use. Now they want to maximise their plots with a room they can use 24/7, 365 days a year. The result? A burgeoning conservatory roof replacement market. With around four million conservatories already covering Britain, this means plenty of opportunity for Eurocell Select members”.

Jason Clemmit, Managing Director of Certass, added ‘We are delighted to be working with a top industry player in Eurocell. Our new solid conservatory roof warranty is the first of its kind, which will help raise standards in this new, fast growing sector’.

For more details about Eurocell Select, visit www.eurocell-select.co.uk or call 01292 292099.

Brighton Bi-folds used Jack Aluminium System’s shopfront system to create a bifold door and a bifold window at an upmarket fish and chip shop in Worthing.

“Our client was looking to open up the restaurant in two ways,” explains Phil Bedford, Managing Director at Brighton Bi-folds. “One to the outdoor veranda where diners enjoy their posh chippy tea and another to the takeaway counter, so it could be fully opened up in good weather.

“A residential-style bi-fold door system was never going to cut it, because the business would be opening and closing the doors and window every day. We needed a robust, commercial system that could withstand daily business use.”

Brighton Bi-folds turned to Jack Aluminium’s JD47 Shopfront system for a solution.

“We already used Jack Aluminium systems so I asked them if we could adapt it to create a bi-fold. Nothing is off-the-shelf in this industry, and it made sense to use JD47 to get the benefits of the commercial system’s strength and security.

“It also meant that we could put in a level access threshold so there are no trip hazards for customers and easy access for pushchairs, wheelchairs, mobility scooters and people who use walking aids.”

The result is an impressive bifold door that opens out onto the high street, so the space can be opened up in the summer when the takeaway counter is most popular. The bi-fold-style window creates an opening from waist-height. It’s in the sit-down part restaurant and opens out onto the veranda.

Phil adds: “Using Jack Aluminium Systems works really well for us. One benefit is the fact that they sell in quarter and half bar lengths. For a business like us, it’s great because we use smaller volumes of profile for bespoke, one-off projects without having lots of waste.”

Ash Pearson, Sales Manager at Jack Aluminium says: “We love working with companies like Brighton Bi-folds who really think outside of the box. It gives us ideas for product development and lets us know exactly what kind of systems are in demand. This project proves that our systems offer good design flexibility to suit interesting installations.”

www.jackaluminium.co.uk 

Image Above: A comprehensive range of panic and emergency exit hardware is available from Carl F Groupco. Image shows Strand Antipanic gearing (left) and a FUHR emergency exit lock.

Established hardware supplier Carl F Groupco is promoting its extensive range of panic and emergency exit gearing, which meets stringent safety standards for public and commercial installations. A comprehensive technical advisory service, including guidance on standards, is also offered by the company.

Commenting on the importance of offering support to the hardware sector, John Mitchell, Carl F Groupco’s Technical Manager explains:

“It can be time consuming for fabricators to translate standards into hardware selection – recognising this, we ensure that we are well versed in the regulations that impact this process and ensure we are fully equipped to advise customers on the best route to achieve panic or emergency exit doors.

“First, it is important to establish exactly where the door set will be fitted and who will be using it – this will determine what hardware is required to meet regulations. Non-public buildings, for example, where potential users have received full door operation training, require hardware to meet the EN 179 standard for emergency exits. However, if the door is to be fitted to public buildings or other premises where occupants may not be familiar with exit routes and hardware devices, the door will need to meet EN 1125 for panic exit. Carl F Groupco offers hardware solutions to meet the requirements of both of these standards.”

As a long-standing partner of the German lock manufacturer FUHR, products offered by Carl F Groupco include the FUHR 870 and 871 Type 8 emergency exit locks for aluminium, PVCu or timber doors. Proven over 18 years of service, the multipoint locks are capable of achieving EN 1125 panic exit and EN 179 emergency exit requirements: in order to comply, the lock must be used with a tested hardware set, such as the CES free movement cylinder and FUHR panic bar. Carl F Groupco also distributes facefix Strand Antipanic gearing: products offered are the EN 1125 Motorised or Modular Touch Bar, the EN 1125 Modular Push Bar, the EN 179 Modular Push Pad and a lever or knob operated Outside Access device.

www.carlfgroupco.co.uk or call 01733 393330

We’re receiving more and more calls asking for advice on rectifying coloured PVCu jobs that have gone wrong because window frames just aren’t being reinforced properly.

The most recent was a new-build apartment block where the architect had specified Anthracite Grey PVCu windows. The fabricator hadn’t used steel reinforcement in the frames and as temperatures rose in early summer, residents in the south facing apartments started to complain about sashes sticking and not closing correctly. On inspection, warping of the profile caused by heat from the sun was plain to see.

Today’s popular grey and black windows have none of the heat-reflective qualities of white PVCu and even lighter colours do not reflect heat well. The bigger percentage of foil profiles in a fabricator’s product mix increases the risk of warping frames caused by solar heat gain. Add to this the move towards longer guarantees on frames and it makes sense for PVCu window manufacturers to reduce their exposure to failures by choosing a steel reinforcement specification.

PVCu isn’t first choice for homeowners by accident. They know that it is low-maintenance, durable and that it will last. Now that the market has such a strong emphasis on coloured frames, it’s important for homeowners and specifiers to be able to choose coloured PVCu and know that it will perform for years to come.

At Anglo European we’ve also recently launched a 10-year warranty backed with extensive testing on steel reinforcement to give fabricators extra reassurance on the life-time performance for windows and doors.

Best wishes,

Paul Sullivan

Managing Director at Anglo European

The collection and recycling of waste PVC in the UK reached a new high of 120,392 tonnes in 2016, according to latest figures from Recovinyl, the PVC industry’s recycling scheme.

It’s an increase of 12% compared to the previous year (2015: 107,593). The window profiles recycled represent the equivalent to more than five million window frames (5,158,483) or enough to glaze 515,848 houses (assuming each house has 10 windows). That’s enough to renovate all the dwellings in both Manchester (217,240 homes) and Liverpool (206,500 households).

The UK’s robust performance represents 21% of the total recycled across Europe with Recovinyl being the main contributor. A total of 560,492 tonnes of waste PVC was recycled through Recovinyl last year across its 18 European member countries. The Recovinyl network currently comprises 153 recycler partners.

Recovinyl is the organisation aimed at facilitating PVC waste collection and recycling within the VinylPlus framework of the European PVC industry’s Voluntary Commitments. This programme is tackling the sustainability challenges for PVC and delivery of current recycling targets to 2020.

Waste PVC-U profiles comprised 62% of the UK’s recycling achievement in 2016, with pipes, rigid and flexible PVC films and cables making up the rest.

“The recycling of PVC is maintaining an upward trend thanks to on-going investment in recycling infrastructure and strong commitment from the sector. It’s a significant achievement that demonstrates the sustainability of this readily-recyclable material,” comments Project Manager Jane Gardner of Axion, Recovinyl’s UK agents.

A major factor driving the recycling success is increasing demand from manufacturers for good quality recycled material. Capable of being recycled up to seven times without any loss of performance, PVC can be reused in many diverse new and long-life products from construction products such as windows to flooring and electrical components.

Cumulatively, some 3.5 million tonnes of PVC has been recycled through the Vinyl 2010 and VinylPlus frameworks across Europe since 2000. Building on this, Recovinyl’s strategy continues with consolidating and increasing the steady supply of PVC waste being recycled in Europe by creating demand – a ‘pull-market’ for recycled PVC material – from the converting industry.

Further recycling initiatives for PVC have been established in the UK, such as the collection of single-use waste PVC medical devices via RecoMed. RecoMed is funded by VinylPlus and undertaken jointly by Axion and the British Plastics Federation.

One of the objectives of the VinylPlus Voluntary Commitment is to recycle 800,000 tonnes of PVC waste per year by 2020, including 100,000 tonnes of difficult-to-recycle PVC through innovative recycling technologies.

Axion is part of the Axion Group that develops and optimises processing and collection methods to recover value from waste resources for a wide range of clients within the recycling and process industries. For further information, visit: www.axiongroup.co.uk and www.recovinyl.com.

Thermoseal Group, the manufacturer of high performance warm edge spacers and UK distributor of insulated glass components, has released new editions of both its trade and warm edge consumer videos.

The adaptions of both videos are said to reflect the international growth of the group and its awards recognition, whilst showcasing the benefits of warm edge spacer systems Thermobar and Thermoflex. The videos, for use throughout the supply chain, are available to watch on the Thermoseal Group website: www.thermosealgroup.com/news with multilingual versions to follow.

Samantha Hill, head of marketing and communications, said: “Since the initial release of our trade video and our ‘Warm Comfortable Homes’ consumer video, we have seen further growth and development and now supply to 22 countries in five continents. We have also won numerous prestigious accolades for our products, services and to recognise our international development.”

“Alongside being announced as winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2017, Thermoseal Group has attained a multitude of other awards over the past year including: Component Supplier of the Year at the glass and glazing industry G-Awards (for the second year in a row); Amazon Growing Business Award – Export Champion of the Year; Wigan Business Award for Export and the EEF Future Manufacturing Award for the North West Region for Export. We are delighted with the recognition and endorsement that these awards represent.”

To watch the Thermoseal Group trade video or Warm Comfortable Home visit www.thermosealgroup.com/news
Visit www.thermobarwarmedge.com or www.thermoflexwarmedge.com for more information on Thermoseal products.

www.thermosealgroup.com

The post New vids from Thermoseal appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Image Above: Michele Wietscher

Following the revelation that the average age of a construction worker is 49, the Director of a fast-growing home improvement firm and world-class inventor have reacted by saying that it is no longer sustainable to carry on without action being taken.

The average UK construction worker is 49 years old and male; and with a likely contraction in workers from the EU, following the Brexit vote, there is an increasingly smaller diminishing pool of workers for building firms to access.

Michele Wietscher, who is a founder and Director at Newview Windows and Conservatories – which has clients such as Network Rail and Heathrow Airport on its books – says that increasing diversity and promoting construction as an industry that is exciting and worthwhile at secondary school level is the answer.

But while the pool of talent is increasingly diverse, the proportion of women in the construction workforce has dropped from 19% to 13% and the black and minority ethnic proportion is just 3%.

In addition to this many young men are also seeking jobs in sectors such as IT and technology and not for jobs where they are working with their hands.

Michele comments: “The debate is finally happening about the next generation of construction workers but it’s now time for action. We’re facing a double crisis of an ageing population and a likely contraction of workers from the EU.

“Ironically, the labour shortage is also driving wages up, so construction jobs should be more desirable if only young people were encouraged to consider them.

“The long-term answer is to promote our industry as a viable option for young people and this means tackling it at school level and doing it now. Too many schools are judged on how many students enrol at college or university and this often means they don’t focus on sectors such as construction and create engagement between business and students.

Michele continues: “For example, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) revealed that more than half of 14 – 19-year olds think construction is outdoors and getting dirty but there are lots of different jobs in construction including cost estimator, construction manager, engineer and architect. This needs to be communicated if we are to get more young people and females working in this sector.”

Michele also says that changing the curriculum could also be an effective way of encouraging more children towards a career in construction.

But recent steps to remove design and engineering from the curriculum, still show there is a long way to go. Nick Grey, who is the inventor behind Gtech supports Michele’s views and recently told Business Leader Magazine about his frustrations with the current education system.

He comments: “It is essential that we encourage young people to take an interest in design and engineering. In my opinion, the British are the best designers in the world and one of the reasons for this, is that we always look to question things.

“I think taking design and technology off the curriculum in schools is madness. I’ve never heard madness like it before, it’s our biggest asset.”

For more information call Newview Windows & Conservatories on 01903 244 449 or visit www.newview-homes.co.uk