Harvey’s Rains and Flooding Continue in Texas; Effects on Local Window and Door Industry Still Uncertain

Synseal Group has rebranded the domestic manufacturing arm of Village Glass in Essex, which is now part of the group’s £40 million Global Glass division.

Global Glass Essex services the domestic customers of Village Glass, previously Euroview Manufacturing, and gives additional capacity to the 360 Global Glass customers which Synseal Group supplies throughout the UK.

Following the acquisition in December 2016, Global Glass Essex has reportedly almost tripled its IGU capacity from 6,500 to 18,000 and has appointed 45 new staff members in a range of roles including shop floor, sales and engineering.

Derren Gittins, glass managing director at Synseal Group, said: “We’re having a brilliant year at Global Glass and are very pleased with the progress already made at the Essex plant, where we have almost tripled our sealed unit capacity. It’s an excellent state-of-the-art facility with a high speed triple unit line and a very talented team of staff committed to delivering consistent quality for our customers.

“We acquired the plant in Essex to give us a regional base in the South East and to respond to the growing demand from our nationwide customer base. Just like our previous Global Glass acquisitions, we are in a position to fill our capacity and continue to grow while providing 24/7 operational consistency to our customers across four toughening plants and six fully automated sealed unit lines.

“We’re very proud that Global Glass is now the largest UK owned IGU supplier with a capacity of 50,000 sealed units a week.”

www.synseal.com

The post Synseal introduces Global Glass Essex appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Solidor, the most secure timber core composite door, reports sales up 20% in the first seven months to July on the same period last year and ahead of forecasts. This strong activity is reflected in its online traffic too, with 65,000 hits on Solidor’s website in July and 220,000 page views.

Solidor has experienced fast growth over the last few years. CEO Gareth Mobley credits this to the company’s strong focus on helping customers sell and its continual improvement in product, processes, operations and people. Gareth comments: “We’re really excited about our positive growth and the ongoing progress of the business. Our website is pivotal in generating leads for our installers so seeing those high traffic figures and page views is extremely reassuring.

“If our customers keep growing, we grow. So it’s important we do all we can to help them sell more. That starts by investing in product development so we continue to give them an edge in the market with a premium, high-quality product that leads in security,” continues Gareth. “Solidor is already known for being the most secure composite door on the market with PAS24:2016, Approved Document Q and Secured By Design as standard. Earlier this year, we were the first to launch the new security handle, Lock Lock, across our timber core range as standard too. The innovative lock passed the TS007 2* security test with ease and is designed to be used with the 3* Ultion cylinder. All of this gives us an unbeatable combination we’re calling 5 Star Security.

“But a great product is not enough. We need great service too”, confirms Gareth. “So over the last two years we have made fundamental changes to systems and procedures, invested in additional machinery, factory and warehouse space, and streamlined workflow for efficient, high quality production and ‘world-class’ manufacturing. In June, July and August (up to the time of writing) we achieved 100% OTIF (On Time, In Full) deliveries. The future is bright and we’re ready to embrace it!”

For more information on the most secure timber core composite door call 01782 950 941. Visit www.solidor.co.uk or follow on twitter @SolidorLtd.

The man running a ‘hothouse’ programme to skill the nation is warning young people not to ‘stumble zombie-like towards higher education’ – but consider an apprenticeship for a ‘rewarding career’.

The message – from Dr Neil Bentley, CEO of WorldSkills UK – is aimed at stimulating parents and pupils to consider all the options before making crucial decisions about their future education and employment.

WorldSkills UK and its Team UK, comprising what are described as ‘the 34 most talented skilled young people in the country’, are heading to Abu Dhabi in October to compete in the WorldSkills Finals, (described as the ‘skills Olympics’), against their peers from 76 other nations.

Dr Neil Bentley, chief executive of WorldSkills UK, (who is former deputy director general of the CBI) said: “We need to act now to get anywhere near the UK’s requirements for skilled young people once freedom of movement comes to an end.

“With UK industry and services crying out for skills – and the end of freedom of movement due to Brexit, recruitment has to be on a military scale.

“There are thousands of terrific careers on offer with entry points for people of all different abilities.”

“The culture of our country, ill-informed prejudices and poor careers advice means that the system is still failing many young people – and British business.

“Parents and pupils must be able to make informed decisions at such a crucial time.

“Apprentices are the new achievers of Generation Z – they are not encumbered with debt and are in a position to earn a wage premium throughout a rewarding and stable career.”

Tens of thousands of training and apprenticeship openings will be unveiled at The Skills Show at the NEC in November (16-18), which is powered by WorldSkills UK to inspire the next generation – and link young people directly to industry and training providers.

The WorldSkills International Finals take place October 14-19 in Abu Dhabi. Follow Team UK on @worldskillsuk

The post Beware the higher education ‘zombie’ appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Residor, the most secure GRP composite door on the market, has launched a new retail brochure to help customers promote its new range and sell more doors. Investment in product development means Residor is now available in an extended choice of colours, styles and designs.

Head of Sales & Marketing, Gareth Busson, explains: “We put security first because 85% of homeowners do. So from the very start, Residor has led the market with the Ultion 3* cylinder, PAS24:2016 cut test pass and a 3.6mm GRP skin that’s twice as thick as most doors – all as standard. This gives our customers a strong head start in the market. But we recognise that installers also need to be able to offer choice in looks and designs, and be reassured that they won’t be let down on quality or deliveries.

“Continual improvement of our products and delivering first-class service is integral to our business,” continues Gareth. “Residor is now available in any RAL colour, providing 2,328 shade options for delivery in just 10 days. We have also added nine new glass styles, and additional door frame colours with Rosewood and foiled Anthracite Grey. Customers can order online via our new Cloud 2.0 system, with a 5 day lead time on standard colours, and 100% OTIF (On Time, In Full) deliveries. A great price is the cherry on top of the cake!

“To sum it up, our customers get a top performing product, when they need it, with greater choice in colours and designs, at a price that helps them sell more – it’s an unbeatable package!”

For more information on the door that comes with more, call 0808 252 3733, visit www.residor.co.uk, or tweet @ResidorDoors using the hashtag #MostSecureGRPdoor.

DW3 Products Group has appointed Chris Follows as the new Warehouse & Transport Logistics Manager for Residence Collection and Window Widgets to support the businesses’ strong growth and expansion plans.

Chris brings strong experience working in logistics for 25 years, most recently for the Epwin Group. Prior to Ewpin, Chris worked for Excell Logistics on multi-site contracts, of which Rehau was a major contract. In addition to his extensive transport knowledge, Chris’ key skills include managing large teams over a 24 hour operation, restructuring warehouses and introducing new systems to meet KPIs and improve efficiencies.

Reporting to DW3’s Operations Director Mike Price, Chris is responsible for achieving consistently strong On Time, In Full (OTIF) delivery rates, and implementing a new racking and storage system so stock can be found quicker. Chris comments: “It’s exciting to be joining two businesses that are experiencing fantastic growth in the market. It’s also timely to review existing systems and processes and see what can be improved to make our service better, quicker and more efficient.

“In just three months of joining I’m pleased to see that some of my initiatives are paying off and we’re getting great feedback from our customers,” continues Chris. “KPI forms are now filled in weekly and reviewed monthly, and OTIF has vastly improved. For the first time ever in June and July, Window Widgets achieved zero ‘no picks’!

“Working with Mike is a bonus too. He has very high standards and is hands on. He walks around every time he visits and takes photos so he can see and track the improvements – there is no getting away! DW3 is committed and focused on growth and constant improvement, and it’s brilliant to be part of an organisation that has such drive and ambition. Teams are motivated to achieve and see results, and it’s a great atmosphere to work in,” concludes Chris.

For more information on DW3 Products Group and its market leading brands visit www.dw3group.co.uk. Follow on twitter at @dw3products.