If There’s A Slowdown Coming, Our Industry Must Prepare Now

The recent Palmer Market Research report published last month didn’t really paint a rosey picture for the window industry in the coming three years or so. They did say that 2016 was a year in which the window industry outperformed expectations however, something which based on anecdotal evidence I can agree with.

The news after 2016 however wasn’t great. PMR expects a contraction of a rather sharp 4% this year, 2% next year and then a return to moderate growth by 2020. After steady year on year growth since the recession, a 4% contraction this year would be quite a stark reversal of fortunes.

I have to admit, the noises coming out of the industry in certain parts do echo these predictions. Especially in the volume and “value” parts of our market.

So, if there is to be a slowdown in the window and doors industry for the next few years, we have to start making preparations now. It may not be as bad as the Great Recession, but slowdowns bring risks, and preparations now save pain in the future.

Step up marketing

At the sign of things going south, it is often tempting to start to reign in spending on certain things. Marketing and advertising is often on that list, although it is perhaps the one thing at this time that should be being stepped up.

If the window industry is about to contracting, the best thing any forward thinking business can do is to start promoting a strong, outward facing image. This is also the time where many businesses, such as fabricators and installers, will be assessing their spending and who they’re spending with. It’s an ideal time to capture new business when it is up for grabs.

It is also a time for more aggressive companies to steal more market share. In any slowdown there are always companies who start to lose some level of market share as sales start to dip. The more dynamic businesses in our industry should be using this time to become far more aggressive and direct when it comes to marketing to capture new market share where others have been slow to react.

Increased marketing during a slowdown also helps to project a positive image around a company. During tougher times it is easy for things to look more negative than what they sometimes are. Proactive marketing helps to stave that negative image off.

Become more efficient

It might sound obvious, but right now is the time to be looking at how our businesses are run. If PMR data is correct, the slowdown has already begun. If so, then the window industry and it’s companies already need to be looking at ways to make the running of their companies more efficient than they already are and to protect profit margins.

This is going to be a hard balance to find, as many SME’s in this sector are actually growing and plenty are finding skilled labour difficult to come by as they look to continue their growth stories.

For the largest companies in our industry who may already be on a rocky path, staffing levels might be one area to look at, although certainly not ideal.

Technology has a role to play here as well. As an industry we should all be looking at ways to use the tech that is out there to help make running our companies easier, faster, more efficient and more profitable. That may involved some initial investment at the beginning. But if that investment results in better margins and better efficiency, then it’s worth paying.

There is a ton of new products for fabricators and installers to dig their teeth into these days. Aluminium has exploded back onto the scene. Vertical sliders are back in vogue. Bi-fold doors remain very popular. The timber alternative area is booming. There remains plenty of niche areas of our industry that despite the gloomy outlook look set to perform well.

It is these areas that companies need to be exploiting now and in a big way, before the bandwagons get too full. One of the things we did well as an industry when the last recession hit was we diversified rapidly and quickly in a bid to get the cogs of the industry moving again.

Our industry has changed a lot in ten years, and the products that were once popular are quickly falling out of favour with home owners. In order to tough out the next couple of years and to try to extract as much growth as possible, we all have to embrace the wealth of new products at our disposal and really give compelling reasons for home owners to continue to invest good money in their homes and properties.

As Brexit continues to weigh on concerns, domestic growth stagnates and spending power starts to be squeezed, we’re going to have to work even harder to maintain a growth market that makes any sort of decent profit margin.

Work has recently finished on the new Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh with fabricator Total Glass manufacturing 350 unique WarmCore windows to give the hotel a regal finish.

Previously a Premier Inn site, the hotel was acquired by Leonardo Hotels, one of Europe’s fastest growing hotel groups, and given a €7m, 4* refurbishment across its 282 rooms. The WarmCore windows were installed by Reliant Windows and were finished in a bespoke pale silver metallic colour befitting of the hotel’s new name.

The hotel chain prides itself on designing each of its 80 hotels individually, so the specification for the project required something quite unique. WarmCore’s composite structure made it straightforward to manufacture the specialised colour requirements demanded by the project designers with no fuss, allowing the whole project to be delivered within seven weeks.

Phill Cresswell, Sales and Marketing Manager at Total Glass, said:

“We’ve worked closely with Reliant Windows on a number of projects and when we were approached about delivering aluminium windows for the Leonardo Royal Hotel, we knew that WarmCore was the only product for the job.

“WarmCore has revolutionised our aluminium supply chain and given us the capability to turnaround dual colour and bespoke colour requests very quickly, allowing us to tender for a number of commercial projects like this one which we couldn’t have done with an alternative aluminium system, given the complexity of the specification and the time requirements. Specifiers love the guaranteed low U-values and easy maintenance that WarmCore offers – hands down it will be our product of choice for similar projects in the future.”

To find out more about Total Glass’ WarmCore offer visit www.totalglass.com or call 0151 549 2339.

Combining excellent thermal performance and ease of maintenance, Senior Architectural Systems has added a new overswing reversible window option to its popular PURe® range of low U-value aluminium window and doors.

The new PURe® overswing aluminium window is fully revisable to enable cleaning to be completed from the inside of the building.  Safe, secure and benefitting from the inherent strength and durability of its slim aluminium frame, the new PURe® overswing option can help to reduce maintenance costs and is ideally suited for high-rise projects where access to the exterior façade can be difficult.

The latest addition to Senior’s patented PURe® range, which is the first on the UK market to benefit from an enhanced thermal barrier manufactured from expanded polyurethane foam (PUR), also provides exceptional acoustic and thermal performance.  The PURe® overswing window has the potential to achieve U-values as low as 0.93W/m² when calculated as a commercial CEN standard window.

Offering exceptional design flexibility, Senior’s PURe® windows are also available in tilt and turn and casement style options, with Senior’s innovative door range featuring a choice of the PURe® FOLD and PURe® SLIDE. Both the PURe® doors and windows are fully compatible with Senior’s extensive range of aluminium curtain wall solutions.

Ideally suited for a wide range of applications, Senior’s PURe® range of aluminium windows and doors have already been specified on a number of contracts in the education, commercial and housing sectors, enjoying particular success in the new-build residential and student accommodation markets.

For more information please visit www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk/pure

Work has recently finished on the new Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh with fabricator, Total Glass, manufacturing 350 unique WarmCore windows for the building.

Previously a Premier Inn site, the hotel was acquired by Leonardo Hotels, said to be one of Europe’s fastest growing hotel groups, and given a €7m, 4* refurbishment across its 282 rooms. The WarmCore windows were installed by Reliant Windows and were finished in a bespoke pale silver metallic colour.

The hotel chain prides itself on designing each of its 80 hotels individually, so the specification for the project reportedly required something unique with regards to the windows. According to Total Glass, WarmCore’s composite structure made it ‘straightforward’ to manufacture the specialised colour requirements demanded by the project designers, allowing the whole project to be delivered within seven weeks.

Phill Cresswell, sales and marketing manager at Total Glass, said: “We’ve worked closely with Reliant Windows on a number of projects and when we were approached about delivering aluminium windows for the Leonardo Royal Hotel, we knew that WarmCore was the only product for the job.

“WarmCore has revolutionised our aluminium supply chain and given us the capability to turnaround dual colour and bespoke colour requests very quickly, allowing us to tender for a number of commercial projects like this one which we couldn’t have done with an alternative aluminium system, given the complexity of the specification and the time requirements. Specifiers love the guaranteed low ‘U’ values and easy maintenance that WarmCore offers – hands down it will be our product of choice for similar projects in the future.”

The post A royal finish appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

Image Above: Chris Hornby (left) of Yorkshire Windows and Doors with Mark Atkinson (right) from Hurst Plastics

As Hull nears the end of an extraordinary year as ‘UK City of Culture 2017’, Hurst Plastics has unveiled a unique composite entrance door that pays tribute to one of the most prominent landmarks of the company’s home city.

Manufactured at Hurst Plastics’ dedicated factory in Hull, the door features a spectacular image of the Humber Bridge from local photographer Wendy Rowe, who lives in Hessle. The iconic 2220-metre long suspension bridge, which was given Grade I listed building status in July, was chosen by Hurst as a fitting subject for the door because it captures the heart of Hull as a thriving city port and vibrant cultural destination. The bridge also inspired the name for the one-off door – the Humber Door.

The door was presented to Hull-based installer Yorkshire Windows and Doors, which has been a customer of Hurst Plastics for 20 years. The company will display the door in its showroom in Sutton Fields before handing it over to local charity Dove House Hospice. The hospice will auction the door at its annual Winter Ball, which takes place in November at The Country Park Inn in Hessle. The fundraising gala event hopes to raise £12,000 for the hospice.

Mark Atkinson, Sales Director at Hurst Plastics, presented the door to Chris Hornby from Yorkshire Windows. Mark said: “This is a really special year for Hull and we just had to produce something that marked the occasion and honoured our famous bridge. We have some clever technology that’s capable of reproducing any photograph onto glass and so the idea was borne to create a door with a dazzling image that really captures the essence of Hull. And here it is – the Humber Door!

“The finished door is remarkable and we’re proud to have created a real statement piece that’s like nothing else out there. And of course, we’re delighted to donate it to Dove House Hospice and to lend our support to a fantastic local charity. We certainly hope it opens the door to a bidding frenzy at the auction!”

Chris Hornby, Managing Director of Yorkshire Windows and Doors, added: “It is a real privilege to be custodians of this magnificent door, which is a true celebration of Hull. I’m a Hull man and this year has been an incredibly proud year for the people of Hull as UK City of Culture. I’m very pleased that the door will also help to raise money for Dove House Hospice. I have personal experience of the hospice and it’s a wonderful place.”

The Humber Door was created in a half-glazed design to dedicate as much glazing as possible to the image of the bridge. It was made in one of Hurst’s most popular contemporary colours – Anthracite Grey – and features a complementary chrome handle and letterplate.

For more information on the range of Hurst composite doors or Hurst’s digital printing service, please contact Hurst Plastics on 01482 790790 or visit www.hurst-plastics.co.uk.

For more information and to book tickets, visit: www.dovehouse.org.uk/ball

Eurocell has added 250 products to its over-the-counter range bringing the total number available to over 4,000. From loft hatches to laminate flooring, hacksaws to hardhats, the aim of the additions is to ensure that all the day-to-day items that a jobbing builder might need are at hand.

The company opened over 20 new branches this year, and with a total of over 150 covering Penzance to Inverness, the network can be considered a truly comprehensive national one.

The new products span a dozen categories ranging from an expanded timber selection and access equipment, through to PPE, tools, fixings and decorating supplies. For example, there is a new collection of loft hatches with three variations available in either drop down or push up configurations, plus a one-hour fire option. An expanded timber range has been rolled out to even more stores, and now encompasses, for instance, 18mm OSB sheet products up to 2.4m in length.

Last year saw the opening of 20 Eurocell branches around the country, with over 170 in total now, covering Penzance to Inverness. “We choose locations carefully, looking for spots that we know will be accessible for local tradespeople who might otherwise have to make a significant journey to pick up supplies,” says Eurocell Head of Marketing Chris Coxon. “One of the things we’ve noticed over the past few years is that our customers are buying more and more tools and materials from us. By adding even more staples to the range, we hope they can make one stop with us and then get straight back to work”.

Among the major new lines, for example, is a collection of insulated loft hatches with three variations in either drop down or push up configurations, plus a one-hour fire option. The design of the multi-point catch mechanism means that the Drop Down Loft Door can maintain a more effective draught seal around the entire accessible opening, helping to meet the air leakage requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations and preventing the problem of moist warm air entering. It has been independently tested by the BRE to BS EN 13141-1:2004, and easily surpasses the regulation requirements for air leakage. The door can also be used in conjunction with the company’s pole-operated loft ladders.

Looking floor-wards, there’s now a range of laminate flooring available from Eurocell branches. With the look and feel of real wood the click-together system comes in a choice of Michigan Oak or Ontario Oak with underlay, profiles and beading included in the range.

Eurocell’s catalogue of tools and accessories has expanded. High-vis orange fencing, screwdriver sets, wood chisels and heavy-duty staple guns are among the extra items. There are more decorating and cleaning products too.

With the roofing season upon us, Eurocell has also added two types of insulation: Celotex GA4000, a general-purpose insulation board and Knauf’s Earthwool Loft Roll, a 1.14m-wide low-density glass mineral wool quilt for pitched roofs.

Last, but by no means least, Eurocell has added significantly to its PPE range. Now customers can purchase hard hats, a choice of several styles of safety eye wear, ear defenders, masks and gloves.

And to save even more of those precious minutes on site, Eurocell now offers a click-and-collect service. Customers can order online using a smartphone, tablet or laptop and then pick up from their nearest branch. Alternatively, there’s free delivery within 24 hours for orders over £100.

To find out which of the 170+ Eurocell branches is your nearest, visit http://www.eurocell.co.uk/branch-finder.

Apeer is now offering Yale’s highly impressive Conexis keyless smart door lock as an option across the full range of the company’s composite residential doors, complementing the high security performance of its doors with the convenience of app-based control and dispensing with conventional keys. It is simple and intuitive to operate by anyone familiar with a smartphone.

Yale Conexis offers the freedom to control access through the door remotely or directly without keys, unlocking and locking doors using app enabled smart phones, key cards, tags or phone tags (sold separately). With all functions controlled via the Conexis app the user may send mobile ‘keys’ to family and friends, with the option to give access permanently or for a few weeks or hours if required. ‘Keys’ may be revoked instantly. Five keys are provided with the lock, with additional keys purchased via the app.

The app also allows the user to keep track of who comes and goes, sending notifications to the user’s smart phone, ideal to check when children arrive home for example. And for the simple function of unlocking the door for direct access, the user simply presents their smart phone to the lock to wake the Bluetooth function, and then twists the device through 90 degrees to release the door.

The Conexis lock works perfectly on Apeer doors as they have been using the Yale mantis multi point lock for over 15 years now and Conexis can be retrofitted to any Apeer door where customers would like to upgrade. In fact the Conexis smart lock may be installed on all regular locking mechanisms.

Apeer doors may be ordered with Conexis through Apeer or regular distributors.

Further information at www.apeer.co.uk

A new dining space at Drayton Manor Hotel has been filled with natural light thanks to the installation of four largescale Stratus lantern roofs.

The fully thermally broken aluminium lanterns were installed this summer by Swadlincote Window Company Ltd. in the popular hotel which serves guests of the Drayton Manor theme park in Tamworth.

The Garden Room extension has been added to the back of the hotel to offer extensive views of the grounds, finished with modern décor and facilities. The contemporary style of the aluminium Stratus with white interior finish has helped to keep the space light and open, complementing the large windows and folding sliding doors.

Michael McGuinness at Swadlincote Window Company Ltd. said:

“We won the project through the main contractor, DF Beniston Ltd. They wanted a reliable company to install a product that would fill the new dining area with natural light. We were thrilled when we won the project because it was great to work for one of the biggest theme parks in the UK.

“During discussions with the main contractor, we recommended the Stratus roof system due to the large glass area which would allow an endless amount of light through. We glazed the roofs with Celsius Elite glass which is highly insulated, has very good UV protection and has an excellent solar factor.

“After seeing the finished product, we were delighted. The amount of light coming through was just right and it really opened up the new dining area. We were just so thankful for being chosen to help with this fantastic project and we hope that the staff and customers enjoy the new dining area for years to come!”

The Stratus lantern roof from Synseal Group is fully thermally broken with a hardwearing aluminium exterior, combining beautiful, modern aesthetics with excellent thermal performance all year round. The polyamide thermal break system offers improved thermal efficiency up to 65% better than conventional aluminium systems, according to the company.

In addition, the 20° pitch and 66% smaller ridge than standard systems also give the Straus lanterns a very clean, discreet finish both inside and out.

Stratus is available in three styles including a contemporary design supported solely by the hip rafters, without the need for side rafters. The large three-way design specified for this installation is available up to 3m x 6m with a choice of anthracite grey or crisp white powder coated external finishes.

www.swadlincotewindows.com

Two new innovative rooflight products from Kestrel Aluminium have been designed to focus on ‘bringing light into living’

Kestrel Aluminium Systems have been designing quality architectural products that enhance living spaces since 1989 with the customer remaining at the heart of everything they do. Nearly thirty years later the Aston-based company are continuing to expand their product portfolio with the introduction of two new innovative products; a flat rooflight system and a lantern rooflight system, both designed with the end user in mind. These carefully created systems will create an airy space flooding light into every corner of a home using elegant and aesthetically pleasing designs.

The customer-centric company believes that no home is complete without a free-flowing stream of natural light to help brighten up even the darkest day. The Kestrel Aluminium Systems’ Flat Rooflight System will flood the space below with natural light all year round creating a contemporary living space complementing and adding value to any home. This innovative and practical made-to-measure rooflight is available in three different designs; Fixed, Ventilation or Egress. The system has been carefully crafted so that it stands out from the rest of the competition with our unique design; it has been designed to allow glass to be removed in the event of double-glazed unit failure. By using a removable PVC-U cassette to which the glass is bonded, it is mechanically fixed to the frame, therefore only the cassette will need replacing in the event of glass replacement.

The Fixed version is available in two options; Standard and Walk-On, whilst the Ventilation version opens up to 360mm enabling air to filter through, or if you require alternative means of egress for maintenance purposes the Egress version opens up to a 70° angle allowing access to the rooftop. This fabricator-friendly Flat Rooflight System offers dual powder-coating options as well as being built bespoke to the size of the glass required. Once installed, the secure rooflight maximises natural light providing an elegant appeal to any home, office, school or hotel whilst offering additional ventilation. Following the recent successful launch of Kestrel Aluminium Systems’ Flat Rooflight, the company are continuing to roll out their new product development portfolio, with their latest addition aimed at truly bringing light into living. The new Lantern Rooflight System is both stylish and practical, and is designed to meet the needs of the modern home using environmentally friendly materials delivering superior aesthetics.

The innovative and practical lantern rooflight has been designed to be fabricator friendly with the absence of compound mitre cuts as a result of the fixed pitches. The thermally efficient system has been created to be aesthetically pleasing with fuss-free low-line ridges and round-edged glazing bars to create a softer and more contemporary appearance. The secure lantern rooflight provides an elegant appeal to any home, orangery or extension whilst enhancing the owners’ lifestyle. The corner joints are performed with mechanical cleats with the aid of punch tooling to each of the corners of the lantern rooflight.

The jointing system makes site assembly possible meaning transportation and manual handling of the materials onto the roof become easier. Additionally, the eaves’ profiles are designed with a render stop, allowing internal finishes to be brought up to the underside of the lantern rooflight to provide a neat slick finish. The hip bars and glazing bars are supplied pre-machined to fit neatly against the eaves profiles. Only one cut is required to achieve the correct bar length before the assembly of each hip/glazing bar reducing fabrication time. Simply enjoy the warmth of the sun or gaze up at the stars at night. It’s time to open up your mind to a brighter way of living all year around. If that was not enough, due to their onsite powder-coating facility, Kestrel Aluminium Systems boast enviable lead times of only 3-5 days, yes you read that right..days not weeks! To become, or find a Kestrel Aluminium Fabricator, request a brochure or find out more about Kestrel Aluminium Systems call 0121 333 5335 or email info@kestrelalumunium.co.uk.

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